Torn between 2 cruises - input/thoughts please?

[gkrnjlr]

We are torn between two cruises:

 

1...Dawn in March out of San Juan that goes to St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Martinique, Bridgetown, St. Maarten

2...Bliss in January out of Miami that goes to Tortola, St. Thomas and Nassau.

 

It really boils down to - do we want to take a new ship or go see new ports?

 

I know no one has been on the Bliss yet, but we did sail the Escape when it was new and liked it a lot. Although the Dawn has several new ports for us.

 

Which would you choose?

[ColinIllinois]

What are you leaning towards? It's all about what you want.

 

 

Ship or destinations? Pretty simple. What do you like?

[gkrnjlr]

What are you leaning towards? It's all about what you want.

 

We're torn....that is why we're asking for other people's input.

[ColinIllinois]

We're torn....that is why we're asking for other people's input.

 

 

I hit "submit reply" before I finished my post. Sorry. What is more important to you and your cruise partners...the ship or the ports? For me, I would love the new ship.

[www3traveler]

(1) Are both cruises equal in length?? How long can you be gone?

 

(2) Is price an issue? From what I am seeing the pricing on the Bliss is a bit on the high side.

 

For me, if everything is equal, I would go Bliss. The Bliss could be a destination all by Herself.

[bronzey214]

I saw you were on the Escape - how did you like it? We decided that we prefer a smaller boat and new places than a new boat and the same places.

 

We were on the Getaway twice, then scheduled for the Gem (which was cancelled and we went on the Coral Princess) and then booked the Dawn

[Zeno]

I think it depends on personal preference - for me it would always be new ports over new ship.

[gkrnjlr]

(1) Are both cruises equal in length?? How long can you be gone?

 

(2) Is price an issue? From what I am seeing the pricing on the Bliss is a bit on the high side.

 

For me, if everything is equal, I would go Bliss. The Bliss could be a destination all by Herself.

 

Both are 7 nights, which fits into our timeline that we usually choose. The Bliss is higher in price!

 

 

 

I saw you were on the Escape - how did you like it? We decided that we prefer a smaller boat and new places than a new boat and the same places.

 

We were on the Getaway twice, then scheduled for the Gem (which was cancelled and we went on the Coral Princess) and then booked the Dawn

 

We loved the Escape. The ship was so big though that we didn't get to do everything on it. We still rate it as one of our favorites.

 

We don't necessarily prefer larger or smaller ships over each other. I was on the Pearl many years ago (Alaska cruise) and loved it but then we took the Pearl last year and it just wasn't great. Not sure why but it just didn't rank very high with us. (Maybe because we were on the Escape the year before?)

[adoris]

I would choose Bliss. How is the cost difference and ease of getting to and from San Juan rather than Miami?

[bluesea777]

Dawn went thru dry dock and I heard it's a better ship now than before - completely renovated and has a new restaurant.

 

So perhaps you'd like to alternate different sized ships for their itineraries. Remember Bliss will stick to the milk runs for a while, but Dawn will change itineraries.

 

I chose Dawn.

[havanadaydreaming]

Dawn.

 

much better itinerary. unless you prefer at sea days.

 

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[kathy884]

I've cruised for new ports and I've cruised for new ship. In general, I think that Caribbean ports are really quite similar to each other when you are only doing a one day cruise stop, so I would do the Bliss. But that's easy for me to say, as I've done all those stops out of San Juan before.;p

 

You can do an island tour, snorkeling/scuba, swimming with dolphins, or a beach break, almost everywhere.

 

I do, though, absolutely love St Martin and going to Maho beach where all the planes come in.

[dd likes to cruise]

How about airfare prices also. Is there a big difference? I think I would pick Bliss, new ship. But would not sail on it if too new.

 

And do you love sea days, or more of a port person? More ports on the older ship.

