If you thought cruise ship holidays were only for pensioners at play, with dull, monotonous days spent at sea with nothing to do, think again: today, cruise holidays can be exciting and interesting, and, if you opt for an adventure cruise, even knee tremblingly exciting. We pick five of the best cruise ship routes with a difference.

The Mekong

As fan of the movie Apocalypse Now will be able to tell you, the river Mekong is a wide, winding, river in South East Asia. With its beautiful riverside, colourful history and unique destinations along its course, the River Mekong is also fast becoming a popular cruise destination, too.

A popular route to travel is from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, heading up river through the Vietnamese countryside, into Cambodia, before ending at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat, one of the most breathtaking religious sites in the whole world. If you are interested in history and culture, and enjoy travelling in a stimulating environment, then the Mekong cruise is for you.

Amazon Cruise

Before thinking about the Amazon River, it is necessary to put out of your mind anything you think you know already about rivers, for the Amazon River is incomparable to any other river on earth. The Amazon basin covers a total of approximately 2.3 million square miles and discharges around 40,000 gallons of water into the Atlantic Ocean every single second. What’s more, the water volume of the Amazon River amounts to twenty per-cent of the volume of all rivers on Earth.

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So, a cruise up the Amazon is no gentle riverboat trip: expect to have your senses attacked by a colourful array of animals, including howler monkeys, river dolphins and parrots, as well as plenty more exotic looking animals. Also, you can expect to interact with a number of different tribal groups, all of which have their customs and cultures. The Amazon is still largely unexplored, and there still exist tribes, deep in the jungle, that have yet to meet the outside world, making an Amazon cruise an exciting introduction to this wild and untamed tropical destination. A must for all wildlife and nature fans with a keen sense for adventure.

Norwegian Fjords

If sitting on deck in the sun day-in-day-out is not really for you, and you are looking for out of this world vistas and something to keep your eyes occupied, then a Norwegian fjord cruise is undoubtedly the cruise for you. The fjords (pictured), caused by the movement of gigantic glaciers, are dotted along Norway’s western coast.

Marvel at the spectacular glacial scenery, alpine mountains and picturesque villages which cover this awe-inspiring location. Popular places to visit are: Geirangerfjorden, Harangerjord, and the breathtaking Sognefjord.

Antarctica

The last great continent left to explore, Antarctica is a wild and rugged land of bitter cold, snow, ice and penguins. It is an untouched wilderness where anything could happen. Most cruise journeys to Antarctica travel past the southern tip of Argentina, along the infamous Drake Passage. Expect to see icebergs and an array of exceptional wildlife, including humpbacked whales, albatrosses and penguins.

Journeying to Antarctica is not for the faint hearted as conditions, even in summer, can be horrendous, and is undoubtedly an adventure of a lifetime. Those hoping for regular cabaret, or bingo, will be disappointed; expect onboard entertainment to include wildlife seminars and information on the journey you are making.

The Nile

Although a popular cruise destination since the day’s of the British Empire, in our opinion a Nile Cruise is still one of the best. Luxurious accommodation and superb service mix seamlessly with an abundance of super sights and interesting ports of call to create a brilliant experience. What better way to arrive at the pyramids of Luxor than aboard a cruise ship? What’s more, while parts of the Nile are developed, there are long stretches of the river that surely would look the same to the Ancient Egyptians.

Depending on what type of cruise you choose, destinations to visit include Abu Simnel, Luxor, Cairo and Alexandria. If you like it hot, but are not too keen on simply sunbathing, then the sights and sounds of Ancient Egypt are the place for you.