help me choose -- ExOS or GOS

[ostrich710]

Hi Everyone --

I've been lurking for many, many months on these boards and have gathered tons of tips for my cruises. So now that I am having trouble with which cruise I want to take, I knew you guys would have some good input!

 

My boyfriend and I have done two cruises in the past two years: a four-night bahamas on the majesty and a five-night bermuda on the explorer. This year, we want a nice, long vacation and are also planning on bringing along two cruise newbies. We are all in our mid- to late-twenties.

 

Both cruises are 9-night caribbean crusies. The first is on the explorer and goes to bermuda, san juan, st. thomas, and st. maarten. The second is on the grandeur and goes to san juan, st. thomas, labadee, and samana, dominican republic. Having only done bahamas and bermuda cruises in the past, we don't know too much about these ports. We are also torn between the glitz and glamour of a larger ship or the intimacy of something smaller. The explorer is more expensive, but not enough to make or break our decision.

 

Which of those ports are a must-see?

Which ship would you choose for a long vacation?

Any input, I'm sure, would be VERY helpful!!!

Thank you!

[cb at sea]

I would do the Explorer--who really cares about the ports! It's a much larger, newer ship. St. Thomas is gorgeous--go to St. John for a beach day--the water is incredibly beautiful!!!!!!

On Granduer, you will get the Labadee stop, which is lovely, too, but the ship just doesn't have that added "something" that Explorer does!

Whatever you end up choosing, you'll have a great time!

[ostrich710]

Thanks for responding! We were also thinking that the ports were pretty much even and that we'd ultimately make a decision based on the ship. We LOVE the explorer, but kind of want to try something new. Not sure if we'd be disappointed by moving to a smaller ship rather than larger.

[39august]

Since you have never been to St. Thomas, St. Martin or San Juan, I would take EOS for those ports. And I'm sure you could stand to have 1 day in beautiful Bermuda again! I think you would be much happier with EOS than the much smaller Granduer. There will be many more activites on EOS. Orient Beach in St. Martin and Megan's Bay in St. Thomas are 2 of the lovliest beaches in the Caribbean. El Morro fort in San Juan is not to be missed, as well as a stroll back from there to the dock thru' Old San Juan.