What tour have you done that blew you away?

[Lois R]

52 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

 

There is also the NBA player Michael Jackson.

Hi Lenny, he played a long time ago and the career was quite brief.   Unless you are a BIG NBA fan and followed the 

Kings you probably wouldn't know who he is..........played from 87-90.

 

When people hear the name Michael and they are talking hoops, there is only ONE Michael that comes to mind😀

[George C]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi Lenny, he played a long time ago and the career was quite brief.   Unless you are a BIG NBA fan and followed the 

Kings you probably wouldn't know who he is..........played from 87-90.

 

When people hear the name Michael and they are talking hoops, there is only ONE Michael that comes to mind😀

I did a cruise on SS Norway in 1986 and when I boarded the cruise there was a huge sign welcome world champions Boston Celtics , about half the team was on the cruise fun playing blackjack with Dennis Johnson, also Kevin Mchale played the piano.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi Lenny, he played a long time ago and the career was quite brief.   Unless you are a BIG NBA fan and followed the 

Kings you probably wouldn't know who he is..........played from 87-90.

 

When people hear the name Michael and they are talking hoops, there is only ONE Michael that comes to mind😀

That would be Michael Jeffrey Jordan who was born in Brooklyn,NY.Not many people know that he was born there

[sail7seas]

On 7/17/2020 at 3:39 AM, sverigecruiser said:

 

Since his home was in Victoria wasn't it obvious that it wasn't the singer/dancer Michael Jackson? 

No,   clearly it was Not 'obvious' to all who  paticipate/read  here.

 

 

 

 

[sprint180]

Harv and Marv whale watching.  In Juneau I believe, could be wrong.  It was amazing we were so close to the whales I could have almost touched them.

[SuiteTraveler]

Crystal Ravel, Vienna roundtrip - EVERYTHING about that cruise was AMAZING.  We saw the Princesses of Violin in a private show, we saw Parliament House and the Market in Budapest, we went to the Sisi Palace in Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, which was AMAZING, and everyplace we went was just wonderful!  And the ship was perfect and the food some of the best we've ever had on a cruise and it was ALL Inclusive.  Check this out:  

 

 

Another tour that blew us away was a private tour I arranged out of Civitavecchia to Bomarzo Parco de Mostri, followed by Villa Lante  and Villa Farnesi.  You need to research to understand what you are seeing beforehand but it was all AMAZING and so inspiring!  I actually translated some of the ideas at Villa Lante and Parco de Mostri in designing the first groups of gardens in my backyard.  

 

Then there was this wonderful tour to The Baths on Virgin Gorda when it was not very crowded.  What an amazing place!  Although I had a friend on here who went on a day when it was crowded and did not enjoy it at all.  But if you can go on a day where it is not crowded, it so much fun, like something out of Treasure Island.

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Lois R]

40 minutes ago, SuiteTraveler said:

Crystal Ravel, Vienna roundtrip - EVERYTHING about that cruise was AMAZING.  We saw the Princesses of Violin in a private show, we saw Parliament House and the Market in Budapest, we went to the Sisi Palace in Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, which was AMAZING, and everyplace we went was just wonderful!  And the ship was perfect and the food some of the best we've ever had on a cruise and it was ALL Inclusive.  Check this out:  

 

 

Another tour that blew us away was a private tour I arranged out of Civitavecchia to Bomarzo Parco de Mostri, followed by Villa Lante  and Villa Farnesi.  You need to research to understand what you are seeing beforehand but it was all AMAZING and so inspiring!  I actually translated some of the ideas at Villa Lante and Parco de Mostri in designing the first groups of gardens in my backyard.  

 

Then there was this wonderful tour to The Baths on Virgin Gorda when it was not very crowded.  What an amazing place!  Although I had a friend on here who went on a day when it was crowded and did not enjoy it at all.  But if you can go on a day where it is not crowded, it so much fun, like something out of Treasure Island.

 

 

 

 

 

  

omg.... THIS LOOKS SO FUN!!!!!!!!!

[rkacruiser]

An attendance for an evening of the opera La Boheme at the Sydney Opera House was a once in a life time experience for me.  

[gooch47]

Another came to mind but for the wrong reason.

 

An Orca Watching trip out of Victoria.  We knew as soon as we left the harbor it was too rough.  My husband and daughter immediately got horribly seasick.  We had chosen to stay in seats below deck.  Others were on top of the boat.  Being below was bad enough ... the smell from sick people was overpowering.  But those on top were soon soaking wet from the waves breaking.  One woman was crying.  She had on the clothes she had intended to wear off the ship the next day and had already packed everything else and had set it out to be picked up.  Our granddaughter was starting to turn a little green so the crew invited her to go to the bridge where the captain was.  This helped immensely since she could see the horizon.  We did manage to see a few orcas.  Ironically my husband and I had taken this exact same trip and boat a couple years before and had a wonderful time.

