What make a cruise a "perfect" cruise for you?

I asked my DH that once, and he said it was a cruise that we took with a very active roll call, where we had planned things together though out the cruise. But after that cruise, when it was over, we were gad to go home.

On our last cruise in January, when it was over, we had no urge to go home, we just wanted to get back on the ship and keep on sailing. The cruise was relaxing, our excursions exhilarating, and we learned just a bit more about ourselves, and that to me made it a perfect cruise. What makes a cruise "perfect" for you?

What makes a cruise "perfect" for you?

Lots of sea days with no set plans. Excellent food and low key but helpful service. Warm winds, and calm public places to curl up and dream, read, or do puzzles.

Warm, sunny weather with calm seas. Good health (last two times we've gone someone has gotten sick or lost a filling!)

Just being on a cruise...doesn't matter where...just the whole cruise experience!

We have enjoyed so many great cruises.

In the end we love to cruise.

We have enjoyed both special itineraries as well as some very special days at sea. Met so many nice people and had so many nice experiences.

Keith

We are happy campers as long as everything works in our balcony cabin...a/c, plumbing, etc.

We like reasonable weather that permits us to enjoy the decks, our sea days, and our port stops.

New ports (or returns to favorite ports) where there is a lot to do and see -- particularly things that are historic.

An excellent lecturer or two onboard ship to give more background and life to what is being seen during port visits.

A small enough ship that one tends to meet and recognize others onboard.

Good food and a nice place to dine al fresco aboard ship.

And good weather!

A dedicated walking and jogging track with NO deck chairs that people can pull onto the track.

No sales pitches, bingo, belly flop contest, etc.

Weather is not too important if the destination is interesting. Decent, casual dining at a table for two. No fawning service with people calling me "Mrs" or "Madam," I want to be called by my first name only.

Our most recent cruise, on Carnival Liberty (southern itinerary out of San Juan), ended up being the "perfect cruise" probably because of the roller coaster ride leading up to it and with each situation, we lowered our expectations, including with weather. We had a great "private" roll call group who we felt we'd gotten to know leading up to the cruise, especially with some of the things that are usually out of the norm leading up to a cruise: Hurricane season and fretting over each tropical disturbance, especially those affecting/potentially affecting the itinerary we'd be on. Liberty's engine fire in St. Thomas two weeks before our sailing...would we or would we not be cruising??? Flights to San Juan...out of 14 roll call members, 6 ended up in San Juan without their luggage...including DH. Airline (all the same airline too) error. The joke was made that all of this was an "omen" for this to be "the cruise from ****".

September 20, 2015: We were able to cruise, finally met our "private" roll call members, two hours before sail away from San Juan, the last of the missing luggage was delivered, and we had the perfect weather and calmest seas I've ever seen while cruising. Our "roll call" are still in touch and we also had great table mates for dinner, the best we've had, who we're also still in touch with.

I don't know if it was the "roller coaster ride" leading up to our cruise, the fact that we had really lowered our expectations (mainly weather), the friends we made, or a little of all, but our September 20, 2015 sailing on Carnival Liberty out of San Juan on the southern itinerary turned out to be the perfect cruise.

As long as the ship floats, all is good.

As long as the ship floats, all is good.

Hmmmm, try telling that to the Carnival Triumph 2013 "poop cruise" passengers. :eek:

Baring some major situation, any cruise I'm on is a perfect one for me.

Each cruise is different and all our cruises have been very enjoyable for many different reasons. All have also had problems of varying degrees, so I don't think there is such a thing as a 'perfect' cruise, but we've never had a problem that had any long-lasting effect on our feelings about a cruise. In fact, one of our favorite cruises had a toilet overflow in our cabin, a serious norovirus outbreak on board, and was a full day late returning to port due to medical emergency. As long as you leave home expecting to have a good time and handle the small stuff as calmly and simply as possible (and LET IT GO once the issue is resolved), you'll have an enjoyable vacation.

Our "perfect" cruise is going with family to a variety of Caribbean ports.

(The 10 day Southern Caribbean cruises have been our favorites.)

We lived in Curacao and did many land cruises from there, but wanted to

visit other Caribbean islands. We enjoy warmth and beaches and have visited many ports and revisited our favorites such as Curacao and Aruba.

Our "perfect" cruise also includes going to different music presentations on the ship. Of course, a "perfect" cruise includes dining with family and meeting new folks.

No cruise is "perfect". Some we have enjoyed more than others but all have been a great break from reality.

I rarely use the word perfect and not much in regards to a cruise.

If you seek perfect, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Very few things in most of our lives are 'perfect'. :D

My requirements for a "perfect" cruise are simple

Going and coming home with no major problems.

Bob

Peace and quiet. Respectful, unobtrusive service. Promenade deck. Balcony. Pizza and ice cream (I never eat them otherwise). Nautical atmosphere. Lots and lots of sea days. Challenging general-knowledge trivia (not tied to specific entertainer or genre). Easy off and on at ports. Clean, comfort level cabin. Decent library. No excursions with "shopping" stops.

What would make a cruise truly perfect? Free, fast, reliable internet all over the ship. As sail7seas pointed out, perfection is almost impossible to achieve.[emoji57]⚓️

That should have been "comfortable" cabin. Silly iPad thinks it knows what I want to say. It doesn't.

As long as the ship floats, all is good.

Perfect cruise:

Sorry I couldn't resist! :)

cripes, CC won't let me edit and that image is huge.

Sorry.

Lots of interesting ports I haven't been to before.

Service that is attentive, but not fawning. (calling me by my first name is just fine)

Nothing formal.

A smaller ship.

Interesting lectures about the ports of call.

This.......

http://www.jeannietx22.com/little-bitty-boats-seen-out-to-sea/

Lots of beautiful sea days. Our last cruise around the South Pacific had 9 port days and 18 sea days. Wonderful

Aft suite.

Burt