NJ to Aruba

[ERIE 13]

With all the talk of RCCL not going to PR, how about a cruise from NJ going to Aruba, Curacao and Grand Cayman. I am not sure of the distance but could this be done on a ten day cruise. I am getting tired of St Thomas, PR, etc. Any thoughts on this.

[Koshlong]

Any ABC island cruise I've seen requires 2 sea days from Ft. L/Miami. Add a couple more each way (It took us 3 days to go NY to Ft. L. last fall) and I really don't think it's possible. That's a lot of distance to cover.

 

Possible ports, though, could be Grand Turk and the BVI's?

[Topo Gigio]

At least 4 sea days to get to the ABC islands.

[Mark_K]

With all the talk of RCCL not going to PR, how about a cruise from NJ going to Aruba, Curacao and Grand Cayman. I am not sure of the distance but could this be done on a ten day cruise. I am getting tired of St Thomas, PR, etc. Any thoughts on this.

Yes, quit limiting yourself to sailing out of NJ.

[negc]

The Jewel of the Seas repositioning cruises from Boston for both this year and next are 14 days in length and visit St. Thomas, St.Maarten, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Barbados, Curaçao and Aruba before heading back to the US and ending the trip in Tampa. There are six days at sea included in the voyage. They are very popular cruises but I doubt that they would be as successful if they were offered more frequently. Trying to get to Aruba and Curaçao from New Jersey in 10 days or less would limit the number of possible ports of call and would involve what many people might consider too many days at sea.:)

[negc]

At least 4 sea days to get to the ABC islands.

 

And another 4 days to return to the northeast.:rolleyes:

[cheaptravel]

With all the talk of RCCL not going to PR, how about a cruise from NJ going to Aruba, Curacao and Grand Cayman. I am not sure of the distance but could this be done on a ten day cruise. I am getting tired of St Thomas, PR, etc. Any thoughts on this.

 

What is the talk ? I guess I haven't read up on it.....:confused:

[sctd71]

How about going to Aruba from Florida then?? That would be very nice not having to fly to San Juan.

[ERIE 13]

I like the idea of Florida to the ABC islands. Don't have to fly.

[CruiseLover15]

How about going to Aruba from Florida then?? That would be very nice not having to fly to San Juan.

 

I totally agree!!!

[baggal]

I like the idea of Florida to the ABC islands. Don't have to fly.

 

You can already do that itinerary but not on RCI. Holland America goes from Ft. Lauderdale to Aruba and Curacao (sometimes Bonaire also) and makes a stop at their beautiful private island Half Moon Cay. Its a great 7 day itinerary.

[Ashland]

You can already do that itinerary but not on RCI. Holland America goes from Ft. Lauderdale to Aruba and Curacao (sometimes Bonaire also) and makes a stop at their beautiful private island Half Moon Cay. Its a great 7 day itinerary.

Sorry not interested in Holland America..this an itinerary I would like RCI to consider...

[IKE]

I would also like to see a different itinerary out of Cape Liberty,NJ. Love the ABC Islands.

[kshmom]

Yes! vary the ports in the carribean, but please don't drop P.R. 9 cruises with RCCL. love them.:) love n.j. port. so convenient!

[The Big Booper]

When the Jewel repositions from Boston to Tampa to start the winter cruising season, it has to stop at Aruba to comply with the PVSA. Both Aruba and Curacao are considered distant foreign ports, since they lie off the coast of South America, and the Jewel repo starts in one American city and ends in another, which necessitates one stop at a distant foreign port. The Caribbean, Mexico and Canada are not considered distant foreign ports.

 

All the full Panama Canal transits stop at Aruba to comply with the law.

 

A closed loop cruise ending in the same city it started only has to visit any one foreign port, which is why the 3/4 day cruises out of Florida always go to the Bahamas.

 

If RCI and Celebrity are not going to Dominica and Barbados on their Cape Liberty sailings (to conserve fuel) the company will not send a ship all the way to Aruba and Grand Cayman; the fuel costs on that itinerary would be astronomical and people wouldn't want to pay the fare.

[ERIE 13]

Also not interested in other cruise lines going to ABC islands. Would like RCI to try and work out this trip.

Have to go now. Have to head to Port Liberity for our cruise today.

[negc]

Sorry not interested in Holland America..this an itinerary I would like RCI to consider...

 

I am sure that they have already considered it and may revisit that possibility as they set future deployments, but unless they are convinced that offering such an itinerary will attract more guests than the ones they currently offer, they would be foolhardy to change what they are doing. Especially when what they are doing appears to be successful. Passengers can vote with their pocketbooks and when enough decide that they want RCI to offer something new or different, the cruiseline will do so.

[yogimax]

I would also like to see a different itinerary out of Cape Liberty

 

The problem is location.

 

From NJ, you can easily get to Canada and Bermuda. That's about it.

 

To go anywhere in the Caribbean from NJ you need mucho sea days which means the cruise duration will be longer than most folks want.

[MikeNJ1109]

The best cruise we ever took was a Repo cruise on the Voyageur ... 8 nights departed from Miami, stopped first in Aruba, then in Labadee, and the rest at sea before arriving at Cape Liberty.

 

If they had an itinerary like that again, would do that cruise in a NY / NJ minute.

 

Michael and Silke

[Koshlong]

How did that work with the Jones Act thingy? Or is Aruba considered to be a "far foreign port"?

[DonnaK]

What is the talk ? I guess I haven't read up on it.....:confused:

 

There are no more southern caribbean itineraries for the summers.

[megr1125]

How did that work with the Jones Act thingy? Or is Aruba considered to be a "far foreign port"?

 

yes.....

[The Big Booper]

How did that work with the Jones Act thingy? Or is Aruba considered to be a "far foreign port"?

 

Aruba is considered a distant foreign port, along with Curacao, because they are off the coast of South America.

 

Any foreign flagged ship starting at an American port and winding up at a different port must make that one stop at a distant foreign port. All the repos from NY/Boston to FLL/Miami do that Aruba stop. As do the Panama Canal full transits.

 

The PVSA covers passenger ships, the Jones Act covers freighters

[The Big Booper]

There are no more southern caribbean itineraries for the summers.

 

Yes. Royal dropped Dominica and Barbados from the Cape Liberty longer sailings as well.

 

The December Silhouette 12 day trips just head down to the Northern Caribbean and trundle around for 6 days before heading back to NJ.

[Koshlong]

The PVSA covers passenger ships, the Jones Act covers freighters

 

Thanks for the clarification, BB. I think I knew that the passenger ship rule wasn't actually the "Jones Act" but I can never remember PVSA (Passenger vessel???) and the other just kind of sticks.