New to the Board. ?'s about Holland America Ships/Ports!

[MrsGoose]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are going to do a "babymoon" in Febuary 2009. I will be about 20 weeks pregnant. I've been on a cruise (Royal Caribbean to Bermuda) but my husband has not.

We are redeeming some points so these are the options I have (i think!)

Veedam
Tampa, Florida; Key West, Florida; Belize City, Belize; Santo Tomas De Castilla,; Costa Maya, Mexico

Westerdam
1:: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao

2:Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

3: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Georgetown, GC, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico

Eurodam
Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas


Have any of you been on these ships? Any recommendations? I've never been on a cruise with ports in different countries, so i am not sure how to decide based on that.. any help would be appreciated! Thanks SO MUCH! :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!!

We have sailed on all those ships.

In fact we just got home from sailing 2 weeks on the Eurodam -- she is the newest ship in the fleet and we think she is really beautiful.

Have done all those itineraries -- they are all great.

What you need to decide is what you would like to do in the ports before you actually pick an itinerary and ship.

[MrsGoose]

I guess we don't care too much what we do in the ports- being pregnant I wont be able to do much of the "adventure" stuff that I normally would do, and Hubby won't be interested in TOO much shopping... I'm looking for any tips on how to decide! :)

I will have to look and see if i can find more about those ports i guess!

[fireman845]

I will have to look and see if i can find more about those ports i guess!


That would be my first thought, so many choices to choose from!!

[maxsmamma]

Belize is great for adventure, I loved the river caving tubing. But for babymoon, I'd stick with the beach!

Personally I would make sure I went to Half Moom Cay. The tender could be a little much if you are still in the nauseus (I can't spell, sorry!) stage. But it is the most amazing beach you have ever been too. And as a pregnant woman, I would make my honey get ma a cabana, so I could be pampered! I like the vista size ships alot. The Eurodam is new, so that could also be big fun. I've never left from Tampa, but leaving from FLL, is super easy compared to other ports. I'm personally getting excited about auruba and curacua, but I have never been to either.

Hope this helps!

[the_dylaness]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are going to do a "babymoon" in Febuary 2009. I will be about 20 weeks pregnant. I've been on a cruise (Royal Caribbean to Bermuda) but my husband has not.

We are redeeming some points so these are the options I have (i think!)

Veedam
Tampa, Florida; Key West, Florida; Belize City, Belize; Santo Tomas De Castilla,; Costa Maya, Mexico

Westerdam
1:: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao

2:Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

3: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Georgetown, GC, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico

Eurodam
Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas


Have any of you been on these ships? Any recommendations? I've never been on a cruise with ports in different countries, so i am not sure how to decide based on that.. any help would be appreciated! Thanks SO MUCH! :)

My personal pick would be Westerdam cruise number one, only because I feel that Aruba and Curacao are less frequently visited on 7 day cruises so you might not get as many future opportunities to visit.

[May4]

Oh, do you ever have some great choices listed! I don't think that you can go wrong with any of them.

Here's my 2 cents. I don't know where you'll travel from prior to your cruise, but the Veendam sails from Port of Tampa, which is smaller and quite easy to negotiate. The Tampa Airport is highly rated as well.

Also, the ship sails under the Skyway Bridge which is a beautiful sight at night.

The Key West port stop is well worth it, too. Have you been there? It's the older refurbished houses and tree lined streets that I enjoy seeing.

I live just south of Tampa, by the way, and would be proud to have you see my part of the state.:p

Whatever you decide, I predict a memorable cruise for you and your husband.