Favourite place ever visited whilst cruising?

[Honolulu Blue]

6 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

There are people who want to cruise to Antarctica.

True. But they're far outnumbered by those who sail to the Caribbean, for example.

[cruisemom42]

12 hours ago, DarrenM said:

 

Been to Rome airport 6 times but never been to Rome. It just holds no appeal to me whatsover. Maybe my lack of religion?

I’m not religious in the least. It’s the Ancient Rome that appeals to me: the Pantheon, Forums, Colosseum, tombs, museums, monuments, imperial baths, etc.

 

[navybankerteacher]

On 3/29/2023 at 5:16 AM, DarrenM said:

The picking of one wasnt a strict rule. lol

 

So to prove the point. I chose Dubrovnik.

 

But I have others I love too.

 

1. Dubrovnik - Fell in love with the place.

2. Naples

3. Cozumel

4. Key west

5. Kotor - went on a fabulous Tuck tuck ride.

6. Pisa/Florence though I didnt like Florence anywhere near as much as others seem to. 

 

Been to Rome airport and Civitavecchia port 4 times yet never been to Rome.

 

Will make it 6 this year, as yet a aagin we dont have time to do Rome pre or post cruise.

 

Civita Vecchia 4 times without getting to Rome????????

 No time????

 

Yet time for Cozumel??????

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Civita Vecchia 4 times without getting to Rome????????

 No time????

 

Yet time for Cozumel??????

Ships dock in Cozumel. Difficult not to make time.   😀

[ontheweb]

13 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

True. But they're far outnumbered by those who sail to the Caribbean, for example.

I can't disagree with that, but I was responding to your post which used the term "physically impossible".

[navybankerteacher]

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

Ships dock in Cozumel. Difficult not to make time.   😀

Not ships I am likely to be on.

[navybankerteacher]

11 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I’m not religious in the least. It’s the Ancient Rome that appeals to me: the Pantheon, Forums, Colosseum, tombs, museums, monuments, imperial baths, etc.

 

Renaissance Rome is worth a look - as are some of today’s flavors of a more modern era.

[ticketsunlimited]

Have to say it was tough to top sailing into Bora Bora.  So much to do there as well if you love the water and nature in general.

Edited April 12, 2023 by ticketsunlimited

[cruisemom42]

43 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Renaissance Rome is worth a look - as are some of today’s flavors of a more modern era.

Nah. As far as I’m concerned the worst thing ever done in Rome was to tear down the old St Peter’s and build that monstrosity on top of the remains. Not to mention ripping the roof off the Pantheon to create that Baldachino inside…

 

Kidding, just kidding. (But not really….😉)

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Nah. As far as I’m concerned the worst thing ever done in Rome was to tear down the old St Peter’s and build that monstrosity on top of the remains. Not to mention ripping the roof off the Pantheon to create that Baldachino inside…

 

Kidding, just kidding. (But not really….😉)

Of course it can be argued that things in that area have been going downhill ever since Remus lost out.

[DarrenM]

22 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I have noticed something interesting about most of these favorite places lists.  Most of the places on the lists are warm or even hot places.  My list is mostly cool or outright cold places.

 

DON

My wife wouldnt go anywhere cold.

 

We live in Northern England. We are always cold. She wants a warm couple of weeks.

[DarrenM]

17 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Civita Vecchia 4 times without getting to Rome????????

 No time????

 

Yet time for Cozumel??????

The trip to Cozumel was a port stop on a disney cruise. 2002. Western Caribbean

 

Rome is only a 3 hour flight for us from the UK. So every cruise we have done in Europe has started in Rome, and returned to Rome. To stay the extra day or two days is almost the same cost as the cruise. Plus we are limited to no of days holidays because of work and our dog being looked after.

[DarrenM]

Should have added that we fly the same day as cruise starts. Because of short flight times.

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Should have added that we fly the same day as cruise starts. Because of short flight times.

 

Uh Oh.   Now you have opened a can of worms.  Brace yourself.  😀

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, DarrenM said:

The trip to Cozumel was a port stop on a disney cruise. 2002. Western Caribbean

 

Rome is only a 3 hour flight for us from the UK. So every cruise we have done in Europe has started in Rome, and returned to Rome. To stay the extra day or two days is almost the same cost as the cruise. Plus we are limited to no of days holidays because of work and our dog being looked after.

The question that occurs to me involves why one cruises. If it is just to be on a ship, it would seem to make sense to get on a ship leaving from near home - to avoid the cost/hassle of a flight.  If it is to experience the area being cruised, it would seem to make sense to leave a bit of time to see that area, and not just focus on being on the ship.

 

(Is this, Mr. Idubs, one of the worms you anticipated?)

Edited April 13, 2023 by navybankerteacher

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

The question that occurs to me involves why one cruises. If it is just to be on a ship, it would seem to make sense to get on a ship leaving from near home - to avoid the cost/hassle of a flight.  If it is to experience the area being cruised, it would seem

 

to make sense to leave a bit of time to see that area, and not just focus on being on the ship.

 

(Is this, Mr. Idubs, one of the worms you anticipated?)

 

Nope, it was the mention of a same day flight and the normal barrage of everything that will go wrong that has me cringing in fear.  😀

 

But to your comment, I agree.   At the same time, if the reality is days are limited, experiencing the places the ship visits without spending extra days at the embark port might be a good option.   

[DarrenM]

as we are younguns in cruising terms we still have full time jobs, with limited holidays.

