There’s a unique way to explore the world’s greatest natural sanctuaries that goes far beyond simple tourism. National parks accessible by sea represent the final frontier where travelers can witness nature in its purest form, as the cruise ship silently carves through waters that have witnessed centuries of exploration.
From the deck of a cruise ship, these protected spaces unveil their secrets in a way no other perspective can offer: the thunderous crash of a calving glacier in Glacier Bay echoes as it did during the journeys of the first explorers; the cliffs of Cinque Terre hold stories of fishermen and sailors etched into centuries-old rocks; and the crystal-clear Caribbean waters around the Virgin Islands shelter coral gardens that amazed Christopher Columbus.
What makes exploring these sanctuaries from the sea so special is the privileged viewpoint that only sailing can provide. Every nautical mile traveled deepens your understanding of environments where nature follows its own rules, where tides and migrations set the rhythm, and where each sunset promises a new discovery.
After more than a decade sailing these seas, I’ve learned that each marine national park holds secrets that reveal themselves only to those who approach with respect and curiosity. These are places where geography intertwines with memory, where every wave tells a different story, and where the traveler becomes part of a narrative much greater than themselves—if they take the time to listen and pause on deck to feel it.
This guide is meant to inspire travelers exploring 21 national parks accessible by sea aboard cruises. From northern glaciers to southern fjords, it reveals the best times to visit and the cruise lines that make these exceptional journeys possible.
21 National Parks You Can Visit by Cruise Ship
- GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK – United States
- DENALI NATIONAL PARK – United States
- ACADIA NATIONAL PARK – United States
- HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – United States
- VIRGIN ISLAND NATIONAL PARK – United States
- GALÁPAGOS NATIONAL PARK – Ecuador
- ALBERTO DE AGOSTINI NATIONAL PARK – Chile
- BERNARDO O’HIGGINS NATIONAL PARK – Chile
- TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK – Argentina
- JOTUNHEIMEN NATIONAL PARK – Norway
- PARCO NAZIONALE DELLE CINQUE TERRE – Italy
- DOÑANA NATIONAL PARK – Spain
- TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – South Africa
- NOSY HARA NATIONAL PARK – Madagascar
- KOMODO NATIONAL PARK – Indonesia
- SHIRETOKO NATIONAL PARK – Japan
- THE GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK – Australia
- DAINTREE NATIONAL PARK – Australia
- FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK – New Zealand
- MACQUARIE ISLAND WORLD HERITAGE AREA – Australia
- RAPA NUI NATIONAL PARK – Chile
North America
Glacier Bay National Park – United States
Dawn in Glacier Bay National Park has its own voice. The crackling of ancient ice breaks the silence as seven glaciers, frozen rivers of time, glide toward the sea. Located 120 kilometers from Juneau, this park transports visitors to a scene seemingly frozen since the last Ice Age.
Towering ice walls rise 70 meters above emerald waters. Humpback whales break the surface between floating icebergs while bald eagles dominate the sky above the fjords. During Alaska's long summer twilights, this 13,287-square-kilometer sanctuary comes alive with bears fishing on shores, seals resting on ice plates, and the Margerie Glacier performing its timeless natural spectacle — massive ice chunks calving in a dance repeated for millennia.
From the cruise deck, every hour in Glacier Bay reinforces why this park exemplifies Alaska’s wild nature: a place where ice tells stories with the shifting sunlight.
- Best season: May to September — endless daylight perfect for photography, temperatures between -1°C and 18°C, peak wildlife activity.
- Recommended cruise lines: Princess Cruises (Alaska veterans), Holland America Line (nature, culture, gastronomy experts), Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (family-friendly), Seabourn (luxury expeditions).
- Why visit Glacier Bay? Most accessible glaciers in the world, guaranteed photo safari, unique wild nature experience — the Arctic of the Northern Hemisphere.
Denali National Park – United States
Mount McKinley (Denali) towers as a giant of ice and rock in Alaska’s heart. At 6,190 meters, it dominates 24,280 square kilometers of wilderness governed by nature’s laws.
The tallest peak in North America creates its own climate, acting as a natural beacon for those cruising Alaska’s waters. Cruises here blend sea experiences with inland adventures by scenic trains or buses operated by cruise lines, winding through valleys and mountains.
Wildlife is breathtaking: Alaska’s 'Big Five' — grizzly bears, majestic moose, swift caribou, gray wolves, and agile Dall sheep — roam freely across forests and alpine tundra. The glaciers decorating mountain slopes are relatives of the ones meeting the sea in iconic spots like Glacier Bay.
- Best season: May to September — up to 20 hours of daylight, temperatures between 10°C and 20°C, peak wildlife action.
- Recommended cruise lines: Holland America Line (McKinley Explorer train), Princess Cruises (Wilderness Express Dome train), Royal Caribbean (guided tours), Celebrity Cruises (land-sea packages), Norwegian Cruise Line (land excursions from Whittier).
- Why visit Denali? Highest mountain in North America, exclusive photo safaris, panoramic trains, and cozy wooden lodges inside the park.
Acadia National Park – United States
Where Maine’s coast fractures into a mosaic of islands and peninsulas, Acadia National Park rises as a bastion of rugged northern Atlantic wilderness.
