Help, what to book? CCL or RCL

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

As intrigued as I am about RCL also I, like you am not interested in those ports. That itinerary makes me say "meh". I would say out of all of those I would go with the Breeze. Maybe since you have been on the ship before you could do a different category of room to make it different. Like how about an aft view or something different?

I really want to try Royal at some point but I have to go with the Breeze on this one. Can you possibly go with the Allure on the Eastern Caribbean stops, (can't remember what they are but they are the eastern Caribbean I think. Its been a while since I looked) they may be the same dates if that is what is making the choice.

I have sailed Oasis and Allure 3x now and the first thing i'll mention is you don't cruise these ships for the ports... the ports are a secondary bonus to the ship. Labadee Haiti is IMO the best port for an amazing beach day (i'd be happy if the ships left FLL and headed straight to Labadee for the week... beach by day ship by night for the whole week!)

I haven't sailed Carnival yet - 18 days but who's counting ;) and the Breeze looks like an amazing ship and we're spreading our cruising fins after focusing on Royal for a few years but if the pricing on Oasis or Allure this month was anywhere near the Breeze we'd have gone for a 4th time. There's so much to do that after 3 weeks I have yet to see and do everything I want!

I really want to try Royal at some point but I have to go with the Breeze on this one. Can you possibly go with the Allure on the Eastern Caribbean stops, (can't remember what they are but they are the eastern Caribbean I think. Its been a while since I looked) they may be the same dates if that is what is making the choice.

Allure of the Seas will be in Europe summer of 2015, i wish it worked out to do the Eastern side on Oasis, but our weeks just don't line up.

I am leaning toward Oasis or the Breeze. I am going to do some more research tonight and talk with the kids and see what they would like the best. Time to make a decision. We are normally booked and have started looking at excursions by now.

We are booked on the 8 night Breeze Southern route next month. The Oasis or Allure was nearly twice the money. If it price was close we'd be on RCL for the ship alone.

San Juan is nice, but not much to do IMO. Nice to see the forts, use your cell phone and go to cvs. You'll be in San Juan from 7am-2pm.

Grand Turk - beach day. Labadee wins hands down over Grand Turk.

My port analysis:

Remove San Juan from the equation

Pick Labadee over Grand Turk

So now you're down to St. K/ St. M vs. Falmouth/Coz. Enjoy an empty ship in Falmouth and book a nice excursion for Coz. Never been to St. K., but we enjoy St. M.

I think Oasis wins for ports!

Oasis all the way!

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

 

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

 

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

 

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

For the same price, same cabin, pick the Breeze!:D

I love RC and Carnival pretty much equally...but I would have to go with Carnival in this case for the Ports offered.

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

 

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

 

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

 

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

 

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

 

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

 

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

RCL is a better line as far as quality is concerned and the Oasis is certainly a ship to definately sail on a least once, but the RCL ports are not great... Labadee is nothing special as the beaches are rocky and have lots of dead coral bits instead of nice powdery sand and it is like an overcrowded amusement park, no thanks. You dont even to see the country of Haiti, just the little area that RCL owns.

In this case pick the Breeze or sail on the another RCL ship for the Southern ports.

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

 

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

 

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

 

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

We just cruised on the Oasis end of November.

The ports are secondary when on the Oasis. The ship is the destination.

Talk about the WOW factor. After close to 30 cruises I didnt think I could be wowed by any ship anymore but boy was I wrong.

It was amazing.

Bill

Rule out the Oasis. CCL has better ports. I would pick Sunshine over the Breeze.

I agree with KelKel. I am one cruise away from becoming Diamond Plus on Royal Caribbean so you can tell I am partial to Royal Caribbean but those ports are not my favorites.

Go with Carnival.

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

 

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

 

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

 

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

I have sailed on the oasis and it was for me the most expensive waste of time, the biggest ship (at that time) in the seas and I was bored you had to book everything in advance if you wanted to see the comedy club you needed to precook tickets and then still show up ten minutes early to ensure you get a seat because booking the tickets alone you could still end up not seeing the show. Free time (any time) dining you needed to pay for. Service on board was pretty much 'meh' because it was the biggest ship of the ocean i felt the service lacked there was some extremely hard working staff members but I don't know if it was the time of year we sailed but there seemed to be a lot of staff shortages, a lot of running around tired staff and I really felt for them ... Shows were fantastic but once you had seen them they were on loop every night almost .. Comedy club could at best seat about 50 people, food was really nice,. If you didn't like casino or bingo on this ship you were screwed and I am not a big casino or bingo type of person I like trivia, comedy, live music, karaoke, shows,, pool games .. On this cruise there was only ever bingo announcements or casino tournaments. It was such a disappointment because on the Mariner and freedom of the seas both ships were entertaining. It was in St Thomas the carnival dream was beside the oasis and I said to my sister we need on that ship, you could hear the music, the loud fun atmosphere we had expected and we haven't looked back since

I have sailed on the oasis and it was for me the most expensive waste of time, the biggest ship (at that time) in the seas and I was bored you had to book everything in advance if you wanted to see the comedy club you needed to precook tickets and then still show up ten minutes early to ensure you get a seat because booking the tickets alone you could still end up not seeing the show. Free time (any time) dining you needed to pay for. Service on board was pretty much 'meh' because it was the biggest ship of the ocean i felt the service lacked there was some extremely hard working staff members but I don't know if it was the time of year we sailed but there seemed to be a lot of staff shortages, a lot of running around tired staff and I really felt for them ... Shows were fantastic but once you had seen them they were on loop every night almost .. Comedy club could at best seat about 50 people, food was really nice,. If you didn't like casino or bingo on this ship you were screwed and I am not a big casino or bingo type of person I like trivia, comedy, live music, karaoke, shows,, pool games .. On this cruise there was only ever bingo announcements or casino tournaments. It was such a disappointment because on the Mariner and freedom of the seas both ships were entertaining. It was in St Thomas the carnival dream was beside the oasis and I said to my sister we need on that ship, you could hear the music, the loud fun atmosphere we had expected and we haven't looked back since

Anytime dining you do not have to pay for.

