8 New Honeymoon Cruise Itineraries for 2016

Cruises are a great way to hit a lot of different cities in a short amount of time—and they don't always entail being on huge ships that can feel impersonal. For a more intimate on-the-water honeymoon experience, check out these itineraries, all launching next year.

The Mediterranean (from Cannes to Malaga)

The cruise line: SeaDream Yacht Club

Only oenophiles need apply for this weeklong themed wine voyage, which stops in Cannes, St. Tropez, Cassis, and Collioure in France, plus Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena, and Malaga, Spain. When you're not aboard the 56-stateroom SeaDream I yacht, you'll visit boutique vineyards and taste your way through the region's best bottles. 

Details: From $4,499 per person.

The cruise line: Tauck

Tauck's newest ship, the ms Grace, launches in April 2016—and with it the 10-day Rhine, Swiss Alps & Amsterdam itinerary. The adventure begins before even hitting the water: During the included pre-departure, two-night stay in Bern, guests will have the option of heading into the Bernese Alps to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station (at 11,332 feet). Other highlights: a day in Alsatian wine country and dinner at the castle Schloss Ehreshoven, near Cologne. 

Details: From $4,690 per person.

The cruise line: CroisiEurope

In the nine days it takes to sail from Berlin to Prague, you'll visit the gardens at the Sanssouci Palace and the beautiful Magdeburg Cathedral, and explore Meissen (make sure to pick up a few pieces of its famed porcelain) and one of the largest hilltop fortresses in Europe. In between, you'll cruise the Elbe aboard the new paddle-wheel riverboat, the MS Elbe Princesse. 

Details: From $3,087 per person.

The cruise line: AmaWaterways

The new 13-day Taste of Bordeaux journey checks quite a few romantic boxes, including wine tasting in a cave in St. Émilion, and touring the 14th-century castle Château D'Montaigne. Ten sailings next year will be specifically wine-themed—ideal for any oenophile couples. The cruise begins and ends in Paris, so tack on a few extra days if you can. 

Details: From $2,899 per person.

The cruise line: Viking

The 18-day Undiscovered China itinerary is more about seeing all of the classic sights than unearthing hidden gems, the Great Wall, Terra Cotta warriors of Qin Shi Huang, and Three Gorges Dam among them. You'll spend a few nights in Shanghai followed by five nights on the river before ending up back on land, exploring Chengdu, Xian, and Beijing. 

Details: Two-for-one prices start at $5,442.

The cruise line: Abercrombie & Kent

The new Amazon Adventure: Rainforest & River Cruise is the latest from A&K's Luxury Small Group Journeys, which are limited to just 18 guests. You'll sail for six nights, stopping for treks in the jungle and visits with the indigenous Bora tribe—not to mention seeking out the exotic pink river dolphin on the Tahuayo River—before ending in Lima. 

Details: From $6,295 per person. 

The cruise line: Lindblad Expeditions

On the eight-day "Mediterranean Isles" cruise, you'll island hop to Menorca, Sardinia, and Corsica—each destination beautiful in its own right. Highlights include taking a zodiac into Corsica's Scandola Nature Reserve, swimming under the cliffs of Capo Caccia in Sardinia, and just relaxing on Menorca's stunning beaches. 

Details: From $7,990 per person.

The cruise line: Uniworld

The 15-day Splendors of Italy is ideal for first-timers to the "Boot," with stops in all the greats: Milan, Venice, Florence, and Rome (plus excursions to Verona, Padua, Bologna, Chioggia, and Ferrara). You'll have the opportunity to do a pasta-making workshop, harvest mussels, and take guided tours of the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel. 

Details: From $2,799 per person.