Please! Help me choose the right cruise...

[skipole0]

Hi all, long time lurker here.... I'm really struggling to decide on a cruise, and I'm hoping some of the cruise experts out there can help me pick one based on our preferences/criteria. Thanks in advance for any comments/advice! :D

 

Background: My fiancée and I are planning on booking a cruise for sometime in late Feb or early March, 2015. We are from Vancouver, Canada, and we're both in our late 20's.

 

We are fairly avid travelers, and we've been on 2 cruises previously: a 7-night Eastern Caribbean on the Carnival Freedom in 2010 (absolutely loved it), and an 8-night Southern Caribbean on the Carnival Victory in 2011 (good itinerary but the ship wasn't great). We loved the service on Carnival, and the food was good, too... but we'd be more than happy to try a new cruise line this time around.

 

We like to spend time by the pool (so pools and hot tubs are a priority when choosing a ship), watch the occasional comedy show, relax in the sun with a book in adults-only area, etc. We don't gamble and have no interest in shopping. Prefer to avoid crowds wherever possible; don't care much about fellow passengers as long as they're not all retirees or young children. We are fortunate enough to have a fair bit of disposable income, so price/cost is not a major concern (within reason).

 

Because we've already done Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises, we are looking at either Western Caribbean (ie. Caymans, Cozumel, etc) or Panama Canal. Don't care what port the cruise leaves from. We're fine with some days at sea if the ship has nice pools and other 'fun in the sun' activities. We take full advantage of the time available at each port of call (prefer full days), but don't usually do the cruise line excursions.

 

We'd like to depart around March 1st, give or take a week in either direction. Our dates are somewhat flexible, and we're open to cruises from 7 to 14 nights in length.

 

Currently at the top of our list of possible options:

 

1. Celebrity Reflection - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise (departing Feb 28 from Miami). <=== looks amazing, but not sure about Celebrity
   
2. Serenade of the Seas - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise (departing Feb 28 from New Orleans). <=== would be nice to visit New Orleans
   
3. Carnival Triumph - 12 Night Journey of Discovery (departing Mar 2 from Galveston). <=== fantastic itinerary but not sure about the ship given all the days at sea.
   

 

Not set on these 3 options, we're open to others if anyone has a suggestion. Any other advice, tips, or other thoughts would be most appreciated... thanks so much in advance, all! :D

[Buck Turgidson]

I'd do the New Orleans cruise, arrive a couple day's early to check out the town.:) A lot to see and eat, in New Orleans

[Cruisin' Chick]

Have you checked with a TA to see if there's still cabins on these cruises as you're talking about ones coming up within a couple of months

[Flatbush Flyer]

From Vancouver? Stay in the Pacific!

Edited January 11, 2015 by Flatbush Flyer

[Essiesmom]

If you want something more relaxing, and elegant, of the three listed, I would choose Reflection. but I would also suggest, since you mentioned Panama Canal, you look at the partial transits of Coral Princess or HAL Zuiderdam. Or, if you are really adventurous, a 7 day passage of the canal on Windstar Cruises Wind Spirit. This time of your life is when to do the more adventurous things, before you are slowed by children and their needs. EM

[DonnaK]

I would do either the REflection cruise or the Serenade. Both lovely ships.

[middlehaitch]

I would do Celebrity Reflection, I love Celebrity, and the Solstice class ships are beautiful.

I would do Serenade of the Seas, always wanted to go to New Orleans.

I would seriously look at a Panama Canal, though you could save that until you can cruise different dates so you can do a repositioning Panama Canal. They sail from Ft Lauderdale ( or other southern east coast ports), through the Canal and up to Seattle, that is a great cruise and gets you almost home. They tend to be towards the end of April.

 

Oh heck, I've decided, Do the Celebrity cruise. Save New Orleans for a vacation during Mardi Gras, and the Canal until you can do the repositioning version.

Hahaha, I thought that through as though it was me going.

A great cruise that you didn't mention is the Celebrity Eclipse 14 nght Exotic Caribbean. I love that cruise - just enough port and sea days.

 

Have fun deciding,

 

Cheers. h, in cool and wet YYJ.

[big al]

Hi all, long time lurker here.... I'm really struggling to decide on a cruise, and I'm hoping some of the cruise experts out there can help me pick one based on our preferences/criteria. Thanks in advance for any comments/advice! :D

 

Background: My fiancée and I are planning on booking a cruise for sometime in late Feb or early March, 2015. We are from Vancouver, Canada, and we're both in our late 20's.

 

We are fairly avid travelers, and we've been on 2 cruises previously: a 7-night Eastern Caribbean on the Carnival Freedom in 2010 (absolutely loved it), and an 8-night Southern Caribbean on the Carnival Victory in 2011 (good itinerary but the ship wasn't great). We loved the service on Carnival, and the food was good, too... but we'd be more than happy to try a new cruise line this time around.

