Anyone gone on a Caribbean cruise? (1 Viewer)

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Bump! 

First time cruise for the folks’ 70th this November. They’re still VERY active. My brother and I, plus our significant others will be joining aboard the Celebrity Equinox.

Brother and wife have gone on a few cruises and are lamenting the lack of active stuff like ropes courses and go carts. Mom has been on the Equinox earlier this year and loved the upscale vibe and caliber of dining. We are cruise virgins and I’m just trying to figure out what I’m in for.

Doing veranda balcony rooms. 

Day 1 ...Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

Day 2 ...Key West

Day 3 ...Cruising

Day 4 ...Costa Maya (heard it was lame?)

Day 5 ...Cozumel

Day 6 ...Grand Cayman

Day 7 ...Cruising

Day 8 ...Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

We Will apparently be the only ship at port for all stops except Cozumel. 

Using CruiseCompete to shop a bit. Reading cruisecritic avidly. 

ISO tips and whatnot. 

 

[eoMMan]

Bump! 

First time cruise for the folks’ 70th this November. They’re still VERY active. My brother and I, plus our significant others will be joining aboard the Celebrity Equinox.

Brother and wife have gone on a few cruises and are lamenting the lack of active stuff like ropes courses and go carts. Mom has been on the Equinox earlier this year and loved the upscale vibe and caliber of dining. We are cruise virgins and I’m just trying to figure out what I’m in for.

Doing veranda balcony rooms. 

Day 1 ...Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

Day 2 ...Key West

Day 3 ...Cruising

Day 4 ...Costa Maya (heard it was lame?)

Day 5 ...Cozumel

Day 6 ...Grand Cayman

Day 7 ...Cruising

Day 8 ...Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

We Will apparently be the only ship at port for all stops except Cozumel. 

Using CruiseCompete to shop a bit. Reading cruisecritic avidly. 

ISO tips and whatnot. 

Celebrity is a great cruise line but it's more catered towards older folks.  The night life (bars, clubs, etc.) tends to die down earlier than other cruise lines.  That being said, most of their ships are beautiful and the food is considerably better than other cruise lines.

I would suggest researching this specific ship on cruise critic and then researching the ports for the best excursions.

 

[Joe Mammy]

Bump! 

First time cruise for the folks’ 70th this November. They’re still VERY active. My brother and I, plus our significant others will be joining aboard the Celebrity Equinox.

Brother and wife have gone on a few cruises and are lamenting the lack of active stuff like ropes courses and go carts. Mom has been on the Equinox earlier this year and loved the upscale vibe and caliber of dining. We are cruise virgins and I’m just trying to figure out what I’m in for.

Doing veranda balcony rooms. 

Day 1 ...Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

Day 2 ...Key West

Day 3 ...Cruising

Day 4 ...Costa Maya (heard it was lame?)

Day 5 ...Cozumel

Day 6 ...Grand Cayman

Day 7 ...Cruising

Day 8 ...Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

We Will apparently be the only ship at port for all stops except Cozumel. 

Using CruiseCompete to shop a bit. Reading cruisecritic avidly. 

ISO tips and whatnot. 

Cruise vet here. Many on NCL and last 2 on Celebrity which is an upgrade. I've visited those ports many times, here's some fun stops:

Costa Maya is actually like a fake town created for the cruise ships. However, if you rent a golf cart you can have a blast heading up the coast into no man's land. They'll try to slow you down as you motor through town with large ropes crossing the street to create slow down speed bumps so they can try to sell you stuff as you roll by. Just keep cruising in your cart about 5 miles along the beach until you come to a remote little resort hotel that has an awesome tiki bar. They'll walk you a small spot on the beach where you can get cell service. Last time we went on the way back we came across a stream that ran into the ocean from an adjoining mountain, as we approached we were alarmed to see about a dozen cops with shotguns. We asked them what was up and they said, "nothing, we're just fishing." They blast fish working their way to the ocean! I booked our golf cart in advance and it was not a cruise ship excursion, I just had to meet a guy in a red shirt at the port.

Cozumel you can do two things- walk to a really cool tiki bar owned by Americans that has awesome jumbo margaritas and fish tacos "Wet Wendys", it's about 5-6 blocks away from the main shopping zone and is much cheaper and more fun than the usual Senor Frogs BS - there is also very good shopping around there where you can barter for really low prices. OR- hop a cab to the other side of the island where there are some really good oceanfront restaurants and a Reggae place with a giant Rastaman statue out front that sells pre-rolled joints if you are looking. We bartered a van with another couple for $80 to take us over for the day.

Grand Cayman- if you have your own snorkel gear you can take public transportation ac mini vans for $2 to Cemetary Beach where you can snorkel right off the beach to some great reef areas. I've also dove with the stingrays there which was another fun excursion.

Key West- I usually hang around Irish Kevin's for a great time. You'll probably have a shuttle from the port to town and just have half a day to walk around. Sunset at Mallory Square is a great experience if you have the time.

