Which Cruise To Chose?

[Jasalth]

Hello all! I am hoping for some advice because I really just don't know what to do!

 

(TLDR question! Would you pay $1,000 more for 2 sea days for 4 people?)

 

I have finally narrowed it down between 2 cruises, now which one to book?!

 

Choice #1: 7 Day Eastern out of Baltimore on the Pride. Grand Turk, 1/2 Moon Cay & Freeport.

 

Choice #2: 5 Day Bahamas out of Orlando on the Sunshine. 1/2 Moon, Nassau & Freeport.

 

Differences in the cruises:

 

Pride: Bowling Alley Balcony. Baltimore is only a 4 hour drive from us.

Sunshine: Aft-Extended Balcony. Orlando is a 15 hour drive.

 

The 2 days difference in the cruise are only taken up by sea days. Would be about the same length of time though due to traveling. Husband would have to take the week before the cruise off for the Sunshine and could help me get ready. Pride my husband would take off the week after since the shift he is on really starts Saturday night for Sunday.

 

He is the real issue though. The Sunshine would cost about $1,000 less all told, even including travel, excursions and boarding our dog.

 

Would you pay an extra $1,000 for 2 sea days for 2 adults and 2 teens?

[etwright]

It's hard to say. It is a matter of your personal preference. We never book less than 7 because we have to fly. But if I was in your situation and could drive, I would probably save the $1000 and do the Sunshine. Just my opinion. $1000 extra could go a long way on a cruise. :cool::):cool:

[bar1068]

Yep, totally a personal choice. I'd do the 7 day cruise and pay the $$. To me, 15hrs+ x 2 driving to and from Orlando, not worth it to me, rather pay extra and spend 2 days at sea rather than what amounts to 2 days driving for a 5 day cruise. But thats just us we love sea days, waaaaayyyy more than driving!!

[cruizinisthebest]

I'm not a fan of the port times for the Pride. Even driving to Baltimore as opposed to flying to Florida, the shortened port times combined with the cost being less or the same has placed us flying out of Florida to sail each time so far.

 

With a shorter cruise, it would only be worth that long drive if I combined it with some time spent in either Orlando or Cocoa Beach. Lots of ways to make it a 7 or 8 day vacation and you could still come out spending less than that 1K difference. And with both you get HMC. Sunshine gets my vote.

[near the beach]

How much would it cost to drive 30 hours to Port Canaveral in gas and food?

I would select the Sunshine over the Pride.

Sea days give you time to enjoy the ship.

I think the Sunshine would have more for the teens to do than the pride.

Whichever one you pick tray to get a cabana at half moon cay.

[tatelek]

Sunshine only because I'm in love with this boat

 

 

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[bigboiracer]

If you haven't done baltimore yet I would do it. So much easier just to drive there and jump on ship then when you get back have a short drive home. I live 2 hours from baltimore and have loved the time I sailed out of there in the past!!!!

 

 

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[Lovefuninthesun]

Sea days are my favorite. I try to pick the itineraries that have more of them.

[Cruise, J.D.]

Hello all! I am hoping for some advice because I really just don't know what to do!

 

(TLDR question! Would you pay $1,000 more for 2 sea days for 4 people?)

 

I have finally narrowed it down between 2 cruises, now which one to book?!

 

Choice #1: 7 Day Eastern out of Baltimore on the Pride. Grand Turk, 1/2 Moon Cay & Freeport.

 

Choice #2: 5 Day Bahamas out of Orlando on the Sunshine. 1/2 Moon, Nassau & Freeport.

 

Differences in the cruises:

 

Pride: Bowling Alley Balcony. Baltimore is only a 4 hour drive from us.

Sunshine: Aft-Extended Balcony. Orlando is a 15 hour drive.

 

The 2 days difference in the cruise are only taken up by sea days. Would be about the same length of time though due to traveling. Husband would have to take the week before the cruise off for the Sunshine and could help me get ready. Pride my husband would take off the week after since the shift he is on really starts Saturday night for Sunday.

 

He is the real issue though. The Sunshine would cost about $1,000 less all told, even including travel, excursions and boarding our dog.

 

Would you pay an extra $1,000 for 2 sea days for 2 adults and 2 teens?

 

Close one. You are paying about $125pp per day for those additional sea days. However, sea days give you more direct value for your booking costs than port days as you are using the ship's facilities the entire day.

 

I'd probably choose the 7-day because the 5-day with 3 ports would make the vacation seem to go by too fast.

[SNJCruisers]

Easy peasy.....One- 7 days always trumps 5 days. :)

Two- A 4 hour drive always trumps a 15 hour drive ;)

Three- Grand Turk always trumps Nassau :D

[Liverpoollovely]

Hello all! I am hoping for some advice because I really just don't know what to do!

 

(TLDR question! Would you pay $1,000 more for 2 sea days for 4 people?)

 

I have finally narrowed it down between 2 cruises, now which one to book?!

 

Choice #1: 7 Day Eastern out of Baltimore on the Pride. Grand Turk, 1/2 Moon Cay & Freeport.

 

Choice #2: 5 Day Bahamas out of Orlando on the Sunshine. 1/2 Moon, Nassau & Freeport.

 

Differences in the cruises:

 

Pride: Bowling Alley Balcony. Baltimore is only a 4 hour drive from us.

Sunshine: Aft-Extended Balcony. Orlando is a 15 hour drive.

 

The 2 days difference in the cruise are only taken up by sea days. Would be about the same length of time though due to traveling. Husband would have to take the week before the cruise off for the Sunshine and could help me get ready. Pride my husband would take off the week after since the shift he is on really starts Saturday night for Sunday.

 

He is the real issue though. The Sunshine would cost about $1,000 less all told, even including travel, excursions and boarding our dog.

