Travel: Here are 6 less-visited cruise ports that are worth calling on ...Middle East

It’s tough going on luxury cruise after luxury cruise with all the frustrations one must endure. Like the nth time getting upsold on oils and serums once a spa treatment is over. Or repetitive food choices that can lead to experiencing déjà vu starting on Day Eight if the main dining room is on a seven-day menu rotation. And heaven help being subjected to a professional lounge singer with a limited song repertoire. Even a Red Sox fan has to admit that hearing “Sweet Caroline” three times a night isn’t so good, so good, so good.

Landlubbers may sniff, but before anyone reaches for their air violin, understand that the above real-life instances are mere nautical nits compared to a more serious consequence of frequently living the high life on the high seas. And that would be the monotony of revisiting a port so often, you find yourself laying out on the same sun-kissed beach or snorkeling in the same amazing spot as once before. These are classic examples of been-there-done-that, and if this sounds like another classic example — that of a first-world problem — you’re … absolutely right.

With tongue no longer in cheek, while it’s a real thing for experienced cruisers to yawn over returning to a port they’ve already explored, the sun will rise again tomorrow and likely somewhere exotic. But if repetition is a hard pass and staying onboard to enjoy a near-empty ship isn’t a great option, then the only viable solution is to seek out itineraries with ports that are out of the mainstream — even ones you may have never heard of.

Cruise enthusiasts aren’t the only ones who share a desire to go where the masses don’t. Many of us find something special in taking the road less traveled — or in this case, the port less visited; heck if for no other reason than social media. Going places where your friends and loved ones will ask, “where’s that?” does add cool factor to your vacation.

So, let’s take the first step toward making your Insta followers jealous. These recommended cruises set for 2026 contain stops at gems so hidden that the chances of a fun-filled Carnival Diamond member or a Zenith status holder with Celebrity are as remote as some of the destinations themselves.

Bimini, Bahamas

On the westernmost island of the Bahamas, a mere 50 nautical miles due east from Miami, is Bimini, a passenger-pleasing port that fulfills our niche-haven needs in that it can handle just one luxury liner a day. That’s a drop in the Atlantic Ocean compared to the scene in Nassau, where six ships can be parked daily. Home of the heavily marketed Atlantis Resort and escalating crime, according to the U.S. State Department, Nassau is the third-busiest cruise port in the world and a regular stop on many Caribbean itineraries.

Going with David over Goliath, a breath of fresh tropical air and a free shuttle off the ship take you within minutes to Resorts World Bimini (rwbimini.com). Tiny compared to its sister property in Las Vegas, the former Hilton-branded hotel-casino is actually perfectly sized for an awesome and exclusive port day.

Spending the entire port time at the 4 1/2-acre Resorts World Bimini Beach is what many passengers of Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity and others do, and with an entry fee of as low as $40 per person, that’s a steal compared to what it costs to get the same Caribbean vibe at some of those cruise lines’ private destinations or at the Bahamian behemoth, Atlantis. In total, Resorts World Bimini offers 16 bars and restaurants, four pools, a spacious casino, shopping, water sports, fishing and, for future vacation consideration, a 305-room hotel.

Hambantota, Sri Lanka

For a major city in South Asia that offers a fascinating culture, stunning beaches and a nearby national park where visitors can spot elephants and leopards, you’d think that more than six world-class cruise ships would be making calls here in 2026. But lacking a well-developed port and being relatively remote are reasons why Hambantota hasn’t become a major cruise hub, according to shipping industry sources.

Celebrity Cruises (celebritycruises.com) is among the few big fish seizing on this unique opportunity. “For the adventurous traveler, Hambantota has so much to discover,” said Michael Scheiner, the cruise line’s chief marketing and product officer. “Guests can take in the dazzling exotic blooms at the Mirijjawila Botanic Gardens, or glide through emerald-green winding waterways of the Walawe River on a rainforest safari where they can discover many varieties of mangroves, bird species, deer and water buffalo. They can head to a cricket match at the town’s Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, or join an adventurous trek to search for leopards and elephants in the wild in Yala National Park.”

