Which Eastern Caribbean Itinerary?

[luvsun22]

We've never done an Eastern Caribbean cruise and I'm having a hard time deciding which to do. I'm looking at FOS with stops at CocoCay, St. Thomas and St. Maarten or IOS with stops at San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. For anyone who has done one or both of these which would you choose and why? I'm taking into consideration the ship itself as well as the itinerary.

[Clarea]

I would do the one with San Juan, because we like Old San Juan and some restaurants there. St. Kitts is also a bit off the beaten path, not as big as St. Thomas.

[ryano]

I would pick IOS. There is a better than average chance you would miss Coco Cay. 5 days at sea didnt bother me but it might you.

[luvsun22]

I would pick IOS. There is a better than average chance you would miss Coco Cay. 5 days at sea didnt bother me but it might you.

 

I've been to CocoCay and while I'd like to return and extra day at sea would not bother me in the least.

[Big_G]

We've never done an Eastern Caribbean cruise and I'm having a hard time deciding which to do. I'm looking at FOS with stops at CocoCay, St. Thomas and St. Maarten or IOS with stops at San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. For anyone who has done one or both of these which would you choose and why? I'm taking into consideration the ship itself as well as the itinerary.

 

I would pick Indy for San Juan, St. Maarten, and St. Kitts. We've done that itinerary on Celebrity and really enjoyed it. We love Freedom but we're 0-4 going to Coco Cay because of weather so you may miss that stop. I can't see it being any better than Labadee so we've lost interest in getting there.

[ryano]

I've been to CocoCay and while I'd like to return and extra day at sea would not bother me in the least.

 

Same here on both accounts! :)

[DonJuan77]

I haven't been to St. Kitts, but I really enjoy St. Maarten and St. Thomas. St. Maarten has the famous beach where the huge planes land in the airport right over your head which is a fantastic experience. My dad just recently returned and took an incredible video of a 747 flying right over everyone.

 

St. Thomas has a lot of shopping which is different but nice. Also Magens Bay is an awesome beach with a really cool bar.

[knittinggirl]

St. Kitts has the whole monkey photo thing. We enjoyed St. Kitts, because it was raining and we missed the monkey photo op. We thoroughly enjoyed the train ride. We did the Bernard's tours in St. Maarten, but right after we returned, we learned of a Chickengunga outbreak.

 

Be sure to bring lots of bug repellent.

[donovan52]

I'd pick the Indy - I'm not sure I've ever been to San Juan as a port day, but we love leaving from there. Old San Juan is a great area to explore. I definitely prefer it over St. Thomas. There are some good tours in St. Kitts as well. That itinerary lends itself better to sightseeing, but there are some beach opportunities in San Juan and St. Kitts too. If you are looking to do more beach days I think the itinerary with St. Thomas and CocoCay would be better.

[debshomespun]

I would pick Indy. Many times Coco Cay is missed from high winds. St. Maarten is great, and St. Kitts has some beautiful scenery.

[luvsun22]

I'd pick the Indy - I'm not sure I've ever been to San Juan as a port day, but we love leaving from there. Old San Juan is a great area to explore. I definitely prefer it over St. Thomas. There are some good tours in St. Kitts as well. That itinerary lends itself better to sightseeing, but there are some beach opportunities in San Juan and St. Kitts too. If you are looking to do more beach days I think the itinerary with St. Thomas and CocoCay would be better.

 

Thank you! This is the type of info I'm looking for. I had really been leaning toward the Freedom because of the great things I've heard about her, but the Indy's itinerary is a bit more intriguing.

[atb]

We did a cooking excursion on this stop - The chef prepared an entire Caribbean style meal - and then we got to eat. Awesome - I would do it again in a heart beat - even if it was the same meal -

[golfer1966]

I like both itins, but I am a fan of San Juan if I am staying there and not a cruise stop visit per se, if that makes any sense.

 

Both ships are pretty much the same. I like St Kitts better as a cruise port over SJ

[Fl cruiser 2012]

I am looking at the same cruise on Indy but my concern is being it San Juan from 4pm to 11pm. What can you do in the evening, as far as tours go?

[luvsun22]

I am looking at the same cruise on Indy but my concern is being it San Juan from 4pm to 11pm. What can you do in the evening, as far as tours go?

 

Good point, I hadn't noticed that. I'm curious too what you do in the evening?

