The ultimate cruise indulgence for the time-rich is an Atlantic crossing. Viking combines this bucket-list essential with an intensive Mediterranean schedule on its new 21-day Rome to San Juan sailings. Embarking in the Eternal City, you cruise to Livorno to see Pisa and the delights of Florence. From there, stops include Monte Carlo and Barcelona, plus the Portuguese island of Madeira (above). Once across the Atlantic, passengers pull into the Caribbean ports of St Martin and Puerto Rico, your disembarkation point.

Got a lazy 94 days to spare (or 82 if you’re short on time)? Seabourn has launched a pole-to-pole expedition aboard the 132-suite Seabourn Venture that starts in Reykjavik and ends months later in Buenos Aires. Highlights include the High Arctic, tracing Greenland’s west coast and attempting to cross the Northwest Passage, before plunging deep into the Antarctic Peninsula. En route, prepare for 60 days of expedition experiences and typical Seabourn indulgences, including caviar, polar plunges and a submarine dive included for each guest.

As adventure combos go it doesn’t get much better than Emerald’s Safari to the Seychelles itinerary, which is new for 2026. The 16-day trip starts with a six-night safari in Kenya, taking in the migration-famous Masai Mara (above), where eight included game drives maximise chances of spotting the big five and more. Once you’ve had your fill of wildlife, fly across the Indian Ocean to Mahé, the main island in the Seychelles archipelago, and spend a leisurely week island-hopping aboard the newly built 128-passenger superyacht Emerald Kaia. The cruise visits eight islands including Curieuse, famed for its giant tortoises and unspoiled beaches.

West Africa is fascinating and diverse but remains largely undiscovered as the travel logistics can be daunting. Enter Silversea, which will take adventurers there in pampered comfort (butlers, suites, swimming pool) on a 20-day pan-African odyssey that visits 14 ports in 10 countries. The 274-passenger Silver Wind leaves the Ghanaian capital of Accra bound for Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and Morocco, before cruising up the Tagus River and into Lisbon. On the way there are excursions to national parks, World Heritage and UNESCO Biosphere sites and even a chimpanzee sanctuary.

The Galápagos Islands, a must-visit for nature lovers, are well-suited to single adventurers given the expedition focus and the promise of like-minded fellow travellers. If you prefer your companions feathered and furred, consider HX Expeditions’ eight-night outings aboard the 90-passenger MS Santa Cruz II. Visit nine islands, with Ecuadorian naturalists on hand to help explain everything from evolution to ecology during close encounters with flamingos, Galápagos penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions, giant tortoises and more. HX operations here are carbon-neutral and support local communities and conservation. Add a pre-cruise detour to Peru to see Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley before striking out for the islands.

Typical French Polynesia itineraries attract the honeymoon set but Ponant’s more intrepid offerings – to the dive paradise of the Tuamotus, the volcanic drama of the Gambier Islands and far beyond to the remote Austral archipelago and infamous Pitcairn Island – appeal to the adventurous. Active days on the 88-cabin Le Jacques Cartier involve diving and snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding, Zodiac outings and guided land tours, as well as face-to-face meetings with sharks, rays and marine mammals. Cruise landings have been developed in collaboration with local owners to ensure the warmest of welcomes for those travelling. (Book early and single supplements might be waived or discounted.)

Australian-owned Scenic has cooked up a tempting 11-night cruise through the gastronomic strongholds of Spain, Portugal and France that’s perfect for lovers of food and life. Departing next European summer, the 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse II will trace the Guadalquivir and Garonne rivers and the Atlantic Coast as it travels from Málaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol to Bordeaux, gateway to France’s elite wine chateaux. Highlights include sherry in Jerez, port in Porto, tapas in Seville, pintxos in Bilbao and a tantalising day in Tangiers, Morocco. Between ports there’s always butler service, spa treatments and eight dining outlets to satisfy onboard appetites.

Norwegian coastal-cruise pioneer Hurtigruten showcases the culinary traditions of the country’s far north on its recently launched small-group departures. Week-long itineraries are split between land and sea, with two nights spent on Arctic farms in Lofoten and Vesterålen – the latter involving a 20-course tasting menu. The cruising route between Bergen (above) and Tromsø capitalises on Hurtigruten’s partnerships with about 70 coastal producers; the line has also partnered with Indigenous Sami chef Máret Rávdná Buljo, who will prepare four-course Arctic feasts aboard the MS Trollfjord. Toast your good fortune with Havets Bobler, Hurtigruten’s very own sea-aged sparkling wine. Skål!

True North’s new conservation-focussed cruises of the Great Barrier Reef (above) give all guests a stake in our World Heritage-listed wonder. The seven-night programs offered aboard True North II were developed with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and combine reef research, hands-on science and island-hopping alongside leading marine scientists. Cast off from Cairns for diving and snorkelling on Ribbon Reef then move on to Lizard Island for more underwater adventures and a visit to the onsite research station to learn about reef restoration. Mingle with marine creatures at Sandbanks National Park, Tijou Reef and Wreck Bay before returning to Cairns by charter flight from Lockhart River.

The first of Royal Caribbean’s six Wiggly-themed sailings sets off from Sydney next month on an eight-night South Pacific romp visiting New Caledonia and Vanuatu. The big drawcard for those with young kids or grandkids is The Wiggles; there won’t be any skivvied entertainers onboard the departures ex-Sydney and Brisbane but popular characters such as Dorothy the Dinosaur (hosting dance classes and discos), Wags the Dog and Captain Feathersword should keep excitement levels high. Elsewhere on Anthem of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas there are dedicated spaces and programs for children (and adults) of all ages, surf and skydiving simulators, swimming pools and theatre shows.

10 Stunning River Cruises to Try in Your Lifetime