Which would you choose between these 10 day cruises in Nov?

[DeRon]

Which would you choose comparing ships and ports?

 

NCL Sun (leaving Miami)

 

St Thomas

St Lucia

Dominica

Barbados

St Martin

 

Or....

 

Princess Emerald (leaving Fort Lauderdale)

 

Antigua

St. Lucia

Barbados

St. Kitts

St. Thomas

Princess Cay

 

Thanks!!

[Jaymuxman]

I, personally, would take Princess over NCL almost everytime. I don't wish to be blasted by anyone as I said this is my personal choice.

[Wormy53]

I always enjoy my day at Princess Cay - so with the extra stop - the Princess itinerary gets my vote. ( I have sailed NCL.)

 

I also love St Kitts. Love the fortress - and the view from the mountain that sees both sides of the island is spectacular! If you are a golfer - that course looks like paradise. Thenford Grey provides an excellent tour.

[paul929207]

Always pick Princess over NCL unless there is a $100 per day differnce. Then I think about it

[charleysmom04]

I'm guessing that the Princess cruise is the November 17th as that is our cruise this fall with that itinerary! We are so excited to be back on Emerald again after our cruise last November ( alternate itinerary). It's a wonderful ship and we had such a great time we wanted to go back on it this fall.

I would obviously choose the Princess cruise!

If it is the cruise on the 17th, we are going to Grand Turk, not Princess cays.

Diane

[DeRon]

I'm guessing that the Princess cruise is the November 17th as that is our cruise this fall with that itinerary! We are so excited to be back on Emerald again after our cruise last November ( alternate itinerary). It's a wonderful ship and we had such a great time we wanted to go back on it this fall.

I would obviously choose the Princess cruise!

If it is the cruise on the 17th, we are going to Grand Turk, not Princess cays.

Diane

 

The one we are looking at is Nov 7th.

[reney313]

While I have heard great things about Dominica and would like to visit some day, I would still prefer the extra port day and Princess Cays stop. (if I were looking at itinerary alone). If I add in the ship, I would take the Emerald any day over NCL Sun...but that's just my opinion.

[Matcodixon]

Since I have never Sailed with NCL, will base my decision strictly on itinerary. I am not a fan of St Martin, and I loved St Lucia and Antigua. I have not been to Dominica or Princess Cays.

 

Advantage Princess.

[iluvcruzin]

Definitely the Emerald. I've been on this ship twice and the itinerary a few times. LOVED it.

[PurpleHays]

Been on both Princess and NCL (Epic). I much prefer Princess, even before looking at the itinerary--which nudges it over to Princess more. Not to mention that FLL is a ton easier and cheaper than Miami.

[KruzPrincess]

Maybe you've done this already, but if I were you I'd go read some member reviews of the two ships on the reviews page. I haven't been on NCL in years and it's changed a lot since then. I've read so many mixed reviews of NCL that I would likely choose Princess without much thought. For me, I'd rather have more sea days, but Princess would likely win out.

[Tweedy]

I have sailed on both ships. Hands down, no questions asked, I would sail Emerald over the Sun!

 

The Sun was my first experience with NCL. I did not like the layout of the ship at all. If you wanted to walk from front to back, you had to walk through a bar. There weren't alot of window seats if you just wanted to sit and read. The buffet area was a horrible layout and finding seating was not easy. The dining room food was not impressive. If you wanted a good meal, you had to go to one of the a la carte restaurants which we did and enjoyed the food. The entertainment was comparable to Princess. I would not recommend a friend of mine to sail this particular ship of NCL's fleet. This is my personal opinion. It wouldn't stop me from sailing NCL again, just haven't taken the opportunity yet.

 

The Emerald was the largest ship I had sailed. I loved it. In fact, we are booked on it again this October. It's a larger ship then the Sun but it didn't feel larger. It was easy to walk around and you didn't have to walk through a bar to get anywhere. There is plenty of seating around the ship. The buffet, although not the best layout on a ship I've experienced, is better then the Sun and has plenty of seating.

