Are the Southern ports As amazing as they sound?

[Sersee]

I went in my first cruise last year. We went on Carnival Breeze on Eastern Itinerary. We loved the ship. It was very fun and had a lot to do. We actually enjoyed all the trivia’s lol. I have three kids 22,17 and 15.

 

We enjoyed San Juan and St Thomas. Did not like Grand Turk or Amber Cove. 
 

So we were  leaning toward the Western on The Vista. But I just saw Freedom if the Seas is getting fully refurbished and the itinerary out of San Juan looks amazing.  I believe it is St Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao all

of which I have never been too. 
 

What do you guys think of these ports? What about the ship with teens?

 

 The Western  Ports are Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay, Cozumel and Belize... which I’m kind of meh on . But Carnival s Great with my sons allergies.

[Northumberland]

51 minutes ago, Sersee said:

I went in my first cruise last year. We went on Carnival Breeze on Eastern Itinerary. We loved the ship. It was very fun and had a lot to do. We actually enjoyed all the trivia’s lol. I have three kids 22,17 and 15.

 

We enjoyed San Juan and St Thomas. Did not like Grand Turk or Amber Cove. 
 

So we were  leaning toward the Western on The Vista. But I just saw Freedom if the Seas is getting fully refurbished and the itinerary out of San Juan looks amazing.  I believe it is St Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao all

of which I have never been too. 
 

What do you guys think of these ports? What about the ship with teens?

 

 The Western  Ports are Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay, Cozumel and Belize... which I’m kind of meh on . But Carnival s Great with my sons allergies.

We've done the southern routes 3 times and in particular, Bonaire & Curacao twice in the last 2 years. They are our favourite islands along with Aruba.  We also loved Barbados.  In Bonaire, we rented golf carts in order to tour the island ourselves. And if your into snorkelling or scuba, I don't think you could find a better place than Bonaire. 

[navybankerteacher]

Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire and St. Maarten would be my idea of the ideal Caribbean itinerary.  I would also suggest you give yourself a day or two in San Juan pre- or post- cruise.

 

A western itinerary would not come close.  Any line will make effective efforts to handle allergies or diet problems, so you need not rely only on your Carnival experience.

[bonsai3s]

We spent 6 wonderful weeks on the Freedom...albeit before the amplification...but we enjoyed every minute of it.

First, we love that it started in San Juan, Puerto Rico...so much to see, used Uber everywhere, great food, wonderful people....we chose Embassy Suites (only a few blocks from Isla Verde Beach) before the cruise.

Loved all the ports...envious, wish we were going again.

Note: Our cruises out of San Juan on the Freedom had two almost identical itineraries.  The only difference was one had two sea days and the other only had one sea day.  We met many passengers that sailed the "port intensive" cruise saying that they were exhausted after the cruise and wished they had more than one sea day. 

Happy Sailing! 😊

 

[Sersee]

7 hours ago, Northumberland said:

We've done the southern routes 3 times and in particular, Bonaire & Curacao twice in the last 2 years. They are our favourite islands along with Aruba.  We also loved Barbados.  In Bonaire, we rented golf carts in order to tour the island ourselves. And if your into snorkelling or scuba, I don't think you could find a better place than Bonaire. 

Unfortunately we don’t scuba and have ne er snorkeled. I could learn I’m sure!  I’m assuming Bonaire is pretty safe. 

[Sersee]

7 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

We spent 6 wonderful weeks on the Freedom...albeit before the amplification...but we enjoyed every minute of it.

First, we love that it started in San Juan, Puerto Rico...so much to see, used Uber everywhere, great food, wonderful people....we chose Embassy Suites (only a few blocks from Isla Verde Beach) before the cruise.

Loved all the ports...envious, wish we were going again.

Note: Our cruises out of San Juan on the Freedom had two almost identical itineraries.  The only difference was one had two sea days and the other only had one sea day.  We met many passengers that sailed the "port intensive" cruise saying that they were exhausted after the cruise and wished they had more than one sea day. 

