Do you have that "one" cruise...?

That for whatever reason, you don't think you'll ever match?

I have loved each and every one of my cruises, but the one that really stands out is one I took to Alaska (Celebrity Mercury, 2007) with my brother and my daughter when she was 4. It was just a perfect storm (I know...not good terminology for a cruise topic...) of goodness.

We had an aft balcony...

Our cabin stewards were wonderful, learning my daughters' stuffed animals' names and everything...

Alaska is beautiful...

The most fantastic waiter...Tyrone...

An even more amazing assistant maitre'd...is Ruby still around?...

Unbelievable day in Hubbard glacier, the crew says it was the most activity they'd seen all season...

Even the bad weather on our last sea day was great! How cool is it to sit in a hot tub, outside, in the rain, in ALASKA?!...

But mostly, the memories of my daughter. She was at a delightful age. Se was in a great mood the whole trip. She was charming and had the crew wrapped around her little finger. I was just looking at pictures of her hugging Ruby and Tyrone goodbye. I had tears remembering how much she loved them! And I think the feeling was mutual! Also, she bonded beautifully with my brother.

It was truly the perfect trip!

What made your perfect trip perfect?

Took an extended family cruise in 2011. My kids were in the ocean with my mom, she is NOT a water bug, but she went in to see the fish and experience the ocean at Coki. She didn't deliberatly get her hair wet, but she did fall once. :) For my kids to get to do that~ priceless. Grandpa was there too.

Mine was 'The Last Cruise' that my wife and I took on Coral Princess through the Panama Canal in 2007.

We made many friends on line, but the 'fun' started the day before in the hotel in F/L. On the morning of the cruise, 5 or 6 'reps' took a taxi and loaded up with wine, beer and anything else we could find. We called ourselves 'The Caribbean Pirates.'

We met every sea day on board, 'there was even a ladies night,' and we got well known on the ship.

On the last sea day Princess gave us a great party in the Explorers Lounge, 60+ CCs were there.

So much for our 'Last Cruise', we are still going strong!!!!:D

I should add that the cruise itself was quite good too.:rolleyes:;):D

john

It would have to be my first cruise. Despite having the entire internet at my fingertips, where I can find information about cruises, nothing can compare to actually cruising for the first time and experiencing everything first-hand, with your own eyes and ears. Well, I ended up liking it enough that I wanted to cruise again. Which I did. The only problem now is resisting the temptation to compare all my cruises to my first cruise.

For us it was a Transatlantic on Mariner of the Seas in November 2012, we had just learned a few days before the cruise that my partner had prostate cancer so were unsure when or if we would be able to cruise again, it was a great cruise, great crew, met lots of interesting passengers, great entertainment, sea days were so relaxing that we were able to forget about it for a while, thankfully we came back and he's come through his treatment and will(touchwood) remain healthy, and, we are off on Explorer on 19th of this Month for a Canada/New england cruise and have a lot to be thankful for.

For us it was a Transatlantic on Mariner of the Seas in November 2012, we had just learned a few days before the cruise that my partner had prostate cancer so were unsure when or if we would be able to cruise again, it was a great cruise, great crew, met lots of interesting passengers, great entertainment, sea days were so relaxing that we were able to forget about it for a while, thankfully we came back and he's come through his treatment and will(touchwood) remain healthy, and, we are off on Explorer on 19th of this Month for a Canada/New england cruise and have a lot to be thankful for.

So glad there has been a good outcome! May his health remain good! I just did Eastern Canada on the Carnival Glory and loved it!

I always thought that my first cruise would be the "one". It was an Alaskan cruise and my dream cruise. I now find myself counting down the days until I get to go on a cruise with the woman of my dreams.:p My wife is a verteran cruiser. I have only had the one to Alaska but I know this next cruise with her will be one for the books!!:D

For it it would be June 2012, Med cruise to celebrate my Grandson's high school graduation. He's the only grandchild I have and his aunt heard him mention to a friend of his, on a Caribbean cruise that one day, he wanted to see all the ancient ruins, as he was thumbing through an RCCL book. About an hour later, she returned to the cabin and said, "I booked the cruise he was looking at." It was our first trip to Europe. We visited Italy, Greece and Turkey. We booked a private guide for the excursions and spent a few days pre-cruise in Rome. Absolutely nothing compares. In fact, we are booked for a cruise in June for Italy, France and Spain locations. 100 days and counting!!! :D

I am confident our Hawaii cruise from SFO in April will be our top cruise... But I loved our Pacific Coastal on the Sapphire Princess. It was part of our honeymoon and we participated in a lot of trivia games and other group events and it wasn't long before it seemed everyone on the ship knew we were on our honeymoon. Between staff and our fellow passengers we felt so warm-received and everyone put an effort into making it special for us.

