What have been your favorite itineraries?

[SLSD]

Yes, we had a fabulous time in Istanbul which was at the end of our cruise. We had a fabulous private guide for three days. It could not have been better. We probably won't return there--but I have noticed a few cruises still go. Venice is on our list!!!

[MJN1]

MHNI--was your Vancouver to Tokyo itinerary through Seabourn?

 

No, this was on Silversea.

[SLSD]

MJN1--Thank you. I'll take a look at some of their interesting itineraries

[markham]

Another vote for Antarctica! The Ventures team and lecturers, numbering 20, delivered an incredible academic and shore/zodiac program. You will learn all you want to know and more about this precious and fragile part of the world. Nothing like an ordinary cruise; Seabourn does it so well. Go!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[NJBelle]

Well, SLSD, you can do what I did. I wanted to go to Antarctica, but my husband just wasn't interested. So, finally I said, "do you mind if I go by myself?" He was fine with that and so I went with Abercrombie and Kent on Le Boreal (a Ponant ship); they had a very low single supplement, so it wasn't outrageously expensive. I had an absolute ball - loved it, loved it. That was 7 years ago and I haven't stopped talking about it so finally he has decided that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, after all. We are signed up to go this January on Silversea Cloud (they have outfitted one of their smaller ships as an expedition ship). Am very excited and I know he is going to have a great time.

[SLSD]

NJBelle, I think it's great that you went on your Antarctica cruise without your husband. I applaud you! However, I doubt that I will be doing that. We have lost so many friends and classmates lately that we are so aware of the shortness of life. We are sticking together for now. My husband is just adamant that he will not go on that itinerary! He doesn't want to see icebergs and penguins he says. Please don't hold it against him! I'm still looking for other itineraries!

[NJBelle]

Hi SLSD, I applaud you as well! You never want to have to talk about what you wished you had done together as a couple. My uncle (previously in pretty good health for a 77 year old) has been in the ICU for the last two months and it is clear that he and my aunt will never be able to take any more memorable trips (or really any vacations at all). It is sobering and makes me glad that my husband and I started traveling from the start of our 29 year marriage. Having just one child, we were able to take her with us until she went to college. Now she is the one working and looks after our house while we travel!

 

BTW, a cruise on Paul Gauguin around Tahiti and the Marquesas was the all-time family favorite vacation. The favorite for my husband and me was going on the NorthWest Passage this past summer. After that was a cruise that started in Istanbul and then went though the Suez Canal around the Arabian Peninsula to Dubai (so many great stops including Israel, Egypt and Jordan). Next would be New Zealand perhaps. If no one has mentioned the coast of Norway, let me give a shout out for that one. We have done that cruise (all the way to Svalbard) several times and never tire of it.

 

Our last big trip was to visit Peru and enjoy Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. That was a fabulous trip, coupled with a cruise that started in Lima and then ended up in Buenos Aires. If MP interests you and your husband at all, I would encourage you to move that one up on your list. It is getting more and more crowded (although with new rules to help with that; there may be more on the way which will lessen the overall experience) and takes a certain stamina to cover the ground.

[SLSD]

Thank you NYBelle. We are only ages 66 and 67, but the attrition among our ranks is unnerving. I have read some about the Paul Gauguin cruises. Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with that cruise line. I very much want to see that area of the Pacific.

 

Unlike you, we did not travel very much during our 42 year marriage--mostly due to the constraints of my husband's legal career (too any court dates and too difficult to plan long range). We are making up for it now that he is retired, but only planning one cruise a year along with other domestic trips.

 

 

Thank you for your suggestions.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thank you NYBelle. We are only ages 66 and 67, but the attrition among our ranks is unnerving. I have read some about the Paul Gauguin cruises. Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with that cruise line. I very much want to see that area of the Pacific.

...

 

Well I'm not NYBelle, and I haven't been on Seabourn yet to compare, but I know the Paul Gauguin well. First took the Societies Islands cruise in 2000, and have been back 6 times in total.

 

It's a small ship, and in some ways not as luxurious as other luxury lines (my comparison is Regent.) But the itineraries are the best, the staff is the best at sea, and the ship is very intimate and relaxing. It's inclusive of alcohol and gratuities, which is the way we like it. Cabins are small, but well-designed and you don't spent a lot of time in your cabin on this ship. Highly recommended.

[NJBelle]

Yes, just to build on Wendy's response, it is not the same as SB, but still, on it's own, it is very special. We went about 12 years-ish ago, when it was under Regent, so don't know how it might have changed under different management. From what I have read, it seems like they have kept the same feel and also, it seems like the best way to experience Tahiti and surroundings if that is what you are looking for.

