Luxury cruise lines are venturing into regions where they’ve never sailed before, while others are cruising familiar waters in different seasons, allowing guests to explore destinations in new ways. Here is where (and when) some of our favorite companies can now take you, along with a sampling of the compelling excursions that make the cruises noteworthy.

An Insider’s Alaska

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection makes its Alaskan debut this summer with sailings through September aboard the 226-suite Luminara. Departing from Vancouver or Whittier, Alaska, the ship calls at popular ports like Ketchikan and Sitka, plus others not accessible to larger vessels, like Klawock and Wrangell. Excursions reveal the natural beauty of the Inside Passage. From untouristy Valdez, a helicopter takes you over the Chugach Mountains and lands on a remote glacier. At Wrangell’s Anan Wildlife Observatory, you can watch black and brown bears fishing for salmon. The cruises continue in 2027, between April and October, with expanded offerings on board like a salmon-curing class and special Alaska-inspired spa treatments. A scrub employing local botanicals sounds pretty good to us! From $9,700 per person

From Wrangell to Bali

Explora Journeys makes its first appearance in the Last Frontier in 2027 with cruises aboard the 926-guest Explora III. From May through September, the ship calls at classic stops, including Juneau and Skagway, as well as more remote ones, such as Wrangell and Haines. Most itineraries feature longer-than-usual stays in many of the ports, giving you time to enjoy sights like the 8,000-year-old rock carvings on Wrangell’s Petroglyph Beach. From $4,950 per person

From Alaska, Explora III moves to Asia, another region new to the brand. Cruises between September 2027 and May 2028 will visit countries on the continent’s Pacific Rim, with lengthy stays in several ports. Some stops have either late-night departures (Shanghai, Bangkok) or overnights (Bali, Hanoi). From $2,880 per person

A Different Side of Mexico

In February and March 2027, Ponant cruises around Baja California for the first time. Four round-trip sailings from Cabo San Lucas aboard the 184-guest Bellot will showcase the region’s marine mammals, coral reefs and other natural wonders. In Magdalena Bay, be on the lookout for gray whales, humpbacks and dolphins as you make your way to Bird Island, with its thousands of cormorants and brown pelicans. Hike across the otherworldly sand dunes bordering the bay, and snorkel or dive in Cabo Pulmo National Park. From $10,970 per person

Intimate Indonesia

Uniworld, known for its luxury European river cruises, charts a new course in 2027 with land-and-sea itineraries between Bali and Singapore. It has chartered Aqua Expeditions’ 30-guest Aqua Blu for trips on June 23 and September 1, with three nights in Bali, seven aboard the ship and three in Singapore. In Subak Guliang, a rural Balinese farming village, try your hand at activities like mat weaving and wood carving. In Singapore, spend time with a local collector who has turned his home into a museum containing thousands of Peranakan artifacts and crafts, from embroidered shoes to intricately carved rosewood furniture with mother-of-pearl inlay. While cruising, kayak in the caldera of an extinct volcano, get close to dragons in Komodo National Park, and hike the hills of dramatic Padar Island for splendid views of its three bays, each with a different-colored beach. From $20,281 per person

Mediterranean in Winter

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has long plied the Mediterranean between spring and fall. Now it’s also offering sailings there between November 2026 and February 2027 aboard the 496-guest Seven Seas Navigator, following the ship’s multimillion-dollar refresh. Reduced crowds are a major part of the appeal, and the excursions look fascinating. A January 15 sailing from Istanbul to Athens includes an overnight in Cyprus, where you can visit Nicosia to see the breathtaking 18th-century frescoes in the Cathedral of St. John. And during an overnight at Alexandria, Egypt, head south to Giza to see the pyramids and the recently opened Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses the complete collection of Tutankhamen’s treasures. From $5,449 per person

Japan for Connoisseurs

Silversea typically offers Japan jaunts in the spring and autumn, but next year, two of its ships will also sail there in summer. The 632-guest Silver Muse cruises round-trip from Tokyo between June and August, calling at both iconic ports and smaller ones like Sakaiminato. Certain itineraries coincide with major events, like Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri. Celebrated throughout July, it’s Japan’s most famous festival, culminating in a lively parade on July 17. From $7,200 per person

Expedition cruises on the 254-guest Silver Cloud between May and July feature a variety of itineraries with unique excursions. On a sailing from Otaru to Osaka, for example, you can challenge yourself with a 6-mile trek along the Kuniga Coast of Nishinoshima for spectacular views of sweeping grasslands and sheer cliffs. From $9,900 per person