Are you bored with the Caribbean?

In his presentation at Seatrade's the State of the Industry panel Tuesday, NCL's Colin Veitch asked the question a lot of people are thinking: are cruise passengers bored with the Caribbean?

I've only sailed to the Eastern Caribbean. Would love to cruise to the Western for all their water sports and someday, the Southern Caribbean to just kick back and relax.

Like ze Erica say, I've only been zer once -- on a seven-night Carnival to the Eastern Caribbean. I would love to go back and try a more off-da-beaten path type of cruise though, one stopping ze less populated islands.

Cheers,

Wacky

I am not officially tired of the Caribbean, however I think I would enjoy an itinerary like some of the ones offered for Bermuda; where the ship goes to one port or two at the most. It would be nice to have more time to enjoy and learn about a port. I don't get much out of 4 ports on a 7 day cruise.:)

Melissa -

You need another category, maybe I still like the Caribbean but would love to try something new. I like the Caribbean and have sailed and traveled to most islands. At this point, its not so much the destination as the desire for warm weather, sun, beach and a coconut drink with a little umbrella in it! I would love to try other venues, such as the South Pacific, Europe and Asia, but I want to wait until the kiddo is a little older.

yes, another catagory might fit better. I did answer yes, I am but we still cruise it becasue there are not that many choices. We have found ourselves getting off the ship less and less. NMNita

That's a great point; thanks for posting your comments!

Melissa -

 

You need another category, maybe I still like the Caribbean but would love to try something new. I like the Caribbean and have sailed and traveled to most islands. At this point, its not so much the destination as the desire for warm weather, sun, beach and a coconut drink with a little umbrella in it! I would love to try other venues, such as the South Pacific, Europe and Asia, but I want to wait until the kiddo is a little older.

Until I have seen every island I will never be tired of the Caribbean.

Bored with the Caribbean? Bored is a choice. Choose what you want, I do. If I choose a cruise for ports.......I'm not board.

If I choose a cruise for sun and beach.......I'm not board.

If I get on a cruise ship and say "I'm bored" please throw me overbored. :D

Who could ever be bored of sun, fun, beaches, drinks and excursions....

I enjoy it if I'm just sitting on a beach and I enjoy it if I'm innertubing through the rainforest..... it's what you make of it..... enjoy and relax or going full speed ahead...

I wouldn't say I am bored, but I prefer to see new places. That is why we crusie to Asia, Europe & south America.

Paul

Nope. Not until I've seen every port both Eastern and Western and they're some I want to visit again.

Tanker4

I love the Carribean, but I am bored with some of the ports. How many times can you go to the same island? I think the cruise lines need to get more inventive on where they go. Shake some things up so everyone isn't going on the same itinerary over and over.

No, we love to cruise there! Have visited 15 Caribbean ports so far and plan to visit at least 15 more. Love the beaches, swimming, people, culture, art, and food.

Have traveled alot in U.S., Canada, and Europe and keep coming back to the Caribbean as the favorite.

I've only been on one cruise so far so I am not bored yet ;) However, I do find myself looking at the itineraries and thinking, "Oh, Cozumel is on there *again*." I think they need to mix up the ports a bit. Isn't there anywhere else to dock around the Cozumel area that isn't Cozumel? I like the prices of the shorter cruises but I don't want to have to visit Cozumel every time.

Lived in the Caribbean all my life (48 yrs) and I am not board and dont think I will ever get board. I have been to most of the island's at least 4 or 5 times and some others at least 15-20 times. The problem with cruisers is that you are in an island for a few hours so the options available are a little shopping and a tour. That is nothing to judge each island with. Each island has it's own culture and there is so much going on all year that you can never experience it on a cruise. There are Jazz festivals, Carnivals, culture heritage shows, large sporting events, regattas etc. I can see how you can get board with the ports and the usual trinket shopping because it is pretty much the same but I cant get board of the islands.

