The Sunset Travel Awards celebrate the best in travel in the West. These four are the 2025 winners of the How to Get There: Cruises category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive and searchable travel directory to help you plan your next trip in the West, click here.
Windstar Cruises 7-Day Dreams of Tahiti
Courtesy of Windstar Cruises
One of the most relaxing and luxurious ways to experience French Polynesia is aboard the all-suite Star Breeze, which sails through French Polynesia in six islands, with overnight stays at Bora Bora and Raiatea, where pristine lagoons, hikes, and black pearl harvesting await. We love the fact that just 312 guests are aboard, making this a right-sized cruise in paradise.
Sea Wolf Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise
Courtesy of AdventureSmith Explorations
The Sea Wolf is one of just three small ships allowed to enter Glacier Bay National Park. With just 12 guests, it provides one of the most intimate experiences of the grandeur of the bay with its fjords, cascading and calving glaciers, and rich wildlife, while local guides lead botany hikes and kayak excursions. Alaskan sea exploration at its best.
Ecoventura 8-Day Galapagos Luxury Expedition Cruise
Courtesy of Ecoventura
The most luxurious way to immerse yourself in the bucket-list destination of the mighty Galapagos Islands. On these Relais & Châteaux megayachts, with just 20 guests and a crew of 13, you’ll be intimately guided through life-changing, up-close experiences with seals, sea turtles, iguanas, and other wildlife in this Darwinian wonderland. A once-in-a-lifetime aspiration made real.
Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Alaskan Voyage
Courtesy of Cunard
The newly renovated Queen Elizabeth upgrades Cunard’s classic Alaskan experiences with improved staterooms, pools, and restaurants, plus itineraries that take guests through the must-sees of Alaska, including Skagway, Juneau, Misty Fjords, and beyond. Lectures from experts and shore excursions ranging from whale-watching and glacier visits to exploring historic towns and Indigenous heritage sites make for a rich voyage, no matter the itinerary.