 

I'm not biased to one cruise line over the other. This opinion is based on my personal experience.

[caribill]

For me, I'd rather have more sea days.

 

Any day can be a sea day since you are not forced to leave the ship at any port (except for at the end of the cruise).

 

Many people have posted that they greatly enjoying staying on board when in a port they have been before as the ship is not crowded at all while in port.

[High Flyer]

I'd have to vote for the Emerald too. If for no other reason than the food. I love the Crown Grill and Sabatini's plus the main dining rooms. I love the Wheelhouse for fish & chips. And while I have never enjoyed the ultimate balcony dining (I'd like too some day) at least the Emerald has it. DW loves the International Cafe. I like being at Princess Cay on the last day to pack while the ship is a anchor. I like the size of the closet and storage on the Emerald. I much prefer sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. The airport is much closer and parking is much cheaper as are hotels. I've been on the Sun and I wasn''t impressed.

[charleysmom04]

I found it interesting that the 11/7 Emerald cruise stops at Princess Cays, while our 11/17 cruise visits Grand Turk instead! Both are great stops, although I must say, walking off the ship in Grand Turk and seeing a Ron Jon's surf shop store was a treat!

Either way, it is a great ship and we are looking forward to the ports as it has been several years since we have been to most of them. They are all great places to visit. This is a really nice itinerary.

We also enjoy Sabatini's and the Crown Grill a lot! We have made sure to dine at each at least once on both our recent Ruby and Emerald cruises.

[flamomo]

I cruised on the Emerald last March on the same itinerary, and really enjoyed both the itinerary and the ship. So much so that we, and 6 friends that did the cruise last March, are booked for it again in March 2013, plus we are also doing the 10 day cruise that precedes it with a southern Caribbean itinerary.

[Iamcruzin]

Truth be told I prefer the NCL itinerary over the Princess itinerary because I have never been to Dominca and I haven't been to St. Martin in years. However, I don't like the whole "Free Style" cruising experience that NCL offers. If the same intinerary was on any other line including Carnival I would choose the itinerary over the cruise line.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Princess would be # 1

[caribill]

I found it interesting that the 11/7 Emerald cruise stops at Princess Cays, while our 11/17 cruise visits Grand Turk instead!

 

It could be that two many ships would be at Princess Cays on the day that your cruise could have stopped there.

[PescadoAmarillo]

It could be that two many ships would be at Princess Cays on the day that your cruise could have stopped there.

The Caribbean Princess will be at Princess Cays on 11/25, and the Ruby on 11/26. While Princess Cays can handle two smaller ships from other cruise lines, it can't handle two Grand Class ships at the same time.

 

ETA: OP- go with the Emerald. You won't likely be disappointed.

[OhioDogLover]

Pincess. Like the line better- just my opinion. But, almost as important, Fort Lauderdale over Miami. The airport is so much easier.

Ohiodoglover

[paradiseisaprincessaway]

I totally vote princess, been on the ruby the sister ship....beautiful

 

and you get one more port on the princess cruise. so that would make it for me!

[lcmslady]

I'd have to say NCL.....I'm not an NCL fan but love St. Lucia and Dominica.

 

Try to get to Dominica before the cruise ships take over and it loses it's charm.

 

Antigua is also awesome so it's a tough call.

[mrsfuzzmo]

If you post this on the NCL board, I'm sure you will get very different responses. People tend to lean toward one line or the other. I would choose the trip based on the itinerary, not the ship. But that's just me.

[fishin' musician]

They are all my favorite stops in the Caribbean (OK, St Thomas and St Maarten, not so much). Dominica is incredible, the island is one big lush rain forest and the locals are very welcoming.

 

The Sun is substantially older and smaller, which isn't necessarilly a bad thing and NCL production shows are typically far above Princess.

 

I too suggest you throw this question up on the NCL board. You will get cheerleaders for Princess here and cheerleaders for NCL on the NCL board. I've sailed both lines several times, but not on these ships. I find the brands very comparable, so with me being the consumate cheapskate it could come down to price.