Which Cruise Should You Take in 2020?

Discover New Guinea

Sydney to Sydney
Ship: P&O Cruises’ Pacific Adventure
Nights: 11
Ports of call: Sydney, Australia > Alotau, Papua New Guinea > Kitava, Papua New Guinea > Kiriwina Island, Papua New Guinea > Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea > Sydney, Australia
Dates: 7 to 18 Dec 2020

Not many people can say they have visited the Conflict Islands; this archipelago of 21 pristine isles in Papua New Guinea is notoriously difficult to get to. Among the many highlights? The turtle nursery, where you can feed baby turtles by hand. You can also sample locally grown bananas and mangoes in the markets of Alotau, kayak the tranquil waters of the Conflict Islands and watch a game of cricket with a uniquely local spin on Kiriwina Island. 

Get there on P&O’s newest and largest ship, Pacific Adventure. Guests staying in a suite or mini suite also have access to the exclusive Byron Beach Club on board, with a private pool, spas and sundeck, bar service and food, along with a dining concierge service to ensure priority seating, restaurant bookings and more.

Santa at sea 

Brisbane to Brisbane
Ship: Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Spirit
Nights: 7
Ports of call: Brisbane, Australia > Nouméa, New Caledonia > Isle of Pines, New Caledonia > Brisbane, Australia
Dates: 20 to 27 Dec 2020

Spend quality time with family and friends during the festive season by booking a Christmas cruise. On board Carnival Spirit, expect a winter wonderland setting with a tree-lighting ceremony, carollers and snow falling in the atrium. 

But it’s a different story when the ship docks in New Caledonia, the jewel of the Pacific. You’ll be greeted by white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and welcoming locals. In the cosmopolitan capital, Nouméa, dine at French restaurants such as Chez Toto or the overwater Le Roof and shop high-end European fashion labels.  

Then it’s on to the idyllic and unforgettable Isle of Pines, where you can snorkel protected coral reefs, explore the seabed in a glass-bottom boat, hike to hidden grottos or simply throw down a towel and relax on a postcard-perfect beach. 

SEE ALSO: River or Ocean Cruise? The Verdict is In

Oceanic Christmas

Melbourne to Melbourne
Ship: Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse
Nights: 11
Ports of call: Melbourne, Australia > Picton, New Zealand > Wellington, NZ > Christchurch, NZ > Dunedin, NZ > Dusky Sound, NZ > Doubtful Sound, NZ > Milford Sound, NZ > Melbourne, Australia
Dates: 23 Dec 2020 to 3 Jan 2021

Imagine: gingerbread houses, trees adorned with shiny baubles, festive carol singers and a Michelin-starred feast on Christmas Day, all without lifting a finger. Enjoy the silly season on board Celebrity Eclipse as you cruise towards New Zealand in modern luxury. There is even a visit from Santa, with presents for the kids.

A few days into the trip, you’ll arrive in the seaside town of Picton to begin your adventure in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Then it’s on to Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, where history and culture combine with great food.

Next stop is Fiordland National Park, which is listed among the seven wonders of the world for cruise enthusiasts. Here you’ll learn about Māori legends and see the spectacular and remote Doubtful and Milford sounds before making your way back to Melbourne, refreshed and ready to take on the new year. 

Heavenly Hawaii

Honolulu to Honolulu
Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America
Nights: 7
Ports of call: Honolulu, Oahu > Kahului, Maui > Hilo, Hawaii > Kona, Hawaii > Nawiliwili, Kauai > Honolulu, Oahu
Dates: 12 to 19 Dec 2020

Explore the Aloha State on this cruise that takes guests to four islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. Sip Mai Tais at the Barefoot Bar in Maui, sign up for a surf lesson in Kona, sail the breathtaking Na Pali Coast and witness the fiery lava flow of Kilauea Volcano. 

With two overnight stays on both Maui and Kauai, the itinerary allows plenty of time to explore. Sixty-nine shore excursions are available, including a luau (a traditional Hawaiian feast with music), helicopter flights over waterfalls and a farm tour, which reveals how Hawaii’s bestselling Ocean Organic Vodka is made.

Sailing every Saturday year-round from Honolulu, Pride of America allows you the freedom to holiday on your own schedule. Cruise the United States’ paradise in style, with excellent family accommodation, spacious suites and plenty of balconies from which to enjoy the views. 

