15 Best Cruise Destinations If You Want to See Exotic Wildlife

Wildlife lovers, this one's for you! Sure, you can see amazing animals on land at the zoo, but taking a cruise has added perks when it comes to getting a glimpse of exotic wildlife, and who knows what you might see in the water on the way to your bucket list destination.

So, grab your best travel credit card and get ready to book your next adventure. These destinations promise an opportunity to make amazing memories while allowing you to catch a glimpse of your favorite furry (and not so furry) friends.

Alaska is an easily accessible treasure trove of wildlife, from humpback whales to sea otters and harbor seals. In Denali National Park, you can spot moose, wolves, caribou, dall sheep, and grizzly bears in one fell swoop.

And the good news is that this is an easier trip to book, since almost every large cruise line has ships that travel to this area.

Many cruise lines visit this incredible destination in South America, from Viking to Delfin Amazon Cruises. This region is one of the most biodiverse on the planet, and home to pink river dolphins, macaws, monkeys, legions of fish, sloths, and more.

There are also more than 1,000 species of birds in the Amazon, so you'll be able to spot exotic wildlife both on land and in the air.

It's not cheap to cruise to Antarctica, though Lindblad Expeditions has been leading the pack when it comes to these types of excursions since 1966. Can you imagine a better place to see the many penguins of the continent nesting, playing, and being generally adorable?

When you cruise to Antarctica you'll also have the potential to see up to 10 different species of whale from the ship on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Costa Rica may be small, but it's home to 6% of the world's plants and animals, including howler and capuchin monkeys, sloths, macaws, toucans, crocodiles, and more.

Visit this wonderfully biodiverse country on a large Carnival ship or a smaller Windstar vessel — each offer excursions that will allow you to actually spend some of your favorite exotic wildlife.

Dominica's convenient location in the Caribbean means all of the major players stop there, but Royal Caribbean has a side quest in "the whale watching capital of the Caribbean." Hop aboard their Zodiac boat to see the only place where sperm whales live year-round.

They even provide a hydrophone so you can hear the sounds below the surface before jumping in yourself.

The Galapagos Islands are a top bucket list destination for wildlife lovers; there you can encounter Galapagos tortoises, blue-footed boobies, Darwin's famous finches, and so much more when you board a ship headed to this hot spot off the coast of Ecuador.

Experience this accessible but protected region on Silversea's Silver Origen — a 100-person expedition vessel — that comes fully outfitted with a team of Ecuadorian naturalists.

One of the most popular activities at this major cruise hub is a visit to Stingray City, where you can swim with wild stingrays.

On Carnival cruises, the whole family (ages 6 and older) can take a boat out to Stingray Sandbar. There you'll stand in some waist-deep waters of the Caribbean, where you can (if conditions permit) safely hold a stingray.

A cruise around Iceland is a wonderful way to see eider ducks, Arctic terns, and humpback whales. For added adventure, book your cruise with Windstar Cruises, whose ships can go where the big boats can't.

That's how you can access fjords where there are more Arctic puffins than there are humans.

Many cruises can take you from Borneo to Komodo National Park. You'll start by seeing orangutans in their natural habitat, and end by spotting Komodo dragons in the wild.

Along the way, you can snorkel with all kinds of marine life, including whale sharks.

This island country east of the African continent is the only place in the world where lemurs can be found in the wild. Ponant will take you to the island of Nosy Komba, where they live in the forest.

Back in the water you'll find other exotic creatures like sea turtles and whale sharks.

A cruise to the Chilean fjords — yes, they have them! — will give you the chance to see a variety of terrestrial and marine wildlife.

The National Geographic Expeditions Zodiac vessel will take you by ship and kayak through glaciers, lagoons, and rainforests to see penguins, humpback whales, albatrosses, condors, petrels, elephant seals, and so much more.

This rich Mexico gulf attracts all kinds of marine life and birds thanks to the plentiful buffet of fish that call it home. Pelicans, boobies, and cormorants fly above while sperm whales break the surface.

Set sail on a small ship and you may even get to see blue whales with their newborn calves.

While you can't have the full-on safari experience on a cruise ship, it's certainly an excursion (or 10) that you can book in multiple South Africa ports.

On shore, you'll see lions, giraffes, elephants, zebras, buffalo, and a wide variety of birds. Talk about a bucket list trip!

North of mainland Norway in the Arctic Circle is this archipelago teeming with Arctic wildlife. Polar bears are arguably the main attraction, but you'll also find reindeer, walruses, arctic foxes, and seals.

Aurora Expeditions runs the Svalbard Odyssey in the land of beluga whales and the midnight sun regularly.

Holland America is just one cruise line that stops at the port of Burnie in Tasmania. If there's one place we could think of if you want to see Tasmanian Devils in their natural habitat, this is it.

At Wing's Wildlife Park (a haven for rehabilitating wildlife), you'll also see emus, ostriches, water buffalo, and more.

Hopping on a cruise ship and seeing the world's most exotic wildlife sounds like a dream come true, and it's enough to make almost anyone want to pull the level and book one of these iconic cruises immediately.

If your top rewards credit card happens to be one that is affiliated with a cruise line, you can always check with them first to see if they operate an expedition to your destination of choice. That way you can enjoy all the perks they offer, both when it comes to saving money and getting a chance to spot some truly unique and exciting animals.