New Caribbean locations

[Merion_Mom]

I think Martinique would be interesting. Or Guadeloupe

Royal Caribbean goes to Martinique. I have been there thrice.

[FLSteve11]

Royal Caribbean goes to Martinique. I have been there thrice.

 

Does it? I haven't seen it on any of their itineraries, or at least the ones I've checked. I'll have to look again. I know I've seen it pop up from time, just not when we're sailing.

[Merion_Mom]

Does it? I haven't seen it on any of their itineraries, or at least the ones I've checked. I'll have to look again. I know I've seen it pop up from time, just not when we're sailing.

Both Anthem and Adventure have visited there.

[sptrout]

I think Martinique would be interesting. Or Guadeloupe

 

We have been to both islands, but not on an RCL ship (do not remember which line for that matter). We enjoyed both, very pretty as are most of the islands in the eastern Caribbean (very tropical and hilly/mountainous). All that said, I believe that I remember correctly that many people do not care for either one because French is their first language and English is not widely spoken. We found that to be the case, but got along anyway. I image that is the reason that there may be limited opportunities to visit these two islands these days (those end-of-cruise surveys count!). That is my guess for the day.

[FLSteve11]

Both Anthem and Adventure have visited there.

 

Thanks! I'll check it out more then. It's one of the few islands I've missed

[nelblu]

I think Martinique would be interesting. Or Guadeloupe

 

 

Martinique used to be stop, but the residents were not very friendly when we ported there some years ago.

[cruiseguy1016]

I think Martinique would be interesting. Or Guadeloupe

 

We've been to both of these on RCI ships though I can't remember which ships. They were all out of San Juan within the last 6 or 8 years. I haven't seen either of these on an itinerary in the last few years though.

[cruzinlady1947]

We've done St. Croix on Adventure out of San Juan a couple of times. Don't know why it's been removed from current itineraries.

 

 

 

We're going to St. Croix next December, 2018, on the Grandeur. Hope they don't change that.

 

 

Gwen [emoji3]

 

 

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[sptrout]

Martinique used to be stop, but the residents were not very friendly when we ported there some years ago.

 

We had similar feelings. They acted like we were doing them a favor for stopping and giving them money. They had no interest in helping non-french speaking tourist. Although I believe in the old saying" when in Rome do as the Romans do" so no hard feelings on our part; our fault for not speaking french.

 

When we visited French Polynesia several years ago that was not the case, even though English is (was at the time anyway) their third language (behind Polynesian, French, then English). They seemed very helpful and glad to help us langage challenged tourists. It was fun trying to communicate - - a lot of pointing LOL. If ever given a chance, I highly recommend that everyone visit F.P. at least once. Too bad that F.P. is so far away and very expensive.

[MouserNY]

I think Martinique would be interesting. Or Guadeloupe

 

I agree!! Martinique and Guadeloupe would be awesome Ports! My family is from Guadeloupe and it's a beautiful island. The food is amazing!!! Beaches are incredibly gorgeous and serene. I've been going there since I was a kid.

[MouserNY]

We had similar feelings. They acted like we were doing them a favor for stopping and giving them money. They had no interest in helping non-french speaking tourist. Although I believe in the old saying" when in Rome do as the Romans do" so no hard feelings on our part; our fault for not speaking french.

 

When we visited French Polynesia several years ago that was not the case, even though English is (was at the time anyway) their third language (behind Polynesian, French, then English). They seemed very helpful and glad to help us language challenged tourists. It was fun trying to communicate - - a lot of pointing LOL. If ever given a chance, I highly recommend that everyone visit F.P. at least once. Too bad that F.P. is so far away and very expensive.

 

That's interesting to know, I've never been to Martinique but was interested in visiting one day. I'm Guadeloupean so my island is part of the French Antilles like Martinique. Though we are a very friendly island of people. But I'm might be biased since I do speak French. But we do receive a good number of English speaking tourists.

[Ocean Boy]

I agree that this is the situation.

 

However, and this may come as a shock to some, RC sometimes allows Carnival ships to come to CocoCay.

 

Anything is possible. ;)

I suspect the Miami bean counters couldn't care less where the money rolls in from. They might as well find a way to make a buck off of the place when RCCL isn't using it.

[cruisinfromtampa]

I think Martinique would be interesting. Or Guadeloupe

 

 

 

We stoped in Martinique in June on Adventure. It was in place of St. Lucia, and there have been multiple sailings that have had the same substitution.

