The best cruise experiences I had in 2023

In:
28 Dec 2023
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Whether it was exploring fjords, seeing Mexico by yacht, or seeing Maine in a new way, this year was full of adventure on the cruises I took.

Serenade of the Seas in Maine

In 2023, I was lucky enough to take 11 cruises on two different cruise lines across multiple continents. It was my best year of cruising yet, and I can't help but reflect on the best moments from the year.

I was inspired to think of the top five moments from my cruises this year and share them here.

Here are my favorite travel experiences of the year.

First European cruise

Fjord

Up until 2023, I had never taken a cruise outside of North America. So when the opportunity came to go across the pond, I jumped at the chance.

Royal Caribbean invited me to go to Finland to see Icon of the Seas in the shipyard, and I thought since I was going all the way over there, why not squeeze a cruise in too?

Anthem of the Seas in Geiranger

I found a 7-night cruise to the Norwegian fjords on Anthem of the Seas and it was one of the best cruises I've ever taken.

Between experiencing Europe and seeing the natural beauty of Norway, I was so impressed by the sailing from start to finish. I got to see a little bit of the United Kingdom, and including plenty of pints of beer in local pubs.

Matt in Geiranger

Then it was onto Norway, and a port intensive itinerary that took me to see fjords and a glacier. 

Just like Alaska, photos don't do Norway justice, and I loved how pretty the landscape was in each port. I loved it so much that I'm already planning to return in 2025 (and I'm inviting you to join me for it!).

Geiranger

If I had to pick one moment that stood out above the rest, it was taking an electric "troll car" up to the top of Geiranger to see the fjord. It was stunning.

Read more: 7 mistakes & 3 things I did right on my Royal Caribbean Norwegian fjords cruise

Staying in the biggest suite

Royal Loft Suite

I've stayed in plenty of suites before, but never in one as opulent and sprawling as the Royal Loft Suite.

I took my family on a quick weekend cruise on Allure of the Seas and stayed in the biggest suite on the ship, which is the Royal Loft Suite.

It measures 1,524 square feet and has two bedrooms, a dining room, and large living room. 

Royal Loft Suite balcony

Then there's the 843 square foot balcony to go with it, which has a hot tub on it.

When you stay in a suite as large as this one that comes with as many perks as it does, you'll naturally want to spend as much time as possible in the cabin. From enjoying cocktails on the balcony to having meals delivered to the suite, it opened my eyes to how you can live life to its fullest in one of these suites.

We certainly don't need to stay in a suite to have a great cruise, but it was such a treat to try it out.

Visiting New England

Serenade of the Seas in Portland

I had a Canada and New England cruise on my must-try list for a while, and 2023 was the year I got to finally try it.

Sailing on Serenade of the Seas, I sailed out of Boston to ports in Nova Scotia, Canada and Maine.  I thought I was going to love Canada, but I didn't expect to enjoy Maine even more.

Fall foliage in Maine

Between the food, beers, scenery, and the welcoming people, I think a cruise to the Atlantic maritime provinces is vastly underrated. 

Nova Scotia was beautiful and I enjoyed it, but I found I enjoyed Maine even more. The combination of quaint towns and beautiful parks really struck me, and I would love to go back again and try even more.

As a beer lover, this region did not disappoint. Every port had so many good choices. Grabbing a beer in port became just as important as the shore excursion I had planned.

Bar Harbor

My favorite moment from this cruise was exploring Bar Harbor. I went up to the top of Cadillac Mountain, saw fall foliage, and walked around the town. It was exactly what I envisioned when I first considered booking this cruise.

Read more: 7 things that surprised me on my first Canada & New England cruise

A luxurious day in Cabo

Yacht in Cabo

I'm always on the lookout for an exceptional shore excursion, and I found a real winner in Cabo San Lucas.

Along with a group of friends, we rented out a yacht for the day in port while visiting on Navigator of the Seas. It was luck that we stumbled upon the tour provider. It wasn't cheap, but what a way to spend the day!

Yacht

In other ports mentioned in this article, I talked about the natural beauty and splendor of visiting those places. Cabo is certainly beautiful too, but this was just a really fun and enjoyable day spent on the water with friends. A good time was had by all.

The original plan was for the boat's crew to take us out to swim somewhere, but the ocean was so rough that day it wasn't possible. The Captain apologized for having to deviate, but we were having such a good time together that where we went was secondary.

Inside the yacht

It's a good reminder that time spent with friends and family on a cruise is more important than where you go. 

Trying Celebrity for the first time

Celebrity Apex centrum

For the first time in over a decade, I went on a cruise line that wasn't Royal Caribbean.

I took my first ever cruise on Celebrity Cruises in 2023 when I took the family on a Thanksgiving cruise on Celebrity Apex.

It felt like the right time to try a Celebrity cruise, and we picked out one of the newer ships in the fleet for an Eastern Caribbean trip.

Matt in Eden

Being on a different cruise line was exciting in itself, and I took pleasure in being a bit outside of my element. Certainly the core experience is the same, but it was nice to change things up a bit.

I also appreciated the aspects of the cruise Celebrity excelled at, including the variety of food on its menus, as well as the seating around the ship. Even just enjoying coffee in Cafe al Bacio was lovely.

Read more: I took my first Celebrity Cruise on a new ship. We had a great time, but I missed Royal Caribbean's entertainment


Matt started Royal Caribbean Blog in 2010 as a place to share his passion for all things Royal Caribbean with readers. He oversees all the writers at Royal Caribbean Blog, and writes a great deal of content on a daily basis.  He has become one of the foremost experts on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Over the years, he has reached Pinnacle Club status with Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program.

Get our newsletter

Stay up-to-date with cruise news & advice

    We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy