Island holidays onboard a cruise ship. Photo / Getty Images
There’s no better way to discover islands than from the water, writes Joanna Booth
If you want to explore Uzbekistan or Ethiopia, cruising is not your friend. At the other end of the scale from these landlocked countries you’ll find Greece and the Caribbean – island-dominated destinations whose waterfront tavernas and palm-fringed beaches have made them staples of the cruise market for many years.
Beyond these classics are many novel and alternative island options. If you’re looking for an adventure, book an expedition cruise around Arctic Svalbard to spot polar bears or the wildlife-rich Galapagos archipelago. If cultural discovery is on your list, choose a country-specific circumnavigation, getting you beneath the skin of life in the likes of Japan, Iceland or even the British Isles. Or if something more laidback appeals, well, the sleepy, sand-fringed Seychelles and the South Pacific are waiting to welcome you . . .
The Caribbean
Forget the stereotype of vast ships adorned with waterslides calling at the same handful of large ports. This is Caribbean cruising done differently. The all-suite Seabourn Ovation carries only 600 passengers and focuses on the finer things in life, from dining designed by Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller to complimentary champagne and caviar served in the surf. The itinerary is similarly exclusive, with small and fascinating ports of call in yachty Bequia, rugged Dominica and Gallic-flavoured Martinique and Guadeloupe, as well as the better-known islands of Antigua and Barbados. Excursions are varied, from cultural tours to catamaran cruises, snorkelling trips and zip-lining – or there’s always the option to lounge on the beach.
Seabourn’s 14-Day Exotic Caribbean Isles sailing departing December 3 starts from NZ$11,892, with all-inclusive accommodation and gratuities. seabourn.com
Sicily
Take a deep dive into the Italian island with attitude via boutique cruise line Ponant, which will host experts from the renowned Smithsonian academic institution on this 8-day cruise, ready to guide you through Sicily’s storied past. Circling the island on the intimate, luxurious 92-cabin Le Champlain, you’ll visit the Ancient Greek temples of Agrigento, the medieval hill town of Erice, the Roman amphitheatre at Syracuse and the Norman castle at Lipari. Then there’s the gritty gem that is the capital, Palermo, and not one but two active volcanoes, with a sail-by of Stromboli and the chance to visit a winery on Etna’s slopes.
Ponant’s A Circumnavigation of Sicily with Smithsonian Journeys departing April 14, 2024, starts from $10,900, with all-inclusive accommodation, transfers and shore excursions. au.ponant.com
The Galapagos
When Charles Darwin sailed among the islands of the Galapagos on the Beagle he had to get used to sleeping in a hammock. You’ll be more pampered on the 100-guest, all-suite mega-yacht Celebrity Flora, with seafood buffets under the stars and even a spa. But the real magic happens off-ship, when you head ashore each day with naturalist guides to discover the archipelago’s unique wildlife, which inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution. You’ll spot lumbering giant tortoises, piratical frigatebirds, dragon-like marine iguanas and it’ll be all you can do to stay one step ahead of the curious sea lions, both on land and while snorkelling in the clear waters.
Celebrity Cruises’ 7-Night Galapagos Inner Loop from Baltra departing August 6 starts from $13,371, with all-inclusive accommodation, shore excursions and wifi. celebritycruises.com/nz
Iceland
Iceland’s geothermal nature is writ large upon its landscape, with bubbling geysers and lunar lava fields at every turn. Just as evident is the country’s sheer beauty, with soaring mountains, plunging waterfalls and crenellated fjords – white in winter, but vivid green during the summer months. On board the luxurious Silver Endeavour, you’ll sail around the whole island, discovering everything from the cosmopolitan capital Reykjavik to the arty town of Dyupivogur. You can visit puffin colonies, spot whales, hike, bike and river raft. You’ll get bonus ports of call too, with two stops in the remote Faroe Islands (a self-governing archipelago that’s part of Denmark) and visits to Scotland’s islands, including the Shetlands, Orkneys, Skye, Uist and St Kilda.
Silversea’s 14-day Reykjavik to Reykjavik cruise departing May 18, 2024, starts from $23,960, including transfers, flights, upgrades or air credit, shore excursions and all-inclusive suite accommodation. silversea.com
Japan
After one the longest Covid border closures in the globe, appetite for travel to Japan has bounced back with a vengeance since October last year. Sakura, or cherry blossom, is taken very seriously and finding accommodation in springtime is a real struggle. Book this bumper cruise on Azamara Journey and you won’t need to worry, travelling in your own stylish floating hotel and visiting a host of highlights, from Tokyo’s bright lights and the geishas, gardens and shrines of Kyoto to the iconic Mount Fuji and the thought-provoking Hiroshima Peace Memorial. While also calling at a fistful of lesser-known Japanese ports, you’ll also spend a day in Busan, South Korea, where there’s an eye-poppingly lively local fish market by the port, and a clutch of tranquil temples in the mountains.
