If you could cruise anywhere?

[Randyk47]

Egypt has always been high on my list. I'm still waiting for a good time to go. I'm in my fifties and fear that may not happen in my lifetime.

:)

 

I'm in my sixties and I've just about given up the idea of ever getting to Egypt. I've been trying to get there pretty much my whole adult life. First I couldn't afford it. Then when I could, and actually was living in Germany so kind of half way there, the political situation and my NATO position got in the way. Actually booked a Prinsendam cruise in 2010 with extended time in Eygpt and a health issue came up that caused us to cancel. So here we are today and the ongoing safety issues notwithstanding my wife is barred from travel there. Like I said, I just kind have written that off as not happening.

[Sonora5]

I really would like to do a round the world cruise. We have done numerous Caribbean and Western Riviera cruises, Panama Canal (great cruise everyone should do), several Med cruises, the Baltic (another standout!), a Transatlantic and are getting ready for a long South American one and another TA.

 

I would eagerly do any of them again. We would also really like to try river cruising and get in to those inland places.

 

But the round the world-it is more time than money that is stopping us-but I would love it. Not sure about Mr. S, but I could easily stay on board for months.

 

A couple of highlights: sailing into Malta was very cool, as was sailing through the Swedish archipelago.

[kalliekae]

I would also like to do a world cruise, but since that is not possible, I would love to do a circle Great Britain cruise.

[FredT]

The Arctic, including the White sea.... Or even better, the Alaska to Norway, across the top of Russia cruise. Hapag LLoyd does this one on their one small expedition ship...

 

Probably never gonna happen though, their "inside stateroom" pricing per person would pay for about 30 "lesser" weeklong cruises! :D

[OlsSalt]

......

A couple of highlights: sailing into Malta was very cool, as was sailing through the Swedish archipelago.

 

Two of our top favorites too. Both were unexpected surprises. Tromso, Norway is another one.

 

And speaking of Egypt again, 4am out on deck of the Rotterdam at Port Said in the hot desert night, getting in a convoy line with other ships to enter the Suez Canal has to rank right up there as a spectacular port entry.

[OlsSalt]

The Arctic, including the White sea.... Or even better, the Alaska to Norway, across the top of Russia cruise. Hapag LLoyd does this one on their one small expedition ship...

 

Probably never gonna happen though, their "inside stateroom" pricing per person would pay for about 30 "lesser" weeklong cruises! :D

 

We just did the White Sea on Voyages of Discovery - Voyager - which is far more basic and a lot cheaper than Hapag-Lloyd. Wonderful cruise with superb enrichment lectures.

[OlsSalt]

Egypt on a cruise" Who knows what 2016 will bring, but Voyages of Discovery is planing something special for Egypt in depth next year:

 

http://www.voyagesofdiscovery.com/cruises-overview/ancient-kingdoms-the-red-sea/

 

Alexandria over-night allows an overnight trip into Cairo. Safaga allows a day trip into Luxor.

 

We have loved our cruises on VOD- our "other" cruise line when HAL isn't going to their far away places and strange sounding names. I have a lot of faith in VOD to not do something stupid. But I also know this part of the world can lead to changes in itinerary on short notice.

 

I see HAL is still going through the Suez Canal with stops at Sharm el Sheik, but no longer at Safaga, Egypt but that doesn't count - just a modern tourist development.

Edited August 25, 2015 by OlsSalt

[Jay Sam]

My dream cruise itinerary would be:

 

Depart from Venice.

 

Visit both Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia.

 

Visit 2 or 3 ports in Greece, including Athens.

 

Visit 2 or 3 ports in Turkey, including an overnight in Istanbul.

 

Visit Malta.

 

End in Venice.

 

For a longer itinerary, instead of ending in Venice, I would like if the ship continued on to Barcelona for an overnight and then ended in Lisbon.

[Lottie Linda]

Where would you go? Thought it would be fun to find out places others dream of traveling and why they want to go there. And if money was no object would it change where you wanted to go?

