Standing at the rail, arms wrapped around the one you love, breezes wafting in your hair, together in your own little world at sea. Add champagne, that sense of occasion that still exists on cruise ships; even the joy of dressing up for an elegant evening. There’s a reason no other style of travel can beat ocean cruising for romance.
An ocean cruise in the tropics has always been the poster child for l’amour on the seven seas. But today, there are more ways and places than ever to celebrate life with your sweetheart and rekindle your love aboard the cruise of your dreams.
From Tahiti to the French Riviera, these are the cruises built for two. Bon voyage!
Take Your Sweetie to Tahiti
Courtesy of Paul Gauguin Cruises
One ship, sailing in one region – possibly the most iconically romantic destination on the planet. Paul Gauguin Cruises, as art lovers will guess, is all about French Polynesia. Nearly all of the 330 suites have balconies – your own overwater bungalow at sea, where the view changes daily in the exotic seascapes of the South Seas.
Polynesian hosts and entertainers provide authentic local cultural enrichment and activities, a watersports marina platform lets you and your loved one dip into the impossibly turquoise waters and the cruise line even has itineraries that include exclusive access to a private beach in Bora Bora or a private islet for a beach day and barbecue.
Voyages range from a week to two weeks, in a variety of itineraries, visiting different islands in French Polynesia, Fiji and the South Pacific, with many departing or round trip from Tahiti. For example, this 7-day “Tahiti and the Society Islands.”
Small-Ship Yachting on the French Riviera
Courtesy of Scenic Cruises
Channel your inner billionaire or French movie star couple as you and your sweetheart sail from storied harbour to chic fishing village along the coastlines of the Mediterranean on the luxury “Discovery Yacht” Scenic Eclipse. Though equipped and engineered to cruise the most remote waters of the world, including Antarctica, it’s all smooth sailing along the chicest coastline in the world. Butlers serve guests in every suite, two onboard helicopters give guests heli-tours over the pastel buildings and craggy pine- and palm tree-covered hillsides and, every day, a new legendary destination awaits exploration as you pull alongside private yachts.
The Scenic Eclipse tracks the many coastlines of the Mediterranean for the warm-weather season, but if you’re in love with how the French Riviera does romance, check out the 6-day “Riviera Gems with Corsica and Sardinia.”
From the elegant street markets and French fashion houses of Saint-Tropez, to the casino and harbour-side cafes of Monte Carlo, you can rediscover your best selves together in the exquisite light and balmy breezes, sipping Provençal wines along the French Riviera.
Get Into an Ocean State of Mind With Your Beloved
Another luxury, small-ship cruise line creates winning conditions for you to explore your amorous side while being immersed in the yachting lifestyle. Explora Journeys calls its approach to cruising an “Ocean State of Mind.” Drawing on the elegance of its European roots and modern, intimate, residential-style design and lifestyle, this floating boutique hotel continuously connects guests with the sights and rhythms of the sea, from private terraces in every suite, the ocean views even from retail areas, a distinctly European pace of life on board and even “Ocean Wellness” programs. When you feel this good, your primal connection with the sea translates to a primal connection with the one you love.
Courtesy of Explora Journeys
Take that journey even this winter while Explora Journey yachts are in the balmy, sun-kissed Caribbean. “Yachtsman’s itineraries” take you off the beaten track where the big ships sail, into yacht harbours on smaller islands where your day in port leaves you feeling like a local.
For example, the “7-night “A Journey to Antillean Isles and Sublime Sunsets” brings you to the shores of Caribbean gems like Anguilla, Antigua and British Virgin Gorda – where one of the natural wonders of the Caribbean, the “Baths” lets you and your lovie explore scenic grottoes and secret pools along the shoreline created by immense and other-worldly granite boulders.
Sip Champagne and Snack on Caviar in the Surf
Small-ship luxury cruise line Seabourn’s fleet consists of classic ocean and expedition ships capable of sailing to the most remote, even polar, seas in the world. You expect exotic destinations on expedition cruises, but Seabourn’s classic fleet also lets couples tap their sense of adventure together, bonding and creating shared memories of once-in-a-lifetime explorations.
But you won’t be roughing it. The private club-like, all-suite, ocean-facing environment and a nearly 1:1 ratio of guests to crew, who deliver the cruise line’s renowned personalized service, wrap you in the warmth of one of the most intimate environments at sea.
Seabourn’s signature Caviar in the Surf event.
The line pioneered “Seabourn Moments” that other cruise lines have come to emulate: shopping with the chef in local markets in port, caviar service anytime, anywhere on the ship, and perhaps the line’s most beloved event that marries deluxe indulgence and shipboard community: “Caviar in the Surf.” The ship’s officers, decked out in their white uniforms, stand waist-high in the surf, serving champagne and caviar off a surfboard to delighted guests. While caviar parties on the top deck take place on Seabourn ships around the world, Caviar in the Surf happens consistently in two: Carambola beach on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, and during a private beach party on the Thai island of Ko Kood.
It’s just one of many highlights of the 14-Day Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam Seabourn itinerary that embarks in Hong Kong and disembarks in Singapore.
A Match Made in the Heavens
Not every romance blooms in warm weather. For many couples, snuggling up together in Nordic ‘hygge’ style, with fur throws, felted wool cushions and fireplaces to gather ’round fans the flames of passion. Add the wondrous celestial experience of the Northern Lights in the clear, Arctic skies, out at sea where no light pollution can reach, and you’ve got a series of nights to remember.
Courtesy of Viking Cruises
Viking’s ocean ships are a masterclass in Scandinavian coziness and apres-ski style, which are especially appealing for couples on cold weather itineraries who want to cuddle.
The cruise line’s family Scandinavian roots show in its new 13-day itinerary “In Search of Northern Lights” that celebrates an Arctic winter. Embarking in London, the cruise sails north to Scotland and crosses the dramatic North Sea to Norway, whose coastal fjords and famous Aurora Borealis will keep couples breathless with these natural wonders – and each other.
Good to Know
- Paul Gauguin Cruises – French Polynesia, all suites with balconies, private beach in Bora Bora
- Scenic Eclipse – Mediterranean “Discovery Yacht,” butlers, helicopters, 6-day Riviera itineraries
- Explora Journeys – Caribbean “Ocean State of Mind,” private terraces, yacht harbours
- Seabourn – “Caviar in the Surf” in St. Kitts and Thailand, 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio
- Viking – “In Search of Northern Lights,” 13 days from London to Norway, Arctic skies
