And in its first foray outside the West Coast of North America, Cruise West will debut its 114-passenger Spirit of Oceanus in Asia this April. And Asia's coastal waters offer access to ancient ruins, cultural events, and thousands of years of history. The South Pacific, too, is gaining in popularity. Radisson's Paul Gauguin continues to offer weeklong cruises of French Polynesia that visit islands such as Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora. And on December 23, Windstar Cruises's Wind Song will begin 10-day cruises between Christchurch and Auckland, New Zealand.
Ports are now available where even veteran cruise passengers have never been.
Jean Pierre Hervio from Michel Roux's Waterside Inn, outside London. You can journey from Galveston, Texas, to Paradise aboard Carnival Cruise Lines's Celebration. Don't miss Paradise Cafe, where reggae music floats on warm ocean breezes. Not much more than a hut with hammocks and a few tables in the sand, the Paradise serves the island's best margaritas and shrimp quesadillas. The ecological theme park features an aquarium, botanical garden, folkloric shows, and a dolphin interaction program.