Caribbean dream  

Miami to Miami
Ship: Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas
Nights: 7
Ports of call: Miami, Florida > Labadee, Haiti > San Juan, Puerto Rico > Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas > CocoCay, Bahamas  > Miami, Florida
Dates: 22 to 29 Aug 2020

Sample rum, feast on spicy jerk chicken and ease into the relaxed pace of life on this Royal Caribbean cruise. See Danish colonial architecture in Charlotte Amalie and explore the historic fortress of El Morro in San Juan.

Too slow? Amp up the adrenaline in Labadee, about 150 metres above ground on the world’s longest overwater zip-line. On CocoCay, slip down the 41-metre-high Daredevil’s Peak – the tallest water slide in North America – and see how it compares to the tallest slide at sea, the 10-storey Ultimate Abyss.

Symphony of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship, featuring seven different neighbourhoods on board in which you’ll find attractions such as two FlowRider surf simulators and laser tag, plus jaw-dropping performances on stage, ice, water and in the air.

SEE ALSO: Exploring Alaska Aboard a Luxury Cruise Ship

The spice route    

Dubai to Singapore
Ship: Azamara’s Azamara Pursuit
Nights: 19
Ports of call: Dubai, United > Arab Emirates > Mumbai, India > Kochi (Cochin), India > Colombo, Sri Lanka > Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar > Singapore, Singapore
Dates: 20 Nov to 9 Dec 2020

Immerse yourself in the spice route on this cruise to the Far East. Shop for gold in Dubai, see ancient carvings on Elephanta Island near Mumbai and marvel at Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda, adorned with 7,000 diamonds, rubies, topaz and sapphires.

With overnight stays in Kochi and Colombo, and two nights in Yangon, you won’t feel rushed. Eight pre- and post-cruise tours are available, including a trip to India’s Taj Mahal and a chance to see orangutans in Borneo.

Launched in 2018, Azamara Pursuit’s boutique size means it can access small harbours that bigger ships can’t enter. It also means you’ll never get lost! Take in a show at the Cabaret Lounge, be pampered in the Sanctum Spa or play a spot of shuffleboard on the sundeck.

Flavours of Asia

Singapore to Hong Kong
Ship: Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony
Nights: 15
Ports of call: Singapore, Singapore > Koh Samui, Thailand > Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand > Sihanoukville, Cambodia > Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam > Da Nang, Vietnam > Hong Gai, Vietnam > Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Dates: 7 to 22 Dec 2020

Tick off some of South-East Asia’s most storied destinations on the cuisine- and culture-focused President’s Cruise. Stroll the beaches of Thailand’s Koh Samui and scuba-dive or snorkel off the Sihanoukville coast, Cambodia.

From there, it’s on to Vietnam and the waterways, markets and ancient temples and tombs of Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll sail into iconic Ha Long Bay and, on an optional overland adventure, make your way to Hanoi – famous for its French colonial architecture. The cruise concludes in cosmopolitan Hong Kong.

Expect to be treated like royalty on board Crystal Symphony – every suite and penthouse comes with butler service. Guests enjoy Michelin-inspired cuisine, such as Umi Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa, and 24-hour in-suite dining. Catch a show in the Galaxy Lounge, relax with an optional Warm Bamboo Massage or browse the 8,000 books and movies in the library.

Norway’s famous fjords 

Southampton to Southampton
Ship: Cunard’s Queen Victoria
Nights: 12
Ports of call: Southampton, United Kingdom > Stavanger, Norway > Olden, Norway > Leknes, Norway > Bodø, Norway > Ålesund, Norway > Skjolden, Norway > Haugesund, Norway > Southampton, United Kingdom
Dates: 7 to 19 Aug 2020

Norway is home to some of the most sublime scenery on the planet. You’ll be captivated by the photogenic mountain hamlets, mineral-rich lakes, glimmering glaciers and remote islands north of the Arctic Circle. And, of course, you’ll cruise the country’s spectacular fjords – including its longest, Sognefjord.

All this aboard Cunard’s stately and sophisticated Queen Victoria, which was refurbished in 2017. Exuding old-school glamour, this grande dame of the high seas promises a memorable journey. Succumb to the temptations of a traditional afternoon tea, enjoy nightly performances in the full-sized Royal Court Theatre or head to a gala ball and dance the night away to music from an eight-piece orchestra. 

Whether nurturing your inner epicurean on board or enjoying Norway’s beauty, history and culture on land, you’ll relish every moment of this opulent voyage.

