What was your best cruise??

We're looking at taking four weeks in 2018 and going on a long cruise. I know it's some time away yet but we want to make this one something special.

Before we start thinking of booking I thought it would be a good idea to get some insight from fellow cruisecritic forum members and maybe find something special.

So, What was your best cruise? And what made it so special? :cool:

We haven't done this yet because we are both still working but if I had to go for a month I would catch the last cruise in the Med or Baltics (9-10 days), take a transatlantic to Florida (13-14) days and then a week in the Caribbean. This way you can do three types of cruises all on one ship.

But to answer your question, we have had two that rank right up there, but neither was as long as the one you are thinking about. 1 was our Panama Canal full transit 15 day cruise on NCL Star from LA to Miami. The itinerary was great as we had a port every other day and got to see all the locks working. This was before the larger canal was opened so the Star was a PanaMAX ship at the time. The second was our last cruise. We did a round trip out of Seattle to Alaska. The scenery was amazing as was the ship, Celebrity Solstice. The only thing was it was over too fast as it was only a 7 day and we like 10-14 day cruises usually.

We're looking at taking four weeks in 2018 and going on a long cruise. I know it's some time away yet but we want to make this one something special.

Before we start thinking of booking I thought it would be a good idea to get some insight from fellow cruisecritic forum members and maybe find something special.

 

So, What was your best cruise? And what made it so special? :cool:

Did you mean to say 2019 instead of 2018?

We have had a lot of great cruises: S. American around the horn, Baltic, British Isles, Norway and Iceland, but for 4-weeks I would recommend a B2B Asian cruise from Japan to Hong Kong and Hong Kong to Singapore. Ours was in OCT/NOV 2016 on the Millennium - wonderful time with many diverse ports of call.

Best so far was transpacific on Oceania Insignia: 38 days Sydney to Los Angeles (with 18 sea days). Several pre-cruise days in Sydney and quick flight home at end (L.A. to S.F.).

Our first Europe cruise was on renaissance cruise line in 2001 , ten day Italy and Greece on new non smoking adult only cruise also

A few months ago did a rock and romance on Summit , amazing entertainment , America, Micheal McDonald, air supply , stxt, war , poco, B J Thomas and others

My absolute favorite cruises have been in the Med. Almost every day is a port day and every single port is so special. But I must admit, you can really get tired on these cruises so it is important to pace yourselves. We choose to do unique private tours far from the madding crowd and, as a result, have had some extraordinary experiences - being taught to make limoncello and orange cello by the daughters of a private restaurant in Positano and taking a tour of their hillside farm, seeing the Giardino de Monstri (Sacro Bosco) outside of Rome and Villa Farnesi and Villa Lante. We've eaten the world's best gelato in San Gimignano and in Province taken a private boat to see the Calanques, followed by markets, olive oil and wine tasting. There was the day we visited various Tuscan Hill Towns and another day, in Spain trying various Vinoteques and another day spent photographing the Bouqeria Market in Barcelona followed by a night eating tapas at many different tapas bars. There was the trip to see the Alhambra and another day where we were in Portugal and went to the Pena Palace and town of Sintra, perhaps the most enchanted place in the world. We took a private car tour around Barcelona and saw all of the Gaudi sites. In France, we went to Monet's garden and were lucky enough that it was overcast and had just rained - the perfect photographic conditions and later had lunch at a French farmhouse restaurant where no one spoke anything but French.

What made our Med cruises so special were the unique private tours I booked - rather than doing the usual tourist stuff. Many times our guides seemed astounded and impressed that an American would know to go to the places we went. For example Sacro Bosco is not well known outside of art circles - I couldn't find anyone else to share that tour with us because most Americans are just totally unaware of this place and how sensational it is so they go into Rome itself, but it was an astounding day as we arrived early that morning, passing the ruins of the aqueducts when the valley was full of mist and it made the park all that more mysterious and atmospheric - best of all, we nearly had the place to ourselves which meant it was possible to tour the park the way people in the Rennaisance would have seen it. We studied this park before we went so we would understand the statues and other features and took a lot of photos. Afterwards, we went to Villa Lante - I loved the fountain table there with a spectacular view out to the Med (what a place that would be for a wedding reception!) and the fire staircase (this garden is arranged to represent the four elements) and the exquisite Villa Farnesi which is what the Pentagon is based on with the famous Heaven staircase and map room. We also ate in locals restaurants - not tourist restaurants and I spent time studying the 20 different regional cuisines of Italy so I would know what was best to order in each place.

