As well as enjoying fantastic scenery, multiple locations, on board extravaganzas and cuisine to die for, one of the greatest things about going on a cruise is the ability to experience amazing things on a wide range of excursions. So whether you’re looking to witness wildlife in their natural habitat or hike through stunning flora and fauna to discover ancient castles, we list our top ten favourite cruise excursions planned for 2022. 

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Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima

 

Hurtigruten - Ivy League Glaciers - Alaska and British Columbia - Wilderness, Glaciers and Culture (Northbound) 

Departures - 20th May 2022 & 13th June 2022

Sail from Vancouver to Anchorage with Hurtigruten Expeditions and explore shimmering glaciers, rare wildlife, thick forest and intriguing cultures on a cruise to discover some of Alaska’s stunning fjords.

On Day 12, you'll have the opportunity to experience the Ivy League Glaciers located  in the northern reaches of Prince William Sound. Some of these glaciers, including Harvard, Yale and Smith, are named after the east coast USA universities attended by their discoverers way back in 1899.

From the deck of the ship, the glaciers look like frozen waterfalls, descending down the Chugach Mountains into the pristine blue water below. The largest of the glaciers, Harvard, features a magnificent 200ft thick face and reaches for over a mile in width. In addition to witnessing these spectacular sights, you'll also have the chance to see a wide selection of wildlife in their natural habitat, including bald eagles, humpback and killer whales, sea lions and otters and passengers will also be offered the chance to head out on a small boat trip around the fjord or opt to go kayaking if the weather is favourable for an additional charge. 

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Saga Cruises - St. Petersburg overnight - Capital Cities of the Baltic

Departing 25th September 2022


Explore the most iconic cities in northern Europe on a 16-night cruise to the Baltic on board Saga's 'Spirit of Discovery' where you'll discover six of the best countries the Baltic and Scandinavia has to offer including St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen and Oslo.


While on board, you'll enjoy five included shore excursions, including an overnight stay in Russia's capital, St. Petersburg, where we find one of our top ten excursions for 2022.


While on your included excursion, you'll witness grandeur on a whole new scale, with stunning golden domes, baroque style palaces, world-class museums and a plethora of stylish and ornate mansions that are beautifully located along some of the city's flowing waterways. 


In addition to your included shore excursions, you'll also be offered the chance to head ashore on a range of optional excursions, including an evening ballet performance or a special visit to St. Catherine's Palace.


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Fred. Olsen - Northern Lights, Igloos and Norwegian Dog Sledding - White Christmas in Norway

Departing 21st December 2022


Experience the festive season as if you were in the scene of a glittery Christmas card on a 13-night cruise with Fred. Olsen to the winter wonderland of Norway. 


While on board, you'll get to discover some of the Arctic Circle's most stunning sights, with an overnight stay in Honningsvåg, often referred to as the 'Top of Europe', a visit ashore in colourful Bergen and an overnight stop in Alta, where you'll be able to search for the ethereally beautiful Northern Lights and get your adrenaline pumping on a Norwegian dog sled tour.


The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are most frequently viewed in the Norwegian skies between October and March, and the shimmering lights, a natural phenomenon, will appear as dancing streaks above, with vibrant greens and purples lighting up the night sky. During the day in Alta, you'll be offered the opportunity to join an optional excursion to experience the stunning scenery while being whisked over the snow at high speed on a sled led by a magical pack of gorgeous huskies, a truly  magical experience you don't want to miss.


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Princess Cruises - St. John in the fall - Classic Canada and New England

Departing 10th October 2022


Sail the stunning shorelines of New England and Canada with Princess Cruises during the autumn months, where you'll get the opportunity to witness some of the most spectacular fall colours in the world!


You'll depart from New York City for your 10-night cruise and enjoy stops in well known ports dotted along northern America and Canada's eastern coast, including Rhode Island, Maine, Saint John, Charlottetown and Quebec. 


One of our all time favourite cruise excursions can be experienced while in New Brunswick's capital, Saint John, where you'll have the opportunity to head ashore and discover some of the world's most unspoilt natural beauty. Located on the Bay of Fundy, you'll get to see the spectacular Reversing Rapids and the highest tides in the world before heading further inland to visit some of the city's most beautiful parks and red tree lined streets, the heritage centre and Old City Market. 


While ashore, we highly recommend visiting one of the delicious local eateries where you'll be able to sample traditional northern American and Canadian cuisine including tasty milk buns and locally sourced fresh seafood.  


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Royal Caribbean - Swim with pigs - Bermuda and Perfect Day Cruise

Departing 19th May 2022


Set sail on an epic eight-night adventure on board Royal Caribbean's 'Enchantment of the Seas' and explore the islands of Bermuda, Nassau and the cruise line's very own island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.


It's at CocoCay that we find ourselves experiencing one of the most popular cruise excursions available, swimming with pigs, and believe us when we tell you, it's an experience like no other!


Once docked and out on Cococay, you'll head down the golden sandy beach to the shallow waters that lap the island and will be met by a family of domesticated Bahamian pigs who will be ready and waiting to share the experience with you.


Feed them apples, stroke their fuzzy snouts and gently swim next to them while they keep themselves cool in the temperate Caribbean water before heading back ashore to enjoy some of the other amazing activities available on the island, including a thrilling waterpark, floating cabanas and the tranquil oasis lagoon.  