SEE ALSO: A Wild Cruise Adventure to the Galapagos Islands

Viking Islands 

Reykjavík to Southampton
Ship: Seabourn Quest
Nights: 15
Ports of call: Reykjavík, Iceland > Tasiilaq, Greenland > Skjoldungen, Greenland > Vigur Island, Iceland > Ísafjörður, Iceland > Mykines, Faroe Islands > Tórshavn, Faroe Islands > Lerwick, Shetland Islands > Scrabster, Scotland > Aberdeen, Scotland > Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom > Southampton, United Kingdom
Dates: 8 to 23 Jul 2020

Following in the footsteps of the Vikings, the journey begins in Reykjavík – famous for its geothermal pools – then moves on to Greenland to see Tasiilaq’s working sled dogs and the magnificent Skjoldungen Fjord.

From there, you’ll observe the birdlife and tundra wildflowers of the Westfjords, spot whales and puffins in Húsavík and stop at the historic fishing village of Eskifjörður. The Faroe Islands beckon next – from the colourful capital, Tórshavn, to miniscule Mykines (population: 16). Delight in the Scottish Isle of Noss, also known as Seabird City for its 300,000 breeding seabirds, and the charming Shetland Islands.

All suites on the 458-guest Seabourn Quest have ocean views and come with a personal steward. Dine at The Grill by Thomas Keller, take a yoga class in the fitness centre or unwind in the whirlpool.

Magic in the Med

Venice to Venice
Ship: Holland America Line’s Veendam
Nights: 14
Ports of call: Venice, Italy > Split, Croatia > Thira (Santorini), Greece > Nafplio, Greece > Piraeus (Athens), Greece > Kuşadası (Ephesus), Turkey > İstanbul, Turkey > Mykonos, Greece > Souda, Greece > Korčula, Croatia > Venice, Italy
Dates: 8 to 22 Sep 2020

A romantic Mediterranean tour is a history-lover’s dream – and with overnight stays in beautiful Venice and İstanbul, you and your significant other can explore even more of what’s on offer in these cities while cruising on the Veendam.

The sheer size of the incredible Ayasofya in the Turkish capital of İstanbul will astound you. The structure as it stands today was originally built as a Byzantine cathedral and its unique history – it was turned into a mosque following the Ottoman invasion in 1453 – can be traced through the art preserved on its walls. Visit a bustling bazaar and watch as the baklava bakers pour buckets of syrupy honey over their sweet (and irresistible) pastry creations. 

For the endlessly curious traveller looking to go beyond the typical tourist experiences, Holland America Line offers perfectly sized, uncrowded ships with one-of-a-kind culinary experiences, the best in live music and service that attends to every detail so you can savour the journey.

SEE ALSO: An Opulent Cruise on the Adriatic Sea

Rome to Riviera  

Rome to Barcelona
Ship: Azamara’s Azamara Quest
Nights: 8
Ports of call: Rome, Italy > Elba (Portoferraio), Italy > Livorno (Florence and Pisa), Italy > Monte Carlo, Monaco > Marseille (Provence), France > Barcelona, Spain
Dates: 27 Oct to 4 Nov 2020

Featuring three overnight stays (Livorno, Monte Carlo and Barcelona), this Mediterranean jaunt will give you plenty of time to experience the history, architecture, fashion and food of Italy, Monaco, France and Spain.

Visit Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower (and cathedral and baptistery) during your time in Livorno, as well as Florence’s Renaissance-era duomo – the third-largest church in the world, which was completed in 1436. Take a 15-minute walk (or a taxi) from the cathedral to Da Gherardo for traditional pizza you won’t forget in a hurry.

Include a tour to the fashion capital of Milan and stunning Lake Como (keep an eye out for George Clooney!). And while you’re in Barcelona, don’t miss out on the Sagrada Família – designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, it is anything but “just another cathedral”.

Baltic luxury

Oslo to Stockholm
Ship: Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Explorer
Nights: 12
Ports of call: Oslo, Norway > Aalborg, Denmark > Copenhagen, Denmark > Berlin, Germany > Gdańsk, Poland > Klaipėda, Lithuania > Tallinn, Estonia > St Petersburg, Russia > Helsinki, Finland > Stockholm, Sweden 
Dates: 16 to 28 Aug 2020

Encounter the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Northern Europe in high summer – visiting Poland’s port city of Gdańsk and Russia’s imperial treasure house, St Petersburg, where you spend two nights. Clock the colourful Nyhavn waterfront precinct In Copenhagen and the cute cafés in Stockholm’s vibrant Old Town.

