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[email protected] November 2nd, 2006 10:29 PM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)

We have three types:
1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- Colon, Panama
- Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras
- Cozumel, Mexico

We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a
lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our
honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to
spend all day on the beach.
Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers??
Is it better to take 7 nights?
Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it
really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit
more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is
some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What
about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You
recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some
excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every
suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises.
It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book
the cruise
Thank You soooooo much

Eve


Ed[_5_] November 2nd, 2006 10:36 PM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 


Personally, we prefer the Celebrity cruises.... as far as the ships go.
On the other hand, we have taken a Celebrity cruise similar to the route
in your number 3 example, and having done that, I tend to think that the
stops on your number 2 example look more interesting.



Ed


Mark[_5_] November 2nd, 2006 10:45 PM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 

All of those are good. Depending on your budget, I'd get a balcony or
oceanview if you can. Nothing like having coffee or a nightcap while
watching the ocean go by. For me 10 nights is too long and this is after 8
cruises. It sure is fun but the richness and cost get to you after a little
bit. Lots of people like longer but that's just my opinion.

Regardless of the ports, for the most part you can always find something to
do. Snorkeling on excursions can get expensive so we usually pick beaches
with snorkeling available, hang out for a while, and then hit town for some
shopping.

Look at port times also, even though there may be a lot of ports on an
itinerary, the time in ports may limit your options.

Personally I hate sea days, there's lots you can find to do on the ship but
I prefer to check out the local culture and stop for a beer here and there
while walking about. A lot of the same stuff is available on the ship on
port days so you don't have to get off if you don't want to.

If you think you'll like good full port days then also check out Adventure
of the Seas out of San Juan or Crown princess. If you have to fly it's about
the same price as flying to Miami. Make sure you check out message boards
like www.cruisecritic.com and www.cruisemates.com for reviews and stuff
also. It'll make your head spin reading all that stuff but once you decide
what you really want to do then it'll be easy to narrow it down to the
cruise that fits your taste.






wrote in message
oups.com...
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)

We have three types:
1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- Colon, Panama
- Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras
- Cozumel, Mexico

We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a
lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our
honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to
spend all day on the beach.
Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers??
Is it better to take 7 nights?
Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it
really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit
more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is
some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What
about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You
recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some
excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every
suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises.
It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book
the cruise
Thank You soooooo much

Eve




Dick G[_3_] November 2nd, 2006 11:24 PM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 
wrote in message
oups.com...
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)

We have three types:
1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- Colon, Panama
- Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras
- Cozumel, Mexico

We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a
lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our
honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to
spend all day on the beach.
Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers??


Is it better to take 7 nights?


If you have never cruised before, I'd do seven nights to be sure you are not
miserable for ten.

Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ?


Royal Caribbean owns both lines, but there is a big difference. Just as
Carnival has the "fun ships", Royal Caribbean is the more active ship, with
fun and games at the pool, and certainly easier to get bar service.

And although I haven't been on either line in over a decade, being that I am
an oldtimer who prefers the laid back ambience of Holland America, back in
the day Celebrity food was far superior to RCL.

Is it really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little
bit
more for oceanview?


It depends. After 20 cruises I like the outside, but since it is your
honeymoon, you may either spend or not spend a lot of quality time in your
cabin. Decide how much actual physical space you need.

what we should know about additional charges?


Just about everything is extra. Be prepared.

Have a wonderful life, and spend your honeymoon living that life.
--
DG in Cherry Hill, NJ





Tom K November 3rd, 2006 12:04 AM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 
My suggestion... Voyager. Hands down.

My reasons:

I've been on about 14 Celebrity sailings and about 10 Royal Caribbean
sailings, so I have a decent perspective.

Celebrity is my favorite line, but for me, for very specific reasons. And
the 2 lines are rather different.

But the first place to start is the ships. Zenith is an old, small ship
without any balcony cabins. She's nice for an itinerary like Bermuda, when
a small ship is important to get into the tight channels. But in the
Caribbean, you want BIG, BOLD, SPLASHY. And NEW.

Radiance is a pretty class of ship, but NOTHING compared to Voyager class.
If you pick Royal Caribbean, do the Voyager, or one of her sister ships.

If you look at Celebrity, the advantages it has over Royal Caribbean are the
better food and more relaxing type experience. More elegant. More chic.
More pampering. But you didn't mention any of those. And the Zenith is the
worst of the Celebrity ships.

Royal Caribbean's advantages over Celebrity are the more dramatic looking
ships, the non stop activities, ice skating rink, Johnny Rockets burger
place, etc. It's more into action. Disco open till the wee hours of the
morning. Hot casinos. Just a more "happening" type cruise experience.

If you really decided that you wanted the pampering and better food of
Celebrity, than go with one of the newer ships instead. Otherwise, go with
Voyager, or one of her sister ships Explorer, Adventure, Mariner, Navigator.
Or even the newer Freedom. That way the ship is the destination.