Azamara’s 15-night Japan Intensive Voyage departing March 19, 2024, starts from $5962 including accommodation, dining, gratuities, entertainment and laundry. Azamara.com/en-au
The British Isles
The UK and Ireland are hardly vast nations, but as any native will tell you, travelling around can be time-consuming and costly. Swap long road trips, delayed trains or pricey flights for a cruise ship and you can experience a medley of what the British Isles have to offer with ease and in comfort. Sailing on the rather elegant Regal Princess you can kiss the Blarney stone in Cork, sink a pint of Guinness in Dublin, walk on the Giant’s Causeway outside Belfast, visit the prehistoric village of Skara Brae in Orkney and wander the streets of art nouveau Glasgow and medieval Edinburgh – and even pop to Paris with a call at Le Havre. In the evening, enjoy Broadway-style productions in the on-board theatre or movies under the stars on deck – British weather permitting.
Princess Cruises’ 12-day British Isles Cruise departing May 15, 2024, starts from $2929, including accommodation, dining and entertainment. princess.com
The Seychelles
Fly-and-floppers will never quite get the best of the Seychelles. With 115 islands in this Indian Ocean archipelago it’d be a shame to stick to one; a week on the small, 44-passenger ship Pegasos will take you to 10, including the bird-filled nature reserves of Aride and Cousin, ex-leper colony turned tortoise sanctuary Curieuse and Mahe, the main inhabited island full of Creole character. You’ll snorkel off dots-in-the-ocean including St Pierre, Grande Soeur and St Anne, possibly spotting turtles and dolphins, and visit one of the world’s most famous beaches – La Digue’s L’Anse Source D’Argent, where granite boulders, coral sands, swaying palms and azure water create a picture of paradise.
Variety Cruises’ Seychelles eight-day cruise running year-round starts from $3585, including full-board accommodation and walking tours. varietycruises.com
The Greek Islands
Island-hopping in Greece may sound like the Mamma-Mia dream, but dragging your luggage on and off unpredictable ferries doesn’t always make for a chilled-out holiday. Travel on the three-masted motor yacht Panorama and your trip will be all killer no filler, with calls at volcanic Santorini, archaeology-rich Delos and celeb-haunt Mykonos, plus time spent in Athens pre and post-cruise. This small ship can go where large cruisers cannot, including to uninhabited Poliegos and picturesque Amorgos. You’ll also drop anchor off quiet beaches, with time to loll on the sand and plunge into the clear Aegean Sea.
Intrepid Travel’s 9-day Cruising the Islands of Greece and Turkey trip starts from $5490 including accommodation, selected meals, activities and guiding. intrepidtravel.com/nz
Svalbard
Polar bears are the stars of the show in Svalbard, the Norwegian island group high above the Arctic Circle. Their love for sea ice means a cruise is a great way to spot them, giving you the chance to see them from the water as well as on land. On an adventurous cruise with Aurora Expeditions, you’ll be busy taking trips on zodiacs and hiking across wildflower-strewn tundra, sighting other indigenous wildlife including beluga whales, walruses, puffins, reindeer and arctic foxes. The highly-qualified expedition team will fill your time on board with talks on nature and history, and the bravest can even undertake the “polar plunge”, jumping into the frigid waters.
Aurora Expeditions’ 12-day Svalbard Odyssey starts from $16,508, including full board accommodation and excursions. auroraexpeditions.com.au
The South Pacific
How about a trip to see the world’s newest island? Hunga Tonga was formed by a submarine volcano in 2014, and on some South Pacific cruise itineraries, you can visit the infant landform, the lava fields of its crater sprawling downwards to the sea. You’ll finish this Fiji and Tonga voyage on Scenic Eclipse half mer-person, with a host of water-based activities including kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, swimming in cave pools on Sawa-i-Lau and under waterfalls on Taveuni, and diving on a pristine barrier reef at Beqa. There’s cultural communion on offer too, with a landing at the Lau islands where a lack of land-based tourism has helped preserve clan traditions. This six-star yacht is the last word in luxury, sailing with two helicopters and its own submarine.
Scenic’s nine-day Lagoons, Reefs and Cultures of the South Pacific starts from $10,567 for October 2024 departures, including all-inclusive suite accommodation with butler service, transfers, excursions and gratuities. scenicnz.com
Israel briefly closed its airspace following US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.