January Caribbean cruise - best departure port/ cruise line

[DarcieD]

Hi, I am looking to book a caribbean cruise for early January 25. Either Celebrity Ascent from Fort Lauderdale 10 day Southern Caribbean or P and O 14 nights from Barbados on Arvia.  Any pros / cons for either port or cruise line?  We will be a family of 3 ( 2 adults and  an 18year old)

Thanks for any recommendations/ advice.

[olemissreb]

Not sure where you're from, but my philosophy for the Caribbean is to always start from the warmest port possible.  It's the reason my next cruise starts in San Juan. Plus my sister and her boyfriend will much enjoy getting somewhere warm after a Wisconsin winter.

[John Bull]

Assuming you're a Brit, a P&O fly-cruise wins hands-down......

 

- You fly in a P&O chartered aircraft, way better value than booking flights separately.

- direct flights from regional UK airports, everyone on the flight will be on your cruise.

- you hand over your luggage at your departure airport and don't see it again until it appears outside your cabin door.

- no ESTA required

- at Grantley Adams airport you transfer off the aircraft straight onto a transfer bus which takes you to the port - no immigration, no customs, no baggage carousel, you don't even go into the airport terminal.

- no long sail to your first port-of-call.

- Ship's currency is sterling - no complications or expense in conversion

- No daily tips added to your on-board account ($18 pppn on Celebrity)

- No tips added to drinks prices, speciality dining service, spa, salon etc (20% on Celebrity)

- Even before tips are added, the drinks are more expensive on Celebrity.

- You get a full day & evening in Barbados at the start or end of your cruise

- On your last day you aren't required to be off the ship by about 9.30am & left to fend for yourselves & your luggage until your evening flight back to the UK. Instead you have the run of the ship until your return transfer is called (between about 2pm and 5pm), including dining, bars, pools, etc & you can even explore ashore in the morning to or take a morning excursion, but have to be out of your cabin by about 8.30am (luggage storage provided).

All very smooth & civilised, and your holiday starts at your UK airport.

 

We've sailed the Caribbean with Marella and now-defunct Voyages of Discovery and half-a-dozen times with P&O and P&Os subsidiary Ocean Village, including last November on Arvia.

Try the infinity pool & swim-up (errr, make that paddle-up) bar at the stern and the Crows Nest Bar high up at the pointy end. Headliners Theatre has amazing technology, comedians in the Club House

 

We've also sailed Celebrity, we've found them more up-market & glitzy and the food is better, tho Arvia is very acceptable in both respects.

P&O's passengers are almost 100% Brits, Celebrity will be mainly North Americans. 

 

We've happily sailed Celebrity in Europe, but haven't sailed on Ascent.

Ascent is smaller (3250 pax) than Arvia (5200 pax) but both are bigger than our preference.

You don't mention Ascent's itinerary, but we do prefer Arvia's eastern Caribbean over western Caribbean. Our favourite is southern Caribbean.

 

You'd be very happy with either, but for a Brit P&O is a no-brainer.

 

JB 🙂