Advice in choosing a cruise

Before my friend and I go on a "girl's only" cruise in May or June this
year, we have put together a list of what we think we would like. We're
wondering if Oasis of the Seas would fit most of these. We will be
choosing a balcony cabin, hopefully mid ship. In order of importance:
Ports with good shopping and tours; large ship with lots of on-board
activities and good shows; good food hopefully with anytime dining;
smooth sailing; a port that has efficient embarkation and debarkation.
OOTS has an Eastern Carribean and Western Carribean out of Ft.
Lauderdale. Would one of these fit our list? We will be purchasing
this through a travel agent, but we would like other opinions first.

Thanks very much,
Marsha

On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 19:22:22 -0500, MAS wrote:

Before my friend and I go on a "girl's only" cruise in May or June this
year, we have put together a list of what we think we would like. We're
wondering if Oasis of the Seas would fit most of these. We will be
choosing a balcony cabin, hopefully mid ship. In order of importance:
Ports with good shopping and tours;

Fits

large ship with lots of on-board
activities and good shows;

Fits
good food hopefully with anytime dining;

Fits if you include the kiosks and small pay for restaurants.

smooth sailing;

Fits

a port that has efficient embarkation and debarkation.

Fits

OOTS has an Eastern Carribean and Western Carribean out of Ft.
Lauderdale. Would one of these fit our list?

Both fit

Ari Silverstein, C.T.A; C.T.A.S, FREE Cruise Travel Advisory Services
*I never have nor ever will solicit or accept a booking.*
http://www.cruisecompare.co.uk/ USA site due 1Q 2011.

In article , MAS wrote:

Before my friend and I go on a "girl's only" cruise in May or June this
year, we have put together a list of what we think we would like. We're
wondering if Oasis of the Seas would fit most of these. We will be
choosing a balcony cabin, hopefully mid ship. In order of importance:
Ports with good shopping and tours; large ship with lots of on-board
activities and good shows; good food hopefully with anytime dining;
smooth sailing; a port that has efficient embarkation and debarkation.
OOTS has an Eastern Carribean and Western Carribean out of Ft.
Lauderdale. Would one of these fit our list? We will be purchasing
this through a travel agent, but we would like other opinions first.


Oasis would be one of many ships that fit your list. The Eastern
Caribbean itinerary would be the best fit for good shopping. St. Thomas
and St. Martin have lots of shopping. Nassau is not one of my favorite
ports but lot of shopping there too. There is shopping on the Western
too, not as good in my opinion but then it depends what you are looking
for. You can do a lot of shopping at the western ports too. There is
also the sister ship Allure of the Seas which does the same itineraries
but departs on Sunday instead of Saturday.

--
Charles

On 1/15/2011 8:10 PM, Charles wrote:
In , wrote:

Before my friend and I go on a "girl's only" cruise in May or June this
year, we have put together a list of what we think we would like. We're
wondering if Oasis of the Seas would fit most of these. We will be
choosing a balcony cabin, hopefully mid ship. In order of importance:
Ports with good shopping and tours; large ship with lots of on-board
activities and good shows; good food hopefully with anytime dining;
smooth sailing; a port that has efficient embarkation and debarkation.
OOTS has an Eastern Carribean and Western Carribean out of Ft.
Lauderdale. Would one of these fit our list? We will be purchasing
this through a travel agent, but we would like other opinions first.


Oasis would be one of many ships that fit your list. The Eastern
Caribbean itinerary would be the best fit for good shopping. St. Thomas
and St. Martin have lots of shopping. Nassau is not one of my favorite
ports but lot of shopping there too. There is shopping on the Western
too, not as good in my opinion but then it depends what you are looking
for. You can do a lot of shopping at the western ports too. There is
also the sister ship Allure of the Seas which does the same itineraries
but departs on Sunday instead of Saturday.


Thanks very much. Do you know of any good tours, either ship's tours or
independant, at any of the ports on the Eastern or Western Caribbean
itinaries?

Marsha

In article , MAS wrote:

Thanks very much. Do you know of any good tours, either ship's tours or
independant, at any of the ports on the Eastern or Western Caribbean
itinaries?

There are many good tours both through the cruise line on both the
Eastern and Western itinerary. Any particular types that interest you?

On the Eastern both St. Thomas and St. Martin have lots of beaches and
also water activities like snorkeling. Also at St. Thomas you can go
over to a beautiful US national park on St. John. St. Martin you can do
a beach or a taxi tour where the driver takes you to the French side
along with time at a beach.

On the Western, Labadee, the private resort, is a beach day. Cozumel,
besides beaches, there are trips to Mayan ruins at Tulum, and also
Dolphin encounters. And Bar Hops. The great mystery of the Oasis/Allure
western itinerary is whether Falmouth will be ready.

