Eastern or Western: Which Has Less Motion?

[cyberfilly]

Deciding between two Caribbean itineraries on Freedom Class ships. In general, will the Western itinerary have less motion (i.e. calmer waters) than the Eastern itinerary?

[bajathree]

There is no way to tell...and anyone saying one over the other would be purely speculating.

[ninnau]

Deciding between two Caribbean itineraries on Freedom Class ships. In general, will the Western itinerary have less motion (i.e. calmer waters) than the Eastern itinerary?

So much depends on the time of year and if there are any storms around. The Freedom class ship has never had any noticable motion when I have been on it, but I unually go in the winter or spring.

[Ashland]

The sea is one giant wave machine constantly moving ;):)

[Eng23]

There is no way to tell...and anyone saying one over the other would be purely speculating.

Exactly! I'm on your side....... Nothing more needs to be said.

[DHADEN]

Well I'll say. (I don't think baja3 or eng23 are right at all ;))

 

Of course, the time of year will make a difference, but the times we have cruised the two itineraries (generally speaking), the West is much calmer than the East.

 

When you leave Florida cruising the Eastern Itinerary, you are technically in the Atlantic for the first night. And if your stops include going to CoCo Cay(can't remember the RCI Island:p) and/or Nasau (which they usually do), then you will be in rougher waters through that portion as well.

 

When you have the Western Itinerary, you usually head from Florida straight down and west to Labadee, Haiti, and then under Cuba. Once you are south of Florida towards Haiti, you are in the Caribbean which are much calmer waters (except, of course during Hurricane season).

 

Hope This Helps.

[akcruz]

Well I'll say. (I don't think baja3 or eng23 are right at all ;))

 

Of course, the time of year will make a difference, but the times we have cruised the two itineraries (generally speaking), the West is much calmer than the East.

 

When you leave Florida cruising the Eastern Itinerary, you are technically in the Atlantic for the first night. And if your stops include going to CoCo Cay(can't remember the RCI Island:p) and/or Nasau (which they usually do), then you will be in rougher waters through that portion as well.

 

When you have the Western Itinerary, you usually head from Florida straight down and west to Labadee, Haiti, and then under Cuba. Once you are south of Florida towards Haiti, you are in the Caribbean which are much calmer waters (except, of course during Hurricane season).

 

Hope This Helps.

 

This is what I have heard as well. But, having said that a storm, or change in weather can make the western worse than eastern for a particular cruise. Chances are better for calm seas going western, but it is not a guarantee.

[Mapleleafforever]

Those massive ships have stabilizers so I don't think you'll feel any difference in the motion. I didn't anyway.

[Eng23]

Well I'll say. (I don't think baja3 or eng23 are right at all ;))

 

Of course, the time of year will make a difference, but the times we have cruised the two itineraries (generally speaking), the West is much calmer than the East.

 

When you leave Florida cruising the Eastern Itinerary, you are technically in the Atlantic for the first night. And if your stops include going to CoCo Cay(can't remember the RCI Island:p) and/or Nasau (which they usually do), then you will be in rougher waters through that portion as well.

 

When you have the Western Itinerary, you usually head from Florida straight down and west to Labadee, Haiti, and then under Cuba. Once you are south of Florida towards Haiti, you are in the Caribbean which are much calmer waters (except, of course during Hurricane season).

 

Hope This Helps.

And hurricane season is 6 months long. So I guess that makes it 50-50 as to which route is calmer. I still agree with Baja, there is no way of being sure what your conditions will be on either route. And to say one is clamer than the other at any given time is just speculation.

[DHADEN]

Deciding between two Caribbean itineraries on Freedom Class ships. In general, will the Western itinerary have less motion (i.e. calmer waters) than the Eastern itinerary?

 

And hurricane season is 6 months long. ....................................to say one is clamer than the other at any given time is just speculation.

 

Don't you thinnk that's EXACTLY what "cyberfilly" was asking for????

 

Oh, and by the way, do you ever watch the weather and keep up with "Hurricane Season"?

They can SAY HS is from May to Oct., but.......

How many Hurricanes have you seen in May or June?? How many have you seen in October?? You very rarely see one in July as well.

 

When I say "Hurricane Season", I'm talking about August thru September. That's realistic.

[cyberfilly]

I should have added that we are sailing the last week in March. Should be clear of any hurricane threat at that time of year.