 

[Wingnut]

Not a fan of cruises. I've always felt I'd rather spend the money and go somewhere I want to go without being on a ships schedule, so I can immerse myself into the local culture and can be spontaneous. I get why some people like cruises, they're just not for me, I don't like or need that much structure when I'm on vacation.

The one cruise I went on back in around 2005 to Grand Cayman and Cozumel was OK, seeing the Mayan ruins an Tulum was a great experience and the highlight of the trip.

 

[EYLive]

Q: Hi, I'm going on a cruise, got any advice?

A: I don't like cruises, here's why...

 

[Wingnut]

Q: Hi, I'm going on a cruise, got any advice?

A: I don't like cruises, here's why...

I only read the title, not the thread.

Thread title: anyone gone on a Caribbean cruise?

My Answer: yes, and here's my opinion on cruises.

Relax

 

[Joe Mammy]

Not a fan of cruises. I've always felt I'd rather spend the money and go somewhere I want to go without being on a ships schedule, so I can immerse myself into the local culture and can be spontaneous. I get why some people like cruises, they're just not for me, I don't like or need that much structure when I'm on vacation.

The one cruise I went on back in around 2005 to Grand Cayman and Cozumel was OK, seeing the Mayan ruins an Tulum was a great experience and the highlight of the trip.

Open bar solves.

 

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Celebrity is a great cruise line but it's more catered towards older folks.  The night life (bars, clubs, etc.) tends to die down earlier than other cruise lines.  That being said, most of their ships are beautiful and the food is considerably better than other cruise lines.

I would suggest researching this specific ship on cruise critic and then researching the ports for the best excursions.

Absolutely have heard this. We are in our early 40s, brother and his wife a few years younger. We're not big clubbers but it is clear the main age on the Celebrity ships are 50s-70s. Certainly not ideal, but this is the Folks' trip and it's what they want. 

Cruise vet here. Many on NCL and last 2 on Celebrity which is an upgrade. I've visited those ports many times, here's some fun stops:

Costa Maya ...I just had to meet a guy in a red shirt at the port.

Cozumel you can do two things-... for the day.

Grand Cayman- .... nother fun excursion.

Key West- ..if you have the time.

Thanks!  

Costa Maya Golf Cart Shenanigans sound like a blast. Hows the DUI enforcement?    They have some Mayan Ruins that the GF may wanna check out.  Is this the best spot for this kinda thing among the 4 stops? I've also heard there's a gorgeous beach there too. 

Cozymel: Definitely leaning toward bars and just day drinking and doing some shopping. Love the suggestion on Wet Wendys. Also love the idea on the other side of the island for the reggae joint (pun intended). 

Grand Cayman. Fairly certain we'll do the Stingray City thing there. I'll push for JetSki tour but might get outvoted. 

Key West. Definitely want to pub crawl there.. maybe ride bikes around for a bit to break it up. Mom did a girls trip down there and said Hogs breath and sloppy joes were also on her list. 

Open bar solves.

Bingo. Going premium drink package.

Hoping to score a few bottles of Blantons Gold or Straight From the Barrel at the ports. 
 

 

[El Floppo]

Absolutely have heard this. We are in our early 40s, brother and his wife a few years younger. We're not big clubbers but it is clear the main age on the Celebrity ships are 50s-70s. Certainly not ideal, but this is the Folks' trip and it's what they want. 

Thanks!  

Costa Maya Golf Cart Shenanigans sound like a blast. Hows the DUI enforcement?    They have some Mayan Ruins that the GF may wanna check out.  Is this the best spot for this kinda thing among the 4 stops? I've also heard there's a gorgeous beach there too. 

Cozymel: Definitely leaning toward bars and just day drinking and doing some shopping. Love the suggestion on Wet Wendys. Also love the idea on the other side of the island for the reggae joint (pun intended). 

Grand Cayman. Fairly certain we'll do the Stingray City thing there. I'll push for JetSki tour but might get outvoted. 

Key West. Definitely want to pub crawl there.. maybe ride bikes around for a bit to break it up. Mom did a girls trip down there and said Hogs breath and sloppy joes were also on her list. 

Bingo. Going premium drink package.

Hoping to score a few bottles of Blantons Gold or Straight From the Barrel at the ports. 
 

Fwiw, Cozumel has some of the nicest water around. Head to a place called playa Azul...tiny beach, but great water. The old town is also nice for walking around...you know, culcha. Theres a beach club near playa Azul with a top notch bar/restaurant...think it's called buccanos.

Don't know Costa Maya, but if it's along the Mayan riviera the water hasn't been great in that area- lots of sea weed and nowhere near as clear as cozumel. Try to go to a cenote instead of hanging at the beach.

I've been down there a bit, never on a cruise though...assume you can do those things.

