🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Alaska's Inside Passage
A sheltered sea route past forested islands, glaciers and small frontier towns along the coast of south-east Alaska, with whales and bald eagles along the way.
Cruise✈️ 10h7 nights£££
BEST TIMEJUN–AUG
🛳️ HOLIDAY TYPE
Cruise holidays
Unpack once and wake up somewhere new each morning. Here's where to go for a cruise holiday, how long you'll need and when the sailing season is.
Cruise holidays: 16 guides
🇦🇶 ANTARCTICA
Antarctica cruise
An expedition voyage from the tip of South America across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, for icebergs, glaciers, whales and penguins by the thousand.
Cruise✈️ 18h10 to 14 nights£££
BEST TIMEDEC–FEB
🇦🇪 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Arabian Gulf cruise
A week of winter sunshine between Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat, with desert dunes, gleaming skylines, souks and old dhow harbours.
Cruise✈️ 8h7 nights££
BEST TIMEDEC–MAR
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Canary Islands cruise
A week of winter sunshine hopping between Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma and often Madeira, with volcanoes, black-sand beaches and warm seas.
Cruise✈️ 5h7 nights££
BEST TIMEOCT–MAR
🇧🇧 BARBADOS
Caribbean cruises
A week of island hopping round the southern Caribbean from Barbados, with white beaches, green volcanic peaks and a different island every day.
Cruise✈️ 9h7 to 14 nights£££
BEST TIMEDEC–APR
🇭🇷 CROATIA
Dalmatian coast
Pine-covered islands, walled stone towns and clear Adriatic water along Croatia's coast, explored by small ship from Split.
Cruise✈️ 3h7 nights££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP
🇭🇺 HUNGARY
Danube river cruise
A relaxed week on the Danube between Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and the Wachau Valley, with castles, vineyards and, in December, Christmas markets at every stop.
Cruise✈️ 3h7 nights£££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP–OCT, DEC
🇬🇷 GREECE
Greek islands
Whitewashed villages, ancient ruins and clear blue water across the Aegean, hopping between islands from Athens' port of Piraeus.
Cruise✈️ 4h3 to 7 nights££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP
🇻🇳 VIETNAM
Ha Long Bay
Thousands of limestone islands rising from emerald water in north-east Vietnam, best seen from an overnight junk boat.
Cruise✈️ 13h1 to 2 nights££
BEST TIMEMAR–APR, OCT–NOV
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Hawaii cruise
A week sailing round four Hawaiian islands from Honolulu, with volcanoes, waterfalls, snorkelling and the soaring cliffs of Kauai's Na Pali Coast.
Cruise✈️ 16h7 nights£££
BEST TIMEFEB–MAY, SEP–OCT
🇳🇴 NORWAY
Hurtigruten coastal voyage
Norway's famous coastal ships sail every day from Bergen up past the Arctic Circle to Kirkenes near the Russian border, calling at more than 30 ports among fjords and islands.
Cruise✈️ 2h6 to 12 nights£££
BEST TIMEJAN–MAR, JUN–JUL, OCT
🇻🇳 VIETNAM
Mekong river cruise
A slow boat between Ho Chi Minh City and Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, past floating markets, stilt villages and temples on one of the world's great rivers.
Cruise✈️ 14h7 to 8 nights££
BEST TIMENOV–FEB
🇪🇬 EGYPT
Nile cruise
A slow journey between Luxor and Aswan past palm-lined riverbanks, desert hills and some of the greatest temples of ancient Egypt.
Cruise✈️ 6h3 to 5 nights££
BEST TIMENOV–MAR
🇳🇴 NORWAY
Norwegian fjords
Sheer cliffs, waterfalls and tiny villages along deep, still fjords on Norway's west coast, with Bergen as the gateway.
Cruise✈️ 3h7 to 12 nights£££
BEST TIMEMAY–AUG
🇩🇪 GERMANY
Rhine river cruise
A week sailing down one of Europe's great rivers from Switzerland to the Netherlands, past vineyards, hilltop castles and old cathedral cities.
