Our Favourites

These comments are personal observations based on our own cruise experiences over a number of years.  We haven't been everywhere and we may have missed some of your favorite places...

BEST SHOPPING

  1. Florence
  2. St Thomas
  3. St Maarten
  4. Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
BEST SNORKELING
  1. Palancar Reef, Cozumel
  2. Bermuda
  3. Champagne Reef, Dominica
  4. Nasssau
MOST MEMORABLE HISTORICAL SIGHTS

  1. Pompeii, Italy
  2. Ephesus, Turkey
  3. Akrotiri, Santorini
  4. Coliseum, Rome
  5. Knossos, Crete
  6. Parthenon, Athens
  7. Delphi, Greece
MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS

  1. Bermuda
  2. Santorini
  3. Moorea
  4. Bora Bora
  5. St. Lucia
FAVOURITE PORTS TO VISIT

  1. Sorrento
  2. Palma, Mallorca
  3. Portofino
  4. Hamilton, Bermuda
MOST MEMORABLE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

  1. Watching molten lava cascade into the ocean at night from Kilauea Volcano, as seen from the deck of Splendour of the Seas
  2. Setting sail at night on WindSurf , as the huge sails billow and the theme music from "1492" is played.
  3. Listening to the roaring sound as the glaciers in Glacier Bay, Alaska, advanced to the sea, and watching the 'calving' of huge chunks of ice.
  4. Cruising the Greek Islands on the Queen Odyssey, now the Seabourn Legend.
  5. Cruising into Venice on the Royal Princess.
  6. The Gatun Locks, Panama Canal.
  7. Eating lunch at a five-star restaurant on the harbour front in Portofino, Italian Riviera.
  8. Buying fresh flowers in the market in Nice.
  9. Crossing the Atlantic on the QE2.
  10. A walking tour of Rome.
  11. Visiting the excavation of the ancient Minoan village at Akrotiri on the island of Santorini, which existed before the volcanic island blew up.
  12. The spectacular view of Mt. Etna from Taormina, Sicily.
Best Cruise Line Shore Excursions

  1. "Golden Eagle" catamaran sailing - St. Martin
  2. White Pass & Yukon Railway - Skagway (Alaska)
  3. Americas Cup yacht race - St. Martin
  4. Catamaran cruise from St Kitts to Nevis 

Itineraries

Several cruise lines in the Deluxe and Upscale class assign a ship to extended cruise itineraries around the world.  Some actually do a full circumnavigation of the world, and some people actually sail the full journey. They obviously don't have a job! Many of these itineraries are broken up into smaller segments, typically 14 to 21 days. 

If Hawaii is the place you want to visit, there are several cruise itineraries available.  Some cruise ships will visit Hawaii as part of the repositioning cruises en route to Alaska.  Another exotic itinerary takes you from Hawaii to Papeete (Tahiti) via Christmas Island. From there, you could cruise the French Polynesian Islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, then to New Zealand and finally wind up in Sydney, Australia.