Discussion Question - What Made Your Favorite Ship(s) Special?

We still miss both the Zenith (2 X) and the Horizon (5 X). The quiet
elegance and the feeling of being at home. There is a lot to be said
about the smaller ships, like getting to really know the other
passengers and the crew alike.
Our other favorite is the Constellation and we are so pleased to be
going on her again in November. A much larger ship but easy to navigate
and I so enjoyed the art.

On Apr 6, 1:12*pm, "Al Sherman" wrote:
"Tom K" wrote:
Everyone has their favorite cruise lines and favorite ships. *But what was
it about that favorite ship that made it so special?

Was it the food? *Was it the service? *Was it the ship's design, layout,
and amenities? *A unique characteristic of that particular ship? *Was it
something unrelated to the ship or cruise line, such as traveling with a
special group of friends or family? *Was it the best itinerary?

So what makes your favorite ship (or ships) "so special" for you?

--Tom

-------------

For us, it hasn't been the ship or the itinerary that made it special. *It
has been the entertainment.

We are music fans and discovered the Cayamo music cruise (www.Cayamo.com)
that perfectly suites our interest. We were on the last two Cayamo cruises.
The next one has just been announced for February, sailing again on the
Norwegian Dawn. *The organizers (www.sixthman.net/) offers five other
music cruises with different themes and different ships to suit a variety of
musical preferences.

-Al

Al, thanks for posting about this. I looked at the sixthman lineup of
music cruises, and I would've chosen the Cayamo, too! Does each year's
Cayamo feature artists similar to those on the 2009 cruise?

Diana Ball
Austin, TX

"Tom K" wrote in message
...
Everyone has their favorite cruise lines and favorite ships. But what was
it about that favorite ship that made it so special?

I have a few favorites....

Norwegian Sea. Go figure. The ship was small, the cabins even smaller.
The dining room was crowded and noisy. The show lounge wasn't much to talk
about. But I was on this ship three times and had a ball every cruise. The
crew was the friendliest of any ship I have ever been on.

Grand Princess. I always feel "at home" on the Grand Princess and I have
sailed on her 4 times. I think the design of the big Princess ships suits
the way I like to cruise and I really love "anytime dining". The service,
food and entertainment have always been good to great. I like this class of
ship.



--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

Cruise Specials Weblog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/

May 10, 2009 ALASKA http://www.cruisemaster.com/moagc4.htm
January 10, 2009 Southern Caribbean
http://www.cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm
October 16, 2010 OASIS http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com

On Apr 6, 10:24�am, "Tom K" wrote:
Everyone has their favorite cruise lines and favorite ships. �But what was
it about that favorite ship that made it so special?

Was it the food? �Was it the service? �Was it the ship's design, layout, and
amenities? �A unique characteristic of that particular ship? �Was it
something unrelated to the ship or cruise line, such as traveling with a
special group of friends or family? �Was it the best itinerary?

I like different ships for Different reasons

Best food was my first cruise on the Britanis Chandris lines- WOW what
food, but first cruises are always special. this was a older ship with
a FUN crew aND 25 years ago they had masquerade balls and alot of fun
things to do onboard, they are more watered down now.

Majesty of the Seas- Smallest dang rooms but it was cozy, was on her 2
times and Monarch 2 times and loved them. but the Majesty had
something.... Probably cause we had great crews and that always adds
to the pleasure

Most Fun has to be hands down Regal Empress- Beauty of a ship Felt so
comfortable with the oddest rooms inside portholes. we had a balcony
it was a hoot though.
But these old ships with lots of teak Wood was great and the NICEST
crew I ever had on the 3 times I was on her. We did a Irish cruise one
time what a hoot. this ship had nooks and crannies to get away from
the rush rush areas too. But the food was wonderful like good ol home
cooked, they made home made donuts on one of these donut machines out
by the pool in the mornings. made fresh pretzels too... I thought it
was so neat.
But talk about a PARTY oh we partied....