You reserve your times for shows before boarding and you are told to be there 15 minutes before the show so for the people without tickets can fill the seats of the no shows.

I must say we don't gamble or drink and we never lacked for something to do.

Not sure what you are referring to with the comment that the shows were looped unless you are talking about the tv.

There were enough shows to see a different one every night but one.

Bill

ut the RCL ports are not great... Labadee is nothing special as the beaches are rocky and have lots of dead coral bits instead of nice powdery sand and it is like an overcrowded amusement park, no thanks. You dont even to see the country of Haiti, just the little area that RCL owns.

 

 

 

In this case pick the Breeze or sail on the another RCL ship for the Southern ports.

You didn't go to the right beaches in Labadee then... If you went to the ones under the zip lines then yes they're rocky coral probably lose a toe or two going in barefoot...

Columbus cove on the opposite side of the "island" (facing the ships) is pure sand no beach shoes required!

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Anytime dining you do not have to pay for.

 

You reserve your times for shows before boarding and you are told to be there 15 minutes before the show so for the people without tickets can fill the seats of the no shows.

 

I must say we don't gamble or drink and we never lacked for something to do.

 

Not sure what you are referring to with the comment that the shows were looped unless you are talking about the tv.

 

There were enough shows to see a different one every night but one.

 

Bill

I know you did have to pay for it when I sailed royal Caribbean that may have changed, the ship might have improved but my experience on that ship was boring, there wasn't anything fun to do except find a sun lounger put on your iPod and rest in the sun... Could have gone anywhere for that in my opinion.

When I was on the ship you reserved as you went along there was no this is how it's done and you reserve on boarding.

The shows were great but it was the same shows performed throughout the course of the cruise and no I am not referring to the loop on the tv

But like I said I sailed on her in 2011 a lot could have changed, their organisation of crowd management for example will have improved no doubt and hopefully there are more activities to do

As much as I would want to see Oasis (and actually prefer Royal over Carnival), the ports just aren't as interesting.

If you are a ship person, go with Oasis, if you are a port person, go with Breeze.

Sunshine just has too many people on board for its size.

Looking to book a cruise for June 2015. We can't decide on what to book here are the options:

 

Carnival Breeze 8 day:

St. Maarten

St. Kitts

San Juan

Grand Turk

 

Sunshine 8 day:

Grand Turk

San Juan

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

RCL Oasis of the Seas:

Labadde Haiti

Falmouth Jam.

Cozumel

 

They all are similar in price. We did sail on the Breeze in June 2013 and loved it, so I would not mind sailing on her again. I just can't seem to make a decision. Really thinking about jumping over to RCL but I don't like the ports that much! What would you book?

While they are close in price, go with Oasis!

Don't know what type of cabin you're looking at. If you are balcony bound, then the cove on the Breeze is the way to go. It has gotten many rave reviews on the boards. Plus 8 days always trumps 7 days, IMHO.

I know you did have to pay for it when I sailed royal Caribbean that may have changed, the ship might have improved but my experience on that ship was boring, there wasn't anything fun to do except find a sun lounger put on your iPod and rest in the sun... Could have gone anywhere for that in my opinion.

 

When I was on the ship you reserved as you went along there was no this is how it's done and you reserve on boarding.

 

The shows were great but it was the same shows performed throughout the course of the cruise and no I am not referring to the loop on the tv

 

But like I said I sailed on her in 2011 a lot could have changed, their organisation of crowd management for example will have improved no doubt and hopefully there are more activities to do

I guess things must have changed then. You aren't allowed to book the shows more than once now. If you wanted to see a specific show again you'd have to get in the standby line and hope there are enough no shows as to allow you to get in.

Yes they are the same shows all week but since there 6 of them and you can't reserve more than once I don't see a problem.

Bill

Oasis would be my choice because she's a destination on her own. :D

LuLu

Well we decided on the Breeze! Just booked so excited!

Well we decided on the Breeze! Just booked so excited!

Look forward to having a wonderful 8 days!

St. Maarten is our favorite Caribbean port stop! :D

LuLu

You never had to pay for anytime dining on Royal Caribbean... Before the auto gratuities when you handed out envelopes at the end of the cruise you did have to prepay your grats if you selected anytime dining but the meals were free like the set dining times

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Congrats on your decision.

For me personally, if the pricing is similar - hands down the Oasis. It is rare to have pricing that close. CCL is generally very budget friendly in the pricing. RCCL many times tends to be higher. The Oasis is a destination in itself as others have said. It is a nice ship.

It's going to be HOT in June no matter what itinerary you choose.