Pros & Cons: Have you ever taken the same cruise a second time?

[lackcreativity]

We have always looked for new places to visit on our trips, but are tempted to repeat one of our favorite cruises. Viking's Mediterranean & Italian Sojourn seems to have enough excursion choices that we could almost create a brand new itinerary by selecting a different excursion. 

What do you think?

[deec]

We have done the River Cruise Grand European twice ( second time was combined for the European Sojourn) and loved it!   I think you can find different excursions and would re enjoy favorite places especially if no New cruise itinerary really interests you.  there are many I would repeat but probably have a few new that I want to do first.

[Tsunami74]

(Not on Viking, but on Regent) Next year will be the third year in a row that we are doing a trans Atlantic cruise to see Madeira and the Azores again.  We loved those places and about the only way to visit is on a ship. Did you ever hear about the airport in Madeira?

The start and ending of the cruises varied but all stopped at Azores (2 ports) and Madeira.

[Mich3554]

We did South America and Chilean Fjords twice, once in each direction.  I’d do it a third time too!  The scenery is spectacular.

[CILCIANRQTS]

We’ve done the Rhine trip a number of times - mainly because different groups of friends have wanted to tag along.

We’ve also done the Grand European twice, since it has such a good mix of port calls - big city and small town.

Also, we would do Trade Routes of the Middle Ages again - many countries and interesting ports.

[mariners]

I think that repeating a cruise is often the opposite of "lackcreativity" 😀. 

 

I (We) have taken multiple cruises with the same itinerary as, after all, one only has a very brief exposure to a location when one is only in port for a day.  Usually, I find there are way too many things that I would like to do from specific ports, and some of our best land vacations are because we found a location that was first visited during a port stop.  Many times, we have returned for land vacations, or chosen to begin/end a cruise in a location, because we loved a port we first experienced on a cruise.

 

I know we are not alone in these thoughts as all one has to do is take a look at the number of passengers who repeat World Cruises and choose to take different excursions.  So, my take is to go for a repeat itinerary and choose to take new excursions, repeat excursions that you enjoyed, or choose to just enjoy yourselves wandering around or staying onboard the ship.

 

(There is no right or wrong answer; it's a question of what matters most to you.)

 

 

[CDNPolar]

We talk about it but have not yet because there are so many new places to go.

 

If we did, it would be the Douro River cruise.

 

 

[Mich3554]

1 hour ago, mariners said:

I think that repeating a cruise is often the opposite of "lackcreativity" 😀. 

 

I (We) have taken multiple cruises with the same itinerary as, after all, one only has a very brief exposure to a location when one is only in port for a day.  Usually, I find there are way too many things that I would like to do from specific ports, and some of our best land vacations are because we found a location that was first visited during a port stop.  Many times, we have returned for land vacations, or chosen to begin/end a cruise in a location, because we loved a port we first experienced on a cruise.

 

I know we are not alone in these thoughts as all one has to do is take a look at the number of passengers who repeat World Cruises and choose to take different excursions.  So, my take is to go for a repeat itinerary and choose to take new excursions, repeat excursions that you enjoyed, or choose to just enjoy yourselves wandering around or staying onboard the ship.

 

(There is no right or wrong answer; it's a question of what matters most to you.)

 

 

I’m amazed at the number who repeat a world cruise.  We are booked on our second WC for 25-26 after assuming this would be a ‘one and done’.  I met people on our cruise in 22-23 who had been on every single world cruise that Viking has put out.  I admit I’m glad the itinerary has changed a bit for our second one, but we had booked it on the old itinerary.

[lackcreativity]

We won't ever be fortunate enough to take a World Cruise, much less take two! I am not complaining, as I am very happy to look back on our ten trips with fond memories. As a young newly married couple, I never imagined we would be able to do that!

 

Realistically, we are a lot closer to our last trip than we are to the first ones. I am trying to plot out what our remaining voyages will be. Asia/Australia are too far, Alaska/Antartica/Artic Region are too cold, and beaches don't appeal. Europe is my happy place, but we are now covering a lot of the same ground. Selecting different excursions seems to be the way to go. 

 

Thanks for all your comments. 

 

[deec]

If the only reason you are not visiting Antarctica is COLD...it was not that terrible!  I was never cold but did dress appropriately ...well we are from Michigan.

 

If you have not done South America that is a fantastic cruise with great pre/post extesnsions or do the transatlantic at begnning or end!

[JeffElizabeth]

We have taken cruises to Hawaii twice and already have another one booked. There are lots of sea days but we like those more as we get older. And there are always different excursions to enjoy. 

[lackcreativity]

1 hour ago, deec said:

If the only reason you are not visiting Antarctica is COLD...it was not that terrible!  I was never cold but did dress appropriately ...well we are from Michigan.

 

If you have not done South America that is a fantastic cruise with great pre/post extensions or do the transatlantic at beginning or end!

Sorry, not going to convince us to go somewhere with snow on purpose! The South American one is on my list of possibilities.

