Cruising

Cruising – Explore History by Sea

Cruising isn’t just about luxury and relaxation—it’s a journey through time. From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, from the fjords of Norway to the rivers of Southeast Asia, cruises offer a unique way to experience history, culture, and civilization. Step ashore and wander cobblestone streets, explore ancient ruins, and visit museums where the past comes alive. Each port of call is a chapter in the story of the world, and every journey at sea provides a panoramic view of history unfolding before you.

With curated shore excursions and onboard lectures, you can dive deeper into the cultures and historical landmarks of each destination. Whether you’re walking the streets of Venice, exploring colonial forts in the Caribbean, or visiting Viking museums in Scandinavia, cruises give travelers the rare chance to experience multiple historic regions in one seamless journey. Let the Roaming Historian guide you to cruises that blend comfort with curiosity, ensuring every voyage is an adventure in history.

Types of Cruises to Enjoy History and Culture:

  • Historic Mediterranean Cruises Explore the ancient civilizations of Greece, Italy, and Egypt. From the ruins of Athens to the Colosseum in Rome and the Pyramids of Giza, these cruises make history accessible at every port.
  • Caribbean Culture Cruises Step ashore in islands shaped by colonial powers, trade routes, and maritime legends. Visit historic forts, old towns, and cultural centers while enjoying the ease of cruise travel.
  • Scandinavian & Northern Europe Cruises Discover the Viking legacy, medieval towns, and the dramatic fjords of Norway. Guided tours reveal the stories behind castles, cathedrals, and iconic landscapes.
  • Asian & Pacific Cruises Sail to Japan, Thailand, and Australia, where ancient temples, royal palaces, and Indigenous cultures await. Shore excursions connect you with centuries of history and tradition.
  • Repositioning Cruises Sail across the ocean like in the days of yore! A repositioning cruise allows for slow travel, no jet lag, and luxury accommodations while you sail towards your destination.

Making the Most Out of Your Cruise

Excursions offered through the cruise line can be expensive and crowded. But I strongly encourage you take tours/excursions when you’re on a cruise. Why? An expert shows you the culture and history of an area in a way you couldn’t see on your own.

How to avoid costly tours by the cruiseline? Shore Excursions Group is a company that specializes in providing high-quality shore excursions for cruise passengers. They offer easy options for tour separate from your cruise line. You just go to their site, plug in your cruise information and a list of options pops up.

Shore Excursions Group offers accessibility, lower-priced, high quality excursions with a “guaranteed return to ship” policy:

  • More than 4,000 excursions to over 300 ports worldwide, covering 99% of major cruise line itineraries
  • Lower-priced and high quality excursions
  • Smaller-sized excursion opportunities
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
  • Return to Ship guarantee

Viator also offers lot of shore excursions and, if you’re in Europe I would also check out LivTours and the Tour Guy. You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

What Else to Know About Cruising?

Onboard Learning & Cultural Enrichment. Many cruises offer lectures, workshops, and historical presentations onboard, so you can learn as you travel. Enhance your understanding of every destination before you even set foot onshore.

Historic Hotels & Stays Near Ports. Extend your cruise experience with pre- or post-cruise stays in historic hotels, boutique inns, or heritage properties close to your ports of call. I recommend flying in at least one day ahead of time if flying domestically and at least two days if flying internationally. You can use that extra time to extend the vacation and the port you’re leaving from!

  • Find the perfect stay with a vast selection of hotels catering to every budget and preference with Hotels dot com or Expedia.
  • VRBO: Discover unique and comfortable short-term rentals for a truly authentic travel experience. Traveling with friends or family…no problem!

Get Travel Insurance! I can’t state enough how important this is. I prefer to buy my own policy, since it’s always been cheaper and better coverage than is offered through the cruise line. Although I have some protection from my credit card, it’s not enough. Travel Insurance dot com lets me compare policies for the coverage I need. This awesome travel site provides quotes from numerous travel insurance agencies and allows you to purchase them right there with no added increase to you. The policy is immediately emailed by the insuring company to you and you have instantaneous coverage! https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Pack Lite and Other Travel Tips. My travel tips page provides endless tips on converting foreign currency, packing lite, and much more.

Plan Ahead. Travel with comfort and style, making every moment of your journey memorable by planning ahead. With its vast collection of user reviews, ratings, and recommendations, you can trust TripAdvisor to help you find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions, ensuring a memorable trip. And when it’s time to book your flights, accommodations, and car rentals, Expedia is your go-to platform to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey.

  • Expedia: Unlock a world of possibilities with Expedia’s comprehensive travel services including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, packages, and more.
  • TripAdvisor: Your go-to source for reviews, recommendations, and the best deals on accommodations and activities.

Cruising has a lot to offer: you visit multiple destinations in one trip while only unpacking once. You can enjoy a wide variety of onboard activities, world-class shows, and fabulous dining all hassle-free and all-inclusive. If you’re looking to roam historical sites or just relax, cruises offer a lot for everyone. To get the most out of your adventure, I recommend reading my travel tips, planning your excursions well (we have numerous links), stay a little longer at the port city, get travel insurance, and prepare for the time of your life!

More Recommendations

Some of my cruise-related blogs:

The Benefits of Booking with Shore Excursions Group

How to Avoid Travel Nightmares (with Travel Insurance Dot Com)

Euro to Dollar Conversion–How to Convert Dollars to Euros

The Definitive Guide to Packing Light: How I Packed for 2 1/2 Months in Carry-On Only

Why You Should Take a Transatlantic Cruise

For blogs on many of historic places, go to my “Read About Can’t Miss Places” page.

For travel tips in general, see Travel Tips page.

Follow me on my social media channels:

My recommendations for various countries and cities around the globe.

LivTours (semi-private/private tours): https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61   

**You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

TourGuy (small group/private tours): https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi

Viator (small to medium size groups/private): https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector

Roaming Historian Viator Shop:

Shore Excursions Group: https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com

Protect your vacation with Travel Insurance dot com. This awesome travel site provides quotes from numerous travel insurance agencies and allows you to purchase them with no added increase to you: https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Our incredible partners, such as LivTours, TripAdvisor, VRBO, World Nomads insurance, and more, make exploring the globe an unforgettable experience. With industry leaders in tours, travel insurance, hotels, vacation rentals, flights, cruises, and trip planning, explore the world with our curated list of affiliate links on our Travel Planning page: https://roaminghistorian.com/travel-planning/

Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

Disclosure: Roaming Historian may derive revenue from affiliate links and other sources, which helps offset the costs of bringing you the information we do. The blogs and reviews posted on this website are of our own opinion though.