[wscott52]

I think the eastern is more likely because, as some have said, you are technically in the north atlantic for much of the trip. I have done the eastern caribbean route in my own boat and north of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and St. Martin can be pretty rough, especially in winter. Of course what's rough in a 50' boat can seem pretty peaceful in a 1,000 foot ship. Local storms can make either itinerary uncomfortable. Still, if I had to pick one more likely to be bumpy it would be the eastern caribbean.

[bigkauhuna]

When sailing the western you might see flying fish. DW & I were on the balcony when we seen something over the water. At night it was hard to say what they were so the next morning we were looking and sure enough they were flying fish. I spend hours watching them.

[Eng23]

Hurricane season is "realistically" and officially from June 1st to November 30th. We did have hurricanes in May this year. I have seen hurricanes occur in October. The peak of the season is from mid August through the end of September which means the highest number of hurricanes form during this time. There have been 14 named storms so far this season with one of them forming before the official start of the season.

The worlds oceans are always in motion even without storms. You most likely will feel some motion when on a ship no matter where you are on the ocean or how big the ship is. To say with any certainty that the western route is calmer than the eastern on any specific day is next to impossible.

[Eng23]

I should have added that we are sailing the last week in March. Should be clear of any hurricane threat at that time of year.

Yes, you should not have to worry about a hurricane in March. That's not to say that a storm of some kind won't happen but it is less likely.

[BillOh]

There is no way to tell...and anyone saying one over the other would be purely speculating.

 

Agreed, lots of influences. But in the spirit of speculation, I've had more rough days sailing west in to the Western Caribbean after rounding Florida. That said I was in Key West in November of 2010 and between there and Coco Cay the ocean was smooth as glass.

[ninnau]

I think the eastern is more likely because, as some have said, you are technically in the north atlantic for much of the trip. I have done the eastern caribbean route in my own boat and north of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and St. Martin can be pretty rough, especially in winter. Of course what's rough in a 50' boat can seem pretty peaceful in a 1,000 foot ship. Local storms can make either itinerary uncomfortable. Still, if I had to pick one more likely to be bumpy it would be the eastern caribbean.

We have taken two trans-atlantics in April and have had seas as smooth as glass. The Atlantic is not really rough unless there is a storm and the ships Captain usually avoids them. The ships are so large and the stablizers keep them very smooth. Go on the itinerarys you want and if you think you will be sick get meds for seasickness.

[leaveitallbehind]

Well I'll say. (I don't think baja3 or eng23 are right at all ;))

 

Of course, the time of year will make a difference, but the times we have cruised the two itineraries (generally speaking), the West is much calmer than the East.

 

When you leave Florida cruising the Eastern Itinerary, you are technically in the Atlantic for the first night. And if your stops include going to CoCo Cay(can't remember the RCI Island:p) and/or Nasau (which they usually do), then you will be in rougher waters through that portion as well.

 

When you have the Western Itinerary, you usually head from Florida straight down and west to Labadee, Haiti, and then under Cuba. Once you are south of Florida towards Haiti, you are in the Caribbean which are much calmer waters (except, of course during Hurricane season).

 

Hope This Helps.

 

You have several inaccuracies with your statements. Labadee is not "straght down and west from FL", it is very much southeast. The RCI western itnerary does not head west until you leave Labadee for Jamaica / Grand Cayman / Cozumel. In fact - unless headed to Cozumel / Grand Cayman first - it follows the RCI eastern itinerary for the first day/night, which tracks the same towards Labadee (stopping there or not) on its way to St. Thomas / St. Marten / etc.

 

You also are in the Atlantic when you reach Labadee which is on the north coast of Haiti. The Caribbean is on the south coast and you enter it as you leave Haiti west towards Jamaica and pass the eastern-most part of Haiti and the southern-most part of Cuba. If you google the Caribbean Sea there is a map that clearly defines this. Google earth also clealy shows the location of Labadee Haiti with regards to FL / the Atlantic / the Caribbean.

 

Our experience has been that the two can vary. We've been on both itineraries several times with different sea conditions. We have been to CocoCay and Nassua when the water was the calmest of any. We have also been in the Western where it has been rather rough - often in the passage from Haiti to Jamiaca. In fact tha roughest seas we've ever experienced were on a southern Caribbean itinerary heading from Panama to Jamaica - in particular on the last half leg to Jamaica -where the barf bags were tied to the stairwell and all ourdoor areas of the ship were closed due to the heavy seas. This was in December, after the hurricane season.

