Cruising is more popular than ever. Global cruise passenger volume reached a historic of 37.2 million in 2025, according to the recently released Global Cruise Industry Report by the Cruise Lines International Association. And, increasingly, cruisers want to go big or stay home. It’s about checking off the bucket list and taking that trip they’re dreaming of — exotic, adventure-filled, one-of-a-kind voyages. Here are some of the best.

CYCLING CROATIA
Serious cyclers will think they’ve died and gone to heaven. Your seven-day adventure begins in Split, Croatia. You’ll love the intimacy of fewer than 40 passengers aboard Sail Croatia’s luxury small ship MS Princeza Diana.

PHOTO: © SAIL CROATIA

The first stop is Milna. Cycle to Bobovisca, dip in the turquoise water or chill with a cup of coffee in a café. Day Two, climb hills in Bol with stunning flora and views of the island of Hvar. Catch your breath over a traditional lunch of peka and wine. Spend time at Golden Horn Beach or check out the town. Day Three, cycle through villages and experience one of Croatia’s oldest towns, Stari Grad, dating back to 385 B.C. Finish the day in Hvar visiting the cathedral, Gothic palaces and a waterfront restaurant.

Get ready for the island of Korčula, said to be the birthplace of Marco Polo, and Mljet, with its national park. Swim, kayak or cycle around the lakes. Day Six, bike Makarska, and the following day take a final ride in the valley of the Cetina River. When the ship sails back to Split, explore sites like Roman Diocletian’s Palace. Exhale. Go home with bragging rights for cycling the best of Croatia.

ANTARCTIC ADVENTURES
Why settle for one vessel when you can have two? Terra Nova Expeditions offers the best of two worlds.Travel via expedition ship St. Helena and intimate polar yacht Icebird on a 20-day Antarctic journey. You’re in for a treat.

Start out on St. Helena from Ushuaia, Argentina. Your first few days you’ll cross the Drake Passage, spotting whales, seabirds and icebergs. On board enjoy panoramic observation lounges, lectures, Jacuzzis, gym, spa, science lab, morning yoga, photography workshops and more.

PHOTO: © TERRA NOVA

Spend the fourth through seventh days in action: Snowshoeing, kayaking among icebergs, oohing and awing over penguins and seals playing and swimming, views of glaciers, and humpback and minke whales.

The thrills continue with six days on Icebird, passing through remote, narrow, secluded, rarely seen waterways. Imagine days sailing, hiking and exploring by Zodiac. If you dare, take a polar plunge. You’ll rejoin St. Helena and head north, exploring Brown Bluff with its towering cliffs and Adelie penguin colony, or Paulet Island’s ruins. Cross the Drake Passage and return to Ushuaia, no doubt arriving better than you left.

MEDITERRANEAN MAGIC
Imagine 60 days at sea, 48 ports, 12 countries. This itinerary gives new meaning to “bucket list.” Silversea Cruises’ Grand Mediterranean cruise aboard Silver Dawn is the stuff of dreams. Maybe you’re retired, taking a sabbatical or rewarding yourself just because. Step into this fantastic voyage departing from Lisbon. Travel the Western Mediterranean, Greek Isles and Adriatic with stops in the places you’re dying to visit: İstanbul, Dubrovnik, Gibraltar, Palma de Mallorca, Naples, Mykonos, Tuscany, Monte Carlo, Marseille, Barcelona, Casablanca and others.

PHOTO: © DREAMER4787 | DREAMSTIME

Expect one good thing after another, like the S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) culinary program, where you’ll experience a Mallorca family winery and a live cooking lunch in Palma de Mallorca, and events like a concert at Ephesus in Türkiye just for Silversea passengers. Pick from hundreds of excursions, be it kayaking in Ajaccio’s gulf or touring ancient Rome, ancient Pompeii, Game of Thrones sites in Malta, the spice market and a Turkish bath in İstanbul. By the time you make your way back to Lisbon, you’ll have stories to tell. Bring a journal to capture moments in real time.

PLAY IN THE PACIFIC
A record 42.7 million international visitors flocked to Japan in 2025. Is it on your list? If you’re thinking of going, why not do a twofer – the Philippines and Japan? Swan Hellenic’s Pearls of the Pacific cruise offers a 10-night exploration of both.

Board SH Minerva in Manila. One of the first stops, Hundred Islands National Park in Lingayen Gulf, boasts 100-plus islands, many mushroom-shaped. The daring can try the 1,800-foot island-to-island zip line. The following day, visit UNESCO-listed, 16th-century Vigan City, known for its boisterous cobblestoned Calle Crisologo, with horse-drawn carriages and mansions.

