Top 10 Destinations Best Reached on a Cruise Ship
If somewhere can be reached within an hour or so of a port, the chances are that you will be able to visit it, but some places are probably best to visit on a land-based holiday, and some are best to visit by sea and it is those which we are going to look at in this list.
For the purposes of this list, I won’t be including any waterways, such as canals or fjords, as the list will just be those.
These are the sort of destinations with poor or no air connections, poor road access and little to no rail access or places that whilst they can be reached on other modes of travel, they are incredibly difficult to do so and its an expansive adventure just to get there whilst if you book a cruise itinerary calling in there, you arrive in style and comfort.
Aside from just the ease of arriving, there are many places where you can visit other ways, but it is just so much better to arrive via a cruise ship as the entry into the port is one to remember by see but not great via other modes of travel.
So, with all of that in mind, I take you through what I believe are the top 10 destinations best reached on a cruise ship? If you think I have missed one, let me know in the comment section at the foot of this list.
Our Top 10 Destinations Best Reached on a Cruise Ship
Antarctica
Antarctica is one of the few places that can claim to be like nowhere else on earth and really mean it is as, well, there is nowhere quite like the southern continent.
With few human inhabitants, aside from some small settlements housing scientists cruising Antarctica is all about seeing the incredible wildlife there and enjoying the stunning natural beauty that surrounds you.
It is also somewhere with no infrastructure and with flight restrictions stopping you even looking at it from 39,000ft in the air, this is also somewhere where the only way to go there is to visit by sea.
Unless you have your own seafaring boat you would want to risk sailing across one of the roughest seas in the world, the only way to cross the Drake Passage is on a cruise ship.
Even then, you are limited to less than a handful of mainstream cruise ships or a selection of expeditions ships who can only operate for the summer months, so it is no surprise that the 7th continent tops this list.
Juneau, Alaska
Alaska is the biggest state in America and is home to hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, but it is also the state with the lowest population density so whilst you may expect its capital city to one of its biggest cities, which it is, you may also expect it to be one of its best connected.
That is something that is true but also isn’t true, as whilst there are regular ferry services to the city and it has an airport, it is hard to say that there is a better way to visit the Alaskan capital other than via a cruise ship.
That is for many different reasons including the lack of international flights to Juneau, with those from outside of Alaska needing to transfer via Tacoma Airport in Seattle or Anchorage Airport but perhaps most surprisingly, it is because there are no links by road or rail to any other town or city.
But as someone who has visited the city, even if it did have better connections, I would pick a cruise ship arrival over any other method as you visit the Alaskan panhandle to be able to see its wildlife and incredible scenery and the best way to do is by ship.
As you sail down the Gastineau Channel, you get incredible views of the mountains, forests and if you get lucky like I did, you will see a range of wildlife including eagles.
Galapagos Islands
The remoteness of the Galapagos Islands is the very reason why so many visit the archipelago as it has led to an incredible uniqueness and variety to the wildlife found there.
The islands do have a couple of airports including Seymour Airport which offers limited flights back to the Ecuadorian mainland but for tourists, the only way to explore the whole archipelago is by sea and the only way to do that is by cruise ship./p>
Although these are limited is size and number, which makes this an expensive place to cruise, it is something that is well worth it and somewhere that features on many cruisers bucket lists.
Greenland
Yes, it is possible to fly to the capital of Nuuk from a handful of international airports and from there you can head onto a few other airports around the country, Greenland is somewhere best explored by sea.
Not only are all of its settlements based on its vast coastline and many of those have no road or air links other than by helicopter, but those arriving on a cruise ship get to take in the incredible scenery of the Greenland coast.
You can also enjoy unforgettable experiences such as sailing in Disco Bay or traversing the magical Prince Christian Sound, something I was fortunate enough to do when visit Greenland onboard the Celebrity Summit.
South Georgia / South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI)
The South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, often referred to as SGSSI, are some of the remotest islands of the South Atlantic Ocean and with no human settlements, the only way for people to visit, is onboard an expedition style cruise ship.
