Cruising in 2016?

I'm surprised no one has started this thread yet knowing the number of people who book far in advance. :)

After taking a break from the seas in 2015 (the first time not on a ship in 11 years) we put a deposit down on a 2016 expedition voyage of a lifetime. In 2016 we're doing the Silver Explorer (of Silversea) from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to St. John's, Newfoundland. Being 12 days, it will also be the longest cruise we have ever taken.

I'm sure someone out there booked 2016 by now?

I'm surprised no one has started this thread yet knowing the number of people who book far in advance. :)

 

After taking a break from the seas in 2015 (the first time not on a ship in 11 years) we put a deposit down on a 2016 expedition voyage of a lifetime. In 2016 we're doing the Silver Explorer (of Silversea) from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to St. John's, Newfoundland. Being 12 days, it will also be the longest cruise we have ever taken.

 

I'm sure someone out there booked 2016 by now?

hi Bram,

I'll all booked, did it last november. 120 days solo on the Queen Victorias World Cruise through the Panama and around the Cape of Good Hope. Its the longest I have done and I must admits to being a bit nervous about that length of time.

Ive had lunch on one of the Silverseas ships, the Cloud I think, and was very impressed, Im sure you'll be in for a great trip.

Roscoe, it sounds like a great trip. I am not allowed to take vacation during the winter months when the world cruises take place and I am sure I could not even afford such. Done Cunard but the Victoria is the only ship I have yet to set foot on. Your trip sounds amazing as a world cruise has always been a fantasy of mine. Enjoy it.

I was at the Cape of Good Hope several years back as part of a trip to South Africa.

Well Stuart and I will be cruising on the Liberty of the Seas in Aug 2015... 2 weeks after we get married. Figured it was time after 26 years together and Aug 13 is our 26th Anniversary.

As for 2016 we are on the Celebrity Eclipse in Aqua Class for a 2 week Southern Caribbean cruise...March 2016.:)

Roscoe, it sounds like a great trip. I am not allowed to take vacation during the winter months when the world cruises take place and I am sure I could not even afford such. Done Cunard but the Victoria is the only ship I have yet to set foot on. Your trip sounds amazing as a world cruise has always been a fantasy of mine. Enjoy it.

 

I was at the Cape of Good Hope several years back as part of a trip to South Africa.

always been a fantasy of mine too....and it was never going to be cheaper so Ive pawned the family silver and cat and taking the plunge.. I was in africa a couple of years back and really looking forward to going back. Unfortunately the world is upside down here and it means leaving the summer here and travelling during it.... so you can never win...

The victoria is a great ship...

celebrity and silver seas are definately on my raydar... Id be very keen on comparing experiences

Happy Anniversary Royal Boy. Our 26th anniversary is March 24. Thanks for reminding me. :)

We did Celebrity in 2012 on an Alaska cruise. Didn't do Aqua class but spent a lot of time pre-dinner at the martini bar. Nice place to hang out.

Well roscoe we love our cats too much....and no family silver....LOL!

Hell, I'm booked on a Galapagos cruise in May of 2017.

If I live that long...

Well Stuart and I will be cruising on the Liberty of the Seas in Aug 2015... 2 weeks after we get married. Figured it was time after 26 years together and Aug 13 is our 26th Anniversary.

 

As for 2016 we are on the Celebrity Eclipse in Aqua Class for a 2 week Southern Caribbean cruise...March 2016.:)

August 13 is our anniversary too! We're coming up on our 40th this year. We're celebrating by taking a cruise to Mexico in April and 10 days in Kauai in September. We tend to stay home during the summer as that's when we use our pool the most and love those long summer days in So. Calif. We got married on July 19, 2008.

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary Royal Boy. Our 26th anniversary is March 24. Thanks for reminding me. :)

 

We did Celebrity in 2012 on an Alaska cruise. Didn't do Aqua class but spent a lot of time pre-dinner at the martini bar. Nice place to hang out.

 

Well roscoe we love our cats too much....and no family silver....LOL!

well no family silver any more, and i love my pus....i mean cat... too but needs must.

21 years here, but our idea of an anniversary present to each other is not to spend it together..lol....

seriously...he gets sick looking at a glass of water so that was never going to happen.

