Choosing between 4 Cruises - need some basic input

[wakar13]

I will start this off by saying that we like the Summit itinerary (we have sailed once EVER, and it was the Summit for our honeymoon). It is VERY expensive so we are trying to justify the cost or find a good alternative. We have to get a balcony because of the need to avoid any indication of motion sickness for both me and my wife :-) (a bit of a wussy couple here). But we LOVE our food so that always gets top priority - less so on drinks. THANK YOU!!

 

So here goes and as always really appreciate your help.

 

Evaluation is based on:

 

1. Good cruise ship for a 29 & 33 yr old?
   
2. Food?
   
3. Stops?
   
4. Anything special about the ship or cruise line?
   
5. 3 stops versus 4 or 5 stops - obviously the ship itself becomes more important if there are more sea days and lowers the cost (from what i could see).
   

OPTION 1: 8-night RCI Brilliance from NJ with stops in Basseterre, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Tortola, St. Thomas/Charlotte Amalie and San Juan/Puerto Rico

OPTION 2: Celebrity Summit 7-night from San Juan with stops in Barbados/Bridgetown, St. Lucia/Castries, St. John's/Antigua, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, St. Thomas/Charlotte Amalie

OPTION 3: Norwegian Pearl 7-night from Miami with stops in Great Stirrup Cay, At Sea , Ocho Rios, Caymans/George Town, Cozumel

OPTION 4: Carnival Victory from San Juan and stops in St. Thomas, Brabados, St. Lucia, St Kitts and St. Maarten

[Keith1010]

In terms of the best ship for your age I would say RCI. In terms of the best food I would say Celebrity but followed by RCI. And the ports for both ships are fine.

 

I would say consider both but for your age group I would go with RCI.

 

Keith

[marco]

I'd say Celebrity has and edge when it comes to food, but the demographics are going to be a tad older then you and what they probably will be on any of the other other lines...... honestly, I think "any of the above" would be just fine. I think I'd go with best price for the cabin category you want.

[wakar13]

anything against Carnival ships that we should know about?

[Keith1010]

Some people love Carnival. It's upside will be a younger crowd. But things like food and even service will not compare to say Celebrity or RCI.

 

Keith

[printingchick]

I liked the Summit itinerary as well, but ended up choosing Royal Caribbean instead.

 

Why are you comparing Brilliance out of New Jersey with Summit, which goes out of Puerto Rico? Not sure when you're going, but RCL has Brilliance and Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan this winter, switching over to Jewel and Adventure at some point. (I'm on Jewel in 2014.) Whenever that switch occurs, I believe Jewel becomes a YEAR-ROUND option out of San Juan.

 

If you liked Summit, but are looking for something a bit more lively, I think you'd enjoy a Radiance Class (Jewel, Brilliance, Radiance, Serenade) ship. Size compares with Summit. Atmosphere is skewed a bit younger and more lively. Very few little kids, because those families tend more toward the larger ships with more kid appeal (H2O zone, ice-skating, Shrek characters).

 

I haven't cruised with NCL, but the Carnival itinerary also sounds great. I prefer to do those southern islands from San Juan, so you don't have SO MANY sea days. Nothing wrong with sea days, I just prefer more port days. Two sea days is pretty much a MAX for me.

 

Good luck and let us all know what you decide.

[Finkksta]

I would choose the one out of new jersey.

[wakar13]

The cruising days are 11/2-11/5 for departure and the Summit is just gut wrenching-ly expensive. We are also in love iwth more port versus sea days but again if we want to do something then compromise is necessary.

 

 

I liked the Summit itinerary as well, but ended up choosing Royal Caribbean instead.

 

Why are you comparing Brilliance out of New Jersey with Summit, which goes out of Puerto Rico? Not sure when you're going, but RCL has Brilliance and Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan this winter, switching over to Jewel and Adventure at some point. (I'm on Jewel in 2014.) Whenever that switch occurs, I believe Jewel becomes a YEAR-ROUND option out of San Juan.

 

If you liked Summit, but are looking for something a bit more lively, I think you'd enjoy a Radiance Class (Jewel, Brilliance, Radiance, Serenade) ship. Size compares with Summit. Atmosphere is skewed a bit younger and more lively. Very few little kids, because those families tend more toward the larger ships with more kid appeal (H2O zone, ice-skating, Shrek characters).

 

I haven't cruised with NCL, but the Carnival itinerary also sounds great. I prefer to do those southern islands from San Juan, so you don't have SO MANY sea days. Nothing wrong with sea days, I just prefer more port days. Two sea days is pretty much a MAX for me.