 

I have just started a new role, on the UKs largest construction project, been there one week, and already booked 2 weeks off.

 

No way could I have stretched that out even further.

 

My Wife is from Southampton originally, but its a longer drive to get there than a flight to Rome is.

 

SO, we do what we can.

[9tee2Sea]

Favorite place is a very hard question to answer.  I can tell you my worst... ENSENADA!  The only time I went ( maybe 25 years ago), it was a big smelly trash pile.  I have many that stick out in my mind as beautiful places ( especially the ones with World History), and I have a few sail-aways that were spectacular ( Sailing out of New Orleans, Venice Italy).

 I have a few cruises that I do many times ( Panama Canal full transit, Alaska R/T Seattle, Los Angeles-Vancouver).  But I cannot say which port is my favorite of all times.

[donaldsc]

On 4/11/2023 at 7:35 AM, DarrenM said:

Istanbul, Kusadasi, and Naples are on the agenda for my upcoming cruise.

 

As is santorini.

 

I absolutely loved Dubrovnik. Would go back there in a heartbeat.

 

Been to Rome airport 6 times but never been to Rome. It just holds no appeal to me whatsover. Maybe my lack of religion?

 

Using your logic one would assume that if you are a practicing Jew or a practicing Christian you should not visit Israel.  Do I have it right.

 

DON

Edited April 18, 2023 by donaldsc

[MBP&O2/O]

Can't comment on the favourite ... too many have been good. However the worst was Puerto Bolivar in Ecuador. If it was movable it walked! 

Ships have been known to lose full mooring lines! 

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, MBP&O2/O said:

Can't comment on the favourite ... too many have been good. However the worst was Puerto Bolivar in Ecuador. If it was movable it walked! 

Ships have been known to lose full mooring lines! 

 

Worst ports we experienced were also in South America.

 

Puerto Colon in Panama. Accurately named 🤣.  For partial Panama Canal transit, but we had an extra day there due to the sea-state. The only areas regarded as safe by local police were the area around the ship (those who strayed were turned back by the police) and the city centre. Most of those who took the free shuttle to the city centre stayed on the bus to come straight back, those who went on ship's cycle ride were attacked (no injuries, just frightening).

 

And La Guaira, Venezuela. Folk were turned back from the port entrance by police. Actually chosen by the cruise line for its cheap fuel, but promoted as the port for Caracas. One of the rare times we took ship's excursion. 

But it's all part of the world's diversity 😂

 

JB 🙂

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

Worst ports we experienced were also in South America.

 

Puerto Colon in Panama. Accurately named 🤣.  For partial Panama Canal transit, but we had an extra day there due to the sea-state. The only areas regarded as safe by local police were the area around the ship (those who strayed were turned back by the police) and the city centre. Most of those who took the free shuttle to the city centre stayed on the bus to come straight back, those who went on ship's cycle ride were attacked (no injuries, just frightening).

First, to pick nits, Panama is part of NORTH America or CENTRAL America, but NOT South America.

 

Second, when was this visit to Colon?  I have an upcoming cruise that visits there instead of going through the Canal and I'm wondering if things have gotten better since then.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Honolulu Blue

[John Bull]

14 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

First, to pick nits, Panama is part of NORTH America or CENTRAL America, but NOT South America.

 

Second, when was this visit to Colon?  I have an upcoming cruise that visits there instead of going through the Canal and I'm wondering if things have gotten better since then.

 

 

This was 5 or 6 years ago.

I don't know whether it's improved since, but lets face it - few places do.

If you're reasonably cocooned - for instance an organised  train excursion to Panama City partially alongside the canal, or a partial canal transit (which we did by ship-sponsored boat from Gatun Lake thru The Cut & the Mirafiores locks to Panama City & return by coach, an excellent day) - then you'll have no worries.

We're the type to set out by ourselves, but the timing of the ferries thro the canal didn't work out so we chose to book with the ship. And as it turned out we were pleased that we'd done so.

 

JB 🙂

[Honolulu Blue]

32 minutes ago, John Bull said:

This was 5 or 6 years ago.

I don't know whether it's improved since, but lets face it - few places do.

If you're reasonably cocooned - for instance an organised  train excursion to Panama City partially alongside the canal, or a partial canal transit (which we did by ship-sponsored boat from Gatun Lake thru The Cut & the Mirafiores locks to Panama City & return by coach, an excellent day) - then you'll have no worries.

We're the type to set out by ourselves, but the timing of the ferries thro the canal didn't work out so we chose to book with the ship. And as it turned out we were pleased that we'd done so.

 

JB 🙂

Thanks for the amplification and detail.  This will help me as I plan for my visit there.

[MBP&O2/O]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

Puerto Colon in Panama. Accurately named 🤣. 

A lot of my time was spent around the Arabian Gulf area. 

We used to frequent a place up the Shatt Al Arab river. The river was described as the @@@@hole of the world .... and the port was 40 miles up it 😵‍💫

Humorous anecdote ... Waiting time for a berth at some of those ports was extreme ... sometimes ships were waiting weeks, sometimes months. One story doing the rounds - and I can believe this - was set on board a ship that again had been at anchor for several months. Someone had managed to obtain a full size, replica, human skeleton. One day when the Port Authority boat was doing its 'rounds', of the anchorage, all personnel were moved out of sight and the skeleton was draped over the open bridge wing wearing nothing but a cap - and that was the only sign off occupancy that were seen by the staff on the boat. Rumour was they were not amused! 😁