Turn your travels upside down with a cruise to South America

(ARA) - Sometimes it can be difficult to really leave the stress of everyday life behind when you go on vacation - some problems seem to travel with us. To really turn your perspective on its head, consider a cruise that will take you to some of the most exotic destinations in the Southern Hemisphere.

You can find cruises of varying length, but you'd be well advised to save up some extra vacation days to really savor the experience of traveling so far and delving into some of the world's legendary locales.

The Pacific coast of South America is dotted with fascinating cities and rich cultural enclaves that you can experience up close and personal aboard ships from Celebrity Cruises. Embark in Florida before the unique experience of traveling through the Panama Canal. Once you're on the Atlantic side of the isthmus, the first stop is the vibrant colonial city of Cartagena, Colombia, where you can go ashore for walking tours, horse-drawn carriage rides and more.

Also on the itinerary is Lima, Peru, "the city of kings" and an up-and-coming destination. Tour the handsome colonial buildings of the old town, visit treasure-filled museums and delve into Peru's delectable cuisine. Those who want to take a more significant detour can take overland trips to Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru's interior - if you have the time, don't miss out on the opportunity to see this legendary place.

If you want to take the trip of a lifetime, Norwegian Cruise Lines has a 29-day South American cruise that goes down the Pacific coast and rounds the end of the continent before going up toward Argentina. If you have an adventurer's heart and haven't considered cruising before, this is the trip for you.

You'll be able to explore sites like Chan Chan, an ancient adobe city in northern Peru; Arica and Putre, Bolivia, where you'll see pre-Incan cities and ancient geoglyphs in the Atacama desert (the world's driest desert); and cruise through the towering Chilean fjords. In Argentina, you'll explore the wild majesty of the Patagonia region, where sharp mountain peaks tower over bright blue glacial waters and a variety of wildlife not found anywhere else in the world. Near Ushuaia, you can saddle up on local horses and ride, literally, to land's end. You'll also visit cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, sometimes referred to as the Paris of South America.

If you want to go further out to sea, look toward Australia and neighboring New Zealand. Royal Caribbean Cruises offers a variety of cruises to both countries that will take you to ports of incredible beauty and fascinating points of interest. If you want to add "continental explorer" to your travel resume, you can even choose a trip that circumnavigates Australia.

Cruising to New Zealand will introduce you to a land of incredible contrasts. You'll sail through fjords, past snow-capped mountains and to volcanic islands, giving you a glimpse into the diversity of New Zealand's natural scenery. Visits to small fishing villages in the Bay of Islands give a feel of slow-paced rural life, and ports of call in big cities like Auckland, Dunedin and the capital, Wellington, will show you the lively, artistic and culturally diverse character of the country. To find out more details and decide which cruise is right for you, do your research at sites like Travelocity.com, where you can get cruise information as well as other travel necessities.

Courtesy of ARAcontent