Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Which were your NCL favorite cruises ?

scubacruiserx2

By scubacruiserx2,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The NCL Dream was our first cruise to Europe ( and South America ) and a band that we picked up in the Kiel canal in Germany would play every time that we sailed under a bridge . The T -shirt from the cruise .

DSC09283.thumb.JPG.e01c37339d3455f0b32f29b3d9828e8c.JPG

 

 Turning on the water fountains at Peterhof to the music Hymn of a Great City in St. Petersburg , Russia .

 

 

 

The Church on the Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg

 

IMG_8143-001_zpso230wybu.jpg

 

 

Interior mosaics of the Church on the Spilled Blood 

 

4acf875c-97ea-4e03-9d9c-2b94e08616ce_zps

 

Our video clip of the Faberge Eggs in St. Petersburg each worth more than a million dollars each !

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabergé_egg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ColeThornton Holiday Sharing Rare

ColeThornton

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 minutes ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

Most of us have been on a number of cruises . So which were your favorite cruises and ports ? Please feel free to share photos and videos . We would prefer that we share here on CC and not blogs from elsewhere . 

 

 

Here is where the same thread from yesterday got moved to:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/69-ask-a-cruise-question/

Edited by ColeThornton
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ontheweb Holiday Sharing Rare

ontheweb

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

Yes we did but we didn't put NCL on the title so we think that it was moved .

Yes, and I responded with a Baltic cruise on Princess.

 

As for NCL, we really enjoyed out Prima cruise this past August, though it would have been better if 2 of the original 8 ports had not disappeared. In 2012, we did a 35th anniversary Western Mediterranean cruise on the Epic. The Epic was far too big, and I found it unfriendly. However, the ports were special as we finally got to go to Florence. We had missed that port on our initial cruise 10 years earlier for our 25th anniversary when I got us on the train going the wrong way from Livorno. Bad thing to do when your wife is an art teacher (now retired.) Even though we were more experienced and probably could have at that point done it on our own, we booked the NCL Florence on Your Own Tour, and DW pre-booked the 2 major museums with timed tickets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

Hawaii, via Pride of Aloha, absolutely.

The scenery and atmosphere of the islands are hard to beat.

 

The last photo gave us a farewell view of the POA just after take off...sadly flying back to NY

DSCN0081.JPG

DSCN0117.JPG

DSCN0218.JPG

DSCN0245.JPG

DSCN0308.JPG

DSCN0345.JPG

DSCN0380.JPG

 

We loved the island cruise that we did on our 25th anniversary ( not on NCL ) especially Kauai so much that we just stayed there for our 45th in March . Thanks for sharing your photos from the POA and bringing back those memories . 

 

 Here's the POA in Kauai 

 

DSC07340(4).thumb.JPG.5f129f566800f87bb66f1454d78a6505.JPG

 

And us waving to you as you left the island sailing away to your next adventure while we were landlocked finishing our dessert . 😋

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JillK

JillK

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have only ever been on one cruise that I wished I could have left early - and it wasn't NCL. I typically live by the motto of a day at sea is better than a day on land.

 

That being said, I have cruised on many NCL ships with different configurations of my family and many have been a favourite in one way or another..... my very first cruise on the Norway with my family when I was 17 and thought that I would hate the entire experience (joke's on me I suppose!!)... the cruise on the Epic in 2012 when we surprised our daughters with the cruise and it was our first balcony cabin.... the cruise on the Escape in 2016 because it was multi-generational with my four children and my parents which made it precious.... the cruise on the Gem in 2019 because it was just my hubby and I getting a break from those same four kids 😉 and we didn't know what the world had in store for us in 2020... the cruise on the Getaway last year because it was the first one back post-COVID and our last multi-generational cruise.

 

I guess what I am learning here is that the cruises were a phenomenal experience but it was equally, if not more so, important who we were cruising with. They made the memories for the most part... not the ship or itinerary. 

 

Whatever you choose, and whomever you choose to do it with - happy cruising! 

Edited by JillK
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruiser2015 Holiday Sharing Rare

cruiser2015

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

We loved the island cruise that we did on our 25th anniversary ( not on NCL ) especially Kauai so much that we just stayed there for our 45th in March . Thanks for sharing your photos from the POA and bringing back those memories . 

