10 day out of Fort Lauderdale or 7 day out of San Juan?

[sweetlowcountry]

I was wondering your opinions of which cruise I should book for the week after Thanksgiving 2010...

 

1. Flying to San Juan for a 7 day Southern Caribbean cruise and staying a day or two before and after the cruise. We would sail on either the Celebrity Summit, RCCL Serenade, or the Caribbean Princess. I've already received lots of opinions about these ships and they all sound wonderful! I like this cruise because it is all new ports to us except the Serenade's stop in St. Thomas. One concern is that it is too jammed packed... With 5 or 6 stops, we might be exhausted by the end of it!

 

OR

 

2. Driving 7 hours to Fort Lauderdale and taking a 10 day cruise. We could make the trip on the same day as our sail date or leave the night before and stop half way. We would sail on the Celebrity Equinox or the Emerald Princess. Any thoughts about these ships would be MUCH appreciated! My concern about this one is being on a ship for 10 days... We would have 3 or 4 days at sea and 3 or 4 new ports to visit. We've always done 7 days, never 10. We've already visited St. Martin and St. Thomas but don't mind going again. We can always find something new to do.

 

We would be booking a balcony either way. After looking at flight costs for the trip to San Juan, it would be about the same price and time commitment to just do a 10 day out of Fort Lauderdale. Either way, I think we would have a great vacation. I just need help in the decision process! Your thoughts?

[Shifra]

For me the choice would be easy.....10 day cruise over 7 anytime. As far as ships go, either ship would be nice. I haven't been on Celebrity lately but I would choose the Emerald, not only because Princess is my favorite but because of anytime dining. I don't think Celebrity has started doing this yet and for me to be tied down to a set dinner time for 10 days would drive me nuts.

 

With anytime dining on Princess you can eat when and with whom you want or just get a table for 2 and enjoy each others company. I also just got off the Emerald a few weeks ago and she is a beautiful ship with a great crew.

[momofmeg]

I have done that, flown to San Juan for a 7 day and then post cruise spent two days at the beach, I did enjoy that.

 

But, I also love sea days, and I think, your being on your honeymoon, sea days will be nice for private time with your husband-just put out that do not distrub sign!

 

If you go with flying to San Juan, personally I would go for Serenade of the Seas. I have not been on it, or the Celebrity ship, but I have been on Caribbean Princess, which was just an "OK" ship. Many say the Serenade of the Seas is great- read the reviews, that ship gets really high marks. I understand there are lots of glass and beautiful sea views, the way it has been designed.

[sweetlowcountry]

Thanks momofmeg and shifra! I appreciate your opinions. Any others are great too!

[JinxyB]

I did the San Juan cruise on the Caribbean Princess and enjoyed the Southern Caribbean itinerary and the ship. Just came off the Emerald Princess from Ft. Lauderdale and found it comparable to the Caribbean Princess. Sailed on the Summit in 2008 in the Med and LOVED the service and the smaller ship. The food was the best out of these 3 cruises, as was the service on Celebrity. The Princess ships hold 3000+ people but I never felt crowded except in the theater. I would choose the longer cruise but I like sea days and I disliked flying in and out of San Juan. Good luck!:)

[printingchick]

The southern Caribbean ports are my very favorite, so unlike the other posters, I'd opt for the San Juan option. Ship selection is so subjective. It depends on your age, personality and what atmosphere you're looking for. I think you'll need to choose the ship. I typically choose my cruises primarily for the ports of call. Ship comes second.

 

I'm trying out the Serenade in March because she visits two of my favorite ports and two ports I've never visted before. I always like visiting some place new.

[AlanAllyn]

For me the choice would be easy.....10 day cruise over 7 anytime. As far as ships go, either ship would be nice. I haven't been on Celebrity lately but I would choose the Emerald, not only because Princess is my favorite but because of anytime dining. I don't think Celebrity has started doing this yet and for me to be tied down to a set dinner time for 10 days would drive me nuts.

