Advice on choosing Western Caribbean

[NoobCruise]

We haven't booked anything yet, but we're thinking of taking our kids (25 and 23) on a Western Caribbean cruise Dec 2013 out of Miami with stops in Cozumel Mexico; Belize; Mahogany Bay, Roatan Honduras; and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

 

Is the 1st or 2nd week of December better or does it not matter?

 

We have the choice of Carnival Glory, Liberty, or Conquest. Any advice on which ship? Any ship "secrets" or tips?

 

Does it matter which direction you go? I was thinking of stopping in Cozumel first, since we have already spent a week there at an AI and would then have the new ports to look forward to the rest of the trip. Otherwise, any preference for direction?

 

We're debating on keeping costs down with an inside cabin or springing for a balcony. Is the cabin size the same or does the balcony eat up square footage from the room? We'll all be staying in the same cabin.

 

recommendations for excursions? We're more the active types. DH and DD are divers while DS and I prefer snorkeling. We're thinking a catamaran/snorkeling trip, ziplining/tubing through the caves, and maybe a 4x4/snorkle trip. Or DH meantioned a dive in a ceynote which we'd have to book privately.

 

Thanks!

[firefly333]

Exotic Western with Belize and Roatan, Honduras is the most popular, so it will probably run a little more than the more common Jamaica and Caymans.

 

I love Roatan a lot.

[elcuchio24]

We haven't booked anything yet, but we're thinking of taking our kids (25 and 23) on a Western Caribbean cruise Dec 2013 out of Miami with stops in Cozumel Mexico; Belize; Mahogany Bay, Roatan Honduras; and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

 

Is the 1st or 2nd week of December better or does it not matter?

 

We have the choice of Carnival Glory, Liberty, or Conquest. Any advice on which ship? Any ship "secrets" or tips?

 

Does it matter which direction you go? I was thinking of stopping in Cozumel first, since we have already spent a week there at an AI and would then have the new ports to look forward to the rest of the trip. Otherwise, any preference for direction?

 

We're debating on keeping costs down with an inside cabin or springing for a balcony. Is the cabin size the same or does the balcony eat up square footage from the room? We'll all be staying in the same cabin.

 

recommendations for excursions? We're more the active types. DH and DD are divers while DS and I prefer snorkeling. We're thinking a catamaran/snorkeling trip, ziplining/tubing through the caves, and maybe a 4x4/snorkle trip. Or DH meantioned a dive in a ceynote which we'd have to book privately.

 

Thanks!

 

The week you go won't mach much difference. Liberty is probably our favorite ship, so that would be the one I'd pick. Balcony rooms are larger, plus, you have a balcony;). Lots of snorkle/dive options on this itin, probably the best being the Barrier Reef in Belize and Eden Rock in Grand Cayman. Good ziplining in Roaton. Tons of excursions in Coz, as well as many AI's. Mainland Mexico would be the best place for Ceynotes, around the Playa Del Carmon area, but you won't find any on Cozumel island itself, and it will be a long trip to get to them from Coz. Have fun!:)

[NoobCruise]

Exotic Western with Belize and Roatan, Honduras is the most popular, so it will probably run a little more than the more common Jamaica and Caymans.

 

I love Roatan a lot.

 

actually, looking at prices right now for Dec 2013, this itinerary is the cheapest starting at $264 per person for cheapest inside cabin. The other caribbean itineraries for 7 day cruises are more expensive.

 

We like this itinerary too :)

[elcuchio24]

actually, looking at prices right now for Dec 2013, this itinerary is the cheapest starting at $264 per person for cheapest inside cabin. The other caribbean itineraries for 7 day cruises are more expensive.

 

We like this itinerary too :)

 

The Western Carrib is usually the cheapest, for whatever reasons....

[gail811]

For a family of 4 adults I would choose a balcony cabin. That gives you extra space to escape when everyone is trying to get ready for dinner or an excursion, and a place for a little quiet; especially if your sleep cycles differ! As for ships, I have sailed on the Glory and the Liberty and loved the upgrades on the Liberty.....I would choose the Liberty.

[firefly333]

The Western Carrib is usually the cheapest, for whatever reasons....

 

Regular western is usually the cheapest .. then the exotic western .. and then eastern .. from the gulf at least, like Galveston.

 

Im kinda tired of regular western, though I have it booked again next feb, the price was right I guess. wishing now I had picked the next week (Eastern), even though I would have been inside instead of OV for the same price.

[etwright]

We are trying to pick a cruise for next spring break and having a hard time deciding which itinerary to pick too:rolleyes:

[nhraformula00]

Actually an ocean view room is larger than a baclony and an inside room.If i was looking for the most space for 4 people this is what i would book. Also mid ship,away from the rear is quiet. Back of ship and lower floors have some engine vibration.

[TaraLynne]

We haven't booked anything yet, but we're thinking of taking our kids (25 and 23) on a Western Caribbean cruise Dec 2013 out of Miami with stops in Cozumel Mexico; Belize; Mahogany Bay, Roatan Honduras; and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

 

Is the 1st or 2nd week of December better or does it not matter?

 

We have the choice of Carnival Glory, Liberty, or Conquest. Any advice on which ship? Any ship "secrets" or tips?

 

Does it matter which direction you go? I was thinking of stopping in Cozumel first, since we have already spent a week there at an AI and would then have the new ports to look forward to the rest of the trip. Otherwise, any preference for direction?

 

We're debating on keeping costs down with an inside cabin or springing for a balcony. Is the cabin size the same or does the balcony eat up square footage from the room? We'll all be staying in the same cabin.

