T/A Picking the right one

[gordylad]

Hi So we are going back and forth trying to decide on our first T/A Oct/Nov 2014. Living in UK [scotland] it will be west bound.

 

Any comments on the following ones we have narrowed it down to: Thanks :)

 

Constellation:

Departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence, Italy; Cartagena, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Casablanca(Marrakech)Morocco; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

Eclipse:

Departing from Southampton, England; New York, New York; Kings Wharf, Bermuda; Port Canaveral, Florida; Miami, Florida

 

Equinox:

Departing from Barcelona, Spain; Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

Reflection:

Departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Labadee, Haiti; Miami, Florida

[Orator]

Impossible to give a meaningful recommendation without more information.

Do you want to leave from a port close to home?

Would you prefer a Northern or a Southern Route ( the seas can be quite different).

Do you want to spend time in Europe or is the Caribbean an attraction?

Do you prefer history or beaches?

What are your demographics?

What don't you like?

 

Different people prefer different things. That's why there are so many different choices available. We can all tell you what WE would choose, but none of us are YOU!

[Nebr.cruiser]

This is just personal opinion, but I like the first and last best.

 

The first on the Constellation because we haven't been to several of those ports and I'd especially like to go to Morocco.

 

The last because it hits several ports in the Caribbean, which is nice if you are wanting some warm weather (depends on time of year).

 

The Eclipse itinerary hits Bermuda, which I'd like to visit, but has very few other ports, so that would be my least favorite.

 

Actually, they all sound great; we've done 3 TA's, but all eastbound in the spring as we live in the US, and we love them.

[cruisestitch]

The Eclipse does overnight in New York City and overnight in Bermuda. The New York is Sunday, when many theaters are dark at night, but you could catch a matinee.

[BosoxI]

We choose our T/As on several factors: price, most days at sea, and most new ports visited. A secondary factor is ease of airline transportation, as we benefit greatly from standby travel. Your likes might be quite different, but if you think days at sea might boor you, a T/A is not a wise choice.

[gordylad]

Have removed the cruise featuring New York due to Sunday arrival so that leaves 3

 

Having never done a T/A i am not sure of the difference the sea will make if travelling say direct to fort lauderdale from say barcelona or travelling to miami via st kitts/st maarten if you know what I mean.

 

I dont think sea days will bore us and we treat it as an adventure and if we dont like it well we dont do it again

 

Thanks

[Orator]

Hi So we are going back and forth trying to decide on our first T/A Oct/Nov 2014. Living in UK [scotland] it will be west bound.

 

Any comments on the following ones we have narrowed it down to: Thanks :)

 

Constellation:

Departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence, Italy; Cartagena, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Casablanca(Marrakech)Morocco; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

Eclipse:

Departing from Southampton, England; New York, New York; Kings Wharf, Bermuda; Port Canaveral, Florida; Miami, Florida

 

Equinox:

Departing from Barcelona, Spain; Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

Reflection:

Departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Labadee, Haiti; Miami, Florida

 

I've been to all the ports multiple times except Marrakech. The most interesting ports for me are on the Equinox cruise.

[ghstudio]

There is far more to do in NYC then go to the theater...it is a vibrant town with lots to do 24 hours a day.....I wouldn't let a sunday stop me from visiting.

 

I am continually amazed at how cruise lines label stops like Casablanca (marrakech)...they are two hours away by car. Similar for Florence which is 1 1/2 hours from the port of Liverno...longer by car.

 

If I (still) lived in the UK, I'd pick the eclipse or the reflection because I could visit the European ports any time....stay longer and actually see them rather than stop on a cruise and do a "fly by" visit. I'm not sure where the Eclipse docks in New York...if it's Bayonne (aka port Liberty), then you are in the middle of nowhere and your only hope is to use a shuttle bus.....taxis are both very expensive to NY (it's in another state and there is an expensive toll tunnel) and they are hard to find.....it's not easy to find a nyc taxi driver who wants to go to Bayonne. If they stop in Manhattan or Brooklyn than that would be great.

 

If I were going the other way, I'd look for the most interesting ports in Europe.

[nojoke]

The Eclipse TA covers more unusual ports: NY and Bermuda and Port Canaveral. These are places you would not ordinarily visit on a TA--so it sounds very interesting to me.

The Reflection visits several Caribbean ports--which might interest Europeans. I live in Florida, so those ports don’t attract me.

And the other cruises you mention visit typical European ports--which you may or may not have already seen.

So, I think, you have to decide if you want to see new ports or if that doesn’t matter.

The food, entertainment, etc. will all probably equal out.

[Gig103]

My first criteria would be "Which departure port do I want to visit for a few days pre-cruise?" With airfare costs these days, I'd want to add in some land touring in Europe too.

 

I think overall, the Equinox cruise sounds the most interesting to me, but if you've never been to Italy I'd have to say Connie with at least 3 nights in Rome pre-cruise.

[navyrotorhead]

Hi So we are going back and forth trying to decide on our first T/A Oct/Nov 2014. Living in UK [scotland] it will be west bound.

 

Any comments on the following ones we have narrowed it down to: Thanks :)

 

Constellation:

Departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence, Italy; Cartagena, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Casablanca(Marrakech)Morocco; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

Eclipse:

Departing from Southampton, England; New York, New York; Kings Wharf, Bermuda; Port Canaveral, Florida; Miami, Florida

 

Equinox:

Departing from Barcelona, Spain; Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

Reflection:

Departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Labadee, Haiti; Miami, Florida

 

Another consideration is choosing between the Constellation, which is an older "M" class ship, and all the others which are larger and newer "S" class ships.

 

If you want to get REALLY wild and crazy, check out the idea of a B2B cruise either prior to, or just after the transatlantic portion. Connie has a 12 day Turkey and Greece cruise just prior to her TA from Rome that is close to a Historian's or Anthropologist's DREAM!

 

Do you guys have access to choice air? VERY reasonable air fares, check if you can. HAVE FUN!

[jagoffee]

I am doing the Reflection cruise this November although the schedule is a little different. I picked it over the others because it is the newest Solstice Class ship and the higher probability of warmer weather on the "southern route". The New York option would be my last choice because my previously two cruises from NJ and Norfolk had rough and cool weather along the US coast. One was in November and the other Feb.

 

Good luck with your choice and enjoy your cruise.

[wallie5446]

It all depends on what and where you have been, and where and what you want to see and do next.

 

We like the Southern Carib route.

[gordylad]

Is there a better possibility of warmer weather heading towards say st kitts rather than to fort lauderdale?

 

tx

[wallie5446]

Is there a better possibility of warmer weather heading towards say st kitts rather than to fort lauderdale?

 

tx

 

That would be a YUP!:)

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Another consideration is choosing between the Constellation, which is an older "M" class ship, and all the others which are larger and newer "S" class ships.

 

If you want to get REALLY wild and crazy, check out the idea of a B2B cruise either prior to, or just after the transatlantic portion. Connie has a 12 day Turkey and Greece cruise just prior to her TA from Rome that is close to a Historian's or Anthropologist's DREAM!

 

Do you guys have access to choice air? VERY reasonable air fares, check if you can. HAVE FUN!

Not everyone can book 20 weeks for cruise like you can :rolleyes: :p