What Was Your Most Interesting Cruise Ever???

[dorisis]

Star Clipper from Singapore to Thailand. With a week before and after in those cities.

 

European river cruises are also good. I enjoy more time in ports.

[Keith1010]

The most unique itinerary we ever sailed was part of the 2010 Crystal Cruises World Cruise. We stopped in the Middle East on those two segments but it includes several places that very few cruise ships visit and don't see these happening for many years from now. Included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, just to name a few that you normally do not get to.

 

Another one was not only sailing South America but having two and one half days sailing off Antarctica and the latter was just unbelievable.

 

There are so many wonderful itineraries to sail.

 

Keith

[frenchcanrican]

Northbound Alaska Vancouver to Seward. Relaxation and scenery were amazing. Hiking on the glaciers and just walking around a the small fishing villages was an experience I will never forget.

 

12 night Med Cruise including Barcelona, Athens, Sicily, Limassol, Malta. We stayed in Barcelona for 4 nights. Stopped in Venice for 3 nights and finished up in Rome for 4 nights. Amazing.

 

We just came back from a 10 day cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii and a 5 night stay in Kauai. Best cruise for relaxation (5 days at sea followed by a stop on all the islands).

 

Interesting is subjective. It's what you make it.

 

I also sail catamarans in the Caribbean. If you want to try a more intimate experience then hire a captain and let them sail you to small islands with empty beaches and cold drinks at a nearly deserted bar. Jost Van Dyke, Anegada, Normal Island, The Bitter End, Peter Island, Dead Mans Bay... That is the real caribbean.

 

Happy Cruising

 

 

"Half of a DINK and proud of it!."😜

[herbanrenewal]

Think of a cruise as a smorgasbord - you sample a lot of different dishes, and maybe discover something so delicious you just have to return for more!

[Talisker92]

I think the most interesting cruise I went on was one from Haifa to Mombasa.

We spent a few days in Paris first

We visited Jerusalem, Nazareth, Giza(pyramids), Safaga (2 day trip to Karnak) and Petra.

We flew from Mombasa to Nairobi, and went on a 6 day safari to the Masai Mara, that included a hot air balloon ride.

[s1amblue]

#1) Le Havre to Copenhagen with stops in Brugges, Warnnemunde, Riga, Tallinn, St Petersburg (3 full days!) & Denmark.... Flew to Paris first & did 3 nights pre cruise & stayed 2 more nights in Copenhagen to cruise islands, visit museums etc.

#2) Sydney up the north edge of Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Darwin, on to Komodo, Indonesia, Bali, Singapore ending in Bangkok.

#3) Venice to Barcelona - loved the Kotor, Montenegro stop on this one + hill towns in France...

[Chuck]

We feel that a taste of several ports is fine even though we have also done longer stays in some European cities. That said, our most interesting cruise was round trip DoVer England north to Norway, Iceland, Faroe Island, Shetland Islands, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. We visited lots of ports new to us that are not on many itineraries.

 

We then continued, b2b cruise, across the Atlantic.

Hi NMLady; Can I ask what cruise line were you on for this cruise that you mentioned???? It sounds extremely interesting.

[LindaM]

If you cruise long enough, one does get tired of the Caribbean. I agree that spending time in the area where the cruise (in Europe) departs from and ends is a good way to enjoy the cruise, and also spend time on land, where you can really get a feel for the area. We've been to most of the places mentioned so where depends on what you like. I do recommend going somewhere across the pond, but spending additional time before and after the cruise.

 

I've noticed that Princess (and probably other lines) have cruise tours before and after. That might be a way to see more and indepth. The problem is, the land tour could be exhausting. That's why I'd rather just stay someplace for several days.

[geekybiker]

I circumnavigated the globe. Started in Vancouver BC, crossed the Pacific on the edge of a hurricane to get to Osaka, Japan. Went on to Shanghai China, where I went to Beijing to see the forbidden palace and great wall. Next up Hong Kong and then Saigon, Vietnam. It was the 2nd year it was open to westerners so it was an interesting place at the time. After that we stopping in Mumbai, India. I went to New Delhi and the Taj from there. After that I stoped in Port Said, Egypt and went to the pyramids. Haifa Israel after that did masada, dead sea, Jerusalem. Istanbul Turkey next. Saw the usual on sultanhamet and flew to ankara for a bit to see the cave cities and capadocia. Athens was the next stop. Then onto Cassablanca Morocco (Which I've gone back to I liked it so much.) Saw Maracech and essouria. Then back to the US in Ft Lauderdale.

