Cruise Goals 2013-2020?

Does anyone else set out goals for their vacations in advance?

I have the following "must do ships/itineraries" that I hope to schedule between now and 2020. I was wondering what others "must do's" were?

-Oasis/Allure (for the ship, not ports--but will book for E. Caribbean as it has been a long time since I've been on that route). Booked Feb. 2014

-Quantum Class. I have no idea where they are going or what they will feature, but I want to try. Either one of the itineraries below, or I'll need to fit in a Caribbean (assuming one will be positioned there).

-Bermuda on NCL Breakway. I can combine the new ship that sounds amazing with an itinerary I've wanted to do for years. Summer 2014? This could change based upon Quantum's itinerary....if by chance she goes to Bermuda, I might switch this up and wait until Getaway for Caribbean out of Miami.

-New England/Canada. I'm thinking maybe a Radiance class ship here, after I go on Oasis class, this will be the only class I haven't sailed (until Quantum, of course). Or maybe if Quantum sails here, it can change my Bermuda thoughts. LOL. Fall 2015 or 2014 if Bermuda is off the table.

-California Coastal. I really would love this spring time cruise. Probably not until 2015 or 2016 though -- unless I can convince my BF to fit this in during 2013, but he has said no cruises in 2013 because I 'made' him go on 3 in 2012!

-Southern Caribbean. I'm split on taking Radiance class or Voyager class here. I wish they would put a Freedom class on this route. That would make an easy decision for me! Targeting 2016-2017 timeframe. Gee, that sounds SO long away!

-Norwegian Fjords. I LOVED Alaska both times the last 2 years. Targeting 2016, and 2015 if all the stars align right. Hopefully I don't have to wait until 2017! Any ship will do, will be picking that based upon the ports and length at ports. At this point, Princess seems to have the best route, but anything can change between now and then with itineraries.

-Panama Canal. Not thrilled with most of the ships, but would like a Radiance Class here...Most likely would have to be a partial transit due to vacation day limitation. Most likely 2017-2020. Or I could always wait longer when I retire to do the full transit, but that would be like 2040!

-Tahiti. Reviewing the Paul Gaugin line for this one. 2018-2020.

-Europe/Mediterranean. Any line probably...2018-2020. Maybe earlier.

Of course, I have some "land trips" (Australia, Ireland, Asia) on my bucket list, but most likely would not do those as cruises (who knows, maybe). Also, a few Caribbean cruises mixed in...

Where are YOU planning on going?

You may get luck with your Panama Canal goal. We cruised from San Diego to Miani on the Celebrity Constellation. she was on her way to dry dock in Germany. It was a one time cruise and a very good price.

OP, I love the way you have organized your cruising list.

Hope you get to do them all!:) Post your experiences when you do!

I thought I may be the only one to do this type of planning! I like the way you think!

I always have a wish list floating around in my head, not just for cruising, but for land trips as well. Some trips we are talking about are:

Greek Island cruise, Italy land trip, Hawaii cruise, Great Northwest land trip, National Parks land trip, Alaska cruise.....just to name a few at the top of our list.

There's so much I want to do, but I feel like its going to be a while before I can do it all. I'm getting married next year and then plan on having kids, so I think all of these vacations are going to be few and far between after my honeymoon.

Definitely a Western Mediterranean cruise in 2018. Would love to do a 12 days but will settle for 7 days, out of Barcelona. I have the Freedom of The Seas coming up in May & other expenses in the coming years. I figure 5 years will be long enough to save

I thought I may be the only one to do this type of planning! I like the way you think!

I'm trying...in the past I've just taken what became "available" at the time (either by price or based on others wants..). Now, I'm trying to actually plan it out a little so I can make sure to go to the places I want to go (or on the ships I want to try).

Reading CC really has opened up my thoughts about potential trips in the future. I love reading reviews about itineraries or ships I had not previously considered. I am normally very surprised and then want to go myself.

I have a cruise bucket list in my head.

