Travel expert reveals the most unique cruise destinations for adventure travel

Nothing can prepare you for your first sighting of a polar bear jumping across ice floes in Greenland. Binoculars and cameras are always at the ready to spot the King of the Arctic (above) from the deck of an expedition cruise. Besides polar bear spotting, cruises in Greenland allow visits to small villages, sea kayaking, dog sledding and – for the daring – a polar plunge.

Ponant’s icebreaker expedition ship can crunch through drifting ice and offers sails up the east and north-west coasts of Greenland. And on a Greenland cruise with HX Expeditions, you can catch fish yourself and even take an overnight camping trip in south Greenland.

Sir David Attenborough called Montgomery Reef on the Kimberley coast “one of the greatest natural wonders of the world”. It emerges from the Indian Ocean in a torrent of rushing white water. You can see this, as well as incredible rock formations and Indigenous art, on a cruise with Aussie company True North.

It also has cruises to Rowley Shoals, 300km west of Broome, where coral gardens and clear waters are a paradise for snorkellers and divers. Another Australian operator, Travelmarvel, offers Kimberley Coast cruises aboard the 164-guest Heritage Adventurer with the chance to view the dramatic four-tier Mitchell Falls and explore ancient Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art. 

With its towering glaciers, unique wildlife (Bears! Moose! Bald eagles!) and remote coastal communities, it’s easy to see why Alaskan cruises are so popular. Seabourn has just introduced its ship Seabourn Encore to the region, which features a new Alaskan culinary program.

And Holland America (pictured above) has six ships sailing in Alaska from April through September, ranging from seven-day getaways to month-long deep dives. Excursions include everything from salmon fishing and historic train trips to flights over glaciers.

Underwater enthusiasts take note! Some of the finest wildlife diving is on our doorstep in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. On a cruise, you can spend your days visiting dive sites like Fiabacet, one of Indonesia’s most biodiverse, as well as snorkel Boo Island, known for its glassy lagoons. A trip with Aqua Expeditions (pictured) has excursions led by naturalists, and includes snorkelling and diving for incredible wildlife encounters. Look out for manta rays, dolphins, turtles and pygmy seahorses.

With Heritage Expeditions’ Indonesian Explorer tour, as well as spotting marine life, you learn about local culture with shore excursions to Sumbawa Island.

It’s no secret that Aussies have a yen for Japan. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), a record-breaking 1,058,300 Australians visited Japan in 2025. How do you beat the crowds? Take a cruise. On a sailing holiday, as well as going to larger cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, you’ll visit less populated regions where there are fewer tourists and a chance to delve deep into Japan’s culture.

Princess Cruises offers an enticing itinerary taking in cherry blossom season in smaller regions in the north, which tourists usually might not see. Viking has a popular cruise route that goes to Japan, including hot springs in Beppu (above).

Imagine sailing directly from or to Australia and taking in the glorious sights of New Zealand, with added days at sea to enjoy all that a big ship offers. There is an array of itineraries on offer, including Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Australia and New Zealand sailings visiting the narrow fjords of Milford Sound (pictured), Auckland and Dunedin (Port Chalmers), as well as Aussie ports.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises’ offerings from Sydney sail to Tauranga, the Art Deco city of Napier, and the beautiful Bay of Islands.

Don’t miss out on Celebrity Cruises Black Friday sale

Looking for more of a tropical trip? Departing 2 January 2027, Celebrity Edge is heading to the South Pacific.

With Black Friday Early Access now live, it is the perfect time to book – with savings up to 75% off the second guest, and up to $1,200 select sailings, ending 11 November 2027.

Come October, state-of-the-art expedition ships begin sailing south for the season to the Frozen Continent. Anyone who has ventured to Antarctica will tell you it’s the ultimate otherworldly voyage, and it’s easy to see why these expeditions are high up on many travellers’ wish lists. Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yachts offer two helicopters and an electric submersible on voyages, so you can see Antarctica from up above and way down below.

In the icy Weddell Sea, you may see pods of whales, Adelie penguins, seals and even elusive Emperor penguins. And Aurora Expeditions has a specialised photography expedition with expert photography guides onboard so you can capture the landscape in all its dramatic wonder.

A Galapagos cruise is the ultimate sailing safari. There are 9000 species of flora and fauna on the 19 islands of the Galapagos archipelago. Here, 1000 kilometres west of mainland Ecuador, you can spy giant tortoises, sea lions, Pacific green turtles and blue-footed boobies high-stepping (the higher the step, the more appealing they are to their potential mate).

National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions brought the very first group of citizen explorers here nearly 60 years ago. These days, each voyage has multiple excursions on land and undersea (right). And on a cruise with Silversea, the Silver Origin takes only 100 guests, for a more sustainable way to travel.