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Norwegian Cruise Line - Magdalena Island Penguin Reserve - Antarctica & South America Round-trip Buenos Aires

Departures - 16th & 30th January and 13th February 2022


Sail on a 14-day  journey from Buenos Aires with NCL and explore the highlights of Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands and Uruguay.


Once on board, you'll sail past some of the world's most spectacular locations, including Deception Island, Elephant Island and Cape Lookout and have the opportunity to channel your inner happy feet on one of our favourite shore excursions to the astonishing Magdalena Island penguin reserve.


On arrival in Punta Arenas, Chile, you'll head off on a scenic two-hour cruise towards the Strait of Magellan where you'll arrive at the Magdalena Island penguin reserve. The reserve is a popular conservation site to one of the largest colonies of Magellanic penguins in Chile, with some 100,000 pairs calling the area their home. 


Sometimes called Jackass penguins due to their funny nature, these majestic creatures feature a signature white chin strap marking surrounded by a pink jawline and striking black bill. As well as these penguins, you may also witness some fantastic overhead gymnastics from other native birds including the magnificent peregrine falcon.


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Holland America Cruise Line - Discover Darwin - 35-Day Australia Circumnavigation

Departure 12th November 2022


Explore the land down under on this once in a lifetime 35-day circumnavigation cruise of Australia, where you'll encounter magnificent wildlife, stunning scenery and beautiful beaches while experiencing a melting pot of different cultures and sampling mouthwatering local fusion cuisine. 


It's on this cruise with Holland America that you'll stop off in Darwin, boasting an untamed outback, rich history, varied wildlife and some of the best red wines from the new world. With a warm, temperate climate, Darwin, northern Australia's capital city, offers passengers the opportunity to enjoy a multitude of activities including laid back harbour cruises, historic talks & museum visits and nail biting wildlife encounters, in particular, a jumping crocodile cruise! 


While on this amazing excursion, you'll head through Darwin towards the wetlands of the Adelaide River where you'll board a riverboat and go in search of one of the most dangerous animals in the world - the saltwater croc! As you sail along the banks of the murky river, you'll spot the crocs jumping out of the water in search of their next feed so make sure you don't get the urge to dive in for a cool off - you might regret it!


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Celebrity Cruises - Hiroshima - The Best of Japan cruise

2nd October 2022


Sail with Celebrity on this 12-night Asian adventure around mesmerizing Japan and explore some of the world's most fascinating locations. Departing from Tokyo, this culturally enriching cruise will visit popular destinations including Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Kobe and Hiroshima, where you'll have the chance to head off exploring on one of our favourite cruise excursions. 


While the city of Hiroshima is largely associated with the nuclear attacks that signalled the end of World War II in August 1945, it is now regarded as an area of peace and hope, supported by stunning scenery and beautiful flora and fauna, including over 300 perfectly pink cherry blossom trees located in the city's Peace Memorial Park. 


Head to the infamous and serene Itsukushima Shrine located on Miyajima Island, visit the traditionally Asian Hiroshima Castle and sample some local Japanese cuisine including fresh sushi and okonomiyaki. We guarantee you’ll come away from this excursion fully zen and thankful.


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P&O Cruises - Tour of Athens - 19-night Mediterranean cruise

13th April 2022


Sail with P&O Cruises from Southampton and explore the best of the Med on a 19-night cruise visiting popular ports including Alicante in Spain, Messini in Italy, the rock of Gibraltar and Greece's capital, Athens via the busy port of Piraeus.


Once docked in the Greek port of Piraeus, you'll have the opportunity to head out on a shore excursions of Athens, and with its diverse mix of fascinating history, magnificent architecture and cosmopolitan feel, you'll return to the ship mesmerized and intrigued at the sheer level of interest the city has to offer. 


Our favourite place to visit on a cruise excursion of Athens is, of course, the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Acropolis, or 'high city'. Head up Filopappou Hill where you'll be greeted with sweeping views of Athens below and have the chance to pose for photos in front of the 2,500-year-old Parthenon, as well as other buildings of historical significance including the temple of Poseidon and Athena, Theatre of Dionysus and Hadrian's Arch, before heading back down to modern day Athens to shop and enjoy delicious, fresh Greek cuisine.


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Cunard - Amsterdam tour - Rotterdam, Bruges and Hamburg cruise

21th August 2022


Head off on a nine-night cruise of northern Europe with Cunard and visit popular destinations including Hamburg in Germany, Bruges in Belgium and Rotterdam in Holland.


In our opinion, no European city offers more diversity than Holland's bustling city of Amsterdam and is, as such, one of our all time favourite places to visit on a cruise shore excursion. From the port of Rotterdam, you’ll travel to Amsterdam via coach and once there, have an entire day to take in all of the most popular Dutch attractions. Walk around the cobbled streets that line the rings of canals that make up the city, visit some of the popular museums, including the Rijksmuseum and modern day MOCO museum, featuring art from some of the most popular 21st century artists including the famous Banksy. 


Find out how Anne Frank survived for so long in the attic room of her famous Dutch hiding place and see the bookcase that covered the entrance to her fabled hiding place. Walk the red light district, visit quaint boutiques and enjoy a delicious coffee in one of the city’s many cafes - whatever takes your fancy in Amsterdam, you’ll no doubt return to your cruise ship that evening feeling entertained and invigorated. 


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Find out more 

If you’d like to find out more about the cruises we offer, take a look around our website or call our knowledgeable team on 01737 646412.