Now adays- IF my friends from online here Viking freinds are on a
cruise then its for me... its so much fun to cruise with Freinds....
SO it really don't matter the ship after being on 41 of them each one
has its own reason for liking it.... I feel RCCL has the best/
Innovative ships afloat though....

Sue

Cruise Outlets and Travel
www.cruiseoutlets.com
800-853-9515

Tom K wrote:
Everyone has their favorite cruise lines and favorite ships. But what was
it about that favorite ship that made it so special?

Was it the food? Was it the service? Was it the ship's design, layout, and
amenities? A unique characteristic of that particular ship? Was it
something unrelated to the ship or cruise line, such as traveling with a
special group of friends or family? Was it the best itinerary?

So what makes your favorite ship (or ships) "so special" for you?

--Tom

Oddly enough, the Celebrity Mercury. It was the months post-9/11. We
could score a Sky Suite at a sweet deal. We sailed Christmas week, then
2 months later, with largely the same staff. We knew the CD and the
Social Hostess and by the 2nd sailing we were onboard Celebrities.
These sailings had a singer from the show cast on board who would do
late night jazz sessions in the Cova Cafe with the piano player guy. It
was too good. Same cabin and same butler both trips. And the off beat
port of Merida. I really liked that ship. Later sailed Mercury to
Alaska with Mom and a bunch of friends. She has a chilly Jetsons vibe
about her, not to everyone's taste.

Jeff

On Apr 6, 10:24*am, "Tom K" wrote:

So what makes your favorite ship (or ships) "so special" for you?


Nearly 13 years ago I posted my review of S/S Norway's return to
France. What made her so special to me? When she entered a harbor all
eyes were on her. She was the most beautiful ship of her era that
graced the seas.

I found the following video which puts into motion the words I wrote
so long ago. I'm in the crowd up top that got sprayed by the fireboat
in the middle link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsCGTuKNytk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XRf0YSTbeQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUu7NWdc61E

And here's a nice tribute to her:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7x0Y7a0UXU

Warren

On 4/6/2009 10:24 AM Tom K "tweaked" on too much Starbucks said:
Everyone has their favorite cruise lines and favorite ships. But what was
it about that favorite ship that made it so special?

Was it the food? Was it the service? Was it the ship's design, layout, and
amenities? A unique characteristic of that particular ship? Was it
something unrelated to the ship or cruise line, such as traveling with a
special group of friends or family? Was it the best itinerary?

So what makes your favorite ship (or ships) "so special" for you?

--Tom

-------------

For me...

I've had 4 ships that I've really considered special, with 2 becoming my
favorite ships still today.

The Century was always special to me. She was my first "nicer" ship. What
made her special was after going on the Nordic Empress and Royal Majesty,
where you had to carry your own and your kids' trays from the buffet line to
an empty table, on the Century, a waiter came over and took the kids' and
ladies' trays to an empty table. That happened the first lunch, on the
first day. To me that signaled a "step up" of sorts. Her food, pre RCI
ownership, was very special. And the dining room may have been the nicest
I've seen at sea. Met and became friends with John S. and his family on
her. I've been on her 3 times, including most recently to the Baltics.

Zenith was special because of her small size, and how she fit in the tight
channels of Bermuda, and looked on Front Street in Hamilton, and at the pier
in St. Georges all lit up at night. I've gone on better itineraries (like
the Fjords and the Baltics) but the Bermuda run is always special to me. I
love the golf in Bermuda (Mid Ocean Club and Port Royal)... probably more
than the beaches. Peg and Derek's friend Captain Adamidis called us once
and invited us up to the bridge for the ship's sail into Hamilton Harbor.
We had chairs up against the glass, and they brought Greek coffee and hot
chocolate for us. The Captain came by and visited with us. We did an SGC
on her. That was the first time I met many of the RTC gang (Sheree, Sue,
Jean, Lori C., etc.). And I remember the sailing when Charles and I were
seated at a table with 6 ladies in the dining room... we hung around all
week with them... though that was also the sailing when we came home sailing
through a Nor'easter for a half day... not pretty. I loved the Zenith and
miss her sailings to Bermuda. I sailed on her 7 times, and visited her once
with Peg and Derek. I even met Ken G. and Ben Smith, who came by to wish us
off one sailing.

