Whats your favorite Caribbean ports to just stay on the ship?

[island lady]

I'm getting that way with Cozumel. On trip number 5 I discovered Nachi Cocum and could go back there. Also I've been following on facebook the group that runs ARUBA TRIKES. I'm doing that excursion in Aruba next spring and might consider it for Cozumel as they are moving into Cozumel soon.

 

We love Nachi Cocum, and have been there 5-6 times now. Never get tired

of that quiet, uncrowded, and relaxing beach day. Great food, great service,

(wonderful Margaritas ;)) and always look forward to it. Has really made

Cozumel become on of our favorite ports because of it. :)

[PoppyandNana]

I think you answered your own question. For us, it's both. We like to visit new places, and do. But we also repeat itineraries exactly for the reasons you stated.

 

We stay on the ship a lot for repeated itineraries. If docked, we might walk off and do a little shopping and then back on to enjoy the ship. For places we haven't been, we will always explore and take excursions etc...

 

Depends on when and where we are going. We cruise twice a year. Our January cruise is to the caribbean where there are several ports we won't even get off the ship.

 

In summer or fall we generally go to Europe where we focus on port intensive itineraries. This year: Ireland and Scotland. The year before: Norway to the arctic circle. prior to that the Baltic, Med and Adriatic coast.

[PoppyandNana]

Will probably stay on in Belize next time (long tender, not my favorite country).

 

Could easily stay on the ship at Labadee...(been there way too many times :rolleyes:)

but we always get off the ship anyway just to get some exercise in the morning,

walk the perimeter, then back to the ship for an uncrowded lunch! :)

 

No criticism on my part but we all need to step back sometimes and really read what we write and put it into a different context. You said:

 

"been there way too many times"[/. You are/were on a caribbean cruise. How many people would jump at the chance to drive to a local beach vacation for more than a day or two?

 

We should all be grateful that we have the means and health to "complain" about having to go to Cozumel too many times.

Edited December 22, 2016 by PoppyandNana

[BillOh]

Now that we've hit diamond, we're going to try Celebrity for the Elite level match and likely the Black Card match of MSC. .

 

That might be my thought in 2019, maybe you can come back and tell us how that goes before then? I am kind of excited to have 6 new ports in my next two cruises. Both cruises do stop in St Martin and as long as the sun is out, I never tire of spending the day on the south end of Orient Beach.

[DisneyDatknee]

Ochos Rios & Freeport. Both horrible ports. I don't know if RCCL sails to Freeport often, but I know Carnival frequently does. It's just an awful industrial port with some souvenir shops.

[John&LaLa]

We love Nachi Cocum, and have been there 5-6 times now. Never get tired

of that quiet, uncrowded, and relaxing beach day. Great food, great service,

(wonderful Margaritas ;)) and always look forward to it. Has really made

Cozumel become on of our favorite ports because of it. :)

 

We're Mr Sancho's folks. Might try Nachi next year. 6 opportunities as far as I can tell. ;)

[ColoradoGurl]

I would say Nassau and Cozumel, but I've never actually stayed on the ship and I try to sail new itineraries every time and avoid routes that include islands I didn't like (part of why I avoid the big ships because they do all the "yuck" islands over and over and over).

 

It's also why I do a lot more land vacations than cruises. If I had to stop at Nassau or Cozumel again in order to do a route with a bunch of other islands I've never been to (or really like), then I would probably stay on the ship.

 

 

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[Robinhill]

Port Canaveral, San Juan, any place in Jamaica.

[Candycrusher]

Truth be told..most Caribbean islands are not that great to wonder around. We have been on over 100 cruises. We still like St Marteen and like shopping in St Thomas. You can really forget the other places.

 

 

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[island lady]

No criticism on my part but we all need to step back sometimes and really read what we write and put it into a different context. You said:

 

"been there way too many times"[/. You are/were on a caribbean cruise. How many people would jump at the chance to drive to a local beach vacation for more than a day or two?

 

We should all be grateful that we have the means and health to "complain" about having to go to Cozumel too many times.

 

Nah, ...really??!! I would not call that "criticism on my part" at all. :rolleyes: :D

 

You mentioned I was "complaining" about going to Cozumel too many times. Did you really read my

post? I was talking about Labadee.

 

Was not "complaining" as you put it...just answering the OP's thread question. Do you even know what

the title actually is?? And did you read all of the posts and how many others stated they have been to a

port "way too many times"??!! Seems you can't get away from a western Carib (or even eastern cruise now)

without RCI making sure we stop at $$ controlled Labadee. Cozumel seemed to come up a lot. Though,

for us, we totally enjoy Cozumel due to what we make of it. What about all the peeps that spoke about

Nassau??

 

To each their own. "Jump at the chance to drive to a local beach"?? I chose to move to and retire in

Florida after a long and hard work life. No one gave me this opportunity, I made it happen on my own.

