Hawaii Or Caribbean?

[aukcruiser]

Hi Everyone,

 

My wife and I are considering going on a Cruise this October and the Infinity Hawaii trip is one we are considering with the option of taking a Caribbean itinery.instead..

 

As we are from UK and do not really know anyone who has gone to either place at this time of year, I wondered whether anyone could give us a "heads up"?

 

Last cruise we went on was 25 years ago...

 

We are holding a CC and a 2a on the Infinity

 

Also..my wife was somewhat concerned when she read some posts reporting problems with catching bugs...Is this normal and if so, what precautions do you guys take?

 

Just reading the comments has been enormously helpful, but as always, when something is narrowed down to a choice of two, it gets a little more tricky, especially when we haven't been cruising for so long...although we've always wanted to...

 

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

Many thanks,

 

:)

 

Limey Lee and Lorna

[Retired not Expired]

We go to both quite often. Remember that October is in hurricane season and you may have problems because of that. We normally go mid January to mid February to avoid the hurricanes and so many kids.

 

Both places are wonderful and have plus and minuses. Hawaii is just beautiful and the people there are so very friendly and laid back. I can't think of a better place to relax. However, excursions are more expensive, meals are more expensive and parts are now over run with we tourists. I still love to go there and recommend everyone go at least once for the Aloha experience.

 

The Caribbean is also beautiful and most of the people are very friendly but they can be very pushy with their selling items. This lessens the further south you go in the Caribbean. It is much cheaper for excursions and meals you have off the ship. In some places you also need to be more alert going out alone.

 

We're doing the Caribbean in December and Hawaii in January and will enjoy both.

[Keith1010]

We took the Summit (sister of Infinity) to Hawaii this past March and had a wonderful time. We prefered this cruise over our caribbean cruises. Hawaii is beautiful and we enjoyed the Islands quite a bit. You will find less ships in ports than you do in the Caribbean and won't have people in port trying to sell you something everywhere you walk.

 

There were a few peope on our cruise who were sick. There is no guarantee that you can prevent this but we just go out of our way to wash our hands very frequently.

 

I'm sure both cruises will be great but for us it would be Hawaii.

 

Keith

[isujim]

Done Hawaii on the Infinity........and the Caribbean many times.

 

Hawaii is really special..............:)

 

Caribbean is nice..........but I would choose Hawaii if all things were equal.

[Mekamax]

Done Hawaii on a repositioning cruise from Honolulu to Vancover which was an awesome trip. Done the Caribbean 18 times. I think the water is more impressive for diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean. The Hawaii is an experience not to be missed but I am not planning on going back simply because for me it is a long flight, a lot of money, and been there done that where the caribbean is right in my backyard and cheap and easy. With that said if you presented me with a 10 night free cruise to Hawaii or the Southern Caribbean including Bonaire(so want to go there) I would choose the Southern Caribbean in a heartbeat but throw Tahiti into the loop and I might have to take Tahiti since I hadn't been there.... Really it comes down to what you like to do... Explore? Land or water? (as in snorkel or tour the sites) and how much money do you want to spend on tours etc. Personally if you haven't done the Caribbean - it is awesome you have to weigh in the fact that most of us have probably done the caribbean many times and Hawaii only once and that the Caribbean is much cheaper for us making Hawaii more special. Have I confused you enough yet????:rolleyes: :eek: Debbie

[agabbymama]

aukcruiser - Hawaii wins, handsdown, IMHO. I haven't cruised to Hawaii, I usually fly over for a land vacation, but it's absolutely beautiful. Can't get enough. I've been three times and planning to go back to the Big Island again.

 

The Caribbean islands are beautiful too, but the poverty abounds everywhere. If you want to do only beaches and stay on the ship alot, it might be okay, but I like to explore and I didn't feel safe on Jamaica, St. Martin, St. Thomas or Puerto Rico, being two women traveling alone. I

wanted to go and at least see the Caribbean, but there is nothing there calling me back.

 

mekamax - Don't fret over Tahiti. The islands again are beautiful, but nothing Hawaii doesn't offer at a lot less money.:D

[momofmeg]

Well I would say Hawaii, being an American who lives on the east coast- but for you -either would be exotic. Just like for me Hawaii or London would be exotic.

 

Hawaii is more expensive then the caribbean, but then again your pound goes further then our dollar.

 

My hubby was in your country last week-at that time-your pound was worth $1.85-$1.90 in our dollars-so your pound is worth almost twice as much as our dollar right now.

[momofmeg]

aukcruiser - Hawaii wins, handsdown, IMHO. I haven't cruised to Hawaii, I usually fly over for a land vacation, but it's absolutely beautiful. Can't get enough. I've been three times and planning to go back to the Big Island again.

 

The Caribbean islands are beautiful too, but the poverty abounds everywhere. If you want to do only beaches and stay on the ship alot, it might be okay, but I like to explore and I didn't feel safe on Jamaica, St. Martin, St. Thomas or Puerto Rico, being two women traveling alone. I

wanted to go and at least see the Caribbean, but there is nothing there calling me back.

