Whether you want to join the world’s hugest ocean liner on her maiden voyage, sail through Europe’s hottest party cities on an intimate river cruise or explore remote desert islands in the South Pacific, there are some spectacular new adventures in store for 2018.

With an average temperature of 1.8°C, you don’t come on a South Georgia cruise for lazy, sunny days. In this British Overseas Territory, the attraction is the dazzling wildlife and awe-inspiring glacial landscape, complete with snow-dusted mountains and deep fjords.

The island’s remote location, 869 miles east of the Falklands, means it can only be accessed by boat. Wildlife Worldwide’s new 16-night Festival of Wildlife Photography cruise launches in November 2018, to coincide with the start of the breeding season, when the beaches will be teeming with wildlife. In Spring, there are more animals here per square metre than anywhere in the world.

Visit the black sands of Salisbury Plain, where you’ll experience up to 100,000 king penguins nesting, alongside elephant and fur seals and, if you’re lucky, whales. The cruise also takes in Fortuna Glacier and Cumberland Bay, where polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton was buried. You’ll likely also hear glaciers calving vast pieces of ice into the Drygalski fjord.

Throughout the cruise, acclaimed wildlife photographers Nick Garbutt and Alex Hyde will be passing on their photography skills, plus the days will be peppered with expert talks about the area’s flora and fauna. You’ll sail on board polar research ship the Akademik Sergey Vavilov – some rooms have en suites and there’s an on-board hot tub to relax in while soaking up the views. The 16-night cruise costs from £8,895pp [$11,902], excluding international flights.

Tauck’s new Rhone River cruise gives grape lovers and foodies the chance to immerse themselves in vineyards, markets and some serious French haute cuisine, taking in top-notch cooking classes along the way.

Cruise highlights include tasting fresh and fruity Beaujolais, visiting a truffle farm in Grignan and a private dinner with Provençal cowboys at a ranch in La Camargue, famous for its white horses. You’ll also explore Avignon when you dock at the oh-so-pretty town, and visit the magnificent Pont-du-Gard.

The 10-day cruise kicks off with a pastry lesson at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and dinner at Fouquet’s, the oldest bistro on the Champs Élysées. Guests then head to Lyon by train, where they’ll board MS Emerald for the rest of the trip. The riverboat has just been redesigned and fitted with big cabins, with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Explore Châteauneuf-du-Pape and get stuck into a glass of the deliciously velvety red at a tasting, before heading on to the world-famous markets of Valence. Here you’ll immerse yourself in the local produce, with a cheese and wine pairing class. The Savouring France cruise costs from £3,675pp [$4,917], including flights from the UK.

Silversea Expeditions’ new itinerary takes travellers into the remote South Pacific, taking in desert islands, remote villages and a staggering, tropical underwater world. The ship sets sail from Koror, on the Palau archipelago. Here, rainforest-clad hills lead down to tropical waters, teeming with life.

Next stop is Papua New Guinea, where you’ll explore the mouth of the Sepik River by rib and visit uninhabited Alim Island, with its pristine, palm-fringed beaches and turtle colonies.

The ship, the Silver Discoverer, carries just 120 guests, and its small size means it can access narrow inlets and harder-to-reach spots. There’s an on-board restaurant and grill, whirlpool and two lounges, plus every suite has its own butler.

The final leg visits the Solomon Islands. Explore the crystalline waters, set against the backdrop of smoking volcanoes and fertile rainforests. Spend a morning floating off tiny Njari Island, which has a vast coral reef housing 279 types of fish – more than almost anywhere else on the planet. All inclusive fares start from £9,090pp [$12,163].

New for 2018, Great Rail Journeys are launching a 17-day train / cruise combo, which takes in the Canadian Rockies before sailing through spectacular swathes of Alaska. Explore Banff and the Columbia Icefields, before boarding the Rocky Mountaineer. The train then winds its way through the Thompson and Fraser canyons and down to the Pacific Ocean, where MS Nieuw Amsterdam awaits.

The seven-day cruise takes in Tracy Arm fjord, with its dramatic turquoise glaciers, before entering Glacier Bay National Park. Here you’ll see towering walls of ice, glacial streams and – if you time it right – watch vast lumps of ice crashing into the crystal waters. Grab a pair of binoculars and look out for sea otters, brown bears, moose and harbour seals. Eagle-eyed park rangers will be on board to help you spot the wildlife.

You may be sailing in some of the world’s most remote spots, but the MS Nieuw Amsterdam has on-board casinos, cinemas and cooking lessons. There’s one member of staff for every two guests and great attention has been paid to the little details – even the lifts have glass-fronted doors, so you’re never far from a view.

The 17-day trip winds up in cosmopolitan Vancouver, recently voted the second best city in the world (Cape Town got top billing). Surrounded by the Pacific and set against snow-capped mountains, it has a fantastic array of foodie offerings, alongside a buzzing cultural scene. The Rockies and Premium Alaska Cruise starts from £5,145pp [$6,893], including flights.

