From Portugal's Douro river to remote Siberia, here's where our top travel specialists are telling people to visit in the coming year.

Take a Polar Expedition Cruise

An influx of purpose-built expedition vessels is set to transform the future of polar travel. With innovations seemingly lifted from the pages of a Jules Verne novel, advanced engineering has made exploring the White Continent an increasingly comfortable and enthralling experience. From helicopter rides and submarines to the world’s first ultra-luxurious, fully-immersive undersea lounge, technology is bringing Antarctica and its charming neighbor islands to life like never before. In addition to the 200-passenger Scenic Eclipse, which will have 100 veranda suite accommodations, a seven-seat submarine, and two seven-seat helicopters once it launches in April, there are a number of other vessels also set to debut in 2019. Among the new offerings: The Roald Amundsen, a 500-passenger vessel featuring state-of-the-art hybrid propulsion technology and scheduled to launch next spring; Hondius, a cozy and informal vessel offering 174 guests a front-row seat to the majesty of the polar regions once it launches midyear; Greg Mortimer, a 160-passenger vessel launching in August and offering a range of active options including kayaking, camping, mountaineering, ski touring, and snowshoeing (all in the adventurous spirit of its namesake, an Australian mountaineer); and the brand-new 69-passenger Magellan Explorer, an expedition vessel that allows you to skip the Drake Passage crossing and still explore Antarctica. – Ashton Palmer, ExpeditionTrips

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