Cruises offer a fantastic way to see the world – not just far-flung destinations but locations closer to home, because of the extra guidance provided by onboard experts, the excursions to remote areas and the new perspectives you'll experience when combining multiple destinations. If your bucket list features a cruise or two but you're not quite sure of the destination you'd visit first, don't panic – we've rounded up 15 fantastic once-in-a-lifetime trips that fit the bill.

Click through to see our pick of 15 of the best bucket-list cruises around the world, from opera in Italy to penguins in Antarctica...