Happy Sailing! 😊

 

That definitely is a concern. I want to enjoy the ship as well. We have been to San Juan and we loved it.  Glad to hear you like The Freedom!  I was nervous because it wasn’t the Symphony or Harmony. But I did watch a YouTube video about the refurbishment and it looks great. I think I might be overwhelmed on a huge ship

[janetz]

In Bonaire ( very safe) you can rent golf a golf cart or two and drive all over. Look up Bonaire Cruisers

The rentals are right near port, this is not a ship excursion.

We had our own snorkel gear and drove from one stop to the next, snorkeled and swam

So much fun!

If you do hit Aruba or Cozumel check out online Trikes- Aruba or Trikes-Cozumel

Again, both non ship excursions and a lot of fun

A great way to see the islands

 

 

Edited January 23, 2020 by janetz

[leaveitallbehind]

Of the three Caribbean itineraries, the southern is our favorite.  I realize all of these are not on your itinerary, but Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, and the ABC's are our favorite Caribbean islands. St. Martin is fine, but is typically visited by 5 or more ships at a time and can get quite crowded as a result.  But if you've never been there, it is well worth the visit. And Freedom of the Seas is a great ship. Although the western has it's appeal, I would pick the southern itinerary on RCI over the Western on Carnival for sure.

Edited January 23, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[Joebucks]

Had a fantastic time on a southern carribean cruise out of Puerto Rico. Probably my favorite itinerary so far. Will be doing the ABCs later this year.

[Northumberland]

2 hours ago, Sersee said:

Unfortunately we don’t scuba and have ne er snorkeled. I could learn I’m sure!  I’m assuming Bonaire is pretty safe. 

We don't scuba either, but it is something you can do while touring the island. Bonaire Cruisers will provide a map and show the best beaches and other sites to see. The best part is that you do it at your own pace and it's cheaper than ship excursions. We also found the locals very friendly and felt safe in our travels around the island.

[Sersee]

The Western wasn’t overly enticing to me. I would like to do it at some point. We didn’t want to go in an Eastern again although it was great. We want to see as many places as we can. 
 

I did check and I have two sea days so that sounds ideal. 
 

Im assuming lots of people fly out to PR to go in this itinerary. We were in PR for our Eastern and loved it. We felt safe. My kids get nervous with sketchy. They were nervous when we went to Jamaica.  I was told Belize can be a little freaky with all the armed guards but I have never been so take what others say with a grain of salt.

 

I was nervous about The Freedom since it wasn’t the new Symphony or Harmony. I don’t want a rundown ship. But compared to the Breeze they seem to be similar in size which I think I will like. It looks like it’s amped to which will be great. 
 

Does this ship have movies under the stars?  We enjoyed that in the Breeze.

 

Is there  a big difference between Carnival and Royal? I mean with boarding procedures, meals and beverage package?  On the Breeze we had Guys burgers which was awesome . The buffet wasn’t  laid out well and always had  a long line. We definitely chose the alcohol package and had a great time with that! We loved the trivia and dance parties. There was an 80’s one and stuff like 90’s music and Friends trivia. The entertainment lacked in Carnival.

[Northumberland]

16 minutes ago, Sersee said:

The Western wasn’t overly enticing to me. I would like to do it at some point. We didn’t want to go in an Eastern again although it was great. We want to see as many places as we can. 
 

I did check and I have two sea days so that sounds ideal. 
 

Im assuming lots of people fly out to PR to go in this itinerary. We were in PR for our Eastern and loved it. We felt safe. My kids get nervous with sketchy. They were nervous when we went to Jamaica.  I was told Belize can be a little freaky with all the armed guards but I have never been so take what others say with a grain of salt.

 

I was nervous about The Freedom since it wasn’t the new Symphony or Harmony. I don’t want a rundown ship. But compared to the Breeze they seem to be similar in size which I think I will like. It looks like it’s amped to which will be great. 
 

Does this ship have movies under the stars?  We enjoyed that in the Breeze.

 

Is there  a big difference between Carnival and Royal? I mean with boarding procedures, meals and beverage package?  On the Breeze we had Guys burgers which was awesome . The buffet wasn’t  laid out well and always had  a long line. We definitely chose the alcohol package and had a great time with that! We loved the trivia and dance parties. There was an 80’s one and stuff like 90’s music and Friends trivia. The entertainment lacked in Carnival.

