Please help me decide!!!

[alyssa0922]

So I am the vacation planner for the family and have been given the green light to book our family's Christmas cruise this coming December. We have been on 5-7 RC cruises and want to try a different line. I keep flipping between the Emerald out of Houston and the Ruby out of Fort Lauderdale. Both are a long way for us to fly (Washington State) we already are committed to fly a day or two before and there really isn't much of a difference in airfare costs. So which ship and/or itinerary would you go with and why?

 

Emerald - Houston, Cozumel (been there before), Roatan, Belize, Houston

 

Ruby - Ft. Lauderdale, Princess Cays, St. Maarten (been there), St. Thomas (been there), Grand Turk, Ft. Lauderdale

 

And just for another option...

 

Regal - Ft. Lauderdale, Princess Cays, St. Thomas (been there), St. Maarten (been there), Ft. Lauderdale

[Steviewonder1]

This past year has been a Pistol for the Houston port so I would advise the FT. Lauderdale port. It is after Hurricane season and the seas should be calmer. The Gulf is smaller than the Wide Open Atlantic. PS We love the Ruby!

Edited January 14, 2014 by Steviewonder1

[hpeabody]

IMO Ruby Princess is the best choice. Those are great ports. Houston port and the Caribbean Princess have had so many issues lately, missed ports, fog delays etc, and lately the safety of cruisers/tourists may be questionable as well with that itinerary. Ruby is a well loved favorite of Princess cruisers. Also south Florida will be a nice destination for the family ahead of the cruise.

[argenta01]

I would go for anything out of Ft. Lauderdale over Houston. FLL is close to the port and a quick, reasonable taxi ride away. IAH/HOU are both quite a distance from the port.

[Donder1]

I have sailed on both the Emerald and Ruby. Both are beautiful and the Ruby is newer than the Emerald.

 

I'd go with the Regal. New ship and I like the itinerary.

[janetz]

Ruby :)

Edited January 14, 2014 by janetz

[baronessk]

I just did the Ruby Christmas cruise and will be back on the Ruby Feb 20th. I am looking at the Regal for next year, only because I did a ship inspection of the Royal in Nov. It IS impressive. On the other hand. the Ruby is easier for 82 yr. old DM to find her way around. Definitely go out of FLL.

[rbslos18]

Just got back from the CB leaving from the Houston port. NEVER AGAIN!

 

The port is just not big enough to handle these large ships. The prior cruise was late so we were herded into a makeshift tent for over an hour. Fort Lauderdale is much better equipped. Also you have issues regarding fog in leaving and arriving to the Houston port. I tried it once but...

[DrSch]

The ships are sister ships, so that is not what your choice should be made on.

 

The question becomes which ports excite you, what excursions you want to do, and what you like to do in port.

 

If you're cruise experience is about the ship, and not the ports, I would say go out of Lauderdale. Hotels and airports are more accessible, the port facilities are larger and better run. It is definitely a smoother choice, and at that time of year, there are problems with fog here in Texas.

 

Diving / Snorkeling in Roatan, Belize and Cozumel are much nicer, so if that's your thing, then the western is a better cruise. If you want to visit a Mayan Temple, the western is a better choice as well.

 

If you like wandering around port, shopping, and drinking, go with the Eastern.

[wizard-of-roz]

Since you're committed to flying anyway.......why not fly down to L.A. and take a California Coastal? I'll be doing the Crown in April and September and if I have to re-do somewhere, I prefer somewhere pretty. Although, I've been to all the Caribbean ports you have a choice of and have been to the California cities, I much prefer the environs of the Calif. Coast/San Francisco/San Diego and Santa Barbara to any of the Caribbean ports you're being offered. Maybe they have one in December.

 

Just an idea!

[welovetahiti]

I have sailed on Royal Caribbean and Princess as well as others for a total of 15 cruises and enjoyed all of them. I just returned from the only repeat cruise (ten years later) we've ever done, and can highly recommend the Ocean Princess sailing to the Tahitian Islands. It was a ten day cruise which departed from Papeete on 12/29 (so we celebrated New Year's Eve on the pool deck) and returned 1/8. Since you are traveling in December, it is far enough in the future to save up for the higher costs you will pay for the cruise and the airfare. Let me tell you, it is worth every penny. And since you will be leaving from LAX, you don't have to worry about cancelled flights due to icy weather which is what happened this January. Of all the places we've visited, Tahiti is at the top of our list to return again and again if we could. I have read on these boards that some people are going on their seventh cruise to Tahiti.

