Excellent cruise destinations in the Caribbean Sea today: Take photos in front of some of its most famous landmarks, including The Little Mermaid sculpture (also known as “The Most Famous Lady in Denmark,”) the Amalienborg Palace, and the gorgeous Tivoli Gardens. If you want to experience the city from a unique perspective, you can also take a boat tour through the many canals of Christianshavn, which can be a pretty romantic jaunt, too. After another day at sea, your boat will dock in Nynashamn, Sweden. Sign up for a day excursion to nearby Stockholm and tour its famous City Hall (where the annual Nobel Prize ceremony takes place) and walk around the stylish neighborhood of Ostermalm. Read extra info at cruise bookings.
Explore this wondrous part of the world on a cruise of your choosing. From Ho Chi Minh City and the 1,000-year-old capital of Hanoi in Vietnam to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, a cruise through Southeast Asia affords the opportunity to experience the region’s culture, sights and cuisine in a single trip. Several river cruise lines offer itineraries to these legendary destinations along the Mekong River, including Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Viking River Cruises, Avalon Waterways and AmaWaterways. You’ll also find Southeast Asia sailings to destinations like Singapore and Bangkok with larger cruise lines like Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line.
With world-class museums, shops and dining, Paris is enchanting year-round. After enjoying a few days in the City of Light, set sail for a weeklong cruise on the Seine River with views of the Eiffel Tower as you cast away. Stop in picturesque Giverny and admire Impressionist artist Claude Monet’s house and gardens in full bloom. Afterward, visit the Normandy beaches where Allied soldiers landed on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Avalon Waterways offers eight-day cruises for this itinerary on several dates, all of which offer stunning river views, historical ports and endless French wine and cheese. Viking Cruises offers a similar itinerary as well.
Italy has an extensive Mediterranean coastline, speckled with unbelievable islands, beaches, and beautiful towns. Sailing around southern Italy is always a popular choice for European cruise holidays. What makes this area even better is its close proximity to Greece – allowing you to include both countries easily into your sailing itinerary. As Italy has a rather lengthy coastline, the different destinations each offer something completely unique. Some of the best places to visit in Italy for a sailing holiday include Sardinia, Amalfi, the Aeolian Islands, the Sorrentine Peninsula, and Sicily. The Cinque Terre is another great coastal destination for those interested in sailing further north. Discover the Mallorca’s Balearic Islands and swim in their crystal-clear waters or book an Ibiza yacht charter cruise to discover sheltered, hidden coves and enjoy the best sunsets you’ll ever see. With more than 6,000 islands, Greece is an ideal destination for sailing. From ancient ruins and breathtaking culture to incredible cuisine, idyllic villages, endless olive groves, and turquoise waters, Greece offers countless opportunities for fun and relaxation.
And remember, before or after staying in Ibiza, take the chance and spare some days for a visit to Spain’s mainland cities. Ibiza offers several daily flight connections with Madrid and Barcelona, just 40min away from the latest. Bachelors and singles will enjoy big city life, with good nightlife, shopping, restaurants and fun experiences. Couples and honeymooners may like to extend the trip and immerse in Spanish culture and heritage. Start with Barcelona and continue afterwards to the south, where charming Andalusian cities are waiting with incredible monuments and cosy old towns. Madrid can be the departure city, easily connected from Sevilla, Córdoba and Málaga by fast train. Families may prefer to extend the stay in the fantastic beach resorts and end with a short visit to main capitals before heading back home. Consistently rated as one of the world’s most attractive beaches, Ses Salines (also referred to as Las Salinas) is usually the first stop for sun-seekers visiting Ibiza. Part of a natural park bearing the same name, this idyllic stretch of fine sand offers beautiful views of the inland countryside as well as the typically relaxing Ibiza bathing experience (there are no waves here). A scattering of cool beach bars offers all the extras that you need for a perfect day at the beach: good food – including wonderfully fresh fish – cold beers, tasty cocktails and decent tunes. The Best Time for Mediterranean Yacht Cruises? Summer is the best time to visit the Mediterranean, and it is definitely the high travel season in this part of Europe. The millions of people from all around the world flock to the Mediterranean’s beaches during summer months for much-deserved summer break due to the region’s pleasant climate. The summers in the Mediterranean are sunny and hot, and the sea is warm. However, the best time for Mediterranean yacht cruises is late spring (May-June) or early fall (September-October) when the temperatures and the sea are pleasurably warm, days are sunny, and the crowds in popular destinations are far fewer than in summer.
The Aeolian Islands are also commonly known as the Lipari Islands. They lie Northwest off the coast of Sicily and are of volcanic origin. Their geographical nature is extraordinary and sailing between the island visitors can take in the amazing rock formations, see black sand beaches and live volcanoes. Marina di Portorosa is ideally positioned for exploring the Aeolian Islands, and is easily accessible from both Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto and Messina.
You might not always get the good weather but this part of the UK equals many of its European rivals in beauty. Over 95 miles of uniquely formed ancient coastline stretch all the way from East Devon to Dorset. Otherwise known as the Jurassic Coast, some of the rock formations here are 185 million years old and its England’s first natural World Heritage Site. Set sail from Weymouth Harbour and stop off at all the local beauty spots – Durdle Door, Lulworth cove and countless historic coastal villages.
Mondello is an overgrown fishing village flipped into a 19th-century Liberty resort for Palermo’s elite. Imagine Nice, served with a frutti di mare side. A wide arc of beach is backed by more foodie treats. Like mobile carts selling lemon granitas and arancina (fried rice balls). Alicudi is the Sicilian island that Instagram forgot. Irregular ferries and passing yachts call ciaoto the island’s 100 inhabitants. Islanders share a pastoral diet of wild figs and prickly pears served alongside a sustainable daily catch. That’s good news, because this tiny island has no shops, no ATM and no problems. Discover additional info on cruisebooking.com.
One of our favourite things about a cruise is that you can visit multiple bucket-list destinations in one holiday and discover new treasures on your way. The best cruises let you explore places which are difficult to reach on foot, like some of Scotland’s most remote islands and Greece’s hidden coves. They also open up spectacular views you wouldn’t get on land, such as picturesque fairytale castles dotted along the Garonne, Dordogne, and Gironde Rivers or the whitewashed seaside towns of the Greek Cyclades. Choosing a cruise means seeking new adventures, perhaps travelling to a continent you’ve never set foot in before or trying new activities like hiking, wildlife spotting or cooking. There are also other ways to expand your horizons on a cruise, such as seeing some local entertainment or making new friends on board.
Make sure to always read the fine print so you know exactly what you’re getting, and you don’t run into any issues when you arrive for embarkation or once you’re onboard. (Important fine print could include whether or not you can cruise with a baby or while pregnant — which is a much earlier cut off date than on planes.) You should be doubly diligent when it comes to any fees that might be charged in addition to your cruise fare such as taxes, fuel charges and gratuities, as well as to change, cancellation and refund policies. Even if you don’t make any changes, cruises are often subject to last-minute itinerary changes due to weather and sea conditions. There’s no friendly travel agent standing by waiting to spell the terms and conditions out for you, so it’s important that you read every last detail yourself.