Cruising - Bucket List Trips

 Revised on 02/10/26

Bucket list cruises.

Every cruiser has their own group of Bucket List cruises that they recommend.  Not everyone prioritizes cruises in the same way.  However, I feel that I should list the following bloggers/websites have come up with their own bucket list cruises:

• Gary Bembridge - Tipe for Travelers
  
  
• Cruise Critic - 10 Bucket List Trips
  
  
• Gone with the family - 12 Spectacular Cruises
  
  
• Mundy Cruising - 7 Wonders of the Cruising World
  
  
• Your Cruise Girl - 5 Cruises for your Bucket List
  
  
• Alex in Wonderland -- My Cruising Bucket List
  
  
• Emma Cruises - Top Ten Must See Destinations (2025)
  
  
• Ultimate Travel Magazine - Top 20 Bucket List Cruises (Part One)
  Ultimate Travel Magazine - Top 20 Bucket List Cruises (Part Two)

My Recommendations.

It's easy to see that each writer/website has their own list of cruises they considered for their bucket lists.  But there are some commonalities that they recommend that I would put on my list of "Bucket List" cruises.  Although I have not yet been able to take all of these cruises, I list them here (in no particular order):

1. Alaska (Inside Passage or One-Way to/from Vancouver w. Denali Stay)
   
   My first cruise ever was a 13-day inside passage cruise sailing from San Francisco to Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan, Victoria, Vancouver, and the Hubbard Glacier. There were many awe-inspiring sights along the way, such as seeing a glacier calve, seeing glacier covered mountains, and seeing the wild life that is best found in Alaska.
   
   Although 7-day Inside Passage closed-loop cruises are many people's introduction to Alaska, others tend to like 7-day one-way trips to/from Vancouver, BC coupled with a land stay at a cruise line's private lodge in Denali. This Alaskan itinerary is usually coupled with a more expensive open-jaw air booking, but it allows for a better Alaskan experience because more time is spent in Alaska itself.
   
   I recommend the 7-day closed-loop cruise from a mainland North American port for those on a restricted time and money budget, as many of the ports I'd want to visit are on these cruise itineraries.  If one is not constrained by time and budget, I recommend the one-way cruise with the pre/post-cruise stay in Denali.  Either way, I feel that Alaska must be on a cruiser's bucket list.
   
   
   
2. Transatlantic Crossing (on the Queen Mary 2)
   
   For many people, the thought of a Transatlantic crossing seems daunting.  Will I be bored on the ship as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic?  Will I get sick if the ship has to sail through stormy seas? Does it matter which cruise line (or ship) on which I make the Transatlantic crossing?  The answer to all of these questions can be answered by knowing a little about the difference between ocean liners and standard cruise ships?
   
   Unlike every other cruise ship sailing between Europe and North America, the Queen Mary 2 is a true ocean liner, a ship designed to sail the Transatlantic route in all weather, while keeping passengers as comfortable as possible. Cunard's 160+ year experience in Transatlantic crossings gives it an expertise no other cruise line can match. There are many diversions on Cunard's ships (such as enrichment talks) to keep cruisers busy on a typical 7-day crossing. 
   
   Cunard is a line best described as having casual elegance in everything they do.  One is expected to dress up for dinner on gala/formal nights, and there is something special seeing cruisers experience their sailing on a classic ocean liner with important traditions preserved.  
   
   Even though I have yet to have made the Transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2, I have taken a 12-day cruise on this ship.  When we hit bad weather, we hardly noticed it due to the design of the ship.  If one likes the idea of being disconnected from the world for 7 days, the crossing on the Queen must be on your bucket list.
   
   
   
3. Hawaii (7-day Cruise on the Pride of America, plus pre-cruise land tours)
   
   What can I say about Hawaii that hasn't been better said by others?  Hawaii is America's tropical paradise, and a place that should be on everyone's bucket list.  And cruising may be the most cost effective way to get acquainted with Hawaii, if one chooses the right cruise (and tour) itinerary.
   
   Although almost every major cruise line offers cruises to Hawaii, all but NCL are required to sail from North America, make one foreign port stop (due to the United States' Passenger Vessel Services Act), and spend only 4-6 days in Hawaii proper.  More days are spent at sea than on land due to this issue.
   
   NCL has a monopoly on the 7-day All-Hawaii cruise itinerary, as the Pride of America is the only major American-Built, American-Staffed, American-Flagged cruise ship in the world.  Couple this cruise with NCL's 3-day pre-cruise land tour on Oahu, and one gets 10 days in Hawaii for the same price one would pay on another cruise line's ships.  For this reason alone, I recommend NCL's Hawaii Cruisetour for those seeking a good Hawaii cruise.
   