So basically we used our Med Cruise ships as a floating hotel. Any cruise line can make a competent breakfast and you are off the ship all day, so we just had dinner onboard and after walking a ton all day, we were tired and wanted to just relax and go to bed early for the tour the next day. I never actually went to any show onboard. Pick the best priced ship and lowest priced cabin you are comfortable with on a line you like and spend more on the tours. We went on NCL twice and then on Celebrity. Both were great and what I appreciated about NCL was no formal nights at all.

But then there was our Castles Along the Rhine (8 days) on Uniworld SS Antoinette going from Amsterdam to Basil, Switzerland. Ooh my gosh - it was so fabulous and it required no advance planning on my part (other than flights hotel and what we did on land before the cruise), because the entire river cruise is planned for you including tours, unless you choose to go off on your own, and it is all inclusive - but everything was just so very perfect, especially the day we were cruising the castles and it was slightly rainy and we had a wurstfest on the upper deck of the river ship as we passed the various castles. Some extraordinary days from that cruise included touring Castle Vollrads - this is where the entire Rhine wine industry was saved and the place that pioneered wine pairing dinners - absolutely an amazing place! There was Marksburg Castle and the town of Cologne where we toured the cathedral and I bought Eau de Cologne and had the best beer I've ever had - Kolsch - it is served in a tall and thin glass , Strasbourg, Rudeshiem - incredibly charming, visiting the Black Forest, wine tasting in France and so much more. Maybe you ought to consider combining a Med cruise and then flying to Amsterdam for a river cruise. It would be totally worth it and we met many people who had done just that, IMO! BTW, we stayed at Hotel Okura in Amsterdam - they have a Michelin starred Japanese restaurant called Yamazato that has the best Omakase ever! We've eaten there twice it was so good and completely different each time - but quite expensive, yet worth it. If you decide to do the river cruise as well - then what I would suggest is you try to go during the Keukenhoff in Amsterdam and go to that as well - it is spectacular! We can't take 4 weeks off, so we have not done that but since you have the opportunity, why not? There are different lines that cruise the Rhine but I chose Uniworld due to their reputation for outstanding food that fits the area in which you are cruising (I do not go to Europe to eat American food like what they do on Viking) and ships that are decorated to fit the area in which you are cruising. We had one of the Junior Suites on this ship - the one decorated in cream and brown toile - it was fabulous in every way! We had 2 butlers and they spoiled us silly with afternoon snacks, fine soap and just could not do enough for us. I just cannot say enough good things about that cruise and Uniworld! Oh and the other reason I chose Uniworld was because this ship was almost never rafted - only on boarding day, whereas, some of the other lines are rafted at every port which makes your window or French balcony unusable when in port.

They were all the best :). Seriously, we have been on so many cruises (several over 60 days) all over the world on 14 cruise lines. It is nearly impossible to choose a favorite although our first Grand Med Cruise (62 days) on Holland America's Prinsendam comes quickly to mind. Because we try to keep it fresh and exciting by cruising on many different lines and ships it never gets old.

Hank

My best cruise to date was also my first on the Voyages to Antiquity line in their inaugural year. They are a small, niche line with one ship (only ~350 passengers) that does unique itineraries with a historical focus, including having great lecturers onboard.

The land-sea package was just over 2 weeks and started with two days in Cairo, another two days in Luxor, then up the sea and through the Suez canal, with stops to visit St. Catherine's monastery in the Sinai and another desert monastery. Then onward to Syria (two stops, including an overnight in the now-destroyed Palmyra) and Lebanon before ending in Cyprus.

Part of the reason this cruise was so special to me is that it was my first time on this line and in their inaugural year. Since then, I've cruised about once a year with them. Second, of course, is the fact that some of these places cannot be visited now, or possibly ever again.

If I could take off a month from work, I'd probably select something that would include some of SE Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar/Burma. But I'd want to do it on a small ship. Larger ships have to dock too far from the city center in a lot of these places.

Ours is our Viking river cruise in China . Wonderful food, interesting port calls balanced overnight stops and a wonderful guide

It is a tie between Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands both of which were expeditions, not drive-bys. Both trips were fantastic because they were remote and for what was not there; e.g., shops, loud music, tour buses, etc. The empasis was on the wildlife, education and conservation of both land and animals.

