Conquest vs. Valor and dry dock questions

[AR_Magnolia]

Hi everyone!

 

A friend and I completed was my first cruise in May on the Conquest, and I am hooked! We immediately started talking about following it up next summer. (We are going back to get our doctorates in Fall 2009, so we figure that a nice vacation before we start back will be nice!)

 

So here's the dilemma. We loved the Conquest. Since we want to do a b2b next time, we thought about repeating the Mo Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel itinerary and adding the new itinerary: Key West, Freeport and Nassau.

 

However, I started some research. It seems that the new itinerary is pretty high, and for the same price for both cruises, we could fly to Miami and do a b2b on the Valor, traveling to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Martin.

 

The bonus to the Conquest would be no flight and the hassle with packing to fly; we are close enough to drive to Galveston. We loved Sunset Beach in Mo Bay and don't necessarily mind repeating that itinerary, and we'd like to go to Key West. The bonuses to the Valor would be a new ship (even though it has the same layout at the Conquest) and a few new ports; my friend wants to go to a "Saint" island. :) Additionally, the Valor would have different shows, even though I presume they would be repeated the next week.

 

Does the Conquest going into dry dock mean that there will be new shows in addition to the linens and so on?

 

Experienced cruisers, which one would you go one, considering that they are both about the same amount?

 

Thanks! Jana

[robtx100]

I would do the Valor East/West route. St. Martin is a wonderful island, as is Roatan. Belize is a great country with super nice people. A couple of issues would be airfare is rising quickly and most are charging per bag now. It is always a smart idea to fly in the day before, so you would have the added cost of hotel, also.

[AR_Magnolia]

Thanks for your recommendation! That's kind of the way we have been leaning, but we'd love to see Key West and the cemeteries there as well as the Hemingway house.

 

We would have to stay the night most likely in Galveston anyway, so we'd have to pay for a hotel either way.

[flowerchild]

If you really want to see Key West, you can do it before or after you cruise out of Miami. It's a nice drive and that way you can really get a feel for all that Key West has to offer...it is a super cool place.

 

I'm originally from Miami and we try to go back at least a few times a year. We almost always take a drive to the upper keys, but every once in awhile make it down all the way. Lovely drive with so many places to stop along the way.

[AR_Magnolia]

Flowerchild, we considered that. It looked like a Key West hotel was expensive. How would you do it?

 

My estimation was renting a car in Miami. Let's say we get back to Miami on Sunday morning. That would mean renting a car then and a three hour drive more or less. (We would probably want to stop at some of the places in between, though.)

 

Then a hotel stay in KW overnight and driving back to Miami the next afternoon.

 

Is that doable? Is there a better way to handle it? I'd really appreciate the advice of someone that knows the area!