 

Good luck and let us all know what you decide.

[Dayenu]

We have to get a balcony because of the need to avoid any indication of motion sickness for both me and my wife :-) (a bit of a wussy couple here).

 

I am always afraid of balcony cabins as they are in the upper part of the ship swaying more than lower decks.

[Essiesmom]

I would look at the cost of airfare and hotels. If you sail from Bayonne, you could drive down the day before, stay in a hotel with complimentary parking and shuttle to port...and back after the cruise. Driving, you don't have to worry about weight of luggage, schlepping it through the airport and up into the overhead bin...

I like Carnival, and wouldn't hesitate to sail Victory if time and price were right, but I also like Celebrity. Haven't sailed Royal, but I think that looks like the best choice. EM

[OCruisers]

It's fun to give different cruise lines and ships a try!

 

You might want to consider BrillianceOTS. It's out of NJ which should make your travel expenses less ... normally, a younger crowd than Celebrity ... has very nice port stops. The $peciality restaurants on RCCL ships are very good!

 

Have a great time planning your cruise! :)

 

LuLu

[printingchick]

The cruising days are 11/2-11/5 for departure and the Summit is just gut wrenching-ly expensive. We are also in love iwth more port versus sea days but again if we want to do something then compromise is necessary.

 

I did some quick price comparisons.

 

I assume you mean 2013. Prices for both Royal Caribbean ships are actually a bit more than on Summit. ($50-$100 depending on sail date)

 

If you LIKE Summit and you're looking around solely for cost savings, you'd do well to stick with Summit.

 

Carnival Victory is an older ship. Not sure when it last saw dry dock. I couldn't see a sailing in November 2013, so I don't know how that one compares in terms of cost. I cruised on Carnival Destiny out of San Juan and found the ship very smoky (non-smoker), but it could have just been that sailing. I didn't have problems on other Carnival ships.

 

I chose Jewel over Summit for my next cruise because (A) RCL is a proven commodity for me and I worried about Celebrity being too mellow for my taste and (B) I use an RCL Visa and have a LOT of points to trade in, which made the Jewel HUGELY LESS expensive for me. If I were a new cruiser, I might have gone with Summit. I researched that cruise enough that I really do WANT to try it sometime.

 

Good luck and let us know what you choose!

[wakar13]

November 2012. The joys of marrying a phhysician completing her residency. We get 60 days notice if we are lucky!

 

Oh well....

 

But I really appreciate everyone taking the time to respond with so much detail. One more search when I get home :)

[boogs]

I am always afraid of balcony cabins as they are in the upper part of the ship swaying more than lower decks.

 

On most ships, the balcony cabins start at the same level as most of the inside cabins other than one deck of insides below the interior entertainment decks. As to swaying on the upper decks, it is so minimal in most weather conditions to be inconsequential. The modern ships have extendable wings called 'stabilizer fins' below the waterline that are computer controlled to react and adjust to side to side swaying of the ships, and these are very effective at keeping the ship level in most conditions. (one of these wings is very prominently visible on views of the capsized Costa Condordia)

 

[printingchick]

November 2012. The joys of marrying a phhysician completing her residency. We get 60 days notice if we are lucky!

 

Oh well....

 

But I really appreciate everyone taking the time to respond with so much detail. One more search when I get home :)

 

In that case, Adventure of the Seas has a special rate on 11/18/12 for a balcony. ($1089). That's high compared to 11/2013, but for a last minute cruise, it's less than most.

 

Adventure is larger than Summit. It was the FIRST RCL ship I sailed and I LOVED that ship. It features the Royal Promenade, which is an area which gives you the sensation of being outdoors when you're indoors. There are stores and lounges/bars with indoor and "outdoor" seating. There's also an ice rink which hosts amazing ice shows. No FlowRider on Adventure, but a cool in-line skating track.

[fleckle]

If concerned about the possibility of rough seas, starting in San Juan would be your best bet because you are already down in calm waters when your cruise begins.

 

Cruising from Miami, there is the possibility of encountering some turbulence along the route down or back.

 

Starting from NJ gives you the greatest possibility of rough seas during the long stretch cruising down and back along the Atlantic coast, although you may get lucky and have a very smooth cruise.

 

Just noticed the other thread about this subject below

 

The seas from NYC at

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1702859

 

[wakar13]

Carnival Victory - Southern Caribbean on 11/11 is winning out. Price and itinerary are really good and we are getting an aft balcony. Please tell us if this is not a good choice based on the other ships that we had shortlisted.

