Help deciding between 2 trips

[Biris]

Hi all,

 

Having a choice between Southern Carribean from San Juan going to St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and St. Marteen VS. Eastern Carribean from Miami going to Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk. This trip will be our 10th year anniversaty. What would be your choice and why? (we have never been to any of these ports).

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Biris

[t1adams]

I have done the one TO San Juan, Bahamas, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. It was AWESOME! I loved it so much I was willing to do it again next spring break (went spring break of '11). However, I wanted to try something new so my family and I are going on the one OUT OF SAN JUAN. Can't WAIT! I have absolutely zero interest in cruising to the WEstern Carribean. So IMO, I think you have narrowed it down to the two best itineraries. Go for it and do the one out of San Juan. When else can you see so many ports in seven days? I can't wait to see all those islands in the S.Carribean. We're going 3/31. Fly in a day early and see the two castles. I think you might have more time in San Juan if you fly there and cruise out of there. The port TO San Juan just isn't long enough. San Juan was a pleasant "surprise port" for me and my family. It was so much more enjoyable than we had anticipated it to be.

 

Let us know which you chose to do!

[tak81288]

I would choose the southern out of San Juan. Personally, I cruise more for the ports, so like the idea of seeing so many places in one week. I also LOVE San Juan, so would spend a couple of days there pre or post cruise just to explore. The only thing that has stopped me from doing that itinerary thus far is the flight prices. I have done the Eastern one though and had a great time. I do not think you can go wrong with either.

 

Congrats on 10 years!

[dcreech1966]

What are the best things to do in San Juan? Our cruise leaves in less than a month...don't know what we will do there yet. I'd love some suggestions!

[Biris]

Thanks, Tammie. I'm leanning torward the Southern Carribean itinerary out of San Juan. It's just that the Eastern Carribean itinerary also seems nice and costs us less. I'm trying to find out if the Southern Carribrean trip is worthwhile :)

[semichigan]

We did that Eastern itinerary on the Liberty last October - and loved it!

I personally enjoy sea days so don't think I'd pick the San Juan departure...but that's just me.

I'm certain you'll have a great time no matter which one you choose :D

[t1adams]

Thanks, Tammie. I'm leanning torward the Southern Carribean itinerary out of San Juan. It's just that the Eastern Carribean itinerary also seems nice and costs us less. I'm trying to find out if the Southern Carribrean trip is worthwhile :)

 

For us, the Southern Carribean one out of SJ was actually cheaper (by about $200). However, you have to fly there. We aren't even going to look into airfare until the Southwest buyout of Airtran is complete (in the fall). Supposedly, this is going to drive down prices of flights into San Juan. But we aren't going until next March.

 

WHAT to do in San Juan??? There's really so much it takes a couple days. There are two castle/forts that are just amazing! Not a huge fee to tour them either. Old San Juan is just gorgeous and you could walk around that little town all day and explore. The castles are right on the edge of that town. If you're in good physical shape, you could walk to the castles from the little town itself. And then there's the tropical rain forest! That's what we have NOT yet explored. They have a couple diferent exursions that will take you there. One includes a ziplining through the forest and the other is a tour of the forest. I've heard nothing but great things about the rain forest. Can't wait to see that. And of course lastly, there's the beach there. Haven't done that yet either. Hope this helps!

[elaineb]

Hands down I would do the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan. Have done that 2X and absolutely love leaving from San Juan. It is such a vibrant, beautiful & romantic city. You can visit the forts as the previous poster mentioned - Castillo de San Felipe del Morro& San Cristobel. The view from up there is amazing. Not sure if they still operate, but there are free cable cars - better to take one of them or a taxi up the hill, then walk down & visit the shops and restaurants. You can take an excursion on your last day and they will drop you at the airport - check into these as to what time you need to make your air reservations (usually after 3PM).

Barbados - my favorite island. We took a tour of the west coast from the ship in the morning and in the afternoon went to "The Boatyard" - great beach with music & all types of water sports available.