We've never done Carnival, but have done Royal and Princess. We loved both cruise lines. Haven't been on Freedom, but have been on Navigator which is very similar except about 20,000 tons smaller. That was our favourite of all the ships we've been on including Oasis. I'd suggest when checking itineraries, you check how much time you get in each port. 

[capriccio]

3 hours ago, Sersee said:

Unfortunately we don’t scuba and have ne er snorkeled. I could learn I’m sure!  I’m assuming Bonaire is pretty safe. 

 

The snorkeling - whether you are a newbie or experienced  - in Bonaire is incredible.  We highly recommend an excursion with Woodwind (https://www.woodwindbonaire.com/).  It involves drift snorkeling.  You enter the water in one spot and 'drift' with the current to another where the boat picks you up.  Dee and her crew divide the snorkelers into groups by skill level and each group (about 7 people in our experience) has its own guide for both safety and informational assistance.  Newbies are welcomed.  If interested, make sure you book as soon as possible.  I think all of their tours sell out quickly.

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, Northumberland said:

We don't scuba either, but it is something you can do while touring the island. Bonaire Cruisers will provide a map and show the best beaches and other sites to see. The best part is that you do it at your own pace and it's cheaper than ship excursions. We also found the locals very friendly and felt safe in our travels around the island.

 

We enjoyed our day using a golf cart from Bonaire Cruisers on our second visit to Bonaire. 

 

OP - your family might enjoy the Donkey Sanctuary (https://donkeysanctuary.org/en/).

 

Going through it on a golf cart was great fun!  There are hundreds of inquisitive donkeys looking very well cared for.

[Vexorg]

I've been to the ABC Islands on three cruises now, and I'd have to say that they are my favorite destination in the Caribbean.  Aruba is definitely the most touristy of the three islands with all the big resort hotels and Curacao is also touristy but not quire so much.  Bonaire doesn't have the big resorts and tourist traps, and thus feels much more laid back than the other two.  It seems that most of the itineraries that go there leave from San Juan, but Princess does (occasional) 8-night cruises that leave from Fort Lauderdale and visit each of the three with a couple of sea days on each end.  They also visit a couple of them on their 10-night Southern Caribbean itineraries as well.

[dreadpirate3]

Hello, I am only familiar with San Juan, PR, St Maarten, St Kitts, and Labadee for your Southern itinerary. However, I can speak to the Freedom OTS and RCCL with allergies.

 

Freedom is one of my favorite ships, and tied for first place with Adventure. Although we did enjoy Symphony of the Seas, we felt it was a bit more crowded than Freedom was.

 

My son and husband both have food allergies and we have had excellent care and service by RCCL on all 7 cruises.

[leaveitallbehind]

16 minutes ago, dreadpirate3 said:

Hello, I am only familiar with San Juan, PR, St Maarten, St Kitts, and Labadee for your Southern itinerary.

 

Actually those ports of call you reference are typically the Eastern Caribbean itinerary.  When it is included in the southern itinerary,  St. Martin usually is the northernmost port of call in that itinerary.  Usually the 7-night southern itineraries depart and terminate in San Juan, with most eastern itineraries departing from FL with stops in San Juan and the other ports of call you reference.

Edited January 23, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[dreadpirate3]

Just now, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Actually those ports of call you reference are typically the Eastern Caribbean itinerary.  When it is included in the southern itinerary,  St. Martin usually is the northernmost port of call in that itinerary.  Usually the 7-night southern itineraries depart and terminate in San Juan, with most eastern itineraries departing from FL with stops in San Juan and the other ports of call you reference.

Thanks! We have a true Southern itinerary coming up, but I have seen several include St. Maarten.

[leaveitallbehind]

5 minutes ago, dreadpirate3 said:

Thanks! We have a true Southern itinerary coming up, but I have seen several include St. Maarten.

Which, if it is a 7-night itinerary, as mentioned would usually depart and terminate in San Juan, with ports of call, depending on itinerary, that would include St.Martin,  Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, the ABC's, and others.  Longer southern itineraries will often depart out of FL.

