North America Cruise Holidays
North America is a region of the world that everybody knows and it seems like a silly thing to have to define the region but if you were to ask 100 people, they would likely give you a difference answer.
That continues with just about every organisation that deals with these sorts of things having their own definition of just what North America consists of but from our point of view, and from a cruising point of view, North America consists of Greenland, Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
As you can see from that list above, a cruise holiday to North America can be what ever you want it to be.
From the quaint small towns and fishing villages of Eastern Canada to the stunning scenery of the Pacific North West, from the Fjords and Glaciers of both Greenland and Alaska to the huge cities of California and from the sunny beaches of Mexico to the attractions of Florida, there really is something for everybody when choosing a North American cruise getaway and that is not even taking into account the island hopping of the Caribbean.
With that said, North American cruises are also great for those who prefer sea days over port days as you can simply cruise from the UK, across the Atlantic and never see land for day after day.
Cruises To North America
Cruise Holidays in North America
The continent of North America is one of the world’s greatest cruise hubs, with many of the world’s leading cruise lines been based in the region, with many headquartered in the Caribbean and having offices and focus ports in Florida.
That makes the region one of the most varied in terms of the cruise liens you can pick from and the cruise ships you can sail upon but perhaps best of all is the variety of ports and destinations to visit.
Popular North American Cruise Ports
There are lots of ports of call that make for a great day on shire whilst on a cruise and there are lots of port in North America that are not just a stopping point but that are also the start and end point of your holiday.
That makes it difficult to limited the ports to just a few, but here are some of the most popular ports spread around North America.
There are lots of great attractions waiting visitors to Seattle including the iconic Space Needle and Pikes Place market but the port is also a great starting point for journeys to the glaciers and natural majesty of Alaska.
Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas and it is also often the starting point for cruisers in the Caribbean or a popular port of call for cruises starting in the US thanks to the great attraction and stunning beaches on offer.
Miami is the cruise capital of the world and is the start and end port for 1000’s and 1000’s of cruise holidaymakers each year but it also makes for a great port of call to allow you to take in the Latin culture of this iconic Floridian city.
Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and is the start and end port for most cruises around the beautiful volcanic islands in the Pacific. The city has lots of attractions to keep visitors entertained but it is natural beauty of this stunning city that grabs your attention including the world famous Waikiki beach.
If you were to be asked to name a North American city, there are a few that come instantly to mind but at the top of many lists would be the city of New York.
From the theatres of Broadway to the shops of 5th avenue and from the massive skyscrapers to Statue of Liberty, this is a city filled with iconic landmarks and must do experiences and best of all you can enjoy a short break before or after a cruise starting at a number of pies in the city or you can enjoy a whirlwind tour of the sights on a day a shore.
In complete contrasts to all of the other cities on this list Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, does not offer lots of attractions and skyscrapers but what it does offer is incredible scenery and the sense of remoteness for those who want to get away from the stresses of modern life.
The small island of Cozumel, just off of the Mexican mainland is a great place to spend the day soaking up the sun or enjoying the incredible snorkelling on offer.
North America Cruise Destinations
Bermuda is an archipelago of 181 islands, off the coast of the United States and close to the Caribbean, so it is no surprise that it is a hugely popular stopping off port for cruise ships.
From Caribbean cruises to transatlantic and weekend getaway from Florida or New York, there is lots of options for those wanting to visit the sunny shores of Bermuda.
Canada is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and thanks to large coastlines on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, there are lots of opportunities to explore the best of the country whilst on a cruise holiday.
Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and is the start and end port for most cruises around the beautiful volcanic islands in the Pacific. The city has lots of attractions to keep visitors entertained but it is natural beauty of this stunning city that grabs your attention including the world famous Waikiki beach.
If the idea of going from one idyllic islands to the next whilst on holiday is your idea of a great getaway then look no further than a cruise to the Caribbean where you can enjoy rainforests, beaches, beach resorts and colourful towns and cities all with their own culture.
Greenland offers the chance to feel remote and to escape from things whilst enjoying the natural beauty including Fjords and glaciers of this often overlooked island.
The Prince Christian Sound is on lots of peoples cruising bucket lists and what you will not find any large towns and cities to explore, the small communities that you do visit give you the chance to really integrate yourself in the Greenland way of life.
From the Mexican Riviere which offers some of the greatest beaches in the world to exploring the ancient Mayan ruins, there is lots awaiting visitors to Mexico.
The United States of America is one of the world’s leading cruise holidays for those looking not just to start or end their holiday but it is also people for cruising around and that is for a good reason.
The States is a land of contrasts so no matter if you love visiting huge cities or small communities, enjoy seeing mountains and glaciers or sunning on beaches, you can do it all and much more of a cruise of the USA.
Popular Cruise Lines In North America
Here are our top cruise lines offering holidays in North America.
The majority of cruise lines operate in the region with the likes of Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Carnival Cruises, and MSC Cruises offering the widest choice of options.
North America
No matter what your preference is from a cruise, from sea day to port intensive itineraries and from sunny getaways to the snow and ice of Alaska and Canada, it can all be enjoyed on a cruise in North America.
Whilst lots of cruises start in Europe, including the United Kingdom for transatlantic journeys where you can either sail back again or fly back, arguably the most popular way of enjoying a cruise in the region is to fly in and out of the many cities that offer cruise ports and then enjoy as much time as possible in the area.
With transatlantic flights amongst the most well served in the world by a variety of airlines, it is relatively easy to get a flight of any cruise port and if you shop around, you can get flights for relatively cheap.
Best Time To Visit North America
With the continent of North America been so vast and stretching from the cold artic to the tropics, the continent really is an all around destination although Canada and Alaska can only be visited throughout eh warmer months and the hurricane season is perhaps one to avoid in the Caribbean and mid Atlantic.
Here at CruiseHols.co.uk we bring you all of the information you will ever need to choose the right cruise destination for you and your family.
Our destination guides include everything from ports to attractions and excursion to the positives and negatives of the destination.
North American Cruises From The UK
If you are wanting to explore North America on a cruise and would like to set sail from the UK, you may think that only the iconic transatlantic route from Southampton to New York is on offer but nowadays there are so many other routes on offer.
Those cruises across the pond take what is known as the direct route, as they go the quickest route possible with the aim of getting you across the Atlantic as quickly as possible.
The good news is that there are two other options available to cruisers that allow you to enjoy a more traditional getaway away where you stop off and visit destinations along the way.
The first route is the northern route, these are itineraries that head across the northern Atlantic and take in destinations such as the Faroe Islands and Iceland in Europe, with some stopping off in Greenland, before heading down the North American mainland and stopping at ports in Canada and the USA, including Quebec City, Halifax, Boston and New York.
The final option is the southern route, which sees cruise ship call into ports down the western coast of Iberia, including the like sf Bilbao, Vigo, Porto and Lisbon, before setting off across the Atlantic and usually stopping off in the Azores before continuing to the United States port of Florida or further south to the Caribbean.
North American Cruises From Southampton
If you are wanting to enjoy a North America cruise directly from the UK, the widest range of ships, lines and itineraries are all available out of the UK’s leading cruise port of Southampton.
It is from the famous port that Cunard offer their liner service directly to New York whilst a number of lines offer trips across both the northern and southern routes, with some even offering direct return trips, including the always popular winter trips to the Caribbean.
Most cruises from Southampton head to the USA, with Miami and New York amongst the most popular but there is a good range of options throughout the year, including round trips to Greenland in the summer months.