Connie (Constellation) was special because of her Captain and her
itineraries. Captain Ioannis, another friend of Peg and Derek, always made
the sailing special with bridge tours, dinner at the Captain's Table, sail
away from St. Lucia with Ben Smith and executive chef Michel Roux up on the
bridge, etc. It was my first sailing with the Viking gang. I love the
AquaSpa on cool, chilly, windy days in places like Quebec and Geiranger.
Eating breakfast buffet at one of the outside tables with an umbrella,
watching the morning mist clear over the city of Copenhagen... coming back
to the ship after a chilly afternoon in Norway and being greeted with
Celebrity hot chocolate (they put ginger in it)... it doesn't get much
better than that. Captain Ioannis was, in fact, the person who first told
about the Norwegian Fjords itinerary. While were in St. Lucia, up on the
bridge, he showed us pictures of the ship up in Norway. He's the one that
said, of all the itineraries in the world, the Norwegian Fjords is the best.
When we did the Fjords sailing on her, Captain Ioannis was supposed to be on
vacations, but he came back from his vacation to do that sailing. I did an
oil painting of Connie anchored at Geiranger, and gave it to Captain
Ioannis. One of the junior officers later told me that he had the
maintenance people hang it on the bridge, but eventually he took it home to
his office back in Greece. Connie has been for years, and still is, one of
my 2 favorite ships. She's always been a rather ugly ship from the outside
(originally blue and gold... now white and blue)... the lines don't work...
but inside the ship is just wonderful to me. I've been on Connie 3 times.

I never really thought I'd like a ship like the Queen Mary 2. And I never,
ever thought I'd like doing a Transatlantic Crossing. But a couple of
summers ago Linda and the kids went on her. They all LOVED the ship. Linda
said that as a ship person, I really needed to go on her. So when I saw a
President's weekend mini sailing from NYC to Princess Cay and back, I booked
her. I've been doing oil painting for about the past 25 years... so as soon
as I stepped inside the QM2, and saw all the paintings... I was hooked. So
much so that a few months later I booked a Transatlantic on her. I love the
historical information on the panels in the 4 stairwells (it's called
Maritime Quest), like how they used to have live cows and live chickens on
the ships in the old days - so they could have fresh milk and fresh eggs
before refrigeration. How the Cunard ships helped win WWII by transporting
troops. How they had young boys on the ships because the older guys were
soldiers. There are large panels of famous people who crossed on Cunard,
like Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor, Laurel and Hardy, Jackie Kennedy and
Bobby Kennedy, etc. She's a ship that still has lighted candles on each
dining room table on formal night. The food in the main dining room is IMO
a step up from Celebrity. I enjoyed the Chef's Galley presentation (it's
kind of like Emeril Live) for dinner one evening. The Mandarin Orange Crème
Brule in the Todd English specialty restaurant was the best dessert I've
ever had. The crossing itself was special because my son's college semester
abroad in Berlin ended exactly then, so he was able to come home on the ship
with me. Charles also came with us, as did my work friend Bill and his son
Michael. We even met MarkSF and his friend on board. And on our sailing
John Maxtone-Graham was the guest speaker. The whole crossing was special
to me... as was the ship. And I spent hour after hour looking at all the
paintings of the Cunard ships. She's like a floating museum... and she even
has a planetarium. I've been on her twice. And Kerry... I think the black
hull, with the red and white trim, looks great on her.

So my 2 favorite ships, for very different reasons, are the Queen Mary 2 and
Constellation.

I'll be honest. Any Cruise Ship where I get to travel as the guest of
my sister, Karen, is my cruise ship of choice of the moment. You really
can't knock a free cruise.

--
________
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Brian M. Kochera
"The poor dog is the firmest friend, the first to welcome the foremost to defend" - Lord Byron
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951