Booked my cruise, now second guessing.

[CanadianMAG]

My Husband and I just booked our annual cruise. We only want to go away in April or May (prefer May) and it seems every year they cut off Caribbean earlier and start Alaska earlier. So basically we could not find any Caribbean cruises in our time frame. We only looked at one other cruise line (Celebrity) I don't want to cruise with anyone else, I LOVED HAL and was very disappointed last year when we when with RCL. So I want to stick with what we know and love.

 

To make a long story short I booked a short cruise from San Diego to Vancouver. It was 4 nights.. it really isn't the cruise I was looking for the only Port is Victoria and I used to live there. I really want to cruise this year and price was $1350 for SY gauranteed (which you cannot go wrong since all these rooms are decent). Has any one been on a short cruise like this, what were your thoughts? Since the cruise doesn't leave until Tuesday I thought we could fly in on Friday night spend a few nights in LA, then a night in San Diego.

 

I just wish this choice would be sitting well with me. On the other hand if all goes right I should be a few months pregnant by then, so I think I might be limited to some of the sports activities we normally do in the Caribbean (thats how I am justifying it now!! )

[European_CruiseGirl]

CanadianMAG: I'm sure your trip with a couple of days in LA can be very nice. I haven't been on a short cruise but I'd have to say that any amount of time onboard HAL would suit me fine. :D

 

But if you want a longer cruise and would like to stick with HAL perhaps you could also consider a 7 Days US & Canada Eastern with Maasdam? Or is Europe too far away? Lovely cruises with HAL there (here) also. :)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Hi Canadian Mag:

 

Are any of the Panama Canal repositionings an option for you? They do those in the second half of April, very early May. Many of the HAL ships come from the Caribbean to end up in Vancouver/Seattle to get ready for the Alaska season. I think those cruises last about 21 days or so. There is also a RT to Hawaii from Vancouver/Seattle the end of April/early May. I think it's about 16 or 17 days, depending on where you board. I don't know if those itineraries would be too long for you. Just my two cents.

 

Hey, it's a beautiful sparkly fall day here in the Puget Sound!:) No rain anywhere!

 

Karin, a neighbor

[MBeamTX]

Sorry that you didn't like Serenade. We've sailed her twice and liked her as much as we've enjoyed all of our HAL cruises. Each line is different but, in our view, each has some great things going for it. We did two longer cruises, 10 and 14 days, and I think that does make a difference.

 

As for your cruise in 2007 - I think I would be disappointed with just a 4-day sail to a place I used to live. If you're willing to go a bit earlier, like April 21, you could sail Oosterdam's Mexican Riviera itinerary out of San Diego. Maybe that would interest you.

 

Happy cruising,

Susan

[CanadianMAG]

Thanks for the responses. Eastern Canada doesn't excite me (sorry), and as for the repositioning, we are picking the cruise up on the last half. We are not able to be gone from work for more then 9 days.

 

Karen, I was a little worried last week with all that rain. Things are back to the nice sun we are soo used to, and my flowers are back in bloom :-)

[newmexicoNita]

wow, it sounds like you have few choices. Repo cruises can be wonderful, so can the short ones, but you won't find a 4 day cruise quite the same as the 7-10 day ones: service and food selection will not be as good. this doesn't mean you won't have a good time, just accept it as a different type of experience. Spending a few days in LA prior to the cruise will be a fun experience; there are so many things to do and see.

 

I know what you mean about the earlier and earlier exit from the Caribbean to Alaska. I believe this is do to the popularity of Alaska. Top management will do what they think will bring in the bucks even though many are complaining about the lack of choices anymore. Did you check to see if anything was available from NYC to the Caribbean? Just another thought.

 

Nita

[Stevesan]

Wht not Mexican Riviera? HAL has four seven day cruises in April:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/itineraryResults.do?destinationcode=mx&view=specific&dest=M&destsrc=M&yrmonth=200704&ship=999&duration=999

[MBeamTX]

Wht not Mexican Riviera? HAL has four seven day cruises in April:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/dest/itineraryResults.do?destinationcode=mx&view=specific&dest=M&destsrc=M&yrmonth=200704&ship=999&duration=999

 

That was my suggestion, too. Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerta Vallarta are lovely. We were there in early May and the weather was warm and gorgous, but not nearly as hot as Panama and Costa Rica. (We were on a repositioning cruise.) We loved the Mexican Riviera.

 

Happy cruising,

Susan

[fann1sh]

- maybe it's time to take another look at those 5 April Carribean sailings. If you're avoiding East Coast, does that mean you don't want to sail out of NYC? If so, eliminate 11 days on the Noordam April 11 (but there seem to be some real bargains on this sailing!) If April 2 or 4 is really just too early, eliminate 10 days on Volendam and Maasdam. But that leaves a 7 day Zuiderdam April 7, and Volendam's last 10 day on April 12. If you don't think you can "psych" yourself to anything except the Caribbean, those are the options. Hope this works out for you!

[hammybee]

Hey, it's a beautiful sparkly fall day here in the Puget Sound!:) No rain anywhere!

 

Karin, a neighbor

 

It's dreary, cold, wet and sort of snowing again in Chicagoland. I need a cruise.

[CanadianMAG]

That was my suggestion, too. Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerta Vallarta are lovely. We were there in early May and the weather was warm and gorgous, but not nearly as hot as Panama and Costa Rica. (We were on a repositioning cruise.) We loved the Mexican Riviera.

 

Happy cruising,

Susan

 

I am looking at this cruise as we speak. I will talk to my husband more about it later (not that he cares where we go, just as long as we just go away) I am not sure why my TA didnt mention this to me. Oh well...:confused:

I should have been more organized and did my research before I went in. I have been to Mazatlan and PV, the new experience would be Cabo.

 

Thanks for all your comments!