Cruise✈️ 2h7 nights£££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP
🇪🇸 SPAIN
Western Mediterranean cruise
A week from Barcelona round the western Mediterranean, with stops such as Marseille, Genoa, Rome, Naples and Palma in a single trip.
Cruise✈️ 2h7 nights££
BEST TIMEMAY–JUN, SEP–OCT
When to go
Where's at its best in each month of the year.
- January
- Antarctica cruise, Arabian Gulf cruise, Canary Islands cruise, Caribbean cruises, Hurtigruten coastal voyage, Mekong river cruise, Nile cruise
- February
- Antarctica cruise, Arabian Gulf cruise, Canary Islands cruise, Caribbean cruises, Hawaii cruise, Hurtigruten coastal voyage, Mekong river cruise, Nile cruise
- March
- Arabian Gulf cruise, Canary Islands cruise, Caribbean cruises, Ha Long Bay, Hawaii cruise, Hurtigruten coastal voyage, Nile cruise
- May
- Dalmatian coast, Danube river cruise, Greek islands, Hawaii cruise, Norwegian fjords, Rhine river cruise, Western Mediterranean cruise
- June
- Alaska's Inside Passage, Dalmatian coast, Danube river cruise, Greek islands, Hurtigruten coastal voyage, Norwegian fjords, Rhine river cruise, Western Mediterranean cruise
- September
- Dalmatian coast, Danube river cruise, Greek islands, Hawaii cruise, Rhine river cruise, Western Mediterranean cruise
The short list
- Big scenery: the Norwegian fjords and Alaska's Inside Passage for glaciers, waterfalls and wildlife.
- Sun and islands: the Greek islands, the Dalmatian coast, the Western Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
- Winter sun: the Canary Islands, the Arabian Gulf from Dubai, and Hawaii all year.
- Rivers: the Rhine and the Danube for castles, old towns and Christmas markets, the Nile for ancient Egypt and the Mekong for floating markets.
- Once in a lifetime: the Hurtigruten coastal voyage for the northern lights, and Antarctica for penguins and icebergs.
- Short and different: a night or two on Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.
For more, see all the cruise guides above, with the best months for each.
Big ship, small ship or river boat
Big ships have kids' clubs, pools, shows and lots of places to eat, which makes them easy for families. Small ships and river boats carry fewer people, get into smaller harbours and feel more relaxed, but have fewer things to do on board. On a river cruise you're never far from land, and you often moor right in the middle of town.
When to sail
Northern cruises, like Norway and Alaska, mostly sail from May to September. The Mediterranean season runs from about April to October. The Caribbean is best from December to April, before the hurricane season. Nile cruises are most comfortable from October to April, when it isn't too hot. For winter sun closer to Europe, ships base themselves in the Canary Islands from October to April, and in Dubai from November to March. Antarctica's short season runs from November to March, and the Hurtigruten sails every day of the year.
Tips for a first cruise
- Fly in a day early. If your flight is late, the ship won't wait.
- Check what's included. Drinks, tips, excursions and Wi-Fi often cost extra.
- Book excursions you really want early, or explore ports on foot for free.
- Choose your cabin carefully. Mid-ship and lower decks rock least if anyone gets seasick.
Cruise holidays: common questions
Where is good for a first cruise?
The Greek islands, the Caribbean and the Norwegian fjords are easy first cruises, with calm seas in season and lots to see. A short Ha Long Bay cruise is a good taster.
How long is a typical cruise?
Seven nights is the most common. Ha Long Bay cruises are one or two nights, Nile cruises three to seven, and Rhine cruises usually a week.
Are cruises good for families?
Big ships are, with kids' clubs, pools and plenty of food. Small ships and river cruises suit older children who enjoy sightseeing.
When is the best time to cruise?
May to September for Norway and Alaska, April to October for the Mediterranean, and December to April for the Caribbean. In winter, try the Canary Islands, the Arabian Gulf or the Hurtigruten for the northern lights.
Other kinds of holiday
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