[gkrnjlr]

Air fare is similar in price. Miami is easier to go from airport to hotel to port. San Juan may be easy, but we've never been there. In early searches I'm not finding it as simple (as Miami) to go from airport to hotel to port.

 

Sea days vs port days....if I really had to choose one over the other I would say I like port days. And....with having so many ports we would go for an inside cabin instead of a balcony.

 

I love the information I'm getting here. Thank you, everyone!

[don't-use-real-name]

6 of one and a half dozen of the other !

 

Been on the DAWN twice and the sister ship STAR once the SUN twice.

Somewhat prejudice about the smaller ship - but then never have been on a larger ship (BLISS - but has yet to sail).

DAWN sailing in southern Caribbean interesting but have been to those ports on Carnival.

As for the future Alaska sailing of the BLISS have been there 4 times to all ports on other cruise ships/lines.

 

I view the smaller ship - the port is the destination and the large ship as the destination in itself.

 

The larger the ship the more the crowds and competition for its features activities and space.

 

So do you prefer the SS Oranges or the SS Apples - decisions do you take the blue pill or the red one ?

 

So just maybe my large ship will come in and I will chance a cruise on the behemoth oversized floating amusement park ark.

[OCruisers]

If you enjoyed the old ports you visited and would like to go again and do something you didn't get to do last time or really enjoyed last time .... go with the NEW Ship. (y)

[kathy884]

San Juan cruises are unique due to the number of ports you can visit. Also, Puerto Rico is a great place to go in its' own right. Any chance you can take off some extra days and hang there before or after your cruise? That is always a lot of run. My extended family like to stay in Rincon for a few days before San Juan cruises -- a little place that looks lovely a bit farther out of the San Juan metro area. I don't have a clue, though, as to how back to normal all these places are after Irma.

[BirdTravels]

We would do the new ship and old ports. We are going to Alaska doing this.

[Oldgoat61]

We have cruised out of SJ, and have been on the Dawn (before refurb). Have never been on an Away ship, but that will change this May (Bliss!). Do you like sea days, or do you mind a port intensive itinerary? To me, new ports would be the draw, and you can always hop on the Bliss in the future.

We didn't have any trouble getting to the port in SJ, it is roughly a 20 min. taxi from the airport.

[rtkenmore]

I've been on both Escape and Dawn. We loved all the "stuff" to do on Escape but it was the same old ports as we got re-routed East to West Caribbean (Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya). I like Dawn as well even if it is "old" (dry-docked in 2016). It's some good things to to enjoy.

 

It really comes down to do you want to see the ports more or the ship more.

[roxette]

I would choose the Bliss. Normally I prefer the older, smaller ships. But I would avoid the Dawn (and the Star) due to the lack of the Great Outdoors. And also the lack of an observation lounge.

[rxlowry]

I'd pick the Dawn. I've been to all the ports on both and I think the Dawn is a more interesting itinerary. Also, I'm not a fan of the big ships so easy choice for me.

[atsea64]

NCL Dawn San Juan visits 5 ports only 1 sea dayNCL Bliss Miami visits 3 ports 3 sea days

If ship life is more important to you than I vote for the Bliss

If Ports are your thing go with Dawn and the time on ship is limited with all port calls

 

 

June 2018 NCL Gem

March 2017 Regal Princess

June 2016 RCL Adventure Seas

Feb 2016 NCL Getaway

Nov 2015 RCL Liberty

Feb 2015 NCL Pearl

[gkrnjlr]

Thank you for all the input! I think we're going to do the Dawn. It's less expensive and since we're not on the ship much anyway, with having so many ports, we'll go for an inside cabin instead of balcony.

 

Thanks everyone!

[FatGuyOnALittleBoat]

Been on the Dawn twice. Once in 2016 pre-dry dock and once in 2017 post-dry dock. Both W. Caribbean out of New Orleans. The Dawn is a great ship. There are no waterslides, rock wall, ropes course, or other gimmicks but I wouldn't use any of those anyway. If youre OK with that, youll have a great trip.