Why no true 14 day Caribbean cruises?

[islandatsea]

No longer true for the '17, '18 season.

Hence the excitement on this thread since the true 14 day itineraries were bookable on the 19th.

 

Yes, so true. Real 14 day cruises! Booked ours on opening day too :D !

[Sanibel*Gal]

We booked the January 14 night too. I know it's a long way off but it has so many ports, there will be lots of time to plan!

 

OH Nuts and We booked the October!!

Yes, so true. Real 14 day cruises! Booked ours on opening day too :D !

 

We did too, so excited to have a real 14 day cruise.:D

 

Andrea

~~~~~~~~

[Cruise Junky]

All 4 of the sailings go to Trinidad and Martinique.

The only variance is St Thomas/St Martin, and Princess Cays/Amber Cove.

 

Great itineraries.

 

I must be alone in being extremely disappointed in these itineraries. Wouldn't want to return to either Trinadad or Martinique and they put them both on all itineraries. Ugh!

[Papa Yoda]

Just noticed there is also a 14 day on Pacific Princess:

 

22-Dec-17 Fri PACIFIC K801 14 Caribbean Caribbean Connosieur

 

FT. LAUDERDALE, Grand Turk, St. Barthelemy, Nevis, St Lucia, Tobago (Scarborough), Barbados, Martinique, Antigua, Virgin Gorda, FT. LAUDERDALE

[PescadoAmarillo]

I must be alone in being extremely disappointed in these itineraries. Wouldn't want to return to either Trinadad or Martinique and they put them both on all itineraries. Ugh!

I'm not thrilled with them either. Caribbean islands fall into three categories: 1 visit is enough; 2 visits are enough; I could return again and again. Martinique and Trinidad are in the first group, and we've already been to both.

 

Still, we booked these cruises. I have a feeling that they will sell more quickly than the usual 7 and 10 night cruises. We wanted a specific cabin location and had available FCCs, so...

[MplsYogini]

For those of us who have never been to Martinique and Trinidad, what should we expect from these islands?

[Shoalwater]

Just noticed there is also a 14 day on Pacific Princess:

 

22-Dec-17 Fri PACIFIC K801 14 Caribbean Caribbean Connosieur

 

FT. LAUDERDALE, Grand Turk, St. Barthelemy, Nevis, St Lucia, Tobago (Scarborough), Barbados, Martinique, Antigua, Virgin Gorda, FT. LAUDERDALE

 

We jumped on this when we saw the true 14 day length as well as it being the Pacific Princess, a grand old ship feel, intimate with lots of real wood and large cabins. Not a fan of the multi-thousand passenger ships any longer.

[EatonDoolittle]

For those of us who have never been to Martinique and Trinidad, what should we expect from these islands?

 

Well, if you need Diamonds International and pristine white Aruba-like beaches, you will be disappointed with both.

 

Martinique is more old Caribbean style, as well as quite French. It has been over 15 years since my last visit, I am looking forward to seeing this seldom visited port again.

I do remember a wonderful market in town, getting some fresh flowers for my cabin, but who knows it that is still allowed. My sailing will be there on a Sat, so I have hopes of getting a nice local experience at the market.

Beaches will be a water ferry ride away - I found some great info on the port of call board, someone posted detailed info on getting around.

 

The Port of Spain port is industrial, nothing there except a small terminal building and courtyard with a covered market. Some unique items there, as it is so close to Venezuela, and a melting pot city. Great place to buy original Trini steel pan music CDs.

 

PoS is a big, busy city, which turns some people off. We took a cab to the main drag and had great fun shopping with the locals. They are fun people, but it is probably not for the timid, like walking in any big city.

 

The best beach is an hour away, probably not worth it (IMO). There are several nature type tour opportunities.

 

Plan on hot, hot hot in Trinidad. It is at a lower latitude than even some parts of mainland South America, so just be prepared, so you don't whine like a tourist.

Don't anybody take my last comment personally - it's a pet peeve of mine. "It's so hooootttttt"....hellooo, did you happen to look at a map before you came? Have you heard of the Equator?

 

Anyway, these 2 are indeed probably not on anybody's top 5 list, bit I personally like a bit of a change up in ports.

[MplsYogini]

Well, if you need Diamonds International and pristine white Aruba-like beaches, you will be disappointed with both.

 

Martinique is more old Caribbean style, as well as quite French. It has been over 15 years since my last visit, I am looking forward to seeing this seldom visited port again.

I do remember a wonderful market in town, getting some fresh flowers for my cabin, but who knows it that is still allowed. My sailing will be there on a Sat, so I have hopes of getting a nice local experience at the market.

Beaches will be a water ferry ride away - I found some great info on the port of call board, someone posted detailed info on getting around.

 

The Port of Spain port is industrial, nothing there except a small terminal building and courtyard with a covered market. Some unique items there, as it is so close to Venezuela, and a melting pot city. Great place to buy original Trini steel pan music CDs.

 

