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First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 2nd, 2006, 10:29 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
[email protected]
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Posts: 2
Default 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

  #2  
Old November 2nd, 2006, 10:36 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ed[_5_]
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Posts: 8
Default 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

  #3  
Old November 3rd, 2006, 04:49 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Rosalie B.
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Posts: 1,575
Default 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.

  #4  
Old November 2nd, 2006, 10:45 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Mark[_5_]
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Posts: 1
Default 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



  #5  
Old November 2nd, 2006, 11:24 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Dick G[_3_]
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Posts: 11
Default 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




  #6  
Old November 3rd, 2006, 12:04 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Tom K
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Posts: 2,578
Default 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



  #7  
Old November 3rd, 2006, 07:17 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Warren[_1_]
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Posts: 476
Default First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions


Tom K wrote:
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.


Tom,

This past year I've done a crossing on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the
Seas and Alaska on Celebrity's Mercury. This was my re-introduction to
both lines after 10 and 7 years respectively. The two products - at
least on these two similarly sized and vintaged ships - are, IMHO,
completely indistinguishable down to the china and flatware used in the
dining room.

Warren

  #8  
Old November 4th, 2006, 03:57 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Tom K
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Posts: 2,578
Default First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions


"Warren" wrote in message
ups.com...

Tom K wrote:
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.


Tom,

This past year I've done a crossing on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the
Seas and Alaska on Celebrity's Mercury. This was my re-introduction to
both lines after 10 and 7 years respectively. The two products - at
least on these two similarly sized and vintaged ships - are, IMHO,
completely indistinguishable down to the china and flatware used in the
dining room.

Warren


Having done Navigator, Jewel and Mariner OTS the past 3 Decembers with the
Viking gang, I can honestly say that RCI food is pretty much below my
minimum level. Your Legend sailing may be an exception... but to me, RCI
food isn't close to Celebrity food, other than the night that Celebrity has
the stupid lamb shank. Over that same period that I've gone with the Viking
gang, I've done 3 Connie sailings, 4 Zenith sailings and 1 Century sailing.
So I think I have a decent point of comparison.

I've simply nibbled-without finishing too many RCI dinners over the past 3
years to consider the food up to Celebrity's standards. It gets to the
point where I don't even bother asking the waiter for something different...
And I won't even bother with RCI's fish of any kind. The hake and congrio
fish on Celebrity are excellent. Salmon is lousy (over cooked and bone dry)
on both. And the desserts on RCI are so bad. The only good dessert I've
had on RCI the past 3 years was the exceptional apple pie that they serve in
Johnny Rockets. Now I'm not saying all the Celebrity meals are top notch.
They're not. But I get a lot more good meals on Celebrity than on RCI.
Though it may help that I know what to pick on Celebrity based on
experience.

To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food.
Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI
meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop.
They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal.
So maybe I'm more fussy.

--Tom


  #9  
Old November 4th, 2006, 04:11 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
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Posts: 3,112
Default First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions

In article , Tom K
wrote:

To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food.
Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI
meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop.
They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal.
So maybe I'm more fussy.


I am one who does not think RCI food is that bad. I think it is getting
better. And I think Celebrity food is getting worse. I think the food
on both is close. Honestly I was happier with the food on Crown
Princess than the food on Zenith or Mariner of the Seas.....

--
Charles
  #10  
Old November 4th, 2006, 04:30 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ermalee[_2_]
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Posts: 659
Default First cruise - CARIBBEAN - questions

Charles wrote:

In article , Tom K
wrote:


To me, Celebrity and RCI aren't even remotely close in terms of food.
Though maybe I'm just pickier than other. I know that a lot of the RCI
meals that I just picked at, others at the table devoured to the last drop.
They're sending back clean plates, and I'm sending back most of the meal.
So maybe I'm more fussy.



I am one who does not think RCI food is that bad. I think it is getting
better. And I think Celebrity food is getting worse. I think the food
on both is close. Honestly I was happier with the food on Crown
Princess than the food on Zenith or Mariner of the Seas.....

The food on the Zenith a couple of weeks ago was better than I've had on
a cruise ship for a long time. However, they fell short with their ice
cream. The Mercury in May had the best ice cream ever. I'm still
gaining weight just thinking about it.

Ermalee
 




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