[OCruisers]

We've never done an Eastern Caribbean cruise and I'm having a hard time deciding which to do. I'm looking at FOS with stops at CocoCay, St. Thomas and St. Maarten or IOS with stops at San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. For anyone who has done one or both of these which would you choose and why? I'm taking into consideration the ship itself as well as the itinerary.

 

We've been to all of these port stops several times and would pick FOS because we like the port stops on that one much better.

 

There's never anything we enjoyed doing in San Juan on a port stop.

St. Kitts is OK ... but we'd rather go to St. Thomas because of being able to go to St. John from there.

We always enjoy having a port stop at Coco Cay! :)

 

LuLu

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[molly361]

I am looking at the same cruise on Indy but my concern is being it San Juan from 4pm to 11pm. What can you do in the evening, as far as tours go?

 

Thanks for this. We are also considering this trip but I think now I will re-think it. We are doing the Eastern on the Freedom later this year.

 

OP, I think I would pick the Freedom

[luvsun22]

We've been to all of these port stops several times and would pick FOS because we like the port stops on that one much better.

 

There's never anything we enjoyed doing in San Juan on a port stop.

St. Kitts is OK ... but we'd rather go to St. Thomas because of being able to go to St. John from there.

We always enjoy having a port stop at Coco Cay! :)

 

LuLu

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What is better about St. John than St. Thomas or St. Kitts?

 

I'm really just beginning to research these islands. I'm thinking I just need to look into them all and see what appeals most to me. Other than San Juan I guess I was thinking they are all pretty much the same.

 

Thanks to everyone for your opinions!

[nednrom]

We've never done an Eastern Caribbean cruise and I'm having a hard time deciding which to do. I'm looking at FOS with stops at CocoCay, St. Thomas and St. Maarten or IOS with stops at San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. For anyone who has done one or both of these which would you choose and why? I'm taking into consideration the ship itself as well as the itinerary.

We've done both and that one extra day does feel great on the IOS. Both are the same class ship so they're pretty identical and the staff is wonderful.

[nednrom]

Good point, I hadn't noticed that. I'm curious too what you do in the evening?

 

 

They must be changing times. We were in San Juan 8-2pm last week. Shops are open late, you can take the ferry to the Bacardi distillery, walk to the fort but I'm not sure what else you can do that late.

[nednrom]

What is better about St. John than St. Thomas or St. Kitts?

 

I'm really just beginning to research these islands. I'm thinking I just need to look into them all and see what appeals most to me. Other than San Juan I guess I was thinking they are all pretty much the same.

 

Thanks to everyone for your opinions!

 

 

St. John has beautiful beaches and great snorkeling. We did beach time and snorkeling at st kitts too. St Thomas is more of a shopping area but also has some nice beaches and breathtaking views.

 

Check out the ports of call message boards here to find out more info.

[donovan52]

If you don't want to go around OSJ in the evening (I think that's what I would do, and have dinner someplace nice) you could see if there are any biobay tours. I know they have good reviews from people who stay pre or post cruise, but I don't know if they are offered for port stops. There might be more info about evening tours on the San Juan board - quite a few ships seem to have wacky times in port there!

 

In St. Thomas we've done Magen's Bay, Sapphire beach, and Godfrey's Tour. The tour was quite a few years ago, but we enjoyed all three places. The next time we go I think I would try to go to St. John - I've heard great things about the beach/water there.

 

In St. Kitt's we've done a hike up the volcano (great but strenuous - definitely a one time thing!) and spent the day at Palm Court Gardens (inexpensive and relaxing). There are a few recommended tour guides on the St Kitts board, but we haven't tried any yet!

[OCruisers]

What is better about St. John than St. Thomas or St. Kitts?

 

I'm really just beginning to research these islands. I'm thinking I just need to look into them all and see what appeals most to me. Other than San Juan I guess I was thinking they are all pretty much the same.

 

Thanks to everyone for your opinions!

 

We've always found the water and beaches in St. John to be lots better than in St. Kitts. :)

We like St. Thomas ... just that it tends to be so crowded everywhere and very commercial.

 

Have fun with your planning! :)

 

LuLu

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[foolishmortals]

I've been on both ships and I prefer the Freedom. We've had amazing service on the Freedom. Our only cruise only the Independence back in Dec of 2012 wasn't horrible at all. I just felt the Freedom crew provided better service in the shops, spa, guest service, and dining areas.

