The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has revealed its top cruise locations for the year including iconic cities and lesser-known places.
It followed research which found that almost two thirds of UK cruisers will return to a destination they first visited on a cruise holiday.
The industry body surveyed 409 UK travellers who have taken a holiday – both cruise and land-based – in the last three years to ask their perceptions on travel.
The study found that 64% of respondents have returned to a destination they first visited on a cruise while 95% of respondents considered a cruise holiday to be a great way to sample multiple destinations.
Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland director, said: “It’s fantastic to see that many travellers see cruise as a great way to explore new destinations. A cruise offers the opportunity for guests to experience places they may have never previously heard of, and in future return as part of a land-based holiday.
“Following the study, CLIA has compiled a list of our top 10 must visit destinations for 2020, including both iconic cities and lesser-known locations, all of which can be visited as part of a cruise holiday.”
1. The Canadian Rockies: Home to vast forests and emerald green lakes, the stunning scenery is a must for groups and there are some fantastic cruise holidays on offer such as a new Riviera Travel tour combined with a full-board Alaskan cruise on Holland America Line’s MS Nieuw Amsterdam, sailing round-trip from Vancouver.
2. Singapore: The city state is like nowhere else in Southeast Asia with some great sights to behold such as the stunning man-made trees at the Gardens by the Bay. Royal Caribbean offers a seven-night ‘Best of Malaysia & Thailand’ cruise on board Quantum of the Seas.
3. Kimberley, Western Australia: Spectacular gorges and majestic waterfalls, what’s not to love about this part of Australia? APT’s ‘Grand Kimberley Coast Cruise’ is a 15-day expedition which offers passengers the chance to visit Adele Island, famous for being surrounded by reef sharks and stingrays.
4. Porto, Portugal: Known as the gateway to the Douro, Porto is home of course to the famous tipple and with late-season sunshine is a great choice for a river cruise. Scenic has a 10-night holiday which is part of a partnership with National Geographic and is escorted by photographer Krista Rossow.
5. Svalbard, Norway: This untouched arctic wilderness boasts unique wildlife in a rugged yet fragile setting. Passengers on board Tauck’s BBC Earth Journeys cruise will be accompanied by special guest lecturer and BBC Earth wildlife filmmaker Peter Bassett.
6. Panama Canal: There’s no better vantage point of this engineering masterpiece than from the top deck of a ship. Princess Cruises has a range of itineraries and ships for guests to take advantage of during 2020.
7. Castro, Chile: This city is on the Chiloé Island in Chile’s Lake District where buildings are largely made from abundant local woods, and many houses elaborately shingled in intricate designs or look as if they are balancing on stilts. Seabourn offers a 21-day ultimate experience taking in Chilean lakes, volcanoes, fjords and much more.
8. Tokyo, Japan: The busy capital mixes the ultra-modern with the traditional boasting the largest open-air fish market in the world as well as breath-taking shrines. Norwegian Cruise Line’s 14-day ‘Immersive Japan from Tokyo’ takes in a wealth of sights.
9. Cape Town, South Africa: Get a sweeping view of the city from the top of Table Mountain, which can be reached on slowly rotating cable cars or enjoy the busy harbour with boats heading for Robben Island, the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, which is now a living museum. AmaWaterways offers a nine-night Discover Africa itinerary including two nights at Victoria Falls.
10. Bozcaada, Turkey: Visitors to this breezy Aegean gem will notice the brilliant fusion of cultures with clusters of whitewashed buildings. Discover the town’s imposing 15th century castle, which is among the best preserved in the country. Oceania Cruises runs a 10-day Mediterranean Fusion cruise on board Sirena.
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