 

I'll start. I want to go to Europe. I've never been and there are so many fascinating places. I'd love to start in Norway with the fjords.

 

Black Hills, S.D.

 

best poker! Best meal of my life at Sylvan Lake Lodge

 

 

Yellowstone Nat'l Park

 

no place like it in the world

 

 

Death Valley

 

life struggling in the harshest of environments

 

 

Las Vegas

 

the strip needs a cruise ship

 

 

Alaska (in the winter)

 

to see how the natives really live and to see the northern lights

[OlsSalt]

Hurtigruten runs Northern Lights trips up the coast of Norway. This is the floating Norway "bus" that serves 13 coastal cities on a daily-weekly basis, if you are not familiar with that line.

 

Best time to see the Lights are the peak of the 11 year cycle which passed a few years ago. Allegedly the best month is March for Norway - less overcast, so you have a better chance of seeing them. Days a little bit longer so it is not totally dark all the time.

 

So one can cruise and see the lights and the Norwegians say winter is their favorite time of the year -- mainly because they love the snow sports.

[brazilgirl]

I would like to do the Northern Passage .

 

Greenland

 

Seychelles

 

Croatia and Greece more in depth ( have been to Dubrovnik , Santorini , Rhodes and Athens)

 

New England/ Canada in the fall

 

Easter Island and the Falklands ( missed due to weather on previous cruise)

 

More of Scotland and Ireland

 

New Zealand

 

Top on my list is Iceland , which I get to cross off in July!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cruisemom42]

Hurtigruten runs Northern Lights trips up the coast of Norway. This is the floating Norway "bus" that serves 13 coastal cities on a daily-weekly basis, if you are not familiar with that line.

 

Best time to see the Lights are the peak of the 11 year cycle which passed a few years ago. Allegedly the best month is March for Norway - less overcast, so you have a better chance of seeing them. Days a little bit longer so it is not totally dark all the time.

 

So one can cruise and see the lights and the Norwegians say winter is their favorite time of the year -- mainly because they love the snow sports.

 

I will be doing exactly that next year, on Hurtigruten and in March. :D

[OlsSalt]

I will be doing exactly that next year, on Hurtigruten and in March. :D

 

This looks like a good link for both technical and general Northern lights info - the really good stuff is near the bottom of the page. http://www.solarham.net

 

Could be, should be spectacular in upper Norway on your March 16 Hurtigruten. The 11-year Solar Peak was 2013, but you are still going to prime territory for viewing them Hope you post all the details when you get back. We saw many of her ships and we made our way up and down the Norway coast- they look very nice. Lots of viewing windows in the front of the ship -upper decks.

[erewhon]

Thank you both. You make it sound appealing but that long flight is such a major turn off for me. That's a long flight especially as a solo.

 

 

Have you considered the Trans Pacific cruise, followed by the Australian Circumnavigation, then the 14 day NZ cruise, and fly back to USA from Auckland?

Air NZ flights to USA and Canada depart evenings, after boarding dinner is served then lights off, sleep during the night, (very easy to do, on the Lie Flat beds) breakfast is served then it's time to land.

[ellieanne]

Thank you both. You make it sound appealing but that long flight is such a major turn off for me. That's a long flight especially as a solo.

 

If you are considering a trip to Australia, by cruise or a land vacation, do not let the flight discourage you. It's really not that bad. Even by yourself it's not terrible. From the US, the flights usually leave in the evening so it's an overnight flight and you can sleep through most of it.

 

I know you have made up your mind, but don't discount the area just because of the flight.

[Sue from Canada]

The Arctic, including the White sea.... Or even better, the Alaska to Norway, across the top of Russia cruise. Hapag LLoyd does this one on their one small expedition ship...

 

Probably never gonna happen though, their "inside stateroom" pricing per person would pay for about 30 "lesser" weeklong cruises! :D

 

FredT - What a wonderful cruise that would be. Inside stateroom price. Yes, it's very high. You have to wonder where people get the money to travel on these expensive trips especially in suites and the penthouse.