[Bowie MeMe]

Just make sure that you can get your air flights and that you cost that in. The only time that we sailed in and out of San Juan they overbooked the flights and we "voluntarily" extended for hotel and some monetary consideration. If that is going to be a problem need Plan B. You are in the after final payment period and sometimes you find a real nice deal. November is often one of the cheapest times to cruise if it is not Thanksgiving. Have a great time. There is really no wrong decision.

[printingchick]

Carnival Victory - Southern Caribbean on 11/11 is winning out. Price and itinerary are really good and we are getting an aft balcony. Please tell us if this is not a good choice based on the other ships that we had shortlisted.

 

I think it's a great choice. I understand the Aft balconies are larger (I've never had a balcony), but I suspect you WILL get more movement there. Picture a ship in the waves. The front and back of the ship will see more motion than the middle, so those with sea sickness concerns typically try to stay LOW and CENTER. That said, today's ships really don't see much movement due to their size and stability. And as another poster said, the waters departing from San Juan should be more calm.

 

Thanks for coming back and posting your decision. Let us know how it goes!!

[wakar13]

Thank you all for being patient and helpful. We are really excited - last aft cabin booked at midnight last night! Got a $75.00 BJs gift card and also found out that I had just enough points and miles that we are flying for free!!!!

 

really excited to go to all new islands in the Southern Caribbean - thanks again for the help.

[sethmonster]

I would say option II. I've been looking into Celebrity HEAVILY and have found that many people rank their food to be the best among major cruise lines. Also, service is apparently really good.

 

As far as ports, this is where I feel pretty strongly. Leaving from San Juan is like a destination in the vacation. Yes, you may have to fly, but if you pack light it should be fine. Plus you can spend a couple of days there before or after and prepare or 'decompress' from you vacation.

[janetz]

I will start this off by saying that we like the Summit itinerary (we have sailed once EVER, and it was the Summit for our honeymoon). It is VERY expensive so we are trying to justify the cost or find a good alternative. We have to get a balcony because of the need to avoid any indication of motion sickness for both me and my wife :-) (a bit of a wussy couple here). But we LOVE our food so that always gets top priority - less so on drinks. THANK YOU!!

 

So here goes and as always really appreciate your help.

 

Evaluation is based on:

 

1. Good cruise ship for a 29 & 33 yr old?
   
2. Food?
   
3. Stops?
   
4. Anything special about the ship or cruise line?
   
5. 3 stops versus 4 or 5 stops - obviously the ship itself becomes more important if there are more sea days and lowers the cost (from what i could see).
   

OPTION 1: 8-night RCI Brilliance from NJ with stops in Basseterre, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Tortola, St. Thomas/Charlotte Amalie and San Juan/Puerto Rico

OPTION 2: Celebrity Summit 7-night from San Juan with stops in Barbados/Bridgetown, St. Lucia/Castries, St. John's/Antigua, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, St. Thomas/Charlotte Amalie

OPTION 3: Norwegian Pearl 7-night from Miami with stops in Great Stirrup Cay, At Sea , Ocho Rios, Caymans/George Town, Cozumel

OPTION 4: Carnival Victory from San Juan and stops in St. Thomas, Brabados, St. Lucia, St Kitts and St. Maarten

 

 

Doing the 8 day and not having to fly! RC for sure. :D

[jazzlvr57]

I know you've already booked, but I wonder what you liked most and least about Celebrity for your honeymoon.

 

The best itineraries are Celebrity and Carnival, but vastly different experiences.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Carnival Victory - Southern Caribbean on 11/11 is winning out. Price and itinerary are really good and we are getting an aft balcony. Please tell us if this is not a good choice based on the other ships that we had shortlisted.

 

Sounds good. The only down side of an aft balcony that I've heard of, is that there is no breeze & it can get very hot. With a side balcony if you are moving, at least there is some breeze to help on a hot day.

 

I have only sailed Celebrity once, and I thought the service was better in the MDR than Carnival but not the food. Food is so subjective. I thought the food in the MDR on Carnival was a little better, coffee much better (ship wide, even the bistros that offer espresso or coffee to purchase). But I did think the room service menu on Celebrity was far superior, also loved the lunch in the aqua spa.

[skandls]

Thank you all for being patient and helpful. We are really excited - last aft cabin booked at midnight last night! Got a $75.00 BJs gift card and also found out that I had just enough points and miles that we are flying for free!!!!

 

really excited to go to all new islands in the Southern Caribbean - thanks again for the help.

 

If you have motion sickness issues - you should get a midship cabin preferably on a lower deck. There is more ship movement in the front and back of the ship.