Dream or Liberty? WWYD?

[lv2czlady]

I am trying to decide between the Dream Western Caribbean Cruise (Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya, Cozumel) or Liberty Eastern Caribbean Cruise (HMC, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Grand Turk). I am traveling with my DH and 3 children ages 17, 7 and 5 and my Father. It is our my families 6th cruise and my fathers 1st. We have done the Western Caribbean 3 times and have visited all the ports and LOVE them all. We have never went to the Eastern Caribbean and am afraid we won't enjoy the ports as much. I really wanted to try a "mega ship" with waterworks (my kids would love), but since we have never been to the Eastern want to kinda try that itinerary. So with that much info, what would you do. Also we do like to try new ships and we have been on Liberty, but it was before the 2.0 upgrades. FYI: Both cruises are evenly priced.

[DDFla]

We were on the Liberty eastern last year and was a great cruise. Loved all the 2.0 additions on Liberty plus service was excellent. I have sailed the Dream eastern previously and will be on the western route this fall. Family prefers western ports, I just like cruising! Both are great ships.

[Danacat222]

I think your family would enjoy the eastern ports for sure, especially if they like the beach, lots of fun to be had. Dream does not have the perks of 2.0, i think they might enjoy the Liberty as a ship over Dream.

[MaraBerk]

Another vote for the liberty

[deetrayn]

We have been on both ships, and loved them both. I enjoyed the Western itinerary the most, and I like the Liberty just a tad bit more. If I had to choose between the two ships and itineraries, I would select the Western itinerary on the Liberty. I really enjoyed the 2.0 additions on the Liberty, especially the Alchemy Bar. :D

 

I don't know about the activities for the younger children, but my DD and niece were both 16 when we sailed the Dream, and 17 on the Liberty. They enjoyed Club O2, and made lots of new friends.

 

Also, great steakhouse on both ships!

 

Dee

[k2excursion]

You're in the right frame of mind. For the ship, definitely the Dream. For the itinerary, the Liberty. The 2.0 stuff is mostly about bars & different burgers, so that probably won't matter much to you. Don't let 2.0 or lack of 2.0 affect your decision. The Liberty is still a great ship, & the Dream's itinerary is still a great one. So you can't go wrong with either choice. As a big kid myself, I would probably wind up picking the Dream for the nice waterpark and the great entertainment. I am willing to take a step down from the better itinerary in favor of things that I will be able to enjoy the whole week. For you, it sounds to me that the real tiebreaker may be just wanting to go on a different ship, which would give the edge to the Dream.

 

I would say that even though Dream is my favorite ship, it's not really a "mega ship" in the sense of Oasis/Allure or NCL Epic & their newest ships. Dream definitely changed up some things from the Liberty's style in the layout. But most things are still pretty much in the same spot, just with some additions.

[golfadj]

Liberty, think it is a better itinerary and Dream did not get most of the 2.0

[unfdoug]

Liberty for the ports and plenty to do with Fun Ship.

[mitsguy2001]

It is really a personal preference. It's complicated, since there is the question of which itinerary you prefer vs which ship you prefer. In choosing a ship, the main feature that the Dream has but the Liberty lacks is Waterworks. The Liberty, however, has some 2.0 upgrades that the Dream lacks. If choosing based on the ship, it's really a question of which is more important to you: Waterworks, or the 2.0 upgrades.

 

Note that contrary to popular belief, the Dream does have some 2.0 upgrades, specifically the Red Frog Rum Bar and the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar. The Blue Iguana Cantina is only on the Liberty. Neither ship has the Red Frog Pub. So, I don't think there are all that many 2.0 upgrades that the Liberty has but the Dream lacks. I think the Liberty has the Alchemy Bar and the ESPN Sports Bar, which the Dream do not have.

 

Another possible consideration is that the Dream has a few room types that the Liberty lacks. The Dream has Deluxe Oceanview (Cat. 6L, 6M, and 6N), Cove Balconies (Cat. 7C), and Spa Staterooms (Cat. 4S for inside, 6S for obstructed oceanview, 8P and 8S for balcony, and SS for suite). On the other hand, the Liberty has the Captain's Suites (Cat. CS) which the Dream lacks. If you have a specific type of room that you want that exists only on one of the two ships, then that can be a consideration.

 

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with either ship.

[Want2Cruise 701]

We faced the same dilemma. We wanted the Liberty for the itinerary (we've done the western a few times) and wanted the Dream since it had the slides and left port canaveral (easier drive). Hubby also wanted to try a cove as well.

 

We then noticed that the Dream does 2 Eastern routes now and one was pretty close to the Liberty. Nassau, Grand Turk, St. Thomas and San Juan. Dream to Nassau instead of half moon cay. Not thrilled but it was a compromise.

 

Good luck.

[golfadj]

Or do one this year and the other next year

[satbeachbill]

Once you take the Eastern route, you may feel differently about the Western. There's lots to do and see on the eastern side. To me, the eastern side has more of a Caribbean feeling than the "Mexican Riviera".

[mas0764]

For me, personally, if the choice was between an older ship like the Imagination versus a newer ship like the Dream, I think I would let the difference between ships win out, and go with the newer, better ship. The difference in itineraries would not be great enough to make up for the vast difference in the age and styles of the ships.

 

Conversely, given that you are choosing between the Liberty -- only one class older than the Dream, and the Liberty has all the 2.0 upgrades as it is -- I think I would let the itinerary decide.

 

And I think if I had done the Western numerous times but never the Eastern, I'd try the Eastern. I've done both the Cozumel-Grand Cayman circuit and the St. Thomas-Puerto Rico circuit and I preferred the Western, but that is not to say the Eastern isn't also good. In fact the islands I did not care for in the Eastern were like, Dominica and Martinique, both places where Carnival no longer goes. St. Thomas is great, and while I've never been to Half Moon Cay, it is high on my priority list because it looks amazing, so I'd make that a priority over going on another Western Cruise if I'd never been to HMC before.

 

So if I were you, I'd probably go Eastern on Liberty. If I wanted one of the mega-ships I'd wait for the Carnival Breeze anyway.

[Tashak]

Liberty, based on itinerary.

[larkz]

Both sound like great cruises. I like Liberty just a little more than Dream, especially with the 2.0 changes. And that Eastern itinerary looks like a nice mix of ports. So I'd give a slight edge to Liberty in this case.

[deborahjo]

Have done both ships. We are doing the Liberty again because we like it so much. For me the Dream is just to big. Have a great cruise on either one.

[RuthlessBoss]

Or do one this year and the other next year

They need to make up their mind. Dream is leaving Canaveral for N.O., and Liberty moving from Miami to Canaveral. Each ship's itineraries will be changing.

As for Dream not having all 2.0, so what? A kid will still have waterworks and slides and he/she won't know the difference.

[lv2czlady]

Thanks for everyone's help. Although it didn't make my decision any easier. It seems like I have a valid dilemma. My DH makes fun of me for over thinking EVERYTHING. I just like to make the most informed decisions. All of your responses really just reinforced everything I already knew. Both great ships. Waterworks will be great for kids. Eastern slightly better itinerary. I was hoping to get persuaded one way or the other. But I guess that's what I get for asking. I really can't go wrong either way.:D

[Tapi]

We've been on the Dream and Liberty and give a slight edge to the Liberty.

 

We also consider the Eastern to be a much better itinerary. No other port in the Caribbean compares to the culture, history, and variety that San Juan offers.