 

mekamax - Don't fret over Tahiti. The islands again are beautiful, but nothing Hawaii doesn't offer at a lot less money.:D

 

Poverty is bad in Dominica and I have heard it is also in Jamacia, also Nasseau or Cozumel are not great spots-but San Juan, St. Marten, Barbadoes, Grand Cayman, Turk and Caicos and Key west are all nice islands and not poverty stricken in my estimation. At least no more then Atlanta, Ga USA or London, England, UK.

[Mekamax]

So funny we all differ..

 

I do agree Abbabbymama that I would feel safer alone in Hawaii - everyone was sooooooo nice! We had a great time. We just love water sports and although Hawaii is awesome the water is clearer and warmer in the caribbean for us. :o

 

Megsmom- funny too because I did NOT feel safe in Barbadoes at all. Dominica I did. San Juan I did to a point. Same in St. Thomas, St. Martin. The only place I would not go alone is Jamaica but I would do a tour through the ship alone. Been there a bunch and only do tours through ship there. Beautiful place Jamaica is but not that safe no matter what. Cozumel we do on our own all the time because the diving is so great and we do feel safe although others have not. We did a night dive there and stayed with the boat driver and dive master (both local) and they drove us back to the ship... I do NOT feel safe at all in Roatan and don't plan to go back - did it twice and both times did NOT feel safe at all but many I know love it and say it is safe..... :rolleyes:

 

I sure wonder which he will choose - keep us all informed!! :D Debbie

[Mekamax]

Agabbymamma - thank you for the info on Tahiti - it sounds exotic but I have found like you said that many places are not what we think.... I think that is why I LOVE to cruise because if I don't like it we leave that day anyway.... :D That was the best part about ROatan to me - when we left I stood at the front of the boat and urged them to move faster away from that island!!! :eek: Debbie

[momofmeg]

So funny we all differ..

 

I do agree Abbabbymama that I would feel safer alone in Hawaii - everyone was sooooooo nice! We had a great time. We just love water sports and although Hawaii is awesome the water is clearer and warmer in the caribbean for us. :o

 

Megsmom- funny too because I did NOT feel safe in Barbadoes at all. Dominica I did. San Juan I did to a point. Same in St. Thomas, St. Martin. The only place I would not go alone is Jamaica but I would do a tour through the ship alone. Been there a bunch and only do tours through ship there. Beautiful place Jamaica is but not that safe no matter what. Cozumel we do on our own all the time because the diving is so great and we do feel safe although others have not. We did a night dive there and stayed with the boat driver and dive master (both local) and they drove us back to the ship... I do NOT feel safe at all in Roatan and don't plan to go back - did it twice and both times did NOT feel safe at all but many I know love it and say it is safe..... :rolleyes:

 

I sure wonder which he will choose - keep us all informed!! :D Debbie

 

We all see things differantly. But you know only once did I feel afraid and that was in Bermuda, a beautiful island and definelty not poverty stricken-hubby and I had kind've walked off the beaten path as we were told close to town (near St. Georges) was a couple of historic buildings-we ran into this gang of teenage boys-now they did not actually bother us-at least they did not touch us-but they did yell at us and threaten us. It was very scary and I had my man with me- but very little he could do if half a dozen beefy teenage boys were to decide to mug us.

 

I decided then and there I would not leave the shopping areas again UNLESS I was on an excursion with a bus full of people.

[Mekamax]

momofmeg - I know what you are saying! That is one reason why I try to meet people on board that might want to do what we want to do in islands if we are wanting to do excursions on our own. I really don't feel safe - even with hubby - unless in a group. The only reason we tried ROatan again after the last time was we were with 2 other couples - a group of 6 and I thought that was safer but still we did not feel safe - it is such a crack infested island - pitiful really - very beautiful but pitiful.... I do know what you mean - usaully when we tour on our own it is at least with another couple... Still wouldn't be safe though with a group of teenage boys.... I'm surprised by Bermuda though - I haven't been there but I kind of pictured Grand Cayman with pick beaches. I do walk around Grand Cayman without a problem but there are so many tourists there from the different ships you are always in a group on the streets.. haha I have wanted to go to Bermuda though - was it nice? Debbie

[momofmeg]

momofmeg - I know what you are saying! That is one reason why I try to meet people on board that might want to do what we want to do in islands if we are wanting to do excursions on our own. I really don't feel safe - even with hubby - unless in a group. The only reason we tried ROatan again after the last time was we were with 2 other couples - a group of 6 and I thought that was safer but still we did not feel safe - it is such a crack infested island - pitiful really - very beautiful but pitiful.... I do know what you mean - usaully when we tour on our own it is at least with another couple... Still wouldn't be safe though with a group of teenage boys.... I'm surprised by Bermuda though - I haven't been there but I kind of pictured Grand Cayman with pick beaches. I do walk around Grand Cayman without a problem but there are so many tourists there from the different are always in a group on the streets.. haha I have wanted to go to Bermuda though - was it nice? Debbie

 

from what I saw of Bermuda-people are well off-now there may have been a slum somewhere who knows? but it was WAY off the tourist's path.

 

Bermuda did have the most beautiful beaches and they do have a pink cast from the coral. The problem with a group of teens-is even teens from weathly families can get in trouble when they all "team Up" together like that-you know probally drinking or worse.

 

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