Buying Guide to Caribbean Cruises
You’re ready to book your trip, so you Google “Caribbean cruise.” Your jaw drops with dismay as the search engine comes back with over 37 million hits. The first link is for Royal Caribbean International, a name you recognize, so you click on it and use their search tool to find Caribbean cruises that depart during the time you want to take your vacation. You are stymied by all of the choices. Do you want to go to the Western Caribbean or Eastern Caribbean? Three nights or seven? And is Royal Caribbean the one with the rock climbing wall? Your kids have been begging to go on that one.
Fear not. Choosing your Caribbean cruise does not have to be a daunting task. A few easy questions and a simple evaluation of your vacation goals will have you on your way.
Who is going and why?
The first question you must ask yourself is who will accompany you on your cruise. Are you going alone or with your significant other? Are your children or grandchildren accompanying you, and what are their ages? Answering these questions will go a long way in helping you decide which cruise to choose. Cruise lines such as Celebrity and Holland America are a bit more upscale, and although they offer children’s activities and welcome kids warmly, they are not as suited to rambunctious youngsters as the more relaxed and family-friendly Carnival and Disney Cruise Lines.
Who is going will also affect the length of your cruise. Young children do well on shorter, three to five day cruises. Anything longer than that, and they tend to go a little stir-crazy. If you and your adult travel mates are cruising for the first time, you may also want to choose a shorter cruise. Large cruise ships have stabilizers, but people with sensitive stomachs may still get seasick. Better to find that out on a short cruise than a twelve day adventure.
Another component of this question is why are you and your travel mates cruising, and what sort of activities do you want to take part in during your Caribbean cruise? Do you want to kick back with a good book, or do you want to learn how to windsurf? If you are traveling sans children and want a relaxing vacation, then a Disney Cruise probably isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you want adventure and your three kids are coming along, Disney might be the ticket! Check out each cruise lines shore excursions. Every major Caribbean cruise line offers snorkeling and shopping trips, but if you’re looking for something unique knowing what each cruise line offers may help you make your decision.
Where do you want to go?
Caribbean cruises are divided into three major categories: Western Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, and Southern Caribbean cruises. Western Caribbean cruises often include Key West, FL; Cozumel or Playa del Carmen, Mexico; Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Belize, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. Eastern Caribbean cruises offer ports of call such as St. John and St. Thomas in the U.S.V.I., St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. The Southern Caribbean typically includes islands to the east and south of St. Maarten such as St. Lucia, Nevis, St. Kitts, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Aruba, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, and Curacao.
Unless you have a specific port you wish to visit, you can make your decision by deciding how much time you want to spend on land, and how much time you want at sea. Eastern Caribbean cruises typically depart from Florida, and since the islands are closer to the United States, you spend more times at the ports of call and less time on the water. Western Caribbean islands are further away, so the opposite is true for those cruises. Southern Caribbean cruises are a bit different; they generally depart from somewhere in the Caribbean like San Juan, Puerto Rico, and they are longer, typically lasting ten to fourteen days. On Southern Caribbean cruises you get a good mix of port time and at sea time.
Choosing Your Cruise
Don’t be overwhelmed by the number and different types of cruises available. If you can answer the who, why, and where of your cruise vacation, you will be able to choose the right Caribbean cruise for you and your party. Check out the major cruise lines, read their literature, find out what excursions are available. You will find the one that is right for you.
