Post Your All Time Favorite Cruise

[WinterEscape]

Hello fellow cruisers! My husband and I are now trying to find the perfect cruise to book for next year. To help us (and others) with this I thought it would be interesting to ask each you to tell about your favorite cruise and tell us why it was your favorite!!!

 

My favortie cruise was on NOS in December 2003. For whatever reason, everything was smooth, it was the best food I can recall and the ports were great. It was Eastern Caribbean, before all the islands were turned into tourist traps!!

[JeffKoz]

We categorically claim that our Grandeur cruise last spring was our best ever. Everything was perfect. Ship was in great shape, Food was outstanding, service fantastic with no issues or complaints of any kind. It was a Western Craib, which we have done several times, but even our days in port seemed exceptionally better (better shopping deals, fantastic weather, etc).

 

We are fairly easy to please and are not whiners, but we disembarked feeling that we had the best week ever on a cruise.

[dan40]

Its always a tie between the last one and the next one. And I hope it always will be.

 

Dan

[barbarah33]

I think your first cruise - no matter where it goes or what line it is, is always wonderful. Everything is new and if you like cruising it's your first taste of what can become a habit. But of the 28 cruises I have taken, my favorite all-together would have to be the Australia/New Zealand trip I took in 2002. It was with my family and we went first class all the way - from the flights over and back to the largest suites on the ship, pre and post cruise hotels, etc. (We knew this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime treat.)

 

Every port was so different, so clean and inviting. The people we met everywhere were welcoming and genuinely happy we had come to see their 'home.' Of course this was in January of 2002 so 9/11 was still fresh in everyone's minds and most American's were sticking close to home. I have no doubt that these people are friendly anyway but to see American's traveling again really made them smile. (So many of them from all different countries would find out we were from the US and say how sorry they were for what had happened.)

 

We took a tour in almost every port and they were all more than we had hoped for. Yes, I have held a koala and fed a kangaroo from my hand. I made a meat pie from start to finish. Climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, dove in the Great Barrier Reef, etc., etc., etc. There really isn't any way to describe how perfect it all was. When we were on the ship the staff was great as well and with a cruise that's over 2 weeks you can really get to know your fellow passengers and the crew. I would recommend this trip to anyone and if the long flights there and back have you hesitant I would say to go for it anyway. The end result is worth it.

[willysgrandma]

My first, on Celebrity was my favorite until I took my last on Princess.

 

The ones in between were okay - the only one I really disliked was the Celebrity Horizon.

 

I can't wait until our next on the Freedom!

[mrsfuzzmo]

Mine was back in 1993 (I think) onboard the Dolphin Cruise Line's "Oceanbreeze". What an absolute blast. We sailed out of Aruba visiting Cartegena, Colombia; Half transit of the Panama Canal, San Blas Islands, Panama; Curacao and back to Aruba. The staff was wonderful, the ports were exotic and exciting, the cruise was absolutly fabulous. We had the time of our lives (4 sisters, age 21-25). The ship was old and small, but that's what made it as fantastic as it was. We knew everyone onboard by the end of the cruise and the ship was just eclectic, beautiful and layed out really crazy so we often got lost. What a great cruise.

[dodgersmom]

I have never had a bad cruise but I am hoping that my favorite is the one that sails on Feb 10th from San Juan!

[nanfromatlanta]

My last 3 cruises on the Radiance of the Seas. The last two were during Christmas.

[Tra4]

My favorite would have to be the Radiance 12 day cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii. The price was great, Cabin 1100 was wonderful, meet & Mingle group were so much fun, DH played in the survivor game which was fun each day, and we were in Hawaii!!

[Sheffie]

We have done different Caribbean cruises, and our favorite was our cruise last year on the Serenade. We loved the ship, and the itinerary was WONDERFUL!

 

Our second favorite was the Horizon. We loved the intimate feeling that that ship had.

[CoronaCpl]

Our favorite cruise so far was last January on Adventure out of San Juan. We sailed the Southern route hitting Aruba, Curacao, St Maarten and St Thomas. Even though this particular cruise receives extremely critical reviews on these boards, it remains our best to date!

 

Not sure if it was the itinerary, condition of the seas (super smooth!), or our 'situation' before cruising, but if was absolutely relaxing. (By "situation" I'm referring to a hectic work schedule before setting sail, possibly making this cruise even more appreciated than usual.)

 

Food, service, ports, and overall experience was perfect on this one. We didn't take any organized excursions - just explored on our own, at our own pace.

 

Well, okay, it wasn't absolutely perfect...I just remembered something that sorta ruined it. They made us get off the ship after the week ended!!!

 

We'll do this cruise again - without a doubt!

[RCCLCARIB]

We had our first Suite, weather was just amazing, our first time on a Radiance Class Ship, and the ports were incredible.

 

Between Dog Sledding in Juneau, Helicopter Riding in Skagway, and a Harbor Cruise in Ketchikan, plus the Hubbard Glacier, I have never had a cruise that has topped this in terms of service, food, amenities, cabins, and overall cruise experience.

 

Alaska on the Radiance of the Seas gets my vote!

[threeofus]

Tough decision between Hawaii and Panama Canal.

 

Hawaii is a very special place...cruise was good but not great.

 

Panama - 11 days.....canal is awesome! That might be the one.

[Bruin Steve]

My favorite (By far, though I love them all):

13 night Venice to Barcelona on the Celebrity Millennium...

 

Near perfect...

 

First, the ports:

Venice, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Santorini, Athens, Naples, Rome, Livorno, Nice, Barcelona...

A GREAT combination of ports, each one fascinating, intriguing, historical, cultured...

An outstanding mix of smaller islands and large cities...of Ancient archaeology, medeival walled cities, rennaissance art and modern art and architecture...

Five different European countries, cultures, cuisines...

 

Then, the ship: An elegant 91,000 gross ton ship with only 2,000 passengers on board...roomy, no lines...you could always walk into the show room 5 minutes before the show and find great seats...

 

And, of course, the superior food and service...

 

And we made it even better by adding on 2-night pre and post-cruise packages in Venice and Barcelona...

 

I would take this cruise again any time...

[TSCOTT]

We've taken 4 cruises thus far and our favorite was the Mediterranean in 2000. We plan to cruise there again in 2008 ...hopefully on the Voyager.