I've already started planning for Europe next fall; I will need a cruise that hits Italy and Greece and will probably do 12 nights.

2016 will probably be my Hawaiian cruise.

I really want to do a back to back southern Caribbean out of San Juan to hit all those ports I haven't been to. Aruba, Barbados.......

Our main goal is two per year at this point. Doesn't really matter where it goes for the most part. If we are where the ship is then we are fine.

I'm with you reney - I love planning! This October I have a big bucket list cruise booked - 12 night Med/Greek Isles on Serenade out of BCN. Then fall of 2014 Allure. Early summer 2015 I want to do Bermuda out of NJ. Then off in the future is Panama Canal, Cali Coastal on Celebrity, Australia, Alaska...

Oh my gosh, Yes! I'm not the only one!:o:p

My TA calls it a "wanderlist"; isn't that great! My DH and I plan fairly long term because what we've seen with pals is if you don't plan, it doesn't happen (that's true for career goals, life goals etc) To us, travel is a major priority and something we truly enjoy. So yes, we have plans till 2016 - 17 already. Most are not all cruises, but often trips we have on our bucket list, cruises or not. Between those big trips we may take smaller cruises for short breaks or special occasions (such as Jewel for our big birthdays, Allure for DDs graduation) but we keep working the plan as not to miss out on our major travel goals:

Up next:

2014, Balkan river cruise- we feel this place will change quickly when it becomes Euro zone, and we have moved it up.

2015/16, Antarctica- again, time is of the essence, it's melting, and we'd like to get there before it gets worse!

2017, South East Asia- everyone raves and its the last on our all 7 continents tour (though its likely one or both of us may go,to Asia before that for business, and our part of our stay in Istanbul in 2014 would be " technically" Asia but not sure that " counts"

2018/19, back to Australia/NZ for several weeks this time with a potential return on the PG to break up the trip. Or we might do another Adventure By Disney adult only to Italy with a bike trip in the country side added on.

Reney- on your schedule, IMO, I'd move up Australia and the PG cruise over CA or trying the " new ships" if you can. Both places are simply amazing and the PG cruise is just fantastic!(review in my sig) New ships are cool, but they are not really places, they are expensive when new, and there will always be another coming out to keep you from exploring new places! Some love to do inaugurals and if that's you great- but for me, I want new places;)

Happy cruising ( and planning!) to all!

There's so much I want to do, but I feel like its going to be a while before I can do it all. I'm getting married next year and then plan on having kids, so I think all of these vacations are going to be few and far between after my honeymoon.

Don't despair! Sure when they were wee we mostly hung at the beach in Maine or did Disney (or Disney cruise) but once the wee ones hit 8, we hit the road with them- Alaska, Costa Rica, Africa, Ecuador and the Galapagos. If you plan well, you can do it! I found that traveling with them is cheaper than summer camp (and my girls hated camp the one time I sent them) so that's what we do instead of camp or "summer enrichment" educational programs that cost thousands of dollars. You don't have to give it up!

Also, a short break with your groom without the kids every year or so will help you get to that 25 and 50 year chair on the "love and marriage" show ( and still have something spicy to share:eek: ;) This is why God invented Grandparents! (and thank God for them!:D)

Sure there will be other priorities, but you can also make travel a priority if you want!

Oh my gosh, Yes! I'm not the only one!:o:p

 

 

Reney- on your schedule, IMO, I'd move up Australia and the PG cruise over CA or trying the " new ships" if you can. Both places are simply amazing and the PG cruise is just fantastic!(review in my sig) New ships are cool, but they are not really places, they are expensive when new, and there will always be another coming out to keep you from exploring new places! Some love to do inaugurals and if that's you great- but for me, I want new places;)

 

Happy cruising ( and planning!) to all!

Wow...I just started reading your PG review. Now I know what I'm reading for the next several hours (even though I should be packing for my work trip leaving tomorrow morning). I absolutely would love to do this...but I have a hard sell to get my BF on the ship. We often end up eating in the WJ or casual buffet at night because he is so "against" pants instead of shorts when it is warm out. But I will keep trying, I have no idea why he has to be that difficult.

