Repeat or New

[lenquixote66]

8 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

Has anyone answered "none" yet?

 

DON

Does that mean you do not like to cruise ?

[rkacruiser]

There are ports where I have been fortunate to visit several times.  Hong Kong, Auckland, Sydney, Honolulu, Nawhilwihli, Bora Bora, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, Juneau, Anchorage, Bermuda, and even New York and Fort Lauderdale are ports I always enjoy visiting again.  Sailing into and from those ports are always something to which I anticipate.  

 

Sailing into and from Venice was a real treat.  But, I have only been able to do it once.  

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

I want to steer the discussion in a slightly different direction.  For those who have pretty much cruised everywhere, how do you choose an itinerary?

 

Hank

 

Well, my friends think that I have cruised "everywhere"; I surely haven't!

 

Your question is excellent.  May I suggest that what itinerary one selects is based upon five considerations?  #1:  What itinerary with its route/ports are of most interest?  #2:  What is one's physical ability to enjoy such an itinerary?  #3:  Is the itinerary being sailed on a ship/cruise line that interests one?  #4:  What time of the year is this sailing?  #5:  Will my financial resources allow me to sail on this cruise without any financial concern about doing so?  

[clo]

49 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

There are ports where I have been fortunate to visit several times.  Hong Kong, Auckland, Sydney, Honolulu, Nawhilwihli, Bora Bora, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, Juneau, Anchorage, Bermuda, and even New York and Fort Lauderdale are ports I always enjoy visiting again.  Sailing into and from those ports are always something to which I anticipate.  

 

Sailing into and from Venice was a real treat.  But, I have only been able to do it once.  

So do you spend time in those cities pre and post? We do and that's very important to us.

[Hlitner]

3 minutes ago, clo said:

So do you spend time in those cities pre and post? We do and that's very important to us.

A few years ago, when responding to a post here on CC about the best European cruise itineraries (for those of us from North America) I suggested that we prefer itineraries where we embark at one port and disembark at a different port (open jaw).  We further explained that such an itinerary gave us the best of two travel worlds, Sea and land!  We could spend a certain number of days or weeks pre-cruise and a few days or weeks post cruise and get to see more.  And the easy availability of open jaw airfares made it all very doable.   For those that can spare the time and extra money it makes a lot of sense to combine some land with a cruise.  You are already paying for the air so why not take advantage and extend your vacation?  

 

There are other tricks although we have not checked how COVID will impact.  For example, if flying from North America to Europe one can book their air on Aer Lingus and get a free stopover (either direction) in Ireland.  So you can basically get free air to enjoy an Irish vacation if taking a European cruise.  Another option used to be with Icelandic Air which allowed free stopovers in Iceland!  

 

Hank

[clo]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

For example, if flying from North America to Europe one can book their air on Aer Lingus and get a free stopover (either direction) in Ireland. 

Ooh, I'm liking that. We just loved, loved, loved Ireland when we were there (all over the place). If we ever get to travel intl again I'll certainly looking into that. Thanks. And, yes, we flew Iceland Air, spent some days there and then went on to Copenhagen.

[Aquahound]

41 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

There are other tricks although we have not checked how COVID will impact.  For example, if flying from North America to Europe one can book their air on Aer Lingus and get a free stopover (either direction) in Ireland.  So you can basically get free air to enjoy an Irish vacation if taking a European cruise.  Another option used to be with Icelandic Air which allowed free stopovers in Iceland!  

 

That's what we did for our last European cruise, although I don't remember the details of how it worked.  What I remember is flying Iberia from Miami to Venice, but with an overnight layover in Madrid.  The hotel was included.  It was only 1 night, but we had a great time.  

 

We then spent 3 nights in Venice pre-cruise.  That, along with the best sail away I've ever seen was a time I'll never forget.  

Edited September 26, 2020 by Aquahound

[getting older slowly]

The other way of looking at new or repeat ports.....

 

Treat the ship like a holiday home which moves...

so one can relax and not is a rush to see everything...

 

Which comes back to the $64 question    why do you cruise ??

 

Also this is a cruise forum so land based travel is only at the begin and end of a cruise, which may or may not be somewhere one wants to spend time.....

 

So a cruise is to see a sample of places.. ( we are not talking expedition cruising )

if one want to "see" a place you spend days there.. something which can not done on a regular cruise.

 

Cheers Don

[pris993]

We more often than not, cruised on new ships, the latest new ship, out from a variety of lines, starting with the Song of America in l980s.  

 

When looking at ships and itineraries, we would usually try to get it last one or two new ports in on each cruise,  or more. 

 

So much say both.  

[Hlitner]

15 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

That's what we did for our last European cruise, although I don't remember the details of how it worked.  What I remember is flying Iberia from Miami to Venice, but with an overnight layover in Madrid.  The hotel was included.  It was only 1 night, but we had a great time.  

 

We then spent 3 nights in Venice pre-cruise.  That, along with the best sail away I've ever seen was a time I'll never forget.  