 

Enjoy it - the southern itineraries are definitely among our favorites.

Edited January 23, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[Aquahound]

15 hours ago, Sersee said:

But I just saw Freedom if the Seas is getting fully refurbished and the itinerary out of San Juan looks amazing.  I believe it is St Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao all

of which I have never been too. 
 

What do you guys think of these ports? What about the ship with teens?

 

Freedom of the Seas is an amazing ship with great entertainment and lots of activities.  It's a perfect ship for teens.  I recommend trying it.  I think you'll love it. 

 

Bonaire is one of my favorite islands.  The snorkeling is some of the best in the Caribbean.  If you're not into snorkeling, it's a great place to rent a car and drive on your own.  Lac Bay is heaven on Earth.  

Edited January 23, 2020 by Aquahound

[bonsai3s]

6 hours ago, Sersee said:

 

Does this ship have under the stars?  We enjoyed that in the Breeze.

 

Is there  a big difference between Carnival and Royal? I mean with boarding procedures, meals and beverage package?  On the Breeze we had Guys burgers which was awesome . The buffet wasn’t  laid out well and always had  a long line. We definitely chose the alcohol package and had a great time with that! We loved the trivia and dance parties. There was an 80’s one and stuff like 90’s music and Friends trivia. The entertainment lacked in Carnival.

 

Yes, the Freedom has "movies under the stars"...also used to show sports.

Boarding process is similar.  With the Freedom, you'll be embarking at the Pan American Pier.

Meals are subjective but we found the food on the Freedom to be very good.

The UDP, Ultimate Drink Package, with RCCL is quite popular...but you'll have to do the math to see if it's a good value to you.

The Freedom had "Johnny Rockets" when we sailed her...not sure if they kept it after the amplification.  We love the burgers, fries, chili, onion rings...and the apple pie ala mode.

The Windjammer buffet on the Freedom can be crowded as well...just have to avoid the popular times.  What's unique about the Windjammer is the various ethnic dinners: Italian, Indian, Caribbean, etc. 

Lots of trivia onboard...and some of the trivia became one of the highlights of our cruise(s)....note: Look for Claudio...he's trivias were so popular that they were "standing room only"....make sure to watch the "Disco Trivia".

Yes, there were many dance parties...done in the Promenade...don't miss the Latin dance party!

If you are new to RCCL, there are also parades...check your Daily Compass for the schedule.

IMHO, you'll find the entertainment onboard very good to outstanding.

 

Note: One truly unique event we found on the Freedom from San Juan, and no where else, was the many young girls celebrating their "Quinceaneras", or 15th birthday onboard.  It was wonderful to see as many as 36 young girls on one sailing, dressed to their best long gowns and family members also dressed to the 10's.  Absolutely beautiful.

[lenquixote66]

19 hours ago, Sersee said:

I went in my first cruise last year. We went on Carnival Breeze on Eastern Itinerary. We loved the ship. It was very fun and had a lot to do. We actually enjoyed all the trivia’s lol. I have three kids 22,17 and 15.

 

We enjoyed San Juan and St Thomas. Did not like Grand Turk or Amber Cove. 
 

So we were  leaning toward the Western on The Vista. But I just saw Freedom if the Seas is getting fully refurbished and the itinerary out of San Juan looks amazing.  I believe it is St Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao all

of which I have never been too. 
 

What do you guys think of these ports? What about the ship with teens?

 

 The Western  Ports are Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay, Cozumel and Belize... which I’m kind of meh on . But Carnival s Great with my sons allergies.

We have been to St.Maarten about 12 times.It is my favorite Caribbean island.We have been to Aruba and Curaçao twice and Bonaire once.We liked Curaçao but not the other two.

[MicCanberra]

I have been to many places around the world but have yet to do a Caribbean cruise, looks like the Southern itinerary is what I want to do first.

[clo]

Totally off-topic but every time I see this post my first reaction is that they're asking about South America 🙂 Okay back on.

[clo]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I have been to many places around the world but have yet to do a Caribbean cruise, looks like the Southern itinerary is what I want to do first.

Mic, our first cruise was a Southern Caribbean one. There are some great ports. And we don't do beaches.