 

We like to spend time by the pool (so pools and hot tubs are a priority when choosing a ship), watch the occasional comedy show, relax in the sun with a book in adults-only area, etc. We don't gamble and have no interest in shopping. Prefer to avoid crowds wherever possible; don't care much about fellow passengers as long as they're not all retirees or young children. We are fortunate enough to have a fair bit of disposable income, so price/cost is not a major concern (within reason).

 

Because we've already done Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises, we are looking at either Western Caribbean (ie. Caymans, Cozumel, etc) or Panama Canal. Don't care what port the cruise leaves from. We're fine with some days at sea if the ship has nice pools and other 'fun in the sun' activities. We take full advantage of the time available at each port of call (prefer full days), but don't usually do the cruise line excursions.

 

We'd like to depart around March 1st, give or take a week in either direction. Our dates are somewhat flexible, and we're open to cruises from 7 to 14 nights in length.

 

Currently at the top of our list of possible options:

 

1. Celebrity Reflection - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise (departing Feb 28 from Miami). <=== looks amazing, but not sure about Celebrity
   
2. Serenade of the Seas - 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise (departing Feb 28 from New Orleans). <=== would be nice to visit New Orleans
   
3. Carnival Triumph - 12 Night Journey of Discovery (departing Mar 2 from Galveston). <=== fantastic itinerary but not sure about the ship given all the days at sea.
   

 

Not set on these 3 options, we're open to others if anyone has a suggestion. Any other advice, tips, or other thoughts would be most appreciated... thanks so much in advance, all! :D

 

Cruise agent & 30 cruise person here, on all but Costa & MSC...I would choose the Reflection BY FAR over the other two- much higher rated ship over Carnival,better food, better cabins, newer ship, etc...IMO, you are not looking at the best options for your age group & what you like to do...HAL is for very mature adults- we were on there 10 years ago, I was 53 , and the average age was about 80..don't get me wrong, nice ship, but shows were pretty bad & food was mediocre IMO to us..you should be looking at ships like: RCI Oasis/ Allure/ Freedom Of The Seas/ Independence Of The Seas, Norwegian Getaway/ Epic, Carnival Breeze, MSC Divina, and the Celebrity Reflection..all these ships are much bigger, newer, offer many more perqs ( like 20+ dining venues, more pools & hot tubs, adult pools only, etc..) ..The Reflection is the SECOND highest rated ship here on CC after the Disney Dream..Allure & Oasis close behind..Getaway has LOTS of entertainment & fantastic restaurants...both MSC & Norwegian are offering great prices now & even OBC ( on board credits)...as an agent, I would put all of these before the Carnival Triumph ( which I've cruised on), Serenade ( too small for me), & the Reflection is fine ( several friends have gone & RAVED about it..)...JMHO....any questions, give a shout...

 

Big Al...

[cruiseapril]

We would look at Celebrity or Princess for Western or Panama Canal cruises.

[SuiteTraveler]

I think you should be considering NCL Epic or Getaway and being in The Haven on either of these ships since you have plenty of money. It is a fantastic experience and you will get your adults only areas, plus the peace of The Haven. The Haven has a pool and hot tub exclusively for the use of Haven guests. There is also a restaurant and bar especially for Haven guests. You have a butler and a concierge and all kinds of special perks. It's kind of like sailing on a private yacht. The spa onboard is amazing with ocean views in the dry saunas and thalisotherapy area. There is a ton to do onboard - things like Ropes courses and they have a full scale watermark, bowling, even an ice bar. The food in the specialty restaurants is GREAT! MDR also good.

 

What is different about NCL is that you can eat in a different specialty restaurant every night and the entertainment is fantastic. You don't have to dress up, ever, unless you want to.

 

The other ships you should consider would be RCCL Allure of the Seas and RCCL Oasis of the Seas. These ships are similar to the above NCL ships, although they don't have the great spa that NCL does.

 

Celebrity - skews older - not as old as HAL, though. They are known for having the best MDR food of the major cruise lines. The entertainment is lacking. There are 2 large pools on this ship.

 

Serenade of the Seas - old ship, it's OK, but not a wow compared to what is available nowadays.

 

Carnival Triumph - read this: http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/17/travel/carnival-cruise-triumph-problems/

Yes, Carnival has fixed this ship since that disastrous cruise. But it is still an old ship.

[lifes-a-beach]

check out the ncl jewel leaving Houston on April 18. lots of sea days and ports plus a canal transit. we would be on it if not for our kids graduating college in may.

[Lerin]

If they were all 7 days I'd say Serenade. However one you've listed is 12 days. that one for sure, you won't regret 5 extra days of vacation.

[Calebo]

We are booked with Celebrity for an 11 cruise, which in my opinion is the best of both worlds. The Caribbean and Panama Canal all in one, ( you don't go through the Canal but you dock close enough to do tours, we have done the Panama Canal and it was ok, but this cruise gives both. This cruise is called 11 Night Ultimate Caribbean and the ship is the Equinox.

We cruised on the sister ship, the Eclipse, last time and loved it.

 

 

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