   
   
4. Norwegian Fjords
   
   If one wants to be awestruck by nature's beauty, a Norwegian Fjord cruise is a must.  Unlike Alaska, where calving glaciers and wildlife are the stars of the show, the Norwegian Fjords are awe-inspiring by their natural beauty alone.  When I took my cruise through the fjords, the sky often looked like it was painted by a master artist, the waters were pristine shades of blue, the land on each side of the fjord hypnotized us with its majesty, the settlements, towns and cities all had something special about them that made us want to go back again if we could afford to do so.
   
   Sadly, due to the popularity of cruising, this area is being gradually closed off to typical fossil-fueled cruise ships.  Soon, the only options for cruising the fjords will be on ships specially designed for electric only (battery) running within the fjords - as Norway's ferries in the region were electrified when I visited in 2024.
   
   If one can get to take one of these cruises, try to spend more than 7 days on the cruise.  Any extra day is well worth it, and one will wish they could have spent more time in the fjords after one's cruise there.
   
   
   
5. Iceland
   
   Iceland is known as the land of Fire and Ice.  It is on a rift between two tectonic plates, and is known for its volcanoes, lava fields, glaciers and glacial rivers flowing to the ocean through its lowlands.  Like Hawaii, it is a land that volcanic eruptions created, but in the Northern reaches of the Atlantic ocean. It is the 18th largest island in the world, and is midway between North America and Europe.
   
   Most sights worth seeing in Iceland are near the coast line, and most economically reached by cruise ship. For example, Iceland's "Golden Circle"
   features three primary natural wonders: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss Waterfall.   Additionally, one can bathe in Iceland's famed Blue Lagoon on a trip to Iceland.
   
   The people I know who have visited Iceland say it's well worth the visit, and I hope to get there within the next few years.
   
   
   
6. Panama Canal (old locks)
   
   The Panama Canal is an early 20th century engineering marvel which may be even more important today than the day it was built.  A French consortium worked on building a canal here between 1881 and 1899 and failed.  The United States took a different approach to building the canal between 1904 and 1914, and succeeded where the French failed. By 21st century standards, the canal is an impressive effort, and the current Panamanian administration created new sets of locks to allow bigger ships to transit this path between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 
   
   Some people choose closed-loop cruises which make partial transits of the canal.  I recommend a full transit via the old (historic) locks, as one gets closer to the edges of the locks and can see the "Mules" guiding the ship through the locks.
   
   
   
7. Antarctica
   
   Antarctic cruises provide once in a lifetime experiences for many, and should be considered when one wants to experience something completely different from a typical cruise.  It is the snow capped mountains, the icebergs, the penguins, the seals, and whales that make an Antarctic cruise an awe inspiring experience worthy of anyone's bucket list.
   
   If one is healthy enough, has the money and time, one should consider an expedition cruise (if possible) for one's visit to this region.  It is a long distance from South America and medical help.  This means that people with health issues should consider whether this cruise is right for them or not.
   
   
   
8. Australia (Circumnavigation) and New Zealand
   
   Cruises in this region may not be on most people's bucket lists.  But I have an interest in visiting the "Land Down Under."  I'd love to visit Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, as well as seeing many of the natural wonders of Australia.  Additionally, I'd love to see both New Zealand islands, with the unspoiled natural beauty of the land there. 
   
   
   
9. World Cruise (usually segmented for practicality)
   
   Many of the major cruise lines offer “World Cruises.” These cruises offer the affluent traveler who has time and money the chance to circumnavigate the world, or in discrete segments.
   
   There is no rule of thumb for these cruises, save that they have durations longer than the average cruise and that they are usually very expensive. However, most cruise lines offer cruisers to sail a segment of the world cruise one year, and then book another segment for a later time
   
   Assuming one sails on one of these cruises, one must make sure to have all paperwork (passports value for 6 months after the cruise’s end, visas, entry permits/travel authorizations, vaccinations, etc.) in order.
   
   
   
10. Cuba (upon the end of US Sanctions)
    
    For a short period of time in the Obama administration, Americans were able to visit Cuba via cruise ship.  Since the first Trump administration, the doors were again closed to Americans who want to visit this tropical isle.  It is my hope that relations between the US and Cuba will be normalized in our lifetime, so that we can again visit Cuba and see a nation that has survived in the face of adversity.
    
    
    
11. Rhine River
    
    Like all river cruises, this one depends on the water level of the river at any given time of year.  Due to the lesser capacity of river cruise ships, a Rhine river cruise will be more expensive than an ocean cruise.
    
    I would love to see the castles along the river, the vineyards, villages, towns, and landmarks along this historic river.  With the Danube, the Rhine is one of the two "must take" bucket list cruises.
    
    
    
12. Danube River
    
    Danube river cruises are known for the dramatic scenery, cultural landmarks and capital cities through which the river flows.  Cruises on this river have a completely different feel than those on the Rhine, and are "Bucket List WOrthy" in their own right.