 

As for the itineraries, I've never been to CocoCay but I've been to SJ, St Maarten, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. It depends on what you are looking for in your vacation. For a better beach and snorkeling experience, I'd go for the itinerary with St. Thomas. You can visit St. John from there. The beaches are really beautiful. I enjoyed my time there. If you choose to stay on St. Thomas, people we spoke to say they loved Magen's Bay. There is also great shopping in St. Thomas. Louis Vuitton was packed with shoppers last time I went.

 

For more sightseeing and a fun workout, St. Kitts is a nice place. The first time I went there, I did the Mt. Liamuiga Volcano Hike. The guides move you along at a decent pace and you go through uneven terrain, climb over(and up at one point! Lol) some rocks, tree roots, etc...If you are into fun outdoor activities and are in good physical condition, this is a fun thing to do. The second time we went to St. kitts, we booked a Best of St. Kitts tour through Paradise Tours with Rosevelt Taylor which stopped at Romney Mannor, Caribelle Batik, Brimstone Fortress, Timothy hill, and a beach. It was a nice way to see and learn about the island at a relaxing pace.

 

I love San Juan and enjoyed walking around old San Juan and eating in the cafés and restaurants. Everyone is always so friendly. I've never done anything there in OSJ except eat at different places and just walk around but I have heard the BioBay excursion previously mentioned in this thread is a unique experience. This is something I plan on doing in the future.

 

You can't go wrong with either choice. You are bound to have a great time on both ships and both itineraries. I love St. Maarten. You can do a private tour, take a taxi on your own to Maho beach for the planes or Marigot for lunch at one of the restos then sarafinas for some pastries, or just hang out at the beach and shops near the pier. I will echo previous posters suggestions here to check out the port of calls sub forums for more info and choose the one that fits more to your vacation style and preferences. Have fun! :-)

[luvsun22]

I've been on both ships and I prefer the Freedom. We've had amazing service on the Freedom. Our only cruise only the Independence back in Dec of 2012 wasn't horrible at all. I just felt the Freedom crew provided better service in the shops, spa, guest service, and dining areas.

 

As for the itineraries, I've never been to CocoCay but I've been to SJ, St Maarten, St. Thomas, and St. Kitts. It depends on what you are looking for in your vacation. For a better beach and snorkeling experience, I'd go for the itinerary with St. Thomas. You can visit St. John from there. The beaches are really beautiful. I enjoyed my time there. If you choose to stay on St. Thomas, people we spoke to say they loved Magen's Bay. There is also great shopping in St. Thomas. Louis Vuitton was packed with shoppers last time I went.

 

For more sightseeing and a fun workout, St. Kitts is a nice place. The first time I went there, I did the Mt. Liamuiga Volcano Hike. The guides move you along at a decent pace and you go through uneven terrain, climb over(and up at one point! Lol) some rocks, tree roots, etc...If you are into fun outdoor activities and are in good physical condition, this is a fun thing to do. The second time we went to St. kitts, we booked a Best of St. Kitts tour through Paradise Tours with Rosevelt Taylor which stopped at Romney Mannor, Caribelle Batik, Brimstone Fortress, Timothy hill, and a beach. It was a nice way to see and learn about the island at a relaxing pace.

 

I love San Juan and enjoyed walking around old San Juan and eating in the cafés and restaurants. Everyone is always so friendly. I've never done anything there in OSJ except eat at different places and just walk around but I have heard the BioBay excursion previously mentioned in this thread is a unique experience. This is something I plan on doing in the future.

 

You can't go wrong with either choice. You are bound to have a great time on both ships and both itineraries. I love St. Maarten. You can do a private tour, take a taxi on your own to Maho beach for the planes or Marigot for lunch at one of the restos then sarafinas for some pastries, or just hang out at the beach and shops near the pier. I will echo previous posters suggestions here to check out the port of calls sub forums for more info and choose the one that fits more to your vacation style and preferences. Have fun! :-)

 

Thank you for this wonderful overview. I've been looking a lot at the ports over the past couple days and I think I'd enjoy visiting any and all of them. Right now I'm leaning toward the Freedom cruise, mostly for the ship itself. I'm not sure why other than I've seen more reviews and have wanted to sail on her for some time. Also, I'm still struggling with what to do in SJ with the evening port hours, so I'm thinking I'll save those ports for when we do a Southern Caribbean cruise. :D We aren't planning to go until fall of 2015, so I'll think on it a little while longer. Thanks to everyone for your opinions!