While air travel has undoubtedly enabled us to visit an astoundingly wide range of destinations that may have previously been virtually unreachable, there are still certain remote places to which you are unable to gain access unless you climb aboard a cruise ship.

Here are just six of our favourites. 

1. Princess Cays, Bahamas

This tourist resort at the southern end of the Bahamas island of Eleuthera offers something for everyone desiring the most idyllic beach holiday, not least a pristine shoreline of white sand stretching for more than a mile and a half. Shopping, live music, snorkelling, barbecues and sunbathing can all be enjoyed, while there's also a fine coral reef to explore. 

2. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) 

This British overseas territory is too inhospitable to have any permanent human population, but it remains a major draw for tourists on account of its wildlife, including the world's largest king penguin colony, albatross, elephant seals and even the South Georgia pipit. The latter is a sparrow-sized bird which - as reported by The Independent - recently nested on the South Georgian mainland for the first time in living memory. 

3. Harvest Caye, Belize 

Those holidaying with Norwegian Cruise Line will, from November 2016, be able to take advantage of what the operator has described as "the Caribbean's premier island destination" in Southern Belize. Seven acres of the 75-acre oasis are given over to an exclusive beach, although the likes of an expansive pool with a swim-up bar and a salt-water lagoon for water sports can also be enjoyed. 

4. New Zealand Subantarctic Islands 

If you like your travel destinations truly remote, it's difficult to beat New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands, which is a string of UNESCO World Heritage wildlife sanctuaries between South Island and Antarctica. Enthusiasts of far-flung wildlife will marvel at the Campbell Island teal and the yellow-eyed penguins of Enderby Island alike.  

Wikimedia Commons: twiddlebat

5. Wrangel Island, Russia 

To see polar bears first-hand, you might have presumed that you would have little choice but to head where most likeminded 'ordinary' tourists head - in the direction of the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard. However, tour operator Wildlife Worldwide has recently begun offering trips to Wrangel Island, the Russian outpost 140km off the Siberian coast where woolly mammoths once tread.

 
6. Sir Bani Yas, Abu Dhabi 

This one is another must-visit for wildlife fans - indeed, it is one of the largest wildlife reserves in the region, hosting several million trees and plants together with thousands of large free-roaming animals. If you come here on a cruise, you may dabble in everything from 4WD expeditions and mountain biking to relaxing massages and fine dining. 

Remember that when you are contemplating a cruise to an isolated or far-flung part of the world, there will always be fascinating 'hidden gems' to discover - whether you head to Central America with Thomson Cruises or the Mediterranean with Imagine Cruising. So, why hesitate to make your booking for what could be the sea-going adventure of a lifetime?