Edited July 26, 2020 by gooch47

[Lois R]

Linda, that trip sounds horrible😟 so sorry they got sick!!!!

[CoolNickname]

Thank you to all who posted. So many wonderful additions to my bucket list.

 

Not quite a tour but we took a cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico and so enjoyed the visit we've returned three times now for week long vacations. We were in the planning stages to take the kids and grandkids when the Rona hit. Wonderful place with great people, great beaches, an entire town centered around restaurants serving the most succulent roast pig you ever ate, coffee plantations in the mountains you can tour, and about a zillion other wonderful things to recommend it.

 

Took a tour on our way from London down to board our ship in Southampton which stopped at Bath and Stonehenge along the way. Watching the sun setting behinds Stonehenge was an experience I don't think I'll ever forget.

 

 

[CoolNickname]

On 6/23/2020 at 10:10 AM, capriccio said:

A summit flight over Denali (when on an Alaska cruise tour) was the most memorable excursion we've ever taken. The best DIY excursion was the 2 days and 2 nights we spent at Iguassu Falls after disembarking a cruise in Rio de Janeiro.

 

Other excellent excursions include an evening (5 pm to midnight IIRC) excursion that involved transfer to small boat and then transfer to a canoe to a rain forest camp in the Amazon for a hike and dinner (and then a return to the cruise ship via canoe and small boat), Volunteer Point in the Falkland Islands, and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo on a gorgeous evening.

 

Edinburgh Military Tattoo is just amazing! I hope we get to go back to Edinburgh someday. Spent a week there a couple of years ago and it was far from enough. Would be nice if we had enough time to make it up to Scara Brae this time, too.

[rkacruiser]

A tour to the North Cape of Norway in the late hours of the day provides continued memories of a tour that was so worthwhile.  

 

A picture that I have of me standing below a clock registering Midnight on the outside deck of Royal Viking Sky is a treasured experience.  

[ilikeanswers]

So many great stories🤗. Realised I haven't added my own and maybe bumping it will get some more great stories😉. Tahiti we did a 4wd tour crossing the Tahiti Nui mountains. It was amazing to be so deep in the forest, going through hand cut tunnels and seeing the only freshwater lake in Tahiti. The guide was so knowledgable and passionate about his island. Another 4wd tour was Iceland that took us into the painted hills of Landmannalaugar and up to Mount Hekla which was an adventure of drive through old lava fields to a spectacular view. We also go to visit the famous world stopping Eyjafjallajökull or at least what was left of it😆.

[Sue Do-Over]

Glorious?  No.  Memorable, YES and YES.

 

DH was 6 days out from ankle surgery, and on a red power scooter.  We were on a Panama Canal trip in February with my sister, who is generally just as silly as I am.  Our mom was on the cruise, but missed our adventure.

 

We had a 4 hour stop in the little industrial port at the eastern end of the canal, at the end of the long day back and forth through the locks.   We, along with a bunch of the crew and only a fraction of the passengers, dashed ashore only to find that the city was almost entirely dark.  The only thing open was a strip-mall shopping center and grocery about one mile away.  The stores turned on their lights as the first few crew and pax charged in to pillage the salty snack and alcohol sections and grab grooming supplies.  We helped at least three elderly couples decide how many ounces of vodka they could 'smuggle' back aboard in various juice bottles.  It was like locusts... the crowd was gone almost as fast as it appeared.

 

With the scooter and all, we were slow through the grocery store and back to the sidewalk, only to realize that the battery was almost dead, and that NONE of the taxis still available could take it.

 

We steadfastly headed back down the now deserted sidewalk toward the ship lights in the distance, pausing each time the battery died... off, pause, pray, restart... creep a few yards, repeat.  

 

It finally died, for good.

 

Sister stepped out into the empty street, waving to get the attention of the police lingering back at the shopping center.  One on a bicycle responded quickly.  We mustered our high-school Spanish to say 'muerte?' (dead) while gesturing at DH on the scooter.

 

Policia zoomed over, "muerte???" he asked, as he checked DH's PULSE.   Oh, NO, we said "DURACELL muerte!!!"

 

Laughing out loud, he radioed his buddies in a squad car.  They pulled up, had a good chuckle, took some selfies with us, and loaded us all into the squad car.  We don't think they spoke any more English than we spoke Spanish, but we managed.

 

As we pulled away from the curb, with the scooter precariously perched atop a collection of guns in the open trunk... the clever officer turned on the lights... we stuck our heads out  the windows shouting 'WEEE WOOOOO WEEEE WOOO" in between gales of laughter.

 

At the port itself, a ships officer with a shopping bag of shampoo and Pringles asked us "What is the trouble?" and radioed ahead for a couple of porters to bring a wheelchair.   Sister is trying to offer the police a $20 as thank you, for a "cervasa, amigos?"(which we think is beer for your friends, but could be wrong.).  He accepted, but said it was for "coca-cola" while pointing to his badge.