St. Martin - probably my 2nd favorite - take a cab to Orient Beach. Beach is stunningly beautiful. Ask cab driver to bring you to Bikini Beach section & arrange for a return time. You can rent chairs/umbrellas there & they have a nice beach bar/restaurant.

We have done the other itinerary as well- it, too, is nice. But if the prices are similar, go for the Southern route.

[gka33]

Southern due to the ports... Never done it myself, but look forward to it at some point. Plus, I hear leaving out of San Juan is nice... Outside of the flight there!

 

Please let me know your thought upon your return!

[firefly333]

If you have never done Eastern Caribbean, I would choose that .. later when you are looking for new ports, there are always cruises leaving from San Juan that are heavily discounted. usually the cruises from San Juan are cheaper, because of the airfare cost to get to them. .. if the prices are close I would wait for a better price from San Juan.

 

I prefer ports for embarkation that are out of the U.S. just because of the added cost to fly to San Juan. The cruise in my signature on Celebrity Nov 2013 is from San Juan, only because it was a great deal to offset airfare. I would never pay the same from San Juan for a cruise.

[Biris]

Thank you all very much for your replies. We'll go with the Southern Carribean from San Juan. As most of you poiting out, the cost for the cruise itself is lower for this itinerary, but the total cost for the trip, including airfair and hotel will be more. Oh well, we can only reach a few more of that 10 years in our life time (I hope) :)

[gone_cruisin]

If the San Juan one is on the Valor, go for it!

I LOVED LOVED LOVED our Southern Caribbean cruise. Best one so far!

[RuthlessBoss]

Thank you all very much for your replies. We'll go with the Southern Carribean from San Juan. As most of you poiting out, the cost for the cruise itself is lower for this itinerary, but the total cost for the trip, including airfair and hotel will be more. Oh well, we can only reach a few more of that 10 years in our life time (I hope) :)

That's the best choice of the 2. Those Southern ports are exceptionally beautiful. Went on island tours, no comparison to eastern Caribbean. I happened onto a port intensive 11 nighter from FLL a few years back, I don't think too many ships do that route anymore from Florida. I actually don't know how excited I'd be to do the other cruise after doing Southern.

[Biris]

I just booked chosing the southern itinerary. I'm so exicted. San Juan, here I come :D:D:D

[elaineb]

You're gonna love it!!!

[fergusonvt]

While we aren't cruising out of San Juan we plan on staying for a couple of nights after the cruise. We have never been there so are very excited. I just booked airfare from SJ back to VT and it was around $230pp on JetBlue which is our preferred airline. I got a great hotel (La Concha) on Priceline for less than half of what it normally goes for. I would definitely go with the one out of SJ.

[sunshine again]

If the San Juan one is on the Valor, go for it!

I LOVED LOVED LOVED our Southern Caribbean cruise. Best one so far!

 

 

Done that 3 times and loved it everytime

SAN JUAN I WOULD CHOOSE :)

[elaineb]

While we aren't cruising out of San Juan we plan on staying for a couple of nights after the cruise. We have never been there so are very excited. I just booked airfare from SJ back to VT and it was around $230pp on JetBlue which is our preferred airline. I got a great hotel (La Concha) on Priceline for less than half of what it normally goes for. I would definitely go with the one out of SJ.

 

We keep hearing rumours that Jet Blue is coming to RI. I hope so, because you can't beat their fares to SJ. When we go, we have to drive 1 hr. to Boston and leave RI at an ungodly hour to get the 6am out to SJ. I would so love to leave from RI on Jet Blue!

[Herfnerd]

We had narrowed the choice to either the E. Caribbean out of Miami or the S. Caribbean out of San Juan for our honeymoon - guess which one we chose??

[gardeningmama]

What are the best things to do in San Juan? Our cruise leaves in less than a month...don't know what we will do there yet. I'd love some suggestions!

 

There is a tour company on the dock in San Juan that have tours for $10.00pp. They have an airconditioned bus/van and give a great tour. Soooo worth the money. You go through the city and stop at the fort and cemetery. Also you can leave the tour in Old San Juan and walk the cobbled streets back to the ship. Or when the tour is over they take you back to the dock.