your favorite cruise...

[Faith77]

Thanks Laura & Cruisecritic for this new forum.

 

I'd love to hear about everybody's favorite cruises. I usually travel in May or June and over the Christmas holidays. Sometimes I've done land trips (England/Ireland & Thailand) and sometimes I've done cruises (Alaska, NY-Canada, a Russia rivercruise, and this Christmas I'll be on the Dawn Princess to Mexico).

 

Anyway, please share info about your favorite cruise and/or cruisetour.

 

Faith

[claud925]

Well, Faith, you just mentioned 2 of the 3 times when I do not cruise - and that is the months of June and Xmas holiday . . . the reason: Kids! I try to avoid cruising with hordes of them, so I stay away from the summer months, spring break, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love children - just not while I'm cruising. Although I will say that the children's programs staff do an outstanding job with occupying and keeping the little ones sequestered.:D

 

As for my favorite cruise, I'd have to say it was aboard the QE2, transatlantic, from NY to Southampton. Wonderfully classic, rich with tradition, and they had "gentleman hosts" to dance with solo female travellers!:)

[kryos]

My absolute favorite cruise thus far was my 30-day Hawaii/South Pacific cruise on the ms. Amsterdam this past January. The nice thing about a cruise of that length is that you get very few children (we had exactly two ... one of which was the child of an officer ... and mom and child got off in Hawaii) and your fellow passengers are much more relaxed and willing to strike up conversations with their fellow journeyers.

 

I've found that a longer cruise brings out a different type of cruiser ... the kind that wants to travel to interesting places and wants to enjoy the journey just as much as the destinations. You really get into the rhythm of the boat ... the relaxing days at sea ... the various activities you find that you enjoy participating in.

 

You also get to visit some of the lesser traveled ports. We not only spent six days in the Hawaiian Islands (with an overnight in Honolulu), but got to visit a lot of the South Pacific ports as well (Bora Bora, Moorea, Papeete, etc.). These are the kinds of places that you know you won't see again for a long time, so that makes the experience even more special.

 

I only wish I could do these kinds of cruises all the time, but unfortunately that's not to be. This was a "special" cruise ... to celebrate the milestone of turning 50. My boss won't be too likely to give me a that amount of time off again ... not in the foreseeable future ... not all at one time anyway.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[dot73]

Hi Rita,

 

As you probably know, I will be doing the same 30-day itinerary you did next year to celebrate my 50th (although it is not until June 2007). I have a feeling it will also be my favourite cruise also. I loved reading about your experiences and have been pouring over the material Marie forwarded to me. I'll probably have all kinds of questions for you once I start seriously perusing all the excursion possibilities. Take care. Dorothy

[Faith77]

Thanks Roxanne, Rita, and Dot for your feedback.

 

Roxanne, so far I've avoided the kids/family thing. Maybe it was the itineraries--Alaska and NY-Canada--that did it. Not a lot of sun time. I'm hoping that my luck holds out over Christmas/New Years this year. Everything just jellied together so I just decided to try it and see what happens.

 

Rita, I followed your postings on the HAL board during your 30 day cruise. Sounds like you had the trip of a lifetime. Now I'm reading Ruth's postings on the new Noordam.

 

Dot, I wish you a wonderful trip. I love the planning/dreaming that goes in to a big trip like this.

 

Faith

[kryos]

I'll probably have all kinds of questions for you once I start seriously perusing all the excursion possibilities. Take care. Dorothy

Trust me, you are in for the time of your life. This cruise was absolutely wonderful ... as was the Amsterdam. I don't know much about the Rydam ... the ship that will be doing this itinerary next year, but I have heard wonderful things about it.

 

As for excursions ... yeah, there is a lot to choose from. Let me know if you want a lead for a great skydiving place in Honolulu. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Roxanne, so far I've avoided the kids/family thing. Maybe it was the itineraries--Alaska and NY-Canada--that did it. Not a lot of sun time. I'm hoping that my luck holds out over Christmas/New Years this year. Everything just jellied together so I just decided to try it and see what happens.

 

Rita, I followed your postings on the HAL board during your 30 day cruise. Sounds like you had the trip of a lifetime. Now I'm reading Ruth's postings on the new Noordam.

I hate to say it ... but don't hold your breath on not having a lot of kids over Christmas and New Years. Unfortunately, that's the time of year that really brings them out ... great family cruising time ... and the boat will probably be swarming with them. However, if the ship has a good children's program, hopefully they will be happily busy most of the day and won't be a bother to adult passengers.

 

I'm reading Ruth's postings from the Noordam too ... and it doesn't seem like (at least to me) that she's having that great a time. Of course, I'm reading "between the lines" here ... but I'm getting that definite impression. Vista-class ships are an entirely different thing than other HAL ships. With only one prior cruise under my belt, I quickly ascertained that when I took my Zuiderdam cruise in 2004. I've never sailed another Vista since. Large ship ... carries something like 1800 passengers ... and if you travel during the summer months when lots of the cabins have 3 and 4 passengers (kids), that passenger count could go well over 2,000. Not my cup of tea.

 

I guess someday I may try the Noordam ... if for no other reason that the New York round trip sailings ... but I'm certainly in no hurry to do so.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[SantaAna,CA]

I haven't done all that many cruises...but just got finished with one that will probably stay in my heart as an all-time wonderful vacation. I was on the Seabourn Legend for two weeks to the Caribbean, a very port-intensive 14 days. I love Seabourn because they are ultra-luxury, the ship is small (there were fewer than 200 passengers), and everyone dresses up most of the time. Throw in my favorite sport, scuba diving, and I was in seventh heaven. Their handsome waiters escort ladies at dinner to and from your tables....you get invited to sit at officers tables often for dinner.....the ship itself is beautiful and the cabins are HUGE with extra huge windows and a walk in closet. I've never eaten food like that before in my life; it was like being at a five star restaurant for every meal.

 

It was a privilege to be on that ship; I'm going back on Seabourn in December to the Caribbean again...southerly islands this time...but only for 7 days, tsk, tsk!

 

Jane ;)