In 2014, which one would you do for the "ultimate" cruise vacation?

[BugsyCruiser]

Hi all,

 

This is going to be kind of fun. I know 2014 is a looooong way off but I thought I would ask everyone what out of these choices I am considering for an "ultimate" cruise vacation they would go with. I'll include a poll as well just to see what kind of votes I would get.

 

I guess I call it an ultimate because it will be longer(except for one choice) and I'll probably splurge on this one.... what the heck, after all it is vacation.

 

And by all means please share with me what you would do and why and if you've done any of these cruises I'm thinking about it would be fun to hear what you liked and didn't like.

 

I've narrowed it down to four cruise lines as I am getting a pretty good idea from being a member on here and past experience which cruise lines I prefer.

 

So here our the choices:

1. A B2B on Allure or Oasis

2. Holy Land cruise aboard Celebrity Silhouette

3. Alaska cruisetour with either Princess or RCCL

4. 10 or 11 ultimate Caribbean aboard Celebrity Equinox

5. A B2B doing the south Caribbean aboard Crown Princess and then eastern aboard Royal

6. A 7 night Bermuda aboard the Norwegian Breakaway OR Celebrity Summit

 

I'd appreciate your honest and heartfelt answers and participation in this.

 

Thanks so much friends :)

[maryann ns]

Celebrity to the Holy Land to me is the best of a bad lot. It is great we are all so different?

 

Azamara are perfect for what I want: small ships, interesting ports, great dining.

[paul929207]

Celebrity to the Holy Land to me is the best of a bad lot. It is great we are all so different?

 

Azamara are perfect for what I want: small ships, interesting ports, great dining.

Sounds like Maryann and I voted the same and for the same reason. Nearly all the choices are to the islands, so I skipped them. That left Alaska or the Holy Land. I have done both on Princess and while Alaska was great, the Holy Land is not to be missed.

[Erik101]

I agree with poster #3. Three of your choices are to the Caribbean and only one to Europe/Middle East. In my opinion, traveling across the pond is the splurge choice for the "ultimate" cruise vacation.

[Keith1010]

I would do the Holy Land Cruise.

 

Keith

[jpg1747]

Funny you should ask. I was just researching a way to do a longer Caribbean cruise to include all of my favorite ports. I can't find one cruise to do it, so I'm probably going to do a B2B. The cruiseline/ship isn't important, but getting in all the ports is.

 

One you haven't mentioned is the Alaska/repositioning cruise - ususally runs about 21 days from Alaska through the Panama Canal to Florida.

 

I'd rather do a land tour for Israel.

[DonnaK]

Is cost an issue? I selected the one that was most realistic, not most out-of-reach, for me. That is Alaska. If money was no object, I'd do a Mediterranean cruise with mostly Italian ports on a relatively new and large ship.

[BugsyCruiser]

Is cost an issue? I selected the one that was most realistic, not most out-of-reach, for me. That is Alaska. If money was no object, I'd do a Mediterranean cruise with mostly Italian ports on a relatively new and large ship.

 

Cost isn't really an issue. I was just looking into doing a longer cruise and they all visit ports I haven't been to with the exception of Oasis or Allure but I chose them because they have so much to do. Like I said this is just a fun but informative way to see what everyone thinks.

 

I only chose a 7 night Bermuda because I think it wouldn't make sense to do a B2B Bermuda

[BugsyCruiser]

I apologize as I have found some other cruises that I would have liked to added to the poll but don't think that I have that option.

[CantanaLobo]

Of the choices, Holy Land. Seen enough of the Caribbean it wouldn't be "ultimate".

 

 

My ultimate would be a world cruise. First I need to find a job that will let me have 100+ days off, and pays me enough on the days I did work to afford it. I can dream.

[Kartgv]

Didn't vote because, to me, there's nothing on the list that I would consider the "ultimate" cruise. To me "ultimate" means "bucket list" quality, and it just isn't there. Where are the World Cruise segments, or circumnavigation of Australia & New Zealand, South Seas Tropical Islands, Far East, Panama Canal and South America, Norwegian Fiords and Iceland??? Not that there's anything wrong with any of the cruises you list, just wouldn't consider them to be at the top of my wish list.

[BugsyCruiser]

Didn't vote because, to me, there's nothing on the list that I would consider the "ultimate" cruise. To me "ultimate" means "bucket list" quality, and it just isn't there. Where are the World Cruise segments, or circumnavigation of Australia & New Zealand, South Seas Tropical Islands, Far East, Panama Canal and South America, Norwegian Fiords and Iceland??? Not that there's anything wrong with any of the cruises you list, just wouldn't consider them to be at the top of my wish list.

 

I said that there was some more that I thought of after I started this thread and now sadly I can't add them to the poll. I just listed the ones that would probably work best for me since my vacation time is somewhat limited

[ducklite]

None of them are what I'd consider an "ultimate cruise vacation" so I didn't vote.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Well, I voted for the Holy Land cruise, but without seeing itineraries I can't judge. Alaska cruise tour would be second.

