The 6 Best Ships for Land Lovers?

These six cruise vessels are the best options for those who like to spend longer time at port and/or to scout unusual destinations:


Arethusa (Grand Circle Cruise Line)

The smallest of the six, the Arethusa goes to the Red Sea, which is quite novel for any cruise ship to do. The land-and-sea itinerary combines Luxor, Saudi Arabia (which is rather new to boating tourists), the Sinai Peninsula, Petra, Amman, and the Dead Sea. Some programs include a Bedouin camp lunch, a carpet making school visit, and a Jordanian family dinner.


Azamara Journey (Azamara Cruises)

The largest of the six, the Azamara Journey sails routes that are almost never on regular cruises' itineraries. Their Panama Canal cruise includes shore excursions in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, a trip to the summit of the Mombacho Volcano Cloud Forest, and another to the mouth of the cone at Masaya Volcano National Park.


MS Fram (Hurtigruten)

The only cruise ship to visit western Greenland, the MS Fram includes shore excursions to places usually accessible only by helicopter. Hike the Arctic hillsides, drive a dogsled, and get very close to natural glaciers. The autumn in the Northern Hemisphere brings the ship down to Antactica, and therefore has stops in Britain, Canadian Maritime, the Eastern states, and even Central and South America!


Nautica (Oceania Cruises)

Long port stays make this ship's itineraries particularly attractive. The Black Sea, Mykonos until almost midnight, and overnight stays in Saigon, Hong Kong, and Shanghai are some of the most exciting stops.


Viking Surkov (Viking river Cruises)

River cruising is becoming much more popular, and much less expensive, especially compared to hotel rates in Moscow and St. Petersburg. You can spend 4 nights in Moscow and 5 days in the Svir and Volga Rivers cities, as well as 3 days in St. Petersburg, and that's just on the river cruise! In the vilage of Kishi, the Transfiguration church has 22 domes and no nails! Historians and political scientists are onboard to help you get as much learning out of your vacation as possible, too. Note, Moscow's port is almost an hour away from city center.


Yangzi Explorer (Abercrombie & Kent)

A brand new ship, the Yangzi Explorer hosts an expert in river history, geology, culture, and politics. Highlights include the Three Gorges lock system, and a daytime cruise of the Xiling Gorge.


It's not fun and exciting only onboard a cruise ship, but as you can see, a lot of the excitement is also on land too! Book your next cruise today at www.kingarthur.myttn.com !