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We are fortunate to have used most cruise lines. Out first cruise was on SS Ithika of the Thompson fleet, cost £119 pp for ten days (Including Flights) around the Greek Isles. We left the kids with Grandma to embark on a never to be repeated holiday of a life time. After our many rainy holidays at home it was truly fantastic and we will forever remember it. Four adults in a cabin, occupying two bunk beds. There wasa single middle aged male attendant for all the deck. He wore jeans, plimsols (no socks), a hooped T shirt and always had a cheroot in his mouth. I have written the above as my idea at that time was that those who cruised on grander ships were born rich. Of course I now know that it isn't the case and have been very lucky to aspire to what I believe is the best cruise line in the world, Crystal Cruises. You already know that the word 'No' is not included in their vocabulary. Our favourite cruise destination, by far, in all the world, is the Greek Islands where every island is different. My worst is the Caribbean, where every island is the same. The worst place we ever visited was Tonga....just like my home town Bootle, but not as clean and with palm trees. If you simply want a good value cruise then any South Atlantic repositioning cruise late Spring, West to East is excellent, the best value on the seas and a wonderful way to travel home. Otherwise, the best value for money was Celebrity on one of their 5 star ships. We found fellow passengers on Silversea' snooty but were later told we had been on the wrong Silversea ship. We thoroughy enjoyed Sea Goddess with only 50 cabins and which was truly a formal yacht like experience . These two identical ships are now Sea Dream 1 and 2 and have become ultra informal....we prefer a large percentage of formal occasions. Seaborne is excellent too and takes only 200 passengers. Our last 26 cruises (including 2005 and 2007 World Cruises) were with Crystal and we are now loath to 'take a chance' on anything else. This will be seen as 'snobbish' to some but I can equate it to being brought up very happily in a 2 up 2 down - no bathroom no toilet terraced house. It was wonderful but I don't believe I would enjoy it now, fifty years on. Unlike most wealthy American World Cruisers my Bank Account was really badly damaged by the cost, even though we got huge discounts and the dollar was very weak, But when I got home after a wonderfukl three and a half months away my account had recovered really well as I had spent nothing for the whole of that time and my credit card had shown zero for almost four months. You may think we could have been bored for that length of time away....not true...my wife learned to play the keyboard and I wrote my first book( www.erniewho.com) which is now selling very well worldwide. We join Serenity later this month for 24 days and will have $4000 on board credits. Any first time cruiser will get the same. But we wont be on holiday....we will be enjoying a life with the Crystal family. Like you, we have visited most ports. But we have now reached a stage where the destination on Crystal is the least important. The Greek islands are perfect in the Autumn, before the ships return Stateside.