What was your favorite overnight port?

[wwarren57]

I have been on cruises that stayed overnight in Key West (unplanned), Curacao, and Aruba. I have my eye on a 12-night Celebrity cruise, August 2024, that overnights in Copenhagen, Denmark. I am looking for any cruise that offers an overnight in port, because in places like Visby, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia there are bars and pubs that don't open until after the ship has left port.

I would like to hear from anyone who has experienced Copenhagen, after hours and would greatly appreciate any input about a favorite overnight port. Mine has to be Key West. We rode jet skis in the afternoon and that night I fell in love with Duval Street. But all three of my overnight in-port experiences were fantastic. 

[Ashland]

My favorite overnight so far was in Dublin.

[BklynBoy8]

Quebec, Canada

 

Wonderful three day stay...

 

Beautiful during the day, Glorious lit at night...

[BruceMuzz]

Phuket

[Honolulu Blue]

9 hours ago, wwarren57 said:

I have been on cruises that stayed overnight in Key West (unplanned), Curacao, and Aruba. I have my eye on a 12-night Celebrity cruise, August 2024, that overnights in Copenhagen, Denmark. I am looking for any cruise that offers an overnight in port, because in places like Visby, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia there are bars and pubs that don't open until after the ship has left port.

I would like to hear from anyone who has experienced Copenhagen, after hours and would greatly appreciate any input about a favorite overnight port. Mine has to be Key West. We rode jet skis in the afternoon and that night I fell in love with Duval Street. But all three of my overnight in-port experiences were fantastic. 

Not counting pre-cruise stays, I've only had one overnight - in Honolulu.  I liked it there, even though it was the last night of the cruise and we were kicked off the next morning.

[ontheweb]

Our favorite overnight was in St. Petersburg. Obviously, no one is going to get the opportunity to do that again any time soon, or possibly ever.

[navybankerteacher]

In order: Istanbul, Quebec, St. George (since it afforded opportunity for dinner at Tom Moore’s Tavern).

[cruiserking]

Cobh, Ireland, Bermuda. We always have dinner on board the ship but, it's nice to have the benefit of extra time at certain ports and these two were both enjoyable. 

 

Jonathan

[Hlitner]

We have enjoyed our overnights in Lisbon, because it gives us an opportunity to go to a favorite Fado restaurant.  

 

Hank

[mom says]

Or favorite is a toss up between Singapore and Bangkok.

 

For Copenhagen, you might want to consider an evening at Tivoli Gardens.

[DarrenM]

Only had one overnight stop

 

So the best is Istanbul

[mnocket]

Bora Bora.  Now most cruise ships can't even stop there due to their size and new regulations.  

[ldubs]

We've only had two overnights --  St Petersburg and Venice.   Of the two, Venice would our favorite.  

[wwarren57]

19 hours ago, Ashland said:

My favorite overnight so far was in Dublin.

Ashland,

Dublin is probably #1 on my list of places I want to go. May I ask what line took you there?

Bill

[wwarren57]

3 hours ago, mom says said:

Or favorite is a toss up between Singapore and Bangkok.

 

For Copenhagen, you might want to consider an evening at Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli Gardens - I will keep that in mind. Thank You...

[ldubs]

46 minutes ago, wwarren57 said:

Tivoli Gardens - I will keep that in mind. Thank You...

 

I always enjoy strolling along the Stroget (pedestrian shopping street).   The Torvehallerne Market is kind of cool and easy to walk to from Stroget.  

 

[George C]

Only overnight we have done in 75 cruises was Bermuda in Hamilton which is nice. 

[cruisemom42]

It's always hard for me to pick "favorites", but the ones I've enjoyed the most are the ones where the port is either close enough to allow me to have dinner or participate in some evening activity vs. going back to the ship.

 

In Venice on two separate 'overnights' I had dinner ashore and enjoyed the famous Piazza in the evening free of the daytrippers. Another time I booked a special evening opening of St. Mark's that included a visit to the crypt, music, and a chance to see the Basilica with all the lights blazing, causing the golden mosaics all around to twinkle.  (As a side note, I was surprised how many fellow passengers went back to the ship to have dinner and then did not venture out again to enjoy the evening....)