With Seven Seas Explorer, free unlimited shore excursions in every port are included. Every luxury is included on board, too, with free specialty restaurants, open bars and lounges, as well as 24-hour room service, unlimited fine wines and premium spirits, plus free unlimited wi-fi and gratuities.

Take a rejuvenating class at the fitness centre, indulge yourself at the spa or even take a cooking class on board. With a staff-to-guest ratio of 1:1.5, the impeccable service will ensure you feel at home. 

Marvels of Mexico  

Los Angeles to Los Angeles
Ship: Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Panorama
Nights: 7
Ports of call: Los Angeles, California > Cabo San Lucas, Mexico > Mazatlán, Mexico > Puerto Vallarta, Mexico > Los Angeles, California
Dates: 24 to 31 Oct 2020

Renowned for oceanfront resorts and stunning beaches, the Mexican Riviera is best experienced with Carnival Cruise Line. Taste the tequila and learn how to dance the salsa in Cabo San Lucas or stroll by the vibrantly decorated 18th-century buildings in Mazatlán’s historic centre.

A modern beach resort and eco-adventure launching pad, Puerto Vallarta is the perfect place to scuba-dive with manta rays, spot wild dolphins and hike to waterfalls in the jungle. This seaside city is also a great place to admire contemporary Latin American art.

Deployed in 2019, Carnival Panorama offers the first Sky Zone at sea. This indoor trampoline park and challenge zone gives adventure-seekers of all ages the chance to soar. Refuel with tasty barbecue and craft brews at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse – one of 10 eateries on board.

SEE ALSO: Summer Cruising in Scandinavia

Old-school cool

New York to New York
Ship: Cunard’s Queen Mary 2
Nights: 14
Ports of call: New York, New York > Newport, Rhode Island > Boston, Massachusetts  Sydney, Nova Scotia > Québec City, Québec > Saguenay, Québec > Sept-Îles, Québec > Halifax, Nova Scotia > New York, New York
Dates: 9 to 23 Oct 2020

Discover New England and Canada aboard Cunard’s elegant flagship vessel, Queen Mary 2. Tour the Gilded Age mansions of Newport and see masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael and Vermeer at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, before slurping down clam chowder by the wharf and having your photo taken with the world’s largest fiddle in Sydney (Nova Scotia, that is!).

With a three-day stay in Québec, there’s loads of time to explore its historic district – the only walled city in North America. Wander the cobblestoned streets and admire the steeply pitched roofs and turrets of heritage hotel Le Château Frontenac. 

With accommodation, all meals and in-suite dining included in the cruise fare – along with enrichment programs, musical and theatrical performances, children’s club and more – shore excursions are one of the few things you’ll pay extra for. One to look out for is the helicopter flight over the Old Québec skyline and vertiginous Montmorency Falls.  

Glorious glaciers 

Seattle to Seattle
Ship: Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess
Nights: 7
Ports of call: Seattle, Washington > Juneau, Alaska  > Skagway, Alaska > Glacier Bay, Alaska > Ketchikan, Alaska > Victoria, Canada > Seattle, Washington
Dates: 19 to 26 Sep 2020

Only two ships per day are allowed to enter Alaska’s Glacier Bay, an extraordinary collection of glaciers preserved as a National Monument. And what better way to see the whales that come to feed here, or the stunning glacial formations, than on a scenic voyage? 

Learn about Inuit culture and crafts in Juneau, relive the gold-rush days in the saloons of Skagway and go fishing in Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world. Back on board, dine on butter-poached Alaskan king crab at Share by Curtis Stone – a truly exceptional culinary experience at sea.

Ruby Princess is one of the cruise line’s MedallionClass ships. Pre-purchase your medallion and you can use it for faster boarding and refreshments delivered to you anywhere on the ship, plus easy-to-follow navigation so you’ll never lose your friends on board. It even acts as a handy wi-fi hotspot.

VIP in the Galápagos 

Baltra Island to Baltra Island
Ship: Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Flora
Nights: 7
Ports of call in the Galápagos Islands: Baltra Island > Daphne Island > Puerto Egas, Santiago Island > Rábida Island > Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island > Caleta Tagus, Isabela Island > Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island > Bartolomé Island > Las Bachas, Santa Cruz Island > North Seymour Island > Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal Island > Punta Pitt, San Cristóbal Island > Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island > Baltra Island
Dates: 1 to 8 Nov 2020

Discover some of the world’s most extraordinary creatures on this eco-friendly luxury cruise to the Galápagos Islands. Spot blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas – the only lizards that swim in the ocean – and fur seals on Isabela. On Bartolomé you’ll find endemic Galápagos penguins, while at Las Bachas there are flamingos and nesting Pacific green sea turtles. The landscapes are equally as mesmerising, from the red sand beaches of Rábida to the black rock fields of Sullivan Bay. 

