Cruises, like luxury hotels on the water, are coming back in popularity for their all-inclusive amenities and their dream destinations. For your student group, who must be looking for a summer vacation, the following cruises offer picture-perfect experiences with plenty of variety. P.S. The port cities can be just as fun as the destination, oftentimes.
West Caribbean from New Orleans (Carnival) - Spend a night or two extra in New Orleans before you leave port and see the French Quarter, try some cafe au lait and beignets, and relax in the good life. Then, board your luxury cruise and set sail for the bluest waters on earth. Depending on the length of your trip, anywhere from four to seven days usually, you could make port at Montego Bay, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize, Mahogany Bay, and others. Make sure you check and see which ports are most interesting to you.
Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL (Carnival) - Leave from Florida's Space Coast for the quintessential cruise destination: the Bahamas. Don your sunglasses and stick to the pool deck as you relax in the Caribbean sunshine with island nations sparkling like oases in the distance. A cruise like this will take you to Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport among other incredible, scenic, relaxing cities drenched in a laid-back atmosphere.
Bermuda roundtrip from Boston (NCL) - Start off your vacation in one of the most historically important cities in the U.S., Boston, with sites like the Freedom Trail and the Boston Harbor. Then, get your deck shoes on as you cruise along the East Coast finally making port at the Royal Navy Dockyard in Bermuda for a few full days of touring. See everything from St. George to Hamilton, Hog Bay, and Somerset Village, relaxing on the beach or touring the British colonial towns.
Glacier Bay roundtrip from Seattle (NCL) - For a change of pace, see the frozen side of life. Leave from Seattle and explore the scenic glacier-strewn coast of Alaska and British Columbia, cutting through the most beautiful and untouched fjords, wildlife-filled waters, and under skies draped in Northern Lights. On a cruise like this, you're more than likely to see seals and whales slipping through the water, otters resting on the rocks, and humpback whales cresting the waves only to splash down on the surface. Glacier Bay is among the most scenic and stunningly beautiful places on earth, and when you make port, take some time to see that beauty from land and hike through the park.
Bahamas & Florida roundtrip from New York City (NCL) - On this trip, you get two for the price of one! See both the Bahamas and Florida, stopping in Port Canaveral and jump less than an hour inland to Orlando, home of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, before you get right back on board and travel to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. Finally hit up Nassau and its world-renowned sites before heading back for the Big Apple where you can finish out your vacation with some serious New York City touring.
Key West & Grand Cayman from Miami (Royal Caribbean) - Leave from the bustling endless summer city of Miami for the Caribbean via Key West and the island of Grand Cayman. It's no surprise that the Florida Keys are the closest thing in America to a Caribbean island and you'll certainly understand why it has drawn the attention of celebrities and notables like Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams. Explore the streets lined with pastel-colored mansions and try some fish tacos on the beach before you head out to George Town, Grand Cayman, a picturesque beacon of culture, culinary arts, and natural beauty.
Inside Passage with Tracy Arm Fjord roundtrip from Seattle (Princess Cruise) - This summer, when the air gets so stiflingly hot that it's difficult to enjoy your time away from school, consider a trip through icebergs and snow-capped peaks. Like the previously mentioned Glacier Bay cruise, the Inside Passage cruise leads you all the way through the coastal route frequented by passenger ships searching for scenic wonderlands. Lucky for you, this cruise even takes a detour through Tracy Arm Fjord, just south of Juneau, in its own designated national wilderness. The captivating beauty of the frozen fjord deserves to be seen by water.
