(Photo by Michael Gwyther-Jones)
The word ‘cruise’ may conjure up images of lounging on sun decks, surrounded by nothing but bright blue, tropical waters. But what about sailing past towering white glaciers, witnessing humpback whales and the electric green lights of the Aurora Borealis?
(Photo by pinguino k) While a 2013 industry report revealed that the Caribbean and the Mediterranean continue to dominate the industry, representing 34% and 21% of the market share respectively, other ‘cooler’ cruise destinations are rising in popularity. You can now experience some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes up close, with cruises to the following places:
Norway
The fjordlands of Norway are unlike anywhere else on Earth. Gliding through these narrow waterways, carved by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, will leave you enchanted with the country’s incredible beauty. A cruise will take you past majestic snow-capped mountains, thick alpine forests, powerful waterfalls and isolated fishing villages nestled in the vivid green foothills of Norway’s rugged landscape.
Best time to go: summer
Alaska
Just as the Yukon Gold Rush lured people to Alaska in the 1890s, thousands of people every year now travel by ship to witness the region’s pristine beauty firsthand. Increasingly, people are jumping at the chance to explore the pristine natural landscapes of America’s ‘Last Frontier’ with a cruise through the Alaskan wilderness. As a cruise destination, Alaska has grown to represent a respectable 4% of the cruise industry market share. Cruising around the 49th state, you’ll get the chance to see humpback whales, bears and powerful birds of prey in their natural habitat.
Best time to go: summer
Antarctica
The towering glaciers of the Antarctic may be the only thing on Earth that can make a massive cruise liner look small. A cruise to the world’s most southerly continent – one of the most remote and unspoilt landscapes in the world – is simply breath-taking. A route forged first by explorers Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton, the journey to the ‘White Continent’, while no longer so harrowing, remains the ultimate adventure. From the deck and on the ground you’ll see penguin colonies, leopard seals and the incredible ice sculptures formed by melting glaciers.
Best time to go: winter (Northern Hemisphere winter)
So, while cruises are often viewed as a luxurious way to explore tropical destinations, they also offer a unique way (sometimes the only way) to see some of the world’s most remote landscapes. Such a brilliantly diverse planet, it’s no wonder why more and more people are choosing to explore beyond the well-beaten paths of the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
Norway
The fjordlands of Norway are unlike anywhere else on Earth. Gliding through these narrow waterways, carved by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, will leave you enchanted with the country’s incredible beauty. A cruise will take you past majestic snow-capped mountains, thick alpine forests, powerful waterfalls and isolated fishing villages nestled in the vivid green foothills of Norway’s rugged landscape.
Best time to go: summer
Alaska
Just as the Yukon Gold Rush lured people to Alaska in the 1890s, thousands of people every year now travel by ship to witness the region’s pristine beauty firsthand. Increasingly, people are jumping at the chance to explore the pristine natural landscapes of America’s ‘Last Frontier’ with a cruise through the Alaskan wilderness. As a cruise destination, Alaska has grown to represent a respectable 4% of the cruise industry market share. Cruising around the 49th state, you’ll get the chance to see humpback whales, bears and powerful birds of prey in their natural habitat.
Best time to go: summer
Antarctica
The towering glaciers of the Antarctic may be the only thing on Earth that can make a massive cruise liner look small. A cruise to the world’s most southerly continent – one of the most remote and unspoilt landscapes in the world – is simply breath-taking. A route forged first by explorers Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton, the journey to the ‘White Continent’, while no longer so harrowing, remains the ultimate adventure. From the deck and on the ground you’ll see penguin colonies, leopard seals and the incredible ice sculptures formed by melting glaciers.
Best time to go: winter (Northern Hemisphere winter)
So, while cruises are often viewed as a luxurious way to explore tropical destinations, they also offer a unique way (sometimes the only way) to see some of the world’s most remote landscapes. Such a brilliantly diverse planet, it’s no wonder why more and more people are choosing to explore beyond the well-beaten paths of the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
(This post was written by Clara Brown)
Author: Clara Brown is a keen travel writer who specifically likes to journey the world by boat, whether that means kayaking around Croatian islands, sailing to Europe or cruising around Asia. She found her sea legs at a young age and never looked back.
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