From tiptoeing along the Mississippi to soaring above the sea in a helium balloon, a great American cruise caters to every kind of traveller – it's just a matter of finding the right one for you. So we've highlighted our top nine American cruises for 2022 to help you decide which ship and itinerary is your perfect match. All prices are valid for US residents and correct at the time of writing.

Fleeing the bustling nightlife of Miami onboard the Azamara Quest, renowned for its boutique hotel feel, you'll head for Key West. The southernmost tip of the Florida Key's maybe just four-miles (6.5km) long and two-miles (3.2m) wide but it's crammed with beach bars, coral reefs and wrecks that beckon divers.

You'll then visit Cozumel on the tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Then it's on to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica to hike through rainforest paths inhabited by monkeys, sloths, and birds before kayaking across coral reefs at Cahuita National Park. The cruise also includes a passage along the Panama Canal.

The ship then stops at Colon, Panama before sailing to Colombia’s walled city of Cartagena where horse-drawn carriages canter by and the adorning Castle of San Felipe de Barajas sets the backdrop. Further stops include the Dutch-influenced port of Willemstad and Oranjestad in Aruba. Departing 7 January 2022, a 16-night return sailing from Miami, USA, costs from $2,599 per person.

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The world’s biggest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, is set to launch in March 2022 with itineraries available in Europe and the Caribbean. This 1,188-foot (362m) floating fun palace will offer eight distinct neighbourhoods including one exclusive area for suite guests, a cantilevered pool bar and Wonder Playscape – an interactive, open-air kids’ play area. The ship will also feature Royal Caribbean favourites like the 10-storey waterslide Ultimate Abyss, Splashaway Bay aqua park and New York-style pizza joint Sorrento’s.

Setting off in Fort Lauderdale, you’ll sail onto Haiti to drop anchor in Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private resort featuring crystal beaches and backed by stunning forest. Conquer the mountaintop and ride the world’s longest zip line over water – the Dragon's Breath Flight Line – before climbing the only icebergs in the Caribbean at the Arawak Aqua Park. Or just sip a 'Labadoozie' cocktail at your private bungalow overlooking Nellie’s Beach.

Fortress walls line the coastline of Puerto Rico’s 500-year-old capital, San Juan, where you can climb the mountains of the tropical El Yunque National Forest or take a riverside horse ride along the foothills. Sail onto Charlotte Amalie in the US Virgin Islands where cosy cottages spill over the green hills and Blackbeard’s Castle, built in 1679, looks over the city.

Make a final stop at Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at Cococay in the Bahamas, where you can ride the tallest waterslide in North America and soar up to 450 feet (137m) above sea level in a helium balloon before sailing back to Fort Lauderdale. Departing 1 April 2022, a seven-night return sailing from Fort Lauderdale, USA, costs from $812 per person. 

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Journey through North America’s Pacific Coast from the white sandy beaches of California to Canada's mist-shrouded mountains onboard the Viking Orion – the perfect ship to explore both sea and sky. Christened by NASA astronaut Anna Fisher in 2018, Orion is only the second ship afloat to feature a planetarium. The 26-seat dome theatre is linked to the ship's telescope and offers a programme of films and lectures. 

Starting your voyage in Los Angeles, you’ll make a pit stops in San Diego, Santa Barbara and San Francisco before delving into Oregon’s past in Astoria (pictured). Named after 19th-century fur trader and real estate tycoon, John Jacob Astor, Astoria offers views of Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument and the chance to sample fine Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley.

On day eight of the voyage the ship reaches its first Canadian port, Victoria, British Columbia – one of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest cities, set amid the rugged landscape of Vancouver Island. Sip tea at The Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada, spread over 55 acres with 900 varieties of plants, established in 1904. Or join a boat tour to marvel at orcas, humpbacks and minke whales as seabirds soar overhead in Victoria's harbour. Departing 9 April 2022, an eight-night sailing from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Canada, costs from $2,499 per person.

Launching in spring 2022, Discovery Princess is the sixth Royal-class ship in Princess's fleet. She will sail along the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles with 270-degree sweeping vistas from the largest balconies at sea, an infinity-style pool with horizon views at the ship's rear, full-sized basketball courts and movies under the stars at the open-air poolside amphitheatre, complete with luxury popcorn and warm cookies.

Poised at the tip of Baja where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, Cabo San Lucas is your first port of call, home to some of the best snorkelling spots in the Mexican Riviera. Adrenaline junkies can soar over the great canyons on a zip line, join a scuba for beginners session or saddle up for horseback rides along the beach.

Docking in Mazatlan, famed for its sport fishing, there's the chance to sample some of Mexico's finest premium brews at Pacifico Brewery or join a panoramic hike to the El Faro lighthouse, one of the highest in the world. 

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The final stop is Puerto Vallarta for tequila tasting, ATV-ing or simply lazing on the beach. Departing 10 April 2022, a six-night return sailing from Los Angeles costs from $479 per person. 

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Sip fine wines along the golden coast of California and Mexico as you visit some of the world’s most famous West Coast vineyards on this cultural tour. Your base camp – Oceania Cruises’ flagship, Regatta, keeps up with the lavish lifestyle where you can nibble daily afternoon tea accompanied by a string quartet, treat yourself to a full body massage at the Aquamar Spa or be immersed into the Gatsby-era with a 1920s-themed show accompanied by Prohibition-era cocktails.

Departing from Los Angeles, the first stop is Ensenada, Mexico where you can join a VIP vineyard tour in the Guadalupe Valley, increasingly noted for its red wines. Then you’ll dock in San Diego where top sights include the San Diego Museum of Art, a fine art gallery with an emphasis on Spanish creatives and the award-winning San Diego Zoo. The city's Cabrillo National Monument is also a perfect area for catching a glimpse of Pacific grey whales.