Looking forward to Alaska one day, that is definately on the must do list

We have all our cruises booked through 2017 ! We don't like not having things planned lol Our 40th birthdays are in 2017, too, so we wanted to make sure to get some trips lined up.

As for 2016, we are booked for a Greek Isles cruise on Azamara Journey in June (although we may swap it out for a British Isles cruise also on Azamara, depending on if we can use miles to get to Istanbul or Copenhagen). And then we are doing a Christmas / New Year's cruise on Celebrity from Abu Dhabi to India, with an overnight in Dubai for NYE !

Michael & Omar

with an overnight in Dubai for NYE !

I would be extremely cautious celebrating anything in the rather horrifically antigay UAE. Being a foreigner is no protection against jail time merely for being queer.

http://76crimes.com/2013/06/03/dubai-police-entrap-arrest-gay-kenyan/

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/06/06/dubai-man-jailed-for-gay-relationship-after-partner-dies-in-window-fall/

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2008/09/01/jail-for-two-women-in-emirates-first-lesbian-indecency-case/

http://www.edgemedianetwork.com/news/international/news/131441/two_men_kissing_in_the_uae_land_six_months_in_prison

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10218234/#.VNh1fUu2Vlk

Were booked on the Norwegian Spirit for a 12 day Mediterranean cruise in May 2016.

We are booked on the Celebrity Reflection April 2016. We will be seeing Italy, Greece, and Turkey. We will be sailing over our 2nd wedding anniversary.

I'm booked on the Celebrity Millennium from Hawaii to Vancouver in April 2016 and on the Azamara Journey to Arabian Gulf and Emirates in October 2016.

I would be extremely cautious celebrating anything in the rather horrifically antigay UAE. Being a foreigner is no protection against jail time merely for being queer.

 

http://76crimes.com/2013/06/03/dubai-police-entrap-arrest-gay-kenyan/

 

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/06/06/dubai-man-jailed-for-gay-relationship-after-partner-dies-in-window-fall/

 

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2008/09/01/jail-for-two-women-in-emirates-first-lesbian-indecency-case/

 

http://www.edgemedianetwork.com/news/international/news/131441/two_men_kissing_in_the_uae_land_six_months_in_prison

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10218234/#.VNh1fUu2Vlk

Hi Shepp, with all due respect because I am new to this board, but have you been there? Ive travelled through the UAE on too many occasions to count now and never had a negative experience there. In fact I spent New Years Eve there a few years ago and it was terrific with the best fireworks I had ever seen. Couldn't recommend it highly enough.

I think you'll find the "on ground" experience is quite different to that reported in the western media.

I would be extremely cautious celebrating anything in the rather horrifically antigay UAE. Being a foreigner is no protection against jail time merely for being queer.

 

Thanks for your concern. We have spent quite a bit of time traveling around the Emirates and have found it to be perfectly safe and friendly. It's actually one of my favorite parts of the world. I treat the Emirates like I do anywhere else I travel - I respect the local culture and have found the respect is reciprocated.

Michael

Hi Shepp, with all due respect because I am new to this board, but have you been there? Ive travelled through the UAE on too many occasions to count now and never had a negative experience there. In fact I spent New Years Eve there a few years ago and it was terrific with the best fireworks I had ever seen. Couldn't recommend it highly enough.

 

I think you'll find the "on ground" experience is quite different to that reported in the western media.

Blaming the messenger?

I haven't been to the UAE, except for a stopover at the Dubai airport, but have traveled in other places in the Middle East, including Bashar al-Assad's Syria. In fact, I found Aleppo and Damascus to be enchanting places. And gee, I didn't get harassed once. So that must mean that reports of Assad's brutality were what, fabrications by the West?

Come to think of it, last year I spent a port day in Ocho Rios. Not only was I unmolested, I was approached by a Jamaican who wanted to have sex and exposed himself to me. So clearly, queer people have nothing to fear in Jamaica?

And years ago I spent a month in Burma, knowing that the government was horrid. When at all possible, I spent my money with private citizens, not the government. I had a wonderful time. No hassles. I recommend Bagan highly. I did not, though, come home telling people that reports of Burmese oppression were overstated.

I'm sure that Dubai has fabulous skyscrapers and lovely fireworks. On the other hand, while Uganda has been catching flack for its "Kill the Gays" bill, the UAE already has a (somewhat ambiguous) capital punishment law in place. It may not be the worst human rights violator in the area, but the legal situation of LGBT people isn't even as good there as in Iraq or Jordan, much less Israel.

