6 Cruises to the Most Remote Destinations on Earth

The only other way to get to Tasiilaq is by helicopter—and Ponant’s icebreaking ship Le Commandant Charcot is a much more comfortable way to see the snow-capped peaks, rugged fjords, and icebergs floating off the coast on several 10-day itineraries from Iceland in the Spring of 2024. Guests can visit the town and discover village customs such as hunting by dogsled on the ice floes, or learn some of the Inuktitut language. Kayak or take a zodiac boat among the icebergs, trek overland and camp out overnight on the ice, try ice fishing, or simply sit back and take it all in from the ship’s sun deck.

Pitcairn Island, British Overseas Territory

Cruise line: Silversea

Tiny Pitcairn Island is so mountainous there’s no room for an airport—and barely enough space to land a boat. The latter is exactly why the Bounty mutineers and a handful of Tahitians in their party chose to settle here in 1790; so they couldn’t be easily invaded by the British Navy. Their descendants still live on the island today, and it’s the least populous British Overseas Territory. Visitors come primarily for bragging rights; stamps—both passport and postage—are one of the island’s top draws. Several cruises stop through the islands, but Silversea’s sailings onboard Silver Cloud between Tahiti and Chile in the fall of 2024 and 2025 anchor for an overnight, giving passengers ample time to attempt the often-treacherous landing by tender.

Aeolian Islands, Italy

Cruise Line: Variety Cruises

Northeast of Sicily, these volcanic islands are only accessible by ferry. Stromboli, with its ever-present thread of smoke is perhaps the most famous of the archipelago’s volcanoes. You won’t find cars on many of the islands, but you will find chic boutiques, oceanfront bars and restaurants, and more secluded, rocky beaches than could be hoped for. From the Sun Deck of Variety Cruises 44-passenger yacht the Harmony G, anchored in the azure waters while the cliffs rise above, it’s easy to feel like somebody while sipping an Aperol Spritz while taking in the ripples of golden sunlight reflecting off the Tyrrhenian Sea. Variety Cruises is finalizing dates and rates for 2024.