A majority of cruisers simply book their cruise and air (with perhaps 1 or 2 days pre or post cruise) without exploring other options.  When we talk about being adventurous independent travelers it primarily means looking at all the options and choosing what sounds like fun.  There are quite a few airlines that allow for stop overs and that can give folks expanded options with no or little additional air cost.  The first time we went to Ireland it was on one of those free Aer Lingus stop overs in Dublin.  On that trip we were watching our money so did it on the cheap.  From Dublin's airport we grabbed a regular public bus into town that let us off near our small hotel.  In Dublin we spent a few days exploring on our own using public transit and a lot of walking.  We had a wonderful time and discovered many neat Irish pubs :).  When it came time to continue our flight we simply grabbed the local bus back to the airport  No expensive tours....no expensive transfers,,,,no expensive hotels.  

 

For those that want to do a stopover in Iceland you might just consider renting a car for a few days and dong a driving trip of Iceland.  The roads are fine, maps are easy to follow (GPS makes it easier) and its a wonderful way to discover this country.  One can also do lots of interesting things in Europe.  Fly into a city not near your cruise and then make your way to the port (or do the opposite after a cruise).  Since DW really loves being in Paris we have flown into Paris (a few times) and later made our way to ports as far away as Civitavecchia.  In Europe we generally use a rental car and/or trains.  

 

For those with a spirit of adventure there are an unlimited number of options that you can combine with cruises.  We also love using Transatlantic cruises or repositioning cruises to get to and from the USA, and then spend extended time in Europe.  When doing this kind of thing on your own you can work within your own budget and time frames.  The same thing is possible in many parts of Asia although that is more of a challenge.   For us a cruise is just one facet of travel and often something to be used as a real fun way to get from Point A to Point B where more fun awaits.  

 

COVID has tossed a monkey wrench into our travel plans and the plans of much of the world.  But we see it as a temporary setback from which we just have to look at revised options.  

 

Hank

[clo]

1 minute ago, pris993 said:

When looking at ships and itineraries, we would usually try to get it last one or two new ports in on each cruise,  or more. 

 

I'm afraid I don't understand this.

[pris993]

3 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm afraid I don't understand this.

Okay, I would first look at new ships being delivered from a variety of cruise lines:  Princess, HAL, Cunard, Celebrity, etc. we have cruised on 9 different lines over the years.

 

Looking at the new ships and their itineraries, I would look for itineraries of most interest... itineraries which include ports we had not visited previously.  

 

Is this clearer.  In 30 years of cruising we have returned to regions of the world many times, some generally had new and old ports on our itinerary.

 

 

[clo]

15 minutes ago, clo said:

we would usually try to get it last one or two new ports in on each cruise,

Sorry, this is what I don't understand. TIA

[Hlitner]

22 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm afraid I don't understand this.

Now you have me confused (been reading your posts for a long time).  It sounds like you have an issue with folks wanting to go to new places.  Do I have this right or have I completely misunderstood your post.

 

Hank

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Now you have me confused (been reading your posts for a long time).  It sounds like you have an issue with folks wanting to go to new places.  Do I have this right or have I completely misunderstood your post.

 

Hank

 

10 minutes ago, clo said:

26 minutes ago, clo said:

we would usually try to get it last one or two new ports in on each cruise,

 

No, it's this and it may be typos or something. If you can, please explain. BTW thanks 🙂

[Aquahound]

I'm confused too.  Pris993 is saying they try to add new ports to each cruise.  I'm not sure what's so hard to understand about that.  

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, pris993 said:

we would usually try to get it last one or two new ports in on each cruise,  or more. 

 

So much say both.  

 

32 minutes ago, clo said:

 

No, it's this and it may be typos or something. If you can, please explain. BTW thanks 🙂

 

Typos.

 

Should read:  "we would usually try to get at least one or two new ports in on each cruise, or more.  

 

So must say both" (i.e., both old and new ports)

 

Not really that tough to figure out in this age of auto-correct...

[clo]

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

Not really that tough to figure out in this age of auto-correct...

Thanks, mom. I truly didn't get it.

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I like to go at least twice.   Once with wide eyed wonder and another to dive in. 
 

 

And sometimes three times (or more).

 

Such as: when taking my son places he's never been and enjoying 'first reactions' vicariously.  Or when I've read/studied so much more about a place than when I first visited that I have a totally new perspective on it. Or even, simply, when it is a city or destination with so much to offer (like Rome) that I consistently find new things to do each time I visit.

 

[pris993]

36 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

I'm confused too.  Pris993 is saying they try to add new ports to each cruise.  I'm not sure what's so hard to understand about that.  

Yes, thanks for the clarification, I had a typo.  Does happen.  I did try to clarify in a later post. 

[cruisemom42]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I want to steer the discussion in a slightly different direction.  For those who have pretty much cruised everywhere, how do you choose an itinerary?

