Western Vs Eastern Caribbean

[kelly4126]

Please help. I am trying to decide between cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman on the Carnival Conquest or St Maaren, St Kitts, SanJuan, and Grand Turk on the Freedom.

 

Which have the nicer ports and why? We like to do historical tours and shopping, and going to the beach. I have been reading negative things about the first cruise stops so am leaning toward the eastern caribbean.

 

Thanks,

Kelly

[Topo Gigio]

Please help. I am trying to decide between cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman on the Carnival Conquest or St Maaren, St Kitts, SanJuan, and Grand Turk on the Freedom.

 

Which have the nicer ports and why? We like to do historical tours and shopping, and going to the beach. I have been reading negative things about the first cruise stops so am leaning toward the eastern caribbean.

 

Thanks,

Kelly

 

Eastern Caribbean. Love St.Maarten & San Juan. Gotta love sailing out of San Juan as well.

[chill6x6]

Please help. I am trying to decide between cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Grand Cayman on the Carnival Conquest or St Maaren, St Kitts, SanJuan, and Grand Turk on the Freedom.

 

Which have the nicer ports and why? We like to do historical tours and shopping, and going to the beach. I have been reading negative things about the first cruise stops so am leaning toward the eastern caribbean.

 

Thanks,

Kelly

 

Going by your LIKES.... I believe I would do the St Kitts, St Maarten, San Juan, and Grand Turk cruise aboard the Freedom. Brimstone Hill Fortress is great in St Kitts! Of course Old San Juan is LOADED with history! Shopping for sure is covered at St Maarten and then you can go to the beach at Grand Turk! For you....I think this is the BEST itinerary!

[MNelson486]

I have done both of these. I enjoyed them both. (oh wait -- I have not been to St Maarten and St. Kitts -- but I am going this summer). We did the Nassau, St. Thomas, San Juan, Grand Turk version -- I was not a big fan of St. Thomas.

 

Cozumel and Grand Cayman are so awesome -- but you also get Belize -- which was not my favorite. Grand Cayman and Belize are also tender ports which is a hassle.

 

We loved Grand Turk -- would go back there in a heartbeat.

[hagges]

We have done the Western five times and the Eastern once. It depends on the type of port activities you want to do. We had great excursions on the Western which were very physically active such as swimming with Dolphins and Mayan ruins in Cozumel, cave tubing and a great snorkeling trip in Belize, Zip Lining in Roatan and of course the Rays in Cayman with a stop at Rum Point. People say the Eastern is more the "true Caribbean" which may be true. On the Eastern we went to the Bahamas which I would skip, Grand Turk which was fun, Saint Thomas and San Juan. San Juan is mainly a historical stop. Tendering is a hassle but worth it.

[Crusin Hogs]

Eastern / Southern the sea water is so much cleaner / clear in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean , Than in the western , The water flows in a clockwise circle in the gulf ,toward Mexico ,then US gulf coast . Think of a toilet bowl ,that why the water own the US gulf coast has a brown tint ,compared to , Nassau , St Thomas ect where it is very clear

 

You are not harassed by vendors in the east ,like Mexico , Jamaica ,ect

[mommiemudd]

Eastern! Water is sooo pretty! I love all those stops!

[Rena921]

Eastern! The water and beaches are so much nicer. Western is great too. But the stops on your eastern itinerary are much better.

[brookeq]

Western has ruins to visit at 3 of the 4 stops.

 

Eastern has much nicer beaches.

 

Depends on what you want more.

[geomapper]

The water on the gulf coast is dirtier because of the large rivers emptying into it. The islands in the Caribbean do not have large river systems, hence the water is cleaner.

[mrobstad]

If it helps, Carnival is typically cheaper than RCCL, and western Caribbean is cheaper than eastern. Southern is usually most expensive. Nice ports, how do the ships compare? Newer ships have more amenities....

[k2excursion]

Go with the Eastern on the Freedom. That is a great itinerary, although the other one is still good. You will enjoy either one, but I do think the Eastern is better. In St Kitts, I highly recommend a tour through Rose & Jim's taxi tours. Request Rose. She is so sweet, and she will give you all kinds of information throughout the day as she takes you all over the island and seeing some amazing sights, including Brimstone Hill Fortress, and ending the day with a stop at the beautiful Cockleshell Beach. That tour is one of my 2 all-time favorites. Old San Juan is great for a historical tour. St Maarten has spectacular beaches. Orient Beach might be my favorite. Maho Beach is only okay by itself, but it's the one with the planes that land right over your head. Bernards tours will take you to both beaches, as well as other places, including some shopping. I hear that Grand Turk has beautiful beaches; I'll find out in November.

 

If you opt for the Western: Cozumel has great beach clubs. If you book any trip to the mainland, book through Carnival, just to make sure you get back to the ship. Belize has a long tender ride that is a hassle. Many people like the cave tubing or Mayan ruins excursions there. Book through Carnival to stay safe and so that you get on a tender sooner. Roatan is spectacular! Get away from that manmade Mahogany Beach and book a tour with Victor Bodden. This island is too spectacular to waste it by staying at that manmade beach. Pick another port for your do-nothing port if you need one. Some of the best snorkeling anywhere, as long as you get away from the manmade beach at the ship and get over to the west end of the island. Our tour of Roatan is the other of my 2 all-time favorites. Grand Cayman has some nice beaches with decent snorkeling. Several tour operators will take you out to stingray city to swim with stingrays and snorkel at the reef. Don't need to book through Carnival here. The tender ride is very short and easy.

Edited January 3, 2014 by k2excursion

[Georgiagolfer]

DW and I have done both Eastern & Western. Like both but for different reasons. If interested more in beaches and shopping, pick the Eastern route. Also remember that Grand Cayman and Belize are tender ports.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Georgiagolfer
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