Researching potential bucket list cruise

[gzmtlock]

My 84-year-old mom has been battling cancer.  Within a month or so, we'll know whether she has months or maybe years ahead.  In either case, things would be much better for her if she had something to look forward to.  One of her bucket list items is a transatlantic cruise, and it feels like it might be doable.  I've been on NCL, RCCL and Disney.  Currently prefer NCL, but willing to look to other options.  We strongly prefer a 2-bedroom suite.  I would like to be readily available for her, but we both recognize that we will need the ability to have some space also.  We also like the idea of a living space beyond couches next to beds, so prefer a suite vs connecting staterooms.  (Would be willing to consider connecting, but not our first choice.)  She also wants some port stops, not just shooting across the pond.  So likely a two week-ish cruise.

 

Any recommendations on where to look, other than NCL?

[Hlitner]

Oh my!  There are tons of options since just about every cruise line, you can name, has some transatlantic/repositioning cruises.  We are not just talking about the mass market lines (RCI, Celebrity, NCL, etc) but also the higher end luxury lines such as Seabourn, Silversea, Regent, etc.  A 2 bedroom suite is not a very common type of cabin (and very expensive when it does exist) but various connecting cabins and suites do exist on most ships.

 

Hank

 

[CDNPolar]

Viking Ocean have a number of "trans-ocean" cruises, but you won't get connecting cabins, or two bedroom suites.

 

Penthouse Veranda or Penthouse Junior Suites may be what you are looking for but these are also all based on double occupancy, so if you are going Viking it could be expensive if you want to have separate but adjoining cabins.

[mchell810]

19 hours ago, gzmtlock said:

My 84-year-old mom has been battling cancer.  Within a month or so, we'll know whether she has months or maybe years ahead.  In either case, things would be much better for her if she had something to look forward to.  One of her bucket list items is a transatlantic cruise, and it feels like it might be doable.  I've been on NCL, RCCL and Disney.  Currently prefer NCL, but willing to look to other options.  We strongly prefer a 2-bedroom suite.  I would like to be readily available for her, but we both recognize that we will need the ability to have some space also.  We also like the idea of a living space beyond couches next to beds, so prefer a suite vs connecting staterooms.  (Would be willing to consider connecting, but not our first choice.)  She also wants some port stops, not just shooting across the pond.  So likely a two week-ish cruise.

 

Any recommendations on where to look, other than NCL?

 

Naturally, every cruise line has connecting rooms; however, some do have suites where you can book the connecting (regular) room to create a 2-bedroom suite. Silversea has this option; I believe some Celebrity ships offer the same setup. Silversea would be considerably more expensive than NCL but it's a small ship experience (maximum 600--700 passengers depending on the ship). 

Edited July 7 by mchell810

[shipgeeks]

I'm wondering if the need to have a long flight, either before or after a transatlantic cruise, would be too much.  We find the flights so exhausting and uncomfortable that we gave up that type of cruise, even though it was one of our favorites.

Would a crossing on Cunard, and a return crossing, be worth considering? With the right planning, perhaps a few days in the UK or nearby, and then a return crossing on a different Cunard ship, could be a possibility.

Similarly, in the spring a number of the mainstream lines do an eastbound crossing, and it might be possible to link up with a Cunard return.

[gzmtlock]

Thanks for all the feedback and ideas.

 

On 7/7/2024 at 6:40 AM, CDNPolar said:

Penthouse Veranda or Penthouse Junior Suites may be what you are looking for but these are also all based on double occupancy, so if you are going Viking it could be expensive if you want to have separate but adjoining cabins.

I looked into Viking - nice product!  Mom did a river cruise a few years back and really enjoyed it.  But two of their suites are likely to be too high a price point.  I'll take another peek and add the info to our list of possibilities.

On 7/7/2024 at 1:07 PM, mchell810 said:

 some do have suites where you can book the connecting (regular) room to create a 2-bedroom suite. Silversea has this option; I believe some Celebrity ships offer the same setup. Silversea would be considerably more expensive than NCL but it's a small ship experience (maximum 600--700 passengers depending on the ship). 

Very helpful, to know what to look for - a suite that connects to a regular room - thank you!  I'll start with Celebrity and see where that takes me.

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I'm wondering if the need to have a long flight, either before or after a transatlantic cruise, would be too much.  We find the flights so exhausting and uncomfortable that we gave up that type of cruise, even though it was one of our favorites.

Would a crossing on Cunard, and a return crossing, be worth considering? With the right planning, perhaps a few days in the UK or nearby, and then a return crossing on a different Cunard ship, could be a possibility.

Similarly, in the spring a number of the mainstream lines do an eastbound crossing, and it might be possible to link up with a Cunard return.

Yes, thank you, I have some concerns about the long flight as well.  Unfortunately, this trip would not be a complete vacation for me - I would need to work some.  I'm trying to keep it as close to two weeks as possible.  Definitely cannot extend to three full weeks, including travel.  So back-to-back transatlantic cruises would be problematic.

However, you have given me another thought.  If Mom would be interested in a repositioning cruise through the Panama Canal, that could be (at least somewhat) easier air travel than to/from Europe.