--Tom


wrote in message
oups.com...
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)

We have three types:
1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- Colon, Panama
- Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras
- Cozumel, Mexico

We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a
lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our
honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to
spend all day on the beach.
Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers??
Is it better to take 7 nights?
Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it
really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit
more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is
some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What
about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You
recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some
excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every
suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises.
It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book
the cruise
Thank You soooooo much

Eve




Splenda November 3rd, 2006 01:11 AM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 
I believe people your age would love Voyager. The price of a 7 night balcony
is very reasonable next month. So much on the ship to keep you active and
entertained.
True the food isn't that wonderful but you can live on it.We cruised on
Voyager and weren't happy though we did enjoy the ice skating.
We love to cruise and Celebrity is our 1st choice. We are old folks and that
probably had a lot to do with it.
We are about to take Celebrity Constellation, after that cross the bridge
and NCL . January we will cruise with the Zenith, one of our favorite ships
(our 6th Zenith cruise) Then B2B RCCL Enchantment, ONLY because our favorite
shipboard entertainer is on it.
Whatever you choose, if you like it you will probably be hooked on cruising.

wrote in message
oups.com...
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)

We have three types:
1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- Colon, Panama
- Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras
- Cozumel, Mexico

We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a
lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our
honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to
spend all day on the beach.
Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers??
Is it better to take 7 nights?
Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it
really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit
more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is
some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What
about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You
recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some
excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every
suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises.
It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book
the cruise
Thank You soooooo much

Eve




[email protected] November 3rd, 2006 03:19 AM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 

wrote:
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)


Ship: Your age... do Voyager. Lots to do onboard, and the food is good
enough. The downside is you might find later cruises to be too small a
ship for you after a monster like that one :-)

Length: I don't know how anyone could have a bad time on a cruise!
After a few days, you're wishing it could last at least two weeks! So
personally I'd take the longer, but seven days is okay for the first.

Cabin: I can't go without a balcony. Just to look at the stars and
moon in private and listen to the water going by.

Kev


lj November 3rd, 2006 03:25 AM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 

wrote in message
oups.com...
We decided to buy our first cruise:
place - Caribbean, time - December, we found too many nice cruises and
now we are confused what is the best for us? We need some help.... :)

We have three types:
1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- Colon, Panama
- Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras
- Cozumel, Mexico

We have a lot of questions, we are under 30, we would like to see a
lot, we like snorkeling, exotic places, good fun etc. It will be our
honeymoon, but we want to spend it in active way. We don't want to
spend all day on the beach.
Do You think 1st cruise for 10 nights isn't too long for first timers??
Is it better to take 7 nights?
Is it big diffrence between these lines ( royal and celebrity ) ? Is it
really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit
more for oceanview? what we should know about additional charges? Is
some lines better for "young" people? ( beside disney's ship )? What
about shore excursions? Have You tried something? What can You
recomend? Is it better to organize our time by ourselves or buy some
excursions? We would love to hear everything what You know, every
suggestion, specialy from people who tried one of those cruises.
It's our first time and we would like to know everything before we book
the cruise
Thank You soooooo much

Eve


I would pick #2, mainly bcs I like those ports, but I do hope to do the #3
cruise at some point.

I like Celebrity & did a 10 day one before. It was a good cruise, but I
prefer the 7 day. I also went on the 10 day cruise in December.....I was
late 30s and was one of the youngest on the ship. We had several passengers
die during that cruise which has never happened before. Celebrity is a nice
line, a bit more upscale overall, but the ship is not as big or up-to-date
as the other lines.

So basically it just boils down to personal choice, but given your age and
that you've never cruised before, I would pick #2 (I just do not like
Jamacia).



Sue and Kevin Mullen November 3rd, 2006 03:56 AM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 


wrote:

1) 7-night Caribbean-Western - from Miami with Royal Caribbean -
Voyager of the Seas
- Labadee, Haiti
- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel

2) 8-night Caribbean-Eastern - from Fort Lauderdale with Royal
Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
- Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Martin - Sint Maarten
- Nassau, Bahamas

3) 10-night Caribbean-Ultimate - from Tampa with Celebrity Cruises -
Zenith


For you I think that the Voyager or the Radiance of the Seas would be
a better choice. Both of these ships cater more to a younger crown,
both have rock climbing walls and the Voyager has an ice skating rink.
Both of them have good itins, so just reasearch the ports on
cruisecritic.com and see which you prefer.

The Zenith is a lovely ship, but a 10 day sailing is going to attrack
an older crowd. Also it is an older ship and wouldn't have as much for
you. I love the ship and the service, but I am more then double your
age and what I look for is much different(grin).


Is it
really bad to stay at interior room or it's better to pay a little bit
more for oceanview?


There is nothing wrong with an interior room if you want to save a few
dollars. I would not take one, mainly because I love to watch the
ocean while we are in our cabin. I think a balcony would be wonderful
for a honeymoon, but you would also be fine with an inside cabin if
that is what works best for you.

what we should know about additional charges?

$10/day/person for tip, any sodas or alcohol that you drink and also
whatever you spend in the casino. There will of course be costs for
any excursions you take, cruise line or on your own.

I think the best thing for you would be to find a good cruise travel
agent and have a good talk with him/her about what would be best for
you. Also it is better to book through a TA, then to go directly to
the cruise line.

Once you decide which cruise you are booking, let us know and we can
help you plan your excursions.

sue

Rosalie B. November 3rd, 2006 04:49 AM

First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions
 
Ed wrote:

Personally, we prefer the Celebrity cruises.... as far as the ships go.
On the other hand, we have taken a Celebrity cruise similar to the route
in your number 3 example, and having done that, I tend to think that the
stops on your number 2 example look more interesting.

If I were picking by ports, which I do, I'd prefer the Radiance of the
Seas itinerary. I don't know anything about the ships.

El Moro (fort and lighthouse) make San Juan the most dramatic
entrance of any harbor in the Caribbean There were people at the end
of the dock offering a city tour for $10 (way cheaper than the boat
tour). There is another fort (San Cristobal) to visit in addition to
El Moro, or you can take a ferry over to the Bacardi factory.

Charlotte Amalie - there are several places to go to the beach for
snorkeling (Coki Beach which is next to Coral World, or over to St.
John), and that is where a lot of people go shopping. St. John is
mostly National Park, and there are a lot of hiking trails.

St. Martin has a very nice zoo type of place, and also Orient Beach is
clothing optional.

Cozumel and Roatan are mostly known (by me anyway) as places to scuba
dive.



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