Experienced cruisers - I need your help

[ja940]

We are a very active early 50's couple from South FL. We've been on 30+ cruises - most lines, 15+ Caribbean, Baltic, 4-5 in the Med, Middle East and Barcelona-Dover. We don't know what to do this year. We want a relaxing 11-14 day cruise, every time we get home from a fantastic European cruise, we need a vacation. Never done Alaska, or Panama Canal and can always do the Caribbean again, we're 20 minutes from the port. We like new ships and take mini suites or junior suites when we can't get aft cabin. Need your suggestions with itinerary and ship please. Thanks!

[rimau]

How about the east coast/ Canada? We are doing one from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale on the Crown Princess.

[ja940]

Rimau - We keep hearing Alaska from our cruiser friends. I never got excited about that itinerary but I hear all good things, I see you were there do you recommend?

[bluegirlum]

My dad swore he would never do a cruise, as they mainly go to Europe during the summer and stay in St. Martin during the spring. Then he and my stepmom went on an Alaskan cruise and he was sold. They did the 7 day cruise, then a few days on land, and the pictures were amazing. The excursions they did were amazing--they took a helicopter ride and did some other great things. I'm in my 30s and it never appealed to me before, but I would love to go to Alaska on a cruise. It just looks amazing.

 

Have fun wherever you go!

[wg6530]

I've enjoyed both Alaska and Panama Canal. Based on your comments about Europe, you might consider a west bound transatlantic (fly over, spend the first week or so visiting European ports followed by the "vacation" mode on the sea days).

[AlanAllyn]

You might try either of our next two cruises.

 

Celebrity Equinox 10-day Southern Carib 12/4

HAl Amsterdam 14-day Alaska 6/14/10

 

Alan

[Terpnut]

I think the most underappreciated itinerary is Canada/NE. I would never have thought that that would be one of our favorites of all time! Considering the costs, scenery and variety of ports, I'd even say it's better than Alaska! Unfortunately, you won't get any of the newest ships based in the mid-Atlantic or New England ports.

 

If you want to just relax and enjoy more ship time, then a Panama Canal cruise is perfect because (not counting repositioning or trans-Atlantic cruises) they tend to be the least port intensive.

[Leejnd4]

I didn't see you mentioning French Polynesia among the places you've visited. I would urge you to check out Regent's Paul Gauguin in FP. You can get 11-14 day itineraries that visit many different FP islands, and on these longer itineraries you will also get to see the Marquesas and perhaps a few other islands in the vicinity. It can be as relaxing or as active as you like. It's a Regent ship, and so is considered a luxury cruise with superior service, dining, amenities - but the prices are fantastic right now!

 

For people who have been pretty much everywhere else that cruise ships go, I think you would find this would meet your desire for something slightly different, while still enjoying all the wonderful things that cruise ships bring to a vacation.

 

Having been to most of the same destinations you mentioned (other than the Baltics, which I'm resolving on a cruise in two weeks ;)), I can tell you that FP is pure paradise...one of the most stunningly beautiful places on Earth. And the Paul Gauguin is the best way to completely immerse yourself in the whole French Polynesian environment.

[luvscruising2007]

We really enjoyed our Panama Canal cruise. It was an 11 night cruise and we had 5 port stops. Seeing the Canal itself is amazing. We did an excursion on a Ferry which took us through 2 of the locks.

Alaska is also great and as someone else mentioned Can/NE are interesting.

Whatever you choose I am sure you will have wonderful trip.

[jhodg56010]

Cruises we have especially enjoyed have been the Radiance to Alaska, The Jewel to Harwich, LaHavre (Normandy), Ireland, Scotland, and especially the Norwegian Fjords. We also just enjoyed the Rhyndam to the Mexican Riviera and the Sea of Cortes out of San Diego just 3 months ago. The Spirit of America by NCL around 4 Hawaiian Islands was a delight. We have enjoyed every one of our 24 cruises on various lines. Also familiar stops usually have multiple excursion options, so you can see different things and do different activities at ports you have visited before. We even took a TWO DAY cruise on Celebrity to just Coco Cay and enjoyed it thoroughly. I'll be willing (if able) to cruise anywhere anytime. Jim

[OCruisers]

If you pick the right itinerary a Panama Canal curise can be quite relaxing.

[GlendaleCruiser]

My sister took a 14-day cruise to Hawaii from Southern CA with a stop at Ensenada for the foreign port. It was four days at sea going, then hops on several islands for excursions, then 4 days coming back. Very relaxing.

 

I want to do that cruise next.

[eggypann]

What about one of the repositioning or transatlantic cruises? You'd have several days at sea to just relax and do nothing!

 

For example, there's an 18 day cruise that starts in New York and ends in Dover. There are several ports but 7 sea days!

[joge107]

we are a very active early 50's couple from south fl. We've been on 30+ cruises - most lines, 15+ caribbean, baltic, 4-5 in the med, middle east and barcelona-dover. We don't know what to do this year. We want a relaxing 11-14 day cruise, every time we get home from a fantastic european cruise, we need a vacation. Never done alaska, or panama canal and can always do the caribbean again, we're 20 minutes from the port. We like new ships and take mini suites or junior suites when we can't get aft cabin. Need your suggestions with itinerary and ship please. Thanks!

carnival from hawaii to mainland/12 days/seven in the islands then 5 days at sea/the 5 days are your down time to rest up and unwind/go in october/no kids

[Grannycb]

How about a b2b Alaska cruise? We did that in May. There's lots of beautiful scenery and many different things to do in each port. It had just the right amount of sea days to kick back and relax. We felt well rested when we got home.

[TSS Olympia]

10 or 14 relaxing days you say? Why not a trans Atlantic repositioning cruise. Cruise from say Copenhagen stopping at European and Carribean ports?

[ja940]

Thanks everyone so much. We booked the 9/26 Eurodam 14 day Quebec to Ft Lauderdale. Only have to fly one way and we took an aft cabin on the newest HAL ship. Comments?

[nitnyleo]

You didn't post why you are so exhausted after European cruises (too many ports? flights?) . . . but, you might want to consider an East-to-West Transatlantic . . . those sea days at the end of your cruise would be very relaxing . . . or maybe even back-to-back crossings on the QM2.

[ja940]

Change of plan. We just dropped the Eurodam Quebec to Ft Lauderdale now doing the Radiance Alaska Vancouver to San Diego 14 days and snagged an aft cabin.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

What about a cruise that goes to each of the Hawaiian Islands? I love Hawaii, but have never cruised there. I have only flown there the times I have been. However I have always thought it would be very relaxing to cruise around Hawaii.

 

Another cruise itinerary would be one that does coastal South America, such as Brazil and Argentina or the West coast of South America or even goes around the tip of South America? That would be quite an adventure.

[sammamishcruiser]

Change of plan. We just dropped the Eurodam Quebec to Ft Lauderdale now doing the Radiance Alaska Vancouver to San Diego 14 days and snagged an aft cabin.

 

We did a 14 day Alaska, Vancouver to San Diego last year on the Millennium and had a fantastic time, the weather was beautiful everywhere but Sitka. Looks like your itinerary is very similar to ours. Your will love it! Have a fantastic time. Going under the Golden Gate Bridge was breathtaking!

 

Melody:D