Welcome back everyone, Today we will be looking at the top 10 most
unique, unusual, and extraordinary destinations you can visit on a cruise right now!
Starting off in number 10, we have the stunning Corinth Canal in Greece. The 4 mile long canal
connects the Ionian and Aegean Seas and at its narrowest is only 70 ft. (or 21.4 meters) wide.
Smaller cruise ships regularly pass through the canal giving passengers incredible,
but also somewhat scary once in a lifetime views. In 2019, Fred Olsen's 642 ft. long Braemar
became the largest cruise ship to ever sail through the canal,
making use of every inch of width available.
Next up, in number 9, we have the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The Galapagos archipelago
is one of the most remote sets of islands in the world, at over 605 miles (or 900kms) away
from the nearest land mass. Having been isolated from the rest of the world for several millennia,
the islands features unique species and animals that have gone extinct everywhere else except
here in the Galapagos, including swimming Marine Iguanas, Galapagos Giant Tortoise, the Galapagos
penguin and more. A cruise to the Galapagos means stepping back in history to a unique ecosystem
found no where else in the world and several big name cruise lines, including Celebrity Cruises,
Silversea, and National Geographic are sending their expedition ships there year-round.
The Galapagos islands are certainly one of the most exciting places
any of us would be fortunate to visit
In number 8, we have an internationally disputed territory: the Western Sahara.
The Western Sahara is currently occupied and administered by Morocco, although their
sovereignty over the region isn't recognized by the wider international community. The country,
which is mainly surrounded by the desert, has been under UN-sanctioned ceasefire since the
end of war in 1991, but since then no agreement has been made about the country's independence.
Silversea cruises is the only cruise line that stops there on a regular basis
through repositioning or world cruises giving passengers the opportunity to literally step
foot into an international territorial dispute, quite an invigorating thought.
Next up we have another set of remote locations, the Arctic and Antarctica. Even though they are
literally poles apart you can expect similar cruising experiences in both locations.
Whether you visit Antarctica to tick off the last remaining continent or the Arctic
to encounter polar bears in the wild, your cruise will be a once in a lifetime experience
bringing you to some of the least visited and least explored parts of the world. The expedition
will be full of adventure, including kayaking and hiking in a truly untouched natural wonder.
The two main reasons for visiting Antarctica or the Arctic however would have to be the
stunning wildlife and scenery. Even if you've seen icebergs before, you will stun at the Great White
Continent's massive floating structures - and by that we don't mean your ship,
but the dozens of icebergs surrounding it.
Additionally, you will experience penguins, polar bears, or even whales and seals in their true
natural habitat. Given the uninhabited nature of both destinations, wildlife and especially
penguins have no fear of humans at all, but rather tend to be curious of the cruising passengers.
Moving from the extreme cold to the extreme heat, we have South Africa next.
While cruising through the Cape of Good Hope, you will have the unique opportunity to visit a South
African national park on a real safari. You will feel right in a National Geographic documentary
and might even be overwhelmed by the amount of wildlife around you.
A safari allows you to get up close and personal with animals in their true native habitat. Coming
from your regular cruising experience, it will be a complete change in scenery;
or even a true culture shock. Taking in the marvelous nature, might even make you forget
about the daily grind of back home and give you a well deserved relaxing break.
Next up we have Lebanon, a small country with a stunning history and true Mediterranean charm
that was previously even known as the Paris of the Middle East.
But recently, the country has been through a tough time, from the civil war in the neighboring Syria,
to a financial crisis and civil unrest, to the Beirut port explosion in 2020.
The port explosion specifically has severely damaged the capital's infrastructure
and has even lead to the capsizing of a smaller cruise ship
called the Orient Queen that was docked there at the time.
Although most larger cruise lines are now avoiding the country due to the inherent instability,
smaller cruise operators still give passengers the
opportunity to visit the historic country and its resilient people.
Next up, in number three, we have Norway.
Norway itself is a beautiful country with stunning sceneries and coastlines, but another major draw
to the region are the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis, a natural light display in the sky.
Between September and March, in Northern Norway, which is close to the North Pole,
the sun remains hidden from the Arctic sky for much of the day.
When electrically charged particles from the sun then enter the earth's atmosphere and collide,
you will see the stunning natural phenomenon called the Northern Lights, often described as a
celestial ballet of light dancing across the night sky. You will see beautiful green, blue, pink,
or violet hues all across the sky, a truly magical sight and extremely unique cruising experience.
Moving on to second place, we have the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is among the most famous
waterways in the world, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is often regarded as one
of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. And when cruising
the 51 mile or 82 km long artificial waterway you will be stunned by the lush scenery around.
As you will be travelling through a protected rainforest, you will get the chance to spot
anything from monkeys, to crocodiles, to manatees in the wild. Along the way, you will
also likely stop in the Central American ports of Limon, Costa Rica and Cartagena, Colombia,
vibrant and historic cities you will likely never visit any way other than a Panama Canal cruise.
If you are interested in cruising the canal, you should book early,
as the coast-to-coast cruises starting on the East Coast in Florida and ending on
the West Coast in California often only occur on cruise ship repositioning trips between seasons.
And now in number one, one of the most extraordinary and
exciting destinations to visit on a cruise right now: Egypt.
Egypt is one of those countries that will fill you with amazement: It isn't just the country of one
of the first and most influential civilizations in the world or the nation with the last remaining
world wonder, but it's also a country of true natural beauty. Egypt is situated at
the intersection of the Mediterranean and Red Sea, both of which are connected by the Suez Canal, the
most heavily used man-made waterway in the world. While you can sail through the canal on large
cruise ships, you can also explore the country on a Nile river cruise. The Nile is the longest river
in the world and the birthplace of the Ancient Egyptians with many intact temples on its shores.
From diving in the red sea, to exploring Cairo's bustling streets,
to marveling at millennia-old world wonders, Egypt has something for everyone!
There you have it, some of the most unusual and extraordinary cruising destinations in the world!
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our other videos linked below. Thank you so much for watching and as always keep cruising!