 

In Istanbul I enjoyed a full day sightseeing on my own, then had dinner at a traditional restaurant, seated outside with a view of the lit-up Blue Mosque in front of me. I took the tram back to the ship around 10:00 pm at night by myself, never had any problem. On my next Med cruise I'll have an opportunity to duplicate this with another overnight in Istanbul.

 

In St. Petersburg I went to an evening event at Catherine's Palace with classical music and champagne (and for me a chance to see the celebrated Amber room with few crowds) followed by dinner where the vodka shots were liberal and there was a rollicking Russian folk music band.

 

These would probably be my three most memorable overnights where the ship stayed in port. I've also been on ships that allow an extended amount of time ashore by visiting two ports close together enabling cruisers to book tours (either through the ship or independently) that stay overnight on land -- usually when the main destinations are quite a distance from the port. I've experienced this in Egypt (Alexandria and Port Said ports), Israel (Ashdod and Haifa), and even long ago in Syria -- which gave me the chance to visit the now-destroyed ancient oasis of Palmyra. 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

did not venture out again to enjoy the evening

 

 

 

They probably decided to enjoy the evening on the ship!

 

I agree with you that dinner in Italy is probably better, if you know where to go, but people were on a cruise so maybe they wanted to enjoy the evening on the ship.

 

 

[cruisemom42]

16 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

They probably decided to enjoy the evening on the ship!

 

I agree with you that dinner in Italy is probably better, if you know where to go, but people were on a cruise so maybe they wanted to enjoy the evening on the ship.

 

 

 

Yeah, I get it, but I feel like dinner on the ship = available every night and not that different. Dinner in Venice = rare opportunity and chance to enjoy Venice in a very different light (pun intended).

 

I had dinner at the famous Quadrino on the Piazza San Marco. had a lovely seat -- circled in photo below -- and enjoyed the beautiful decor, the views, a very memorable dinner. I wonder how many recall what they ate or did onboard that night? 🤔

 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

56 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Yeah, I get it, but I feel like dinner on the ship = available every night and not that different. Dinner in Venice = rare opportunity and chance to enjoy Venice in a very different light (pun intended).

 

I had dinner at the famous Quadrino on the Piazza San Marco. had a lovely seat -- circled in photo below -- and enjoyed the beautiful decor, the views, a very memorable dinner. I wonder how many recall what they ate or did onboard that night? 🤔

 

 

 

 

I absolutely understand what you mean.

 

Personally I think that if I really wanted to spend time in Venice I should just go there instead of taking a cruise. I have probably told you before, a long time ago, that I have a sister who lives in Italy so I can get those onshore dinners at other times instead of when cruising. (Of course I understand that most people don't have that opportunity.)

[navybankerteacher]

8 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

They probably decided to enjoy the evening on the ship!

 

I agree with you that dinner in Italy is probably better, if you know where to go, but people were on a cruise so maybe they wanted to enjoy the evening on the ship.

 

 

Then there are people who will cut short a day ashore to go back to the ship for lunch - because they “…had already paid for it…”.

[sverigecruiser]

52 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Then there are people who will cut short a day ashore to go back to the ship for lunch - because they “…had already paid for it…”.

 

And that makes sense, why not use something you have already paid for?

 

As I said before, if I really wanted to go somewhere I should just go there and not on a cruise.

 

I cruise because I like the cruiseexperience and the ports are of less interest for me.

 

(Just out of curiosity I googled for weekend trips to Venice and from here two people can go there, flight+hotel, for less than $1000 so if I really wanted to go there I shouldn't book a cruise.)

Edited June 27, 2023 by sverigecruiser

[cruisemom42]

33 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

And that makes sense, why not use something you have already paid for?

 

As I said before, if I really wanted to go somewhere I should just go there and not on a cruise.

 

I cruise because I like the cruiseexperience and the ports are of less interest for me.

 

(Just out of curiosity I googled for weekend trips to Venice and from here two people can go there, flight+hotel, for less than $1000 so if I really wanted to go there I shouldn't book a cruise.)

 

Around 50% of cruise ship passengers are from the US. We can barely fly from one coast to the other for that cost, let alone fly to Venice and stay there. 

 

We get that you are the exception. But what about all of the other passengers?

 

Edited to add:  It's not that I don't take land-based vacations to Italy and other places. Right before Covid, I took my adult son for two weeks in Venice and Florence. But even so, I cruise primarily for itinerary and off-ship experiences. 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by cruisemom42

[lenquixote66]

Quebec City