Follow Norway's fjord-carved coast, from the charming town of Bergen, past the North Cape to the ice and wildness of the Svalbard archipelago, for a perfect balance between the charmingly scenic and the spectacularly wild. Explore Tromso and Bear Island on the way to Svalbard in the high Arctic, where polar bears prowl and walruses haul out on rocky shores.

The Sea of Cortez in spring is among the best times and places to see a great variety of whales-humpback, sperm, fin, Bryde's, and blue whales-plus large aggregations of dolphins. Sail the Sea of Cortez, exploring its many islands free from tourist infrastructure and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Each year California gray whales pause during their migrations to birth and nurse their calves in the Bahía Magdalena lagoons.