One of more than 17,000 islands in the Indonesian archipelago, Komodo is home to the native dragon of the same name. Oceania Cruises began calling on the exotic equatorial isle about 300 miles east of Bali in 2006. And the December 2008 itinerary aboard the Nautica includes a stop in Komodo as part of an 18-day sail from Singapore to Sydney—in a fierce field of contenders, far-flung Komodo just might be the highlight.
Cruise West, a small luxury cruise operator based in Seattle, began serving Ho Chi Minh City in 2007 as part of the line’s Grand Asia tour, sailing from Hanoi to the capital. With room for 120 guests, the all-suite Spirit of Oceanus is your waterborne chariot for arriving in Vietnam’s most cosmopolitan city (the cruise also calls in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An and Hue). Optional add-on land tours weave Cambodia into the itinerary.
Seabourn’s newest ship—the 450-passenger Odyssey, to be inaugurated in 2009—will call into the southern Cambodia port town of Sihanoukville during its 2010 World Tour itinerary. A buzz-worthy beach town for backpacking bohemians and well-heeled jet-setters (the casino does a brisk business and five-star resorts are finally appearing). Sihanoukville is a blissfully tropical alternative to Thailand’s overcrowded islands. Some Silversea itineraries also voyage to Sihanoukville.
Formerly out of reach to Caribbean cruisers, the Turks & Caicos was added to itineraries in 2006. Carnival Corporation fronted a cool $50 million to build the Grand Turk Cruise Center—a sprawling, shining example of how ports should cater to cruisers, with a massive pool complete with a swim-up bar, a groomed beach, restaurants and excursion piers (with eco-tours on tap). The best news is that the port was built on the southwest tip of the island, well out of reach of Turks & Caicos’ jaw-dropping coral reefs.
About six miles south of Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, the Saints, as they’re called, typify everything that’s good about the Caribbean, waxed lyrical into a rocky archipelago of eight volcanic islands. Hurricane damage on the islands detoured cruise ships for several years, but Seabourn is coming back in 2009. Says Peter Cox, Seabourn’s director of itinerary and land development, “It’s the type of place we’re always looking for. It’s uncrowded, and gives you the beautiful beaches, scenery and atmosphere that’s more upscale than the overrun beaches on the major Caribbean islands that are overcrowded with large vessels.”
Germany may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of ocean-going cruises. But Sylt, a Frisian island in the North Sea, is a sand-spun dream of largely untouched dune-scapes and home to one of Europe’s longest undeveloped stretches of sandy beach. It’s also a destination with major buzz for well-heeled Germans and Northern Europe’s celebrity set. Silversea began calling in 2008 en route from Reykjavik to Copenhagen.
Attempts to diversify the Dalmatian coast offerings and find alternatives to Dubrovnik’s horrendously crowded summertime cruise scene have led several ships—Silversea, Seabourn and Royal Clipper, to name a few—to Montenegro’s exotic shores. The approach to Kotor is dramatic, as you sail through Europe’s southernmost fjord, cut clean into the Montenegrin coastline. UNESCO has recognized the city for its well-preserved medieval architecture, dating to the 12th and 14th centuries. The beaches in Kotor are rocky. But the town’s appeal comes in dining alfresco in the old city, enjoying fresh Adriatic seafood downed with a local Niksicko beer.
It’s fabulous what overcrowded Croatian ports of call have done for discovering new territory in neighboring lands. Case in point: Koper, a former island with a fairytale hillscape that was linked in the 19th century by embankments to mainland Slovenia. Sure, it’s the country’s main port—but the status does nothing to lessen Koper’s medieval charm. After all, Slovenia’s smidge of a coastline—about 26 miles, sandwiched between Italy and Croatia—is still very much a lesser-known Mediterranean gem. Wind Star, Silversea and Seabourn are among the many smaller lines sailing here.
The Puglia region, near the heel of Italy’s boot, is famed for the unique architecture of its traditional homes, castles and, of course, cuisine, the latter of which is predictably heavy on seafood and olive oil. Bari, the capital of the province of Apulia, is your gateway to this lesser known Italian destination. “Most people see Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Venice when they come to Italy,” said Peter Cox, Seabourn’s director of itinerary and land development. “And now they want to discover something new.” Silversea and P&O Cruises also call in.
Discover this new Black Sea port of call before the rest of the world does during the 2014 Winter Olympics, set to take place in the Russian coastal enclave. Often called the Miami Beach of Russia, Sochi is a mere ten miles from the Georgian border. But the high-society Russian scene can be compared to that of Moscow, and indeed many of the capital’s wealthiest denizens have second homes here. Sheltered by the Caucasus Mountains and fringed with miles of unspoiled rocky beaches, Sochi was developed under the USSR as a Black Sea health retreat. Health sanatoriums and visits to natural mineral springs are still popular land-based activities. Silversea, Seabourn and Holland America Line are among the ships calling in.