Guide to Cruising Regions
ALASKA
Sailing Season: May to September
Cruise Length: About 7 to 14 days
Typical Ports of Call: Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage, Seward, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka
Splurge: American Safari Cruises’ Safari Escape (private yacht for up to 12 guests); September 3, 2008; from $7,595/person for 15 days
Value: Holland America; May 18, 2008; from $549/person for 8 days
BAHAMAS
Sailing Season: Year-round
Cruise Length: About 3 to 4 days
Typical Ports of Call: Key West, Nassau, and private islands in the Bahamian chain
Splurge: Regent Seven Seas’ Navigator; December 7, 2007; from $998/person for 3 days
Value: Carnival’s Fascination; September 5, 2008; from $189/person for 4 days
BERMUDA
Sailing Season: April to October
Cruise Length: 5- to -7 day round trips
Typical Ports of Call: Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Boston, St. George, and King’s Wharf
Splurge: Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas; June 14, 2008; from $659/person for 5 days
Value: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Majesty; August 30, 2008; from $549/person for 7 days
CARIBBEAN
Sailing Season: Year-round
Cruise Length: 7- and 10-day round-trips
Typical Ports of Call: Galveston, New York City, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Aruba, and Curaçao
Splurge: SeaDream Yacht Club’s Sea Dream I; March 16, 2008; from $2,999/person for 7 days
Value: Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess; December 9, 2007; from $431/person for 8 days
EUROPE
Sailing Season: April to November
Cruise Length: About 10 to 26 days
Typical Ports of Call: Rome, Istanbul, Greek Isles, Barcelona, Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and St. Petersburg
Splurge: Seabourn’s Seabourn Pride; May 12, 2008; Baltic/Russia, British Isles; $10,690/person for 26 days
Value: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade; May 30, 2008; Mediterranean London round-trip; $1,699/person for 14 days
MEXICO
Sailing Season: Year-round
Cruise Length: About 3 to 10 days
Typical Ports of Call: Los Angeles, San Diego, Catalina, Ensenada, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas,
and Acapulco
Splurge: Crystal Cruises’ Symphony; February 25, 2008; from $2,180/person for 7 days
Value: Holland America Lines’ MS Ryndam; March 6, 2008; from $914/person for 10 days
NEW ENGLAND/CANADA
Sailing Season: September to October (for fall foliage)
Cruise Length: About 7 to 12 days
Typical Ports of Call: Boston, Quebec, New York City, Newport, Halifax, and Montreal
Splurge: Celebrity Cruises’ Constellation; October 5, 2008; from $1,649/person for 12 days
Value: Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas; September 27, 2008; $799/person for 12 days
HAWAII
Sailing Season: Year-round
Cruise Length: About 12 to 17 days
Typical Ports of Call: NCL offers a Hawaii-only cruise; all others depart from the mainland (Ensenada, Mexico, and Vancouver, Canada, are common ports of embarkation).
Splurge: Holland America Lines’ MS Zaandam; September 21, 2008; from $2,030/person for 17 days
Value: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of Hawaii; January 28, 2008; from $799/person for 12 days
PACIFIC
Sailing Season: September to May
Cruise Length: Varies
Typical Ports of Call: Tahiti, Mooréa, Bora-Bora, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Borneo, Indonesia, China, and Japan
Splurge: Crystal Cruises’ Serenity; January 19, 2008; $22,600/person for 38 days
Value: Star Clippers’ Star Flyer; May 4, 2008; from $1,845/person for 7 days
PANAMA
Sailing Season: Year-round, but most common in April and October
Cruise Length: About 10 to 20 days
Typical Ports of Call: Los Angeles, Miami, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Panama, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, and Cartagena
Splurge: Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow; May 16, 2008; from $4,917/person for 15 days
Value: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl; April 13, 2008; $1,299/person for 19 days
CENTRAL & CENTRAL AMERICA
Sailing Season: October to May
Cruise Length: 7 to 28 days
Typical Ports of Call: Chile, Panama, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Antarctica, and the Amazon
Splurge: Hapag-Lloyd’s MS Hanseatic; April 29, 2008; from $10,838/person for 16 days
Value: Princess Cruises’ Star Princess; April 11, 2008; from $2,299/person for 23 days
