10 Memorable Cruises For Every Occasion

On board, a ship is, in the eyes of many vacationers, just the best possible location to commemorate a momentous milestone. Even though most cruise travel has been put on hold because of COVID-19 (you can find our most recent coverage of the coronavirus here), it’s never too early to start making plans for your next trip. In order to whet your appetite for travel on the high seas, we have compiled a list of ten unique cruise ideas for celebrating some of the more memorable moments in life. These ideas range from an island-hopping honeymoon in the South Pacific to a kid-friendly birthday cruise in the Bahamas (complete with Mickey Mouse cake).

A Father’s Day cruise that will live long in the memory

Give Dad the gift of a fascinating new experience by booking him a cabin on the “Isles Overture” cruise offered by Oceania Cruises. Along its route from London to Dublin, it makes stops in ports around the United Kingdom that are convenient for golfing and visiting pubs. At the Tuscan steakhouse on board the 684-passenger Sirena, fathers can bite into a slab of meat, share a tipple (or three), or try their luck in the Monte Carlo-style casino. Additionally, fathers can work on their form at the ship’s nine-hole putting green. When you reach land, the world-famous Saint Andrew’s Golf Club in Scotland is waiting for you, as are falconry lessons in Edinburgh, whisky tastings at Scotland’s ancient Glenmorangie distillery in Ross-shire, and a “musical pub tour” in Liverpool. All of these activities can be arranged for you.

A luxurious Mother’s Day cruise experience

Celebrate Mother’s Day 2022 on board the Seven Seas Splendor, the newest ship in the fleet of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which can accommodate up to 750 passengers. The “Voyage of Bacchus” is a cruise that departs from Monte Carlo and ends in London. Along the way, the ship makes stops at wine-producing regions such as Provence, Porto, and Bordeaux. Additionally, the ship makes stops in cosmopolitan cities such as Barcelona, Casablanca, and Lisbon. Notable shore excursions include a tour of the food markets in Casablanca led by a chef, as well as wine-making and cava sampling in the countryside surrounding Barcelona. After returning to the ship, Mom has the option of unwinding in the ship’s well regarded spa, swimming in the ship’s infinity pool, or taking a culinary class in the ship’s Culinary Arts Kitchen.

The best retirement cruise

Retirement, that wonderful period in life when you finally have enough free time to enjoy the finer things in life. In 2022, Viking will provide the perfect opportunity to commemorate the occasion with its brand-new Viking Expeditions arm, which will be known as “the thinking person’s excursion.” The Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris each have a design that is influenced by Scandinavian aesthetics and can accommodate up to 378 passengers. Each ship is outfitted with a functional laboratory for the use of its resident scientists, in addition to a variety of entertaining adventure toys such as kayaks, Zodiacs, and twin submarines.

Consider taking Viking Polaris’ 43-night From the Arctic to Antarctica voyage, which begins in Tromso, Norway, which is the northernmost Arctic town in Norway, makes multiple stops in the United Kingdom, sails across the Atlantic Ocean, makes its way through Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, and finally arrives in Antarctica. If you’re looking for an experience that truly lives up to the name “epic,” this is the trip for you.

A celebratory and wild graduation trip on the high seas

When Virgin Voyages makes its official debut in 2021, it will be the cruise line of choice for recent graduates who wish to celebrate their accomplishments at sea. This idea was conceived by Sir Richard Branson. The forward-thinking cruise line targets younger adults with a highly trendy flagship ship, the Scarlet Lady, which can accommodate 2,770 passengers and is the first of the line’s four planned boats. A tattoo parlor, vinyl shop, yoga-dedicated sundeck, more than 20 eating venues (one of which organizes a drag show brunch), and “Rockstar”-themed suites are among of the attractions that are geared toward those in their twenties and thirties.

Sign up for the five-night Dominican Daze itinerary, which departs from Miami and sails across the Dominican Republic. This will ensure that your graduation party is one to remember. Virgin’s private beach club in the Bahamas and the sugar-white sands of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic are also on the itinerary for this trip.

A birthday cruise that is certainly for adults only

The new Crystal Endeavor, which can accommodate up to 200 passengers, is the first ship from luxury line Crystal Cruises to provide expedition cruises. Highlights of the ship include suites with butler service, five different dining venues (including one from Nobu), and outstanding service. Guests celebrating a birthday on board can look forward to thoughtful surprises such as Champagne delivery, personalized dining menus, and customized shore excursions.

Have a birthday coming up in the summer? If you want to blow out your candles in the midst of fjords, waterfalls, and geothermal springs in Iceland, you should book the 10-night Icelandic excursion that sails roundtrip from Reykjavik. No matter how old you are getting, you are guaranteed to feel young at heart if you participate in some of the more adventurous port excursions. Some examples include white-water rafting and helicopter tours of glaciers.