The cruise industry has gone a long way towards shaking off its old fashioned image, and U by Uniworld are continuing this mission in style. Their riverboat cruises take travellers through some of Europe’s hottest cities, giving them a chance to make the most of the food and buzzing nightlife. Excursions even start later than usual, giving passengers time to sleep off the effects of a night out.

The 8-day Danube Flow cruise kicks off in Regensberg in Germany, taking in Linz and Vienna, before finishing off in style in Budapest. The ship, called The A, is very much going for the boutique hotel vibe, with slick cabins – there won’t be a swirly carpet in sight. The top deck lounge has glass walls, which slide into the floor, so you can drink al fresco whilst listening to a DJ. The two restaurants both champion the farm to fork ethos, plus there’s a coffee bar.

There’s a massive choice of food and drink related excursions (some of which cost extra), including a visit to a Bavarian craft brewery, an organic wine estate in Austria and on-board mixology classes. More exhilarating trips include hiking in the Bavarian Forest, drinking sparkling wine on Vienna’s huge ferris wheel, or white water rafting on Hungary’s Cunovo River.

In Budapest, grab your swim gear and experience a pool party with a difference at the magnificent Széchenyi Baths. Drink cocktails, dance and lose yourself in the amazing light shows until 3am, whilst wallowing in the thermal pools. The Danube Flow cruise costs from £1,799pp [$2,407].

ROL Cruise's new New Zealand and Australian cruise takes in some of New Zealand’s most staggering scenery, such as Milford Sound (pictured), before crossing the Tasman Sea and hitting cosmopolitan Sydney. From there, guests travel on to Adelaide and Perth via the Indian Pacific Train. 

 

The 24-night trip kicks off on New Zealand’s East Coast. Swim with dolphins in the Bay of Islands, soak in Mount Mauganui Hot Salt Water Pools near Tauranga, then head on to the fishing village of Picton, the gateway to Marlborough wine country. Take one of the guided trips around local wineries, stopping for tastings along the way.

Watch penguins and seals whilst cruising Doubtful Sound. Here, sharp mountains carpeted with rainforest plummet down to a vast expanse of inky water. Two days at sea follow, whilst Celebrity Solstice makes her way across to Sydney. Visit the iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House, before boarding the Indian Pacific Train to Perth.

Passengers will sail on board the Celebrity Solstice, which has 10 restaurants, including one specialising in sushi, and 10 bars. There are also two pools, a spa, plus comedy and juggling shows. There’s even a half-acre grass lawn, where you can watch outdoor concerts or films. The New Zealand and Australian Exploration costs from £5,599pp [$7,492], departing 16 November 2018, and is available to book through ROL Cruise.

Royal Caribbean International ramp things up a notch in April 2018, when they launch Symphony of the Seas. It’ll sleep 6,870 guests over 18 decks and, at around the height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, it’s set to be the biggest cruise ship in the world. It’ll also be great for families, with a 10-storey slide, as well as three waterslides and a splashpark, zip wire and surf simulator. 

Symphony’s maiden voyage will kick off in Barcelona, Spain, where guests can visit La Sagrada Familia and soak up the atmosphere on the Las Ramblas, the tree-lined boulevard that runs through the city. Largely pedestrianised, it’s home to street performers, human statues and La Boqueria food market.  

Next stop is Palma, Mallorca, where guests can visit the imposing Almudaina royal palace or Bellver Castle, a circular, moated fortress. It’s then on to cosmopolitan French port Marseille, and Rome in Italy. Admire the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, with its frescos by Michelangelo and Botticelli, before sailing on to Naples and visiting the fascinating remains of Pompeii. The seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise costs from £1,039pp [$1,390] based on two sharing.

Norwegian Breakaway has been sailing from the US since her maiden voyage in 2013, but 2018 sees her return to European waters in style. Norwegian Cruise Line’s nine-day Scandinavia, Russia and Baltic cruise will see her take passengers through some of Northern Europe’s most stunning cities, including St Petersburg and Copenhagen.

The adventure kicks off in cosmopolitan Berlin, before heading to Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. Explore beautiful, baroque Kadriorg Palace, with its fabulous foreign art collection. Next stop is St Petersburg, legendary for its magnificent architecture, world-class ballets, spectacular museums (there are 200 of them) and canals. 

You’ll then sail to Finnish capital Helsinki, and on to Stockholm. Spread across 14 islands, the beautiful Swedish capital is united by 57 bridges. Admire the brightly-coloured townhouses and narrow cobbled streets in Gamla Stan, the city’s oldest district. Lastly, you’ll sail to Copenhagen, with its copper spires, castles, palaces and multitude of Michelin-starred restaurants.

With its Broadway shows, winding waterslides, four hot tubs, two pools and double-storey children’s play area, Norwegian Breakaway isn’t dissimilar to a family-friendly resort. There’s also a spa, plus a quarter-mile seafront promenade, lined with restaurants and bars. The nine-day cruise costs from £1,359 [$1791] all inclusive. If you liked this, we've got loads more travel inspiration and tips on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.