 

[Northern Voice]

Cozymel: Definitely leaning toward bars and just day drinking and doing some shopping. Love the suggestion on Wet Wendys. Also love the idea on the other side of the island for the reggae joint (pun intended). 
 

Cozumel is the best port of those I've been to (4 cruises) for bar hopping along the shoreline, lots of fun local places. 

 

[El Floppo]

I'll admit bar-hopping isn't my scene...but the area around the Cozumel cruise terminal may as well be anywhere in terms of tourist stores and bars. The center of town has a nicer, old Mexico vibe, while still touristy with bars and shops.

And I can't emphasize enough...I've travelled to a lot of beaches- the water at the playa Azul side of the island is some of the clearest water I've seen in the world- no hyperbole.its worth missing standard tourist bars and stores to see.

And don't go the other direction on the island to the cruise ship package beach clubs. Water and beaches aren't worth the trip.

 

[Chemical X]

think i’ve done this one, but with 70 yr olds, i don’t have much to offer.  i would arrive in ft lauderdale the day before the cruise and stay the night.  i’ve done this and highly recommend.  you get a beach or pool day and can plan when to leave the hotel and get to the boat early.  

 

[Northern Voice]

think i’ve done this one, but with 70 yr olds, i don’t have much to offer.  i would arrive in ft lauderdale the day before the cruise and stay the night.  i’ve done this and highly recommend.  you get a beach or pool day and can plan when to leave the hotel and get to the boat early.  

We did this, the hotel we stayed at used the same space for the strip club at night and breakfast in the morning

 

[Beef Ravioli]

I have always wanted to do a cruise, while my wife prefers going to an island and hanging there. Has anyone ever taken a cruise and at your last stop depart the cruise and stay at the island for multiple days and then fly back from there? Thoughts? 

 

[NutterButter]

Going on RC with kids in March from NJ down to Bahamas.  I've got 2 questions for you vets.

1)  Are the restaurant upgrades worth it?    We have access to all the standard places but access to the steak house, japanese and italian require an upcharge.   The menus look pretty rocking, but I've been to quite a few resorts where the food is just meh.   You can pay per restaurant but I was just gonna do the all in one package for $179.    Would just do this for myself since the kids just like to eat pizza and chicken fingers so I would go with them to the buffet early, let them go off and do their thing, I'd then proceed to get stoned and then eat my face off at some nicer place.

2)  How's the wifi? They have a standard service for browsing and a streaming service.  Can I expect a good streaming experience?  I'm not looking to watch movies per say but mainly just youtube to kill some time.   

 

[EYLive]

Going on RC with kids in March from NJ down to Bahamas.  I've got 2 questions for you vets.

1)  Are the restaurant upgrades worth it?    We have access to all the standard places but access to the steak house, japanese and italian require an upcharge.   The menus look pretty rocking, but I've been to quite a few resorts where the food is just meh.   You can pay per restaurant but I was just gonna do the all in one package for $179.    Would just do this for myself since the kids just like to eat pizza and chicken fingers so I would go with them to the buffet early, let them go off and do their thing, I'd then proceed to get stoned and then eat my face off at some nicer place.

2)  How's the wifi? They have a standard service for browsing and a streaming service.  Can I expect a good streaming experience?  I'm not looking to watch movies per say but mainly just youtube to kill some time.   

1) How much is the restaurant upgrade? I was on a Princess ship last month and it was an extra $29 for steak, lobster, etc. and unlimited sides, starters and dessert. So I would say yes, it's worth it.

2) The wifi was fine for streaming video, but it was trash for games; way too laggy. The cost was $10 day per device if we purchased for all 7 days, but $20 per day otherwise.

 

[fred_1_15301]

Definitely get the restaurant upgrade (assuming you like good food).  $179 total for a week?  You’ll easily make that up.  Just boot your reservations in advance (although table for 1 may not be too hard to find)

 

[Galileo]

If you do the restaurant upgrade, be sure to make reservations for the places you want to eat.  The specialty places can book up quickly leaving you with a wasted unused upgrade or dinner at 10:00 PM (unless late meals are your thing).

 

[NutterButter]

1) How much is the restaurant upgrade? I was on a Princess ship last month and it was an extra $29 for steak, lobster, etc. and unlimited sides, starters and dessert. So I would say yes, it's worth it.

2) The wifi was fine for streaming video, but it was trash for games; way too laggy. The cost was $10 day per device if we purchased for all 7 days, but $20 per day otherwise.

Its $179 for unlimited upgrades or like $40-50 per restaurant.  I'm expecting it to be all you can eat of whatever. 

 

[NutterButter]

Definitely get the restaurant upgrade (assuming you like good food).  $179 total for a week?  You’ll easily make that up.  Just boot your reservations in advance (although table for 1 may not be too hard to find)

Love food especially under the influence.  Yes, for the week.

If you do the restaurant upgrade, be sure to make reservations for the places you want to eat.  The specialty places can book up quickly leaving you with a wasted unused upgrade or dinner at 10:00 PM (unless late meals are your thing).

