Options, & Choosing, & Confusion. OH MY!

[luv2trvlnow]

My husband and I are trying to choose a cruise for 2026 and can't settle on 1 of 3 options. We are in are 70's with no major health problems - yet.  Also we don't buy CHEERS because both of us hardly drink any.  Maybe 1 or 2 drinks on a 7 day cruise.  Please don't hold that against us.(ha-ha)

 

Here are our options.

The Magic in April 2026 has 2 options, which will be a B2B for a total of 14 days.  Both will include the 6 day with Celebration Key, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.  Have only been to Grand Turk.  Celebration Key looks interesting but as of now is still an unknown. Don't know about Amber Cove and what is available.

 

Magic Other Cruise Option 1:  8 day Southern to Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao.  We have never been to Bonaire.  I understand the thing to do there is snorkeling.  I really don't like to snorkel that much and my husband is not a good swimmer.  I don't know if we will like Bonaire.  Also the fact that these islands are more desert-like than lush is not a draw. If we want a desert environment we can drive to my husbands hometown just 3 hours away.  It isn't a negative just not a selling point.  We did enjoy our time in Aruba and Curacao when we went.

 

Magic Other Cruise Option 2:  8 Day Eastern to Half Moon Cay, San Juan, St Maarten, St Thomas.  We have never been to Half Moon Cay. We have been to the others before, but have always enjoyed St Maarten and St Thomas.  We love the beaches on St Maarten and St Thomas, including going to St John.

 

Our last option would be in March 2026.  It is the 14 Day Hawaii cruise.  We have been to Hawaii on a land trip before and that included all 4 islands.  We even have a college friend on the island of Kauai.  He used to be the police chief.  We are not so sure about all the sea days in a row, going and coming back.  If anyone had done this cruise before, do they have more activities.  Are any of those related to Hawaii?  An added benefit is both of birthdays fall during the cruise.

 

I know. I know.  Way too much information.  If you made it this far -  and are still awake  -   and have an opinion -   please give me your thoughts.  Be gentle.  I keep switching from one to the next, to the next, and back again.  It's a never ending cycle.  Thank you for your time.

[pcvtmom]

We did the Hawaii cruise in January of 2023.  They had many "extra" activities on the sea days: lei making, Hawaiian language classes, Hula classes (daily), ukelele classes (daily), Zumba, ballroom dancing, lectures about the Hawaiian islands and culture, caricature drawings, cooking classes, and other things I've probably forgotten.  We stayed quite busy!

 

The other two cruises you mentioned are also good ones, but the Hawaiian cruise was something special, for us! (We are Diamond, with Carnival, so we've cruised often, FYI).

[ninjacat123]

My vote is for the Hawaii cruise!!😻

[silvercrikhix]

I vote for the Hawaii cruise #1 🍍 🥥  

[firefly333]

I lived in hawaii for 10 years so that's my favorite. Lush and green. When I sailed there I remember hula lessons and lei making. 

 

I did aruba and curacao on my journey cruise in January. We missed bonaire too. I have booked adventure april,2025 going to all 3 ABC islands. 

 

Always time to hit them all later. 

[Jamman54]

My vote is also for Hawaii. We sailed there on the Splendor in 2019 and loved it. Lots of special activities on board for all those sea days. Our picture review can be found in my signature, and includes all the "Fun Times". We will be sailing back there next year on the Carnival Spirit. Can't wait! 

[tree.critter]

Having faced similar decision a couple years back we booked Hawaii, leaving in 7 days finally and pretty excited. We mostly do journey type cruises now also as we are getting to the simple fun and relax stage. I vote Hawaii also.

 

 

[luv2trvlnow]

4 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

My vote is also for Hawaii. We sailed there on the Splendor in 2019 and loved it. Lots of special activities on board for all those sea days. Our picture review can be found in my signature, and includes all the "Fun Times". We will be sailing back there next year on the Carnival Spirit. Can't wait! 

It looks like it's 100% for Hawaii.  My husband and I were talking.  We were already planning to be in Montana in September next year.  So we decided to add the September Spirit Hawaii sailing on to the end of are trip instead of going in March 2026.  The sooner the better.   It is now booked!  It looks like we will be on the same sailing Jamman54..

 

Thank you to everyone for the responses. 

[Jamman54]

6 minutes ago, luv2trvlnow said:

It looks like it's 100% for Hawaii.  My husband and I were talking.  We were already planning to be in Montana in September next year.  So we decided to add the September Spirit Hawaii sailing on to the end of are trip instead of going in March 2026.  The sooner the better.   It is now booked!  It looks like we will be on the same sailing Jamman54..

 

Thank you to everyone for the responses. 

Welcome aboard! 😎

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, luv2trvlnow said:

It looks like it's 100% for Hawaii.  My husband and I were talking.  We were already planning to be in Montana in September next year.  So we decided to add the September Spirit Hawaii sailing on to the end of are trip instead of going in March 2026.  The sooner the better.   It is now booked!  It looks like we will be on the same sailing Jamman54..

 

Thank you to everyone for the responses. 

Wish I was going😀Have a wonderful cruise!!

Edited March 31 by ninjacat123

[Honolulu Blue]

My two cents, worth even less than usual since it looks like the decision has already been made:

 

• I like all the cruises you picked, but I like the 6-day the least.  GT is all right for what it is - mostly for beaches and watersports.  I expect Celebration Key to be similar, with more amusement-park-like attractions.  I've been to Amber Cove once (not on Carnival).  It wasn't half bad.  The port area has some little things to do, and the jungle around the DR promises some fun if you're into that sort of thing.
• I like Bonaire even though I don't snorkel.  I do like "A" and "C" better and consider them two of the best islands to visit in the Caribbean.
• Sint Maarten is another favorite.  I like San Juan.  St. Thomas is all right.  I've never been to HMC and I suspect I wouldn't much care for it.
• I did the Hawaii thing as a one-way trip from Vancouver for 11 days several years ago.  Fun place.  I'd like to go back sometime.  The round trip makes the flight home easier, but it pushes up the price of the cruise and demands that I bring more entertainment along to fill in the gaps on all those sea days.