Five Cruises We’re Excited About

New ships, destinations, and experiences this season. 

 

More of the Med

This spring Azamara debuts the 692-passenger Azamara Onward, with itineraries focused on spending more time in destinations – such as Greece and Croatia this season – through late-night departures and overnight stays. pre- and post-cruise tours add to the cultural richness: In Istanbul, for example, passengers can experience a spiritual sema ceremony, a movement-centric meditation dated back to the thirteenth century.

Adventure On 

The all-suite, all-veranda Seabourn Venture, Seabourn’s first expedition ship, promises polar thrills and natural splendor in places such as the Amazon. The 264-passenger vessel sails with two custom-built submarines and double sea kayaks, along with a 26-member expedition team that can take all passengers Zodiac-exploring simultaneously – a rarity for expedition ships. Summer cruises include Iceland, Greenland, and Svalbard, while fall delivers South American highlights and Antartica.

The Azamara Onward sails to Santorini.

The Azamara Onward.

Ship to Shore

American Queen Voyages has partnered with Rocky Mountaineer for river-and-rail journeys during the 186-passenger Ocean Victory’s inaugural Alaska season. Pre- or post-cruise, passengers set out from Vancouver for two days on board the train with hotel stays in Banff, Kamloops, and Vancouver; a Parks Canada Discovery Pass; and return airport transfers to Vancouver. On the water, expedition teams lead kayak and Zodiac tours and talks with First Nations leaders during 12- and 13-day Inside Passage Sailings.

See Canada by rail.

Ahoy, Egypt

This summer Viking introduces its second riverboat on the Nile, the 82-passenger Viking Osiris. Round-trip-from-Cairo journeys kick off with three days of sightseeing in the capital before guests fly to Luxor for an eight-day cruise. Among the highlights: private access to Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Queens and a visit to an artisan Nubian village.

Taste of the Tundra 

Delve into Inuit culture through its cuisine on Quark Expeditions’ 199-passenger Ultramarine. On select Arctic voyages (two this year and five in 2023), passengers opting for the Tundra to Table specialty dining program savor four courses of modern Inuit cuisine served on regional tableware, prepared by Indigenous chefs from Greenland and the Canadian Arctic in the ship’s Balena restaurant. Plates showcase pristine local ingredients in dishes such as beer-braised musk ox served with Greenlandic mashed potatoes, mushroom sauce, and berry jam. The chefs also share Inuit culinary origins and storytelling.