Travelling by ship has a charm that’s hard to match. You unpack once, then let the sea carry you to places that would take days of flights and buses to reach. It’s not just about deck chairs and buffets - though, let’s be honest, those have their place - it’s about stepping into worlds that feel completely different from the one you left behind.
Some coasts are wild, some timeless, others almost untouched. A cruising holiday isn’t just a getaway; it’s a string of moments you’ll want to bottle. Here are five destinations that deserve a spot on anyone’s bucket list.
Sailing into the Norwegian fjords feels a bit like slipping into a dream - one where cliffs rise so steeply you almost crane your neck off trying to see the top. The water is calm, deep, and mirror-like, disturbed only by the ripple of your ship. Villages appear as dots at the base of mountains, with wooden houses painted red, as if to stand out against all that grey rock and green.
Then there are the waterfalls: some tumbling like ribbons, others crashing so hard you can hear them long before you see them. It’s not staged for tourists - people here go about their lives, fishing, farming, and baking cinnamon buns that smell like pure comfort. The fjords aren’t just scenic; they feel lived-in and timeless, like nature and people agreed to share the same space centuries ago. It’s calm, dramatic, and oddly grounding, all at once.
Costa Rica might look small on the map, but it punches well above its weight. Imagine sailing past beaches where the rainforest comes right down to the sand, monkeys howling in the distance, and scarlet macaws streaking overhead.
Ashore, you’ll find cloud forests that drip with moss, volcanoes smouldering away like film backdrops, and rivers twisting through verdant jungle. There are loads of amazing cruises to Costa Rica, each mixing lazy beach time with adventures like kayaking through mangroves or spotting sloths clinging to tree trunks.
It feels raw, alive, and slightly chaotic in the best way. And that’s the joy - nature runs the show here. You’re just a guest passing through, soaking up the sounds, the colour, and the energy. It’s not a neatly packaged resort vibe; it’s a reminder that the wild is still out there, doing its thing.
Santorini Port
The Greek Islands are the travel equivalent of a box of chocolates. You never know quite what you’ll get, and that’s half the fun. One morning might start with whitewashed alleys in Mykonos, another with crumbling ruins in Rhodes, and by evening you could be clinking glasses while Santorini’s sun drops into the sea.
Each island has its quirks: some buzz with music and late-night cafes, others are so quiet the loudest thing you’ll hear is a goat’s bell. The water, of course, is a star in itself - shimmering blue, almost too perfect, like someone tweaked the saturation.
Then there’s the food: fresh octopus, olive oil so rich it feels indulgent, honey-drenched pastries sticky enough to slow you down. Cruises make hopping between islands easy, no ferry chaos required. It’s history, sunshine, and soul, tied up neatly with a bow of Mediterranean warmth.
Antarctica isn’t the kind of place you stumble upon. Getting there feels like a small victory in itself. What greets you is staggering: towering icebergs glowing blue from within, penguins waddling about as if they own the runway, and skies that change mood every hour.
On incredible Arctic cruises, you drift past glaciers that crack like distant thunder, spot seals sprawled across ice floes, and watch whales rise with slow, deliberate grace. The silence is startling - thick, heavy, broken only by the natural world reminding you who’s in charge. Ships here are snug enough, but the comfort is secondary. What sticks is the scale of it all.
Antarctica doesn’t try to impress; it simply is, and that’s more powerful than any man-made wonder. You walk away knowing you’ve seen something most people never will, and that thought alone is enough to give you goosebumps.
Visiting the Galápagos Islands feels a bit like gate-crashing a party where nature forgot to put up a velvet rope. Sea lions sprawl across benches, iguanas sunbathe on rocks, and blue-footed boobies perform their odd little dances without caring you’re watching. It’s wonderfully unscripted.
The scenery matches the wildlife for drama: jagged lava fields, perfect sandy bays, and snorkelling spots alive with turtles and shimmering fish. Because cruises here are small, the experience feels up close, almost private. One day you’re hiking over volcanic rock, the next you’re bobbing in the water beside curious sea lions.
There’s no glitz, no over-polish. That’s the point. What makes the Galápagos unforgettable isn’t luxury but the feeling you’re standing inside a nature documentary, except the animals never stick to the script. It’s wild, unfiltered, and unforgettable in the best possible way.
A cruise can be far more than cocktails and sun loungers. It can take you deep into rainforests, along fjords where mountains scrape the sky, or across seas that end in ice. From cruises to Costa Rica with its jungle soundtrack to Arctic cruises through Antarctica’s frozen silence, each journey leaves its own imprint.
The Norwegian fjords whisper calm, the Greek Islands glow with history and sunshine, and the Galápagos remind you nature still has a sense of humour. These aren’t just destinations; they’re once-in-a-lifetime moments strung together by the sea. And isn’t that what travel’s all about?
Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 50 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.