I know the where's, I just don't know the when's. In general, I can plan 1 year in advance for a definite cruise. Beyond that I can't plan a specific cruise. I just want to go to all the southern Caribbean islands I havent been to. I will knock off 3 more by this time next year (st Croix, Tortola, Martinique).

In the future, I'd love to go to Dominica, St. Vincent, Turks/Caicos, Nevis, St. Bart's, and any of the other small islands down there I've never been. I want to get a large framed map of the Caribbean on my wall and have little flags over each one I've been to and maybe put red flags over the ones I WANT to go to.

I'd love to do a New England cruise one day, a Baltic cruise, the Norwegian fjords, something that goes to Barcelona, Croatia, Sardinia in the Med.

One day, my ULTIMATE dream would be to do a New Zealand and Australia cruise, but I would have to be not working so that one may be more than 10 years away :(.

I have no idea what cruise is going to be after my March 2014 cruise......

I have no definite dates in mind for my wishlist.

1. Southern Caribbean, especially Aruba and Curaco.

2. Transatlantic

3. Alaska

4. Panama Canal

5. Mediterranean

6. Southeast Asia

7. Australia, New Zealand

I know the where's, I just don't know the when's. In general, I can plan 1 year in advance for a definite cruise. Beyond that I can't plan a specific cruise. I just want to go to all the southern Caribbean islands I havent been to. I will knock off 3 more by this time next year (st Croix, Tortola, Martinique).

 

In the future, I'd love to go to Dominica, St. Vincent, Turks/Caicos, Nevis, St. Bart's, and any of the other small islands down there I've never been. I want to get a large framed map of the Caribbean on my wall and have little flags over each one I've been to and maybe put red flags over the ones I WANT to go to.

 

I'd love to do a New England cruise one day, a Baltic cruise, the Norwegian fjords, something that goes to Barcelona, Croatia, Sardinia in the Med.

 

One day, my ULTIMATE dream would be to do a New Zealand and Australia cruise, but I would have to be not working so that one may be more than 10 years away :(.

 

I have no idea what cruise is going to be after my March 2014 cruise......

Are we related somehow?? LOL

One of our big goals is to visit all the named Caribbean islands. We will hit 4 more islands new to us next Feb - Tortola, St Maarten, Dominica, and Barbados.

Alaska along with a land based trip to Danali is on the bucket list for 2015.

I would love to do a transatlantic, Norwegian fjords, and my DH dream trip is New Zealand and Australia. These may have to wait until retirement though due to the length of time we'd need to take off work. Only 8 more years!

We took a 10 yr hiatus from cruising for land vacations - just the way it worked. We now are trying for 1 cruise and 1 land based per year. We have a bucket list for land trips as well - places to return to as well as locations new to us.

Don't despair! Sure when they were wee we mostly hung at the beach in Maine or did Disney (or Disney cruise) but once the wee ones hit 8, we hit the road with them- Alaska, Costa Rica, Africa, Ecuador and the Galapagos. If you plan well, you can do it! I found that traveling with them is cheaper than summer camp (and my girls hated camp the one time I sent them) so that's what we do instead of camp or "summer enrichment" educational programs that cost thousands of dollars. You don't have to give it up!

 

Also, a short break with your groom without the kids every year or so will help you get to that 25 and 50 year chair on the "love and marriage" show ( and still have something spicy to share:eek: ;) This is why God invented Grandparents! (and thank God for them!:D)

 

Sure there will be other priorities, but you can also make travel a priority if you want!

yea we definitely do. We just have to wait until they turn 8 lol. But I'm a teacher so we will definitely travel in the summer/vacations with them. I have good memories traveling with my parents so I would like to do that with my kids.

And we are doing a summer 2014 western Mediterranean cruise for our honeymoon - so we have that to look forward to!