 

With anytime dining on Princess you can eat when and with whom you want or just get a table for 2 and enjoy each others company. I also just got off the Emerald a few weeks ago and she is a beautiful ship with a great crew.

 

Celebrity does have any time dining!

I agree on the 10-day over the 7 and prefer Celebrity to Princess. We are sailing on the Equinox in just over two weeks.

[mizLORInj]

Easy. 10 nights on Emerald Princess to ports I've not yet visited. Beautiful ship, sister to Crown and Ruby (and Caribbean sort of). IMO 10 is always better than 7 and I don't care for port-intensive cruises either! And Princess has launderettes so I can pack light and do laundry once or twice.

ENJOY

[Clutterlady]

10 days beats 7 days any time.........enjoy no matter which you choose:)

[kestrel]

I picked the "7 days out of San Juan" option, because (1) I suffer sea sickness and don't care too much about sea days, and (2) I wanted to spend more time in San Juan. Princess 7-day S. Caribbean cruises visit several interesting places other than the usual St. Martin and St. Thomas. I also really enjoyed the extra stay in San Juan.

 

However, if you enjoy sea days, then the "10 days out of Fort Lauderdale" option can suit you better.

[Canuker]

The heck with the geography. Ten is better than seven.

[PROCRUISE]

I was wondering your opinions of which cruise I should book for the week after Thanksgiving 2010...

 

1. Flying to San Juan for a 7 day Southern Caribbean cruise and staying a day or two before and after the cruise. We would sail on either the Celebrity Summit, RCCL Serenade, or the Caribbean Princess. I've already received lots of opinions about these ships and they all sound wonderful! I like this cruise because it is all new ports to us except the Serenade's stop in St. Thomas. One concern is that it is too jammed packed... With 5 or 6 stops, we might be exhausted by the end of it!

 

OR

 

2. Driving 7 hours to Fort Lauderdale and taking a 10 day cruise. We could make the trip on the same day as our sail date or leave the night before and stop half way. We would sail on the Celebrity Equinox or the Emerald Princess. Any thoughts about these ships would be MUCH appreciated! My concern about this one is being on a ship for 10 days... We would have 3 or 4 days at sea and 3 or 4 new ports to visit. We've always done 7 days, never 10. We've already visited St. Martin and St. Thomas but don't mind going again. We can always find something new to do.

 

We would be booking a balcony either way. After looking at flight costs for the trip to San Juan, it would be about the same price and time commitment to just do a 10 day out of Fort Lauderdale. Either way, I think we would have a great vacation. I just need help in the decision process! Your thoughts?

 

Without question we'd pick the 10 day cruise. You might also want to check out some recent negative reviews regarding cruising out of San Juan,

[velvetred]

I would take the 10 day and reduce the amount of packing and unpacking while on vacation.

[eetonaee]

We cruised the Celebrity Summit in February and just returned from a 7 day on the Caribbean Princess. We have also sailed on the Adventure of the Seas from San Juan.

 

We enjoy cruising out of San Juan and always try to spend time there before or after. There is lots to see including the El Yunque rain forest that you can appreciate more if you are not restricted by time.

 

If you sail from Florida there is a chance that the first and last days will be cooler and windier while if you start from San Juan you are already under the hot Caribbean sun.

 

I would repeat any of our cruises out of San Juan in a minute.

[johnfas]

We just completed the 10 day Emerald cruise this year. It was our first longer than 7 days.

We were not sure what to expect, well we LOVED it! Normally we travel with others so our days are spent trying to catch one another etc. This cruise was the best. We did things we never did before, when day six arrived there were no long faces waiting to pack etc. We used our time to our benefit. Relaxed on deck with a glass of wine, talked to people strolling by, played games of Rummicube in the atrium,met some interesting people along the way. We signed up for anytime dinning and that will be the way we go every time from now on. So many times we would have to eat because it was time to eat. Well we just did whatever and when hunger pangs grew that's when we had dinner. Plus we ate in all the venues. Dinning room, specialty, Caribe Cafe, Horizon and the International Cafe. Just didn't get to the Chefs dinner but will try it next year going to HI. The ship is as others have said in great shape. Much to do and the staff was excellent, as always. Of course I would do the 10 dayer in a heartbeat again, and tell anyone who has not done so to go for it. So if I were you......no question!

