Cruises
we've taken . . . and loved!
(some more than others)
21 years of cruising with Russ & Nancy
We've been fortunate to have taken thirteen cruises (so far) over the years. Some have been better than others, but they've all been memorable. There's something about any cruise that you always remember. So . . . we've enjoyed something about each one. The sea has an attraction that is hard to describe, and all the cruises we've been on had the added advantage of stopping at some pretty exciting Caribbean island, Mediterranean, and Mexican Riviera locations. And, if you can't tell already, we're definitely "beach people." You can get a glimpse of all of them below.
1990
Norwegian Cruise Line s/s Norway
Our first cruise was on Norwegian Cruise Line's SS Norway – the former SS France, seven days out of Miami. The only true ocean liner of the lot, the ol' girl still has loads of class, but seems a bit out of place in the Caribbean circuit. We traded Marriott Rewards points and had a really nice outside cabin. Ports of call: St. Maarten/St. Bartholemew, St. Thomas, and Great Stirrip Cay, Bahamas. Best, we met two of our best friends, Michelle DeFronzo and Frank Salas on this cruise. We've traveled with and enjoyed them both ever since. Certainly the highlight of this cruise!
1991
& 1994
Royal Caribbean m/s Nordic Empress
We took two four-day, three-night cruises on Royal Caribbean's MS Nordic Empress, again from Miami. She was almost new on our first cruise with Frank and Michelle, but looked just as grand on our second with Nancy's company "Gold Team" cruise. Ports of call: Nassau and Coco Cay, Bahamas. This is a great size ship and RCCL did a fine job. Being with friends on both cruises certainly made them special.
1995
Carnival
m/s Ecstacy
Nancy's Gold Team next sponsored us on Carnival's Ecstasy, from Miami. Was this ever an experience! We enjoyed the weekend in Miami with Nancy's colleagues and the stops in Key West and Cozumel, but the ship was more like a Las Vegas casino than a cruise ship. We had a suite which helped a bit, but it was a crazy place. Maybe if we'd been ten years younger . . ?
1998
Holland America m/s Ryndam
Our 1998 cruise – again, courtesy of Marriott Rewards – was on the Holland America Lines' ship MS Ryndam (one of those "dam" ships). Ten days out of Ft. Lauderdale. We traded points and paid to upgrade to a suite. A suite is a good thing on Holland America – you get the star treatment, and we enjoyed it. The stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and Ste. Maarten/St. Martin were familiar, but always fun, and the new islands of St. Lucia and Barbados made the cruise "something new." We also stopped at their island, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. HAL is a class act with both great food and service. The ship reflects a more up-scale clientele than some of our previous cruises. I think we'd do HAL again – maybe a Scandinavia Baltic cruise.
2002
Windstar msy Wind Spirit
(Pictures click HERE)
A WindStar cruise is different – or as they say, "180º from the Ordinary." They try hard to create that private yacht feeling – and they succeed! It's relaxing and you really get a chance to meet the other 140 or so passengers. None of the usual cruise ship stuff (note the lack of tuxedo and cocktail dress). We sailed (literally) from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands with the first stop on it's sister island, St. John. Next stop was Sint Maarten (the Dutch side at Phillipsburg), although we spent the day on the French side, St. Martin. From there we sailed to St. Barthelemy (or St. Barths) for a bit more French culture. The remainder of the cruise was in the British Virgin Islands: Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and Virgin Gorda. It was a wonderful way to preview the Virgin Islands. We hope to revisit each in conjunction with our timeshare at the Ritz-Carlton Club, St. Thomas who provided this wonderful experience.
2002
Seabourn Legend
(Pictures click HERE)
Seabourn is really top notch. We had never experienced such exquisite service, accommodations and food. This was also our first cruise outside the Caribbean. It was truly a Mediterranean Journey from Nice, France to Barcelona, Spain and returning to Nice along the French Riviera . . . Port Vendres (and Collioure), Saint Tropez, Porquerolles, and Cassis. It was a wonderful seven days and nights of ultimate pampering. (Note same dress as Holland America in 1998 and still looking good. My thanks to Bob Mackie!)
2004
SeaDream II
(Pictures click HERE)
We sailed on the SeaDream II out of Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, USVI following two glorious weeks at our Ritz-Carlton Club residence. Ports of call included Saint Martin (the French side); Antiga; Nevis; St Barths; Jost Van Dyke, BVI; and Virgin Gorda, BVI. Four old friends and two new ones. In 2003, SeaDream Yacht Club's two ships came in number two and number three in the worldwide Berlitz cruise ship ratings. We found out why. Eighty passengers and lots of personal service!
