EUROPA 2 (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises) was in Los Angeles on January 25, 2026, at the midpoint between two long-distance voyages. The small luxury ship had completed a 17-day cruise from Colón, Panama, and was preparing to depart that evening on a 20-day Pacific voyage from Los Angeles to Tahiti.

My first cruise was a seven-day Caribbean voyage aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Song of Norway in March 1990, sailing roundtrip from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Only a few photographs remain, but the memories are vivid: skeet shooting at sea and standing in front of the ship during our visit to St. Maarten. That voyage began a lasting fascination with cruising and life aboard passenger ships.

Queen Elizabeth (Cunard) departed Los Angeles Harbor on the evening of September 30, 2025, during a voyage south toward Mexico, Central America, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean. The Vista-class cruise ship had arrived that morning before continuing toward Cabo San Lucas as daylight faded over the Southern California coast.

Our three-night Baja cruise aboard Southward began in Los Angeles on July 30, 1993, with visits to Catalina Island and Ensenada before returning on August 2. One of Norwegian Cruise Line’s early ships, she brought the smaller scale of 1970s cruising to Southern California’s popular short-cruise market.

In March 1990, we traveled aboard Azure Seas (Admiral Cruises) from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico. Originally built as the ocean liner Southern Cross, the ship later became a familiar part of the Southern California cruise scene and helped establish the popularity of short cruises from Los Angeles.

In December 2024, we traveled aboard Queen Mary 2 (Cunard Line) on a seven-night eastbound transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton. Departing New York on December 3, the voyage spent six uninterrupted days at sea before arriving in Southampton on December 10. The crossing took place during Queen Mary 2's 20th year of service and continued Cunard's long tradition of scheduled passenger service across the North Atlantic.

Sapphire Princess (Princess Cruises) was docked in San Diego, California, on May 11, 2025. Built in Japan and entering service in 2004, the Grand-class cruise ship was photographed alongside during her visit to the Southern California port.

Celebrity Silhouette was in Molde, Norway, on July 30, 2024, during a seven-night Norwegian fjords cruise from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The Solstice-class ship was photographed during our cruise aboard Holland America Line’s Rotterdam. Her own itinerary included Molde, Olden, Ålesund and Stavanger before returning to the Netherlands on August 4.

Our Norway cruise aboard Rotterdam (Holland America Line) sailed roundtrip from Rotterdam, Netherlands, from July 27 to August 3, 2024. The voyage combined calls at Nordfjordeid, Molde, Geiranger and Bergen with scenic cruising through some of Norway’s most dramatic fjord landscapes.

National Geographic Venture (Lindblad Expeditions) is seen docked at Mare Island in Vallejo, California, on November 19, 2024. Built in the United States specifically for expedition cruising, the compact vessel is designed to explore the coastal waters of Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, California and Mexico.

The SS Rotterdam, former flagship of Holland America Line, remains an impressive sight at her permanent berth in Rotterdam. These photographs from July 26, 2024, show the preserved ocean liner in her namesake city, where she now welcomes visitors as a hotel, maritime attraction, and event venue.

Carnival Radiance (Carnival Cruise Line) is docked at Long Beach on September 27, 2024, preparing to depart on a three-night Baja Mexico cruise. Originally entering service as Carnival Victory in 2000, the ship emerged from an extensive transformation in 2021 with a new name and significantly redesigned passenger spaces.

Navigator of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International) departs Los Angeles on September 27, 2024, beginning a seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise. The Voyager-class ship was sailing round-trip from Southern California with calls at Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta.

Sapphire Princess (Princess Cruises) is seen in Ketchikan, Alaska, on May 8, 2023. The Grand-class ship was photographed during Day 15 of our Fire & Ice voyage aboard Norwegian Spirit, when both ships visited Ketchikan during the final days of our journey through Alaska.

Havila Castor (Havila Voyages) is seen in Bergen, Norway, on August 1, 2024. Entering service in 2022, the Norwegian coastal passenger ship combines LNG and battery-electric propulsion while operating the historic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes.

In July 2004, we traveled aboard Queen Mary 2 (Cunard Line) on an 11-night Northern Europe cruise from Southampton during the ocean liner’s inaugural year. Beginning with embarkation on July 11 as Day 1, the voyage visited South Queensferry for Edinburgh, the Norwegian fjords, Ålesund, Bergen, Hamburg and Rotterdam before returning to Southampton on July 22. This master gallery brings together our photographs from the voyage, with individual port galleries documenting each stage of the cruise in greater detail.

Celebrity Millennium (Celebrity Cruises) is docked in Vancouver on June 24, 2022, preparing for an Alaska cruise. The Millennium-class ship was photographed as we prepared to begin our own Alaska voyage aboard Queen Elizabeth from Canada Place that same day.

Serenade of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International) is seen in Sitka, Alaska, on June 28, 2022. The Radiance-class ship was photographed during Day 5 of our Alaska cruise aboard Queen Elizabeth, when both ships visited Sitka amid the mountains and islands of Southeast Alaska.

Zuiderdam (Holland America Line) is seen in Glacier Bay, Alaska, on June 26, 2022. The first of Holland America’s Vista-class ships was photographed during Day 3 of our Alaska cruise aboard Queen Elizabeth, as both ships spent the day cruising among the glaciers and mountains of Glacier Bay.

Silver Muse (Silversea Cruises) departs Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 23, 2022. The first Muse-class ship entered service in 2017 and was seen leaving the city one day before we boarded Queen Elizabeth for our Alaska cruise.