 

 Here's the POA in Kauai 

 

DSC07340(4).thumb.JPG.5f129f566800f87bb66f1454d78a6505.JPG

 

And us waving to you as you left the island sailing away to your next adventure while we were landlocked finishing our dessert . 😋

 

 

 

 

Thanks.

But, wait a minute...what magic is this? How did you shoot the POA sailing away from the beach? A separate visit to the island, perhaps?

 

Ooh - you reminded me of the Hula Pie I had at Dukes in Waikiki pre-sail. Yummm

Link to comment
Share on other sites
seemoreroyals

seemoreroyals

Posted
Posted (edited)

We will always fondly remember our first NCL cruise on the Starward  in June of 1995.  It was a small ship by today's standards. Maybe 500 passengers if I recall correctly.  We had an inside cabin.  Don't remember if they even had balcony cabins on ships back then.  

 

Instead of light and bright colors that today's ships have, the Starward was made of darker woods.  We had no drink package, no specialty dinners, no broadway shows, no freestyle dining. 

 

But we had the best room steward we have ever had on a cruise.  Any time we left the room we would return and our room was cleaned.  We always had fresh Ice in the ice bucket.  

 

These were the days when you left envelopes with tips now replaced with DSC charges paid in advance.  We happily paid him more than what was suggested.  

 

Our cruise was to the South Caribbean.  NCL had a really neat free excursion program back then called Sports Afloat.  At each island we visited they had an organized walk led by an NCL employee which was informative and offered us a chance to get off the ship, get in a nice morning walk, and enjoy each port free of charge.

 

We have since been on the Dawn, the Jewel, the Gem. the Epic, the Breakaway, the Joy and the Bliss.  All of these cruises were amazing.   We really don't have a favorite as we have enjoyed all of the NCL cruises we have been on.  But our first cruise on the Starward will always have a special place for us.  

Edited by seemoreroyals
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
16 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

Glacier Bay, Alaska on the Bliss in 2019  and Geiranger, Norway on the Prima this year.

IMG_5265.jpeg

IMG_0494.jpeg

 

Love it !  We did the last Alaska cruise to Ft. Lauderdale on a different line in late 2022 , but have booked the NCL Star for Norway and Iceland for our next scheduled cruise in Spring .

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
12 hours ago, JillK said:

I have only ever been on one cruise that I wished I could have left early - and it wasn't NCL. I typically live by the motto of a day at sea is better than a day on land.

 

That being said, I have cruised on many NCL ships with different configurations of my family and many have been a favourite in one way or another..... my very first cruise on the Norway with my family when I was 17 and thought that I would hate the entire experience (joke's on me I suppose!!)... the cruise on the Epic in 2012 when we surprised our daughters with the cruise and it was our first balcony cabin.... the cruise on the Escape in 2016 because it was multi-generational with my four children and my parents which made it precious.... the cruise on the Gem in 2019 because it was just my hubby and I getting a break from those same four kids 😉 and we didn't know what the world had in store for us in 2020... the cruise on the Getaway last year because it was the first one back post-COVID and our last multi-generational cruise.

 

I guess what I am learning here is that the cruises were a phenomenal experience but it was equally, if not more so, important who we were cruising with. They made the memories for the most part... not the ship or itinerary. 

 

Whatever you choose, and whomever you choose to do it with - happy cruising! 

 

You're so right that things have changed with cruising and family . We did a small group with the son and daughters first . A number of years later our baby daughter got married on a cruise ship in Miami and the family had to leave before the ship sailed . But we stayed on the cruise to chaperone her and our new DIL .

The last family cruise was the our son , DIL and youngest GS . DD #1 was a nurse who had to work but gave us our 2 oldest GS . DD # 2 and SIL finished filling the table at dinner . The cruise was great but I had the flu , so room service was the middle 3 days dining venue . So , where's the nurse when you need one ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 10/8/2023 at 2:42 AM, cruiser2015 said:

Thanks.

But, wait a minute...what magic is this? How did you shoot the POA sailing away from the beach? A separate visit to the island, perhaps?