[cb at sea]

I agree...leaving from the mainland is SOOOOO much easier than flying into SJ! And, 10 days!!!!

[Langley Cruisers]

Everyone else has pretty much said it, but we love a longer cruise too. We sailed Emerald earlier this year and had a great time. She is a beautiful ship, and the itinerary was great. The MUTS (Movies Under the Stars) on Princess is a great way to spend an evening if you don't want to go to a show or club; heck you could do that too! :p

 

We hope to try one of the bigger Celebrity ships soon. I think it was Solstice (?) we saw in port with us and she was incredible.

 

Honestly, on a 7 night cruise, I feel they're already starting to push you toward disembarkation. Around day 4 or 5, you start getting literature in your cabin about "D-Day", and it goes from there. On a longer cruise, it's at least a week before that comes up! hehe

 

Have fun.

[greytgrlz]

Without question we'd pick the 10 day cruise. You might also want to check out some recent negative reviews regarding cruising out of San Juan,

We cruised out of San Juan a month ago staying an day before and after. We had a wonderful time oboard and on the ship. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

[momofmeg]

You could do both,fly to San Juan and take a 10 day on Celebrity Millennium. I know, I know, that would be the air fare AND the more expensive cruise fare. I just thought I would throw that in!

 

We usually drive from Atlanta, so we do a 10 hour drive. (I don't like to fly, unless it is so far, that flying is the only sensible way to get there.) Now, we do usually spend the night before in FL, so we can be rested when we board ship, once we drove to Pt. Canaveral the morning of the cruise, (we left home like 4 am)and I was so exhausted that first night, I did not enjoy anything, and I said never again! I don't recommend that. Spend the night somewhere, don't board after driving 7 hours.

 

BTW, my husband is from Summerville, (Airforce brat, so his parents were transplants there, but he considers Summerville his home) and we lived there when we first married,I will be in your neck of the woods next week. We will spend a few days in Myrtle Beach, and then we are going over to Charleston. We will spend Wednesday in Charleston, and then we will spend Thursday with old friends in Summerville.

[Aquahound]

10 days is better than 7, and the Equinox is a fantastic ship. Of your choices, hands down, the 10 night Equinox would be my choice.

[Coolmama_1]

Our first cruise was a 7 day on the Golden Princess out of SJU. It is port intensive and we thought that cruising was all about the ports and really didn't get to enjoy the ship that much. By the time we got to Aruba on Friday, out fannies were dragging! We really didn't get to enjoy our sea day because we were exhausted!

If I had the choice to do the 10 day over the 7, I would go with the 10 day and enjoy!

[momofmeg]

Our first cruise was a 7 day on the Golden Princess out of SJU. It is port intensive and we thought that cruising was all about the ports and really didn't get to enjoy the ship that much. By the time we got to Aruba on Friday, out fannies were dragging! We really didn't get to enjoy our sea day because we were exhausted!

If I had the choice to do the 10 day over the 7, I would go with the 10 day and enjoy!

 

True, but I bet, you are closer to my age, (55) then the OPs who are in their early 30's. That does make a difference.

[Krazy Kruizers]

10 day cruise would be our choice.

[grandmato4]

Another vote here for the 10 night cruise. Best of both worlds with lots of port days and relaxing sea days. Either itineary would be great but 10 night will be more relaxing with 7 night cruise being more exhausting but still a great cruise if that's the one you should pick.

[sweetlowcountry]

Ok. After reading all your responses, I think we are going to do the 10 day out of FL. We still haven't decided if we will do the Emerald or the Equinox... Thanks to you all!

 

Momofmeg - small world! Summerville is such a wonderful place!