Western or Eastern Caribbean?

[Jillycheesefries]

Family of 5 booking our first cruise. We have young kids & when we are in port we plan on having relaxing days on beautiful beaches...not doing excursions. With this in mind, which itinerary would you choose? For us the important factors in choosing ports would be:

-beautiful beaches

-clean/safe

-easy to get to (don’t want long drives)

 

We seriously just want to get off the ship and spend the day on the beach. Calm water for our 2 year old is preferable. Ability to get a cabana or beach service would be amazing.

 

Two itineraries we are considering are:

Western Caribbean: Miami-Roatan Honduras-puerto costa maya Mexico-Cozumel México-Cococay

 

Eastern Caribbean: Miami-Bassaterre, St Kitts, Charlotte Amalie St Thomas, Cococay

 

Which would you choose if you were us and why?

[grapau27]

Family of 5 booking our first cruise. We have young kids & when we are in port we plan on having relaxing days on beautiful beaches...not doing excursions. With this in mind, which itinerary would you choose? For us the important factors in choosing ports would be:

-beautiful beaches

-clean/safe

-easy to get to (don’t want long drives)

 

We seriously just want to get off the ship and spend the day on the beach. Calm water for our 2 year old is preferable. Ability to get a cabana or beach service would be amazing.

 

Two itineraries we are considering are:

Western Caribbean: Miami-Roatan Honduras-puerto costa maya Mexico-Cozumel México-Cococay

 

Eastern Caribbean: Miami-Bassaterre, St Kitts, Charlotte Amalie St Thomas, Cococay

 

Which would you choose if you were us and why?

Eastern Caribbean as it is nicer and safer.

[GC456]

Eastern Caribbean as it is nicer and safer.

 

This :cool:

[papaflamingo]

Eastern Caribbean as it is nicer and safer.

Ditto. Great beaches in all ports named.

[Clarea]

Cozumel has Nachi Cocom for a great beach day.

 

Costa Maya has Maya Chan.

[Eriksgarden]

If beach is the criteria, why not a cruise stopping at Labadee?

[George C]

Flip a coin can not go wrong with either one have been to all the ports multiple times except CocoCay which is just a beach stop

[rolloman]

I would say eastern hands down. Western is typically cheaper so if you do decide this route I would only choose a sailing which hit Grand Cayman, 7 mile beach is walking distance for some, from the pier. Stay away from Belize or Roatan. Cozumel, although beautiful water, you will have to drive for something decent.

[Jillycheesefries]

If beach is the criteria, why not a cruise stopping at Labadee?

I’d love to do Labadee but it’s not offered :(

We want to go on Symphony or Harmony and none of the cruises in Feb include Labadee anymore.

[ONECRUISER]

I would say eastern hands down. Western is typically cheaper so if you do decide this route I would only choose a sailing which hit Grand Cayman, 7 mile beach is walking distance for some, from the pier. Stay away from Belize or Roatan. Cozumel, although beautiful water, you will have to drive for something decent.

First 20 yrs I cruised starting in 1980's Western Caribbean was always the higher costing cruise, would cost us and priced $500-1000 more then EC cruise. Never figured out why and that WC is now consistently the cheaper one... But to OP, yes would stick with Eastern traveling with younger family...

[OCruisers]

Eastern would be our choice for you.

Very safe and conveniently located pretty beaches. :)

[ma23peas]

Of those two...Eastern. But, we love them both...more activity excursions on Western that we like...if we just wanted beaches..would do Eastern or Southern.

[davekathy]

If the same ship does both itineraries make it a B2B cruise.

[Jillycheesefries]

Thank you for the helpful replies, everyone! I really appreciate it. Eastern Caribbean it is.

[davekathy]

Thank you for the helpful replies, everyone! I really appreciate it. Eastern Caribbean it is.

Excellent choice. Enjoy.

[Iamcruzin]

Eastern for beaches and safety. We only sailed one Western and that was enough for us.

[Floating Lanai]

Roatan is one of my absolute favorite ports (maybe even my favorite), only due to Little French Key (LFK)

[Eslader]

I'm unclear on the safety concerns for western. I've done a number of western itineraries and have never once felt unsafe. What are people experiencing that I'm missing?