Do you have to wait until you're on the ship to book?   I might be swinging by at 10 for a 2nd dinner.

 

[Galileo]

Do you have to wait until you're on the ship to book? 

No, in fact if you do wait, it is highly likely you miss out on one you want to go to when you want to go to it.  Last cruise I took was on Norwegian and I tried to make early reservations and still missed out.  Consider the rest of the cruise schedule when planning.  Days when you are at sea tend to fill up the fastest since people don't want to rush back from a port of call to eat.  Or, before you know it, you are left staring at reservation times that conflict with that show you wanted to see.  

 

[NutterButter]

No, in fact if you do wait, it is highly likely you miss out on one you want to go to when you want to go to it.  Last cruise I took was on Norwegian and I tried to make early reservations and still missed out.  Consider the rest of the cruise schedule when planning.  Days when you are at sea tend to fill up the fastest since people don't want to rush back from a port of call to eat.  Or, before you know it, you are left staring at reservation times that conflict with that show you wanted to see.  

Ah, I think I see how to book things like shows.  All I was seeing was this page where they're trying to sell you upgrades, but certain things that are complimentary like the shows you still add to your cart and select the day and time when you do it.

 

[fred_1_15301]

Love food especially under the influence.  Yes, for the week.

Do you have to wait until you're on the ship to book?   I might be swinging by at 10 for a 2nd dinner.

I’m going on a cruise in Norwegian in April and I already reserved 2 of the nights at specialty restaurants.

 

[supermike80]

Not a fan of cruises. I've always felt I'd rather spend the money and go somewhere I want to go without being on a ships schedule, so I can immerse myself into the local culture and can be spontaneous. I get why some people like cruises, they're just not for me, I don't like or need that much structure when I'm on vacation.

The one cruise I went on back in around 2005 to Grand Cayman and Cozumel was OK, seeing the Mayan ruins an Tulum was a great experience and the highlight of the trip.

The excursions are the thing I would say are the least of the fun for me.  I love being out on the warm ocean at night, on the balcony, in the middle of an endless ocean....listening to the boat's waves as it slowly pushes on.   Used to be able to smoke a cigar out on my balcony as well.  I imagine they have eliminated that possibility these days.

Sitting on the deck on a warm day, having a few drinks, again looking out at the endless ocean.....Not a care in the world.

We've been on 3.  2 to the Caribbean(eastern and western) and one to Mexico--Didn't care for the Mexican one..Weather was meh. The Caribbean ones were great.  

I very much want to do another one but my wife isn't thrilled..I will convince her to go one more time for me.

 

[El Floppo]

No, in fact if you do wait, it is highly likely you miss out on one you want to go to when you want to go to it.  Last cruise I took was on Norwegian and I tried to make early reservations and still missed out.  Consider the rest of the cruise schedule when planning.  Days when you are at sea tend to fill up the fastest since people don't want to rush back from a port of call to eat.  Or, before you know it, you are left staring at reservation times that conflict with that show you wanted to see.  

That's fantastic info. In this case, i wonder how many ports of call there are between NJ and the Bahamas? Bermuda maybe, and ....?

 

[Galileo]

That's fantastic info. In this case, i wonder how many ports of call there are between NJ and the Bahamas? Bermuda maybe, and ....?

Ah, true...I did not register the itinerary when I read Nutter's post.

 

[Capella]

I'll admit bar-hopping isn't my scene...but the area around the Cozumel cruise terminal may as well be anywhere in terms of tourist stores and bars. The center of town has a nicer, old Mexico vibe, while still touristy with bars and shops.

And I can't emphasize enough...I've travelled to a lot of beaches- the water at the playa Azul side of the island is some of the clearest water I've seen in the world- no hyperbole.its worth missing standard tourist bars and stores to see.

And don't go the other direction on the island to the cruise ship package beach clubs. Water and beaches aren't worth the trip.

Going to Cozumel in May on our cruise. How far is the playa azul side from the port?

 

[NutterButter]

That's fantastic info. In this case, i wonder how many ports of call there are between NJ and the Bahamas? Bermuda maybe, and ....?

There's 3 for me.   Port Canaveral, Nassau and Coco Cay (RC's own little island where they have a water park).   So two days cruising down, 3 port days in a row, 2 days cruising back.  I'm really looking forward to just having to drive 30 minutes to bayonne and hopping on a cruise ship.   

 

[NutterButter]

The excursions are the thing I would say are the least of the fun for me.  I love being out on the warm ocean at night, on the balcony, in the middle of an endless ocean....listening to the boat's waves as it slowly pushes on.   Used to be able to smoke a cigar out on my balcony as well.  I imagine they have eliminated that possibility these days.

Sitting on the deck on a warm day, having a few drinks, again looking out at the endless ocean.....Not a care in the world.

We've been on 3.  2 to the Caribbean(eastern and western) and one to Mexico--Didn't care for the Mexican one..Weather was meh. The Caribbean ones were great.  

I very much want to do another one but my wife isn't thrilled..I will convince her to go one more time for me.

Never been, but really don't have much of a desire to do any excursions beyond just hanging out on the beach. I have two tweens so I like to throw in some fun stuff for them.    #parentinglife

 

[eoMMan]

Going on RC with kids in March from NJ down to Bahamas.  I've got 2 questions for you vets.

1)  Are the restaurant upgrades worth it?    We have access to all the standard places but access to the steak house, japanese and italian require an upcharge.   The menus look pretty rocking, but I've been to quite a few resorts where the food is just meh.   You can pay per restaurant but I was just gonna do the all in one package for $179.    Would just do this for myself since the kids just like to eat pizza and chicken fingers so I would go with them to the buffet early, let them go off and do their thing, I'd then proceed to get stoned and then eat my face off at some nicer place.

2)  How's the wifi? They have a standard service for browsing and a streaming service.  Can I expect a good streaming experience?  I'm not looking to watch movies per say but mainly just youtube to kill some time.   

Regarding the specialty restaurants, some have been worth it and some have been no better than that's given in the main dining room.  It really depends.  I would suggest researching the particular restaurant on the exact cruise ship.  The Cruise Critic forums have a ton of useful information.

And some cruise lines do let you book stuff ahead of time (Royal Caribbean is one that comes to mind).  I would definitely book/schedule as much as possible ahead of time if you can.  Nothing worse than waiting to get on the ship and not having many times to choose from.

I haven't used the wifi so can't comment on it.

 

[El Floppo]

Going to Cozumel in May on our cruise. How far is the playa azul side from the port?

I'm there next month!

Playa azul is about 15-20 min cab from cruise docks. There's a sailboat that I think brings cruise people there every day late morning too...could check into that, especially if it's part of a larger sail tour.

Buccannos is worth checking out too...next door and bigger, maybe with a pool for guests?

 

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Figured I would update from my cruise back in November: 

Celebrity Equinox : 8 day Western Caribbean Cruise

SHIP: Wow. Gorgeous ship. Beautiful decor, clean, incredible staff, great bars/dining, etc. Big enough that there were lots of options but not so big it was a pain to get around or you felt like you were in a horde. Upscale areas like the Lawn Club / Sunset bar were a blast.

CROWD: NO kids, like maybe 4-5 on the ship and never saw them. It was AWESOME. Crowd definitely had some silverhairs but had quite a few folks in their 30s-40s as well. Never felt like I was on a retirement ship. Large group of several hundred "bears" that were a riot in the bars. 

ROOM: Got a veranda room... 3 adjacent with my folks and brother/SIL. Nice sized balconies and they removed the dividers so we could move freely between rooms. Spacous, well appointed. Comfortable beds. Nice sized bathroom. Room attendant was on point. 

DINING: The Buffet was solid. I'd say think of it as a fairly high end vegas buffet. Tons of options. Seating could get a little tight during peak times, especially outside. Lots of cooked/cut to order stations. Bars inside to grab drinks while you eat. Main Dining room was gorgeous with an impressive array of options that changed nightly, plus a few staples that remained nightly. We had a Bar waitress, a Sommelier, a primary waiter, two assistants. Same table, same staff every night, which was REALLY nice. The head waiter would stop by nightly and chat, had special dishes brought over twice which was cool. We did specialty dining one afternoon at the sushi place. I think we paid $25/head and it was an absurd feast of dishes, maki, nigiri,sashimi, sake. Nothing exotic (toro) but VERY good range and quality. Room service was also included so every morning we had fruit, bacon, and OJ (For mimosas) delivered. Several times we'd have a sandwich or salad dropped by on a whim. All fast and very high quality. 

BARS/ENTERTAINMENT:
Some solid bands around the ship. Martini bar is really nice. We had the premier beverage package so everything was free. Met every night before dinner at the martini bar for drinks. Got my folks hooked on them  One live artist in particular (Michael Redden) was fantastic. Guy and his guitar type show. Great range and his song selection really jived with our tastes so we went to see him 3-4 times. I tipped decently so developed a great relationship with bar staff, immediate service and anything I wanted (would pour me full glasses of makers if I wanted). Good folks. 

PORTS: 
Key West: Rainy Day. Meh. Bars seemed okay but had no energy. Staff seemed miserable (we went to several). Didn't hate the day, didn't love it. Just kinda meh. 

Costa Maya: Booked Chachoben Mayan tour... was actually a lot of fun. Explored/climbed ruins, guide was informative. Fun day. Got back to the port and got yelled at every 10ft to buy some trinket or another. Lots of bars that were all slow, selling overpriced booze. Just went back to the ship with time to spare.

Cozumel: I booked a deep sea charter with "Fishing with Pedro". 36' boat for 7 hours for $450 IIRC. We went out and bounced around, got lots of small bonito / baraccuda (sub 2') along the playa del carmen coast. Captain stopped and made a great sashimi dish with one of the bonito. Then we hit some bigger waters and landed on a school of mahi mahi. I lost a 4.5-5 footer after 3 leaps. My pop landed a ~4ft bull and my brother landed a ~3ft Female. Gorgeous fish. Tons of fun. Then I got bit by a parrot back at port before heading aboard. 

Grand Cayman: Wanted to love this place. Did a 3 part tour. Hell is lame as ####. The Rum cake places are pretty dumb too. The turtle farm no longer lets you handle the turtles or swim with them (much to my GF's dismay). The Stingray swim kinda saved the day. Tons of fun with wild stingrays... some several feet across. Feeding them, holding them, learning. FYI if you have food in your hands, they will get very aggressive (not attacking just trying to get the food).   

Sea days were fun. Pool was crowded but still a good time. 

Absolutely get why cruises are popular now. Would totally go again... and will. 

 

[Jobber]

Been on several cruises with the family the last few years. We have 3 kids (currently 17, 15, 12). Here is my take on each of them. 

Disney (3-day Caribbean): Very clean, nice ship. But small. Very expensive compared to most other cruise lines. I thought 3 days was way too short. The private Disney island they stop at is nice. You can certainly, at this price, get a 7-day on most other lines. My kids aren't really Disney kids so that also adds to the "meh" I feel about DCL. 

Carnival (7-day Caribbean): Not a terribly clean ship, but not dirty either. Just not "Disney clean". The food was bottom tier compared to all the others we've been on. Just kind of bland Old Country Buffet type stuff, with little imagination or variety. I'd never go with these guys again. They are cheap, though. Bleh.

Royal Caribbean (7 day Caribbean): Right even/on-par with Disney, IMO. We were on the Oasis of the Sea which is very, very large, and somewhat new. Amazing ship with lots do do, great food. Love the food. Loved it.

Norwegian (7 day Mexico coming up in March): I wanted Royal again but the wife talked me into this one. We do have the drink package so I'm gonna drink my ever loving ### off on this cruise. 

 

[EYLive]

Been on several cruises with the family the last few years. We have 3 kids (currently 17, 15, 12). Here is my take on each of them. 

Disney (3-day Caribbean): Very clean, nice ship. But small. Very expensive compared to most other cruise lines. I thought 3 days was way too short. The private Disney island they stop at is nice. You can certainly, at this price, get a 7-day on most other lines. My kids aren't really Disney kids so that also adds to the "meh" I feel about DCL. 

Carnival (7-day Caribbean): Not a terribly clean ship, but not dirty either. Just not "Disney clean". The food was bottom tier compared to all the others we've been on. Just kind of bland Old Country Buffet type stuff, with little imagination or variety. I'd never go with these guys again. They are cheap, though. Bleh.

Royal Caribbean (7 day Caribbean): Right even/on-par with Disney, IMO. We were on the Oasis of the Sea which is very, very large, and somewhat new. Amazing ship with lots do do, great food. Love the food. Loved it.

Norwegian (7 day Mexico coming up in March): I wanted Royal again but the wife talked me into this one. We do have the drink package so I'm gonna drink my ever loving ### off on this cruise. 

What was it like on the Oasis? I've watched video tours of the oasis class for RC and it's both amazing and intimidating. 

 

[Jobber]

What was it like on the Oasis? I've watched video tours of the oasis class for RC and it's both amazing and intimidating. 

It feels like s small city sometimes. The 24/7 pizza place is great, because you just never know when you gotta eat. The kids loved the surfing thing (forget what it's called). Played a lot of ping pong too. Good times.

 

[EYLive]

It feels like s small city sometimes. The 24/7 pizza place is great, because you just never know when you gotta eat. The kids loved the surfing thing (forget what it's called). Played a lot of ping pong too. Good times.

What type of room did you get? I imagine an inward facing balcony on the lower decks would be great for people watching.

 

[NutterButter]

It feels like s small city sometimes. The 24/7 pizza place is great, because you just never know when you gotta eat. The kids loved the surfing thing (forget what it's called). Played a lot of ping pong too. Good times.

Flowrider.   Did you upgrade to the nicer restaurants on RC?   My friend told me that even though there's like 4k people, it never feels crowded which I just find a little hard to believe.

 

[Lehigh98]

Just booked a short trip on Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas in April.  We were looking for something to do with our boys (13 & 11) over their spring break and thought this could be a good new experience for them. We were checking out a travel expo and they seemed interested in the big ships and CocoCay.  Cruising out of Miami with stops in CocoCay, Nassau, and CocoCay again.  

The ship had already hit the 3/4(?) limit so we couldn't get one room for the four of us.  Turns out getting two rooms next to each other was the same price as squeezing 4 into one room so that was a pleasant surprise.

My wife and I got engaged on a Caribbean cruise in 2001 while getting chased / rerouted by hurricane Michelle and tried again in 2005 but haven't gone since then.  Booked this one without too much research yet since it fit our window, time to start figuring out what to do.  Anyone have experience with CocoCay / Nassau and have suggestions for activities / excursions?

Got caught up in booking with limited availability and forgot about the whole Coronavirus thing, hopefully we don't bring that home with us.

 

[Jobber]

We have been on several cruises over the years, and Royal Caribbean tied with Norwegian as far as cleanliness/food/value for us. Disney was equally as nice, but pretty much double the cost just for being Disney themed, and their ships are small. Carnival is just not great. It's like the Wal-Mart of cruises, where I was probably the only guy there not walking around in a yellowed wife beater. 

Royal Carribean & Norweigian > Disney >>>>>>>> Carnival

The RC ship we were on was a 7 day (Oasis of the Seas) and hit several Carribean ports including Bahamas. Interestingly we did not stop at CocoCay, I'm not sure why. Looking at the pics, I think we got screwed! Looks fun. The Miami cruise port is nice, with huge parking ramps so you can leave your rental there for a nominal fee and not worry about rental return, taking a bus from the hotel and all that stressful noise. 

We're going on a Norwegian cruise the last week of March from Los Angeles down along Mexico. As far as Corona goes, I'm not concerned, but will bring my work laptop along with the kids school iPads. If on the off chance we get stuck on ship or whatever, we can still work and attend school just fine.

 

[Joe Mammy]

Once on Celebrity you'll never go back to NCL. Our last NCL cruise had so many wheelchairs/scooters it was ridiculous. To us NCL became the  "Non-ambulatory Cruise Line".

We did do a HAL on their newest ship over Thanksgiving. I told my wife it's Celebrity or better from now on.

 

[eoMMan]

Once on Celebrity you'll never go back to NCL. Our last NCL cruise had so many wheelchairs/scooters it was ridiculous. To us NCL became the  "Non-ambulatory Cruise Line".

We did do a HAL on their newest ship over Thanksgiving. I told my wife it's Celebrity or better from now on.

Celebrity was nice but it caters to an older demographic.  Everything (dining, entertainment, etc.) seems shut down earlier on Celebrity cruises compared to others.

I thought NCL was more fun but disorganized.  They need to do a better job of planning on where they will host/stage different events and shows on the boat.  Too many times they seemed to cram people into areas that just weren't the right place to host whatever they were putting on.

I will say though that Celebrity had some of the best food compared to the others.

 

[Joe Mammy]

We've been sailing during Thanksgiving week or the second week of Dec (wife's bday) for about 7 straight years and have about 15 cruises under our belts. The prices are the lowest of all year and usually drop, drop, drop right up to sail date. Thanksgiving cruises that are 10, 11 days are the best if you are looking for fewer young children on board. 

We did really like the Getaway on NCL because of the layout with bars inside and outside the ship, NCL's newest ships are so much better than the old ones. We did reach platinum status and have stayed in suites with butlers and additonal perks (first on, off, preferred show seating, private restaurants) but we don't need that stuff. My favorite cabin is an aft balcony.

But the Celebrity Reflection is my favorite of them all, the food, service and bars were excellent. I booked HAL this last year because they have pickleball courts fleet wide now. Pickleball at sea was a blast and I played for hours. I'm not interested in rope climbing, water slides, gokarts etc but I can see where family with teens would love it. I'm done with HAL now too and hope more cruise lines add pickleball to their sports courts.

Soon we'll step on up to Viking, Seabourn and Regent. When I chat with seasoned cruisers they all say Viking was the best they've sailed.

 

[EYLive]

At Nassau, Cabbage Beach is really nice, but will be crowded. Pretty much everyone not going to Atlantis will be at Cabbage Beach, cuz there's virtually nothing to do in that port other than wandering the downtown area. The rest of Nassau isn't safe to explore on foot.

 

[El Floppo]

Going to Cozumel in May on our cruise. How far is the playa azul side from the port?

I'm there next month!

Playa azul is about 15-20 min cab from cruise docks. There's a sailboat that I think brings cruise people there every day late morning too...could check into that, especially if it's part of a larger sail tour.

Buccannos is worth checking out too...next door and bigger, maybe with a pool for guests?

We went to Punta Sur this trip and really enjoyed it. Not exciting, but calm, pretty swimming and beach with lighthouse and eco park lagoon- flamingos, aligators

ETA...chankanab reef seems to be the popular activity for cruises...supposedly good snorkeling. But that area has sooo many cruise passengers, I've always avoided it. Playa azul has decent (small and not jawdropping by any stretch) snorkeling right at the small beach and isn't so crowded...although we saw a lot more day trippers this time than ever before. Everything I've read about chankanab seems like a crowded nightmare to me...even if there might be more fish or coral there.

