Best Cruise Vacations: 10 Itineraries From Short-Haul to Expedition
The affordable short-haul picks
Three or four-night Bahamas and Bermuda cruises from Florida or New Jersey run $400 to $900 per person for an inside cabin, with balcony cabins at $600 to $1,400. Eastern Caribbean weeks run $700 to $2,500 per person for inside to balcony cabins. These are the right choice if the goal is a stress-free short break with minimal flight time, especially from the US East Coast. The downsides are packed days (ships spend six to nine hours in each port) and heavy on-ship entertainment programming.
Mid-range destination cruises
Alaska Inside Passage ($1,500 to $6,500 per person for a week), Mediterranean ($1,400 to $6,000), Norwegian Fjords ($2,200 to $7,500), and Canada-New England ($1,200 to $4,500) are the four best-value destination cruises outside the Caribbean. Alaska and Mediterranean are the two most popular; the fjords deliver the most dramatic scenery per day. Canada-New England is at its best for fall foliage in late September and early October.
River cruises for substance plus comfort
The Rhine and the Nile are the two signature river cruises. Rhine River cruises run $2,500 to $6,000 per person for a week with meals, wine, and daily excursions. Nile cruises run $1,800 to $6,500 per person for seven nights plus Cairo and the Pyramids. The Rhine attracts first-time river cruisers; the Nile attracts travelers who want ancient history as the entire trip.
The expedition tier
Galapagos cruises ($4,500 to $12,000 per person for a week) and Antarctica expeditions ($7,500 to $25,000+ per person for a week to ten days) are the two bucket-list cruise categories. Galapagos is wildlife-first (unique species found nowhere else), on a small ship, with daily zodiac landings. Antarctica is a ten-day round trip from Ushuaia with two days of Drake Passage crossing each way; the wildlife, scenery, and sheer remoteness are the entire point. Panama Canal cruises ($1,600 to $5,500 per person) are the middle ground: substantial itinerary, less remote, long sea days.
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