 

Would you pay an extra $1,000 for 2 sea days for 2 adults and 2 teens?

 

 

Ultimately you know your financial situation is two extra days really worth the price of $1000?

 

Honestly the closer the port is this important to you?

 

Grand Turk I have been to before and it's ok .. I have never been to half moon cay because of tendering issues so I can't really comment on that port but I have been to Nassau and its alright i have been there many times so after a while it does become a bit of a what do I do here now type feel .. and I haven't been to Freeport but on both half moon cay and grand Turk you can rent a cabana which is a highly popular thing to do

 

Grand Turk and half moon cay are beach type destinations (unsure if Freeport is)

 

I would choose the sunshine ...

Your saving money

You have an aft cabin

It's been newly refurbished

You can have a pre and post fantastic road trip

[PaulMedik]

.......

 

Would you pay an extra $1,000 for 2 sea days for 2 adults and 2 teens?

 

Jasalth,

 

Yes; have done so many times. :)

 

Sea days vs travel days are worth $250 per person.

 

With that said, we are driving to Florida this April instead of flying due to the fact that flights would cost more than our cruise....:o That and the fact that luggage co$ts are outrageous and by driving we can bring back anything we desire will, hopefully, make the drive more enjoyable.

[Jasalth]

Thank you for all your suggestions everyone!

 

I will say Grand Turk vs Nassau is really the one selling point Pride had over Sunshine for me at least. In the end, we actually decided that we would end up counting Nassau as more of a "sea day" and spend it on the ship doing ship things that are open and less crowded.

 

I have come to the decision that I don't really think 2 sea days would be worth $1000 for us in price. Because that $1000 isn't really just $1000, it is a lot more when you consider entertainment, casino and drinks for 2 more days.

 

Since the question was asked though, that $1,000 more for Pride fully included gas, 2 hotel stays and food to get down to Orlando and back. For that $1,000 I could even spend a day at Universal or Epcot the day we get back and probably still come out ahead.

 

Happily one teenage boy is just like a baby in the car, at 16 if you don't keep talking to him he is asleep in 5 mins. The other will just stare out the window and never say a word so driving isn't to much of an issue at least. At the moment I plan on slightly extending the trip at least there and back with 1/2 day stops in Savannah coming down, and then spending the day in one of the national forests on the way back up.

 

Thanks again all for your thoughts on the matter!

[Liverpoollovely]

Thank you for all your suggestions everyone!

 

I will say Grand Turk vs Nassau is really the one selling point Pride had over Sunshine for me at least. In the end, we actually decided that we would end up counting Nassau as more of a "sea day" and spend it on the ship doing ship things that are open and less crowded.

 

I have come to the decision that I don't really think 2 sea days would be worth $1000 for us in price. Because that $1000 isn't really just $1000, it is a lot more when you consider entertainment, casino and drinks for 2 more days.

 

Since the question was asked though, that $1,000 more for Pride fully included gas, 2 hotel stays and food to get down to Orlando and back. For that $1,000 I could even spend a day at Universal or Epcot the day we get back and probably still come out ahead.

 

Happily one teenage boy is just like a baby in the car, at 16 if you don't keep talking to him he is asleep in 5 mins. The other will just stare out the window and never say a word so driving isn't to much of an issue at least. At the moment I plan on slightly extending the trip at least there and back with 1/2 day stops in Savannah coming down, and then spending the day in one of the national forests on the way back up.

 

Thanks again all for your thoughts on the matter!

 

Yay glad we could all be of help to you :) I hope you have a fantastic cruise

[IGGY63]

Thank you for all your suggestions everyone!

 

I will say Grand Turk vs Nassau is really the one selling point Pride had over Sunshine for me at least. In the end, we actually decided that we would end up counting Nassau as more of a "sea day" and spend it on the ship doing ship things that are open and less crowded.

 

I have come to the decision that I don't really think 2 sea days would be worth $1000 for us in price. Because that $1000 isn't really just $1000, it is a lot more when you consider entertainment, casino and drinks for 2 more days.

 

Since the question was asked though, that $1,000 more for Pride fully included gas, 2 hotel stays and food to get down to Orlando and back. For that $1,000 I could even spend a day at Universal or Epcot the day we get back and probably still come out ahead.

 

Happily one teenage boy is just like a baby in the car, at 16 if you don't keep talking to him he is asleep in 5 mins. The other will just stare out the window and never say a word so driving isn't to much of an issue at least. At the moment I plan on slightly extending the trip at least there and back with 1/2 day stops in Savannah coming down, and then spending the day in one of the national forests on the way back up.

 

Thanks again all for your thoughts on the matter!

 

However......

 

If you sail in the winter, it will be cooler the first and last day, so if you are planning a relaxing couple extra days on the balcony....just might be a bit chilly....

 

That being said.....I agree with:

 

7 days is always better than 5...and

Grand Turk trumps Nassau

[Lerin]

Yuck, 15 hour drive. And remember you'll have to make that trek after the cruise as well.

I'd do the closer port for sure.

[cruizinisthebest]

Good choice. I actually have made the same decision. Although we fly, because my marriage might not survive a drive that long there and back. lol. So we cough up transportation costs. Still worth it to me when I weigh in the same factors as you. Nassau, which I'm fine with unlike some people, would be another sea I figured too just because we've been there done that so many times. And while I enjoy sea days (upcoming cruise has 4), I also enjoy port stops. So I'm with you 100%.

 

Would love to try the Pride personally but maybe if I can get on a Bermuda sailing. Their normal itineraries out of Baltimore don't quite cut it for us. Enjoy your trip!

[Tapi]

Since you're doing a 5 nighter to the Bahamas, how are the prices out of Charleston and Jacksonville? That may provide lower costs with a shorter drive.

 

 

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