 

We are not those who look for hot (as in temperature) places, but for us, the pros of Tahiti outweigh the cons. The South Pacific area is just absolutely gorgeous. You cannot believe the waters. We went a few days early and stayed in Moorea and we sprang for an overwater bungalow. That is the best money that you might ever spend (we are talking in luxury travel dollars here). We fell in love with the area even before we boarded the ship, but the affair continued after boarding. They have a great staff, lots of activities, and in addition, water skiiing, kayaking, etc off the ship and it makes for a lovely experience. The reason it was #1 for our family is that it offered something for all of us.

[cardiffman]

It's interesting that the Caribbean, Alaska, and Amazon have not appeared on this thread. Any votes for any of these?

[Roxburgh]

It's interesting that the Caribbean, Alaska, and Amazon have not appeared on this thread. Any votes for any of these?

 

With the Caribbean it really depends on the islands. Some of them I love, others less so. My experience of Caribbean cruises is also that they have a different vibe. Even on Seabourn there is more of a party atmosphere.

 

We did Manaus to Monaco. I thought that the Amazon was interesting but we really didn't see much in terms of wildlife. It was only when we took a Ventures zodiac tour that we saw anything.

 

Alaska was outstanding both for scenery and for wildlife. We really did see a lot and we were lucky to have great weather. Alaska was a close second to the Antarctic for us.

 

But the Antarctic remains number one. It is quite simply a different world, a pristine wilderness in a way that Alaska is not.

[galeforce9]

[quote name=Roxburgh;

 

 

 

Alaska was outstanding both for scenery and for wildlife. We really did see a lot and we were lucky to have great weather. Alaska was a close second to the Antarctic for us.

 

 

 

But the Antarctic remains number one. It is quite simply a different world' date=' a pristine wilderness in a way that Alaska is not.[/quote]

 

 

Agree entirely with Roxburgh re the above

 

 

 

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[SLSD]

I guess I am going to have to experience Antarctica vicariously through the photos and reviews posted here. I am truly up for it, but my husband is very stubborn in his refusal to go there. Fortunately, he has a few redeeming attributes and I am going to have to chalk missing Antarctica as just one of those minor things in life. I do appreciate what all of you are saying.

 

We don't have a big interest in the Caribbean--probably because of the idea that it is a party place. Going to a family wedding in Key West gave us enough of that. We DO have an interest in the South Pacific and would love to hear more about Paul Gauguin and how it differs from Seabourn. I am also intrigued by the idea of an Vancouver to the Pacific itinerary if anyone has done that.

 

Our first cruise was Athens to Istanbul (Silver Sea) including Greek Islands and Kusadasi (but there are still some islands we haven't seen. Our second cruise was from Rome to Rome and included the Amalfi Coast, Sicily (Taormina), Corsica, Malta (Valetta and Gozo), Monte Carlo and a few other ports. On June 9th, we'll be embarking on Ovation for our third cruise--21 days Amsterdam to Stockholm including some German ports, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and St. Petersburg. We still have a lot of cruising to do! Fortunately, we are still young (66 sf 67) and hope to do one cruise a year as well as other travels domestically and abroad.

 

I am still interested in hearing more from all of you about your favorite itineraries.

[Isklaar]

It's interesting that the Caribbean, Alaska, and Amazon have not appeared on this thread. Any votes for any of these?

 

The Caribbean is an interesting one for me to discuss. I've seen it denigrated over the years by some posters on the SB boards who see it as a 'cheap' option. We've done several Caribbean cruises on SB at Christmas. The cruise costs are usually a bit higher for holiday cruises, add in business class airfare from Europe at that time of year for those of us who aren't able to book well in advance and our Caribbean cruises have actually worked out the most expensive.

 

As much as I've enjoyed them, the Caribbean itineraries that are on offer from SB usually are quite predictable. The last one in particular, less than 6 months ago, I can barely remember most of the islands we visited. So the Caribbean for me is all about enjoying some great weather , an escape from the northern European winter, and the ship as destination. If there are smaller or lesser known islands to visit, that's a bonus.

 

I never sailed on the smaller Seabourn ships but I imagine their Caribbean ports were more interesting because they could access smaller islands.

 

I don't really have a favourite itinerary, it's hard to choose and there are several itineraries I've taken that I'm likely to repeat in the future.

 

Antarctica, I'm holding my breath and hoping Seabourn will still be visiting in 3 years time which is when we will no longer be as schedule driven as we are now and we can combine it with a few weeks in Chile and Argentina.

