20 Bucket-List Cruise Journeys

Ask any fan of high seas holidays and they'll tell you there's at least one dream cruise they hope to take some day. For some people it might be taking a step back in history to cross the Atlantic, and for others it might be seeing abundant wildlife or exploring somewhere exotic, but whatever floats your boat, here are 20 bucket-list journeys to get you dreaming.

1. Exploring The Kimberley

Famous for deep gorges, sky-high waterfalls and untamed forest, much of this ancient wilderness is best explored on a cruise. A number of expedition ships, including the Kimberley Quest II, visit this remote part of Western Australia between April and September, calling at a lineup of natural wonders including King George Falls and Montgomery Reef, with activities including crocodile spotting, fishing and hiking.

2. Cruising The Mississippi River

The mighty Mississippi is the most historic cruising region of the United States. When this was written, the glamorous American Queen was one of a number of paddle wheelers plying its famous waters year-round, visiting iconic destinations including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Alton, billed as one of the most haunted towns in America, close to where the Mississippi, the Illinois and the Missouri rivers converge.

Editor's update: American Queen Voyages ceased operating in February 2024, and the American Queen has since been scrapped. Paddle-wheeler cruises on the Mississippi continue with other operators.

3. A Cruisetour Of Great Britain And Ireland

Take a tour which combines multiple days on land in England, Scotland and Ireland with a cruise around the British Isles; one option is the Hebridean Sky. Highlights may include an overnight stay at a luxury Scottish mansion, exploring uninhabited islands, and exploring Ireland's castles and capital.

4. Exploring Antarctica

It's a wilderness with an "other world" quality, accessible almost entirely by ship, and during the southern hemisphere summer you can explore it on expedition ships including the National Geographic Explorer, on voyages from Ushuaia. Be prepared to have your breath taken away by the spectacular icebergs and calving glaciers, and encounters with gentoo penguins.

5. Viewing The Northern Lights In Norway

A plethora of natural delights dazzle every season here, but viewing the famous Northern Lights is on many a bucket list. If you cruise with a company such as Hurtigruten you get a choice of ships, departures between October and March, and itineraries from six to 14 days.

6. A Cruisetour Of Alaska

Shaped by glaciers, it's a dramatic landscape of lush scenery, sky-high peaks, deep fjords and abundant wildlife. Many ships cruise here between May and September; on a Princess Cruises or Celebrity Cruises cruisetour you get to explore the best of Alaska on land and at sea, visiting Denali National Park, and calling at ports including Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

7. Transiting The Panama Canal

This remains one of cruising's unforgettable experiences, with the canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at the Isthmus of Panama. A transit of its narrow locks and winding waterway is breathtaking. Many ships make the transit once or several times each year, including Crystal Serenity, and a full transit itinerary can take you between Florida and the US West Coast, visiting ports that may include the Caribbean islands, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico.

8. A Cruisetour Of The Peruvian Amazon

It was a hot new bucket list destination when this was written, and a number of companies, including Avalon Waterways, explore it seasonally on small river ships. Tours can combine land stays at Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with a three-night cruise exploring the Amazon's remote tributaries and indigenous communities, offering the chance to spot rare pink dolphins.

9. A Transatlantic Crossing

In a bygone era, this iconic voyage between Southampton and New York was the only way to sail from the old world to the new. Today it's a chance to relive the adventure on a week-long, no-ports cruise on one of the world's best-loved ships, the Queen Mary 2.

10. Exploring The Galápagos Islands

It's an isolated group of volcanic islands and a tropical paradise, home to creatures you won't find anywhere else in the world, including the Galápagos penguin and tortoise. Ships which ply these fascinating waters include the MV Santa Cruz II, and a Galápagos cruise can be part of a South America tour which also features the bucket list destinations of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

11. The Murray River

Australia's most famous waterway is one of the world's great navigable rivers, steeped in history, dotted with quaint townships, and blessed with a dramatic landscape. Exploring the Murray on the PS Murray Princess is one way to go; she's an authentic replica of an inland paddle wheeler, with a choice of itineraries including three, four and seven nights.

