Caribbean Next Year

[DeanoNorthPerth]

I have been looking at available cruises of the Caribbean out of Miami early next year (March/April) and have been quite surprised by the high level of availability. I would have thought with only 3 months or so to go there might be limited cabins available, but not so.

Do these cruises normally fill up later or is there a problem with either this area or Oceania that someone from Australia might be unaware of?

[Minoushka]

There are lots of cruises in the Caribbean so I guess competition s fierce .Southern Caribbean for me is the best ....so places like the ABC islands ....Aruba,bonaire and Curacao have wonderful beaches and interesting sites ..so theuy are my favorites but all of them are very nice .i would avoid Jamaica if you can ....and other not so friendly places

Go on port of callsfor info

iIMO?.not having gone on a cruise on Oceania tthey are deemed more expensive than a regular line.....could this determine availability .....???

Go shopping

[Floridiana]

The Caribbean islands are wonderful. We prefer the lush green islands of the Eastern Caribbean and the Mayan Mystique cruise in the Western Caribbean for its opportunity to visit Mayan ruins in Belize (Lamanai), Guatemala (Tikal), and Costa Maya (several) in Mexico. People who love water sports often prefer the Southern ABC islands. They are dry with cacti because they are outside the hurricane belt.

 

There are so many cruises in the Caribbean that they don't necessarily all sell out. When the northern US and Canada drown in snowstorms, people escape to the Caribbean. Some cruises on brand new mammoth ships can only dock in very few ports. The more upscale cruise lines with smaller ships try to go to less travelled islands. And then there is everything in between.:D

 

IMHO a good cruise for somebody coming from so far away would be the full transit Panama Canal with several Caribbean ports and the Mexican coast.

[PaulMCO]

Yes there seems like lots of availability. Remembering that O has more capacity now with Riviera also doing the Caribbean than in the past.

 

We were booked on Insignia for the 17 December Amazon. Notified on the 12th of cancellation and looked about for a 22 or 23 December replacement. Was able to find both Silversea and Oceania availability. And that is for a popular Xmas time cruise.

[Pet Nit Noy]

I have been looking at available cruises of the Caribbean out of Miami early next year (March/April) and have been quite surprised by the high level of availability. I would have thought with only 3 months or so to go there might be limited cabins available, but not so.

Do these cruises normally fill up later or is there a problem with either this area or Oceania that someone from Australia might be unaware of?

 

For much of the US, winter is over in the March/April time frame. The demand for a March/April get away cruise is just less. People who need to get away from snow and cold cruise in January and February. There's certainly nothing wrong with Oceania and there's nothing wrong with the Caribbean any time of year. The air and water temps show little fluctuation between seasons.

[pinotlover]

Like many travelers, I have been to the carribe many times and just can't get exited to go back there. My only cruising done there was on a 45 ft barefoot sail boat, which is definitely the way to travel! I can go to Rome, Vienna, or Amsterdam over and over again. Been to many of the islands at least twice and just can't get excited about going back to any of them again. To many other places to see and things to do.

 

As far as Oceania goes, for many cruisers the ship is the destination, not necessarily the islands visited. Outside of its marvelous food, O does not compete well with the other lines as destination ships, imo. On some cruises, O's often very plentiful geriatric crowd can make everyone feel old. That's not what we go to the Carribe for!;)

 

That area is awash in cruise boats and supply far exceeds demand. I believe some cruise lines just run the routes to keep some revenue stream going instead of just docking/mooring the ships and laying off crew. My brother, living in Florida, regularly gets offers to sail for a week to ten days for less than $100 per day for he and his wife (that's under $50 each). He can just drive down to Miami or Ft Lauderdale and get on the ship. Locals here can often get those same offers, and just wait until an offer comes from their TA, or do something different this year. Not much need to book in advance.

[Minoushka]

Bear in mind its Spring break time lots of young people on lots of cruises ...not sure Oceania would be in their price range but Carnival wiuld be bookrpd pretty solid for March ..lots of people in the islands

[Diver2014]

Like many travelers, I have been to the carribe many times and just can't get exited to go back there. My only cruising done there was on a 45 ft barefoot sail boat, which is definitely the way to travel!

 

Just my opinion but if one cruise on a sailboat is your cruising experience in the Caribbean, why do you offer advice to someone who is looking for a Caribbean cruise? Just saying.....

 

I live in Miami and we love being able to get on a ship (any ship!) when a bargain comes along in the Caribbean. I hate to fly. There are dozens and dozens of gorgeous Caribbean islands (including Jamaica!!!) and even the worst weather in hurricane season is better than the weather in the north. My advice to anyone thinking of a Caribbean cruise....come on down! It's a great way to take a vacation and we'd love to have you!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just my opinion but if one cruise on a sailboat is your cruising experience in the Caribbean, why do you offer advice to someone who is looking for a Caribbean cruise? Just saying.....

 

 

 

I live in Miami and we love being able to get on a ship (any ship!) when a bargain comes along in the Caribbean. I hate to fly. There are dozens and dozens of gorgeous Caribbean islands (including Jamaica!!!) and even the worst weather in hurricane season is better than the weather in the north. My advice to anyone thinking of a Caribbean cruise....come on down! It's a great way to take a vacation and we'd love to have you!

 

 

I'm with pinotlover on this. The only thing that makes "cruising" in the Caribbean worthwhile for us is doing a yacht charter. A 60 foot cat, with crew and provisions, can usually handle up to eight guests and is surprisingly affordable (at max occupancy) when compared to premium cruise lines. Uncrowded anchorages, included watersports, etc. make the best of the generally boring cookie cutter islands and mass market tourist trap commercialism. We've been there on cruise ships as well. There's just no comparison.

If you're interested in charters, check out a reputable broker like Ed Hamilton who is based in Maine.

 

 

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[computerworks]

The only thing that makes "cruising" in the Caribbean worthwhile for us is doing a yacht charter. A 60 foot cat, with crew and provisions, can usually handle up to eight guests and is surprisingly affordable (at max occupancy) when compared to premium cruise lines. Uncrowded anchorages, included watersports, etc. make the best of the generally boring cookie cutter islands and mass market tourist trap commercialism. We've been there on cruise ships as well. There's just no comparison.

 

For me, that sounds like the absolute worst possible way to travel.

You see, that's why choice makes the world go round.

 

Different strokes... we all enjoy our own choices. :p

[Diver2014]

There are no 'generally boring cookie cutter islands' in the Caribbean.

You must have been somewhere other than the Caribbean (yes, I am

being sarcastic but I just can't believe someone would say something

like that on a forum where someone is asking for cruise advice.....)