Celebrity’s 2,138-guest Millennium is hosting a pair of 12-night sails between Singapore and Mumbai in January and February. If all goes as scheduled, Crystal (crystalcruises.com) will dock its 740-passenger ultra-luxury Serenity on Day 100 of a 135-night world cruise that sets sail in Los Angeles on Jan. 11.

Milos, Greece

This volcanic island in the Aegean Sea has one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in the world. Here’s where the Venus de Milo, Poseidon of Melos and Asclepius of Milos were found before making homes in Paris’ Louvre, Athens’ National Archaeological Museum and London’s British Museum, respectively.

Crystal, Emerald, Silversea and Windstar are cruise lines going there in 2026 with a predominantly English-speaking crew. The 100-passenger Emerald Azzarra (emeraldcruises.com) has a sail leaving Athens on May 23 that includes another Grecian obscure delight, Patmos, in addition to Kepez, Turkey, gateway to the ancient city of Troy and the Gallipoli Peninsula, site of one of the bloodiest conflicts in World War I. Battle-scarred, yet beautiful, is a proper description of this region unfrequented by most cruise lines.

Turku, Finland

Baltic cruise itineraries that include overrated Helsinki are as common as a public sauna in the capital city. But a voyage that goes to underrated Turku is special, and in 2026 quite rare. Only two ships are on next year’s port schedule, and just one of those caters to Americans; the 702-passenger Azamara Journey (azamara.com) has an 11-night, seven-country sail from Copenhagen to Stockholm in July.

Turku is Finland’s oldest city, dating back to 1229, and although it’s a top summer destination for citizens, overseas foreigners get virtually shut out due to the extra cost and time required for ships to navigate through the world’s largest archipelago. The fortunate few will behold a hamlet charmed with a medieval castle and cathedral that are both still in use, a 158-year-old market hall, the open-air Luostarinmaki Handicrafts Museum (survivor of the Great Fire of 1827) and other delights along the banks of the Aura River.

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Just seven miles off the Puerto Rican mainland is this island jewel in the Spanish Virgin Islands, perhaps best known for its bioluminescent bay, secluded beaches with undeveloped coves and rich wildlife. At last check, the only cruise lines making a call here next year are Emerald and the more boutique SeaDream Yacht Club (seadream.com), which runs two twin, 112-passenger mega-yachts with a near 1:1 guest-crew ratio.

The SeaDream I makes her exclusive stopover in March, during a 7-night “Spanish & British Caribbean Delight” cruise from San Juan to St. Thomas. The itinerary should live up to its name, delighting the discerning with calls also to low-trafficked Prickly Pear Island, Norman Island and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, and a second Puerto Rican island, Culebra.

Wrangell, Alaska

Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway. Those are the big four on nearly every southbound or northbound cruise to The Last Frontier, and they have the crowds to prove it. Alas, Alaska is only getting more popular, which is generally great for the state’s economy, but it comes at a price for locals and visitors alike. A lovely secondary port is Wrangell, but even that die-hard town of 2,100 seems to be hooking more cruise ships with its bait of rich fur trading, Russian and gold mining history in addition to majestic beauty and a sleepy town.

A dozen or so cruise lines will pay a visit to rustic Wrangell in 2026, and more are on the way. So, at the risk of helping the town lose any more of its tranquility and specialness, a good ship to consider is the ultra-luxury Seabourn Encore (seabourn.com), making her Alaskan debut next season. The 604-passenger ship is being deployed for sails of one and two weeks from May through September.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg, of course. Even cruises to the polar regions, speaking of icebergs, go to lesser-visited ports, not that the usual stops shouldn’t already be unique and remote enough. Imagine being so bored with Antarctica and the Arctic Circle that someone feels the need to seek out an itinerary with hidden gems. Now, that’s a first-world problem.

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