 

recommendations for excursions? We're more the active types. DH and DD are divers while DS and I prefer snorkeling. We're thinking a catamaran/snorkeling trip, ziplining/tubing through the caves, and maybe a 4x4/snorkle trip. Or DH meantioned a dive in a ceynote which we'd have to book privately.

 

Thanks!

 

first - to the people who mentioned Western almost always being cheaper - I was told that a part of the reason for that is the port taxes/fees are a lot less in the Western Caribbean.

 

I'd say go with the Liberty as it already has the 2.0 upgrades, though to be honest I'm not sure if any of the other ships are getting them before December :)

 

I would just go with whichever week is cheaper, since they're only a week apart. December is one of those times of year when you just can't predict the weather that well, even in the Caribbean. I suppose you have a slightly better chance, statistics wise, of having warmer weather the first week in December than the second week, but having lived in FL for years...you just never know.

 

I did a Western that started with Coz as the first port, and one that ended with Coz as the last port. I honestly didn't notice much of a difference, even when I'd already been to Coz once before :) Though I guess I'd say if you are going to do a lot of activities in the other ports but maybe just "chill" in Cozumel because you've been there before, having it as the last port would probably be best because it will give you a relaxing day after some busy port days. That may be just me though :)

 

The oceanviews on the Liberty are, I'm guessing, the same size as the ones on the Valor, which means they're pretty big. Not sure how much bigger the balconies are, but if the interiors are the same size as they are on the Dream they are QUITE a bit smaller than the full-on oceanviews with the picture window. I would honestly say compare the picture window oceanview prices with balcony prices, especially if you're going to have more than two people in a room.

 

Excursions - I have some more detailed reviews in the links in my signature (the Carnival Valor 2005 and Carnival Dream 2010) but I'd say cave tubing in Belize is a must (though the river will be COLD in December, I think) and snorkeling in Roatan is awesome as well. In my opinion Tabayana Beach has the better snorkeling BUT we did have an awesome time at Gumbalimba because of the tour of the park after the snorkeling (we got to play with monkeys :)).

 

Good luck choosing!

[blondietink]

We did the exotic western on Legend the week right after Thanksgiving, so that would technically be the first week of December, I guess. Weather was very windy. Grand Cayman was cancelled due to the port being closed. Some rain, but the wind was the issue. Had a great time in Cozumel, Belize and Roatan! We had a blacony cabin for 4 on this and it was 185 sq.ft. We had an oceanview on the Triumph and it was 220 sq. ft.. We are booked on the Liberty in an oceanview @ 220 sq. ft.. There are 4 of us and the extra sq. ft. really comes in handy, hence the next booking on Liberty in an oceanview. We figure we can always go out on deck for sun or to get away from the others in our cabin.

[NoobCruise]

So when is the best time to do the western caribbean?

 

We were going to go in December as an early Christmas gift, but could easily go at a different time. I looked up temps and weather and while it looks a few degrees cooler in winter months, the websites say temps only vary ~ 10 degrees from summer to winter and winter is a little drier then summer. Coming from California in December, ~80 will be hot compared to our 30s to 50s. And California is very dry so the humidity will makes us feel even warmer. And the water temp at ~80 will be bath water compared to our usual Monterey Bay where Dec water temps are ~53. My husband dives in Monterey all the time, year round.

[TaraLynne]

So when is the best time to do the western caribbean?

 

 

Personally I now prefer cruises in late April to mid-May (post-spring break, pre-high school and college graduations) or mid October through maybe the first week in November (when kids are in school). You're outside of hurricane season but the weather is almost guaranteed to be warm. We had a SUPER windy day on our Halloween cruise in 2010 - it was a sea day, and let's just say that no one was out at the pool because it was only about 60 degrees with the wind chill and maaaan the ship was rockin'! haha. I had some friends cruise in early January to the western Caribbean some years ago and they had great weather, but then this past January my friends who did W.C. on the Dream missed Roatan due to high winds, and some other friends that did a W.C. in December a few years ago said the temps even on land in the W.C. never got above 60 degrees. I mean no matter when you go you risk having crappy weather a couple days out of the cruise, but I'm a hot-weather gal so I prefer cruising when there's a MUCH better chance of the weather actually being warm...

[zqvol]

We haven't booked anything yet, but we're thinking of taking our kids (25 and 23) on a Western Caribbean cruise Dec 2013 out of Miami with stops in Cozumel Mexico; Belize; Mahogany Bay, Roatan Honduras; and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

 

Is the 1st or 2nd week of December better or does it not matter?

 

We have the choice of Carnival Glory, Liberty, or Conquest. Any advice on which ship? Any ship "secrets" or tips?

 

Does it matter which direction you go? I was thinking of stopping in Cozumel first, since we have already spent a week there at an AI and would then have the new ports to look forward to the rest of the trip. Otherwise, any preference for direction?

 

We're debating on keeping costs down with an inside cabin or springing for a balcony. Is the cabin size the same or does the balcony eat up square footage from the room? We'll all be staying in the same cabin.

 

recommendations for excursions? We're more the active types. DH and DD are divers while DS and I prefer snorkeling. We're thinking a catamaran/snorkeling trip, ziplining/tubing through the caves, and maybe a 4x4/snorkle trip. Or DH meantioned a dive in a ceynote which we'd have to book privately.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Book the Legend and have fun!

 

Get two cabins, one for you and one for the kids, you don't want to have them wake you up every night when they come in.

 

Here are a couple of reviews:

 

http://zqvol.com/cruises/legend/legend_review.htm

 

and

 

http://zqvol.com/cruises/legend2009/legend_review_09.htm

 

and some pictures

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8259823@N06/collections/72157624983179207/

 

and

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8259823@N06/collections/72157616261730639/