20 Cruises That Go Off the Beaten Path

Going on a cruise can be a great adventure but if you find yourself in a cruise port with thousands of tourists all doing the same thing as you, it can turn into your biggest nightmare. If you want to go on a voyage of discovery, the secret is to opt for smaller cruise lines that have less well-known ports of call on their itineraries. We scoured through the expected arrivals for different ports of call for cruise ships in 2018 to bring you these off the beaten path cruises.

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1. Antarctica

There are several companies that offer cruises to Antarctica but because of restrictions to protect the wildlife, you can only go on land here if you travel on one of the smaller vessels. Even though cruises take place in the Antarctic summer, you’ll still need warm clothes and winter boots.

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2. Seychelles

While the main island of Mahe has a busy cruise port, the smaller islands in the archipelago known as the Seychelles aren’t usually on cruise ships’ itineraries. However, you can find cruises that sail from the UAE to Mauritius and let you explore more of the Seychelles’ pristine beaches along the way.

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3. Bocas del Toro, Panama

The islands of Bocas del Toro along Panama’s Caribbean coast are beloved by eco-conscious tourists and you can visit them as part of a cruise that visits ports in Panama and that other ecotourism favourite, Costa Rica. They’re also a cheap winter destination if you’re travelling from Canada.

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4. Norway

Arctic cruises are on offer from June to August and most sail along Norway’s fjord-lined coast to Murmansk in Russia. Since it’s summer when these cruises happen, you’ll get to see the Midnight Sun.

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5. Greenland

A summer cruise destination with a difference is Greenland, which during the warmer months really does become green. It’s not as cold as you’d imagine during cruise season either, although it’s a different story in winter, when Greenlanders live in one of the world’s coldest places.

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6. Eastern Indonesia

Many of the islands of eastern Indonesia are rugged, remote and offer great diving and snorkelling, not to mention Indonesian cuisine. There are a handful of expedition cruises to this region and they usually include a visit to Komodo Island, home of the Komodo dragon.

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7. The Northwest Passage

Cruises that travel part of the Northwest Passage are nothing new but now intrepid explorers can travel the full extent of the route, all the way between Greenland and Alaska. This just might become the next great Canadian adventure.

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8. Chilean Coast

Cruising along Chile’s coastline will allow you to see everything from desert to wine country to alpine scenery and fjords. Because the country is so narrow, it’s perfectly feasible to go for a quick excursion to the Andes Mountains and then go back to the beach to surf.

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9. Oban, Scotland

Larger Scottish ports like Edinburgh get quite a bit of cruise ship traffic. Lovely little Oban is included in fewer itineraries, so despite the fact that it can get busy in tourist season it’s not overrun by cruise passengers. Only a short ferry ride away is the must-visit Isle of Mull.

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10. West Africa

Some cruises take in the busier ports of the Caribbean and then head across the Atlantic to ports of call like Dakar, Senegal and Banjul, Gambia, where you’ll find a rich history, vibrant culture, wildlife and heaps of adventure. Near Dakar you’ll also find the gorgeous pink Lake Retba, one of the world’s more unusual lakes.

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11. The Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

The remote Marquesas are usually included as part of a cruise of French Polynesia. These idyllic islands are not only for nature lovers but also for culture vultures who want to see where French painter Paul Gauguin and Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel spent their last years.

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12. Mossel Bay, South Africa

Mossel Bay is located on South Africa’s Garden Route, a popular beach and golfing destination where your dollar will go far. The town is included as a port of call for only a few cruises, all of which explore the South African coast.

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13. Exmouth, Australia

Most cruises of Australia explore the east coast and the Great Barrier Reef but Exmouth in the northwest of the country offers a reef experience without the crowds. The Ningaloo Reef offers superb diving and snorkelling and you can also head inland into the desert for a real taste of the Outback.

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14. Peruvian Amazon

The world’s largest river can accommodate huge vessels, so it can feel a little more crowded than you’d prefer. To really get a taste of the rainforest before it disappears, it’s better to take a cruise on the Peruvian part of the Amazon, where you can sail along smaller tributaries too and see huge water lilies.

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15. Easter Island, Chile

Just because Easter Island is one you’ve probably heard of doesn’t mean it’s any less mysterious than those less famous islands. It’s one of the most remote islands in the world and it’s still unclear how – and why – those giant heads were erected.

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16. Pitcairn Islands

When a cruise ship docks at Pitcairn, the only inhabited one of the Pitcairn Islands, it most likely has a larger population than the island itself. There are only about 50 people living here. They are mainly descendants of the Bounty mutineers and Polynesians and speak a unique blend of 18th-century English and Tahitian.

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17. Andaman Islands

Located in the eastern part of the Bay of Bengal, most of the Andaman Islands belong to India. They’re laid-back, serene and perfect if you need to take a break from it all. Diving, snorkelling, lounging on the beach and gorging on seafood are the main reasons to come here.

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18. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

Fire and ice meet on the Kamchatka Peninsula with its active volcanoes and arctic climate. This isolated spot in the far east of Russia is home to a dazzling array of wildlife, including Kamchatka brown bears. Some cruises continue on to Japan while others cross the Bering Sea to Alaska.

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19. Faroe Islands

Even though they’re part of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are much closer to Scotland. The dramatic cliffs here are best explored by sea but there’s also plenty of great hiking. The islands are famous for their sheep but even visitors who aren’t animal lovers will fall for the charms of the Faroese puffins.

Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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20. Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

As far as Caribbean cruise ports go, Union Island is as off the beaten path as they come. It has the turquoise waters and white beaches, great snorkelling and hiking you’d want from a Caribbean island but because only a few cruises visit, you won’t be trampled by other cruise passengers.