I can’t say that I hate cruises – I’ve never been (at least on a proper cruise, enormous-boat style). I’d love to try it so at least I could make my mind up on the issue. Meanwhile, though, I’ve satiated my taste for cruising on the water with some of these fantastic mini-cruise options. You’ll still get the wind in your hair and enjoy some time away from dry land. But if you don’t like it, you aren’t stuck out at sea for days on end.
Finger Lakes Canal, New York
I’ll be enjoying this canal cruise this summer, and looking forward to it. The Finger Lakes region of New York is awesome – picture rolling hills, streams, and lots of greenery. This is wine country, and few have tried the wines – a shame because I’ve not yet had one I didn’t like.
Sydney Harbour, Australia
Everyone knows my Australian darling is Melbourne, but don’t pass up Sydney completely. The best place to enjoy Sydney is the harbour shore – but after you’ve walked along the Quay, checked out the Sydney Opera House, and perused the gardens (don’t forget Miss MacQuarie’s chair), catch a ride out to sea. The most popular and least expensive choice is the ferry to Manly, but you can also get reasonably priced boat tours of the harbour.
Doubtful Sound, New Zealand
Fjordland is some of the world’s most incredible scenery, and it’s certainly one of my highlights from visiting New Zealand. The big ticket item in Fjordland is Milford Sound, but my problem with Milford is that there are so many boats out on the sound. It’s not that it isn’t worth it – the trip through the scary tunnel to get there is an experience in itself – but Doubtful is something special. You take a bus from Te Anau to a boat, then travel about an hour to 90 minutes across a lake, to a purpose-build road that connects the lake to the sound. The road was built to help with construction of a power plant – it doesn’t go anywhere else, and it hugs cliffs the entire route. (I’m not sure how they got the bus there!). You get to spend the night on Doubtful, amid friends and good food.
Norway in a Nutshell
A lot of people aren’t fans of Norway in a Nutshell, but as long as you don’t rush through it, I think it’s a great way to experience several parts of Norway. The problem is that people just stay on the trains and boats and don’t bother to check out what’s hiding on the next hill, or go for that hour walk to see the waterfalls up close and in person. Check it out, but give yourself plenty of time to stop and explore.
Canal du Midi, France
As far as canals go, the Canal du Midi gets my vote. The tree-lined canal, reflecting into the water, is just one of those views that stays with you forever. You can’t beat it. France might be a beautiful country – from the Eiffel Tower to the beaches of Nice and vineyard-lined countryside, but for me, this is the most beautiful place in France. Without a doubt.
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Halong Bay is one of the world’s most iconic bays, and for good reason: it is gorgeous. You are spoilt for choice on excursions out on the bay, from short trips to longer outings, dinner cruises, drinks cruises, and everything in between. After the hustle, noise and cacophony of Vietnam, let it all fade away and take in these insane sights. They look far better in person than they do in the films.
Rhine River, Germany
The Rhine River has plenty of river boat trips – and I won’t lie: they are very touristy. However, I suggest instead of coming for the boat ride, you use this just as a great public transport option to visit small riverside towns and villages. Get off the boat and see some of those beautiful castles that everyone else just lets float by. Check out some of the wineries (one of them was featured in our world’s most beautiful wineries list), relax and enjoy the laid back German lifestyle in this part of the country.
Panama Canal
As an engineering marvel and a true icon, this is one of the hot tourist attractions of Central America. The sailing geeks will enjoy watching all the different types of ships and engineering footwork going on; the kids will love all the locks, while everyone else will enjoy relaxing while sailing from one ocean to another.
Greek Isles
You don’t have to sing like Meryl Streep nor have even seen Mamma Mia! the film to know that the Greek Isles are some of the most beautiful in Europe. The ocean just does not get any more blue and you have lots of options for exploring islands. Base yourself in one place for daytrips, get a cruise that will take you to several islands, or even consider exploring further afield to places like Cyprus and Sicily.
Chao Phraya River Boat Tour, Thailand
It’s hard to believe that tranquil waterways like this exist in busy, loud, brash Bangkok. But these were the first transport systems in Thailand, and they’re still around and in use today. Similar to the waterways in Cambodia and Laos, you can cheaply and easily get a cruise to take you from one place to another, or just to wander around for a few hours and let the world go by.
Cruising from Muscat, Oman
The thing about the Middle East is: it’s hot. It’s dusty. The sun bears down. So why not refresh yourself with a cruise? A hot top (pun intended) is to take one of the cruise options from Muscat – there’s plenty of choice and lots of scenery. Scuba dive, splash around in the ocean, head to some of the most beautiful places in the area, such as Wadi Shab - it will challenge your perceptions of what this region has to offer any tourist.
