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Although they’re known best for their Caribbean itineraries—good for a quick weekend getaway—Carnival also sails to many other destinations, including Europe, Mexico and Hawaii. The transatlantic cruise from Southampton to New York (a traveler’s must-do at any age) is a great option for older travelers because you never leave the ship. You’ll get to fully enjoy the spa, the lectures, the food and, of course, the formal gala nights, which are arguably the crowning glory of any Cunard cruise. This is the cruise that proves it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
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Your Personal Suite Steward will take care of everything from laundry to snacks to little surprises you hadn’t even considered. While there are a few things you can no longer do on cruises, this cruise line will make you forget all about them. This line hosts LGBTQ+ welcome parties, social hours and other events on almost every cruise, from the Bahamas to the Mediterranean to Australia. You’ll want to book now for the fifth annual Pride Party at Sea, which will held next June. Each ship in the fleet will participate in this vibrant celebration of the LGBTQ+ community—and that, in itself, is worth celebrating.
Best Destination for Wildlife Runner-Up: The Amazon
As with most luxury lines, the Seabourn dress code is a notch up from the mainstream ships. The line has a strong presence of often four ships in the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter. Whether sailing in the Mediterranean or in the frigid Antarctic waters, the Seabourn crew is trained to serve each guest as if they are the most important person onboard.
The best ships for childlike fun
When travelers dusted off their bucket list post-pandemic one of the places they most wanted to visit was Antarctica. The seventh continent, a place that belongs to no single nation but hosts research stations from almost 30, has fascinated adventurers for decades. But the swift expansion of luxury expedition cruising over the past five to seven years has made this frozen polar frontier the "It" destination of the 2020s. On a round-trip cruise, you'll call on Juneau, Alaska's remote capital that's reachable solely by sea or air and offers access to Mendenhall Glacier.
What to bring on an Alaska cruise
Humpback whales often follow schools of herring and other small fish during the summer and can be seen anytime between May and September before they migrate to Hawaii or Mexico. To discover Alaska’s rich historyYou can’t skip Ketchikan, Juneau or Skagway on an itinerary. Ketchikan once was a major player in the timber industry and has a sordid past steeped in bootlegging and brothels. Skagway was a jumping-off point for the Klondike Gold Rush beyond Chilkoot Pass and has an old railroad to prove it. For digs that include pampering, try a Cloud 9 Spa cabin to receive extras like complimentary thermal suite access and two free yoga or Pilates classes. The ship also does a nice job of accommodating families of all sizes and budgets.
Best Cruise Destination for Culture Runner-Up: The British Isles
Mardi Gras' new sister ship, Carnival Celebration, is also a fantastic option in this category, offering a nearly identical experience (with just a few changes in the names and themes of specific venues). A nearly identical sister ship to MSC Meraviglia, the MSC Bellissima has a similar array of attractions, as do the slightly bigger MSC Grandiosa and MSC Virtuosa. Of the four vessels, MSC Meraviglia is the most appealing to the North American market as it's based year round in the U.S. For starters, there are two serious water slides on the deck top — Aqua Racer and Ocean Loops — that are sure to get your heart racing. It's one of those horrifying "drop" waterslides that start with you standing above a trap door that opens to send you plunging downward. Indeed, if you're the kind of person who has never wanted to grow up — and aren't we all — there are few more enticing vacations than a week spent on one of today's giant megaships.
Doing Wine Country on Seadream II
Compare: 10 Best Cruise Ships in The Bahamas and Caribbean - Cruise Critic
Compare: 10 Best Cruise Ships in The Bahamas and Caribbean.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Norwegian Encore also is home to the largest laser tag arena ever put on a ship and a massive gaming and virtual reality zone. Themed after the lost city of Atlantis, the former is at the very back of the vessel and is a romp. Highlights of a Hawaii itinerary include a pre- or post-cruise visit to the historic sites of Pearl Harbor and perhaps even an overnight stay in Waikiki. On Maui, you can enjoy active thrills, such as biking down a switchback road on the volcanic slopes of Haleakala or snorkeling the offshore Molokini Crater.
Your cabin class assigns you to a specific restaurant, each class being a step up in both the stateroom and included dining experience. Solo travelers will find cabins without added single supplement fees in Britannia Inside and Oceanview classes. Upper classes and suites are available for booking by singles with an added supplement, but Cunard often has reduced supplements available. The décor is a step up in elegance from sister company Royal Caribbean, as is the food. Celebrity also offers more cruises of eight nights and up, allowing couples to cruise a little longer if desired. Suite hosts are the key to fine tuning every aspect of a Seabourn cruise.
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11 best cruises to Canada and New England - The Points Guy
11 best cruises to Canada and New England.
Posted: Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
As one of the largest cruise brands in the world, Carnival Cruise Line has more than two dozen vessels in its fleet, offering everything from megaship adventures to smaller-ship experiences. Many variables — price, embarkation dates, travel companions, ship size and amenities, and destination — can shape the way you make your choice. Fast-growing MSC Cruises jumped into the activity-packed megaship game in a big way in 2017 with the debut of the U.S.-based MSC Meraviglia.
Many of Mardi Gras' standard cabins sleep at least four people, and the ship offers connecting cabins. Mardi Gras was the first of a new series of bigger Carnival ships designed to take the line's Fun Ship shtick to a new level, and it has since been joined by two more vessels in the, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee. Norwegian Encore's sister ships — Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape — offer many of the same features, but the lineup varies from one vessel to the next. Only Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy have go-kart tracks, for instance, and their versions of the attraction aren't quite as big.
While itineraries range from seven to 14 nights and the ports visited vary by cruise line, most sailings call on Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn. The Danish capital is a fascinating blend of imperial palaces, photogenic landmarks (including the vibrant waterfront of Nyhavn and the Victorian-era Tivoli Gardens) and modern culinary and design innovations. Seabourn tops the luxury cruises category for first-time cruisers with an almost 1-to-1 ratio of crew members to guests. The line’s fleet of all-suite ships incorporate luxurious pampering into every aspect of the cruise, from décor to complementary premium spirits and wines throughout the voyage. Royal Caribbean cruise fares are not inclusive, except for those in the highest-priced suite categories. Drinks and food beyond the complimentary options may be purchased a la carte onboard or as separate packages.
We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more travel, tech, cleaning, humor and fun facts all week long. For adventurous couples -- the kind of people who want to take a surf lesson, ride a Jeep over rocky terrain or fly in a helicopter over molten lava -- a cruise in Hawaii is the ultimate bonding experience. The coastal mountains and fjords of Norway do have the majesty of scale that you'll find in Alaska, though the snowcapped peaks that form the background of all of your Alaska photos might be missing.
