12 breathtaking cruise destinations you must visit

Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships visit 260 destinations around the world. But which ones are the Captains’ favourites? Here’s a list of their Top 12.

1) The Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

The Hubbard Glacier, located in Eastern Alaska, was chosen by several of the captains surveyed, who commented on the magnitude and scale of the view from Yakutat to Disenchantment Bay. Voyager of the Seas’ Captain Sindre Borsheim, explained that he loves the view because “it is different every time, as the colours vary with the light” while Captain Juan Caranti, from Radiance of the Seas, added: “when a piece of ice falls into the ocean it makes an extraordinary roar, like a thunderstorm.”

2) Sydney Harbour, Australia

Regarded as one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world with more than 150 miles of shoreline and meandering waterways, it also plays host the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Captain Rick Sullivan, from Explorer of the Seas, called Sydney Harbour “the most iconic harbour in the world.”

3) Venice Harbour, Italy

Chosen by several of the Captains, Venice’s stunning architecture was considered to be at its best when the sun is rising over it first thing in the morning. Passengers typically flock to the open decks for the views across the city during the sailing into and out of the port.

4) Geiranger Fjord, Norway

The Geiranger Fjord is located in the south-western part of the county of Møre og Romsdal, in Norway. The deep blue water is surrounded by majestic, snow-covered mountain peaks, wild waterfalls and lush, green vegetation.

5) Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden

The archipelago through which ships sail as they come into Stockholm was described as being like no other due to the thousands of rocks and tiny islands which have to be navigated on the entry to the port. Captain Espen Been, from Grandeur of the Seas, said that “homes look like doll’s houses” as you sail past.

With nearly 30,000 islands, islets and rocks – from Arholma in the north to Landsort in the south – rugged nature blends with wooded islands, rocky cliffs and sandy beaches in the second largest archipelago in the Baltic Sea.

6) Vesuvius, Naples, Italy

The landscape of the Mediterranean was regularly cited by the Captains as housing some of the best views in the world but several identified the view of Vesuvius towering over Naples at sunrise as an extraordinary image to capture from the sea.

7) Golfo di Poeti, La Spezia, Italy

The poet, Lord Byron was so enamoured with Lerici that the bay became known as the Bay of Poets. The Captains commented that it was easy to see why it earned such devotion, with comments that the view of the Golfo di Poeti as ships sail out of the port of La Spezia is enchanting.

8) Nice, France

A popular destination for the well-travelled holidaymaker, the Captains commented that the view of Nice as they sail into the neighbouring port of VilleFranche deserved a place in this list thanks to its mountainous backdrop. Captain Tomas Busto, from Adventure of the Seas, said he loved it because: “when the ships arrive in the Mediterranean in April, the mountains are still snow-capped but the beaches are welcoming sunbathers.”

9) Kotor, Montenegro

Captain Lis Lauritzen, from Vision of the Seas, commented that Kotor in Montenegro deserved a spot in the list of favourite views as it is “completely different in terms of view and environment.”

The port is located in the Gulf of Kotor, one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. The historic town of Kotor has little commercial traffic and is known for its Venetian style architecture set against a mountainous backdrop.

10) Island of Moorea, French Polynesia

The beautiful green, jagged volcanic mountains of the Island of Moorea helped it find its way into the top views for the Captains. The French Polynesian island paradise is known for its sandy beaches with a spectacular backdrop of dramatic mountain ranges, with rainforest trails and scuba diving popular activities for adventurous travellers.

11) Vancouver, Canada

Captain Rick Sullivan, from Explorer of the Seas, explained that Vancouver made the list due to the perspective of sailing under the First Narrows Bridge into Vancouver Harbour looking at the city against the backdrop of the mountains.

12) The English Channel, UK

Captain Henrik Loft Soerensen, from Brilliance of the Seas, commented that his favourite view is of the expanse of English Channel as it is “beautiful and peaceful”.

(Photo credits to Royal Caribbean)