Help making a decision - Eastern Caribbean on Allure or Western Caribbean on Harmony?

[bigjcruiser]

Hi,

 

I need help please at making a decision. My husband and I have decided to book a late trip for mid April. We have been looking at a cruise having sailed with RC many times before but not on any ship higher than Freedom class.

 

As the current UK offers include the drinks package the pricing doesn't seem too bad and it is coming out similar prices for 7 nights on the Allure or Harmony.

 

I would like to try the Harmony but is it that much better than Allure? And I also think I would prefer Eastern from past experiences but that was a few years ago and different ports, I also am not that keen on Nassau as we've been twice before and didn't find much there. Allure goes to Nassau, St Thomas and St Kitts, Harmony goes to Labadee, Falmouth Jamaica and Cozumel.

 

Any recommendations? I'm sure we will like them both but its just making that choice! We would be booking a balcony room either Central Park or Boardwalk (again another decision to make!)

 

Thanks in advance!

[payitforward]

If it were me, I would go with Allure for three reasons:

 

1. The itinerary is MUCH nicer.
   
2. Harmony does not have a pool in the solarium.
   
3. Because Harmony is the "new ship," the prices are usually significantly higher.
   

That said, it's really about personal preference.

[ALSEAU]

Hi,

 

I need help please at making a decision. My husband and I have decided to book a late trip for mid April. We have been looking at a cruise having sailed with RC many times before but not on any ship higher than Freedom class.

 

As the current UK offers include the drinks package the pricing doesn't seem too bad and it is coming out similar prices for 7 nights on the Allure or Harmony.

 

I would like to try the Harmony but is it that much better than Allure? And I also think I would prefer Eastern from past experiences but that was a few years ago and different ports, I also am not that keen on Nassau as we've been twice before and didn't find much there. Allure goes to Nassau, St Thomas and St Kitts, Harmony goes to Labadee, Falmouth Jamaica and Cozumel.

 

Any recommendations? I'm sure we will like them both but its just making that choice! We would be booking a balcony room either Central Park or Boardwalk (again another decision to make!)

 

Thanks in advance!

 

#1 - Are slides something you would enjoy?

If so Harmony

If not Allure - also if you book a Boardwalk stateroom it will not have the view blocked by the slide

 

#2 - Do you prefer the production show Grease (Harmony) or Mama Mia (Allure)

 

There are other differences on the Harmony in the layout of the design and technology which are nice to experience at least once but for us not a reason to do the Harmony again.

 

Did the Harmony last year. Glad we did to get the experience of the latest in RCI new builds. But IMHO we prefer the Allure.

[OCruisers]

Allure because you've not cruised on her. :D

[SG65CB]

My opinion - the Allure itinerary is better, enough better to sway my decision.

[taylor1293]

I would (and did) pick Allure Eastern. Personally, I prefer the Eastern. Also, we booked a boardwalk cabin and didn’t want the slide in our view :).

 

 

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[Smyles]

We just got off the Eastern Harmony today. We had some very windy days (where things were closed and postponed). They said this is normal for the Eastern route this time of year. No idea how different it is on the Western (we did Allure western in October and did not have those winds) or in April versus Feb but it might be something worth considering.

[zdad59]

Based on itinerary alone, I would prefer the Eastern on Allure. We are not fans of Jamaica or Cozumel. We Love St. Kitts (HIGHLY recommend a Thenford Gray tour). Nassau is so so, but the tour of the aquarium at Atlantis is nice. Haven't been to St. Thomas, but we will be there in three weeks on Harmony.

[nealstuber]

I realize coming from UK, your situation may be different, but if we had the opportunity to do Eastern for the same price as western, we’d choose eastern because there are just a few ports where you can do Eastern and Many more that do some variation on the western (really now central route).

 

 

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[Clarea]

Neither itinerary is compelling, but I'd have to go with Allure, for St. Thomas and St. Kitts.

[Norwich Cruiser]

Eastern itinerary I think is better.

[bigjcruiser]

Thank you all for the responses. The eastern route seems the best itinerary I know. My favourite choice would have been eastern on the harmony as there are a few things on the harmony such as the wonderland restaurant and bionic bar that would be good to see/experience!

 

I am currently having trouble with the RC website and can't get past the room selection page on booking just says checking availability and gets stuck!

[bigjcruiser]

We just got off the Eastern Harmony today. We had some very windy days (where things were closed and postponed). They said this is normal for the Eastern route this time of year. No idea how different it is on the Western (we did Allure western in October and did not have those winds) or in April versus Feb but it might be something worth considering.

 

Thanks for the response. Hope you had a lovely cruise despite the winds! How did you find the ship in comparison to the allure? I saw you were in a boardwalk balcony, would you recommend? We were looking at deck 12 but maybe slightly further inward.

[bigjcruiser]

We just got off the Eastern Harmony today. We had some very windy days (where things were closed and postponed). They said this is normal for the Eastern route this time of year. No idea how different it is on the Western (we did Allure western in October and did not have those winds) or in April versus Feb but it might be something worth considering.

 

Thanks for the response. Hope you had a lovely cruise despite the winds! How did you find the ship in comparison to the allure? I saw you were in a boardwalk balcony, would you recommend? We were looking at deck 12 but maybe slightly further inward.