Need New Destination
 

I've been on several cruises to the Western and Eastern Caribbean Islands and have only been on Royal Caribbean Cruiselines and love it. Looking for a new cruise destination that is as good as the islands. I've been all over Europe and the mediterranean so I do not think that would be an option. Is Alaska incredible? I just associate cruises with hot weather and tropical drinks now... any other destination suggestions?

Panama Canal (LAX to FLL)
Tahiti (RSSC or TP)
A variety of Austrailia/NZ cruises (very port intensive)
The last two (or first two) segments of RSSC's Circle SA go from Buenos Aires to Manus (most upstream port on the Amazon) and Manus to FLL.
The Mexican Riviera (I didn't care for it, but it is a warm water option)
Greg

Coast of Norway is great .. Alaska with a difference!

The NZ-Australia run is wonderful .. port days are not that intensive as there are several sea days.

I just returned from an Alaskan cruise last week (on Holland America), and it was incredible! Now is a good time to book for next summer's Alaskan cruise season, but be sure to book early if you want your choice of cabins. My cruise, which departed on 8/26 - no longer the "peak" Alaskan cruise season - was sold out over a month in advance. Royal Caribbean does Alaskan cruises, so if you like that line, you may want to look into it. Our weather was pretty good (except when it rained in Juneau) -- mostly in the '60s -- but on the days we went to higher elevations to see glaciers & the White Pass in Skagway it was significantly colder.

No. It's good, but it's not incredible. Most Alaska cruises only go to relatively built-up areas, although these do offer some access to the "wonders of nature" that Alaskan cruises are basically marketed on.

If you want something incredible, try Antarctica - but on a ship which is small enough to allow you to land. There are some such cruises that are quite affordable, although there are serious expedition cruises which also have Arctic equivalents, eg right up to the North Pole itself.

Try one of the Hawaii - Mainland cruises (or v.v.) - you get five or six sea days, plus five or six days island hopping - best of both worlds, especially if you're not familiar with Hawaii and want a high-speed intro that you can use to plan future land-based hols.

Have you done any research on South America cruises? We had a great time sailing from Rio to Buenos Aires. We also took an incredible cruise from Bali to the Barrier Reef of Australia. Another favorite was our cruise from Mombassa to the Seychelles(ports of call included Zanzibar, Madagascar, Comoros Islands) . Black Sea was another good one. Loved the ports in Istanbul, Bulgaria, Romania, Odessa, Yalta.

That sounds like the one we were on last August!!! We've kind of run out of Europe to do on cruises too - Norway remains though.

Didn't I just suggest some other continents? Seriously, South America is great fun. Norway sounds to me like Alaska. Gorgeous but the ports of call were not terribly exciting. Still glad I went to Alaska.Happier that I went to South America

What about Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and islands in the South Pacific. They have cruises leaving from Australia.

Which cruise lines would you suggest for these destinations? I have sailed through the Society Islands as well as Australia. I would love to know if there are some small luxury ships sailing Fiji, Vanatu, New Caledonia. I have heard about some freighters on these routes.

Check out http://www.pocruises.com.au/html/
Princess is a bit more luxurious whereas the Pacific Sun and Sky is more 3*.

Radisson has the Paul Gauguin (320 pax) year round in the South Pacific and either the Voyager or the Mariner (both 700 pax) sail through once a year as part of their Circle the Pacific cruise (we're going from AKL to Bay of Islands, Raratonga, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti, Rangiroa, Nuku Hiva, LAX this November). This year they also have Navigator (490 pax (I think)) doing a R/T out of LAX to Hawaii and Tahiti. Check out www.rssc.com and click on Plan Your Voyage and then South Pacific. I would consider RSSC luxury, maybe not the same as Seaborn or Silversea; but very nice.
Greg

You have to do the inside passage of Alaska at least once. Really is one of the prettiest places on earth.

Rumor has it that the Paul Gauguin will no longer be a Radisson ship in 2007.