Certain locations are known for being must-visit places in the world, and are ones most people dream about seeing. These iconic sights might be ancient ruins, exotic islands, or even an entire city, but there is something about the place that makes it special and causes people to want to keep visiting it year in and year out.

Many of these must-visit places are on traveler’s bucket lists, so imagine how nice it would be to be able to check off multiple bucket list locations all on one vacation. It’s actually not that hard to do if you take a cruise to these popular travel spots located all around the world.

A cruise lets you see multiple cruise destinations – often in several different countries – without the hassle of packing and unpacking in each new place. With a cruise you unpack once (book a suite and your personal butler will even unpack for you!) and then get to sit back and relax while your cruise sails to each new port of call. While you relax you can enjoy a drink on your private veranda or in one of the sumptuous onboard lounges. You can also spend your time sitting by the pool, getting a spa treatment, taking in a live show, or dining on gourmet cuisine.

That sounds much better than navigating foreign streets and unfamiliar traffic laws, or making sure you get to an early morning train on time, right? With a cruise you’ll wake up in a new place each morning, can step out onto your veranda to take in the view, have breakfast delivered to your stateroom, and then head out to explore with the ease that a shore excursion provides.

Shore excursions are another reason traveling to the world’s must-visit places by cruise is an ideal mode of transportation. In each new port of call you’ll be able to partake in a tour that takes you straight from the ship to the bucket list location you most want to see. Along the way to the site you’ll travel in comfort and your excursion will likely have a guide who will tell you stories about the history of the area and provide in-depth knowledge about the sites you’re seeing.

A shore excursion can be educational-focused where you visit somewhere like the Roman Forum and walk around while learning about the area from an expert, or you can make your time in port more adventurous while still experiencing the must-visit sites. This might be something like kayaking around Dubrovnik, Croatia, or ziplining over the treetops of St. Maarten or Jamaica in the Caribbean.

Here are some excellent tineraries and the must-visit sites you can visit during each cruise.

The Cruise: 10-Night Italy and Greek Isles Cruise on Celebrity Reflection; roundtrip from Civitavecchia (the port gateway to Rome)

The Ports: Rome, Sicily, and Naples in Italy; Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes in Greece; and Valletta, Malta

The Must-Do Activity in Each Port of Call: Walk around Oia in Santorini and watch the sunset; travel to Pompeii while in Naples; tour the Acropolis in Athens; view the blue and white thatched windmills of Mykonos Town; visit the Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes; and gaze at historic architecture in Malta (Valletta is also the 2018 European City of Culture). End your vacation with a city stay in Rome to see the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and more.

See Must-Visit Places in the South Pacific

The Cruise: 18-Night Tahitian Treasures Cruise on Celebrity Solstice; departs from Honolulu, Hawaii and ends in Sydney, Australia

The Ports: Oahu and Maui in Hawaii; Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia; Auckland and Bay of Islands in New Zealand; and Sydney, Australia

The Must-Do Activity in Each Port of Call: Walk around Lahaina and Ka’anapali Beach in Maui; shop for pearls in Papeete, Tahiti; snorkel in Bora Bora’s turquoise lagoon; experience Māori culture in the Bay of Islands; go up in the Sky Tower in Auckland; and see the Sydney Opera House.

Tropical Must-Visit Places in the Caribbean

The Cruise: 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Celebrity Silhouette; roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The Ports: San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The Must-Do Activity in Each Port of Call: Tour Castillo San Cristóbal in San Juan, visit Magens Bay in St. Thomas; and zipline over gorgeous treetop canopies in St. Maarten. Plus, you’ll get three days at sea to relax on the luxurious Celebrity Silhouette and explore all that the state-of-the-art ship has to offer, like spa treatments, the real-grass Lawn Club, 5-star cuisine; Broadway-style shows, and much more.

See Must-Visit Places in Asia

The Cruise: 14-Night Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand Cruise; departs from Hong Kong and ends in Singapore

The Ports: Hong Kong, China; Taipei, Taiwan; Hanoi, Vietnam; Hue, Vietnam; Bangkok, Thailand; and Singapore

The Must-Do Activity in Each Port of Call: Take the tram up to Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, walk around Shilin Night Market in Taipei (the cruise has an overnight in port there!), sail the Halong Bay in Hanoi, tour Imperial City in Hue, explore the Grand Palace in Bangkok, and marvel at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Cruise The World

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