Hot new ships and fabulous ports - here are the best cruises of 2024

Ship of the season

As we head into the northern summer, some serious cruising action is about to kick off around the world, starting with the Mediterranean. Explore the classic haunt aboard one of the hottest new vessels, Princess Cruises' just-launched Sun Princess, offering seven- to 21-day voyages in the region. Our pick would be the 14-Day Mediterranean with Greece, France & Italy itinerary, with spots still available on three departures in July and August. The Athens to Rome cruise features ports such as Kotor, Corfu and Barcelona, plus four days at sea, which you'll need to explore the ship with world-class entertainment, top-notch restaurants and a glamorous top deck with multiple pools. From $4489 per person; princess.com

Caribbean calling

The world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, is all about big numbers: 20 decks, seven pools, six waterslides, 2805 staterooms and a whopping 7600 guests. And that's before we get to the number of eateries onboard: 40-plus. But the digits we're most interested in are: 41, which is the number of times the brand-new family-friendly vessel is cruising in the Caribbean region between now and the end of the year, meaning there's an itinerary for you no matter when you want to go. From $3429 per person; royalcaribbean.com

Arctic adventure

With 207 crew members at the beck and call of just 220 guests, you'll want for nothing on Silversea's 14-day Reykjavik to Tromso cruise, departing June 1. But the biggest drawcards here are the incredible destinations - Flatey Island in Iceland one day, Svalbard Northern Region in Norway the other. That, and the Silver Endeavour itself, which in the cruise line's own words is "the most luxurious expedition ship ever built". From $22,750 per person; silversea.com

Festive fever

Christmas and Europe can never get boring, so why not combine them both on Viking Cruises' eight-day Paris-return Christmas on the Seine adventure. With nine departures this December, there are plenty of dates to choose from, but our pick would be the one departing December 19, which will visit gorgeous French communes such as Les Andelys and Vernon, before getting back to the City of Light, just in time for Christmas. From $3995 per person; vikingrivercruises.com.au

Across the seas

As seasons change, ships need to relocate themselves and travel from one continent to another, with transoceanic voyages offering some fantastic advantages to cruisers. Due to their length, they're often not full, which means fewer guests onboard and big discounts. A case in point? NCL's 19-day San Juan (Puerto Rico) to Lisbon voyage, departing April 7. And with five days at sea, you'll have plenty of time to explore the cruise line's gleaming new vessel, Viva. From $4106 (down from $6251) per person; ncl.com

From island to island

Oceania Cruises' new Vista is busy flitting between some of the hottest ports in Europe this year - Rome and Istanbul. But our heart is set on the 12-day Miami-return cruise departing December 5 and visiting some of Central America's top travel destinations. Walk barefoot on the creamy beaches of Cozumel in Mexico, hike through the Rio Dulce National Park in Guatemala and go snorkelling among the coral reefs of Belize. From $6280 per person; oceaniacruises.com

Mystic river

The Mekong has many stories to tell. Just like the cities it visits. And one of the best ways to soak up all the glory is to opt for an itinerary that spends a good amount of time on both river and land. Enter Emerald Cruises' 13-day Wonders of Cambodia, Vietnam & the Mekong journey, which in addition to several nights of cruising, allows guests to explore the cities, too, with three nights each in Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City. From $4995 (several departures between August 29 and December 16); emeraldcruises.com.au

Rugged Australia

Some of the world's top cruise lines are sending their hottest new ships to the Kimberley region in Western Australia this year, but sometimes it pays to stick with a local expert. Australian small-ship operator Coral Expeditions has 30 years of experience in this region, with 10-night cruises between Darwin and Broome taking place from April to September. From $9000 per person; coralexpeditions.com

In spite of what the naysayers said during the pandemic, the cruise industry is going from strength to strength, with 31.5 million people cruising in 2023, up from 29.7 million in 2019, according to Cruise Lines International Association. More first-timers are joining the fray than ever before, and if you're one of them here are the key things to keep in mind.

1. The best time to book a cruise: The general rule of thumb is - if you're dead-set on where and when you want to go, or which cabin you want to occupy, it's best to sign up as soon as the cruise goes on sale, which could be up to three years in advance, because that's how far ahead cruise lines are putting voyages on sale due to their rising popularity. But if you're flexible with dates and locations, it's best to keep an eye out for last-minute deals.

2. Cruising is for everyone: Solo cruising is on the rise, and 73 per cent of millennials and Gen-X travellers who've never cruised before say they will consider a cruise, according to CLIA's 2023 State of the Cruise Industry report. The number of accessible cabins on ships are increasing, too, making it easier for people with disability to get onboard.

3. Key destinations: The Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe are the world's three most popular cruise destinations, with Australia and New Zealand appearing on the eighth spot.

Read more on Explore: