Help Us Pick A Cruise

Sunbeam · September 11, 2007

I booked air fare through Princess and they are taking us from Ottawa to Newark to San Juan on Continental and for the return from San Juan to Philadelphia to Ottawa on US Airways.

We are also going down a day early to San Juan and booked the Marriott (thru Princess) to ensure that we will be ready for the ship with our luggages.

sailingrose · September 12, 2007

Sorry Dan this isn't an easy choice. I've been on both Caribbean and Crown Princess, both the same ship pretty much. As far as itinerary I dislike flying into San Juan, way too crowded and crazy for me but I love the itineraries and I've done it twice. I really like the western for it's beaches, and for Cozumel, one of my favorite destinations. Of couse I love eastern also especially if we go to St. Martin, another on my favorites.

In my case I'd choose by price and desire to go to the ports as well as number of sea days. I prefer lots of sea days lately since life has been so stressful.

Sorry I'm not much help, just giving another opinion.

radiofreebcj · September 12, 2007

I think you'd like the Eastern from FLL. The ports are great, and there isn't the hassle of taking a shuttle into Old San Juan from the airport at the beginning and end of your cruise. It's nice to get deeper south into the Caribbean, and the sailing at night through the islands is really nice...but you'll probably enjoy the Eastern cruise from FLL just as much.

Plus, you save some money and travel time. Sounds like a winner!

JohnG · September 12, 2007

We flew into and out of San Juan last February for our Destiny cruise and I didn't find that there was any hassle at all in San Juan. We had air and transfers from Carnival and it was all very smooth. And because the ships sails in the evening, the lines at the termnal aren't very long as people arrive over a 7 hour period, not 3 hours.

Brady121291 · September 12, 2007

Ive been on 2 of three and deffinately go crown, nicer ship

musicjas3985 · September 13, 2007

I have been on Caribbean Princess and it was a beautiful ship-we had a great time-we did the western Caribbean though. I prefer to have more days at port then at sea with a more exotic itinerary so the eastern caribbean was at the bottom of my list. This is why I chose the Crown Princess.

I am sailing on Crown in December on the southern Caribbean itinerary and can't wait!! :biggrin:

Dan · September 19, 2007

Thanks everyone for your input and advice. We've settled on the Caribbean Princess doing the eastern route. Simply a matter of convenience and cost. We are going to book it tomorrow after my wife talks to her parents one last time to make sure they are okay with having the kids (I told her not to tempt fate LOL).

The route is reversed to what we did last time. Princess Cays on the first day, then St Maarten and St Thomas. I guess that means immigration in St Thomas, but that should make disembarking easier back in FLL. Of course, last time we went, St Maarten was heavily damaged in hurricanes, so we ended up not going there.