Don't you just hate people who rephrase the question?:)

I think a more appropriate question would be "are you bored with many of the cruise lines unimaginative Caribbean offerings?" It's the cruise lines (some, not all) that are the bore, not the Caribbean.

Granted, some of this is structural--you just can't get a big ship into many of the more interesting islands of the Caribbean and thus, are more limited in what they offer.

Nope, not bored with the Caribbean.

Don't think I will ever get tired of the Caribbean ports. Been to many of them several times, some only once and a few I've yet to see.

A Caribbean port beats Ohio any day, winter, fall or spring, and is a lot more exciting than Florida as a winter getaway for us!

Dianne

We have been to most of the ports in the Caribbean at least once and many times to the more popular ports. We are appreciative of the efforts of the cruise lines to add new ports over the years and hope they will continue to do so.

It's interesting to watch the locals adapt and grow as the cruise tourist industry influences their area. Their amenities, services and professionalism grow with each year of experience.

I agree with one of the posters that suggested more overnight stays and fewer ports is an option that cruise lines should consider. This would allow cruisers to have an opportunity to experience some island night life. Due do security and safety this would have to be a selected group of islands.

Hi we still love the Caribbean of the 66 cruises we have taken .witch 50 have been to the Caribbean !! We will never get tried of it . I just got off the Empress of the seas doing an 11 day S.caribbean cruise Solo for the first time what a deal i got with nonstop air from Newark in the winter time it was $1200 for everything .That"s just over $100 per day !!The ship wasn"t full witch made the cruise even better .Having sail on this ship before .It could get very crowed !! But there was only 1500 on this cruise .She holds 2050 when full !!We really don"t go for the ports more for the best beachs in the world !!! We are not site see"ers just sun & fun people !! We been all over the world on cruises .But still fine the Caribbean the best !! We go now more for the new ships .We like trying new one's each time out . I also kinda think Bermuda is a part of the Caribbean .We been there about 10 times on cruise and love that place !! I'm not thinking of a Med cruise in mid winter here in the North East !! I like being on a plane and to the ship in 2 to 3 hours !! And waving San Juan good By !! We prefer A cruise to an island stay witch we have don .I think you meet people more on a cruise thien staying on the island .I just did 8 ports in 11 day"s where it was in the upper 80"s and about 15 back home !!To each his own .We will be on the new Liberty of the seas in august 25th W.Caribbean and the Explorer of the seas out of NJ 2/24/08 .

:cool: Mr Veendam

Our next major cruise trip will be Hawaii, but THEN I will definately want to try the eastern or southern Caribbean as we have only tried the Western. So ,much is "untapped" still.:D

Are you kidding me it is paradise!

How can you not love the islands?

I have a 2007 Thanksgiving cruise to the Eastern Caribbean

and a March 2008 Southern Caribbean.

No. Remember that a portion of every cruise is made up of first time cruisers.

If you're bored, you need to find somewhere else to go, don't expect the cruise lines to see that you've been on 30 cruises so they need to change to suit the frequent cruisers.

If someone has say 20 Caribbean cruises under their belt, obviously THEY are not bored.

My two cruises have both been Western Carib and we love it and will gladly do it again. I would also be interested in staying in a port two days or more becuase then we wouldn't have to hurry so much back from long shore excursions and we could do some different things. And while I don't like the "shopping" in Cozumel, I LOVE that stop because I love to snorkel and I love Mexico (even the gringo Mexico- not as much as, say, Merida but I still love it.)

We live in NH and in the winter we need sun, warm water, cold drinks and some festive music playing. I have had vacations in Europe and Asia but for fun and warmth for the whole family, give me the Caribbean.

Barb

Bored with the Caribbean? Bored is a choice. Choose what you want, I do. If I choose a cruise for ports.......I'm not board.

If I choose a cruise for sun and beach.......I'm not board.

If I get on a cruise ship and say "I'm bored" please throw me overbored. :D

Agree. Bored is a choice. There are many things to do on each island.