Help me choose between these 2 carnival breeze cruises.

[brookeq]

We are trying to choose a cruise for our family. There will be will be 20 of us. Ages range from 4 to 60. Everyone decided they want to sail on the breeze early in 2016. We have it narrowed down to two cruises. Both out of miami and both 8 days.

 

January 30th:

 

3 days at sea

Grand Turk -- 8 to 4 pm

San Juan -- 1-8 pm

St Kitts -- 10-8pm

St. Maarten -- 8-5pm

 

 

or February 27th:

 

3 days at sea

St Thomas -- 8-4pm

St. Maarten - 8-6pm

Antigua -- 8-5pm

Amber Cove -- 12-7pm

 

 

Just some misc info:

 

I have the young kids so I wanted the easiest ports. Grand Turk appealed to me.

 

We have been to St. Maarten and St. Thomas before we had kids. Everyone else has never been to any of these ports.

 

Puerto Rico is the stop that concerns my sister in laws. They are not interested in it. i would go see the forts and walk around/take trolley. I like having one day that isn't the beach. I like "seeing" things.

 

Amber cove is our question mark on the other cruise. Since its a new port there are no reviews and limited excursion listed on Carnival. I have read is on the atlantic side so not the nice blue water beaches. I found a cool place to visit (27 waterfalls of Damajagua). But not sure how hard it will be to get there from port or if tours will be offered there.

 

They want to book this weekend but no one will make a decision. I am sure it will be up to me. For some reason I get looked on to make the decisions.

 

Thanks so much!

[Eileenfa1]

I have been on the breeze one and going a for a second time in April. I would the jan 30 one. Although I have been to most of these ports . Grand Turk,San Juan , st kitts and st Maarten . Looks great. I'm doing San Juan , antiqua, st Thomas and Bahamas . I don't think you could go wrong either way. Enjoy your cruise[emoji5]️

[brookeq]

Thanks. We have went on the dream last year. We are excited to try the Breeze

[javamom]

I would also do Jan. 30. Those are all great ports. Grand Turk is my very favorite port.

[A&Jfamily]

A third vote for 1/30...love Grand Turk. I haven't read great things about Amber Cove..and its really just a private island stop. And Puerto Rico is a great place to visit...so much to do...so much culture. Not as many ships go there as St. Thomas..

[Valor2005]

We were just on the Jan. 31 sailing of the Breeze. Wish we'd had your ports instead of stopping at Nassau. It's a nice time of year to cruise. We've done it twice. Both times we've had fairly calm seas and comfortable temperatures. The end of Feb. you'll start seeing higher prices and spring breakers.

[mumtopugs]

We loved Grand Turk. We took a golf cart to the light house at the other end of the island and everyone we encountered was super nice and super interesting. The water is beautifully clear and the beach is sizable. This may be a good compromise where you can explore and the others can beach.

[OCruisers]

If I had to pick, it would be 2/27 because I don't like having San Juan as a port day. :)

LuLu

[eng4]

I was nervous about San Juan until I went there Jan 2014. We felt safe. We did the segway tour, it was awesome. Great way to see a lot of places with a personal guide. She said not to go to the area on the other side of the big cement wall. Walking around the port area or both forts was safe. I would go back again. We are on the Jan 2016 sailing on Breeze [emoji4]

[Rock_ON!!]

I've been to San Juan twice. Never felt unsafe. Old San Juan has so much charm and history with the 2 forts. They even offer a free trolley to drive you around the city too all the major sites. You would really be missing out on a great little city with so much to see and do.

[GASPARTY]

We were on the Breeze and Jan 30th itenary last year. Old San Juan is nice to walk around, found the place the first piña colada was made. Lol. We met people who did the rain forest, but I think that would be a long ride for them. Walk around San Juan, cobblestone streets and pretty churches and buildings!

[cmacon822]

San Juan and Grand Turk are my 2 most favorite ports! Even my children, who were from 11 to 13 at the time, loved both ports. We did excursions outside of Carnival in both places and had an awesome days. In Grand Turk we rode through the whole island on golf carts. We had a map and visited beaches that nobody else was on, and we rode out to the light house. We stopped at a gas station and got a few bottles of soda. All the locals were so nice.

There is so much to see in San Juan. We found a tour guide right outside the port gate. It was about $10.00 each for us to ride around in air condition and get a very informative tour. We stopped several times to see the beaches and historic spots. Once we were back close to the ship several of us got off and chose to walk around town for a while. We went to Starbucks and took advantage of free Wifi and visited several shops.

They both are beautiful ports if you find the right excursions :)

[skrufy]

January 30th.

[manmachine]

I can tell you with kids Divi Little Bay in St Maarten is terrific, and not too expensive. You can book on your own.

 

Marriott St Kitts had a day pass, wonderful! Not sure if this still applies, but we had a room for the day!

 

San Juan is wonderful to walk around with family. The fort is amazing. Very friendly people.

[bandnurse]

We LOVE San Juan, the forts were awesome, but then again we are history buffs. Even my kids (17 & 19 at the time we were there) loved it. One of the great things about San Juan is the FREE Trolly that will take you just about anywhere you need/want to get around the island. Did I mention it is FREE!