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The ship also calls at California's Catalina Island where you can take a glass-bottom boat ride through the turquoise waters, before approaching the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco for an overnight stay in the bustling city. From here join a seven-hour tasting tour of the Carneros wine region in Sonoma County, take a cooking class or whizz around The Golden City and have a dim sum lunch in Chinatown.

Nicknamed “The American Riviera”, Santa Barbara is your final port of call. Explore the town’s Spanish architecture, wander through the botanical gardens at Lotusland or trek into the Santa Ynez Valley where you can tour several award-winning wineries too. Departing 24 April 2022, an eight-night return sailing from Los Angeles costs from $1,849 per person.

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Cruise South along the West Coast of Canada and America onboard the newly refurbished Silver Wind, a small ship that offers guests serious luxury and a high standard of service. With 239 crew members and a maximum of 274 passengers there are staff members on hand to help with everything. Thanks to your personal butler, Champagne on arrival and daily afternoon canapés, you’ll feel like royalty.

Before you depart from Vancouver, hike up to the Vancouver Lookout tower for 360-degree views of the city from whale-filled oceans to mountain-punctured skies. Feast your way through Canada's biggest Chinatown before taking a ferry to Vancouver Island where there is a high chance of seeing orcas.

Travelling south, you’ll make a stop in Seattle and Portland, Oregon’s largest city sat at the merging of the Williamette and Columbia Rivers. Excursions include an 11-mile bike ride over Portland's Steel Bridge to Sellwood Park where you’ll cross railroad tracks and breeze through the South Waterfront neighbourhood. Departing 5 October 2022, a 10-night sailing from Vancouver, Canada, to San Diego costs from $8,500 per person. 

Starting your journey in the city that never sleeps, New York, you'll join the luxurious Regent Seven Seas Navigator before sailing onto Bermuda. Spend your days onboard sunbathing, surrounded by whirlpools and table tennis, with your personal butler on hand to bring another Mojito or challenge you at the putting green. As night draws in, catch a Broadway-style musical at the Seven Seas Lounge and taste a slice of Monte Carlo with a game of blackjack at the casino.

Your first port of call will plant you in Bermuda's capital, Hamilton. Marvel at the Bermuda Aquarium and visit the oldest Anglican church in the Western hemisphere, St Peter’s, before climbing Fort St Catherine. A second port call at St George's, Bermuda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will mean you'll tick off the island's key sights.

Sailing into St Lucia's capital, Castries (pictured), you can take in the island's flora and fauna at the Castries Waterworks Forest Reserve or climb the twin peaks of the Pitons and hike up to Fort Charlotte. Make a stop at one of the many spice estates on Grenada before your voyage continues to Bonaire where you'll visit some of the Caribbean's best diving spots. Departing 23 October 2022, a 14-night sailing from New York to Miami costs from $7,999 per person.

Celebrity Cruises' newest ship, Celebrity Beyond, joins the award-winning Edge series in April 2022 and will be gliding through Caribbean waters from Florida to Mexico during November. You'll travel in style as the ship features a two-storey Sunset Bar imagined by designer Nate Berkus, a rooftop garden crafted by Kelly Hoppen and The Magic Carpet – a cantilevered, floating platform that reaches 13 storeys above sea level with cosy loungers, a bar and live music.

Pre-pandemic, around 16 million travellers have enjoyed the white sandy beaches of Fort Lauderdale every year and this is where you'll be starting your Caribbean quest. Waltz the famous beachfront promenade, just 15 minutes from the port, and set off for your first stop, Costa Maya, Mexico. Snorkel through the Banco Chinchorro coral reef that lies just off the coast and visit the ancient Mayan ruins of Chacchoben and Kohunlich before sailing onto Cozumel.

Sat in the largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere, Cozumel draws divers, anglers and snorkellers with the opportunity to drift past neon tropical fish and vibrant coral colonies. Adrenaline junkies can soar down the Twin Twister waterslides at Playa Mia or head down the coast to explore the ancient coastal city of Tulum, pictured. Departing 8 November 2022, a five-night return sailing from Fort Lauderdale, USA, costs from $599 per person.

Viking River Cruises’ first custom-built vessel to sail on the Mississippi River between New Orleans, Louisiana and St Paul Minnesota, Viking Mississippi has a chic Scandinavian feel. With space for just 386 passengers, there is a full 360-degree panoramic promenade deck where you can soak up the scenic landscape and wildlife, a sun terrace with an infinity plunge pool and the River Café offering classic American bites. Cruises will run throughout the year including during the holidays in December. 

Sailing along the Lower Mississippi, you’ll start your journey in Memphis, the homeland of Elvis Presley. Saunter down Beale street – this musical stretch has neon as far as the eye can see. There is also the chance to visit Sun Studio, the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, plus an exclusive after-hours tour of Graceland. 

Further stops include Vicksburg, home of the Vicksburg National Military Park, the scene of a 47-day battle in the American Civil War and Natchez, the oldest city on the Mississippi. Natchez (pictured) has the highest concentration of historic Southern mansions in the country – over 200 of them in fact, and it's an opportunity to learn more about the role of enslaved people in the cotton trade, an industry that has shaped the South's past and present.

Complete your expedition in New Orleans, exploring the Vieux Carré, or the French Quarter, 10 blocks of historic buildings including Bourbon Street with its cocktail bars and jazz houses. Departing 17 December 2022, a seven-night sailing from Memphis to New Orleans costs from $3,999 per person. 

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