MAKE 2019 YOUR YEAR TO EXPLORE
Most of us will make new year’s resolutions this week, but I’d like to encourage you to do something else: resolve to travel more. And if that travel is on a cruise, all the better. Here are a few of my picks for cruise destinations to explore in 2019:
SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN
Truth be told, the Caribbean isn’t my favourite destination. The Southern Caribbean, however, is a much better choice: We’re talking about places like Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Aruba and Curaçao. If you’ve been to St. Thomas or Cozumel so often that you could give the guided tour, try one of these itineraries out. Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess and Royal Caribbean all offer a great selection of Southern Caribbean runs.
ALASKA
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Alaska. A stellar cruise destination, thanks to its mix of natural beauty, small-town charm and rugged authenticity. It’s also one of the few destinations you can sail to in a multitude of ways. The biggest megaships depart from Seattle, while mid-sized vessels (and even expedition and luxury ships) sail from Port of Vancouver. I’ve done both runs, but nothing beats sailing from Canada Place, past Stanley Park, and under the Lions Gate Bridge on a warm summer day.
EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISING IN SPRING
European river cruises kick off in March and April of each year, and springtime is the perfect time to take one of these wonderful journeys through Europe. Airfares and hotels (and, generally speaking, cruise fares) are more affordable than in the summer months, and Europe in the springtime presents a wonderful array of sights. My recommendation: get in on one of the Tulip Time river cruises that sail from Amsterdam through the Netherlands and Belgium during the months of March and April. You don’t have to love flowers to enjoy these fantastic voyages. Nearly every line offers these, but I’d rate itineraries offered by AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and Viking River Cruises as being among the best in this area.
CRUISE THROUGH NORWAY
You may not have heard of Norwegian cruise-ferry line Hurtigruten before, but the company has been operating year-round coastal voyages through Norway for more than a century. Offered as one-way trips between Bergen and Kirkenes or a roundtrip journey from Bergen, these voyages offer an intimate look at the Norway few get to see, from fascinating towns like Alesund and Tromsø to small villages that your ship might only stop in for 10 minutes. Run ashore, take a picture, and move on to the next town, a northern adventure.
GO SAILING
I’m more and more enamoured with sailing cruises, and there is a whole world of options out there. Sea Cloud Cruises, Star Clippers and Windstar Cruises all offer sailing adventures around the world on thoroughly modern ships that combine the pleasures of sailing with the amenities of an ocean cruise. Closer to home, check out Maple Leaf Adventures (mapleleafadventures.com) and Outer Shore Expeditions (outershores.ca) — both of which offer amazing sailing cruises throughout British Columbia.
SEE MORE OF CANADA
This is my personal resolution for 2019: to cruise through more of this wonderful country. Adventure Canada (adventurecanada.com) has some amazing expedition itineraries to Baffin Island and Canada’s Arctic lined up for this year, and newcomer Victory Lakes Cruises (victorycruiselines.com) has started up Great Lakes itineraries running from Chicago to Toronto aboard the 202-guest MV Victory I. If big ships are your thing, head for the sun with Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas in October, on a 13-night Snowbird Migration cruise from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Happy cruising.