Help me choose my cruise - LOS or NOS

[onkell]

We want to book a cruise this January to celebrate my 40th bday with my two kids ages 6 and 7. So my choices are 5 night NOS 1/23 or 6 night LOS 1/30. Never been on RCCL, cruised on Carnival, Celebrity and Disney.

 

I really wanted to be on the ship for my actual bday 1/27th. So I had 5 night Navigator picked out. The price is super low right now and there are deals for family suites. I liked the idea of going to Jamaica to do Dunn's River with the kids (did this on honeymoon and LOVED it) and Labadee. But I don't like the whole Falmouth uncertainty and the long ride to get to the excursions.

 

Now I see that LOS is on good sale and it's the first Dreamworks cruise. My kids will love that and it's a newer ship. The cons are it's after my bday and Mexico isn't my first choice of ports. I have to research Belize and Costa Maya - I don't know about these towns. The price will also be higher.

 

I really want to enjoy some beach time - really hoping for warm weather, warm water. Which one has better odds of getting this? Is LOS so much better, newer, nicer, it will be worth the extra cost?

[dfgf]

Background: I haven't been on Liberty, but I'm booked for March. I've spent 4 weeks on the Navigator and Mariner (it's only real twin ship). Most recently I was on Oasis. We have 3 sons, ages 8, 7 and 5 but have never cruised with them.

 

If you're wanting serious beach time you can't go wrong with Labadee. I recommend the private cabanas. We paid $100 for one when we were there in July and it's the best hundred dollars I've ever spent on a cruise! It includes bottled water and floating mats for your whole family, a nice comfortable place to relax out of the sun and outstanding service. The buffet in that area also has better food than the rest of Labadee. Additionally, I've been to a lot of places on a lot of cruises and have never experienced any place as beautiful as Labadee.

 

Costa Maya is a sleepy little beach town that is an inexpensive taxi ride away from the ship. The entire beach is public. A lot of the bars and restaurants provide lounge chairs, with the expectation that you'll buy something off of their menu of course. Everything is very reasonably priced. It's very safe and very quiet.

 

Can't tell you anything about Belize, since I'm visiting for the first time in March!

 

Royal Caribbean does a great job of keeping their ships in good repair. I doubt that you will notice and age difference between the Liberty and the Navigator.

 

We had to decide between the two trips this past week ourselves. We booked Liberty because it was one night longer and $100 cheaper.