 

Ooh - you reminded me of the Hula Pie I had at Dukes in Waikiki pre-sail. Yummm

 

A magician never reveals his secrets . But would you believe a telescoping selfie stick and a ultra wide angled titanium phone ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
22 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Our favorite NCL cruise of all time and probably one of our favorite cruises ever was the 38-day B2B on the Jade last fall from Athens to Cape Town by way of Dubai! 

 

 

 

Thank you for giving us a free trip to a part of the world that we have never seen before . You did a great job , and we know how hard it is to put these threads together . We never have done a Live trip except when we went live on another cruise line in Kiel Germany . A group of protesters who didn't want us polluting their waterway had attached their boats to our ship with large magnets and surrounded us with their boats . They also climbed the mooring lines and attached tents to the lines so that we couldn't leave . They refused the law enforcement orders to move and  it required some other law enforcement men that came in smaller vessels . They we there for several hours after our sail time and refused to come ashore and be arrested . So we were flashed by some of the ladies and gentlemen and observed a large number urinating and defecating in their waterway .

 

 

 

Kiel was our final stop before returning back to Copenhagen . We did a B2B but a number of other passengers were asking them to let us go as they had early flights the next day . They were prepared to swim to shore to try to get away from the police as they had wetsuits and fins but that didn't always work .

 

 

 

The Capitan and ship was able to make up some time but we were a couple of hours late to Copenhagen for their departure .

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ken the cruiser "Live from...." Rare

Ken the cruiser

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

Thank you for giving us a free trip to a part of the world that we have never seen before . You did a great job , and we know how hard it is to put these threads together . We never have done a Live trip except when we went live on another cruise line in Kiel Germany . A group of protesters who didn't want us polluting their waterway had attached their boats to our ship with large magnets and surrounded us with their boats . They also climbed the mooring lines and attached tents to the lines so that we couldn't leave . They refused the law enforcement orders to move and  it required some other law enforcement men that came in smaller vessels . They we there for several hours after our sail time and refused to come ashore and be arrested . So we were flashed by some of the ladies and gentlemen and observed a large number urinating and defecating in their waterway .

 

 

 

Kiel was our final stop before returning back to Copenhagen . We did a B2B but a number of other passengers were asking them to let us go as they had early flights the next day . They were prepared to swim to shore to try to get away from the police as they had wetsuits and fins but that didn't always work .

 

 

 

The Capitan and ship was able to make up some time but we were a couple of hours late to Copenhagen for their departure .

Cruising in different parts of the world definitely creates some unique memories, that's for sure!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ontheweb Holiday Sharing Rare

ontheweb

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

Thank you for giving us a free trip to a part of the world that we have never seen before . You did a great job , and we know how hard it is to put these threads together . We never have done a Live trip except when we went live on another cruise line in Kiel Germany . A group of protesters who didn't want us polluting their waterway had attached their boats to our ship with large magnets and surrounded us with their boats . They also climbed the mooring lines and attached tents to the lines so that we couldn't leave . They refused the law enforcement orders to move and  it required some other law enforcement men that came in smaller vessels . They we there for several hours after our sail time and refused to come ashore and be arrested . So we were flashed by some of the ladies and gentlemen and observed a large number urinating and defecating in their waterway .

 

 

 

Kiel was our final stop before returning back to Copenhagen . We did a B2B but a number of other passengers were asking them to let us go as they had early flights the next day . They were prepared to swim to shore to try to get away from the police as they had wetsuits and fins but that didn't always work .

 

 

 

The Capitan and ship was able to make up some time but we were a couple of hours late to Copenhagen for their departure .

Let me get this straight. They were protesting your ship polluting their waters by defecating and urinating in the water. Somehow that does not make a lot of sense.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
scubacruiserx2 Holiday Sharing Rare

scubacruiserx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Returning to our Baltic Cruise on the NCL Dream . We visited the amazing St. Isaac's Cathedral that took 40 years to complete and has 100 kg of gold on the exterior of the Dome .

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Isaac's_Cathedral

 

We booked a private tour apart from the ship's tours that got us in 1 hour ahead of the masses of people at the Hermitage . This was the Da Vinci Room . It was by far the best museum that we have ever visited .

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermitage_Museum

 

But by far the most exciting thing that we did was a helicopter flight over St. Petersburg . It flew over the Hermitage and Palace Square , St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Church on the Spilled Blood before landing in the Peter and Paul Fortress .

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...