 

[Galileo]

Once on Celebrity you'll never go back to NCL. Our last NCL cruise had so many wheelchairs/scooters it was ridiculous. To us NCL became the  "Non-ambulatory Cruise Line".

We did do a HAL on their newest ship over Thanksgiving. I told my wife it's Celebrity or better from now on.

  I guess I am proof that this is not true.   I have done the NCL --> Celebrity --> back to NCL cycle and have enjoyed all.  So much depends on the ship and what it has to offer.  The last NCL I did to Alaska was on their newest biggest ship and I had a great experience.

 

[Joe Mammy]

NCL Getaway recollections, we've sailed her twice:

They have two huge tube slides with running water that are "thrill rides" on the top deck of the ship. On the at sea days the lines are very long mostly with anxious children at least 48" tall. I did not attempt this on the first cruise although I was tempted.

This time around I was determined to give the scariest one a try- you get in the tube and the floor you are standing on disappears and you drop quite dramatically almost straight down, rise over a vertical hump off of the bottom and then explode down again into a collection pool. I decided that the first port day in St. Thomas would be the best time to go for it. Most of the passengers would already be off the boat and the lines would be minimal.

I coaxed my wife to take pics of me getting in the tube from below and to wait at the bottom to grab footage of my certain dramatic ending.

As luck would have it I was correct in my timing. There was only me and a rather obese middle aged lady behind me in the line, we both zigzagged up the stairs to the top. I had elected to wear a tanktop with my bathing suit which proved to be a huge mistake...

When I reached the top a crew member welcomed me. I peeked over the railing down at my wife from many stories above and waved. She was snapping pics furiously and waved back.

I entered the tube. The crew member smiled and told me to cross my arms and be "ready". I was not sure what to do to be "ready" but I crossed my arms and gripped myself as tightly as I could.

The door closed. An electronic voice suddenly came on a hidden speaker and counted down:

3.

2.

1.

The floor slid out from under me and I whooshed downwards with amazing velocity. I know I screamed, "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" all the way down to the bottom and then started up to the final rise. Only I did not make it to the top of the rise. I came close. There is water rushing down along with you throughout the ride. You are supposed to flow with it. Only now I was sliding backwards back to the bottom against the current!

Now I'm on the bottom of the initial drop. Suddenly a thought occurs to me. The fat lady behind me is gonna come down the tube any second and my head will be deeply impaled somewhere among her rolls of flesh or possibly even worse!

I contorted myself like Houdini and managed to maneuver to now be headfirst within the tube. I slowly crawl to the top of the hump in hopes of completing this now terrifying plastic tube journey. Only I slip back down again to the bottom and I was oh so close. Will this nightmare ever end?

Suddenly a hatch opens from above and a smiling crew member says, "come on out sir". The sun is shining above, what joy!

Despite my adrenal rush I managed to convey, "I thought the next person was gonna come down and crush me."

"Oh no sir. We have sensors that monitor you so we know when you are completely out. Next time don't wear a shirt."

Now they tell me.

I found my wife. She looked at me in disbelief. "I heard you screaming and then you never came out, what happened?"

Don't wear a shirt.

 

[NutterButter]

Just booked a short trip on Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas in April.  We were looking for something to do with our boys (13 & 11) over their spring break and thought this could be a good new experience for them. We were checking out a travel expo and they seemed interested in the big ships and CocoCay.  Cruising out of Miami with stops in CocoCay, Nassau, and CocoCay again.  

The ship had already hit the 3/4(?) limit so we couldn't get one room for the four of us.  Turns out getting two rooms next to each other was the same price as squeezing 4 into one room so that was a pleasant surprise.

My wife and I got engaged on a Caribbean cruise in 2001 while getting chased / rerouted by hurricane Michelle and tried again in 2005 but haven't gone since then.  Booked this one without too much research yet since it fit our window, time to start figuring out what to do.  Anyone have experience with CocoCay / Nassau and have suggestions for activities / excursions?

Got caught up in booking with limited availability and forgot about the whole Coronavirus thing, hopefully we don't bring that home with us.

Pretty much the same thing for me and my 2 girls (13 & 10).   Have fun. 

 

[Lehigh98]

Pretty much the same thing for me and my 2 girls (13 & 10).   Have fun. 

Are you "Rfschulze94" on Cruise Critic?...

Hi!  Traveling on this cruise with my kids (ages 13 and 10) and my parents.  Anyone interested in splitting a cabana on Coco Cay?

 

[NutterButter]

Are you "Rfschulze94" on Cruise Critic?...

 No but let me know if you want to split a cabana.

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

Soon we'll step on up to Viking, Seabourn and Regent. When I chat with seasoned cruisers they all say Viking was the best they've sailed.

You may want to make an intermediate stop with Oceania. They are considered a step above Celebrity/Princess but not the high-end, luxury and price tag of Regent/Seabourn/Viking. 

I guess they could be considered "upper premium".