An unforgettable experience is awaiting all of those lucky enough to visit the islands as you are welcomed by a variety of penguins species, fur seals, albatrosses and elephant seals, amongst many other land animals, whilst their waters are full of humpback, southern fin and blue whales and even orcas.
The islands also have an incredible story to tell including South Georgia been the final resting place of Sir Ernest Shackleton but in the modern era, visitors can arrive in style and enjoy a day or exploring its coastline and taking in the incredible views and vistas.
Lisbon, Portugal
This one is arguably the destination that features on this list that will perhaps confuse you the most as to why it features here.
It’s a major European city that has an international airport with good links across the continent and even long-haul flights, it has international high-speed rail services and it even continental road links, so just why does it feature on this list.
Well, I should probably start my explanation by stating that Lisbon is one of my favourites, if not my actual favourite, European city to visit and I have been fortunate enough to visit on a few occasions, including arriving by road, air and sea.
By road, the journey even from the southern coast of Portugal isn’t the most interesting and those travelling across the border from Spain will have little to look at.
The Lisbon airport does what it needs to do, but like most European airports, it isn’t somewhere you want to spend much time at but when you arrive by sea, the day starts well before you step ashore.
Depending on if you are sailing north or south before your visit, you will sail past either the Casais or Costa da Caparica beach resort areas, before entering the mouth of the Tagus River.
You the sail close to the beautiful Belem district of the city, complete with views of its magnificent monastery and it famous tower before cruising under the iconic Ponte 25 de Abril bridge and past the Sanctuary of Christ the King statue before you then sail past the city centre of Lisbon, get waved at by hundreds standing in the main Praca do Comercio square and then dock right in the city centre of Lisbon.
In what is one of the best entry or exits from a cruise port in the world, Lisbon is really somewhere every traveller should visit onboard a cruise ship and if you do, please bring me back a De Nata!
Mystery Island, Vanuatu
No, it is not possible to enter into an episode of Scooby Do by taking a cruise but there is an actual cruse destination called Mystery Island, and it is relatively easy to reach on mainstream lines from ports across Oceania.
The island is actually called Inyeug Island and is found just off of Aneityum in Vanuatu, but ever cruise lines call it Mystery Island, which when you visit makes sense as it does feel like you are the first people to come across it, as there are hardly any facilities there aside from some beach huts and attender jetty.
What does await you is crystal clear water to swim in and an idyllic tropical beach to rest on whilst doing your best Robinson Crusoe impersonation.
With no other way to get to the island other than boat, the island is perfect for those wanting a small island experience whilst on a cruise island.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
When traveling around Asia, one of the things that I love about it is the incredible wildlife you come across, especially when you get within inches of water monitor lizards.
Something that I have always wanted to do is visit the Indonesian island of Komodo, home of the Komodo Dragon which is the biggest lizard in the world and the largest specimens are over 10ft in length and more than 150kg in weight!
Whilst the lizards do live on other nearby islands, the best place to see them is on the island they take their name from and as Komodo is just one of over 17,500 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia, this is somewhere you need to sail to.
St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
St Kilda is a remote archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean that contains the westernmost islands of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, including the western most point of the United Kingdom.
Its largest island is Hirta, which is home to the highest sea cliffs in the UK, which gives it one of the most dramatic sceneries in the British Isles.
The islands are difficult to get to even from other parts of the Outer Hebrides, but some luxury cruise lines do offer stops there, although you ill need to tender of course, and what awaits you is the feeling of been at the end of the world and the chance to see many species of sea birds.
Private Islands
This is an obvious one but also something that deserves its place on this list as cruise line private islands are the literal definition of somewhere you can only visit on a cruise ship.
Most of these islands appear on Caribbean itineraries and most feature lots of beach activities, waterparks, nature trails and more but they do tend to be something you either love or hate as a cruiser.
