9 day Gem or 7 day Breakaway for 2015?

[2boyzmom]

Well- I am curious to get on the Breakaway but the ports are lousy. Florida and Bahamas don't thrill me. The Gem does not have all the bells and whistles but has St. Thomas, Tortola and St.Martin which we love. What do you think? They both leave from NY and cabins and price are similar....

Edited November 7, 2013 by 2boyzmom

[Overdue4cruise]

For better itineraries and not to mention 2 more days of cruising; hands down the Gem IMHO :D:D 2 extra days of no cleaning and no cooking? WooHoo !!!

 

Either way, enjoy your cruise ;)

[jemrtt]

same thought crossed my mind a few weeks ago when we were looking to book something.

New ships don't woo me...more days on another ship for the same price does! So its Gem all the way for us.

 

[bob brown]

The Breakaway is doing two 12 day Caribbean cruises from New York on 5 and 19 January of 2014. I haven't looked to see if they are doing it again in 2015. This itinerary stops at San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Barbados.

[Nightengale212]

The Breakaway is doing two 12 day Caribbean cruises from New York on 5 and 19 January of 2014. I haven't looked to see if they are doing it again in 2015. This itinerary stops at San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Barbados.

 

It is as I am already booked on the 2/1-2/13/15 sailing :)

[champagne123]

Totally agree that the itinerary for the Breakaway is awful.....but the ship IS AMAZING.

 

Unless I was going just for the ship, I would probably do the Gem.

[Demonyte]

While Breakaway might be a nice ship, I prefer Jewel class ships over mega ships and Gem is the newest one of them. So my choice would be Gem, hands down - probably even without the nicer itinerary.

 

OTOH, the 12-nighter mentioned might just be long enough for me to try Breakaway, on longer cruises the atmosphere is completely different than on 7-nighters. :)

[sailingnut]

I agree the Breakaway is a wonderful ship~~I went in October to Bermuda but Florida and the Bahamas you can keep! I was looking at the Gem for next year also~~at then nine-day cruise! Love the islands and the Gem!:)

Edited November 7, 2013 by sailingnut

[BlueJai]

I'd definitely do the 9 day, the ports look excellent and 2 extra days is just a big bonus!

[davy jones]

Two extra days and better ports. I would pick the Gem.

[youngestof9]

I've sailed both ships and love them both for different reasons.

 

With that in mind, I'd choose the Gem for the itinerary and the 2 extra days, especially since one of them is Tortola.

[DMH15]

I would pick the longer cruise. But then I don't usually care too much where we go. Haha.

 

I will usually pick the smaller ship too.

[Cubechick]

The Breakaway is doing two 12 day Caribbean cruises from New York on 5 and 19 January of 2014. I haven't looked to see if they are doing it again in 2015. This itinerary stops at San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Barbados.

 

True. I was booked on that and cancelled in favor of the 9-day on the Gem. The prices for the 12-day on the BA are crazy.

 

You could book a OS on the Gem for about the same price as a B1 on the Breakaway. Even factoring in the fact that the Gem was the shorter cruise, it was a lot more bang for the buck.

 

Comparing the 9-day Gem to the Bahamas cruise on the BA, I'd definitely book the Gem.

[johnnypiano]

Be aware that 7 days vs. 9 days is actually a misnomer.

 

The 7 day cruise is actually 8 days, 7 nights.

 

The 9 day cruise (in 2015) is actually 9 days, 8 nights. (Note that for January 2014, this cruise was 10 days, 9 nights).

 

....So really you're only getting one extra day in 2015 (not two).

[BritChickBN1]

9 day gem. Hands down!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[2boyzmom]

Be aware that 7 days vs. 9 days is actually a misnomer.

 

The 7 day cruise is actually 8 days, 7 nights.

 

The 9 day cruise (in 2015) is actually 9 days, 8 nights. (Note that for January 2014, this cruise was 10 days, 9 nights).

 

....So really you're only getting one extra day in 2015 (not two).

 

 

No- it is 9 nights on the Gem 3/28-4/6/15. We cannot do the January 12 day cruise since the kids cannot leave school so we must cruise during Easter Break!

Yup- I think I will book the Gem :) Thanks everyone!!

[Budget Queen]

Why not do the Breakaway for Bermuda? I was on this ship in Sept- it is a VERY nice ship that I was impressed with- which I'm usually not. (been on 83 cruises). BUT I don't book my cruises for the ship- always for the itinerary. Depends on you?

 

If you are local- then consider late booking. These cruises have had huge price dumps in this off peak time. I was looking at both ships beginning of January, rates have dropped some on the Gem, not on the Breakaway. In the end- I booked a Carnival Port Canaveral cruise that's rates for 3 of us, was less than a single on the Breakaway. Only reason was for St. Maartin- didn't matter what ship, in our case.

[2boyzmom]

Why not do the Breakaway for Bermuda? I was on this ship in Sept- it is a VERY nice ship that I was impressed with- which I'm usually not. (been on 83 cruises). BUT I don't book my cruises for the ship- always for the itinerary. Depends on you?

 

If you are local- then consider late booking. These cruises have had huge price dumps in this off peak time. I was looking at both ships beginning of January, rates have dropped some on the Gem, not on the Breakaway. In the end- I booked a Carnival Port Canaveral cruise that's rates for 3 of us, was less than a single on the Breakaway. Only reason was for St. Maartin- didn't matter what ship, in our case.

 

We must cruise Easter break due to kids in school. I love Bermuda but not available the week I need.

[spidybabe]

Two extra days and better ports. I would pick the Gem.

 

We would pick the Gem too, and we did for our next cruise! There is no way we want to do the Florida/Bahamas trip again. Three times is enough

Safe sailing

[kylenyc]

Been four times on the Gem (twice on the 9-day itinerary) and twice on the Breakaway (once to Bermuda and one transatlantic). Would do any of them again in a heartbeat. Even though the transatlantic was all sea days, I still had a wonderful time. There's so much to experience on the Breakaway. Can you hold for Breakaway to Bermuda? The three days in port are fantastic. It's a great destination.

Edited November 7, 2013 by kylenyc