Cruise lines are jumping on the DNA tourism trend, and harbor towns in West Cork, including the historic fishing town of Kinsale, are trying to get a piece of the pie. Promotional efforts have focused on attracting small expedition and boutique ships, and they’re paying off. Last year, French line Ponant sent one ship; this year it’s sending four. Ultraluxury line Seabourn has been sniffing around, too. Nearby attractions include a 3.7-mile trail around the ocean cliffs of the Old Head of Kinsale, where the Lusitania was sunk just offshore by a German U-boat in 1915. There’s also a star-shaped fort built by Charles II. And if you find through an ancestry search that you’re related to the notorious 18th-century pirate Captain Anne Bonny, Kinsale is said to be where she’s from.

The trip we’re most likely to book: A seven-night sailing from London to Portsmouth, from $3,830.

The Douro River, Portugal

Lisbon is a popular port, but attention has also shifted north to the quieter Portuguese city of Porto, famous for its sweet red fortified wine. It’s also becoming a popular starting point for cruises on the Douro River. Hillsides covered in terraced vineyards and historic quintas reflect 2,000 years of winemaking in the valley, with itineraries that include stops for tastings and time to cross the border toward the medieval city of Salamanca in northwestern Spain. Luxury tour operator Tauck Inc. and luxury brand Uniworld River Cruises are each debuting ships in the spring: Uniworld’s 100-passenger S.S. São Gabriel has butler-serviced suites, Douro-influenced decor, and locally sourced cuisine; Tauck’s 84-passenger MS Andorinha features an infinity-style pool, outdoor dining, and Balinese daybeds on the sun deck. Dinner at a family-owned wine estate near the sleepy village of Pinhão is included.
 
The trip we’re most likely to book: One-week Tauck Villages and Vintages itinerary, from $4,190.

Raja Ampat Islands

Far from the fancy resorts in Bali—in miles, scenery, and style—this Indonesian archipelago occupies an enviable position in the center of the Coral Triangle. Cruises here lead to fascinating cultural encounters, but the big attraction is the warm sea, home to about 75% of known coral species and about half of all the world’s marine tropical fish. Typically the best way to see it all has been on small dive boats, but upscale expedition cruise ships from Ponant and Australian line Coral Expeditions have recently moved in. Joining them is Aqua Expeditions, best known for its top-notch Amazon River sailings. It transformed a naval vessel into its first ocean ship, the 15-suite yacht Aqua Blu, on which it offers a culinary program designed by Aussie superstar chef Benjamin Cross and sailings that stretch through the winter.

The trip we’re most likely to book: One week on Aqua Blu, from $7,525.

Subantarctic Islands

These islands in the Southern Ocean, which are on the way to Antarctica from Australia and New Zealand, are protected nature preserves, where only researchers live among birds and marine mammals. On Macquarie Island, beaches may be covered with royal penguins and fur seals. The island also has a weird geologic feature: Some of its shores are piled up with exposed green rocks from the Earth’s mantle that look eerily like they’re covered in snakeskin. And the Snares, one of several chains of New Zealand islands, feature crested penguins endemic to the islands. Cruise passengers visit on zodiacs that hug the shoreline or make a landing for guided walks, all in places where the number of visitors is tightly controlled. Get here on expedition ships from Silversea Cruise Holding Ltd. or Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, which have new itineraries traversing the region.

The trip we’re most likely to book: A two-week cruise round trip from Dunedin (on New Zealand’s South Island) on Silver Explorer, from $13,950.