Cool Cruises You Didn’t Know About

Travelers either love cruises or they hate them. There doesn’t seem to be much in between. And the travelers who love cruising, prefer to travel that way whenever possible. This has led to a lot of new and interesting cruises emerging as companies push the envelope to keep that loyalty business. 

River Cruises

One of the most popular new trends is the idea of river cruising. Skip the giant 2,000 passenger ships and hop on a river boat like the fleet Viking River Cruises operates. Viking is the leader when it comes to river cruises and continues to come up with new destinations and routes. Want to explore France’s wine country by boat – there is even a river cruise available in Bordeaux now!

Croatian Islands

Big cruise ships hit the popular Croatian ports in Dubrovnik and Split, but Croatia has some smaller islands absolutely worth exploring. Check out the Katarina Line that offers one of the best deals you will find for small ship cruising. With a tiny fleet of small ships (think 28-30 passengers), you can explore northern islands like Krk and Rab that the big cruise ships forego.

Paul Gauguin

Regular cruisers are likely familiar with the all-inclusive luxury cruises Paul Gauguin offers out of French Polynesia, but they have recently started expanding and offer a number of cruises in new destinations, including Europe. With a small ship capacity of around 300-400, Paul Gauguin is no longer just the best cruise line in the South Pacific.

Repositioning Cruises

If you haven’t heard the term repositioning cruise, it’s when a company is moving a ship from one seasonal route to the next port it will operate out of. These are typically much cheaper cruises, and may include a number of days at sea, but many repositioning cruises offer travelers a chance to experience higher-end amenities and routes for a fraction of the regular cost.

Asia Cruises

The idea of luxury cruising is definitely taking hold in Asia. Several cruise lines have added ships and routes to some exotic locales in the Orient. Look for cruises that include stops in China, Singapore, Tokyo and more.

Disney Cruises

Believe it or not, Disney cruises aren’t just for kids. Just as Disney has introduced a special division for adventurous vacation packages called “Adventures by Disney”, Disney continues to add new ports. Typically known for 3, 4, and 7 day cruises out of Florida to Disney’s private Castaway Cay in the Bahamas, Disney is branching out and offering a number of new destinations. Just recently, Disney announced new itineraries for 2015 including an 11-night Norwegian Fjords and Iceland cruise. 

Which cruise style appeals to you the most?

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.