If you work on a cruise ship you have experienced some of the most beautiful harbor entrances. I used to wake up early before my working hours, take some coffee from crew mess and up to the open deck crew areas. Since cruise ships that I have worked on had different itineraries year-round I had a chance to experience some of the most beautiful scenaries.  

This is my list of 10 breathtaking cruise ship harbor entrances

Stockholm - Sailing thru the ice age archipelago

Entrance to Stockholm, one of the most beautiful cities in Scandinavia, is journey of its own becous of the elongated archipelago of thousands of small islands stretching for 80 kilometers. These flat, rock islands originate from the last ice age. This is the most scenic enterances by cruise ship you will ever expirience.

Venice - the fairest of them all

Although the Venetians do not like to see large cruise ships: The ride through the lagoon and the Giudecca Canal past the Piazza San Marco is surpassing its fascination. From high up on deck displays the city and its magnificent buildings and the hustle and bustle on the Piazza San Marco from a very unique perspective. By evening trip with the colors of the clouds, sky and sun make the lagoon city perhaps the most beautiful cruise stop. 

Sydney - the most beautiful natural harbor in the world

Sydney has one of the most beautiful natural harbors in the world. You can experience bays, beaches sailing the harbor entrance. Harbour Bridge and Opera House attract everyone's attention. Today Sydney is becoming one of the most popular ports and more and more cruise ships arrive . The cruise market in Australia is growing rapidly and is also an attractive destination for Europeans, when deep winter prevails. Many ships dock in Sydney on world travels or to the South Seas.

Geiranger – Norway natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Geiranger fjord is part of the Unesco World Heritage Site. Together with the Nærøy Fjord is considered as the most beautiful fjord landscape in the world. 15 km long scenic landscape is surrounded by towering rock formations and giant waterfalls offer spectacular ride through the canyons. At the end of the fjord is located in a lake-like bulge of Geiranger.

Santorini - moored in a volcanic crater

The anchorages off the Greek island of Santorini is spectacular in the middle of the flooded crater of a volcano, which last erupted in 1500 BC. The passengers are taken ashore by tender boats and the brave ride donkeys up the steep rocks up to the place Fira. I prefer ride on the cable car. Campy-looking villages in the traditional Greek colors white and blue are nestled in the towering mountain cliffs and form a backdrop for sunsets of magnificent grandeur.

Hong Kong - China with British flair

Victoria Harbour is one of the busiest ports in the world. In the narrow passage between Kowloon and Hong Kong. Historic ferry and modern catamaran fast ferries, and container ships are on the road. The view of the mighty skyline is an impressive spectacle of light effects and stunning at night. 

Valletta - the Crusaders city

Through a narrow entrance to the cruise ship wedged into the natural harbor of Valletta in Malta directly controls the capital, built on a hill. From the upper deck overlooks the rooftops of the historic old town with its brick-red dome towers. The massive fortress walls are of yellowish sandstone, the lights, especially in the morning and evening sun shine bright yellow. The architecture is witness to the island history with frequently changing rulers - from the Phoenicians, Romans and Arabs to the crusaders. 

Naples - city in the grip of Vesuvius 

Vesuvius wows everyone in its spell, which looks out at the harbor entrance in front of Naples. Sometimes surrounded by clouds dominateing the mighty mountain landscape and forms a perfect backdrop for sunrises and sunsets. Naples itself, is one of the cities that fascinate only at second glance, with exploring the cave world Napoli Sotterranea. That's why it attracts many cruise ships offering excursions to Vesuvius, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Sorrento, Capri, Ischia. 

Kotor, Montenegro – Fjord in the Mediterranean

 The beautiful Bay of Kotor is often called Europe’s most southern fjord. With its unique landscape it the bay feels like you are in Norway with towering peaks and rocky coastline dotted with pretty small towns. The bay is not actually a fjord, but a submerged river valley that’s made up of four bays with a butterfly shape as they stretch inland. UNESCO listed the Bay of Kotor as a World Heritage site.

New York - Sailing thru the US History

If you sail to New York City by cruise ship you will pass by Ellis Iceland, the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. This historic scenery was a symbol of better life for the emigrants arriving on ships from Europe. Some cruise ship start their cruises from Bayonne, New Jersey, and some for the East River to Brooklyn. New York Skyline and Statue of Liberty are impressive even when sailing from these cruise ports.