Launched in 2019 and catering to just 100 passengers, Celebrity Flora was designed exclusively for small-group Galápagos cruising. The superyacht offers personal suite attendants to help you unpack, plus menus curated by a chef with Michelin-star credentials.

SEE ALSO: Experience the Magic of a Cruise in the Arctic Circle

Southern comfort    

Buenos Aires to San Antonio (Santiago)
Ship: Seabourn Quest
Nights: 24
Ports of call: Buenos Aires, Argentina > Punta del Este, Uruguay > South Georgia > Antarctica scenic cruising > Ushuaia, Argentina > Punta Arenas, Chile > Chilean fjords scenic cruising > Castro, Chile > Puerto Montt, Chile > San Antonio (Santiago), Chile
Dates: 20 Dec 2020 to 13 Jan 2021

Spend six memorable days exploring the White Continent and taking in the incredible natural wonders of South America on this exclusive voyage. Cruising through Antarctica’s Iceberg Alley, you’ll navigate a labyrinth of cathedral-like icebergs. And, if the weather is kind, make multiple ice landings. 

Explore South Georgia by land and sea with an overnight stay then continue on to Chile. Discover Patagonian glaciers and delight in the stilt houses that line the Castro waterfront on Chiloé Island in Chile.

An ultra-luxury resort at sea, Seabourn Quest’s all-suite design offers ocean views for all its guests – just 458 of them – as well as many bars and award-winning dining venues, including a tableside experience created by one-time Best Chef in America, Thomas Keller.

Antarctica’s wild wonders

Ushuaia to Ushuaia
Ship: Silversea’s Silver Wind
Nights: 14
Ports of call: Ushuaia, Argentina > New Island, Falkland Islands > West Point Island, Falkland Islands > Stanley, Falkland Islands > Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica > South Shetland Islands, Antarctica > Ushuaia, Argentina
Dates: 5 to 19 Dec 2020

Experience the icy majesty of Antarctica on this luxury small-ship cruise. Boasting a newly strengthened ice-class hull, the 298-passenger-capacity Silver Wind departs from Ushuaia, on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, and calls in on the Falkland Islands for some wildlife spotting (king penguins, elephant seals and black-browed albatross).

After crossing the Drake Passage between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, you’ll be rewarded with other-worldly vistas of icebergs, ice islands and ice shelves. Observe colonies of gentoo penguins and Cape petrels in and around the Antarctic Sound and witness the drama of the Larsen Ice Shelf, which sees gargantuan blocks of ice splinter and plunge into the sea.

With nearly as many staff as guests, the Silver Wind offers a superior level of personalised service. This all-inclusive cruise encompasses in-country flights and transfers, plus a plethora of land- and sea-based tours such as Zodiac expeditions. Back on board, enjoy spacious suites, butler service, diverse cuisine, educational lectures and free wi-fi.

Japanese treasures

Tokyo to Tokyo
Ship: Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess
Nights: 9
Ports of call: Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan > Toba, Japan > Takamatsu, Japan > Kōchi, Japan > Matsuyama, Japan > Busan, South Korea > Shimizu, Japan > Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan
Dates: 20 to 29 Nov 2020

Experience the Land of the Rising Sun from sea (and land) on this six-port cruise. Toba is the home of Japan’s cultured-pearl industry – don’t miss the Mikimoto museum – while Takamatsu is all about pristine parks, traditional tea houses and udon noodles. Take a selfie in front of the Chikurinji Temple pagoda in Kōchi and be sure to visit Matsuyama’s Dōgo Onsen, one of Japan’s oldest hot springs.

South Korea’s second-largest city, Busan, is renowned for its attractions, both natural and man-made. You’ll be wowed by its urban beaches, Buddhist temples, hip dining and shopping precincts, as well as the pastel-hued houses and profusion of street art in Gamcheon Culture Village. 

Returning to Japan, Shimizu provides access for a day tour to Mount Fuji before you sail back into Yokohama, about 35 kilometres from Tokyo. Don’t say sayonara to Japan’s capital before visiting the Meiji Shrine next to tranquil Yoyogi Park and the nearby shopping mecca that is Harajuku.

SEE ALSO: Why a Cruise Ship is the Best Way to Discover Antarctica