 

Finally aboard the ship, we called up to Mom to ask for the charger... starting with "Mom, we had some trouble.  The police brought us back." 

 

Bless her heart, her first words were "Do you need bail?"

 

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Sue Do-Over said:

Glorious?  No.  Memorable, YES and YES.

 

DH was 6 days out from ankle surgery, and on a red power scooter.  We were on a Panama Canal trip in February with my sister, who is generally just as silly as I am.  Our mom was on the cruise, but missed our adventure.

 

We had a 4 hour stop in the little industrial port at the eastern end of the canal, at the end of the long day back and forth through the locks.   We, along with a bunch of the crew and only a fraction of the passengers, dashed ashore only to find that the city was almost entirely dark.  The only thing open was a strip-mall shopping center and grocery about one mile away.  The stores turned on their lights as the first few crew and pax charged in to pillage the salty snack and alcohol sections and grab grooming supplies.  We helped at least three elderly couples decide how many ounces of vodka they could 'smuggle' back aboard in various juice bottles.  It was like locusts... the crowd was gone almost as fast as it appeared.

 

With the scooter and all, we were slow through the grocery store and back to the sidewalk, only to realize that the battery was almost dead, and that NONE of the taxis still available could take it.

 

We steadfastly headed back down the now deserted sidewalk toward the ship lights in the distance, pausing each time the battery died... off, pause, pray, restart... creep a few yards, repeat.  

 

It finally died, for good.

 

Sister stepped out into the empty street, waving to get the attention of the police lingering back at the shopping center.  One on a bicycle responded quickly.  We mustered our high-school Spanish to say 'muerte?' (dead) while gesturing at DH on the scooter.

 

Policia zoomed over, "muerte???" he asked, as he checked DH's PULSE.   Oh, NO, we said "DURACELL muerte!!!"

 

Laughing out loud, he radioed his buddies in a squad car.  They pulled up, had a good chuckle, took some selfies with us, and loaded us all into the squad car.  We don't think they spoke any more English than we spoke Spanish, but we managed.

 

As we pulled away from the curb, with the scooter precariously perched atop a collection of guns in the open trunk... the clever officer turned on the lights... we stuck our heads out  the windows shouting 'WEEE WOOOOO WEEEE WOOO" in between gales of laughter.

 

At the port itself, a ships officer with a shopping bag of shampoo and Pringles asked us "What is the trouble?" and radioed ahead for a couple of porters to bring a wheelchair.   Sister is trying to offer the police a $20 as thank you, for a "cervasa, amigos?"(which we think is beer for your friends, but could be wrong.).  He accepted, but said it was for "coca-cola" while pointing to his badge.

 

Finally aboard the ship, we called up to Mom to ask for the charger... starting with "Mom, we had some trouble.  The police brought us back." 

 

Bless her heart, her first words were "Do you need bail?"

 

Glad you make it back to the ship!!!!!!!!  

[isosika]

Diving with sharks in Bora Bora.

 

[sail7seas]

Murano  Glass Factory  and  museum in  Venice, Itly

[mom says]

A night time Bangkok Street food tour. Travel was both on foot (past some of the iconic temples, all lit up)  and by tuk tuks. A different local dish at each stop. And samples of local fruit (and a chance to try deep fried insects) at one of the markets. And ending with a luscious frozen dessert and equally welcome frozen face cloths. Hot, sweaty, and totally enjoyable.

Edited July 3, 2021 by mom says

[Crew News]

Dog sledding in the snow in Skagway Alaska was my cruising wow moment.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Crew News

[Sea Hag]

Doors-off helicopter flight over the volcano on the Big Island. Spectacular!

[getting older slowly]

What tour....... Helicopter/walk around ..of White Island New Zealand...

Exactly a week before it erupted ( killing 22 people.... a very sobering thought )

 

Don

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, sail7seas said:

Murano  Glass Factory  and  museum in  Venice, Itly

 

My tour on the island that housed this facility also included Burano with a visit to those facilities that made the lovely lace products.  

[ldubs]

It is kind of like naming a favorite movie.  Impossible to pick just one.  

 

We did an on-our-own Angels & Demons tour of Rome that turned out to be terrific.  

 

Having first read the books back in the '60's,  I enjoyed finally getting to visit Hobbiton 46 years later (Bilbo wasn't home).  

 

Others:  Tallinn, Dubrovnik (back when no crowds), Bruges, northern Italy, Singapore.  

 

I have to stop before the list gets too long.    

[ontheweb]

If you could expand the definition of this thread to include you didn't take a tour but went independently off the ship, I would say standing in front of the Acropolis was awe inspiring. Seeing the Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin also ranks up there.