Whether you’re sailing on the open sea or weaving your way down one of the world’s greatest waterways, exploring a destination by boat can be immensely rewarding.
As well as being a leisurely way to get from one place to another, a cruise lets you slow down and soak up vivid landscapes, understand local culture, and spot wildlife from a whole new perspective.
Many of our popular tours give you the chance to embark on an overnight or multi-day cruise. What’s more, we’ve teamed up with some seasoned global cruise partners who not only share our values but are also true experts in their specific regions. We do not offer standard, large-ship cruises. Instead we focus on intimate and authentic experiences.
Want to set sail on a unique cruise on your next holiday? Here’s our pick of four stellar cruises you can add to your itinerary.
Sail to the Galapagos Islands
Ecuador draws you in with its surreal landscapes and rich culture, but its crowning glory is the stunning Galápagos Islands. This extraordinary archipelago sits more than 1,000 kilometres from the mainland and it’s one of the most biodiverse locales on the planet.
Soak up the very best of this UNESCO World Heritage Site on our five-day Luxury Galápagos Cruise. You will sail around four of the region’s idyllic islands, each with its own distinct attractions and intriguing history.
The Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz is essential viewing if you’d like to learn more about the islands’ role in Darwin’s groundbreaking theory of natural selection. Elsewhere on the island, you’ll have the chance to admire phenomenal flora and fauna — including stunning giant daisy trees — during a guided walk through Scalesia Forest.
Next up on the agenda is Santa Fe. This uninhabited island is a hotspot for birdwatching, with its vast volcanic scenery that is home to hundreds of frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, and rare Santa Fe mockingbirds. If you’re lucky, you might get to glimpse foraging marine iguanas and slithering lava lizards. North Seymour Island and Bartholomew Island will also feature on your cruise route, with the latter rated among the best snorkelling spots in the Pacific.
Trips around the protected Galápagos Islands are typically hosted on the small yet luxurious Isabella II catamaran to allow for a more personalised experience of this remarkable region. Transfers from Ecuador are included too, as are three delicious meals a day and numerous guided excursions led by experts.
Go on a Polar adventure
If you’ve always wanted to sail around towering icebergs and see polar bears in their natural habitat, sign up for a cruise around Spitsbergen. The remote island is the largest in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and provides a true taste of what it’s like to live in one of the world’s most remote destinations.
Our partners, Quark Expeditions, are experts at organising polar cruises. As you embark on a trip around Svalbard, you will witness diverse wildlife, from walruses basking on rocky shorelines to puffins nesting on snow-dusted cliffs. The landscape of Spitsbergen is breathtaking, too. Picture vast glaciers, meadows sprinkled with wildflowers, and glittering fjords where herds of reindeer often gather to drink.
Our Spitsbergen cruises allow you to immerse yourself in the region’s human history. Set off on Zodiac boats to discover various historic whaling settlements, or visit Longyearbyen (the world’s northernmost settlement) to visit its local history museum.
You may be exploring some of the most inhospitable landscapes, but you’ll have plenty of luxury features onboard your ship. Slumber in cosy private cabins and tuck into tasty meals prepared by professional chefs. Some vessels even have heated swimming pools where you can enjoy some downtime in between your daily excursions.
Discover Kerala’s ethereal backwaters
From colourful cities to palm-fringed beaches, there’s much to see and do on a trip to India. Journey down the country’s southern states and soak in the stunning backwaters of Kerala.
To truly experience “God’s own country” (as Kerala is called) add a stay on a wooden houseboat to your holiday itinerary by booking our Kerala South India Tour. The ten-day tour takes you to some of southern India’s most stunning destinations, including the history-packed port city of Cochin (or Kochi) and the verdant tea plantations of Munnar. You’ll additionally have the chance to enjoy an overnight cruise around Alleppey — the so-called ‘Venice of the East’ — on a traditional bamboo houseboat.
Glide down peaceful, palm-fringed rivers and venture through Alleppey’s intricate canal system. At dusk, you can make yourself comfortable on the covered balcony to watch a dramatic sunset. Every houseboat comes equipped with a plush sleeping cabin too, plus a dining space where you can enjoy wholesome Kerala cuisine.
Glide along Mekong Delta
Stretching out for over 4,000 kilometres and snaking its way through six different nations, it’s easy to see why the Mekong is among the most unique cruise destinations on the planet! A multi-day trip will allow you to experience a great part of this majestic waterway and explore two of South East Asia’s most fascinating countries: Cambodia and Vietnam.
Our four-day Luxury Mekong River Cruise gives you a brilliant snapshot of the river and its many different allures. Browse Cai Be’s colourful floating markets, meet farming communities, and tour some of the world’s greatest monuments — including the UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat. Alternatively, you could join our longer eight-day cruise and sail from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh.
Each ship is wonderfully well-equipped, with spacious balcony suites, an open-air cocktail bar, and even a deluxe cinema room. Delectable regional cuisine, live music shows, traditional dance performances, and fascinating talks on the Mekong by leading experts make the cruise even more delightful.
Keen to discover some of the world’s most delightful water worlds on a cruise? Chat with our team about adding a unique cruise to your next holiday itinerary.
Check out these sample itineraries
Luxury Mekong River Cruise Vietnam
Kerala South India Tour
Antarctic Explorer: Discovering the 7th Continent
Luxury Cruise Galapagos Islands
Antarctica inspiration
For more exciting destination ideas, browse these Antarctica pages and start planning your next adventure.
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