 

Longer is better for us. I think I'd get bored with the ports on a b2b Oasis/Allure cruise, though I'd like to try one of those ships out of curiosity.

 

My ultimate would be some kind of long cruise starting from Hawaii, going to the South Sea Islands and ending in, or cruising around Australia.

[luvscruising2007]

My ultimate cruise is a Med Cruise. Because that was not in your poll, I narrowed it down to Holy Land and Alaska. Both are once in a lifetime experiences. I did choose the Alaska Cruise tour, because we enjoyed ours so much. As others have said most of us have been to the Caribbean. If it were a first cruise, I think a long Caribbean might be a good choice.

[BugsyCruiser]

My ultimate cruise is a Med Cruise. Because that was not in your poll, I narrowed it down to Holy Land and Alaska. Both are once in a lifetime experiences. I did choose the Alaska Cruise tour, because we enjoyed ours so much. As others have said most of us have been to the Caribbean. If it were a first cruise, I think a long Caribbean might be a good choice.

 

I appreciate your input. I've done the Caribbean before and enjoy it, just wanted to put these cruises I was considering out there. Like I said I regret not adding more choices to the poll as I didn't think of additional possibilities at the time.

[tarheelmjfan]

Holy Land is my dream trip, so this was an easy choice for me. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather go.

[Bowie MeMe]

Well we have been trying to get to the Holy Land for many many years. My father a Navy chaplain had 4 Navy cruises scheduled and each and every one they pulled out because the politics. Last year we had Oceania cruise that included Holy Land and Egypt and before the deposit got down The Spring rose up. Still hoping.

 

I do not do Caribbean much anymore --pretty much been there- done that and not for me. I am beginning to value the smaller ship with more intellectual/educational programs and always the ports are the deciding factor. I think we will be moving into more river cruising. Nice style of living, middle of city dockings and sometimes more than one day, and huge variety of places to go that we have not seen because they are too far from the sea for ocean liners. Of course the next cruise is 3 generation Disney cruise because seeing 3 yo grandson with his buddy Mickey is priceless!

[skandls]

If money is no object and you have not been to Israel - a cruise in the Med is great. The tours are very expensive and well the airfare can cost more than the cruise. Alaska is great - especially the land tour. Denali made me appreciate the vastness and diversity that is the USA. Either cruise would be wonderful.

[BugsyCruiser]

If money is no object and you have not been to Israel - a cruise in the Med is great. The tours are very expensive and well the airfare can cost more than the cruise. Alaska is great - especially the land tour. Denali made me appreciate the vastness and diversity that is the USA. Either cruise would be wonderful.

 

Thank you for that. Sounds like either one will be awesome. I'll keep this poll open for a while but the two frontrunners by far are Holy Land and Alaska :)

[sherilyn70]

My next cruise will either be Alaska on Regent Seven Seas (luxury ship) or something through the Fjords (cruise line undetermined at this time). Those are my ideas of ultimate at this point in time (well that fit into my vacation schedules).

[dorisis]

I have done almost all of those that were mentioned and the Holy land is the only one that stands head and shoulders above the others.

 

I did the B2B on the Allure last year and that SHIP is so unusual that it stands out too.

 

~Doris~

[5326jan]

Chris, Which cruises did you think of that you can't add to the poll? You could put them out and we could comment on them. :)

[BugsyCruiser]

Chris, Which cruises did you think of that you can't add to the poll? You could put them out and we could comment on them. :)

 

Hi there. Ok here are the other ones I would have added:

 

1. Panama Canal transit

2. Transatlantic, either from Fort Lauderdale to Europe or the other way around

3. Norwegian Fjords

4. Hawaii: not a roundtrip from Honolulu, but like from LA or San Francisco

5. Australia...although the thought of being on a plane for a long time to get there is kind of a turn off. I love Sydney and Melbourne but that 15 hours from LA to there was a real drag too

[5326jan]

Hi there. Ok here are the other ones I would have added:

 

1. Panama Canal transit

2. Transatlantic, either from Fort Lauderdale to Europe or the other way around

3. Norwegian Fjords

4. Hawaii: not a roundtrip from Honolulu, but like from LA or San Francisco

5. Australia...although the thought of being on a plane for a long time to get there is kind of a turn off. I love Sydney and Melbourne but that 15 hours from LA to there was a real drag too

 

Now you're talking!!!:D These seem like "ultimate" cruise vacations! IMHO, the Caribbean is just what you throw in when there's not enough time to do a "good" cruise!;)

 

We've done Hawaii, but will do it again.... it was great, especially cruising by the lava flows at night!!!! Panama Canal is scheduled for March. The rest are on our bucket list, but will have to wait a few years until DH retires.