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Every year cruise lines offer a handful of exotic itineraries that provide a rare opportunity for travelers to cross a special destination off their bucket list. These cruises are not part of a regular schedule, rarely get much publicity, and may not be repeated for many years.

In some cases, a cruise line will offer exotic cruises because they are trying to be the first to develop a new market for them. If the cruises sell out, additional cruises to the same destination may be added in future at higher prices. However, if these cruises don’t sell very well, the cruise line will change the itinerary or drop it entirely in favour of a new destination.

In addition, the need to reposition ships from one part of the world to another can often generate rare and extraordinary itineraries for a very limited period each year. This is particularly true when ships have to sail long distances between far-flung continents.

So what’s the best way to be among the first to identify, book and enjoy these special sailings?

1. Be the first to find the hidden gems of cruising by poring over cruise ship itineraries on websites like Tripharbour.ca or on the websites of individual cruise lines. Also, check out the various cruise line brochures and flyers that arrive in the mail. The problem with the latter is that by the time it arrives in your mailbox, the cruise you want may already be wait-listed or sold out.

2. Look for cruises that sail to ports of call that are not included in standard itineraries to the same region. For example, if sailing on a Northern European cruise, does it include more exotic destinations like Trondheim, Geiranger, Spitsbergen and Bergen? If sailing to the Eastern Mediterranean, will the ship call at ports like Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa in the Black Sea? And if sailing around the Horn of South America, will the itinerary include Antarctica?

3. Be on the lookout for repositioning cruises that offer much more than the standard itinerary. For example, trans-Atlantic cruises that visit Iceland and Greenland. Trans-canal voyages that include South America. Cruises between Asia and Australia that include Bali, Indonesia and Vietnam. And sailings from South Africa that visit Zanzibar and the Maldives. 

4. Consider taking a segment of a world cruise. These longer voyages tend to visit more exotic locations and spend more time in port. But you don’t have to sign up for the entire 100-day voyage – most world cruises can be purchased in segments that typically range in length from 16 to 30 days.

5. Pay particular attention to the itineraries of small and medium-sized cruise ships. These ships tend to include visits to out-of-the-way ports that are too small for bigger ships to access. In addition, if a region like the Amazon River has been suffering from drought, larger ships may not even be able to call at ports that are advertised in their brochures. 

Once you’ve spotted your cruise, take at close look at what the fares break down to on a per diem basis versus travelling to the same destinations by airplane and staying in hotels.  In most cases, you’ll find your sea voyage represents a terrific value, and a very smart way to manage your travel bucket.

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