7 new cruise itineraries for 2025

The appetite for expedition cruises isn’t going anywhere. Journeys to far-flung places, onboard small vessels accompanied by expert teams, are more popular than ever. Exhilarating new itineraries are announced every year: Colombia’s mighty Magdalena River, Kerala’s temples and backwater lagoons, and Greenland’s otherworldly hiking sites — these are just some of the most exciting new expedition cruises for 2025 and beyond. We highlight six of our favourites.

1. See the Northern Lights in East Greenland

Sail the world’s largest and longest fjord system, Scoresby Sund, on this micro expedition cruise hosting just 12 guests. The 10-day journey takes place on the MV Vikingfjord, with passengers flying from Reykjavík to the isolated Constable Point airstrip before travelling by Zodiac to reach the vessel. The itinerary incorporates a range of adventures and experiences, including husky-feeding and hikes across otherworldly landscapes. Along with trips to remote settlements such as Ittoqqortoormiit, there’s the chance to see the aurora borealis with zero light pollution in Scoresby Sund itself, which is blocked by sea ice for nine months of the year. Departures between August and October 2025, from £8,339 per person, excluding return charter flight from Reykjavík to Constable Point.

2. Explore the backwaters of Kerala

In 2025, boutique river cruise specialist Pandaw will launch a new ship and itinerary tracing the Kerala backwaters, a web of palm-fringed canals and lagoons spanning the country’s south west. Featuring a wraparound promenade deck, al fresco dining and teak-and-brass accommodation, the 10-cabin Kochi Pandaw will sail a circular route from Kochi, home to Ernakulam Shiva Temple and the 16th-century Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest in India. The journey takes in the traditional boatyards of Kavalam, the crescent beaches of the Malabar Coast and the city of Kumarakom, where guests can visit a bird sanctuary that’s home to more than 180 species, including cuckoos and woodpeckers, as well as a nearby craft museum. Weekly departures throughout September, October and November 2025, from £4,999 per person including international flights.

3. Encounter Tasmania’s greatest assets

Discover hidden archipelagos where the only permanent inhabitants include Bennett’s wallabies, wombats, potoroos, possums and pademelons while circumnavigating the island of Tasmania on AE Expeditions’ new small ship Douglas Mawson, which is purpose-built for global expeditions and features several single berth cabins to cater for solo travellers. This 11-day round-trip departing from Hobart, Australia, includes access to epic coastal tracks, temperate rainforests and pristine beaches, as well as little-known walking and hiking trails on Bruny, Flinders and Maria islands. On-board experts are on hand to provide immersive insights, while guests scan the landscape for fur seal colonies and the sky for wandering albatross from one of the ship’s many observation areas, and delve into activities including hiking, Zodiac cruising, wildlife-watching and kayaking. The Coastal Tasmania: Untamed Wilderness cruise sails on 1 December 2025, from £6,236 per person for an Aurora Stateroom Twin, including shore excursions and all meals. Flights and transfers excluded.

4. Be immersed in history on a Colombian river cruise

In 2025, AmaWaterways will become the first major river cruise line to navigate Colombia via the 949-mile Magdalena River. Two newly designed ships, the 60-passenger AmaMagdalena and the 64-passenger AmaMelodia, will sail between the cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla, stopping at UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Cartagena’s San Felipe Castle, a 17th-century hilltop fortress where visitors can explore underground tunnels that once protected Spanish soldiers from French and British forces. Other highlights include birdwatching amid the vibrant habitats outside Magangué, a trip to the striking Carnival Museum in bohemian Barranquilla and an excursion to the floating village of Nueva Venecia, where even the churches rest on stilts. Passengers will also spend time cruising the Magdalena River Basin — home to the brown spider monkey and other species found nowhere else on Earth. Departures every month in 2025. Seven-nights from £4,630 per person including flights.

5. Discover the Falkland Islands and Antarctica

Albatros Expeditions’ new Southern Ocean Odyssey combines ethereal beauty and rugged adventure on a 15-day voyage to two of the planet’s least-visited destinations. Departing from the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, the 93-stateroom Ocean Victory then heads southwards to the Falkland Islands (also known as the Islas Malvinas), where British imports such as fish and chips and red telephone boxes exist alongside penguin colonies and albatross-studded skies. Next is the Drake Passage, the gateway to the Antarctic Peninsula, where glittering bays are fringed by frigid seas that are home to everything from humpback whales and orca to leopard seals. Passengers are encouraged to engage in as much off-ship exploration as possible, with the Expedition Team offering insightful lectures on history, biology and conservation in between shore landings and Zodiac safaris. Onboard, there’s a spa, gym, library and also a lounge that’s the perfect spot for a relaxing afternoon tea, though travellers are likely to be pretty distracted by what’s happening outside. Sails on 3 November 2025, from $15,795 per person (£12,196), exluding flights.

6. Get off the beaten track in Indonesia

Setting sail from Tanjung Benoa, a temple-strewn port town just south of Bali’s capital Denpasar, Scenic’s new 16-day Discover Komodo & the Spice Islands itinerary takes passengers away from the typical tourist routes to some of the archipelago’s most remote corners. Cruising on the 228-guest ‘discovery’ yacht Scenic Eclipse II, guests will visit ring-shaped Satonda Island and walk among the powerful Komodo dragons — males can reach 10ft in length and weigh as much as 300lbs — that have roamed its forests for millions of years. The trip then heads to the Raja Ampat Islands to explore the sapphire shoals by Zodiac, before moving on to the white sands of the Kai Islands and concludes in Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory. Sails on 6 July 2025, from £10,645 per person including flights.

7. Take part in reef restoration in Mexico

Led by marine specialists and oceanographers, this guided National Geographic Day Tour invites passengers to delve into two separate portions of the Mesoamerican Reef System — one of the largest barrier reefs in the Western Hemisphere. Sailing the teal waters around Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen near Cancún, guests will learn about humanity’s impact on the reefs first-hand, identifying examples of coral bleaching, water pollution and microplastics during a snorkelling excursion. The aim is to highlight the influence of climate change and human activity on these flora-rich marine habitats, with on-board experts providing an insight into sustainable marine practices and offering advice on how guests can continue to contribute to the restoration of our oceans. Adults from £125.