Best Adventure Cruise Line Itineraries

For some, the best part of a cruise is lounging on deck, relaxing to the sound of the ocean, but for others it’s the excitement of new experiences waiting on shore at destinations around the world.

For those seeking adventure, small-ship cruise lines like UnCruise, Hurtigruten, Lindblad Expeditions and Windstar Cruises offer exciting, immersive experiences in some of the world’s most beautiful, unspoiled places.

Windstar’s Costa Rica-focused itineraries offer hiking in Carara National Park, surfing at Manuel Antonio National Park and forest ziplining in Quepos. The 10-day Colón to Puerto Caldera itinerary includes the famous Playa Flamingo Beach and black-sand beaches of Bahia Herradura, biodiverse rainforests and cloudforests and the Panama Canal. The 14-day Star Collector, Bridgetown to Puerto Caldera cruise visits lesser-known locales in Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Colombia and Panama.

Explore Mexico’s Pacific coast with Lindblad Expeditions, and partake in parasailing, swimming with dolphins, helmet diving, sea kayaking and canopy adventures, as the cruise line’s small ships work their way into remote Sea of Cortez sites. Other exciting Lindblad itineraries include the Galapagos, Arctic and Antarctica.

Head to colder climates with UnCruise, and explore the rough and wild Alaskan landscapes. The cruise line’s land packages offer the opportunity to sail alongside glaciers, dog sled across frozen tundra and mountain bike, hike and river raft in Denali National Park.

Also specializing in cold-weather adventure experiences, Hurtigruten takes passengers on unforgettable journeys through Norway, Antarctica, Greenland and other destinations only accessible by small ships. Visit small fishing villages and learn to ice fish; take in the winter landscapes south of the Arctic Circle on a Husky safari; hike Norway’s breathtaking fjords; and witness the Northern Lights up close.