Wow...I just started reading your PG review. Now I know what I'm reading for the next several hours (even though I should be packing for my work trip leaving tomorrow morning). I absolutely would love to do this...but I have a hard sell to get my BF on the ship. We often end up eating in the WJ or casual buffet at night because he is so "against" pants instead of shorts when it is warm out. But I will keep trying, I have no idea why he has to be that difficult.

LOL! Well, shorts wouldn't work, but it's certainly not a dressy cruise! One honeymooner did not get the memo and he had only shorts and he and his bride were doing room service (which may or may not have had anything to do with the pants;)) until a gay couple who were more experienced cruisers and had good advice about fashion checked out his PJ bottoms ( none of us asked why a honeymooner has PJ bottoms:rolleyes:) and said they looked fine for dinner LOL!...and they were fine in the dining room until he got a pair of Tommy Bahama pants in Bora Bora! Most guys wore khakis or even jeans and a collar or Tommy Bahama style silk Hawaiian shirt- you can see in the pics, pretty casual really. You will love it, it's such a great cruise!

yea we definitely do. We just have to wait until they turn 8 lol. But I'm a teacher so we will definitely travel in the summer/vacations with them. I have good memories traveling with my parents so I would like to do that with my kids.

 

And we are doing a summer 2014 western Mediterranean cruise for our honeymoon - so we have that to look forward to!

That sounds delightful! Best wishes to you and your future groom! Many exciting days ahead!

Love this thread!

Besides our upcoming Alaska...

1. Northern Europe / Russia

2. Transatlantic crossing from Southampton on Cunard

3. Southern Caribbean - I've done it but hubby has not

4. Antarctica

5. Anywhere in Asia

6. Panama Canal - probably will have to wait until we retire

7. Somewhere on the NCL Epic

8. Hawaiian cruise

9. A European river cruise

10. Canada/Nova Scotia

And added to the list, a cruise that we feel obligated to do:

11. A 4 day cruise with my mother-in-law. We need to start saving to pay for the bar bill.

Greek Isles. This will most likely be next year. Since some hit Turkey, I'll be able to get there as well.

I am hoping I can find an itinerary for next year that is similar to the Legend's 9 day...Goes to Malta, Sicily, Croatia, and Slovenia

I want to go back to Scandinavia, but I'd like to do an itinerary with Helsinki before St. Petersburg. The one we did last year had Finland after Russia, and I was still recovering from such an intense day in St. Petersburg. I'd also love to get to Gdnask.

South America. I know I won't be able to talk my husband into a land vacation there, so I'd like to do the cruise.

Although Australia is my top destination on my bucket list, we would prefer to do a land vacation.

Love this thread!

 

Besides our upcoming Alaska...

11. A 4 day cruise with my mother-in-law. We need to start saving to pay for the bar bill.

You will LOVE Alaska. I never thought I would like it so much, and thought it would be better saved for retirement age. Boy, was I wrong. It is extremely active and I'm glad I did it (twice) before my 40's! It is the only place other than the Caribbean/Bahamas I have been on a cruise and I really want to expand my horizon in that perspective. I love my land vacations, but there are definitely some places best seen via water.

Oh..and if I had kids that were married, they would be saying the same about cruising with me. LOL

Greek Isles. This will most likely be next year. Since some hit Turkey, I'll be able to get there as well.

 

I am hoping I can find an itinerary for next year that is similar to the Legend's 9 day...Goes to Malta, Sicily, Croatia, and Slovenia

 

I want to go back to Scandinavia, but I'd like to do an itinerary with Helsinki before St. Petersburg. The one we did last year had Finland after Russia, and I was still recovering from such an intense day in St. Petersburg. I'd also love to get to Gdnask.

 

South America. I know I won't be able to talk my husband into a land vacation there, so I'd like to do the cruise.

 

Although Australia is my top destination on my bucket list, we would prefer to do a land vacation.

Russia sounds great. I was looking at a River cruise there due to the additional time and the built in excursions. Not to mention I would love to do a river cruise anyway--and the Mississippi doesn't quite do it for me. The Christmas Markets sounds wonderful, albeit very cold!