Cruise Comparison

[Mufty16889]

Hi everyone,

 

I can’t decide between these two cruises. I know that they are very different destinations but interested in any feedback regarding these options. This would be a trip for my 10th wedding anniversary with my husband. Prices are comparable so that isn’t a factor. 
 

1. 7 Day New England and Canada - Sky Princess  - October 

2. 7 Day New York to Bermuda - Norwegian Encore - November

 

Thanks in advance! 

[Shmoo here]

3 minutes ago, Mufty16889 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I can’t decide between these two cruises. I know that they are very different destinations but interested in any feedback regarding these options. This would be a trip for my 10th wedding anniversary with my husband. Prices are comparable so that isn’t a factor. 
 

1. 7 Day New England and Canada - Sky Princess  - October 

2. 7 Day New York to Bermuda - Norwegian Encore - November

 

Thanks in advance! 

Me, personally, I'd do Princess.  

[clo]

18 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

Me, personally, I'd do Princess.  

Because of the cruise line or the itinerary?

[Shmoo here]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

Because of the cruise line or the itinerary?

The itinerary.  And I've been on Princess and like them.  I haven't been on Norwegian, but I'm wary of them.

 

I think a Canadian/NE cruise in October would be nicer than a November cruise out of NY.

[clo]

22 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

I think a Canadian/NE cruise in October would be nicer than a November cruise out of NY.

I agree although I've not done either but the former is of quite a bit of interest to me.

[AF-1]

I have sailed both Princess and NCL.  I am on SKY Princess doing the New England Canada trip dep 10 Oct.  This will be an awesome time.  Few things about Princess.  Once you book your cruise you can log into your account and list it is your anniversary.  Princess will do things on board to make sure your anniversary is special.  NCL is a relaxed and casual atmosphere.  I had a good time on a two week cruise with them; but most likely would not sail them again. Why?  Because I just thought it seemed a little cheap on their ships.  I have been on two Princess cruises and love the way they care for their passengers.  It is a refined and casual time; and it doesn't have the amusement park feeling as on Royal Caribbean or Carnival.  If you have any other questions let me know.  Have fun out there. 

[janetz]

Love Princess

Like NCL

Love Bermuda more 😉

October is the perfect time for Bermuda 
 

Edited February 27, 2020 by janetz

[Zach1213]

To me, this is easy. In my opinion, Princess > Norwegian, and a Canada cruise > Bermuda cruise. I personally love Bermuda as a land vacation, but don't have much desire to cruise there. 

[John Bull]

At that time of year I think I'd prefer a cruise which started at LaGuardia or JFK  

 

But of the two I think Princess Canada / New England in October wins hands-down

New England in the Fall. 

Boston?

Bar Harbor?

And Quebec? Brilliant if rather hilly.

Are they included?

 

Never been disappointed by Princess.

Never been on NCL for the same sort of reservations as Shmoo.

 

JB 

Edited February 27, 2020 by John Bull

[AF-1]

John Bull,  the Princess itinerary out of New York is; Boston, Newport, Bar Harbor, St. John, and Halifax

[leaveitallbehind]

OK going to throw a couple of curves here, but based on itinerary and the fact that you have 3 days in Bermuda, I would choose Bermuda.  But I would also do it in their prime season of June - September as it starts to get rather cool in November as that is in their off season.  And I would do it on Celebrity Summit instead. 

 

If the fall is your only option then I would choose Princess New England/Canada and save Bermuda until you can go in season.

Edited February 27, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[Essiesmom]

Totally agree with the above.  While I like Bermuda, I would not go there in Nov.  EM

[MCC retired]

Nov is not the Season for visiting Bermuda , Oct is the Season for CA/NE 

[bbwex]

13 hours ago, Mufty16889 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I can’t decide between these two cruises. I know that they are very different destinations but interested in any feedback regarding these options. This would be a trip for my 10th wedding anniversary with my husband. Prices are comparable so that isn’t a factor. 
 

1. 7 Day New England and Canada - Sky Princess  - October 

2. 7 Day New York to Bermuda - Norwegian Encore - November

 

Thanks in advance! 

I would have to second the thoughts of many that the New England cruise would be my choice.  There are more ports, and they are each different.  I have not looked at the specific itinerary for the Sky Princess cruise, but typically these cruises stop in Boston, Newport, Portland, perhaps Bar Harbor and several places in Canada.  IMHO it is much more interesting than just going to Bermuda.  Not that I don't like Bermuda, but as mentioned the New England and Canada trip would be much more interesting.