 

Hank

 

Compared to you I can't say I've cruised everywhere -- but I have traveled a fair amount. 

 

I tend to plan trips/cruises around things that I've currently read or heard about, or studied, or am interested in for other reasons. For example, I never had much interest in Matera, Italy and the sassi there until I read Carlo Levi's book, Christ stopped at Eboli.  And my two planned (and one canceled) trips to Japan were largely sparked by an interest in Japanese novels -- specifically, the cherry-blossom cruise was partially born of my re-reading the novel "The Old Capital" by Kawabata.

 

Or a couple of years ago I read several Hemingway biographies and some of his own autobiographical works, along with books/movies about his several wives. So in rapid succession I visited Paris, Key West and Cuba.

 

Or my desire, for some time now, to get to Iceland and Greenland after reading Jane Smiley's The Greenlanders (and following that, some of the Viking sagas that were her source material).

 

Of course I waste no opportunity to explore more of Italy and practice my Italian (as well as seek out and visit new Roman sites). There is always more to see..

 

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by cruisemom42

[ldubs]

9 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Compared to you I can't say I've cruised everywhere -- but I have traveled a fair amount. 

 

I tend to plan trips/cruises around things that I've currently read or heard about, or studied, or am interested in for other reasons. For example, I never had much interest in Matera, Italy and the sassi there until I read Carlo Levi's book, Christ stopped at Eboli.  And my two planned (and one canceled) trips to Japan were largely sparked by an interest in Japanese novels -- specifically, the cherry-blossom cruise was partially born of my re-reading the novel "The Old Capital" by Kawabata.

 

Or a couple of years ago I read several Hemingway biographies and some of his own autobiographical works, along with books/movies about his several wives. So in rapid succession I visited Paris, Key West and Cuba.

 

Or my desire, for some time now, to get to Iceland and Greenland after reading Jane Smiley's The Greenlanders (and following that, some of the Viking sagas that were her source material).

 

Of course I waste no opportunity to explore more of Italy and practice my Italian (as well as seek out and visit new Roman sites). There is always more to see..

 

 

 

I want to go to Waterloo someday.   I just want to be where it happened.   

[sanger727]

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

A majority of cruisers simply book their cruise and air (with perhaps 1 or 2 days pre or post cruise) without exploring other options.  When we talk about being adventurous independent travelers it primarily means looking at all the options and choosing what sounds like fun.  There are quite a few airlines that allow for stop overs and that can give folks expanded options with no or little additional air cost.  The first time we went to Ireland it was on one of those free Aer Lingus stop overs in Dublin.  On that trip we were watching our money so did it on the cheap.  From Dublin's airport we grabbed a regular public bus into town that let us off near our small hotel.  In Dublin we spent a few days exploring on our own using public transit and a lot of walking.  We had a wonderful time and discovered many neat Irish pubs :).  When it came time to continue our flight we simply grabbed the local bus back to the airport  No expensive tours....no expensive transfers,,,,no expensive hotels.  

 

we did this once (though not for a cruise). The number one trip on my bucket list was a an African safari. We decided on tanzania for several reasons. The only way to get to tanzania using our preferred airline and their partners is to layover in Amsterdam. So we stopped in Amsterdam for several days on the way to tanzania. It was a wonderful choice because it both broke up a very long flight and gave us an opportunity to see a city we probably wouldn’t have planned a trip to.  Our biggest hurdle to doing this more often is time. I’m still working so it’s hard to get more than two weeks off work at a time. So typically a long flight plus sightseeing on the destination usually  takes up that whole two weeks.

 

As far as the OP’s question. We try to cruise to places we haven’t been to. There’s just too many places to go. I can see if 90% of your travel was caribbean cruises and if you took more than 1 a year that you couldn’t help overlap. But we don’t cruise enough to have that problem. Even if the caribbean there are many places I haven’t been yet.

 

 

[evandbob]

I've cruised to experience new ports, and I've cruised to see ports I've been to, but want to do a different activity or see another area of that port.  I don't stay in the immediate port area, but prefer to get out and about.  For some, seeing a port once is enough, for me that's just a start if I like it.

 

I've also used cruising to scout out Caribbean  ports I haven't previously visited to decide if a return land vacation would be enjoyable.  

 

I haven't yet done a land vacation , enjoyed it, and said I should revisit on a cruise ship though.  I've just gone back to (usually) a different hotel in a different part of the island.

 

There are some places I've been to on land vacations that a cruise stop doesn't do justice to it - Hawaii, Bora Bora, Australia and New Zealand come to mind.  JMO, YMMV!

[Joebucks]

I have been to my local downtown 100+ times. It doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself if I go again. That's why I'll never understand people who are against going to an island 5-10 times. I definitely understand the preference of new destinations. Who doesn't like the experience of a new island? Chances are though, most people didn't experience everything about an island they are complaining about going to.

 

Ask me if I would rather sit at home or be at Cozumel