[Viesczy]

Well, HAL does it right now. I have the PTO to take the time off, but alas Karen doesn't right now (won't for a few more years in fact with her new job), so it'll be just a dream.

 

 

We did the Westy's 30 day variant of this back in the fall of '12 and it was the best vacation of our lives.

 

Derek

Edited August 27, 2015 by Viesczy

[OlsSalt]

FredT - What a wonderful cruise that would be. Inside stateroom price. Yes, it's very high. You have to wonder where people get the money to travel on these expensive trips especially in suites and the penthouse.

 

Anecdotedly we find more and more retired public pension recipients on our cruises today. So they are one group who can still afford these cruises. Take a look at the public pension payouts in your state and you will learn why. "Transparent California" provides this data by name and position for all retired public workers in this state.

[SantaAna,CA]

My two dream destinations. A couple of luxury ships used to call at the Seychelles, but once the piracy issue started in the Indian Ocean, seems no one is there now. I live in California anyway, so the airfare alone would break me. Once upon a time I actually was looking at it, but the airfare was about $4000 (oh yeah, I can afford that...NOT) and it took two days to get there. But these are islands, if I won the lottery, I'd love to see.

 

Jane :)

Edited August 27, 2015 by SantaAna,CA

[OlsSalt]

My two dream destinations. A couple of luxury ships used to call at the Seychelles, but once the piracy issue started in the Indian Ocean, seems no one is there now. I live in California anyway, so the airfare alone would break me. Once upon a time I actually was looking at it, but the airfare was about $4000 (oh yeah, I can afford that...NOT) and it took two days to get there. But these are islands, if I won the lottery, I'd love to see.

 

Jane :)

 

This was on my bucket list too - Both Costa (I know, I know) and Voyages of Discovery go to this area and often leave from Dubai which has relatively cheap flights RT to US, often going through London. Or even direct from LAX on Emirates. Don't give up.

 

But saying that there is really that one very scenic area in the Seychelles with the deeply carved rocks that is unique but other Indian Ocean islands are equally appealing in all other regards, And since the Seychelles sit pretty much on the equator it was deadly hot. Reunion, Madagascar, Maldives and Mauritius are equally worthy Indian Ocean destinations.

 

Here is the link for Costa and the Syechelles. These are popular destination for Europeans because they are quite close as the crow flies and Dubai is very aggressive about tourism.

 

http://www.costacruise.com/usa/cruise_vacation/indian_ocean-seychelles.html

Edited August 27, 2015 by OlsSalt

[buckirj1]

Antarctica, on an expedition ship with full landings.

 

And the Crystal Northwest Passage cruise in 2017 (might be 2016, iirc Roy will be on it thankfully so I can travel vicariously through his wonderful blog).

 

Yes. Exactly this. Anyplace cold is fine with me. And I'll throw in a Voyage of the Vikings roundtrip passage, since money and time is no object. Even so, I can't imagine being away from home for that long. I get homesick after 7-10 days:o

[rafinmd]

Black Hills, S.D.

 

<SNIP>Alaska(in the winter)

 

to see how the natives really live and to see the northern lights

 

It's not your typical cruise but Alaska Marine Highway runs from Bellingham Washington all winter.

 

I've been fortunate to do most of what I really want to. There are really 2 things I have neither done nor scheduled. One is Taiwan and the other is a complete path around the world by ship. I could do that either with a link from Sydney to Indonesia or from China or Japan to Hong Kong.

 

Booked priorities include Falklands (iffy tender stop but I have chances on the Crystal Symphony in January 2016 and the Zaandam in March 2017. A full World cruise (2018) is booked and I plan to visit Iguazu before the Zaandam.

 

The Northwest passage is a B2B August 6 and August 16 Vancouver-Seward- New York. I really wish some of you could be with me. I'm sure I will lose internet some days but will double (or more) up on postings when it returns. I am firm on the second leg but am still considering some options for the first. The Alaska Marine Highway won't release their Summer 2016 schedule for a while but I would like to take that trip if it would work with my schedule, and I would divert to the Noordam if Himself became the chaplain on August 7.

 

Roy