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After planning a two-week honeymoon of my own, I know that selecting a honeymoon destination is a daunting task — especially with all the uncertainty surrounding travel these days. But if you're planning to get married after the pandemic recedes from our everyday lives, it's time to start planning now!
A honeymoon is the one time it should all be about you, so where do you want to spend your first days as Mr. & Mrs.?
For thousands of couples each year, cruising offers the perfect option: You get to immerse yourself briefly in a variety of locales and cultures with all the amenities that a ship provides — couples spa treatments, whirlpools, often a lively casino or dance club — minus the stress of dealing with logistics.
Choose a getaway that will provide a lifetime of memories: a wedding on land or on a ship; a honeymoon on a cruise ship or one that's combined with a hotel stay and land vacation. Some 15% of all honeymoons today are on a cruise ship.
After consulting with fellow cruise industry experts, here are our Editors' picks for Cruiseable's first annual Best Cruise Lines for Honeymoons Awards for 2016-2017.
Because there's so much that goes into planning a honeymoon, you should have a travel expert work on your behalf — at no charge to you. There are honeymoon cruises for every budget and every style. So contact a Cruiseable travel advocate in our Business Department at 1-877-322-3773 to begin planning your dream getaway.
When it comes to romantic cruise destinations, French Polynesia is about as good as it gets. Paul Gauguin Cruises offers a memorable voyages to Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea aboard the 332-passenger ms Paul Gauguin, which packs a lot of luxury touches to pamper the newlyweds. In Bora Bora you'll have access to an exclusive, palm-tree-lined beach on a motu just off the coast as part of your cruise.
Cost: Free (included with your cruise fare). Upgrades available with extras such as a private dinner with the ship captain or hotel director.
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Tahiti Special Hotel-and-Cruise Package: Receive a $500 per stateroom shipboard credit on sailings through April 15, 2017 if booked by July 30, 2016.
Use our Bliss Filters sliders to zero in on the kind of romanic escape on Paul Gauguin you're seeking. Some itinerary ideas:
With a capacity of just 148 passengers, Windstar Cruises' four-masted sailing yacht, Wind Star, brims with laid-back romance. Set sail to places like otherwordly Santorini, Rhodes, Ephesus, Istanbul, the Amalfi Coast, Mallorca, Barcelona and Lisbon. Windstar Cruises offers luxury amenities on its yacht-style cruises, and the crew will go out of its way to make your honeymoon special. The 310-passenger Wind Surf is another good choice.
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Use our Bliss Filters sliders to zero in on the kind of romanic escape on Windstar you're seeking. Some itinerary ideas in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and South Pacific:
Honeymoon couples can enjoy easy elegance and style aboard the new luxury yacht Crystal Esprit from Crystal Cruises. Esprit debuted in December 2015 with room for only 62 passengers, giving you the feeling that this is your sailing. It has the highest crew-to-passenger ratio of any ship in the world. Enjoy exceptional Michelin star-level cuisine created by Crystal’s own masterful culinary team. Choose from two complimentary Crystal Adventures shore excursions in every port — one culturally inspired, the other a soft adventure.
We especially like the yacht's variety of water sports equipment that can be used directly from the marina deck aft. Snorkel or swim in the inviting waters of the Adriatic; water ski and jet ski; or paddle a kayak in the early morning quiet. During the day, you'll want to explore destinations such as Venice, Kotor and Dubrovnik, with its awesome medieval fortress that has been the filming location for the real King's Landing in HBO's “Game of Thrones.“
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose, to go with your all-inclusive pricing. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
We especially like the two-week cruise in July 2017 that starts in Venice with stops in Dubrovnik, Kotor and Athens. Here are some other Crystal Esprit itineraries, but you'll want to call us to get the best price and for flight and travel arrangements.
If you're a fan of all-inclusive luxury cruises where the emphasis is on the destinations more than onboard activities, you can't do better than Silversea. Their fleet of sleek small ships traverse the world, with many itineraries in the Mediterranean but also in far-flung places such as Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. Along the way, you'll receive world-class, personalized service.
Make sure you notify the cruise line at least a month ahead of time that you are Very Important Honeymooners, and during your cruise you'll receive a cake inscribed "Happy Honeymoon." All guests also receive a bottle of Maison Pommery Brut Royal Champagne (yes, you can ask for another), chocolates on arrival and fresh orchids in your room. And couples can enjoy gourmet dining and an enormous spa.
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Silversea ships circle the globe. Use our Bliss Filters sliders to zero in on the kind of romanic escape on Silversea you're seeking. Some ideas:
If you've saved up, why not splurge on a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon cruise aboard Seven Seas Explorer? The ship, debuting next month from Regent Seven Seas, is already being touted as the most luxurious ship ever to sail the high seas. Only 750 pampered guests will be on board the all-suite, all-balcony ship. Explorer features three specialty restaurants, including Chartreuse, a French-inspired dining venue, and the line's first Culinary Arts Kitchen. On sea days, relax and enjoy the finest shipboard amenities — try a his and her spa day.
Cost: $470
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $250 to $1,000 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose, to go with your all-inclusive pricing. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Seven Seas Explorer sails throughout Europe, the Caribbean and Middle East. We like the Nordic Splendors and Kingdoms of the North cruises in August 2017 that visit St. Petersburg, Russia, Tallinn, Berlin, Helsinki, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Be aware: Explorer sells out far in advance, so you'll want to call Cruiseable's Business Department at 1-877-322-3773 to get the best price and for flight and travel arrangements.
The perfect choice for a long, leisurely honeymoon? Consider a wine-themed river cruise on AmaWaterways, which offers more wine cruises than any other cruise line. AmaWaterways' offers a wide variety of wine cruises that include an expert host, three wine tastings and a food and wine dinner pairing. Enjoy tours to historic wine cellars to meet local owners. Visit castles along the way. You can also set up a free gift registry for your journey so your loved ones can participate in the celebration.
