Favorite HAL cruise

[Susie51]

What is your favorite HAL cruise?

 

My favorite is 2007 7 night E. Carib. My favorite port was Tortola. We took an island tour with a beach stop. I enjoyed being in the deep water and bobbing up and down in the waves.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have had quite a few favorite cruises -- Baltic, Med -- both eastern and western, Alaska and full Panama Canal transits. Nearly forgot about South America.

[ksqueak]

Either the last one I was on or the one I'm on now :-).

 

Really, can't pick a favorite, some better than others but love them all

 

Now, favorite port could be a whole 'nother story

[take us away]

So hard to select just one but I do think the Grand Med cruise with its awesome ports of call plus having sea days on the way over to unwind from 'life' and the sea days coming back to FLL to relax from the ports. This may be the front runner for me. Fabulous crew and passengers, great food, interesting lecturers, fun events, just an overall excellent experience. Or maybe it will be my next cruise.....

 

Sailing into Venice as the sun came up will remain a true highlight in my life!

[Viv0828]

Really enjoyed the round trip cruise from San Diego to Lima. Fabulous port stops and 2 nights in Lima

[Aquahound]

What is your favorite HAL cruise?

 

My favorite is 2007 7 night E. Carib. My favorite port was Tortola. We took an island tour with a beach stop. I enjoyed being in the deep water and bobbing up and down in the waves.

 

2012 Nieuw Amsterdam Venice to Barcelona with an overnight in Venice.

[dakrewser]

16 night Baltic on the Prinsendam, hands down. The Kiel Canal is magical (easily surpasses a Panama Canal trip), plus 3 days/2 nights in St. Petersburg was fantastic.

[Broadway99354]

Each year, Vov has different ports, but those on the 2015 cruise were fantastic. Seeing Greenland under various consitions, including an icefield is unforgettable as the Captain noted. Speaking of the Captain, he and his crew were simply great. The entertainers (especially Courtney and Dustin Cunningham, Andreea and Alex of the Adagio. and Ashley Wey and Louis of the Neptunes not only have tremendous talent but are so kind and generous). I thought that nothing could beat the Baltics, New Zealand, and Antartica, but the scenery and the Veendam's crew and entertainers proved me wrong.

[Assateague Island Princes]

HAL's 14 day Alaska itinerary - LOVE it so much that I've done it 3 times and would do it again in a heartbeat in 2016 if we didn't already have a 14 day land only trip to Alaska planned:D.

[iflyrc5]

Each year, Vov has different ports, but those on the 2015 cruise were fantastic. Seeing Greenland under various consitions, including an icefield is unforgettable as the Captain noted. Speaking of the Captain, he and his crew were simply great. The entertainers (especially Courtney and Dustin Cunningham, Andreea and Alex of the Adagio. and Ashley Wey and Louis of the Neptunes not only have tremendous talent but are so kind and generous). I thought that nothing could beat the Baltics, New Zealand, and Antartica, but the scenery and the Veendam's crew and entertainers proved me wrong.

 

I agree with Broadway. We have 400+ days on DAM ships and this years Voyage of the Vikings was the best we have had. Looking forward to 66 days on the Maasdam next fall going from Seattle - Australia - New Zealand:D

[Nanner]

Can't pick just one as so many have different appeal. Agree with others about VotV, the round trip Med cruise from FLL, and the 14-day Alaska. We also loved the South America/Antarctica. All of those are worthy of "favorite" status.

 

My spouse has also said he would do the Canada/New England again. I didn't love it as much as the ones above.

[RMLincoln]

DH's favorite is the 21-day Amsterdam partial transit of the Panama canal - had overnight in Gatun Lake and a pleasant rhythm of a day at sea, a day in port, etc.

 

Mine is probably the 21-day transpacific from LA to Sidney stopping in Hawaii, Pago Pago, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Beautiful ports, beautiful sea days and the great destination of Sidney!

m--

[ellieanne]

I love the Canada/New England itineraries, particularly the ones that end in Montreal. Seeing the sunrise through Habitat '67 on the last morning is one of the best parts of that cruise and one of my favorite sights in the world. I could do that every year quite happily.

 

But I think my favorite cruise has been the one I took in the Baltic. It was the one where I got my dream-come-true experience, walking up and down the Jordan Staircase at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

[Cruising-along]

The eastern Med, but we took it in 2006 and had no problem going to Egypt. Loved Turkey and seeing the pyramids in Egypt -- my dream.

[Gsel]

Australia/New Zealand 14-day. Second would be Masdam Canada/New England, beautiful ship, wonderful scenery.

[SilvertoGold]

Antarctica, preferably a B-B, so two chances to see everything!

[106f]

Venice to Istanbul. Extra days pre and post cruise in two fabulous cities. Stops at Santorini (impossible to make a bad picture) and Ephesus. It's always about the ports for me.

[gui218]

Another one for South America with Antarctica.

The Zaandam is doing the Drake and we hope for fairly smooth seas now.

The 3 days cruising the islands is not to be missed.

[freestyling]

First thought is my next one :).

Loved S. America and Great Barrier Reef Cruise.

[Shmoo here]

What is your favorite HAL cruise?

 

My favorite is 2007 7 night E. Carib. My favorite port was Tortola. We took an island tour with a beach stop. I enjoyed being in the deep water and bobbing up and down in the waves.

 

Not a fair question - as my answer is "all of them". We've done Alaska (twice) and the Panama Canal. I'd do any of the again. But I'm busy booking new itineraries.

[sail7seas]

I loved just about every cruise we had on Maasdam (more than 30+).... especially our Canada/NE cruises.

Noordam cruises were extra special. DH and I really enjoyed our one Alaska cruise on Oosterdam and rank it among our very favorite. Loved sailing out of Pireaus after fabulous stays in Athens. Sailing into/out of Venice is magical. Panama Canal should be done at least once by any serious cruisers. :) Impossible to name a favorite when one has sailed over 90 cruises.

 

Edited December 30, 2015 by sail7seas

[ozcruizer]

All of our cruises have been wonderful. Our first cruise was to Alaska in 2007 and that was the beginning of it. I am itching to do another cruise there and it probably will be our next one. However, two cruises really stand out - a cruise on the Volendam from Sydney to Hong Kong in 2012 and the Mediterranean on the Noordam, from Venice (including Turkey) to Barcelona in 2014. Two very memorable cruises but both very different.

 

Ozcruizer

Edited December 31, 2015 by ozcruizer
Wanted to add a couple of words!

[CHOPPERTESTER]

10 night Noordam So. Caribbean. Did it three times, same stateroom 4164.

 

One of the few cruises that does Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba and gives you full days in each port. Good mix of sea days to port days.

[sapper1]

I would find it hard to name a favourite cruise as each has been special in its own way. The fact that they are so special is what keeps us choosing cruising as our way to vacation.

[sppunk]

The best overall, which includes the ship, was our Canada/NE cruise on Eurdam.

 

Norway was incredible but the Rotterdam was the worst part actually.