Cruises and Yachts: Y.CO; Photography: Jeff Brown
A world apart from your typical Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise, a honeymoon on a luxury yacht may find you sipping Veuve Clicquot in the shadow of an Antarctica glacier, sunbathing on a private island in French Polynesia, sailing around Cape Horn on a tour of South African ports, or crafting an itinerary of you heart’s desire on a private-yacht adventure. A yachting honeymoon is the height of romance on the high seas, a sail into ports where big ships dare not go, with unique experiences and adventures in every new harbor.
Cruises and Yachts: Paul Gauguin Cruises
Champagne and Ladurée macarons are on the menu on Ponant’s fleet of small luxury ships, where the line’s French roots are evident everywhere from restaurants overseen by culinary legend Alain Ducasse to music-themed cruises curated by Radio Classique and a food-and-wine itinerary that make port calls in Medoc and Bordeaux.
Special ice-breaking ships offer the rare opportunity to step foot on the Antarctica continent, with guided hikes in Neko Harbor as well as sighting humpback whales and leopard seals among the icy waters at the bottom of the world. The wild Kimberley coast of Western Australia is nearly as remote; a Ponant cruise is the best way to explore this vast, roadless region known for its ancient landscapes, Aboriginal rock art, and mysterious “horizontal waterfalls.”
Photography: Jeff Brown
See Tahiti and Fiji through a vibrant artistic lens with Paul Gauguin Cruises, whose small ships are designed specifically to enter the pristine lagoons of French Polynesia and the South Pacific. Onboard experiences include nightly live entertainment from a group of Tahitian performers and gourmet meals crafted by Chef Jean-Pierre Vigato of the Michelin two-star Restaurant Apicius of Paris. A private butler will pour the cocktails as couples toast each new destination from the balcony of their Grand Suite, including a special stop of Motu Mahana, Paul Gauguin’s private island off the coast of Taha’a.
Immersive experiences aboard Azamara Club Cruises mean a lot more than a plunge in the pool: port calls include ample time to enjoy the richness of local color whether you’re indulging in Stockholm’s nightlife or taking a day-long hike in the rainforests of Costa Rica. Get your honeymoon off to a romantic start with a private butler-served dinner for two followed by a toast on the Sanctum Spa terrace and a night spent under the stars in an outdoor bed.
Cruises and Yachts: Y.CO; Photography: Scholey Photography
Azamara destinations span the globe from Australia and New Zealand to Asia, Europe and the Americas. Couples who truly want to start life together as a journey in luxury and adventure can embark on Azamara’s 102-day world cruise, which visits 29 countries and 60 ports between Sydney and London.
For a truly bespoke honeymoon cruise, charter a luxury yacht from Y.CO and chart your own course to the Mediterranean, the Maldives, the Caribbean, Asia, and Australasia and beyond.
Fully crewed and provisioned, a charter yacht can be your honeymoon home-away-from-home for a week or a month. You will always arrive in style whether you’re pulling into port on the classic, 180-foot, twin-masted sailing yacht Elena or cruising the Maldives on the power yacht Senses, a 194-footer equipped with high-speed tenders and a helipad to ensure that your honeymoon dream destinations are limited only by your imagination.
>Written by Bob Curley