12. Circumnavigating Australia

It takes around 33 to 35 days to circle Australia from Sydney on a cruise ship, a true bucket list cruise presenting you with the best of our own backyard. On a typical circumnavigation, such as those Holland America Line has offered in the southern summer, you'll sail through the iconic Great Barrier Reef, across the Top End, and along the dramatic Western Australian and southern coasts, sometimes with side stops at places including Komodo Island and Bali thrown in.

13. The Rhine, Main And Danube

This is one of Europe's most popular and iconic river cruise routes, taking in three of the world's great waterways and travelling between Amsterdam and Budapest, and there are plenty of operators to choose from, including Uniworld, Scenic and Avalon Waterways. In around 15 days you'll cruise through Hungary, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands, enjoying historic castles, lush vineyards, charming towns and villages, and exploring the must-see cities of Vienna and Budapest.

14. French Polynesia

French charm, idyllic islands, colourful coral reefs, pristine beaches, marine life and a warm ambience are just a few highlights which make Tahiti a dream cruise destination. One memorable way to explore is on the m/s Paul Gauguin on a round trip from Papeete, the boutique luxury ship bearing the great French artist's name and built specifically to navigate both open oceans and shallow lagoons.

15. The Douro River

The sun-washed jewels of Spain and Portugal await you on a cruise of the UNESCO-listed Douro Valley, with river cruise lines including Uniworld. Highlights include the picturesque coastal city of Lisbon, Porto, Spain's Golden City of Salamanca, and activities including wine tasting, fine dining and flamenco.

16. Canada And New England

It's an ethereal cruising experience as your ship glides quietly down the St. Lawrence River, flanked by endless forests shimmering with red, orange and yellow foliage. Cruising the waters here in autumn is more than just a way of witnessing the change of colours; it's also a passage back in time, and a wonderful way to enjoy the natural beauty of this rugged region, with a large variety of ships to choose from.

17. The Norwegian Fjords

Western Norway has one of the highest concentrations of fjords in the world: long, narrow inlets with steep cliffs, penetrating from the coast into mountain wilderness. They're also best appreciated from a ship, with cruise lines including Azamara offering departures from Amsterdam featuring the best of them. Along the way, destinations which might appear on your itinerary include Bergen, Tromsø, Flåm and the tiny hamlet of Gudvangen.

18. The Greek Islands

This scenic corner of the world is ideally suited to cruising, a myriad of islands, whitewashed villages, olive groves and sandy beaches waiting to be explored. Cruising Greece on the masted Wind Star is a unique experience in itself, allowing you to visit places you may otherwise miss, and to immerse yourself in a unique history and culture, where brilliant blue water meets sun-bleached ruins.

19. Russia And The Baltics (Historical)

Think of Russia, and the two great cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg spring to mind, and Viking River Cruises offered itineraries which included multiple days in both to explore famous landmarks. There's another side of Russia, however: Golden Ring towns like Yaroslavl and Uglich are blessed with opulent palaces, fortified monasteries and beautiful cathedrals, with cruising, when this was written, the easiest way to see them all.

Editor's update: This journey is not currently offered by major Western river cruise lines, which suspended their Russian itineraries in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine; Viking no longer lists Russia among its river cruise destinations. This entry is kept as a record of the journey as UTM originally described it, not as a cruise you can book today.

20. Circling South America

This is another hot destination in the cruising world, and for good reason. It's both unusual and exotic, from the dramatic Chilean fjords and bucket list cities such as Buenos Aires to the continent's vast stretches of rugged landscapes. Some cruise lines, Princess among them, have offered longer itineraries visiting more than 25 ports across multiple countries, including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Uruguay, packed with colour and adventure.

More from UTM: When Should I Cruise There? A Guide to Cruise Seasons by Region, A Princess Cruisetour in Alaska: Denali by Land, the Glaciers by Sea and Our Guide to Cruising French Polynesia: The Society Islands, Motu Mahana and the Marquesas.

Editor's note. This article brings together UTM's original Top 20 Bucket List Cruises feature, first published in two parts, into a single piece. Consolidated and fact-checked on 22 September 2026.