PoS is a big, busy city, which turns some people off. We took a cab to the main drag and had great fun shopping with the locals. They are fun people, but it is probably not for the timid, like walking in any big city.

 

The best beach is an hour away, probably not worth it (IMO). There are several nature type tour opportunities.

 

Plan on hot, hot hot in Trinidad. It is at a lower latitude than even some parts of mainland South America, so just be prepared, so you don't whine like a tourist.

Don't anybody take my last comment personally - it's a pet peeve of mine. "It's so hooootttttt"....hellooo, did you happen to look at a map before you came? Have you heard of the Equator?

 

Anyway, these 2 are indeed probably not on anybody's top 5 list, bit I personally like a bit of a change up in ports.

 

Thank you!! I'm definitely looking forward to visiting both islands. And I LOVE hot hot hot, ESPECIALLY when visiting in January from Minnesota!!

[RASHOPPER2]

Well, if you need Diamonds International and pristine white Aruba-like beaches, you will be disappointed with both.

 

Martinique is more old Caribbean style, as well as quite French. It has been over 15 years since my last visit, I am looking forward to seeing this seldom visited port again.

I do remember a wonderful market in town, getting some fresh flowers for my cabin, but who knows it that is still allowed. My sailing will be there on a Sat, so I have hopes of getting a nice local experience at the market.

Beaches will be a water ferry ride away - I found some great info on the port of call board, someone posted detailed info on getting around.

 

The Port of Spain port is industrial, nothing there except a small terminal building and courtyard with a covered market. Some unique items there, as it is so close to Venezuela, and a melting pot city. Great place to buy original Trini steel pan music CDs.

 

PoS is a big, busy city, which turns some people off. We took a cab to the main drag and had great fun shopping with the locals. They are fun people, but it is probably not for the timid, like walking in any big city.

 

The best beach is an hour away, probably not worth it (IMO). There are several nature type tour opportunities.

 

Plan on hot, hot hot in Trinidad. It is at a lower latitude than even some parts of mainland South America, so just be prepared, so you don't whine like a tourist.

Don't anybody take my last comment personally - it's a pet peeve of mine. "It's so hooootttttt"....hellooo, did you happen to look at a map before you came? Have you heard of the Equator?

 

Anyway, these 2 are indeed probably not on anybody's top 5 list, bit I personally like a bit of a change up in ports.

 

Agreed. So happy to have new ports. Thank you Princess.

[PescadoAmarillo]

My favorite thing in Port of Spain was visiting a little shop where the costumes for their Carnival (which is third only to Rio and NOLA, I think) are designed and sewed. Absolutely fascinating to see how much work goes into so little clothing.

[grouchomarx]

Martinique is more quiet than some of the more popular ports. We did a snorkel trip there and we snorkeled to a bat cave, very unique. The boat crew were much more reserved than any other we have on a snorkel trip, it was a different experience. Maybe a French influence.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Martinique is more quiet than some of the more popular ports. We did a snorkel trip there and we snorkeled to a bat cave, very unique. The boat crew were much more reserved than any other we have on a snorkel trip, it was a different experience. Maybe a French influence.

 

We did that excursion. It was actually very nice. The coral looked relatively healthy, but the cave smelled of guano. And, you're right, there was no solicitous attitude on the part of the tour operator. After spending time in French Polynesia and encountering much of the same, it would be less of a surprise.

[zaks pack4]

We booked the January 14 night too. I know it's a long way off but it has so many ports, there will be lots of time to plan!

Hi Whimsy (Marie) - we booked the March 18, 2018 true 14 day cruise on CB today! We are just so excited! Too bad we aren't on the same cruise - it's been a few years since that great cruise on the Emerald.:)

Ft. Lauderdale - Amber Cove - St. Thomas - Antigua - St. Kitts - Martinique - Barbados - Trinidad - Curacao - Aruba - back to Ft. Lauderdale, with 4 sea days thrown in the mix. We have been waiting for a cruise like this!

Patty

[keithm]

Why does Princess not offer any true 14 day cruises in the Caribbean this fall? They are all b2b cruises. Is a 14 day cruise not popular enough? I notice Celebrity offers true 14 day cruises. I would not want to return to Ft Lauderdale mid cruise, that would be just awful. I wish they would have a real 14 day cruise with no return to Florida.

