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If you're an avid cruiser, you already know the truth: for a spot on the best cruises, with the wildest itineraries, you'll need to plan ahead before all of the good rooms (or all of the rooms, period) are snatched up. So while most landlubbers are planning their fall vacations for 2019, we're looking ahead to the cruises of 2020. From a three-day Bahamian getaway to an polar bear-focused Arctic exploration, there's something for everyone. So find a few friends—or go solo, since cruise lines are making it easier and more affordable than ever to go your own way—and book your next adventure.
An itinerary we don't see often, Ponant's 14-day Indian Ocean cruise hits up La Digue in the Seychelles, lemur colonies on Madagascar, and the beachy Réunion island. Start planning now for this cruise by getting PADI-certified in scuba diving—then, you'll be able to swim with manta rays, gray reef sharks, and more at almost every port. It would make a great honeymoon adventure too, thanks to Le Lyrial's small size (just 122 suites) (If you're dying to do the route on your own, wait until 2021 when the single supplement is waived on this itinerary.)
The cruise line's Orion ship is one of our favorites (our readers ranked it among the very best, too). Its Scandinavian touches reach from the furniture and design—think blond woods and Eames chairs—to the food, which of course includes lots of salmon and smørrebrød. We'd sail a lot of routes on this ship, but the itinerary that goes between Bangkok and Hong Kong is of particular interest. With overnight stays in five ports, you'll actually get a chance to get a sense of place. Plus, you'll visit the area's mainstays over the 15-day trip, from Ho Chi Minh to Ha Long Bay.
If you're an avid cruiser, you already know the truth: for a spot on the best cruises, with the wildest itineraries, you'll need to plan ahead before all of the good rooms (or all of the rooms, period) are snatched up. So while most landlubbers are planning their fall vacations for 2019, we're looking ahead to the cruises of 2020. From a three-day Bahamian getaway to an polar bear-focused Arctic exploration, there's something for everyone. So find a few friends—or go solo, since cruise lines are making it easier and more affordable than ever to go your own way—and book your next adventure.
We've mentioned it before: when you want to just get away and don't have the mental energy to plan your own trip, a three-day cruise to the Bahamas, with a stop on a private island, is everything you could ask for. Royal Caribbean runs quickie trips on Enchantment of the Seas, which embark Fridays at 4 p.m. from Miami and return back to port by 7 a.m. Monday morning. The ship spends a full day at the line's private isle, Coco Cay, and another in Nassau, so you'll have time to explore. (Or, you could settle into the ship, checking out the rock-climbing walls and a trio of pools on board.)