 

Here is a link to the trolly map: http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/free-trolley-old-san-juan/

 

Grand Turk is very nice too, we snorkeled the wall when we were there, had a blast. We are water people but not so much into just lying around on a beach all day so the snorkeling was just right for us.

 

Have not been on the Breeze yet, will be on her in June, can not wait!

 

You will have a blast no matter what itinerary you choose.

[mrpayroll]

Another vote for Jan. 30th. We Love old San Juan. :)

[brookeq]

Thanks everyone. We are booked for January 30th.

 

Looking out our window and seeing all of the snow makes me wish we were cruising right now!

[Boozebabe]

Having just cruised on the Breeze on Jan 25 I would recommend waiting until February. waters were way too cold at end of Jan. It was not enjoyable. Days were not as warm as I would like for the caribbean. If swimming is important then that may make a difference to manmy. JMHO

ps I'll never do another ajnuary cruise again. Too iffy on the weather. it was downright cold in Miami the day we sailed.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Boozebabe

[MNKEITH]

We booked the 2/27 cruise when we were onboard a couple weeks ago. I also liked the 1/30 itinerary better, but that date doesn't work for me work-wise.

 

I think we will book the Vista in Feb of 2017 - it has the same itinerary as the 1/30.

 

Either way, you cant go wrong with the Breeze. I'd take almost any itinerary on her!!

[Jay Sam]

We are trying to choose a cruise for our family. There will be will be 20 of us. Ages range from 4 to 60. Everyone decided they want to sail on the breeze early in 2016. We have it narrowed down to two cruises. Both out of miami and both 8 days.

 

January 30th:

 

3 days at sea

Grand Turk -- 8 to 4 pm

San Juan -- 1-8 pm

St Kitts -- 10-8pm

St. Maarten -- 8-5pm

 

 

or February 27th:

 

3 days at sea

St Thomas -- 8-4pm

St. Maarten - 8-6pm

Antigua -- 8-5pm

Amber Cove -- 12-7pm

 

 

Just some misc info:

 

I have the young kids so I wanted the easiest ports. Grand Turk appealed to me.

 

We have been to St. Maarten and St. Thomas before we had kids. Everyone else has never been to any of these ports.

 

Puerto Rico is the stop that concerns my sister in laws. They are not interested in it. i would go see the forts and walk around/take trolley. I like having one day that isn't the beach. I like "seeing" things.

 

Amber cove is our question mark on the other cruise. Since its a new port there are no reviews and limited excursion listed on Carnival. I have read is on the atlantic side so not the nice blue water beaches. I found a cool place to visit (27 waterfalls of Damajagua). But not sure how hard it will be to get there from port or if tours will be offered there.

 

They want to book this weekend but no one will make a decision. I am sure it will be up to me. For some reason I get looked on to make the decisions.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Wow, tough decision. Will try to be objective with my advice for you. Either one would be amazing. Breeze in itself would be at least 50 percent of the experience.

 

Not sure why the gals don't want to visit San Juan. The ship ports right in Old San Juan. A lot to do and see, including the fort. Very quaint area frequented by a lot of the tourists. Nothing to worry about there. A very nice way to visit the area and not pay a huge hotel bill. Hotels are above average in price in San Juan overall, but especially in Old San Juan. The ship is your hotel. When I took a cruise out of San Juan, I arrived a day early, but couldn't justify a hotel rate in Old San Juan, which was my preference, so stayed at the airport hotel, which was great too. But when I took a cruise through San Juan the stop there was great. Like I said, great way to be in Old San Juan and not have to pay a huge hotel bill.

 

You mentioned having 2 young children and wanting easy ports. Well Grand Turk came to mind immediately. That is one of my favorites. From the ship to the beach is a 10 minute walk. Tons of loungers on the beach and a great view of the ship. So, to visit a great beach within 10 minutes of the ship, to me is a huge advantage. A great pavillion there with a lot of shops, bars and restaurants. Have heard though the signature bar/restaurant there is expensive. So, solution is to eat on the ship and just lounge on the beach. I didn't even do that beach thing, but sure enjoyed Grand Turk. The cruise books rave about it too. When I went there, I was thinking this is great just like the cruise books said.

 

So I guess from the info' you have given, I would pick the one that visits San Juan and Grand Turk.

 

Tell the gals, San Juan is great, and I am particular with ports I visit. So if I like San Juan, then most anybody will.

 

For me, the other one would be my pick. Two new ports for me which is a priority. Amber Cove being one of them. Thanks for sharing about the 27 waterfalls. Sound quite cool. I am sure there will be shore excursions for that one definitely. Another reason why I would choose that one for me would be the visit to Antigua. Never been there before along with Amber Cove.

 

All in all from what you said, take the one visiting San Juan and Grand Turk.

 

Feel free to contact me at jsamuel2@tampabay.rr.com

 

All the best and enjoy Breeze. One of my goals in 2015, along with Sunshine.