On the last night of the cruise we played another trivia game under the group name "The Honeymoon's Over". :P

I didn't think anything could top our first cruise, but then DH and I cruised in our first suite to celebrate our 20th anniversary. OMG surely nothing could top that right? WRONG! The one we took last year to Alaska to celebrate our oldest son's upcoming high school graduation takes the cake. So beautiful! We were in a suite (again) with my mother and the boys in the adjoining cabin. We kept the door open between the cabins the whole week and our Butler just treated it as a little bit larger suite. It was wonderful.

Next up - DH and I are cruising the Southern Caribbean to celebrate our 30th anniversary. Not sure it will top Alaska, but we're in a suite again and we're without the kids so who knows?!

For us it would be our B2B honeymoon on the Allure! It was just perfect : )

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DH and I have only been on 8 cruises which included 1 B2B.

The Mardi Gras-Carnival's first ship was very sweet. It was our first cruise and my sons were little at the time. This trip holds very special memories.

Thereafter, we moved on to the Paradise when she was New and NON SMOKING !!!! Her name said it all for our non smoking family !!! A few of our Paradise cruises were extra special:

#1 - DH, Myself and our sons as teenagers. Surprised them with their first limo ride to the port and then did the nine yards with tuxes and activities on board.

#3 - The Graduation cruise. 18 people in our group celebrating HS and College Grads

#5 & 6 Our 25 wedding anniversary BTB. The first week be cruised with our dear friends who were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. When then stayed on board for the Eastern Caribbean cruise. There were only 6 Back to Backers and my DH and I were the only two to stay on board while in port for the switchover. Therefore, for those hours in between cruises he and I had the ship to ourselves...Priceless

I miss the Non-Smoking Paradise very much. I wish Carnival would bring it back.....maybe someday.

I had two. We went on Liberty to Belize and went cave tubing which was spectacular, and my last cruise on the Freedom was the last family vacation I took with my parents and sister so I hold that pretty near and dear. We had tequila tasting in Cozumel, I got a massage on the beach and we partied at Carlos and Charlies. These were the best because they got my whole family together; that's how I started cruising. My boyfriend and I will be taking our first cruise together in January!

I don't remember which ship we were on, maybe the Paradise, and my kids were about 11 and 8. When we stopped in Cozumel, our plans were to rent a jeep and just drive around the island and check out beaches. The PT Cruise had just come out and my kids thought it was so cool - there was one sitting outside the car rental place and they just KNEW we were getting one. Hubby came out with keys and we walked around the corner to the parking lot........and saw a patchwork painted convertible VW bug, probably 30 years old. The kids almost passed out - they thought it was absolutely the COOLEST thing ever!

So we got in our car and tootled around, stopping at little deserted beaches and playing in the surf. We saw a nude couple (I don't think the kids noticed, whew!) and looked for coconuts. We stopped somewhere and got Cokes. The kids were just fascinated by COKES IN GLASS BOTTLES. We were driving around and I looked at them in the back seat and my husband driving and it was just like time changed to slow motion. It was the BEST DAY OF OUR LIVES, and I have the pictures to prove it. Their expressions - I just love the pictures of that moment frozen in time.

We also had excellent MDR staff on that cruise and they totally MADE the whole experience for the kids. My daughter was in love with both of them. It was just a sparkling moment in time that I'll never forget, and I know they won't either!

British Isles 12 nights

For me there have been 3 perfect cruises:

The first was my first cruise which was my honeymoon, and it was before Carnival bought Princess. The cruise director and his staff had so much energy, and the food was amazing. Everything was new to us and fully appreciated. The dinning experience with our table of 10 has never been matched.

Our first Celebrity cruise was perfect. We had the best MDR staff of all our trips, and everything was perfect on board, including a wonderful Cirque du Soleil show.

The Star Princess in Alaska was one I would love to do again. We got upgraded to our first ever full suite, loved Sabatinis, and I would go back to Alaska in a heartbeat!

My most memorable cruise was a world cruise I did just after my mum died

I took my disabled uncle(mums brother) and met two couple who I became very close to and gas such a wonderful time for the while cruise

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I don't remember which ship we were on, maybe the Paradise, and my kids were about 11 and 8. When we stopped in Cozumel, our plans were to rent a jeep and just drive around the island and check out beaches. The PT Cruise had just come out and my kids thought it was so cool - there was one sitting outside the car rental place and they just KNEW we were getting one. Hubby came out with keys and we walked around the corner to the parking lot........and saw a patchwork painted convertible VW bug, probably 30 years old. The kids almost passed out - they thought it was absolutely the COOLEST thing ever!