So yeah, I already said that I went to Burma, ambivalently then and now. I'm not saying don't go to the UAE, just be careful. It's a government that entraps queers. That happens. And when a local culture encompasses exploitation of migrant labor, criminalization of rape victims, and forced disappearance and torture by the government, my respect - as in the cases of Syria and Burma - is likely to be tempered.

But I do love fireworks. And hey, I can see from the films that the ceremonies at the 1936 Berlin Olympics were pretty spectacular too.

Feb 2016 the Norwegian Star out of Tampa

May 2016 the Norwegian Escape

Nov 2016 the Ganges Explorer on the Ganges for a week with pre and post extensions

........

2017

Either the HAL Koningsdam or the Wind Surf in the Feb March time frame.

Late 2017 New Zealand ( have no idea which cruise line nor ship), much research will be required. If not, then the Galapagos on anything that floats.

Everyone's plans above sound exciting! Bon voyage! Negativity should be left at home, just travel safe and remember the differences in far off lands are so educational...a true luxury to experience and if not stay home and save the money:rolleyes:

We are going to the Eastern Caribbean on Escape in January, and in June we are doing the Baltics cruise to celebrate our 10th anniversary.

Feb 2016 the Norwegian Star out of Tampa

May 2016 the Norwegian Escape

Nov 2016 the Ganges Explorer on the Ganges for a week with pre and post extensions

........

2017

Either the HAL Koningsdam or the Wind Surf in the Feb March time frame.

Late 2017 New Zealand ( have no idea which cruise line nor ship), much research will be required. If not, then the Galapagos on anything that floats.

 

Everyone's plans above sound exciting! Bon voyage! Negativity should be left at home, just travel safe and remember the differences in far off lands are so educational...a true luxury to experience and if not stay home and save the money:rolleyes:

2017 and New Zealand....come on down. There is some interesting cruising happening through the sounds and fjords of the South Island, and then up the coast doing both main islands usually starting in Australia and crossing the Tasman. Ive done a couple of cruises around NZ myself and enjoyed seeing my own country through the eyes of a tourist, I hope you do it and enjoy it.

After 25 days solo on Queen Elizabeth, taking in most of Dec and the first week of Jan 2016, I'm off on the first week of Queen Mary 2's World Cruise - Southampton to New York. Also solo.

Sadly have to spend four days in between in London. I guess I can occupy myself that long.

I'll also be travelling through the UAE on the way over. I agree with the majority of posters - its a great place. I respect the culture there (even to the point of abstaining from alcohol - doesn't hurt) as I would anywhere else.

Hello all,

We had to cancel our Alaska cruise due to partners diagnosis of cancer. Chemo and radiation all done just as we hit our 25th anniversary. We're looking to splurge on one this coming year but haven't decided as to which line to take. We "love" Celebrity but do RCI a lot more due to affordability. Decisions decisions. It's only money though I guess..........

Anyone with any suggestions? Most likely, we'll do Aqua Class.

Surguyxxx, sorry to hear about your partner's cancer issue. After that, any cruise will be icing on the cake as he would still be able to.

Hello all,

 

We had to cancel our Alaska cruise due to partners diagnosis of cancer. Chemo and radiation all done just as we hit our 25th anniversary. We're looking to splurge on one this coming year but haven't decided as to which line to take. We "love" Celebrity but do RCI a lot more due to affordability. Decisions decisions. It's only money though I guess..........

Anyone with any suggestions? Most likely, we'll do Aqua Class.

sorry about your friends diagnosis Surfguy., I've lived long enough now to think that life is short get out and enjoy it as much as you can while you can. I hope you a re both back sailing again and have a happy outcome...

After 25 days solo on Queen Elizabeth, taking in most of Dec and the first week of Jan 2016, I'm off on the first week of Queen Mary 2's World Cruise - Southampton to New York. Also solo.

 

Sadly have to spend four days in between in London. I guess I can occupy myself that long.

 

I'll also be travelling through the UAE on the way over. I agree with the majority of posters - its a great place. I respect the culture there (even to the point of abstaining from alcohol - doesn't hurt) as I would anywhere else.

have a great time on the QM, I had a number of days solo on her world 2013 and had a fantastic time.