That's why we do the Celebrity Eclipse! We missed out on the Eclipse due to work issues. We tried a B2B on the Regal. Overall, a nice trip, but not at the level of the Eclipse. Food was good9in many cases, excellent)in the Allegro, but we felt the meals were a bit of a let down in the Crown Grill/Sabatini's. Seafood there was excellent, however. Steaks were like eating at a low end steak house(think Long horn!). I agree with the returning to Ft. Lauderdale. You kind of lose a day. If we do the trip again(we're back on Eclipse this Jan.)We'd opt for an excursion in Ft. Lauderdale. Also won't do Princess during "Super Bowl" Week! Most disgustingly behaved & dressed pax I've ever seen on a cruise! Yet, on the Eclipse they were much better behaved. I hope that was just a fluke on the Regal. I'd like to think Princess gets a better clientele than what we saw. True, on the second leg..Feb.14-21 the "new" pax were much more of what I'd expect to see on a cruise. The staff on the Regal are one big reason we'd consider the line again. Just absolutely wonderful!

[keithm]

Martinique is more quiet than some of the more popular ports. We did a snorkel trip there and we snorkeled to a bat cave, very unique. The boat crew were much more reserved than any other we have on a snorkel trip, it was a different experience. Maybe a French influence.

We remember doing Martinique some years back. We "cut" through this park in town. When we got to the other side the police were there to "bitch" us out. They said many tourists got mugged walking through the park. If that's so, why don't they patrol the parks in town, instead of sitting around(which we saw them doing!)We certainly didn't want to have to cause them to do their jobs! Probably will just stay on the ship the next time. Really felt the port was pretty dirty overall.

[Kinkacruiser]

Too soon to start a Roll Call? :)

 

Not at all. Our March 18 (2018) group is growing already :)

Edited July 31, 2016 by Kinkacruiser

[Rosethorn40]

I think when you look at demographics....the older, shall i say more "experienced" travelers tend to be on cruises longer then 10 days...id say the average age shoots up to about 68 years old when you start to look at 14 days at sea...(2) schools of thought here....The First: with passengers being much older maybe Princess feels staying "close" to home...such as ft Lauderdale is a little bit safer if they had to disembark a terminal passenger.

 

-Mark

 

That's what I thought back in 2007 when I booked the Sea Princess for a true 14-day Caribbean cruise. Boy was I wrong (At least on our sailing). The ship was packed with families, mostly from the UK (85% of our sailing was passengers from the UK).

[MrMan]

Follow the money. Supply and demand.

 

A relatively few passengers actually book 14-day Caribbean cruises which means these itineraries would have to go on sale. Good for the consumer, bad for Princess. Non-retired passengers often can't take fourteen days off plus another day or two for travel. Plus, many have families and kids usually don't get a 2-week vacation during the school year other than Christmas.

 

Princess offers a 10-day southern Caribbean cruise.

 

 

All the reasons Pam said above plus the following:

 

You double the ancillary budgets. That is if on a cruise one budgets to lose say $200 in casino; by having two 7 days you have two casino budgets spent on two seven days vs one on a fourteen. Same with excursions, booze, Diamonds, Art etc. By having two 7 day back to back you have a larger population of potential purchasers.

 

Lastly, and this is pure speculation, as a 14 day would tend to attract an older crowd, the 14 day would have less booze, specialty etc spend as they are not up as late in casino and buying booze.

[geocruiser]

What I remember most about Port of Spain was the traffic you had to cross after getting out of the pier area.

[MplsYogini]

Not at all. Our March 18 (2018) group is growing already :)

 

So is our January 2018 one! :)

[Brampton]

Totally agree. We hate these B2B after so many days you go all the way back to Fort Lauderdale and then turn around and go back the same way. It's a big waste of time and we will not do it. Once you are back in Fort Lauderdale you just sit on the ship waiting to leave.

[floridalover5623]

Next time on a B2B in Ft Lauderdale I'm going to the beach till around 1 or 2. Anything better than staying on the ship waiting to go through imaginations.

[myfuzzy]

We are booked on the 8 night Ft Lauderdale, which is the first part of a 14 night, which returns to Ft Lauderdale to go out for another 6 nights. We would have also liked a 10 to 14 night, but the cost of the 6 night wasn't worth the money in my opinion. So, we opted for the 8 night, when we get back to Ft Lauderdale we are renting a car and driving to Orlando for 4 days.

[Hlitner]

For those of us who have never been to Martinique and Trinidad, what should we expect from these islands?

 

Martinique is very French and, in the past, was not popular with many Americans who thought the islanders were somewhat unfriendly. However, we always enjoyed the shops and some of the small beaches within range of the port. Perhaps it is because we would always greet islanders with a smile and "bonjour" which can quickly change attitudes. For those that want to take excursions, there are always some interesting tours to the rainforrest.

 

As to Trinidad, it is just not one of our favorite places. But they do have some beaches and the shopping (for island crafts/trinkets) can be interesting. The beach at Maracas Bay is decent (for beach lovers).

 

Hank