One of the main reasons many find cruising such an attractive proposition is the many different destinations you might visit. No other holiday gives you the opportunity to explore a variety of countries in one trip.

For example, you might book a package holiday in Tenerife for 7 or 14 nights but choose a Canary Island Cruise instead and not only would you visit Tenerife, but also the other islands in the region and possibly mainland Spain as well. Cruising really does open up a world of opportunities and you’re invited to explore somewhere new nearly every day.

For ease, we like to narrow down the different types of cruise destination into three categories. First, you have the ‘classic’ cruise destinations. These are regions that have long lent themselves as great places to explore by cruise ship.  Mediterranean cruises, Caribbean cruises and itineraries focused on Alaska or Northern Europe are a great choice whether you’re new to cruising or an experienced cruiser. These destinations are constantly in demand and as such cruises lines will position their fleet accordingly depending on the time year – which means you will be spoilt for choice in terms of ships, itineraries and onboard experiences.

Next, you have the more ‘exotic’ destinations. These are often further afield and will nearly always require a long haul flight in order to meet the ship at an overseas embarkation port. Popular with experienced cruisers and discerning travellers looking to tick somewhere new off their bucket-list, cruises to Central America, Asia and Australasia nearly always guarantee great weather and itineraries packed with opportunities to explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites and breath-taking places of interest.

Lastly, there are those cruises that visit regions off-the-beaten-track. These are generally reached by purpose-built expedition ships and offer a cruise experience guaranteed to awaken your inner explorer. Cruises to Antarctica, the Arctic and river cruises in Southeast Asia all fall into this category and they are highly recommended if you wish to combine in-depth destination discovery with a comfortable standard of onboard accommodation and facilities.