My next one is always going to be my favorite...but so far out of the ones we have done:

Mexican Riviera

Caribbean (Eastern & Southern)

Alaska

Canada & New England

Asia

Western Med

Ireland, Iceland & Scotland

Northern Europe & Baltics

It's been the Baltics...just amazing !!!!

We're looking at taking four weeks in 2018 and going on a long cruise. I know it's some time away yet but we want to make this one something special.

Before we start thinking of booking I thought it would be a good idea to get some insight from fellow cruisecritic forum members and maybe find something special.

 

So, What was your best cruise? And what made it so special? :cool:

Alaska ,2008 on an HAL ship.One week land and one week sea.A fantastic adventure.

My best cruise was on the Carnival Breeze. The people I was travelling with were half of why, the other half was the ship. Big open Lido deck great for deck parties, cool waterslides, plentiful hot tubs...She's still my favorite ship 17 sails later...

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A 21 day B2B Journeys cruise. First leg was from Miami to San Juan, eastern, then San Juan southern and back to Miami.

Wait, there was a 10 day Med cruise, Italy, Greece and Croatia.

Hmmm, I really liked our 2 week land/sea Princess Alaskan adventure.

Shall I go on?

Bucket list: Galapogos, Norway/Finland/ Iceland Northern Lights

Don't think I've ever had a "bad" cruise, some just not as memorable as others.

We have done so many cruises that it is difficult to select just 1 favorite cruise.

Baltic -- 14 days -- stayed on and went around Portugal and Spain and did the eastern and western Med which included Egypt.

21 day full Panama Canal and stayed on for Alaska.

South America.

Most of our cruises have been in conjunction with land stays, so I include both facets - I’d say our best was two weeks in Italy, ending with a week in Rome, then a T/A on Prinsendam to Fort Lauderdale- which included a number of Med ports and Madeira.

It would be our first on the Celebrity Mercury years ago. Reason being, well it was our first and we were blown away.

Panama Canal on Celebrity Millenium and Baltic on HAL Rotterdam - I rank PC first, hubby says Baltic. Either one. They were both fantastic!

Two weeks on a South Pacific cruise with Princess! I never knew, never saw, water in so many hues and colors! We flew into Papeette (sp?), Tahiti and cruised around the island and then to Moorea, Bora Bora, and all around the French Society Islands and then to the Cook Islands. It was fabulous! We never had to tender into anywhere because of the ship's smaller size. Most of our excursions were beach getaways or wonderful hikes and treks into tropical locales, so, we made sure to have several swimsuits each and quick dry shirts/shorts. Adding in some dressy capris/tops, and a few long sundresses, sandals, and undergarments, I think I never packed more lightly in my life.

A very close second choice was a two week Costa Cruise from Venice to Genoa, calling on most major Adriatic Italian ports, plus Corfu Greece; Malta, and a few other ports in the Med; then, several western Italian ports, including Naples, Capri, the port near Rome, and one or two others before ending in Genoa. Just wonderful!

I'm buzzing after our cruise round Iceland, which we returned from today- we'd wanted to do this on a small ship for years...and it was magnificent.

The other cruise we enjoy is 28 nights from the UK, round the Caribbean and back to the UK, on a large ship, which we'll go on whenever health (and wealth!) permit. Not that I like the Carib- I don't at all- but my OH snorkels all day, and I stay on the ship. It's the activities on all the sea days which are my pleasures, plus the milder Atlantic islands.

Our 1st cruise was the best! Norwegian Seaward 1996. So many first times, cruise, flying, going to a foreign country, ship, service, etc. My cousin & I spent a lot of time talking about going on a cruise. We were so excited the night before we couldn't sleep. We have talked about our 1st cruise for years....wonderful time! :)

We have had several 27+ day cruises and one of our favorites was Oceania’s cruise from Cape Town traveling up the east coast of South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Malaysi! Thailand and departing in Singapore. It was fabulous, especially the safaris.

Our best cruise was the last one. And the one before that and, before that and on and on.

It is almost impossible to pick a single cruise as the best, as many have been the best for a variety of reasons.

Alaska is spectacular scenery, but most cruises are shorter duration than the month mentioned by the OP

Panama Canal - been through the canal 20+ times, but still find it amazing

Meddy - great variety Venice - great history and canal cruises, Dubrovnik - walking the wall, Greek islands - amazing scenery, Alexandria - long tours to the pyramids

Baltic - amazing history

Crystal Med on Symphony.

Celebrity Equinox Med