 

I've been on the Ruby, the Diamond, the Golden, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, among others. All of them are great ships to great ports in Alaska and the Caribbean, but none of them top the two cruises to French Polynesia we took in 2003 and 2013/2014.

[wizard-of-roz]

I have sailed on Royal Caribbean and Princess as well as others for a total of 15 cruises and enjoyed all of them. I just returned from the only repeat cruise (ten years later) we've ever done, and can highly recommend the Ocean Princess sailing to the Tahitian Islands. It was a ten day cruise which departed from Papeete on 12/29 (so we celebrated New Year's Eve on the pool deck) and returned 1/8. Since you are traveling in December, it is far enough in the future to save up for the higher costs you will pay for the cruise and the airfare. Let me tell you, it is worth every penny. And since you will be leaving from LAX, you don't have to worry about cancelled flights due to icy weather which is what happened this January. Of all the places we've visited, Tahiti is at the top of our list to return again and again if we could. I have read on these boards that some people are going on their seventh cruise to Tahiti.

 

I've been on the Ruby, the Diamond, the Golden, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, among others. All of them are great ships to great ports in Alaska and the Caribbean, but none of them top the two cruises to French Polynesia we took in 2003 and 2013/2014.

 

Your trip sounds like it was absolutely wonderful!

[jagoffee]

So I am the vacation planner for the family and have been given the green light to book our family's Christmas cruise this coming December. We have been on 5-7 RC cruises and want to try a different line. I keep flipping between the Emerald out of Houston and the Ruby out of Fort Lauderdale. Both are a long way for us to fly (Washington State) we already are committed to fly a day or two before and there really isn't much of a difference in airfare costs. So which ship and/or itinerary would you go with and why?

 

Emerald - Houston, Cozumel (been there before), Roatan, Belize, Houston

 

Ruby - Ft. Lauderdale, Princess Cays, St. Maarten (been there), St. Thomas (been there), Grand Turk, Ft. Lauderdale

 

And just for another option...

 

Regal - Ft. Lauderdale, Princess Cays, St. Thomas (been there), St. Maarten (been there), Ft. Lauderdale

 

When in doubt I go with a newer ship. Regal would be my choice assuming the prices were close.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I would do The Mexican Riveria on the Crown if you are on the West Coast and I'll tell you why.... My sister who lives in San Fran missed her cruise entirely because there was a snow storm in Dallas in mid- December. She could not get to Costa Rica. Then same sister flew to San Juan on December 26th from San Fran but then could not get home on January 3rd but there was another storm- this time she was connecting in NYC and could not get home for a week.

 

I told her that next year they should go to Hawaii or Mexico instead.

Edited January 15, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[bjkTX]

We've cruised out of Galveston several times (and will again next month - then out of the new Houston port in March). Frankly I'm tired of the ports, and would much prefer the ports for the Ruby - been to all of them, but would go back!

[OCruisers]

Good thing is you can't make a bad choice! :)

 

I'd pick the one that has the cabins you wish available for everyone.

 

LuLu

~~~

[Nebr.cruiser]

Although I like the Houston itinerary (mostly because we've only done it once), I probably wouldn't sail from there (or Galveston) again because of weather.

 

Besides the problems they've been having in the Houston port from fog, etc., it can be really cool the first and last days of this itinerary. Our first and last days were in the forties in February--and a couple of other days 60's. Since one major reason we cruise in the winter is for warm weather, we probably won't be doing this itinerary from Houston again.

 

Of course it can be cool in Florida too, but you get to the warm weather faster, plus Ft. Lauderdale is farther south to start with.

[KruzPrincess]

I'd pick the Ruby. I had a nice cruise on the Ruby last January. I wouldn't want to deal with the travel issues that seem to pop up out of Houston, esp. with a large group traveling together. If you want to experience a new ship than I'd go with the Regal. For me, I don't care for the big ships, but some people really like them.

[Tak8]

I'd go with the Ruby. I like the Eastern over the Western. Royal at least started out with a lot of negative comments. although much more positive recently.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Regal would be my choice, new ship and one less port day to enjoy the ship and there's not much at GT to do :)

Wouldn't take the chance with the fog out of Houstan - too much stress.

 

There are always new things to do in ST and SM even though you have been.

Try St. Johns, Water Island, Maho beach, Coco beach:D

[baronessk]

Great point! My only time in St. T I spent the whole day visiting 2 different friends on St. Johns, so I would go back no problem. On St. M, I spent the whole day doing the America's Cup Yacht Racing. I've always thought that 1 day in port is never enough, especially if you do an excursion. But I guess that's how they get you to cruise again! Ok, go ahead....twist my arm!!! lol