So now going on a cruise is an easy drive away. As long as I still have enough health left to be able

to cruise, and enough hard earned retirement money available, we will do it as long as we still can. ;)

Edited December 22, 2016 by island lady

[island lady]

We're Mr Sancho's folks. Might try Nachi next year. 6 opportunities as far as I can tell. ;)

 

We are just a quick walk away from each other at each resort! :)

 

Just last week we got to Nachi Cocum early and walked down to Mr. Sanchos.

Nice place also, but Bucky and I prefer the less crowded and quieter Nachi Cocum.

 

Indeed, John, you should try it sometimes! :D

Edited December 22, 2016 by island lady

[John&LaLa]

Port Canaveral, San Juan, any place in Jamaica.

 

In PC you can get off and walk to the Cove and hang out, good times. :D

[island lady]

In PC you can get off and walk to the Cove and hang out, good times. :D

 

Port Canaveral is heaven on earth!! :)

 

It's all in what you make of it. Gosh we might even want to live near there

sometimes John!! ;) :p

Edited December 22, 2016 by island lady

[Fouremco]

Dominica and St Lucia. Once you have done the Island Tour, no point.

As someone who has spent several extended resort stays in St. Lucia, as well as numerous port days, I have to wonder if you've somehow overlooked the many other possible opportunities to enjoy a day on this beautiful island. An island tour barely scratches the surface.

[island lady]

As someone who has spent several extended resort stays in St. Lucia, as well as numerous port days, I have to wonder if you've somehow overlooked the many other possible opportunities to enjoy a day on this beautiful island. An island tour barely scratches the surface.

 

Agree!! There are so many ports that offer so much more, if you take the time to look into

them. The only port you can't get out to get creative at IMHO ....is Labadee. Quite the

closed in controlled area.

Edited December 22, 2016 by island lady

[sdrocks]

Also been to most Caribbean ports numerous times. We don't do beach stuff.

Also enjoy being on a quiet ship. Will get off at Labadee.

[davekathy]

...You can really forget the other places. Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

No you can really forget the other places.

[coaster]

Labadee for us. Chair guys are a pain. Friend at work went a couple of months ago and said they were still aggressive. They went right back to ship and filed a complaint.

 

 

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[George C]

Labadee for us. Chair guys are a pain. Friend at work went a couple of months ago and said they were still aggressive. They went right back to ship and filed a complaint.

 

 

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I remember getting into a shouting match with one 20 something years ago, another thing that keeps me on ship is drink package, will still go to nice bars in Caribbean

[poncho1973]

Labadee for us. Chair guys are a pain. Friend at work went a couple of months ago and said they were still aggressive. They went right back to ship and filed a complaint.

 

 

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I was there 2 weeks ago and didn't have any problems whatsoever, nor did I see any. They got chairs and didn't seem to beg for tips.

 

We got our own chairs. We saw 1 guy tip (it wasn't denied) and other families not tip at all.

[island lady]

I remember getting into a shouting match with one 20 something years ago, another thing that keeps me on ship is drink package, will still go to nice bars in Caribbean

 

That's a shame about having to go through that, escalating into a shouting match.

Does not make your vacation relaxing. On board with the drink package:

Much more relaxing. ;) :)

 

We still do get off the ship in Labadee, but just to get some exercise and walk

around. Always like to go out to the "breathing dragon" mostly for the view.

Then back on the ship for an early lunch, and enjoy the views from there.

Since we never use the loungers, have not had to deal with the hungry

vendors I guess.

 

I try to avoid cruises that go to Labadee, but twice now....RCI substituted

Labadee well after we booked and well after final payment for a port we

originally wanted to go to. Twice!! :mad: Another reason I am not a

fan of Labadee. :(

[CPPADILLA]

St. Thomas for us. Too many times there. Just stay on ship and enjoy the Solarium.

[Candycrusher]

We actually enjoy St Thomas...shopping is great!

 

 

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[island lady]

We actually enjoy St Thomas...shopping is great!

 

 

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Except now RCI no longer docks at Havensight. :(

Will miss that.

 

Will be our first time docking at Crown Point next month.

[jamesboat]

I would say Nassau and Cozumel, but I've never actually stayed on the ship and I try to sail new itineraries every time and avoid routes that include islands I didn't like (part of why I avoid the big ships because they do all the "yuck" islands over and over and over).

 

Im with you. With so many options, why book a trip that goes where you dont want to go?

 

Thats why I havent been on an Oasis class ship. I understand there are limitations to what ports they can visit, but it blows my mind that their routes are so boring.

 

Same with the NLC Epic. Ive always wanted to try that ship, but the itineraries are the worst!

 

Even worse is there are are MANY ports that other lines visit and they dont. Like stopping in the Dominican Republican.