Sail Around Cape Horn
Last but not least, we take a journey that reminds you why man has always had a fascination with the high seas. It isn’t about the type of boat, the length of trip, or where. It’s about the open, expansive horizon out in front of you. It’s the ever changing weather. The fresh, deep breaths that you get while standing on deck. Sailing around Cape Horn is possibly one of the best seaworthy adventures one can have. Just look – and be. That’s all that is required.
Photos by dougtone, Steve.M, wanderstruck, jonas lamis, hizir, marfis, Dave-F, lyng883, rene ehrhardt, mike gaylard, axiepics
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are some beautiful destinations! Not sure about a couple though… Thinking Oman might be pretty far down on my bucket list, but who knows- maybe it will move up!
I am not a cruise person but I did a week long cruise in the Croatian Islands that was a lot of fun! Got to see a more diverse group of islands than I probably would have trying to do it on my own by ferry.
I love this list. While I have been on a few “normal” cruises, I just had my first “alternative cruise” experience in Halong Bay, Vietnam last month. My wife and I were on a boat with only 4 other people and about 10 crew to take care of us, cook, clean, and make sure we had fun. And we did. Halong Bay is one of the most amazing and unbelievable places I’ve ever seen. I will bookmark this to keep the rest of these in mind. Thanks!
I think I would have choose the Greek Isles as my first place destination to take a cruise. I still have not taken an official cruise in my life, but I am looking forwards to the all-you-can eat food! By the way that picture of the boat on the Chao Phraya is killer!!!
Its not really cruising as there is no staff to take care of you, but narrowboating in the english canals should be on the list.
Oh man – tons of other great cruise ideas! Who knew that not-cruising could be so fun. Thanks for all the extra tips, folks.
Interesting article – I am not a cruise person per se, but I do think it is a great way to explore certain destinations. My first cruise was a large 3,000 passenger one for two weeks in Eastern Mediterranean visiting the Dalmatian Coast, Greek Isles, parts of Italy, and even a stop in Turkey. It was good for me because I hit some places that might not have been on my short travel list, but now I want to go back and explore more.
In contrast, we just did a luxury cruise earlier this year (less than 300 passengers on the Paul Gauguin for 2 weeks in French Polynesia). We popped for the balcony, which totaled nearly what I paid for my first brand new car! LOL. But was it worth it? Oh yeah. The pampered all-inclusive treatment and waking up each day in the lagoon of a different famed island was something out of a fairytale. We had views that people pay $2,000 a night for in over the water bungalows. The problem is that was my husband’s first cruise and I seriously doubt I will ever get him on a “normal” cruise. The next two on our list are Antarctica and Galapagos, but they are probably not going to happen for another year or two.
Mini cruises like these are cool – I’ve done a number of great day trips or overnight trips that are certainly worthy to check out if you are in these destinations. We did the Mekong out of Saigon, which was pretty neat. Day trips in Belize are my favorite – full day snorkel on a Catamaran to see the stingrays and Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Lamanai Mayan ruins takes you snaking through the river and mangroves with crocodiles and manatees (and the ride back in the shallow turquoise waters enjoying rum punch and beer is not bad either), and a day cruise around Ambergris Caye, which takes you through the hand dug Mayan channel, which separates the Caye from Mexico now.
Another one of my favorites was the private yacht I was on from Nassau, Bahamas to the Exumas – all by ourselves snorkeling places like James Bond’s Thunderball Cave – it was beyond words.
A couple others to check out – when in Southern California (especially at Christmas) you can rent electric boats to tour the canals of Huntington Beach, Naples/Long Beach, and Newport Beach. During December, houses and boats are decorated for the annual boat parades — it is such a festive time and something so unique to do (heck you can even take a gondola ride in Long Beach too!) The houses and yachts that line the canal homes are definitely something to marvel at. Out of Juneau Alaska, there is a day trip that takes you through fjords, glaciers, ice bergs, lots of wildlife (orcas, humpbacks, bald eagles, mountain goats, seals) and it is somewhere large cruise ships cannot get into. Such magical scenery!
We were just in Borneo (Kota Kinabalu) last week and there are day trips up the river that look great, but we didn’t have the best weather and decided to enjoy the resort instead so that’s on the list for next time too.
Wow Erin, you are the cruising expert!! Nice. Thanks for all these incredible suggestions.