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Cruise
destination
rankings
1 Antarctica
2 Galapagos
3 South Pacific
4 Mediterranean
5 Baltic Sea
6 Fjords of Norway
7 Alaska
8 Caribbean
9 Hawaii
10 Mexico
My cruise rankings are based on the overall quality of the cruise experience, not on
popularity (which is heavily influenced by proximity to the traveler's home).
Cruise destination
rankings, tips & insights
 Antarctica
Passengers see penguin colonies, soaring glacier cliffs and calving icebergs.
 High
cost.
 
Mid December to late February (sea and weather are most agreeable then).
Cruise ships do not operate from March to September (the Antarctic winter).
 Galapagos
You'll explore the remote islands where Charles Darwin observed unique wildlife that supported his evolution theory.
Mid April to mid May (clear skies, warm weather, calm seas).
 South
Pacific
Destinations include lush tropical paradises like the Polynesian and Fiji
Islands.
Long
open ocean travel to and between the islands is not for everyone.
Varies by the location (the South Pacific covers a broad area).
 Mediterranean
Many exciting regions, including the French Riviera, Greek Islands, Italian
Ligurian Coast and Spanish Costa del Sol.
Some
ports of call can be tourist-packed in summer.
May to September (warmest months).
November to March.
 Baltic
Sea
You visit a smorgasbord of Scandinavian cities (Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm and
Tallinn) plus St. Petersburg in Russia.
June to August.
Cold months.
 Fjords
of Norway
Sail inside massive, narrow, steep-cliffed fjords. These natural wonders are
awesome, humbling and beautiful.
June to August.
Cold months.
 Alaska
You quietly sail by glaciers, fjords and snow-capped jagged peaks, with stops at several
photogenic ports.
Can
be nippy in May and September (the first and last month of the five-month
season).
June to August (warmest months). June offers a bonus: longer daylight for
sightseeing.
 Caribbean
You can visit many nation islands and the trips between the ports are short.
The
Caribbean Islands lack
the tropical lushness of the Hawaiian and South Pacific Islands.
January and February (perfect nearly every day).
Mid-June to early December (hurricane-threat period).
 Hawaiian
Islands
Voyagers view the dramatically cleaved, green-clad volcanic cliffs dropping
down to the sea.
Long
ocean trip from the USA mainland.
Almost everyday, thanks to the location of this tropical paradise.
 Mexico
Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and other west coast ports of call along the Mexican
Riviera come alive with strong margaritas and lively mariachi bands.
Those
who come to relax may find the scene hyper energetic.
November to April (drier, less humid and not quite as hot as the summer period).
Runners-up
Arctic, Australia, New Zealand, Northeast Canada/USA, South America,
Transatlantic - and around the world.
Non-sea cruises
Take the Amazon, Danube, Mississippi, Nile, Rhine, and Yangtze river cruises -
and the barge cruises (especially those on European canals).
Learn more candid
cruise tips &
insights
 
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