Covering 19,020 hectares on Mount Desert Island, Acadia entices the senses with pink granite cliffs soaring abruptly to 466 meters atop Cadillac Mountain. Cruises from Bar Harbor provide privileged views of this dramatic land-sea embrace guarded by historic lighthouses.
In autumn, the spectacle peaks as coastal forests shift to fiery reds and golds, mirrored in Atlantic waters where seals lounge and whales feed in plankton-rich zones. Coastal trails like Ocean Path offer stunning views of Thunder Hole, where waves collide into natural sea geysers.
- Best season: September to October — mild climate (10-20°C), vibrant fall colors, fewer crowds.
- Recommended cruise lines: Holland America Line (New England itineraries), American Cruise Lines (coastal navigation), Norwegian Cruise Line (leaf-peeping cruises), Royal Caribbean (stops in Bar Harbor).
- Why visit Acadia? The first national park east of the Mississippi, tallest Atlantic coastline cliffs in the U.S., unique mountain-sea blend, and authentic Maine lobster cuisine.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park – United States
On Hawaii’s Big Island, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park unveils a lunar landscape shaped by two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Stretching from sea level to 4,169 meters atop Mauna Loa, this living geological laboratory dazzles with rivers of incandescent lava plunging into the ocean, creating clouds of steam and new land before your eyes.
Experiencing the park from the sea offers breathtaking views: heroic columns of steam billow where lava meets the Pacific, while black cliffs over 100 meters high—carved from past eruptions—rise sharply from turquoise waters. Cruises sail near Puna’s coast at sunset, with the most dramatic lava flows lighting the night during active eruptions.
- Best season: April to October — dry and stable climate, temperatures 21-29°C, calmer seas.
- Recommended cruise lines: Norwegian Cruise Line (island circumnavigation on Pride of America), Princess Cruises (transpacific cruises), Holland America Line (Hawaii cruises from West Coast), UnCruise Adventures (boutique expeditions).
- Why visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes? The only place to witness the natural birth of new lands live, spectacular nighttime active lava display, unique ecosystems from sea level to summit.
Central and South America
Virgin Islands National Park – United States
St. John Island is the Caribbean’s best-kept jewel. Sixty percent of its 3,376 hectares form Virgin Islands National Park, hiding natural treasures both above and below the waves.
Below the surface, coral reefs teem with vibrant marine life; above, white-sand beaches like Trunk Bay invite visitors into a tropical paradise. As a traveler and editor, I can attest that seeing sea turtles glide just meters from shore is an unforgettable experience worthy of crossing oceans.
More than 500 tropical fish species color an ever-changing underwater canvas. Expedition-style and smaller cruises anchor in Cruz Bay, while larger ships dock at Charlotte Amalie on nearby St. Thomas.
Ancient Taino trails wind through plantation ruins and dry tropical forests, reading like a history book. The surrounding national monument waters offer 30-meter visibility, with seagrass beds where turtles graze peacefully and manta rays cast dancing shadows on the sandy bottom.
- Best season: December to April — dry, stable weather, temperatures 24-29°C, clearest snorkel waters.
- Recommended cruise lines: Princess Cruises (Eastern Caribbean routes), Holland America Line (itineraries including St. John), Celebrity Cruises (exclusive park excursions), Royal Caribbean (regular stops at Charlotte Amalie).
- Why visit Virgin Islands National Park? Self-guided underwater trail at Trunk Bay, some of the world’s best beaches, preserved colonial history, world-class accessible snorkeling.
Galápagos National Park – Ecuador
One thousand kilometers off Ecuador’s coast, the Galápagos Archipelago is one of the planet’s most unique ecosystems. This group of 19 main islands and dozens of islets protects 97% of its surface as national park territory, providing an unparalleled sailing and natural exploration experience.
The islands shelter iconic species like marine iguanas, equatorial penguins, and famed giant tortoises, evolved in isolation over millions of years. The marine park waters are equally extraordinary, shaped by three ocean currents that create a rich habitat for 3,000 marine species.
Snorkeling and diving spots reveal hammerhead sharks, sea lions, and rays. Island-hopping showcases diverse landscapes—from black lava cliffs on Isabela to white sandy beaches at Gardner Bay—each anchorage offering a fresh perspective of the archipelago.
- Best season: December to May — warmer waters (22-25°C), improved underwater visibility, ideal birdwatching.
- Recommended cruise lines: Celebrity Cruises (MS Flora, specially designed), Lindblad Expeditions (scientific focus), Silversea (luxury expeditions), Hurtigruten (small group itineraries).
- Why visit Galápagos? 20% of marine species are endemic, year-round snorkeling and diving, certified naturalist guides, strict conservation practices.
About Responsible Cruising and Protecting Natural Parks
Natural parks are among the most unique places on Earth, deserving protection for their extreme beauty, biodiversity, and fragility. Cruising offers the chance to visit and experience these wonders, but it demands that we approach them with utmost respect, education, and care.
Visiting these parks in an era of mass tourism is a privilege and a sensory gift. Let us feel responsible and special by safeguarding them, as they are our last wild reserves on the planet.
Moreover, as responsible cruisers and mindful travelers—not tourists—let’s carefully choose cruise lines and excursions that prioritize sustainability and avoid environmental interference.
I hope this extensive article inspires many travelers to discover and protect these magnificent marine national parks.