2005
Royal Caribbean m/s Enchantment of the Seas
(Pictures click HERE)
We sailed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale along with 25 of Nancy's family to celebrate her dad's 80th birthday. Ports of call included Key West, Florida and Cozumel, Mexico -- the same destinations as our 1995 cruise on Carnival with Nancy's company. It was a fun time getting together with Nancy's extended family and her mom and dad certainly enjoyed it.
2006
SeaDream II
(Pictures click HERE)
We sailed on the SeaDream II out of San Juan, Puerto Rico following two glorious weeks at our Ritz-Carlton Club residence in St Thomas. Ports of call will include Marigot, Saint Martin (the French side); Gustavia, Saint Barthelemy; St. Johns, Antigua; Anguilla, BWI; Virgin Gorda, BVI; and Jost Van Dyke, BVI. It was great to be back aboard SeaDream! We'll do it again in 2008 – this time in the Med (Venice to Athens).
2008
Holland America m/s Oosterdam
January 19-26, 2008 (7 days)
(Pictures click HERE)
We were back on Holland America after a ten-year hiatus, this time on the Vista-class m/s Oosterdam. This was our first cruise on the West Coast along the Mexican Riviera. We boarded her in San Diego after a week at our Desert Springs timeshare in Palm Desert, California. We spent three lovely days at sea along with these ports of call: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This was a bigger ship than we've been on lately, but we loved our previous voyage with Holland America, and we have booked a suite again. It was a bit chilly for much beaching, but we enjoyed the top-notch service and attention to detail.
2008
SeaDream I
Jul 26 - Aug 2, 2008 (7 days)
(Pictures click HERE)
We sailed on the SeaDream I out of Venice, Italy on 26 July 2008. Ports of call included: Hvar and Dubrovnik in Croatia and Corfu, Itea, the Corinth Canal, and Santorini in Greece, disembarking Piraeus (Athens), Greece on 2 Aug 2008. This was our third SeaDream Yacht Club cruise and our first to Italy and the Greek Islands. We're getting addicted to this style of cruising, or rather yachting.
2010
SeaDream II
November 21-18, 2010 (7 days)
(Pictures click HERE)
We returned to the Caribbean on the SeaDream II out of San Juan on
November 21, 2010. Ports of call will included: Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, USVI;
Road Town, Tortola, BVI; Norman Island, BVI; Marigot, St Martin, FWI; Gustavia, St
Barths, FWI; and Virgin Gorda, BVI; disembarking in San Juan on 28 November
2010. This was our
fourth SeaDream Yacht Club cruise. We are definitely addicted to this style of cruising, or rather yachting.
Planned for 2012
Holland America m/s Veendam
July 15-22, 2012 (7 days)
We plan to return to Bermuda for our 25th wedding anniversary. We can't think of anything better for the celebration than a cruise, and we spent our honeymoon in Bermuda back in 1987. It will be nice to be back aboard Holland America as well. Highlight is that the m/s Veendam stops in St George and Hamilton, rather than King's Warf like the "big" ships. At 57,000 gross tons displacement and 1,350 passengers, she's bigger than what we are used to, but smaller than the Oosterdam we sailed to Mexico in 2008.
Planned for 2012
Seabourn Legend
August 16-26, 2013 (10 days)
We're to be back on Seabourn (for the
first time since 2002). This time we'll do the Italian Riviera cruising
from Monte Carlo, Monaco to St Tropez, France; Bonifacio, Corsica, France;
Cagliari, Italy; Trapani, Italy; Xlendi Gozo, Malta; Vlletta, Malta; Lipari,
Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Ponza, Italy; and returning to Civitavecchia (Rome),
Italy. Seabourn is definitely a class act, and we're looking forward to
another Med cruise on the Legend. Also a great reason for a couple of days
in Monte Carlo and in Rome.
Planned for 2013
SeaDream I
February 3-10, 2013 (7 days)
We plan to return to the Caribbean on the SeaDream I out of San Juan, Puerto Rico in Jaunary 2013, following a stay at our Ritz-Carlton timeshare in St Thomas. Ports of call will include: Culebrita Island, Fajardo Bay, and Esperanza, Viequez in Puerto Rico; Cruz Bay, St John, USVI; Saba, Netherlands Antilles; Gustavia, St Barths, FWI; Soper's Hole, Tortola, Norman Island, and Jost van Dyke in the BVI. This will be our fifth SeaDream Yacht Club cruise. We LOVE it! And we LOVE the 15% discount for on-board bookings too!
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