[janetz]

I agree

I did not notice November was the month for Bermuda 😊

[pacruise804]

20 hours ago, Mufty16889 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I can’t decide between these two cruises. I know that they are very different destinations but interested in any feedback regarding these options. This would be a trip for my 10th wedding anniversary with my husband. Prices are comparable so that isn’t a factor. 
 

1. 7 Day New England and Canada - Sky Princess  - October 

2. 7 Day New York to Bermuda - Norwegian Encore - November

 

Thanks in advance! 

 

10 hours ago, AF-1 said:

John Bull,  the Princess itinerary out of New York is; Boston, Newport, Bar Harbor, St. John, and Halifax

 

I leaned toward Princess before, but with the additional information that they are both from NY I definitely would choose Princess. Is the Princess itinerary Round Trip or one way?  We did a 5 day round trip on Regal Princess a few years ago and it only hit Saint John* and Halifax.  October should be warmer than November (even heading south toward Bermuda) and November is off season.  Depending on when you go you are hitting the end of season for the Canadian cruise (it was for us in late October 17).

 

We have taken one cruise each of Princess and Norwegian, but they were different itineraries.  Norwegian was Western Caribbean out of Miami, so I'm not sure how fair it is to compare the lines (and neither cruise was on either of your ships).  Princess was for our 22nd anniversary and we were very impressed with how they decorated for us and little touches to make the trip special.

 

Whatever you decide, congratulations ❤️ 

 

*If you do this itinerary, spelling matters to not confuse it when researching the port.  There is St. John near St. Thomas in the USVI; Saint John, NB on this itinerary; and St. John's, NL which is further northeast in the Atlantic.

[DawnInCal]

I'd go with the New England cruise because the fall is such a beautiful time of year in that part of the world. 

 

Hurricane season is predicted to go thru Nov 30 this year; if it wasn't for that I'd take Norwegian over Princess.  We just finished a Princess cruise to Hawaii and I had a much better time on the Norwegian Panama Canal cruise we took two years ago.

 

Norwegian's great; I wouldn't hesitate to cruise with them again.

[leaveitallbehind]

4 hours ago, DawnInCal said:

Hurricane season is predicted to go thru Nov 30 this year; if it wasn't for that I'd take Norwegian over Princess.  

 

Hurricane season runs June 1 - November 30 every year, not just this year.  So both itineraries are in hurricane season.  That beings said, hurricane season just means that conditions are right for storms to develop then - not that they definitely will. And New England is pretty far north that the risk of being affected is less than the south and the Caribbean.  

 

If it is an itinerary or time of year that works best for us, the fact that it might be during hurricane season, which is half the year, would not be a determining factor IMO for choosing - or not choosing - a cruise.

[DawnInCal]

13 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Hurricane season runs June 1 - November 30 every year, not just this year.  So both itineraries are in hurricane season.  That beings said, hurricane season just means that conditions are right for storms to develop then - not that they definitely will. And New England is pretty far north that the risk of being affected is less than the south and the Caribbean.  

 

If it is an itinerary or time of year that works best for us, the fact that it might be during hurricane season, which is half the year, would not be a determining factor IMO for choosing - or not choosing - a cruise.

Ah, yes.  I worded that a bit awkwardly with regard to the months hurricane season runs, didn't I?  But, I meant that hurricane season is a concern in Bermuda, not that it would be in New England.

 

I find it interesting that hurricane season wouldn't be a determining factor for you.  When I'm planning a trip, the weather/seasons are one of my primary considerations when deciding where to go.  Just as I wouldn't go to SE Asia in the summer, I have no desire to be anywhere near the southern United States or the Caribbean during hurricane season. Nor, would I plan a vacation in Canada or Alaska in the dead of winter.  But, that's what makes life interesting; we all have our preferences.

 

Yep, I'd go for October in New England/Canada for the reasons I originally stated - beautiful fall weather and foliage vs the potential for hurricanes.  And, while I'd prefer to be on Norwegian, I'd book the Princess cruise since that's the ship that is going to New England.

