Seeking Caribbean Guidance

[PDX2Cruiser]

I looking for help deciding which of these cruises you'd recommend for a cruise this winter break over New Years (1/1/09):

 

- NYC on the Gem to Port Canaveral, Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau, and Grand Bahama Island

 

- Miami on the Pearl to Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, & Great Stirrup Cay

 

- New Orleans on the Spirit to Costa Maya, Santo Tomas De Castilla, Belize City, and Cozumel

 

It would be my family of 5 including a kids age 13, 9, and 9. I'd be getting a pair of connecting balconies. The NYC cruise is currently the most expensive, the Spirit out of New Orleans is the least expensive.

 

I think the Pearl has the most varied itinerary. Agree? Disagree?

 

I've been to Cancun and Yucatan area. Are all Spirit stops more or less similar?

 

Any insights are welcome.

[Toyz711]

check out the port-of-call boards for each of the ports..that may help you more the information about the ships.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

time in port is important, this last winter the spirit did roatan..but only have 5 hrs in the afternoon...many complained about not enough time in port. this next winter, it goes back to costa maya.

santo tomas and belize are poor ports...meaning these are very underdeveloped countries. santo tomas has some great cultural/historic tours and a local vendor knows for his humanitian tours...take school supplies to back area and showing your the country on the way.

belize has great snorkeling areas...the blue reef is known for it's scuba diving. but many are so beach driven, the miss the great mayan history.

belize has some of the best, well preserved mayan sites.

cozumel is a tourist area, lots of shopping/bars and beach resorts...totally different then the other 2 ports.

great stirrup cay is the NCL private beach.

the spirit is getting dry dock this november, updating and repairs. it should be in great shape for the winter season.

the pearl is much newer and bigger.

just depends on what interests you.

i have photos of the spirit and the ports in my webshot link, in my signature.

[Ms belp]

Have you considered the Dawn out of Miami? It goes to Samana, St. Thomas, Tortola and Great Stirrup Cay. Eastern Caribbean rather than Western. I love this cruise. It 7 days and they have one departing 12/27/08 and again on 1/03/09. The Dawn is a great ship too!

[easygoesit]

I looking for help deciding which of these cruises you'd recommend for a cruise this winter break over New Years (1/1/09):

 

- NYC on the Gem to Port Canaveral, Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau, and Grand Bahama Island

 

- Miami on the Pearl to Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, & Great Stirrup Cay

 

- New Orleans on the Spirit to Costa Maya, Santo Tomas De Castilla, Belize City, and Cozumel

 

It would be my family of 5 including a kids age 13, 9, and 9. I'd be getting a pair of connecting balconies. The NYC cruise is currently the most expensive, the Spirit out of New Orleans is the least expensive.

 

I think the Pearl has the most varied itinerary. Agree? Disagree?

 

I've been to Cancun and Yucatan area. Are all Spirit stops more or less similar?

 

Any insights are welcome.

 

I have done them all except the Pearl/Belize which we are doing this Jan.

Personally I don't think the kids will not care where they go.

But another tool would be to go to NCL sight and look at all the excursions offered for each port. The excursions are quite detailed and also have level of difficulty from 1 to 3.

Enjoy mapping out your days, it's part of the fun.

[PDX2Cruiser]

Have you considered the Dawn out of Miami? It goes to Samana, St. Thomas, Tortola and Great Stirrup Cay. Eastern Caribbean rather than Western. I love this cruise. It 7 days and they have one departing 12/27/08 and again on 1/03/09. The Dawn is a great ship too!

 

I've been to St. Thomas, yes it is beautiful, but have not been to the others. I should investigate this as well. My wife and I have been to the Yucatan and I think the kids would love the Mayan ruins, hence my leaning towards the Western Caribbean.

[Toyz711]

if you conside any of of the ships that go to belize...do the lamanai and the river safari.

the river safari is a speed boat that stops for wildlife viewing, lamanai is a great mayan site in a jungle...the tour is all out and outstanding. not too much bus trip, not too much boat.

http://www.belizeexplorer.com/cgi-local/explorer.cgi?db=explorer&uid=default&Category=Mayan+Sites&view_records=1&nh=6&mh=1

there are some discussions on the belize boards.

[PDX2Cruiser]

I have done them all except the Pearl/Belize which we are doing this Jan.

Personally I don't think the kids will not care where they go.

But another tool would be to go to NCL sight and look at all the excursions offered for each port. The excursions are quite detailed and also have level of difficulty from 1 to 3.

Enjoy mapping out your days, it's part of the fun.

 

I tried looking on the NCL sight and noticed I couldn't find any excursions info for Costa Maya or Santo Tomas de Castillo. Maybe these are new tour stops?

 

My younger kids don't care. My 13 year old has started studying the ports, so he is interested.

[PDX2Cruiser]

if you conside any of of the ships that go to belize...do the lamanai and the river safari.

the river safari is a speed boat that stops for wildlife viewing, lamanai is a great mayan site in a jungle...the tour is all out and outstanding. not too much bus trip, not too much boat.

http://www.belizeexplorer.com/cgi-local/explorer.cgi?db=explorer&uid=default&Category=Mayan+Sites&view_records=1&nh=6&mh=1

there are some discussions on the belize boards.

 

I've learned from experience to study excursions carefully and sometimes spending a little more gives you a dramatically better experience. Thank you.

[Toyz711]

we did the ship excursion and had a great tour guide, but there are local vendors that go there, also. many reviews on the port-of-call boards.

the howler monkeys, in that area, as well as possible wildlife ...interesting trip.

hoping to go back (also on the spirit) this winter, since costa maya was not on the dec cruise. also, interesting maya sites i need to explore.

some of the western caribbean is a disappointment for thost that only like good beaches...

[Ms belp]

Samana, I did Cayo Laventado. We also visited St John's, and the "Baths" in Virgin Gorda. I love shopping and sight seeing in St Thomas. Great Stirrup Cay, we were delighted that they diverted us and we went to Nassau, Bahamas. We'd already been to GSC, and weren't that impressed.