A birthday trip that caters to children

On land as well as at sea, Disney has an uncanny ability to connect with children. Celebrate your child’s birthday in style on one of Disney Cruise Line’s four ships, each of which features age-appropriate activities for children, pools and water parks, meet-and-greets with Disney characters, themed deck parties, and fireworks displays in the sky above. The cruise operator will provide additional birthday perks, such as celebratory banquets and buttons, as a way to make the passenger’s special day more more memorable (think singing waitstaff and special desserts). You even have the option to enhance with birthday-themed cabin decor and specialty birthday cakes.

Book a fast three- or four-night cruise to the Bahamas aboard the Disney Dream, which can carry up to 4,000 passengers, to test the waters with young mariners. Port Canaveral is located close to the Disney theme parks in Orlando, and the itinerary for the ship includes stops in both Nassau and Castaway Cay, which is Disney’s private island.

A one-of-a-kind cruise for the anniversary.

Princess Cruises, the cruise line that was featured in the original version of “The Love Boat,” has a thriving business helping passengers celebrate important wedding anniversaries. An anniversary package that includes Champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, spa treatments, and framed souvenir photos can be added on to one of the romantic cruises that this company offers in the Caribbean. Bonus: A ceremony to renew wedding vows, presided over by the captain, is a heartfelt touch to the experience.

You can reserve a berth on a soon-to-be-offered Southern Caribbean Medley cruise that will be operated by the line’s newest ship, the Enchanted Princess, which can accommodate 3,660 passengers. In addition to a French café, a jazz club, a spa, and a “Marriage Match Game Show,” couple-friendly diversions are also available. The cruise begins in Fort Lauderdale and makes stops in Princess Cays, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire, and Curacao. At each stop, there are opportunities for tailor-made excursions, such as snorkeling with a glass of champagne in hand.

A vacation fit for a fairytale on your honeymoon.

Paul Gauguin Cruises is connected with romance and is consistently regarded as one of the best lines for honeymooners. The fact that the M/S Paul Gauguin, which can carry up to 332 passengers, travels across the idyllic waters of the South Pacific and provides newlyweds with a variety of complementary services, including as Champagne and an authentic Polynesian blessing ritual, is perhaps not a surprise.

Choose between two itineraries of 12 or 13 nights that run between Fiji and Tahiti and visit islands in Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands, and the Society Islands. These itineraries combine visits to islands that are less traveled as well as more popular honeymoon destinations such as Bora Bora and Moorea. Snorkeling in beautiful lagoons and swimming under waterfalls in isolated national parks are two examples of activities that make for romantic shore excursions.

A cruise for the family reunion that offers something for everyone to do.

Organizing a family reunion may be a logistical headache; to alleviate some of the stress, consider holding the event on a cruise ship that caters to guests of multiple ages. The “Wild Escape Alaska” cruises offered by Lindblad Expeditions are brand new for 2021 and will sail between Juneau and Ketchikan. Lindblad Expeditions is a partner of National Geographic. The 5-night journeys are carried out on two ships, each of which can accommodate 62 passengers (National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion). Both boats are of a size and have a selection of activities that are varied enough to appeal to passengers of all ages, despite their compact size. Consider going kayaking close to glaciers, hiking in the Tongass National Forest, and whale-watching in fjord channels as some examples.

In addition to other benefits, family reunion groups that book eight or more cabins will receive a discount of five percent and a shipboard credit of one hundred fifty dollars.

A moving tribute on the high seas

It is the final wish of some true blue cruisers to have their ashes dispersed at sea once they pass away. An intimate ceremony that memorializes your loved one and brings together friends and family to honor a life well lived may find an appropriate solution in the form of a charter, which might be a suitable option for such a ceremony. Pacific Catalyst II, a small ship run in conjunction with AdventureSmith Explorations in Alaska, Baja California, and the Pacific Northwest, has prior experience presenting touching memorial services out at sea.

Take for instance the possibility of chartering the Westward to travel to the Sea of Cortez off the coast of Baja. The surrounding nature areas are highlighted throughout the course of a normal eight-night journey that travels between Loreto and La Paz in Mexico. Up to eight guests are welcome on board the ancient yacht, which features wood paneling and a fireplace in the salon. Guests can break bread over meals prepared with ingredients gathered from nearby farmers and fishermen. The memorial rites are completely adaptable to the wishes of the participants; previous visitors have chosen to disperse ashes while watching the sun set over a tranquil cove or while having an encounter with whales.