Experienced cruisers are always looking for new ports of call during their vacations.  The cruise lines are on the lookout for new  ports as well as new entry points to keep the industry interesting, fresh and competitive.   New destinations will keep cruisers coming back for more each year.  The hottest destinations now are the most unlikely ones too.  Take a look and see what’s new out there.

Travel to the Middle East might seem disconcerting for some cruisers, but Dubai has been untouched by the unsettling times.  Dubai has been attracting everything from hotel development to golf course construction to entertainment parks.  Costa Cruises’ ship, the Romantica, homeports in Dubai.  The demand for Dubai has prompted Costa to commit another ship, the Costa Europa for the winter season.

Africa is also picking up speed as becoming a hot destination for cruisers.  Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius  are all located in the Indian Ocean off the mainland of Africa.  Costa Cruise Line’s ship, the Costa Marina, will begin its inaugural season this November. 

For those who are looking to the Far East as a cruising destination, Oceania Cruises offers visits to ports such as Hong Kong, Vietnam, Shanghai and Singapore.   For itineraries within China, cruisers can look to lines such as Uniworld Grand River Cruises, Avalon Waterways and Viking River Cruises. 

Baltic cruises are starting to overtake Mediterranean cruises.  St. Petersburg in Russia is fast becoming one of the hottest destinations for cruisers.  The city is famous for its architectural design in landmarks like the Kazan Cathedral and the Summer Palaces.  The city also has contiguous canals that run under 342 bridges.  Many cruises that call in Russia will originate or end in gorgeous cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam.  Carnival Cruises is doing its first Northern Europe itinerary with the Carnival Splendor, set to begin operations in July 2008. 

South America is picking up speed as a hot destination for cruisers as well.  Cruise lines and agents both say that it will remain popular for years to come.  The Galapagos Islands, which are just off of Ecuador, is quickly gaining attention.  Antarctica is also on the radar of cruisers  as an area for exploration.  The Galapagos and Antarctica are most likely more interesting for seasoned cruisers and for those who are interested in learning about nature.  The cruise lines to look at for these destinations are:  Lindblad Expeditions, Norwegian Coastal Voyage, Hapag-Lloyd and Holland America Line.

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