© SWAN HELLENIC

Day Four, relax at sea in the library, attend a lecture or a photography workshop. Anticipate Miyakojima. It’s almost entirely ringed by a vibrant fringing coral reef. The wow factor, though, is Yonaha-Maehama Beach, often called one of Japan’s best. There’s more island fun on Zamami, home to Kerama National Park, touted for its snorkeling and bird-watching. The next day’s highlight is the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum in Naha, one of Japan’s best museums.

Wind down your final days at beaches; the Amami Islands; the Mangrove Primeval Forest; and Uwajima, home to Uwajima Castle and Tensha-en Garden. The last stop on this epic journey is Hiroshima. You must see the UNESCO World Heritage site, Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum.

EGYPTIAN ENCOUNTERS
All Extraordinary Journeys’ adventures are custom-designed. To give you something to dream about, ogle its sample 14-day itinerary, Journey Through Egypt’s Ancient Wonders aboard SS Sudan. The journey starts in Cairo. Spend the first few days exploring the new Grand Egyptian Museum, Old Cairo’s Sultan Hassan Mosque, Khan el-Khalili Bazaar and Great Pyramid, among other sites.

Take a short flight to Luxor, deemed the world’s best open-air museum with its temples, desert cliffs hiding tombs, Avenue of Sphinxes and more. Al Moudira Hotel makes an ideal stay in Luxor. Day Five, encounter pharaohs and gods with a daytrip to Abydos and Dendera, to the Temple of Seti I and Hathor’s Temple. Then hit Valley of the Kings and wind your way through tunnels and tombs, including Tutankhamun’s; Temple of Hatshepsut; and Karnak Temple before boarding the iconic SS Sudan for the cruise portion of your trip.

PHOTO: © ANTON ALEKSENKO | DREAMSTIME

The ship, built for the royal family in 1885, retains its original teak decks and Belle Époque décor and is the oldest operating steamboat on the Nile. You’ll visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the best- preserved temples in Egypt, and Kom Ombo. In Aswan see the Aswan High Dam, Temple of Philae, Unfinished Obelisk and more.

Say goodbye to SS Sudan and fly to Abu Simbel. Visit Ramses II’s massive statue, temples carved into rock and other sites. Return to Aswan and enjoy Old Cataract Hotel with its water views and spa. Fly to Cairo, then head to Alexandria for its Belle Époque architecture, new Library of Alexandria and the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqufa. Cap off your final night with a private dinner at the Royal Jewelry Museum. Hopefully you took lots of photos; finding words to adequately describe this adventure may prove difficult.

SAY “G’DAY”
The Land Down Under tops many bucket lists. Seabourne Cruise Line’s 10-day Kimberley Expedition: Waterfalls & Wanjinas may be just what you’re looking for. Board Seabourn Pursuit in Darwin, Australia. The good times begin with a Zodiac ride to King George River and King George Falls, the two highest twin falls in Australia at 250 feet in height. The 11 miles through a twisty sandstone gorge is a thrill ride with birds, crocodiles and other wildlife. Next is Vansaritt Bay and Jar Island. Go ashore for the gallery showcasing Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) rock art, some of the world’s oldest indigenous artworks.

Day Three highlights include Ashmore Reef Marine Park with its seagrass meadows, coral reef flats, lagoons, sea snakes, and turtle feeding and nesting sites. Snorkel with the expedition team. Experience more nature at Naturalist Island; Indian Head (a sandstone headland); and Porosus Creek with its crocodiles, osprey and white-bellied sea eagles. Swift Bay’s highlights include Wandjina Gallery, a rock shelter beneath a shallow overhang. Observe the Wandjina figures — powerful spirit beings central to Wunambal Gaambera traditions. Consider a helicopter ride to Mitchell Falls to take in Donkin Falls and wild donkeys in the valleys.

© SEABOURN CRUISE LINE

The fun continues in the Lacepede Islands, a stop bird-watchers will love with the island’s vast variety of birds, and Freshwater Cove, spending time with the Worrora (Arraluli clan) for a face-painting ceremony. Also see petroglyph artwork and Dreamtime art depicting pre-European life in the Kimberley region. Experience a tribal smoke ceremony on the beach before heading back to the ship.

Your last few days take you to waterfalls at Montgomery Reef and Talbot Bay, home to the infamous Horizontal Falls. Finish the cruise in Broome with a drive to Cable Beach; Chinatown; and 9 Zeros 9 Stories art installation, paying homage to the air raid of World War II. As any Aussie will say, “Hooroo!” (goodbye).