Choosing between CB, Glory, or Mariner OTS

[Mrsdigi]

Hello everyone. This cruise will be our first ever. It will be our 10th anniversary and we plan on going the week of June 10. We are in our mid-30s and like to have fun but also relax, which of the three ships would be our best bet (all three sail Eastern). I have been reading these boards for the past few weeks and and going crazy deciding. Any help at all would be most appreciated. :)

[melis74]

I can't speak for the others, but my husband & I (30's & 40's), my brother and his son (17 & 18) went on the Mariner in 2004 and loved every single thing about the ship. I have been on several different ships and so far the Mariner is my favorite, hands down. It is easy to find your way around, the staff was very friendly and despite the number of people on the cruise we never felt crowded. There is plenty to do but you can also choose to relax, entirely up to you.

 

I am looking forward to my first Princess cruise next year, we shall see how that compares!

 

Good luck with your decision! I'm sure you will have a fabulous time no matter which you decide to do!

[madelinerose]

Well, the Mariner is the largest and is also the most expensive for balcony and suites. They're all 7 night cruises. The CB is the newest ship by a year.

 

Then, I'd decide upon itinerary...i.e, if there was one particular port I'd prefer to visit. I'd check out airfare, if you're flying, to Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. I'd read reviews on this and other sites on all three ships, check out pics and virtual tours and base my decision on price, aesthetics, ports and the overall "feel" you get from your research.

 

CB will have MUTS and Anytime/Personal Choice dining. Our first cruise on Princess is in September and Anytime/Personal Choice is a big plus in my book. DH and I are new cruisers also, Princess will be our second, but as you can see from the number of posts I have, I've done tons and tons of research, probably too much - lol!

 

No matter which cruiseline or ship you choose, be aware that will be cruising when school is out, so there will be many children on all three ships.

 

Good luck, and above all, ENJOY!!!

[madelinerose]

Mrsdigi...Oh, and don't forget to buy travel insurance. ;)

[Mrsdigi]

Thanks everyone for your advice. After careful consideration I am leaning toward Princess. Cabins are a bit cheaper and I figure at that time of year (2nd week of June) there may be less kids on Princess than on the other two. I appreciate everything. :) And I definately plan on buying travel insurance.

[travellady]

We equally enjoy the Voyager Class ships (Mariner is one) and the Princess Grand Class ships. Typically Princess is less expensive, for equal accomodations, and we love Anytime Dining. But, I do give Voyager class a better score when it comes to "active" activities, those my 12 year old loves such as roller blading, ice skating, rock climbing wall.

 

Bottom line, we love both, and just pick based on what we're looking for for that particular cruise in terms of itinerary, total relaxation (Anytime Dining provides that as there's no pressure to get ready for a particular dinner seating each night), and who's joining us.

 

We've booked Caribbean Princess for this Xmas, and Freedom of the Seas (the Ultra Voyager class) for next Thanksgiving. I'm sure we'll enjoy both.