 

Not saying you're wrong in your opinion, just that for the most part we have had very favorable conditions on both itineraries and only the one rough time as mentioned in the Caribbean.

[FLACRUISER99]

Deciding between two Caribbean itineraries on Freedom Class ships. In general, will the Western itinerary have less motion (i.e. calmer waters) than the Eastern itinerary?

I'll say usually but not always.

[leaveitallbehind]

You have several inaccuracies with your statements. Labadee is not "straght down and west from FL", it is very much southeast. The RCI western itnerary does not head west until you leave Labadee for Jamaica / Grand Cayman / Cozumel. In fact - unless headed to Cozumel / Grand Cayman first - it follows the RCI eastern itinerary for the first day/night, which tracks the same towards Labadee (stopping there or not) on its way to St. Thomas / St. Marten / etc.

 

You also are in the Atlantic when you reach Labadee which is on the north coast of Haiti. The Caribbean is on the south coast and you enter it as you leave Haiti west towards Jamaica and pass the eastern-most part of Haiti and the southern-most part of Cuba. If you google the Caribbean Sea there is a map that clearly defines this. Google earth also clealy shows the location of Labadee Haiti with regards to FL / the Atlantic / the Caribbean.

 

Our experience has been that the two can vary. We've been on both itineraries several times with different sea conditions. We have been to CocoCay and Nassua when the water was the calmest of any. We have also been in the Western where it has been rather rough - often in the passage from Haiti to Jamiaca. In fact tha roughest seas we've ever experienced were on a southern Caribbean itinerary heading from Panama to Jamaica - in particular on the last half leg to Jamaica -where the barf bags were tied to the stairwell and all ourdoor areas of the ship were closed due to the heavy seas. This was in December, after the hurricane season.

 

Not saying you're wrong in your opinion, just that for the most part we have had very favorable conditions on both itineraries and only the one rough time as mentioned in the Caribbean.

 

Correction to my post - you enter the Caribbean as you past the westen-most part of Haiti. (not eastern)

[cruise wizard]

I should have added that we are sailing the last week in March. Should be clear of any hurricane threat at that time of year.

 

No hurricanes but lots of Spring Breakers!!!!!!

[wscott52]

The RCI western itnerary does not head west until you leave Labadee for Jamaica / Grand Cayman / Cozumel. In fact - unless headed to Cozumel / Grand Cayman first - it follows the RCI eastern itinerary for the first day/night, which tracks the same towards Labadee (stopping there or not) on its way to St. Thomas / St. Marten / etc.

 

.

 

While they are both going east the two itineraries are following very different routes. The eastern caribbean route goes to Nassau first and then in between the Great and Little Bahama banks and out into the Atlantic as it heads to St. Thomas. The western itinerary initially goes south and east between the Great Baham bank and Cuba until it can go directly east to Labadee. For much of that time it is in the lee of the Great Bahama bank. Then, as you said, it leaves Labadee and goes around the western end of Haiti to Jamaica.

[leerobbs]

Generally speaking you will find the western more calm than the eastern at that time of the year. Of course a very large meteorite could possibily fall into the western area and seriouslly stir up the water and cause rough seas. I think when answering this type of question one should be made aware of all and every possible considerations, including an earth quake and volcanic eruption as well. Make sure you have plenty of meds for sea sickness and take out the insurance. Hope you have a wonderful and smoooooth cruise!

[leaveitallbehind]

While they are both going east the two itineraries are following very different routes. The eastern caribbean route goes to Nassau first and then in between the Great and Little Bahama banks and out into the Atlantic as it heads to St. Thomas. The western itinerary initially goes south and east between the Great Baham bank and Cuba until it can go directly east to Labadee. For much of that time it is in the lee of the Great Bahama bank. Then, as you said, it leaves Labadee and goes around the western end of Haiti to Jamaica.

 

Understood and agree - just trying to convey that they both start in the same ocean and general direction and to correct the errant navigation indicated.

 

BTW - we have also been on easter caribbean itineraries that has CocoCay / Nassau as the last port of call which did follow the same Cuba-side route to San Juan then the Virgins departing FL.

[jazzydoors]

Depends on how many honeymooners on board.