[cindivan]

I circumnavigated the globe. Started in Vancouver BC, crossed the Pacific on the edge of a hurricane to get to Osaka, Japan. Went on to Shanghai China, where I went to Beijing to see the forbidden palace and great wall. Next up Hong Kong and then Saigon, Vietnam. It was the 2nd year it was open to westerners so it was an interesting place at the time. After that we stopping in Mumbai, India. I went to New Delhi and the Taj from there. After that I stoped in Port Said, Egypt and went to the pyramids. Haifa Israel after that did masada, dead sea, Jerusalem. Istanbul Turkey next. Saw the usual on sultanhamet and flew to ankara for a bit to see the cave cities and capadocia. Athens was the next stop. Then onto Cassablanca Morocco (Which I've gone back to I liked it so much.) Saw Maracech and essouria. Then back to the US in Ft Lauderdale.

 

 

Wow. That sounds amazing. When did you do that and how long was the cruise?

 

 

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[Gloria Mundi]

DH and I have taken only 2 cruises and they weren't traditional at all. They were within Alaska on UnCruise. Up close and personal with nature, only about 75 passengers, good, locally- sourced food but not a 24/7 bacchanalia. Crew typically has degrees in areas such as Marine Biology and gets passionate about plankton and leopard-spotted banana slugs. Excursions are hikes, kayaking and snorkeling dressed like Jacques Cousteau. They do Mexico and Hawaii, too.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Gloria Mundi

[marshhawk]

I agree with Don, one of the most interesting things someone can do is a Maine Windjamer Ship for a week. You really get in touch with yourself. Because the ship is small, with nothing electronic on it, you find out how well you fare with mankind and and your inner being. Are you a leader ? a follower? do you work well as a team?

I love smaller ships.

That said our most interesting cruise was one that we totally emerced ourselves in. An active roll, who participated in all events as a group on the ship. But what made the ports interesting is that all of our excursions (DH and I) were basically free. None of them were through the ship, and the most we spent was 20.00 each at one location. Western Carribean-Belize, the history musuem, Roatan-snorkeled at Mahogany Bay, but we were the only ones in the water for over an hour (early birds see the fish) Grand Cayman we walked until we found a dive shop, and they let us snorkel off their shore wall (lots more fish) and in Cozumel we went to El Cid. Yes, these are ports that everyone goes to, but most visit in the sheep herd mode, and we visited with an explore human mode. Great cruise, and we would actually do it for a third time, as we have studied more and want to learn more about history.

[Jacs]

I've only done 2 cruises so far, but they both fall into "interesting" I guess in most peoples books. First was an 11 night holy lands cruise starting in Rome and stopping in Egypt, Israel, Athens and Naples. The Egypt and Israel stops were overnights and I was amazed at how much we packed in. The other 2 stops while only for a day were enough for a good sample. We arrived in Rome / days early (we have done it on a land holiday a couple of years earlier) and we added a few days to the end which we spent in Turin.

 

Second cruise was a 19 night transpacific from Honolulu to Sydney, stopping at Maui, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, Bay of Islands NZ and Aukland NZ. This was a great relaxing trip with lots of sea days to enjoy the ship and stunning islands to visit.

 

When it comes to Europe I see cruises as a sampler, you will never get as much immersion as a land based holiday where you spend multiple days, but they are still really enjoyable with lots of wow factor. It's best combined with a few day before and after though, so you can spend time properly exploring a city like Rome, Venice or Barcelona.

 

I have to say I still always giggle when Americans think 8 hours is a long flight, it takes us East Coast Aussies 30 hours to reach Europe and 15 to reach the west coast of USA. But I guess when it takes 6 hours to fly to the nearest country we're use to long flights to get anywhere :)

[geekybiker]

Wow. That sounds amazing. When did you do that and how long was the cruise?

 

 

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It was a long time ago. Fall of 1996. 101 Days. We were almost a week in each port.

[Harry and Lucille]

Our last one, however, the next one in Feb. will replace it. Happens every year.

 

Harry ;)