 

While some on CC who were on the same sailing didn't enjoy it, we loved the island. The people we encountered were friendly, spoke English, and took US$. We would go back in a heartbeat.

 

 

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[ONECRUISER]

St Croix is on our schedule on Serenade in January.

St Croix on Serenade also Fall 2018. I'll be there!

[karena1]

Don't like Martinique at all. We love Grand Turk and are going back again in Nov of Princess. Love Tortola and even going out of San Juan, I don't think any Royal ships go there anymore. St Croix - been there many times, so many places we like better and that have much nicer beaches. The only way to get to a great beach in St Croix is to pay a fortune for a cab and a long cab ride to boot. Downtown St Croix has basically nothing. Just not a port we love to go to.

[Biker19]

Cuban port other than Havana.

[joepeka]

Partial Panama Canal with round trip from Florida

Agree with this. I realize that HAL, Princess and NCL already do those and maybe monopolize it a bit, but would still like to see RCI add one ship to this itin during the winter. The full transits wouldn't work for us so the partials (with stops in other south-central Caribbean ports) are kind of ideal.

[C Cruise Dude]

Royal Caribbean goes to Martinique. I have been there thrice.

 

Vision of the Seas, 2013 (Martinique). Beautiful island, very unfriendly people. Flowrider at Grand Turk (on Carnival).

Edited July 29, 2017 by C Cruise Dude
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[PTAngel]

I'm also booked on the Serenade in Jan 2018 that includes St. Croix.

 

I've to Martinique & Grand Turk on Carnival. That cruise was so port intensive I can't remember what we saw on most islands. We did rent a golf cart on Grand Turk & just drove around. To me it was interesting since DH will turn on any road rather it's deserted or not! I'm not interested in going back there.

 

My bucket wish list included a Panama Canal partial or complete. I finally booked a NCL for March 2018 (partial). RCC did sail to Panama when I first started cruising but has since discontinued them. I would much rather sail on RCC but I'll take whatever I can get.

[Merion_Mom]

I did not find the people of Martinique unfriendly at all. Perhaps that is because *I* am friendly.

[ravensbad]

I did not find the people of Martinique unfriendly at all. Perhaps that is because *I* am friendly.

 

We went there on the Serenade in 2015 and also found the people to be very nice. However, we did not explore Fort-de-France at all. We spent the majority of our time in St. Pierre (rum distillery, volcanic eruption museum, etc.) but everyone we encountered was very friendly and happy to accept dollars. Most of the bad stories I have read involve people in Fort-de-France.

[pspercy]

Partial Panama Canal with round trip from Florida

 

R/T from Galveston:D

 

(Carnival is doing it)

[Merion_Mom]

We went there on the Serenade in 2015 and also found the people to be very nice. However, we did not explore Fort-de-France at all. We spent the majority of our time in St. Pierre (rum distillery, volcanic eruption museum, etc.) but everyone we encountered was very friendly and happy to accept dollars. Most of the bad stories I have read involve people in Fort-de-France.

 

My three visits to Martinique:

 

1. Walked all around Fort de France to get to the correct public bus stop. Took the public bus to Jardin de Balata. Lots of exposure to the residents. All were friendly and helpful.

 

2. Just walked ALL around Fort de France. All were friendly.

 

3. Organized a tour from my cruise. Our tour guide was fabulous and all of the local people whom we encountered were friendly and happy to see us.

[Sky616]

Trinida & Tobago absolutely as well as St. Croix. Went to St. Croix a few years ago on Celebrity and loved it.

We went to St. Croix on Adventure of the seas last year in April 2016. It was our favorite port. Don't they go there anymore? I'd like to see them add Trinidad and Tobago, British Virgin Islands and possibly Guadeloupe.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Sky616

[Ontario Cruiser]

Don't like Martinique at all. We love Grand Turk and are going back again in Nov of Princess. Love Tortola and even going out of San Juan, I don't think any Royal ships go there anymore. St Croix - been there many times, so many places we like better and that have much nicer beaches. The only way to get to a great beach in St Croix is to pay a fortune for a cab and a long cab ride to boot. Downtown St Croix has basically nothing. Just not a port we love to go to.

Not true it was $6.00pp round trip to Rainbow beach last year. You buy tickets at the end of the dock.

Ontario Cruiser