Help us choose our first cruise! Liberty or Glory? East or South Caribbean?

[golfb4cruzing]

Personally, if it was me, I'd wait and def not out of Baltimore. Leaving from North of Florida, you will lose days onboard because it's too cold. Space Center or Caribbean? I'd save my money for a better trip. I haven't read the whole thread, so if you are talking August then obviously weather issues are moot.

[almendrada]

Personally, if it was me, I'd wait and def not out of Baltimore. Leaving from North of Florida, you will lose days onboard because it's too cold. Space Center or Caribbean? I'd save my money for a better trip. I haven't read the whole thread, so if you are talking August then obviously weather issues are moot.

 

We're talking March. And as we're Minnesotans, we're not really worried about a few 60-degree days; in fact, we'd prefer it. Another issue is that I have a health condition which makes me very sensitive to heat, so we do not mind the more northern itinerary. Plus: WAY cheaper airfare! Feels like we won with this one.

[Cuizer2]

I cruised out of Baltimore in late February and early March 2012. It was a twelve night trip and it was great. This was on the Enchantment of the Seas. I was on the Pride in 2004. The Spirit class (the Pride is a Spirit class ship) is my favorite of the Carnival ships. Here is a picture of the Pride docked in Baltimore ...

 

[aeneas3]

Just to give my 2 cents on this as well.

First, I think the most important difference maker for me if both itineraries are appealing to you would be the price of flights. A big difference between $250 RT and $600 RT. The money saved on the flights can be put towards a better room, excursions or a future cruise :)

 

I have not been on either ship but have been on similar ships. But I have been to most of the islands.

 

Glory's Eastern Caribbean route out of Miami

Half Moon Cay - have not been yet. I hear great things

St Thomas - been a few times. Coco was a trip with a lot of locals smoking pot which was not enjoyed by the older folks in the party. I thought it was fine as the locals were nice. Magens bay is popular for a reason - it is awesome. St. John is a trip worth taking as well, as Trunk is amazing. I felt that taking the ferry over and getting to trunk would take up more time than we wanted. We spent a day on st. john when we stayed on st. thomas for another trip. St. thomas has a lot of poverty on the interior - it is a sharp dichotomy between the expensive hotels and the interior.

 

San Juan - a wonderful city full of history. You can do a lot on the island within a short drive. beaches, old san juan, rain forest.

 

Grand Turk - a great island, hard to pick a bad beach

 

Liberty's Southern Caribbean route out of San Juan to

St Thomas - see above

Barbados - have not been

St Lucia - have not been

St Kitts - my wife went to vet school at Ross. Feel free to message me about the island. We did go back a few years ago as well on the Miracle. Plenty to do. I think the Brimstone tour is fun and history-laden

St Maarten - been many times. I still think Great bay beach (or phillipsburg beach) is an easy, excellent option.

 

All in all, I think it is hard to choose a wrong option. I usually suggest that if you have not been a cruise and are torn between two options, choose the one that costs less so that when you come back, and are hooked, you have a head start on paying for your next cruise :)

 

Feel free to message me about st. kitts.

 

edit:

forgot to mention, my parents and in-laws cruised together on both ships (though not the same itinerary) and loved both ships.

Edited February 23, 2015 by aeneas3

[hockeyguru32]

Hi everyone! I'm pretty new to the CC forums, and to cruising in general, and so is my husband. But we have been longing for another real vacation ever since our honeymoon at an all-inclusive beach resort, and have decided to just make it happen!

 

I'm a college student, and also have a full time job in addition to volunteering; my husband tends to work overtime. For this reason, we are restricted to when we can go, and it's pretty much gotta be the week of March 6-12, 2016.

 

As far as I can see, our two options on Carnival (which is what we can afford) are Glory's Eastern Caribbean route out of Miami to Half Moon Cay, St Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk; or Liberty's Southern Caribbean route out of San Juan to St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, and St Maarten.

 

A bit about us:

 

• We're in our late 30's
  
• We're not very active (though we're trying to get to the gym more!)
  
• We're both pretty heavy
  
• We both love to be relaxed on vacation
  
• Neither of us really likes to gamble
  
• We like history/sightseeing-type activities
  
• I love laying out and reading on the beach or by the pool.
  
• I drink, he doesn't.
  
• I'm very adventurous, food-wise; he isn't.
  
• I speak Spanish, he doesn't.
  

I would love feedback from anyone who has been to these destinations, or on one or both of these ships. We're saving up, slowly but surely, to make our deposit, and that's when we'll likely decide for sure.

 

 

Any tips? Things we should consider?

 

 

Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

I'd definitely do the Eastern relax on half moon cay and visit the forts in Old San Juan lots of history there you can also relax in Grand Turk on the beach right off the ship nothing to strenuous