Folks suffering from sub-freezing weather often dream about escaping to the tropics. Luckily, a tropical cruise is well within the reach of most people. For less than you think, you can hop aboard a luxury cruise ship, bound for paradise.
However, some cruise lines are now including cruises to see the spectacular northern lights and even to Antarctica. If you want to travel to the ends of the earth, cruise lines are prepared to get you there in comfort and style.
We’ve picked five of the most intriguing winter cruises sailing from US ports. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to hop aboard for a relaxing and rejuvenating adventure.
Casino Cruise to Bimini in the Bahamas
Crystal Cruise Line’s Crystal Serenity was the first ship to dock at Resorts World Bimini Cruise Port in the summer of 2021. The new cruise ship port is part of the gorgeous, 750-acre beachfront Resorts World Bimini. Passengers not only enjoyed Resorts World’s beach and other amenities but also its world-class casino.
Bahamas Escapes is the cruise line’s seven-night, round-trip cruise tours of the islands of the Bahamas, including a stop at Resorts World’s fantastic casino. The Crystal Serenity is an exceptional ship, receiving a Conde Nast Traveler Award as one of the best medium-sized cruise ships on the planet.
This is just one luxury casino cruise to the Caribbean. For 10 more fabulous casino cruises, check out this article on GamblersDailyDigest.com.
Cruise to Antarctica
If a Caribbean casino cruise doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps a jaunt to the ends of the earth will. For some, an adventure to the furthest continent on the planet holds even more appeal than a balmy, tropical beach.
Very few passenger ships are equipped with ice-fortified hulls that can forge the icy passageways of remote Antarctica. The cruises options for an Antarctic cruise are a few expedition ships that only accommodate 50-200 passengers.
Antartic cruises sail from Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, Argentina. Along the way, passengers will marvel at frolicking whales playing in a ship’s wake.
Since this is the southern hemisphere, the warmest months are December and January, with temperatures in the 30s. Also, be prepared for sunlight 24 hours a day. That endless sunshine means that passengers can enjoy excursions on a Zodiac boat to shore, and some ships even offer kayaks to adventurous passengers.
Canadian Northern Lights Cruise
The Northern Lights are an elusive event, so there is no guarantee any cruise ship will arrive at the exact moment this fabulous display kicks off. But, if you’d like to take your chances while reveling in the unspoiled wilderness of Iceland and Greenland, Quark Expeditions might be for you.
The ship sails from Reykjavík, Iceland, for a 14-day cruise along Iceland’s rugged Vestfjords and the remote northeast coast of Greenland. As well as glimpsing the mysterious Northern Lights, you’ll also visit the Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit, as well as visiting ancient Viking settlement sites. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for anyone who revels in the icy chill of arctic beauty.
Galápagos Island Adventure
Nature lovers will delight in a cruise to the legendary Galápagos Islands. This unspoiled archipelago of Pacific islands along the equator welcomes small intimate ships from December through March. The temperatures are typically in the 70s and 80s, making this a great, warm weather winter adventure. Nature lovers will not only enjoy the tropical weather, but also the exotic, endemic species, including the island’s famous giant tortoises.
The 100 passenger Celebrity Flora is perhaps the most high-tech and luxurious way to go. Silversea’s offers a luxurious, all-inclusive trip on the ship Silver Origin. For those with a deep sense of eco-consciousness, Ecoventura luxury yachts only accommodate 20 adventurous passengers, who are free to jump into the placid waters to playfully snorkel alongside sea lions and other friendly sea creatures.
Cruise to Hawaii
US regulations say that foreign-flagged ships cannot sail a U.S.-based route without stopping at least one foreign port. That means most cruise ship lines on the way to Hawaii also make a stop in Ensenada, Mexico, or make the Hawaiian Islands a stop on a transpacific crossing. You can pick up a cruise to Hawaii in Vancouver, or at ports along the California Coast.
According to Kate Huber at ILGamblingFun, “Hawaii is a classic winter vacation. Best of all, passengers sailing to the islands from January through March have a chance to see migrating humpback whales.”
Norwegian Cruise Lines offers trips to the Hawaiian islands, cruising around to Maui, Kauai, and Kona, before heading off to the South Pacific. A cruise to Hawaii is truly the best way to see this incredibly beautiful place; you’ll experience it as the first Polynesian and European explorers did.
