Top 10 Top Deck Entrances to Cruise Ports
Then you have the ports that aren’t actually the location that they are build as and you have some that need you to tender to from out at sea.
If you arrive at any of the type of ports listed above the chances are that you will have a steady start to the morning, maybe have breakfast in your staterooms and wait for the ship to be ready for disembarkation before heading out of your room and onshore.
On the flip side of that, there are some ports where you set your alarm, make sure you are up, dressed and outside on the top deck well in advance of your arrival for what is a once in the lifetime moment.
Those are the type of ports that we call top deck entrances and those are what we focus on in this top 10 list that takes lots of aspects into account including the history of the port, the natural beauty of the port and just what the overall experience is of your arrival and/or departure at a port of call.
For some destinations, the best way to see the best of the port is from the sea and what better way to do that than on a cruise ship?
Our Top 10 Top Deck Entrances to Cruise Ports
Kotor, Montenegro
If the idea of a fjord cruise sounds interesting to you aside from the cold weather, then a trip to Kotor is a must for you.
Although not technically a fjord, it is actually a submerged river canyon, you would never now it as you sail through the Bay of Kotor (Boko Kotorska) and dock in the centre of town where you are surrounded by the limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovcen.
Another incredible aspect of this Adriatic Sea port is that you look over the town of Kotor from your ship where you can see the historic walls of the Old Town and the incredible hill side fortress which are all part of the towns historic defences that are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From a cruising point of view, it is possible to visit the port on a cruise of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and some cruises of the Greek Islands also stop off there.
Sydney, Australia
Sydney is one of the world’s greatest cities and attracts tourists from around the world to see its landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge and that is what makes arriving via cruise ship so special as you see both of those and so much more from your ship.
The entry into Sydney harbour is a spectacular one from its natural beauty point of view that continues from the moment you sail past Hornby Lighthouse to the point that you dock at the Sydney Cove terminal right in the heart of the city.
From their you can explore the incredible sights of the city, head to an iconic beach such as Bondi or head to watch a game of Rugby League for a truly authentic Sydney experience.
Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland, British Isles
This maybe the biggest surprise to those reading this list but if you are fortunate enough to have sailed into Portree, it wouldn’t be.
The entrance see’s you sail through the Hebrides, past the Isle of Raasay along the Sound of Raasay and into Loch Portree before arriving at the small port where the iconic multi-coloured houses grab your attention.
Cape Town, South Africa
There can be fewer spectacular sights awaiting you at a port than the magnificent Table Mountain but there is so much more that makes arriving at Cape Town so memorable.
The waters that surround the cape are full of wildlife so you will more often than not see whales, orcas, dolphins, sharks, seals and more as you sail past the cape peninsular and Robben island as you enter the town centre harbour and the modern Victoria and Albert Waterfront.
Flam, Norway
The entry into the small village of Flam starts hours before you even get an inkling of what awaits you onshore as you leave the North Sea, sail past a number of islands and enter into the Sognefjord once you hit the Norwegian mainland.
Nicknamed the ‘King of the Fjords’, Sognefjord is the longest and deepest fjord in Norway that stretches for nearly 130 miles inland and when you head for Flam, you sail most of it.
To get to the village itself, you take the Aurlandsfjorden branch of the fjord where Flam sits at its head and that see’s visitors arrive surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and pulling alongside the Flam River with views along the Flamsdalen valley.
Everything about the port and the entry into to it is simply stunning and with things to see on both sides of the ship, you really need to get away from your balcony and up on the top deck.
Geiranger, Norway
There is little to choose between Flam and Geiranger as they are so similar in so many ways.
For Gieranger, you start your journey sailing along the Storfjorden before hitting the Geirangerfjorden branch and whist we would recommend been up on top deck for the full time you are in the fjord, it is when you hit the branch that it is a must.
The entry into the village itself see’s you sail past the iconic 7 sisters (and suitor) waterfall that crashes 250 metres from into the fjord just metres from your ship.
You then turn almost 90 degrees and into the head of the fjord that shows off the beautiful village of Geiranger including the often furious Storfossen falls.
New York, United States of America
New York city needs no explanation as to why it is such a popular destination for holidaymakers from across the globe, but with its airports amongst the worst in the world, why not avoid the stress and hassle by arriving onboard a cruise ship?
The great news for those that do decide that option is that you are rewarded with one of the best entries into a cruise terminal that there is.
Depending on where you dock, you will get great views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and of course the towering skyline of Manhattan.
Quebec City, Canada
A cruise of Canada’s Atlantic coast often involves stops in small coastal towns where you simply arrive and dock but that is certainly not the case for a stop at Quebec City.
The arrival at the city starts as you sail past Nova Scotia, into the Gulf of St Lawrence and down the St Lawrence River which gets narrower and narrower as you sail along before seeing the landmarks of Quebec City in front of you.
Thanks to the hilly nature of the city and the fact that so many of its attraction and sights are on top of the hills, it makes for a picture perfect arrival.
Valletta, Malta
The majority of the ports featured on this list are here because of their natural beauty but for Valletta is all about been able to take in the history of smallest capital city in the EU.
The island of Malta has had a fascinating past and most of that has revolved around its main city of Valletta, including the Siege of Valletta, and that has seen it undertake a huge fortification including cavaliers, curtains, and bastions.
As you leave the Mediterranean Sea and sail to the cruise terminal, you head past its city walls complete with cannons, and past many of its key sights of interest including Baroque palaces, beautiful gardens, and stunning churches.
Stockholm, Sweden
Not to be confused with the port of Nynashamn which is often build as Stockholm on cruise itineraries, the entry into Stockholm is simply stunning.
The city of Stockholm itself stretches across 14 islands so it will be no surprise that the hours you spend sailing from the Baltic Sea into the city centre cruise terminal takes in a number of beautiful islands.
The Stockholm archipelago features thousands of islands with many of them seeing you sail just metres from their shore until you dock in the city centre where you can see many of the iconic sights of Sweden’s capital city.
