Best direction to cruise?

[Z7!HOG]

Looking for advice on Western or Eastern Carribean cruise?  Opinions on best cruise line?

[Boarcephus]

Looking for advice on Western or Eastern Carribean cruise?  Opinions on best cruise line?

We've been on a half dozen cruises and love them.  The western swing takes you to Jamica, Cozumel, and Grand Caymen while the eastern swing goes to St. Thomas, St. Martin, etc.  All include stops at their private islands.  You can stay as busy or as idle as you want.

We've sailed on Royal Carribean, Norwegian, Holland American, and Celebrity and always felt Royal Carribean gave you more bang for the buck. Two or their newer ships are huge, in the 160,000 ton range.  Girl I work with just got back from her honeymoon on the newest and loved it.  It has a rock climbing wall, surfing machine, plus whatever else they've put on it.  Seems RC has a better mix of younger people/nicer amenities than the others.   

[ArmyHog]

RC is a nice cruise line. Everything is top notch. Grand Cayman and Cozumel are nice but the other side might be a little more quiet and layed back. Grand Cayman is really busy.

[Boarcephus]

Every island is busy these days.  Seems like 2 or 3 ships always dock the same day and all of a sudden 5 or 6 thousand folks all get off about the same time and at the same place.  The only draw back to a cruise is it's crowded just about wherever you go.

[ArmyHog]

The cruise is nice but it seems like you stand in line for everyting you do. I won't pay for another one. If I win one through work that's fine, but I could think of a better vacation, like Cancun.

[Lanny]

Booking one for Feb 2007.  I love them

[Boarcephus]

Booking one for Feb 2007.  I love them

Where are you off to?

[Z7!HOG]

Me and the wife have been wanting to go on one for a while.  We had one booked through Carnival but the plans fell through for work obligations.  I am also interested in the Sandals all-inclusive resorts as well!  Any advice on these?

[Boarcephus]

Check below.

[Lanny]

Booking one for Feb 2007.  I love them

Where are you off to?

Still debating.

[Canyonero]

I just booked a cruise with Carnival for Sept. (hurricane season) It's a 7 day trip from Galveston.  The rate for inside cabin is 486.00p/p with taxes and port fees included and we also get an onboard cabin credit of 100.00 per cabin, free cocktail party and chocolates and champagne to our cabin. 

I went to http://www.cruisecritic.com/ and one of the posters gave me their group number to book with.  Lots of good info there.

[Earl]

We cruised to the Bahamas after the Capitol One bowl, drove from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale down highway 1, cool drive. We had a great time, after we finally got over losing the game...

[proffitthog]

My family and i (15 and 10 years old kids) we went out of Galveston, to Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Cozumel. We had a great time spent alot of money but had a blast, I would do another cruise.

[Barman91]

Eastern Caribbean on RC is unbeatable.  St. Thomas, St. Marten, St. Johns..............unbelievable.  Gotta go to Megan's Bay on St. Thomas.  Most beautiful beach on earth

[jpsand]

The seven day cruise out of New Orleans is great on Carnival.  It's cool to go down the Mississippi River on a cruise ship.  My wife and I have been 3 times and we had a great time, but we loved the ports so much we had rather go directly to the ports like Cozumel and rent a house for a week.  You can go to Cozumel my Cozumel and get great information and type in vacation homes and villas in Cozumel and it gives you some great places to rent.  We stayed in Cozumel for seven days in a 3 bedroom condo for $1,550.  We rented a jeep for $350 and we went to the grocery store two or three times and spent about $200 more for food.  Divide that by 3 couples and it's $700 per week per couple.  We like this option more because it is more relaxing.  When you are on the boat you feel like you need to hurry to the next event so you can get your monies worth.  Plus you only get a very short time at the ports to do things.

[crustyw]

moon palace cancun is a very nice all inclusive.we like to do resorts.more relaxing not being on time clock.plus there's golf packages sweet

[Table Rocker]

The Puerta Vallerta-Mazatlan-Cabo San Lucas cruise is great! the water isn't crystal clear like it is in the caribbean (cozumel, caymens) but it still beautiful. you also sail from LA so you can do like we did and spend a couple days sightseeing there. interesting side note: they were filming the movie troy in cabo (yes they shot most of it there) we got to see some of the warships they used sitting in the harbors, it was really neat. plus cabo wabo is there (sammy hagers restaurant) its great!

[Lanny]

Heading on a Eastern Cruise first of April.  We try to take a cruise every other year

[Boarcephus]

Heading on a Eastern Cruise first of April.  We try to take a cruise every other year

Interesting.   We're off to Sandestin in about 6 weeks and I just emailed our contact down there to reserve another week in October.  We've talked about taking another cruise but seem to put it off another year and I'm not really sure why.  We've been on several and loved them but it seems the older we get the more we like Sandestin.  Kind of comfortable if you know what I mean.  We know were where staying, where we're going to eat out, where we're going to buy our seafood, where the wife is going to shop, where I'm going to fish and golf ball scavage....just seems like a second home to us anymore.  Enljoy your cruise, bet you do.

[Lanny]

last year was the first time we didn't go to Destin in 16 years.  We tried Myrtle Beach, SC but heading back to Destin this July.

[Boarcephus]

We like to go in April and October.  Weather is cooler and not nearly as many people plus all the kids are in school.  Much quieter.  I guess that's one of the main reasons we haven't been back on a cruise.  Man they're nice, the food is fantastic, you meet some interesting people but I guess we just feel like we're too busy on one. 

I set up on my balcony, pop in a Buffett CD, pour a toddie, got the binoculars handy and search the sea for sharks, turtles, rays, dolphins, and whatever else I can spy from on high.  Pack an ice chest and head down to the beach if we want and check on the people.  What's the term they have for it, Polynessian Paralysis?  I'm totally worthless down there.