HELP! I have to cruises on hold!? Which one?

[cruizinrican]

I have the Enchantment of the Seas leaving Dec. 19 for 5 nights leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale (we would have to drive and pay parking for the week) with 3 ports of call and an aft balcony and/or the Legend of the Seas leaving Dec. 17 for 7 nts. leaving out of Tampa (our home port so we could get a ride there and not have to pay parking) with 4 ports of call and no quads were available so we got 2 insides side by side.

 

My dilemma is that the difference between the two is $700 more for the Legend than the Enchantment. Is it worth the headache of driving the 5 hours over to Ft. Lauderdale and paying for parking all week? I do get 2 cabins? 2 cabins=2 bathrooms? And privacy too!

 

Please help me decide ASAP, these cabins will only hold until tomorrow afternoon. I need input NOW!

 

Thanks in advance, I know you guys will know what I should do.

 

Cruizinrican:)

[jckvpa0]

I would take a 7 day over the 5. Also, it seems alot more convient for you.

[CAT GIRL]

I don't see this as too much of a dilemma. Let me get this straight.

For $700 you get 2 more nights and you don't have to drive 5 hours

and then pay for parking? Parking for us is around $100 for a week.

I would do the Legend. Longer is always better in my opinion.

[Jessi T]

I can't really answer for you, but I have some questions that might help you decide:

 

1: Would you rather spend Christmas at home, or on a cruise ship? The Enchantment sailing ends on the 24th... do you want to spend five hours in a car on Christmas Eve?

 

2: Which is better: An aft balcony, or an extra bathroom?

 

3: Would you rather spends the $700 difference for two more days, or save it for something entirely different?

 

4: Do you prefer one ship over the other? That would help me decide...

 

5: The cool kids are going on the Enchantment cruise (lol, just kidding... I am, though ;) )

 

Not all that helpful, probably... but those are some things I would consider if I was in the same position.

[tazmancruiser]

Never done a five day. But my problem has alway been time flies. Cruise is over before you know it.

You loose time the first day unless you get on the ship early. The last night is alway a "bummer" because you have to take time to pack.

Plus it take me several days to relax.

Personnaly I would opt. for the seven day.

[smrtypnts]

I can't really answer for you, but I have some questions that might help you decide:

 

1: Would you rather spend Christmas at home, or on a cruise ship? The Enchantment sailing ends on the 24th... do you want to spend five hours in a car on Christmas Eve?

 

 

Both cruises disembark on the 24th, only the 7 day he won't have to drive for 5 hours afterwards.

 

Personally, I'd give up the balcony in lieu of 2 rooms, and 2 days extra cruise, plus not having to drive 5 hours both ways. 5 hours to get to the pier is bad enough, but when you're done with the cruise you don't want to have to have that burden upon you on Christmas Eve (if you're Christian). Since you'd have to pay for parking on the Enchantment, that means LOS is really only about $600 more.:) Add gas to 10 hours of driving and I'd bet you could say it's only $500 more for LOS. ;) Soooo, giving up a view and a balcony for 6 extra meals times 4 and no driving???!!!!! It's a no brainer, but that's just MHO. Some people would rather not cruise without a balcony.

[Jessi T]

Both cruises disembark on the 24th, only the 7 day he won't have to drive for 5 hours afterwards.

 

Aha... my bad. I thought both started on the same day, for some reason...

[cruz1234]

I'm probably the ONLY person on here who would only do the 5 night for $700 less. OK so adding parking and driving time it balances to about $500.00 less, 2 cabins so that is $250.00. For 2 extra days..that means it's costing me $125 per day..hmmm..seems like alot. I like to pay under $100 per day..plus After 5 days of eating and touring and sunning I'm done. I would want to get to my own home for the holiday. But like I said I am probably the only one who would think this way. You could check on renting a car, a mid size might run about $35.00 each way drop it off at FLL airport, they have a free shuttle to the port. Then you don't put wear and tear on your car, no paying for parking and drop off at the door, no finidn your way to the pier. 5 hrs to me is not that big of a drive it would have to be 7-8 to make me think hard about it.

[smrtypnts]

I'm probably the ONLY person on here who would only do the 5 night for $700 less. OK so adding parking and driving time it balances to about $500.00 less, 2 cabins so that is $250.00. For 2 extra days..that means it's costing me $125 per day..hmmm..seems like alot. I like to pay under $100 per day..plus

 

That's $125per day for TWO people! I suspect you like to pay less than $100 per day per person!;)

[cruizinrican]

I knew you all would come thru for me. Everyone has had many fine points some of the very ones that I was thinking over. Like paying more than $100 pp per day. The 5 nighter on the Enchantment is actually more than the 7 nighter when broken down per person. EOS works out to be $150 pp per day and LOS works out to $132 pp per day. Remember these are both considered hoilday sailings since the kids are all out of school already.

 

I was booked on the Zenith and canceled (need to change my signature) bc my son has exams that last week of school before Xmas break begins. So in order to bring him and do something special for him (his birthday is 16th) I am booking one of these.

 

So lets look at some of the points that were brought up, the good and bad ones:

 

1. Parking in Ft. Lauderdale is aprox. $10 per day= $70

2. Gas to Ft. Lauderdale and back. $130 in my SUV

3. Of course I would rather spend Xmas Eve at home then on the road.

4. Well, the 2 bathrooms are always a plus when traveling with more than 2 people.

5. I have always wanted an aft balcony cabin and have not had one yet.

6. Of course, I would rather spend $700 on something else. That's my problem! LOL An extra $700 in our on board acct. would be nice too.

7. I loved the EOS when we cruised on our only 5 nighter ever but the LOS is in my backyard. The kids stayed with Grandma at home on that one so they never saw it.

8. I would love to see what the EOS looks like now after she was stretched.

9. I hate short cruises, my moto has always been, if it isn't 7 nights or more don't even bother to book it! I hate to get settled and then a few days later have to get off. YUCK!

10. I would have to get everyone up early that morning and drive the there the day of boarding or drive the night before and stay in a hotel.

11. Cost of a night in Ft. Lauderdale that night $100 aprox.

 

So if I add up all the totals to go to Ft. L to get on EOS, it comes to $300 for the 5 nighter. So now the difference in cost between the 2 are only $400.

 

Not so bad now.........hmmmm? But wait I forgot about the 2 extra days of tipping for the four of us on the 7 nighter?

At $10 pp @ 4 people per day x 2 extra days = $80

 

So I am still leaning towards the LOS just bc of fact that it is right here where I live and I won't have to drive or park the car.

But still up for more suggestions.

 

Thanks for all the input so far.

Cruizinrican:)

[NancyIL]

I don't think anyone mentioned one more port on the 7-day than on the 5-day. While an excursion for 4 people will add to your costs, if you've never been to that port, I say go for it! I just checked both itineraries, and Legend goes to Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Belize City, and Cozumel (you hope). Enchantment goes to Key West, Cozumel (you hope), and Belize City. I was on Splendour of the Seas out of Tampa last April for a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise, with the same itinerary as Legend, and loved it.