7+ Under the Radar Destinations for Cruises

1. Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

The oldest city in North America, St. John’s is the kind of place where you can stand on Signal Hill watching icebergs drift past The Narrows. Houses of every color line almost every street, centuries-old buildings of brick sit on the waterfront, and the funky urban exterior of The Rooms Art Gallery & Museum dominates the skyline. Just like the province it belongs to, St. John’s is where old world meets new in a wonderful clash.

Cape Spear

Only about a 20-minute drive from the city is Cape Spear, North America’s most easterly point (excluding Greenland).

2. Haines, Alaska

Haines is arguably the adventure capital of Alaska. It is in the northern part of the Alaska Panhandle, near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The fishing town has mountain energy and vibrancy and is one of the best places in the world for heli-skiing.

3. Kuşadasi, Turkey

Kuşadasi is a popular destination and, as the coastal gateway to Ephesus, Turkey’s busiest cruise port. That said, is it a jumping-off point for visiting the classical ruins at nearby Ephesus, an ancient city with remains that reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire.

Acarlar Köyü

4. Santos Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala

Also known as Matías de Gálvez, Santos Tomas de Castilla is a port in Izabal Department, Guatemala. Escape the busy port and take a short bus ride to the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Mayan ruins of Quiriguá.

Alta Verapaz

Santa Cruz on Lake Atitlan

5. Kralendijk, Bonaire

Kralendijk is the chief town of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. The island is known for its beaches, golfing, snorkeling, skin diving, and pink flamingos.

6. Kotor, Montenegro

Montenegro has the beauty of Croatia, minus the crowds. The waters are cleaner, the beaches less crowded, and it is significantly cheaper. Kotor is a fortified medieval town on the Adriatic Coast, Sveti Stefan, a small islet surrounded by crystalline waters, as well as some of the villages in the south near Ulcinj.

7. Progreso, Mexico

Progreso is a port city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, located on the Gulf of Mexico, is a 30-minute drive from the state capital Mérida. Generally, Progreso has a very relaxed beach-town vibe. It has the longest pier (6.5km) in Mexico. It’s a super place to be based if you want to explore Yucatán.

Santa Clara

Mérida

Chuburná