Destination trends for cruises

Recent figures from the Cruise Lines International Association show that a record 1.9 million holidaymakers from the UK and Ireland took an ocean cruise in 2016. Proving that the wide choice of cruise holiday experiences and worldwide destinations offered on a cruise holiday cannot be beaten. The choice of activities in new destinations is unprecedented and now there truly is something for everyone, wherever they choose to cruise.

Royal Caribbean International’s private beach destination of Labadee in Haiti, now boasts extensive new experiences for holidaymakers. Cruise passengers can soak-up the sun on talcum-soft white beaches, meander through local craft markets or get adventurous on a zip-line through the tree canopy. Families can cool off at the Aquapark or on the Dragon's Splash Waterslide before heading to a private cabana to lounge the day away. Holland America Line has a private island in the Bahamas – Half Moon Cay – where there’s the chance to be as active or as chilled-out as the mood takes you; while NCL have recently opened Harvest Caye – a private island in southern Belize.

Travellers looking for an adventure can cruise with Silversea on their voyages to Antarctica. After crossing the Drake Passage, guests get to marvel at spectacular iceberg sculptures and glaciers, and discover up-close-and-personal the bewildering array of species of birds and animals of the Antarctic. Zodiacs enable guests to explore the breath-taking landscape.

In response to the desire to be a traveller rather than a tourist, Crystal Yacht Expeditions is about to embark on a sybaritic foray into the remotest corners of the globe. Crystal Endeavor is the first of three expedition mega-yachts slated to arrive in mid-2019. This trio of expedition ships will cruise the Arctic, then follow the route of migrating whales to Antarctica.

Putting the ‘port’ in opportunity, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is calling at 28 maiden ports in 2018/19, including Martha’s Vineyard (Massachusetts), Archangel on Russia’s White Sea, and Makassar in Indonesia. 2019 is set to be the most exciting year in Azamara Club Cruises’ history. This destination-immersive cruise line will raise the bar with an array of intriguing itineraries that includes visiting Alaska; Japan; and New Zealand.

There has been a fundamental shift in the dynamics of cruising. With an impossibly large roster of new destinations, suddenly cruising is very 21^st century. From ice-encrusted ports of call, to jungle adventures in tropical rainforests, to off-the-beaten-track havens of hedonism, cruising is now at the cutting edge of travel trends. For more details of what’s hot in the world of cruising call 0800 484 0370.