I highly recommend the Cruise Critic Ports of Calls Boards. You will
find much information on ship and independent tours about all the ports
on both itineraries except maybe Falmouth since as of yet none has
docked there.

--
Charles

On 1/15/2011 9:19 PM, Charles wrote:
In , wrote:

Thanks very much. Do you know of any good tours, either ship's tours or
independent, at any of the ports on the Eastern or Western Caribbean
itineraries?

There are many good tours both through the cruise line on both the
Eastern and Western itinerary. Any particular types that interest you?

On the Eastern both St. Thomas and St. Martin have lots of beaches and
also water activities like snorkeling. Also at St. Thomas you can go
over to a beautiful US national park on St. John. St. Martin you can do
a beach or a taxi tour where the driver takes you to the French side
along with time at a beach.

On the Western, Labadee, the private resort, is a beach day. Cozumel,
besides beaches, there are trips to Mayan ruins at Tulum, and also
Dolphin encounters. And Bar Hops. The great mystery of the Oasis/Allure
western itinerary is whether Falmouth will be ready.

I highly recommend the Cruise Critic Ports of Calls Boards. You will
find much information on ship and independent tours about all the ports
on both itineraries except maybe Falmouth since as of yet none has
docked there.

Also on Cruise Critic, I recommend joining the Roll Call thread for your
cruise, so you possibly share private tours with other people on your
cruise. In general, there will be people have done their homework on who
is the best provider in each port and booked a van with them, and they
are looking for people to join them. I've done that in the past and it
has almost always worked out well (only negative was the time I booked
with a woman and her elderly parents and the driver took us on more of a
driving tour of Rome than I would have liked, we did not get to stop and
walk around at a few places).

Bill

On 1/16/2011 12:31 AM, Stu wrote:
On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 19:22:22 -0500, wrote:

Before my friend and I go on a "girl's only" cruise in May or June this
year, we have put together a list of what we think we would like. We're
wondering if Oasis of the Seas would fit most of these. We will be
choosing a balcony cabin, hopefully mid ship. In order of importance:
Ports with good shopping and tours; large ship with lots of on-board
activities and good shows; good food hopefully with anytime dining;
smooth sailing; a port that has efficient embarkation and debarkation.
OOTS has an Eastern Carribean and Western Carribean out of Ft.
Lauderdale. Would one of these fit our list? We will be purchasing
this through a travel agent, but we would like other opinions first.

Thanks very much,
Marsha

Carnival would as well handle your want list. Make sure you get travel
insurance, and stay away from the party cruises unless that's all you
want to do 24/7.

Thanks. Travel insurance is definitely on our list. We would not like a
party cruise or spring break cruise. We both like to drink, but that's
not the purpose of a cruise, IMO.

On 1/15/2011 9:19 PM, Charles wrote:
There are many good tours both through the cruise line on both the
Eastern and Western itinerary. Any particular types that interest you?

On the Eastern both St. Thomas and St. Martin have lots of beaches and
also water activities like snorkeling. Also at St. Thomas you can go
over to a beautiful US national park on St. John. St. Martin you can do
a beach or a taxi tour where the driver takes you to the French side
along with time at a beach.

On the Western, Labadee, the private resort, is a beach day. Cozumel,
besides beaches, there are trips to Mayan ruins at Tulum, and also
Dolphin encounters. And Bar Hops. The great mystery of the Oasis/Allure
western itinerary is whether Falmouth will be ready.

I highly recommend the Cruise Critic Ports of Calls Boards. You will
find much information on ship and independent tours about all the ports
on both itineraries except maybe Falmouth since as of yet none has
docked there.


A trip to the Mayan ruins sounds interesting. So do the Bar Hops ;-)
Falmouth sounds fantastic. Is that a new port for cruise ships?

I signed up for Cruise Critic a while back, but haven't really looked
around the site yet. Good suggestion.

We will both be purchasing travel insurance.

In article , MAS wrote:

A trip to the Mayan ruins sounds interesting. So do the Bar Hops ;-)
Falmouth sounds fantastic. Is that a new port for cruise ships?

The Mayan ruins at Tulum are very interesting. The down side is that
from Cozumel it is a long day. They take you on a ferry and then a long
bus trip.

Falmouth was supposed to be open months ago and there have been
repeated delays. None yet knows how it will turn out. Should be open by
this May or June but then again it might not be. If not then Oasis will
do Costa Maya as a substitute. If it ends up doing Costa Maya then one
can go to the beach or the Chacchoben Mayan ruins. I don't think you
would want to do Mayan ruins at both Coz and Costa Maya. I do think
Falmouth will be open by May or June even if it is not completely
finished, but it is not a sure thing yet that it will be.

--
Charles

On 1/16/2011 8:27 AM, Stu wrote:

If St.Martin is one of your ports, then think about going on the Rum
factory tour.

I know of the rum tour in Puerto Rico. Where is the one in St Martin
.... what brand?

--

Ray
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