Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Alternative Winter Cruises

Locations in this article:  Vienna, Austria

Christmas marketYou might associate a winter cruise with sailing to places like the Caribbean or Mexico. But winter can be the best time to cruise to some alternative destinations. Here’s why.

Right around this time of year, the Christmas markets in Europe start to open up in cities like Vienna and Nuremberg. The bigger ships can’t access these ports, but the river cruises can.

So look for last-minute winter deals with companies like Viking and Uniworld.

Winter is also the time to explore some seriously remote destinations. I’m talking about cruising to places like Antarctica and the Falkland Islands.

Quark Expeditions and Lindblad are two companies that sail there between November and February, using small expedition ships that can get to off-the-beaten path areas.

They’re not cheap, but they’re definitely bucket list trips.

If cold isn’t your thing, you’re in luck. Winter is exactly the time to take a cruise to South America…because it’s summer down there!

Deals are popping up for early January and mid-March sailings on Princess Cruises, and in early February on Royal Caribbean.

For more information, visit the Cruise Travel Archives.

Keep reading for more travel tips.