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
One itinerary that we completely love is the 7-night Arles to Lyon Cruise through Provence, southern France — including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Avignon as well as Arles, the city where Vincent van Gogh spent much of his life — with an optional pre- and post-cruise 3-night stay in vibrant Barcelona and/or 3 nights in Paris. Other great choices include Bordeaux, the Danube, Rhine, Portugal's Douro River, or Paris & historic Normandy.
Princess Cruises is known for many things, but it's probably best known as the top cruise line for seeing Alaska. For honeymooners, the perfect pairing would be a cruise tour that includes visits to ports along the Inside Passage along with a scenic train ride followed by a stay in a Princess Wilderness Lodge near the entrance of Denali National Park, home to grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou, Dall sheep and 20,310-foot-high Denali (fka Mount McKinley), North America’s tallest peak.
Cost: $445. A more basic Honeymoon Package is available for $150. It includes a bottle of champagne, 2 engraved glasses, 2 long-stemmed red roses on arrival, framed formal portrait, chocolate-dipped strawberries and box of Godiva chocolates.
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $1,00 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning, including the addition of a Denali National Park land tour and vacation stay.
Use our Bliss Filters sliders to zero in on the kind of romanic escape on Princess you're seeking. Some itinerary ideas:
Ever wonder what it would be like to sail on an intimate luxury yacht to dreamy Caribbean destinations? You'll be the toast of the ship on SeaDream I or SeaDream II. Both feature itineraries in the Caribbean from November to April to such spots as St. Barts, St. Thomas, San Juan, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and Barbados. With a maximum of 112 guests and 95 crew members, you'll have attentive service throughout your journey, plus some of the best cuisine at sea on a cruise with cruisers of all ages.
Cost: $750
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Here are some options for you on SeaDream if you use our Bliss Filters. You'll notice that SeaDream's yachts have dozens of unique itineraries throughout the year.
Launched in April 2016, the 2,650-passenger ms Koningsdam — the first new Holland America Line ship in many years — is drawing oohs and aahs for its airy, classy design, inspired by the fluid curves of musical instruments, and its classical music performances with performers from New York's Lincoln Center. Other highlights include a new French seafood restaurant, a new farm-to-table dinner experience at the Culinary Arts Center and an atrium with a three-deck-high space topped by a skylight with changing projections. Koningsdam draws a younger set of travelers than other Holland America ships. And speaking of classical, Holland America is the world's oldest ship line, founded in 1873.
Cost: $48.95
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $500 Bonus Credit, depending on the stateroom you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Koningsdam spends her summer in the Mediterranean and the winter months in the Caribbean. See a complete list of Koningsdam itineraries. Some ideas:
10Close your eyes and imagine you and your sweetie sailing on an old-timey clipper ship, just as in days of yore ... except for the culinary delights on board, gracious service, casual elegance and charming shore excursions. Star Clippers re-creates the golden age of tall sailing ships with three breathtaking mega-yachts: Royal Clipper (227 passengers) and twin sisters Star Flyer and Star Clipper (170 passengers). Star Clippers ships are for people looking for an authentic sailing experience. Propelled by the wind, these ships can take you to small, off-the-beaten path locations that large cruise ships can't get to.
For honeymooners, you can expect a complimentary bottle of champagne, an assortment of fresh fruits and sweet treats, and a special gift and certificate signed by the captain.
Beyond that, you can experience the luxury of a private yacht while sailing to smaller, lesser-known destinations that big cruise ships can’t visit. The relaxed yet elegant shipboard atmosphere is the perfect antidote to months of wedding planning. And you'll like the beach time, water sports and soft adventures that you'll be able to experience together.
Honeymoon Bonus: Cruiseable will throw in a $50 to $200 Bonus Credit, depending on the cabin you choose. Call our travel experts at 1-877-322-3773 for your free trip planning.
Star Clippers ships sail the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Far East. Use our Bliss Filters sliders to zero in on the kind of romanic escape on Star Clippers you're seeking. Some ideas:
Recipients of Cruiseable's 'Best Cruise Lines for Honeymoons' Awards for 2016-2017:
Best Romantic Honeymoon Cruise: Paul Gauguin
Best Mediterranean Honeymoon Cruise: Windstar Cruises
Best Caribbean Honeymoon Cruise: SeaDream
Best Laid-back Luxury Honeymoon Cruise: Silversea
Best Luxury Yacht Honeymoon: Crystal Cruises
Best Once-in-a-Lifetime Honeymoon Cruise: Regent Seven Seas
Best Wine-tasting Honeymoon Cruise: AmaWaterways
Best Alaska Honeymoon Cruise: Princess
Best Classical Honeymoon Cruise: Holland America
Best Wind-in-Your-Hair Honeymoon Cruise: Star Clippers
Remember, you're not limited to our top 10 list. For some honeymooners, a better fit might be on Celebrity Silhouette with its exquisite dining, or a Lindblad Expeditions adventure to the Galapagos or Sea of Cortez, or if you want to hop on the world's largest cruise ship, the just-launched Harmony of the Seas, or if you want to honeymoon in Hawaii or Bermuda, or dozens of other choices. Use Cruiseable's ship write-ups and travel guides for details about each ship, the itineraries they sail and the ports they call on.
Then, when you've discussed it with your special someone, contact a Cruiseable travel advocate to find you the best cruise at the best rate — at no charge to you. Call us at 1-877-322-3773 for all your travel planning and booking needs and to claim your Cruiseable Bonus Credit of up to $1,000 per stateroom.
Have you taken a cruise during your honeymoon? What was it like? What advice do you have for newlyweds? I'd love to know!