 

So we got in our car and tootled around, stopping at little deserted beaches and playing in the surf. We saw a nude couple (I don't think the kids noticed, whew!) and looked for coconuts. We stopped somewhere and got Cokes. The kids were just fascinated by COKES IN GLASS BOTTLES. We were driving around and I looked at them in the back seat and my husband driving and it was just like time changed to slow motion. It was the BEST DAY OF OUR LIVES, and I have the pictures to prove it. Their expressions - I just love the pictures of that moment frozen in time.

 

We also had excellent MDR staff on that cruise and they totally MADE the whole experience for the kids. My daughter was in love with both of them. It was just a sparkling moment in time that I'll never forget, and I know they won't either!

Wow made me cry...........it's the real life stuff that matters isn't it.....

I think I may have commented on this thread before, but I remembered one night on the Carnival Fantasy Halloween cruise 2012. I think it was first night and I had gone to dance club with some new friends from our roll call. We were dancing and having a good time, sometime that night a young lady in her 20's I guess who had Downs Syndrome came in with her family, she loved to dance and was having a good time, some how she and I danced and she kept me the rest of the night. We both had a great time. It was just so nice to see her smile and bring her some joy. One of the best nights of my life...she also just about wore me out on dance floor. Good times.

Definitely our first one...2006 Pacific Star to the islands out of Brisbane.

My first cruise three years ago.

Hubby gave me an envelope on my 50th birthday it was a two night cruise from sydney to Brisbane on the dawn princess. With a night at my daughters in Brisbane to follow then onto a week at the gold coast before flying back home.

We flew from country Victoria to Sydney my dad took us to the airport and said I will pick you up when you get back.

I was nervous as it was first time cruising but very excited when I found out we had free upgrade from inside to balcony cabin.

I was sitting there enjoying the view when a knock came at the door. Hubby said that will be cabin boy with our luggage let him in so I opens door and heard surprise! And there standing there was my mum and dad and son and daughter! I burst into tears :)

Then when we set sail I was leaning with my arms on the balcony railings and a pod of dolphins started swimming and jumping out of the water alongside the ship I started crying again I was so happy it was the best birthday present ever.

I looked across at darling hubby and he had tears in his eyes too.

We have now just booked our 7th cruise in 3 years and he now says it was one expensive birthday present as we are both hooked on cruising now lol.

My first cruise three years ago.

Hubby gave me an envelope on my 50th birthday it was a two night cruise from sydney to Brisbane on the dawn princess. With a night at my daughters in Brisbane to follow then onto a week at the gold coast before flying back home.

We flew from country Victoria to Sydney my dad took us to the airport and said I will pick you up when you get back.

I was nervous as it was first time cruising but very excited when I found out we had free upgrade from inside to balcony cabin.

I was sitting there enjoying the view when a knock came at the door. Hubby said that will be cabin boy with our luggage let him in so I opens door and heard surprise! And there standing there was my mum and dad and son and daughter! I burst into tears :)

Then when we set sail I was leaning with my arms on the balcony railings and a pod of dolphins started swimming and jumping out of the water alongside the ship I started crying again I was so happy it was the best birthday present ever.

I looked across at darling hubby and he had tears in his eyes too.

We have now just booked our 7th cruise in 3 years and he now says it was one expensive birthday present as we are both hooked on cruising now lol.

For me, this is what cruising is all about! I know I get sucked into all the negativity and such on these boards.....such a breath of fresh air to read this post. Thank you so much for sharing! We also got the bug, and I just completed my 10th cruise a couple months back, with 11 and 12 already scheduled. :)

Thank you it came from the heart:)

There should be a "like" button on this forum :)

2 weeks before I got married, my DH and I, along with my sister and her (now) husband went on what was my sisters and my hubby's first cruise. They were both extremely reluctant. I will never forget being up by the pool as we sailed away, music playing, people dancing, lying in the sun with a bucket of beers when my DH looked at me, almost with tears in his eyes and said 'seriously, this is the best thing I've ever done in my life'.

That said, we then did the Norwegian Dawn which was special because it was our honeymoon.

Then we did Liberty of the Seas and the boat was spectacular.

Then the Disney Dream which was for my 30th birthday. We had a concierge suite and it was the first cruise for my youngest sister and my toddler.

Our next cruise is going to be really special...

Booked to go some months back with my youngest sister and her boyfriend on the Norwegian Escape. Had a call from my other sister yesterday to surprise us with the fact that her and her DH have just booked to come too!

The three of us haven't holidayed together since we were kids. Super excited!!

Omg still wish there was a like button on this website like FB

We need these oh my heart just melted moments in our life in this day and age.