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- This view was chosen by several of the captains surveyed. Venice’s stunning architecture is considered to be at its absolute best when the sun is rising over it first thing in the morning.
- A popular destination for the well-trodden holidaymaker, many cruise captains praise the view of Nice as they sail into the neighbouring port of VilleFranche. They say it deserves a place in the top 10 cruise views thanks to its mountainous backdrop. Captain Tomas Busto, captain of Adventure of the Seas, says he loves it because: "when the ships arrive in the Mediterranean in April, the mountains are still snow-capped, but the beaches are welcoming sunbathers."
The archipelago through which ships sail as they sail in to Stockholm was described as being "like nothing else" due to the thousands of rocks and tiny islands which have to be navigated on the entry to the port. Captain Espen Been says that homes look like doll’s houses as you sail past. With nearly 30,000 islands, islets and rocks - from Arholma in the north to Landsort in the south - rugged nature blends with wooded islands, rocky cliffs and sandy beaches in the second largest archipelago in the Baltic Sea.
- The landscape of the Mediterranean is regularly sited as of the best views in the world - but several captains identified the view of Vesuvius towering over Naples at sunrise as an extraordinary image to capture from the sea.
- With more than 240 kilometres of shoreline and meandering waterways, Sydney harbour's natural beauty also plays host to some of the world's most famous manmade structures, including Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Captain Rick Sullivan, from Explorer of the Seas, calls Sydney harbour "the most iconic harbour in the world."
- Captain Rick Sullivan, from Explorer of the Seas, explains that Vancouver makes the list because of the amazing perspective passengers get when they sail under the First Narrows Bridge into Vancouver Harbour, looking at the city against the backdrop of the mountains.
- Captain Henrik Loft Soerensen, from Brilliance of the Seas, comments that his favourite view is of the expanse of English Channel as it is "beautiful and peaceful."
- The Geiranger fjord is located in the southwestern part of the county of Møre og Romsdal, in Norway. The deep blue water is surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountain peaks, wild waterfalls and lush green vegetation. Captain Espen Been, captain of Grandeur of the Seas, describes it thus: "Where the mountains meet the sea and the snow from the surrounding tops is mirrored, it seems like everything is blooming."
- Captain Lis Lauritzen, captain of Vision of the Seas, says: “This is completely different in terms of view and environment. The port is located in the Gulf of Kotor which is considered to be one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Montenegro's historic town of Kotor has little commercial traffic and is known for its Venetian style architecture set against a mountainous backdrop."
- Lord Byron was so enamoured with Lerici that the Italian bay became known as the Bay of Poets, and the captains agree that it's easy to see why it earned such devotion. Many wax lyrical about the "enchanting" view of the Golfo di Poeti as ships sail out of the port of La Spezia.
- The island paradise of French Polynesia is known for the juxtaposition of sandy beaches against dramatic mountain ranges, with rainforest trails and scuba diving popular activities for adventurous travellers. The beautiful green, jagged volcanic mountains of the Island of Moorea helped it find its way into the top views for the ship captains.
- The magnitude and scale of the view from Yakutat to Disenchantment Bay in Alaska was singled out by many cruise ship captains. Voyager of the Seas’ Captain Sindre Borsheim, says: "it is different every time, as the colours vary with the light," while captain Juan Caranti, from Radiance of the Seas, adds "When a piece of ice falls into the ocean it makes an extraordinary roar, like a thunderstorm. The Hubbard Glacier, located in Eastern Alaska, is joined by the Valerie Glacier to the west and joins Disenchantment Bay waters.