[leaveitallbehind]

22 minutes ago, DawnInCal said:

 

I find it interesting that hurricane season wouldn't be a determining factor for you.  When I'm planning a trip, the weather/seasons are one of my primary considerations when deciding where to go.  Just as I wouldn't go to SE Asia in the summer, I have no desire to be anywhere near the southern United States or the Caribbean during hurricane season. Nor, would I plan a vacation in Canada or Alaska in the dead of winter. 

 

 

I would not avoid cruising in hurricane season because - although certain months are more active than others - it is a season that encompasses half of the year.  And in our case - as my wife is a teacher - a good portion of that time (the summer months) is when our time is the most available and convenient for us to travel.  To eliminate that time frame simply because there might be a storm at some time would restrict our travel availability to a very narrow window.

 

Besides, other than a week or so out, it is impossible to predict where and when a hurricane would occur.  Perhaps we have been fortunate, but as mentioned several times on these boards when the subject comes up, in 28 years of cruising we have never had a cruise interrupted or affected by a hurricane with many of our cruises done in most months of the season.

 

Of course the climate in general is important.  But your comparison to other times of the year that you would not travel are also typically in the off season or other non-likely travel months anyway, and therefore doesn't really make a good comparison.  For example, there are no cruises available to Alaska in the winter.  And unless you are a skier, it's not likely one would vacation in Canada in the winter either.  But cruises to the Caribbean are scheduled year round - including the 6 months of hurricane season - when the weather is generally very good.

Edited March 1, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[Mufty16889]

On 2/27/2020 at 8:16 AM, AF-1 said:

I have sailed both Princess and NCL.  I am on SKY Princess doing the New England Canada trip dep 10 Oct.  This will be an awesome time.  Few things about Princess.  Once you book your cruise you can log into your account and list it is your anniversary.  Princess will do things on board to make sure your anniversary is special.  NCL is a relaxed and casual atmosphere.  I had a good time on a two week cruise with them; but most likely would not sail them again. Why?  Because I just thought it seemed a little cheap on their ships.  I have been on two Princess cruises and love the way they care for their passengers.  It is a refined and casual time; and it doesn't have the amusement park feeling as on Royal Caribbean or Carnival.  If you have any other questions let me know.  Have fun out there. 

that is the exact cruise we are looking at. Sky princess October 10th! Do you think Princess will do the anniversary thing even if our anniversary is 3 weeks after the cruise date? We cruised princess on our honeymoon and were very happy with them. 

[Mufty16889]

On 2/27/2020 at 8:35 AM, janetz said:

Love Princess

Like NCL

Love Bermuda more 😉

October is the perfect time for Bermuda 
 

We would be going in November actually. Not that it is a big deal. 

[Mufty16889]

On 2/27/2020 at 9:39 AM, leaveitallbehind said:

OK going to throw a couple of curves here, but based on itinerary and the fact that you have 3 days in Bermuda, I would choose Bermuda.  But I would also do it in their prime season of June - September as it starts to get rather cool in November as that is in their off season.  And I would do it on Celebrity Summit instead. 

 

If the fall is your only option then I would choose Princess New England/Canada and save Bermuda until you can go in season.

Yeah, we want to go as close to our anniversary in November as possible. 

[Mufty16889]

On 2/27/2020 at 8:09 PM, pacruise804 said:

 

 

I leaned toward Princess before, but with the additional information that they are both from NY I definitely would choose Princess. Is the Princess itinerary Round Trip or one way?  We did a 5 day round trip on Regal Princess a few years ago and it only hit Saint John* and Halifax.  October should be warmer than November (even heading south toward Bermuda) and November is off season.  Depending on when you go you are hitting the end of season for the Canadian cruise (it was for us in late October 17).

 

We have taken one cruise each of Princess and Norwegian, but they were different itineraries.  Norwegian was Western Caribbean out of Miami, so I'm not sure how fair it is to compare the lines (and neither cruise was on either of your ships).  Princess was for our 22nd anniversary and we were very impressed with how they decorated for us and little touches to make the trip special.

 

Whatever you decide, congratulations ❤️ 

 

*If you do this itinerary, spelling matters to not confuse it when researching the port.  There is St. John near St. Thomas in the USVI; Saint John, NB on this itinerary; and St. John's, NL which is further northeast in the Atlantic.

Yes round trip. Thanks for the tips. 

[AF-1]

Mufty 16889;  yes Princess will celebrate your anniversary if you choose to sail on 10 Oct.  Just put it in your cruise personalizer and it will happen