VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 #1 Share Posted January 15, 2017 We are in the very beginning stages of planning a cruise with two other families and would love some feedback. We've cruised twice with HAL - Alaska and Baltics - so our natural leaning is to start with HAL. We want an itinerary that includes Croatia. The families are all very well traveled, with kids 5, 6, 9, 9, 15. We LOVE the itinerary of the 12 day Adriatic Dream. Can anyone share words of wisdom on viable alternatives that we should consider? Any endorsements of this itinerary? Thanks for any guidance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storylady Posted January 15, 2017 #2 Share Posted January 15, 2017 We are in the very beginning stages of planning a cruise with two other families and would love some feedback. We've cruised twice with HAL - Alaska and Baltics - so our natural leaning is to start with HAL. We want an itinerary that includes Croatia. The families are all very well traveled, with kids 5, 6, 9, 9, 15. We LOVE the itinerary of the 12 day Adriatic Dream. Can anyone share words of wisdom on viable alternatives that we should consider? Any endorsements of this itinerary? Thanks for any guidance! Go for it! I really don't think you could have picked a better itinerary. We have cruised the Adriatic several times and I have never seen an itinerary that included Koper Slovenia, Split Croatia, Dubrovnik Croatia, Korcula Croatia and Koper, Montenegro on the same sailing! Plus you have Venice!!! And also Malta!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #3 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Thanks for the feedback - that's a great endorsement! I wonder if this itinerary is new because I can't seem to find posts or reviews about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMLincoln Posted January 15, 2017 #4 Share Posted January 15, 2017 When the ports in Turkey were canceled they put in new combinations. All great ports, but very port intensive too. Take some time to enjoy Venice! Happy planning! m-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #5 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Interesting. well, that works for us since we've spent a few weeks in Turkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammygoose Posted January 15, 2017 #6 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Funny this post popped up. We are in the process of booking the 10 day Adriatic Dream in August. We have been to Venice, Dubrovnik, Messina, and Corfu but are finding good reasons to go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #7 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Awesome! I hope you'll share your experience. It's been a few years since we've booked with HAL, so I'll need to refresh on strategies. We booked directly for both other cruises and did guarantee verandah (got upgraded free both times). We are planning a trip for summer 2018, so we have lots of time. On this itinerary we've only been to Venice and Rome, but will certainly be happy to go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammygoose Posted January 15, 2017 #8 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Friends of ours wanted to go to Europe for the first time and Rome and Venice were non negotiable so they chose the itinerary. We convinced them to go HAL 2 years ago and they liked it so much they chose HAL this time. I had hoped they would like HAL like we do so we want to join them. I am looking forward to Malta and Split and Kotor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #9 Share Posted January 15, 2017 How fun! This will be our first cruise with this group of friends. Hope everyone enjoys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammygoose Posted January 15, 2017 #10 Share Posted January 15, 2017 however Croatia was spectacular....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #11 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Stunning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammygoose Posted January 15, 2017 #12 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Yup and here I am doing about 50% of what I have already seen again and I don't think I'm crazy. The Westerdam is also a great ship- the crew seems to drink customer experience kool-aid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #13 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Ha - makes sense to me! We would be on the Oosterdam for this itinerary. It would be a new ship for us. Eurodam and Zuiderdam were our previous cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happily@Sea Posted January 15, 2017 #14 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Ha - makes sense to me! We would be on the Oosterdam for this itinerary. It would be a new ship for us. Eurodam and Zuiderdam were our previous cruises. I hope you are looking at 2018, because in 2017 - Oosterdam has been redeployed to Alaska for the late spring and summer. If you are looking at 2017, a visit to the website may be more productive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #15 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Yes we're looking at 2018! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happily@Sea Posted January 15, 2017 #16 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Yes we're looking at 2018! Just checking -some have been looking at the original 2017 catalog [from before the change] and distressed to find the itinerary no longer offered because of the redeployment. Hope you find exactly what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storylady Posted January 15, 2017 #17 Share Posted January 15, 2017 The itinerary for June 2017 is better than the itinerary for 2018, especially if you are interested in Croatia. The 2018 itinerary is nice also as it goes to Crete, but it doesn't stop in Koper Slovenia or Kotor Montenegro. And it has one less stop in Croatia. Orbitz just posted a list of 6 places that most people don't visit and Lake Bled Slovenia (which can be visited from Koper) and Dubrovnik Croatia were on the list. Also this cruise is only offered in June 17th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 15, 2017 Author #18 Share Posted January 15, 2017 ah, bummer for us! We already have different travel plans for this summer, so this cruise will definitely be 2018 for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Posted January 16, 2017 #19 Share Posted January 16, 2017 We're booked on the Adriatic Dream in April, and we chose it over several cruises we were considering because of the awesome itinerary. We also liked that we're in port 11/12 days. For us, sea days are fine in the Caribbean, but when I'm in Europe I want to be out exploring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 16, 2017 Author #20 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Hope you love it and look forward to hearing any advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 16, 2017 Author #21 Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) For 2018 these are the ports. Does anyone know of a better itinerary out there for summer 2018?? Begins in Venice, ends in Rome, and includes Split, Croatia Dubrovnik, Croatia Sarande, Albania Olympia, Greece Chania, Greece Mykonos, Greece Valletta, Malta Victoria, Malta Sicily, Italy Pompeii, Italy Actually maybe I'm missing something but it oddly doesn't list Crete in the itinerary even though it's on the itinerary map?? Edited January 16, 2017 by VAtravelers100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted January 16, 2017 #22 Share Posted January 16, 2017 For 2018 these are the ports. Does anyone know of a better itinerary out there for summer 2018?? Begins in Venice, ends in Rome, and includes Split, Croatia Dubrovnik, Croatia Sarande, Albania Olympia, Greece Chania, Greece Mykonos, Greece Valletta, Malta Victoria, Malta Sicily, Italy Pompeii, Italy Actually maybe I'm missing something but it oddly doesn't list Crete in the itinerary even though it's on the itinerary map?? Chania is in the North Western part of Crete I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayjay Posted January 16, 2017 #23 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Yes, Chania is one of the ports for Crete ( very nice!) just as Pompeji is inland, not to far from the port of Naples, Italy. Try to find a date in early summer ( Mai/June) or later in the year (September/October) - the weather is usually much better, as it's not that hot as in the summer. There are also huge tourist crowds in the Med during the summer - most Europeans will have their summer holidays in the kids' free time during July and August. As so many cruise ships don't use Turkish ports any more (seasons 2017/18) there will be more and more ships going to ports in Spain, Italy, Greece as well. Ports like Barcelona or Civitavecchia are fine with 7 or 8 ships - but it's not that easy in a small port like Santorini or Mykonos. We were lucky, for example, to have an overnight stay in Dubrovnik last year - very relaxing in the evening or morning - but almost impossible to walk through during the regular cruise ship hours 10-4 p.m.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAtravelers100 Posted January 16, 2017 Author #24 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Thanks for the information and tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storylady Posted January 16, 2017 #25 Share Posted January 16, 2017 For 2018 these are the ports. Does anyone know of a better itinerary out there for summer 2018?? Begins in Venice, ends in Rome, and includes Split, Croatia Dubrovnik, Croatia Sarande, Albania Olympia, Greece Chania, Greece Mykonos, Greece Valletta, Malta Victoria, Malta Sicily, Italy Pompeii, Italy Actually maybe I'm missing something but it oddly doesn't list Crete in the itinerary even though it's on the itinerary map?? I looked through all the listings for June, July, August and September 2018. And the one for June 17, 2018 is the best. Only way to make it better is to do a b2b. And there the best itinerary would be June 5th for 24 days. You would get to Dubrovnik again, but it would allow you to visit the countryside after you have seen the old town. And you would also get to Kotor, Montenegro which has an incredible sail in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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