Where to sail when: the best cruises and sailing holidays for every month of the year

From exploring the ice fields of southern Patagonia to birdwatching in the Amazon, Emma Love charts the best times of the year to weigh anchor
The Philippines

The Philippines

© Giovanni Simeone/4Corners Images

January: The Philippines

Bookended by Hong Kong and Singapore, a 12-night cruise on the new superyacht Luminara explores the Philippines. Coral reefs, crystal-clear lagoons, limestone cliffs and mangrove forests are the daily backdrop. From £13,800, departing from Hong Kong on January 13, 2026, with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com

February: Fiji to Micronesia

An extraordinary journey through Oceania on Le Soléal offers the chance to visit the Vanuatu archipelago, the Solomon Islands, New Britain in Papua New Guinea and Guam. Snorkel and dive on some of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world, which are teeming with rays, turtles and dolphins. From £7,810, departing from Fiji on February 22, 2027, with Ponant. uk.ponant.com

Parque Nacional Pumalín Chile

Parque Nacional Pumalín, Chile

Fotografías Jorge León Cabello

March: Chilean Fjords and Patagonia

After 24 hours in Buenos Aires and a flight to Ushuaia, this 15-day quest gets properly underway. The landscapes throughout are majestic – from the Fjord of the Mountains, a narrow channel at the far end of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, to the monumental Pio XI glacier. From £9,799, departing from Buenos Aires on March 18, 2026, with Seabourn. seabourn.com

April: Galápagos Islands

National Geographic is known for its adventure tours and naturalist guides who share their expertise in the Galápagos. Aboard the eight-cabin catamaran National Geographic Delfina, island stops and activities abound. From £11,379, departing from Guayaquil or Quito in Ecuador on April 3, 2026, with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. uk.expeditions.com

May: Spain and France

Enjoy wine tasting in Spain’s Galicia region and Basque cities Bilbao and San Sebastián, before travelling to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Bordeaux in France. The eight-day itinerary features themed excursions, onboard visits from wineries, and a dégustation dinner paired with top cuvées. From £6,586, departing from Lisbon on May 3, 2026, with SeaDream Yacht Club. seadream.com

Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands

Jonathan Herbert I JH Images

June: Iceland and Norway

Viking Mira is joining the Viking fleet in 2026 and will spend part of her inaugural season in Scandinavia. The immersive, 13-day voyage begins with a circumnavigation of north Iceland before calling at the Faroe Islands, then Geiranger, Ålesund and Flåm in Norway. From £7,490, departing from Reykjavik on June 26, 2026, with Viking. vikingcruises.co.uk

July: Greece and Croatia

Combine visits to idyllic Greek islands – whitewashed Paros (above), Old Town Rhodes and sleepy villages on Corfu – with the picturesque Dalmatian Coast over seven nights. The final port calls are Hvar, a fortified town known for its Venetian castle, Rijeka and Venice. From £3,995, departing from Athens on July 13, 2026, with Explora Journeys. explorajourneys.com

August: The Kimberley

A vast wilderness in western Australia, the Kimberley region is renowned for its ancient rock art, mighty rivers and red sandstone cliffs. Discover all this, plus sights such as King George Falls and the Buccaneer Archipelago region, and Montgomery Reef on a 17-day voyage. From £14,600, departing from Darwin on August 3, 2026, with Silversea. silversea.com

Portovenere

Portovenere

© Marco Bottigelli

September: The Mediterranean Rivieras

The super-sleek Four Seasons yacht seems fitting for a seven-night whirl round the Mediterranean’s blockbuster hits. This cruise combines the glitz of Saint-Tropez and Sardinia’s Porto Cervo with beguiling UNESCO towns such as Portovenere, Italy. From $26,300 for a suite, departing from Monte Carlo on September 20, 2026, with Four Seasons Yachts. fourseasonsyachts.com

October: The Amazon

Based in the vast Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve – Peru’s largest protected area – recently launched 12-cabin riverboat Pure Amazon has three-, four- and seven-night itineraries. Water is at its lowest from June to November – the best times for birdwatching, wildlife spotting and
jungle excursions. From $5,475 for three nights, with A&K Sanctuary. abercrombieandkent.com

The northern coast at Benijo locxated in the northern part of Tenerife Spain.

The northern coast at Benijo locxated in the northern part of Tenerife, Spain.

Dennis Fischer Photography

November: Canary Islands

Swap winter’s chill for warmer climes with this 14-night island-hopping round trip on the David Collins Studio-designed Queen Anne. Tick off Lisbon, La Palma (the green island), Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Madeira. Sea days mean downtime for swimming and padel. From £999, departing from Southampton on November 29, 2026, with Cunard. cunard.com

December:The Seychelles

Aqua Expeditions has small ships in far-flung destinations, such as on the Mekong River, and in 2026 the company is launching a vessel in East Africa. Four itineraries alternate the inner and outer islands. You can see giant tortoises at Aldabra, birdwatch at Cosmoledo and snorkel at Astove. From $9,000 for five nights, with Aqua Expeditions. aquaexpeditions.com