[JeffElizabeth]

2 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

Sorry, not going to convince us to go somewhere with snow on purpose! The South American one is on my list of possibilities.

Last year we were on a cruise to Greenland and Iceland in July and that was still too cold for our Texas friends. They were booking the Caribbean next time.. Personally we enjoyed it being twenty degrees cooler than back home. Different strokes? 

[Zippeedee]

1 hour ago, lackcreativity said:

Sorry, not going to convince us to go somewhere with snow on purpose! The South American one is on my list of possibilities.

I’m in Juneau Alaska right now on the Orion. It is sunny and 70 degrees. Unless you go directly to a glacier there is no snow.

To answer your question, I went to Hawaii and French Polynesia on the Star last November and I just booked it again on the Neptune at the end of January 2025. I love sea days and tropical islands.

[Breckski]

23 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

We won't ever be fortunate enough to take a World Cruise, much less take two! I am not complaining, as I am very happy to look back on our ten trips with fond memories. As a young newly married couple, I never imagined we would be able to do that!

 

Realistically, we are a lot closer to our last trip than we are to the first ones. I am trying to plot out what our remaining voyages will be. Asia/Australia are too far, Alaska/Antartica/Artic Region are too cold, and beaches don't appeal. Europe is my happy place, but we are now covering a lot of the same ground. Selecting different excursions seems to be the way to go. 

 

Thanks for all your comments. 

 

You do you.  Especially when it comes to vacations.  All that matters is that you (and your wife/husband) are happy and enjoy the trip.  

[Older Sister]

Yes, we’re doing the West Indies Explorer cruise for the second time over the Christmas/New Year’s holidays this year.   We love Caribbean beaches, it’s a great itinerary and a delightful way to spend the holidays and usher in the new year.  My sister and her beau will be joining us, which makes it even better.  

[philw1776]

Just got off Viking Homelands for the 2nd time. Great repeat cruise even with no jewel St Pete included. Lots of different excursions selected and knowing the ports we did much more on our own saving $$ vs paying Viking for the optional tour. Viking Neptune crew was the best.

 

Earlier in 2024 did Southern France (river) with daughter & husband for the 2nd time. Fun to be with family. Enjoyed Lyon more this time.

[wine-wine-wine]

I could do at least one TA per year. Never tire of sea days or the Nordic Spa. 

[tobique33040]

Did Into the Midnight Sun in 2022 with my daughter. Will do again next June with a friend. I love that cruise but would be happy to redo a number of the other ones I’ve already done. I agree with people who say that new excursions and experiences make it a different cruise. Enjoy. 

[Mike07]

On Viking? No

On other cruise lines? Yes... and it was not a b2b or to the Caribbean.

 

The second time around, it's more of a chill cruise since you're not pressed to see everything.

[Peregrina651]

We all have our stories!

 

Alas, for a variety of reasons, it took us 3 tries to complete our cruise of the western Med. In 2016, we booked New Years in the Med, 13 nights, Barcelona to Barcelona (Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Tunisia, Algeria, Spain). Two hours out of Barcelona, the ship suffered a systems failure that landed us back in Barcelona the next night.  The cruise was canceled and we were invited to stay on board for the duration of our tour.  We called it "our best worst cruise ever" -- free room and board in a 5 star ocean front resort, tours included daily.

 

The following NYE, 2017, we booked a similar itinerary and I got sick missing the last 3 ports.  In 2018, we tried again and completed the circle, booking Rome to Barcelona via Tunisia & Algeria less than a month before sailing. In 3 tries we never got to Tunisia and will be giving it another try in 2026.

 

[Redtravel]

  I prefer cruises that have new ports. Viking is ok for new ports.  Their excursions give you a taste of a port.  Included excursions are in big groups for short times. I did one in Haemaey, Iceland.   Listed at 1.5 hours …30 min. Bus ride with stop at small museum. Shuttle back to tender.  I was off ship about an hour.  It was perfect for the aged cruisers on Viking.  

[millybess]

We have enjoyed all of our cruises.  We would do Viking's West Indies Explorer again if we needed a winter getaway.

 

We also really liked Hong Kong to Tokyo.  We would do that again without the North Pacific Passage.

 

Viking has added many destinations to which we haven't travelled so it would be a little difficult deciding to spend our $$ on something we've already done.

[shipboy]

Not yet, but we are booked on a repeat Southern Atlantic Crossing for next year

[CCWineLover]

We are doing a repeat of West Indies on Viking Sea in November (nearly 6 years after the 1st time).  Back then we were "rookies" and tried to cram too much in.  This time we want to tone it down, relax, enjoy the weather, ship and people more.  🙂

 

We did a near repeat this past May on Mars - Trade Routes Barcelona to Bergen.   We had done the fairly new Jupiter one-off repositioning cruise in May 2019 from Barcelona to Copenhagen (same route except finished in CPH instead of BGO and also did Kiel Canal).  Both were incredible!   We were able to see many other new sights and completely different excursions in each repeated port and never duplicated anything.  We also had a new appreciation for the fact we made every port on each cruise!  (No weather issues).