Edited May 20, 2018 by Isklaar

[Isklaar]

 

 

I am still interested in hearing more from all of you about your favorite itineraries.

 

Ones that I'd repeat are :

 

Stockholm to Copenhagen - (Stockholm sailaway has to be one of the most beautiful, as the ship weaves its way out through the archipelago into the Baltic.) Seabourn offers this cruise the other way round, ie Copenhagen to Stockholm but for me the Stockholm sailaway is unmissable so I'd always choose it in this direction. ) 3 nights in Saint Petersburg on this one.

 

Hong Kong to Singapore

 

Montreal to Fort Lauderdale (it's now Miami as SB has moved ops from Port Everglades). This was a cold weather cruise until we reached Charleston, South Carolina. I was unsure how much I'd enjoy the cruise because of the weather. We missed a couple of ports, we spent a day bobbing around on a very stormy ocean when we should have been in the star port of the itinerary (Bar Harbor, Maine), we had some truly awful weather in some of the ports but I just loeved this cruise.

 

Monte Carlo to Monte Carlo. Ports on this one were Bonifacio Corsica, Le Lavandou France, Sete France, Palamos Spain, Portovenere Italy and Antibes France. Apart from Monte Carlo all of the ports were new to me. I'm a huge fan of the Mediterranean though and would be happy with most any itinerary there.

 

Edited to add - all of the above were on Seabourn. First ever cruise was Silversea on Silver Spirit. That was Barcelona to Rome and included two days at anchor in Monaco bay for the F1 Grand Prix. It was quite an experience to be there on race day, even for those of us who don't particularly like Formula 1. For many people it was a bucket list trip and that just added to the sense of enjoyment.

Edited May 20, 2018 by Isklaar

[SLSD]

Isklaar, Thank you for this. Stockholm is not only one of the ports on our upcoming cruise, but our endpoint as well.(Which is a little strange) I will be paying special attention to the spillway. Thank you for the heads up!

[SLSD]

Isklaar, We loved Bonifaciso last fall. What a wonderful port--a grotto you can go into by boat and a magnificent walled city to explore.

[Isklaar]

Isklaar, Thank you for this. Stockholm is not only one of the ports on our upcoming cruise, but our endpoint as well.(Which is a little strange) I will be paying special attention to the spillway. Thank you for the heads up!

 

If you can, try to be up early on your last morning in order to see all the beautiful islands - and cute homes - on the sail in to Stockholm.

 

I recognise your itinerary now you mention this. I think it's a fabulous itinerary and if it hadn't been on Ovation I'd have booked it. I need a little time to prepare myself for the new ships :D I hope you enjoy it.

[Isklaar]

Isklaar, We loved Bonifaciso last fall. What a wonderful port--a grotto you can go into by boat and a magnificent walled city to explore.

 

Bonifacio was quite a surprise for me. I'm not sure what I did expect but those cliffs and as you say the walled city very impressive. The itinerary I was on that visited Bonifacio was called 'Yachtsman's Mediterranean'. The ports were smaller ports that you could walk around and really get a feel for local life.

 

Gosh, I need to get a cruise booked asap, I'm desperate for a holiday!

[SLSD]

Isklaar, Yes, I think our itinerary was named mentioned yachtsmen. It was fabulous. We will make sure that we pay attention when sailing into and out of Stockholm. I always get up really early and go out on our veranda to enjoy the view. Such memories. We will sail in and out of Stockholm on the first leg of our cruise and then in again at the end.

 

By the way, we loved the Encore last fall and encourage you to try it. You will probably be pleasantly surprised--more venues---a brand new ship--just delightful.

[SKP946]

Isklaar, Yes, I think our itinerary was named mentioned yachtsmen. It was fabulous. We will make sure that we pay attention when sailing into and out of Stockholm. I always get up really early and go out on our veranda to enjoy the view. Such memories. We will sail in and out of Stockholm on the first leg of our cruise and then in again at the end.

 

l.

 

You need to be in the Observation Lounge or on deck 11 (deck 12 on Ovation) for the sail in or out of Stockholm:)

[SLSD]

Got it--I will do that!

[Isklaar]

You need to be in the Observation Lounge or on deck 11 (deck 12 on Ovation) for the sail in or out of Stockholm:)

 

This is absolutely the case.

Lucky you SLSD having two sail ins and one out!

[Mauzac]

I think my favourite cruise was this years, Sojourn from Brazil to South Africa and stopping at Tristan da Cunha. What a privilege to land on the remotest inhabited island on earth, where few have been, we stepped!

I tried to upload a pic, for some reason it wouldn't work.