I’ve been hooked on cruising since my very first sailing to the Western Caribbean from New Orleans back in 2002. Fast-forward 50+ cruises later, and I still love everything about it—the food, the fun, the destinations, and the waking up somewhere new almost daily. These are the cruises I still talk about years later—my all time favorite cruises —the ones that truly stand out.
1. Baltic Capitals with Norwegian Cruise Line
This 9-day cruise from Copenhagen checked off my biggest bucket list item: 2 days in St. Petersburg, Russia, with a private guide for 12-13 hours per day. I’d never seen anything more extravagant.
We also explored:
- Stockholm (ABBA Museum, The Royal Palace, Gamla Stan)
- Helsinki (private home tour at a horse farm in the countryside)
- Berlin (wall tour, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag Building, Charlottenburg Palace, East Side Gallery)
- The unexpectedly charming Tallinn, Estonia (our favorite, plus an awesome food tour!)
Fun Fact: We almost skipped Tallinn, Estonia, but it became our favorite port. Always get off the ship—you might be surprised.
2. The Danube with Viking River Cruises
Though most people start with the Rhine, the Danube offers even better views and ports. This cruise included:
- Linz, Vienna & Melk in Austria (Schlossmuseum Linz, Melk Abbey, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, fondue)
- Bratislava, Slovakia (Michael’s Gate, Bratislava Castle)
- Budapest, Hungary (Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Shoes on the Danube Bank, Széchenyi Thermal Bath, bridges, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Parliament)
We sailed into Budapest at sunset, with the entire city twinkling in lights—pure magic. During our time there, we also added on a double-decker bus tour to see all the biggies at our own pace.
Pro Tip: Do the post-cruise extension in Budapest! Ours included a luxury hotel stay, all transfers, and a gourmet breakfast for a great value.
If you’re into river cruising, our Viking Cruise from Paris to the Swiss Alps was really awesome, too. Read more about it here.
3. Canada & New England with Holland America
After dreaming about this cruise for 12+ years, it was worth the wait. The cruise ship was stunning, and the itinerary was pure magic:
- Disembarked in Boston
- Overnight in Montreal (Château Ramezay, Old Port, Notre Dame Basilica)
- Quebec City and PEI (Afternoon tea at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Old Quebec City, Quartier Petit Champlain, Green Gables Heritage Place, Cavendish Beach)
- Nova Scotia’s Halifax & Sydney (don’t miss Peggy’s Cove)
- Bar Harbor, Maine (lobster rolls + Acadia National Park)
Pro Tip: Some excursions (like Peggy’s Cove) involve a lot of walking. Comfy shoes and water are a must.
4. Black Sea with Princess Cruises
This unforgettable 9-day sailing with Princess Cruises started in Athens and ended in magical Istanbul. The ship had only about 2,000 passengers, which made it feel intimate and relaxing—when we weren’t pounding the pavement exploring every port!
Truly, the pace was hectic and unreal, but only because I didn’t want to miss a thing!
Highlights:
- Hanging monasteries in Volos
- UNESCO site in Bulgaria and a wide array of churches
- My first time in Romania (Constanta!)
- An off-the-beaten-path food tour in Athens
Top Memory: A personal 2-day guided tour of Istanbul with Hanifi Yilmaz. He made the city come alive for us in a way I’ll never forget. I did a repeat trip there years later, and I don’t think we missed one historical attraction on my first tour.
Pro Tip: Book the big excursions in your dream destinations—no regrets!
5. Scandinavia with Princess Cruises
This was my first major cruise beyond the Caribbean—and it was unforgettable. Sailing with seven girlfriends made the trip even more fun. We added on a few days in London before getting transportation to the ship port in Southampton.
Then there’s the seven different kinds of money we needed for the different countries. That wasn’t easy, but I dit it!
We visited:
- Oslo (Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frogner Park and Holmenkollen, Holmenkollen Ski Museum)
- Amsterdam (Canal cruise, art museums)
- Helsingborg (Sofiero Palace)
- Copenhagen (Tivoli Gardens, Christiansborg Palace, where we extended our stay)
Even on an older ship, Princess Cruises maintained consistency and made the trip easy to navigate. This trip kicked off my passion for European cruises.
6. Alaska’s Inside Passage with Princess Cruises
There’s a reason Alaska is on so many travel bucket lists. This cruise was a photographer’s dream, from glaciers and wildlife to charming port towns.
Ports included:
- Juneau (we did a safari tour by land & sea, which included seeing whales and bears)
- Ketchikan (local food + Red Dog Saloon fun)
- Skagway (shopping, reindeer sausages, picturesque scenery)
- Victoria, BC (my first Canada stop!) (Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, tandem bike tour, afternoon tea at Fairmont Empress)
Swimming in the ship’s pool while surrounded by snowcapped mountains? Priceless.
This cruise embarked in Seattle, so we had a few days to explore the city before sailing to Alaska.
Final Thoughts
Cruising is better than ever! I’m already dreaming about future sailings—maybe to Asia with Viking (dream trip!), the Middle East with Windstar (they do the Virgin Islands right!), or a multigenerational trip with Disney (I’ve sailed twice with them, but have mixed opinions).
If you’re a fellow cruise lover or just curious to try your first one, I hope my favorites inspire you to set sail.