Eastern Caribbean/Glory or Southern Caribbean/Fascination

Greetings All,

I'm trying to take advantage of the current $49 deposit special. I'm contemplating both itineraries (September 2018) having never been on either ship nor any of the ports. I am from Texas and have only sailed out of Galveston. This will be our third cruise. The pricing is about the same.

PLEASE ADVISE!!!

Looking for particular advisement on room options as well...

Glory 7 Day from Miami:

Amber Cove, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk

Fascination 7 Day from San Juan:

St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados, and St. Thomas

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

Southern Caribbean, hands down. St.Maarten is my favorite Caribbean island (My 10 day land trip to there is in 2 months today!), with Puerto Rico and Barbados tied for second. You will visit all three of those if you pick Fascination. September is also hurricane season, so having only 1 sea day minimizes your risk of getting caught in a storm while at sea. If you choose the Glory and bad seas arise, you will be stick on the ship for likely 2 days. And if you're on the itinerary I did, you are either leaving every port early, or arriving late (with the exception of Amber Cove). All of the stops on the Fascination cruise have regular port stops and times. If you want a more "Caribbean" feeling, you will get it out of Barbados, St.Lucia and St.Kitts, whereas Grand Turk and Amber Cove are both Carnival-built stops that don't let you experience any of the local culture. Amber Cove is honestly my least favorite port ever, which is a shame because I love the Puerto Plata region. That port completely deprives you of the local culture and all of the great natural wonders in the area, so if you dock in Amber Cove, you will likely need an excursion to truly experience the area. Some will argue that you will be able to relax more on the Glory because there is one less port and you'll likely want to be out and about in the ports, but if all are new to you, then you'll be out and about either way. The Fascination is an older or smaller ship, but the time you will spend on it is somewhat minimal, because you'll be out in the ports anyway.

I hope I helped, I have done both itineraries and can help you with whatever you choose!

Southern Caribbean, hands down. St.Maarten is my favorite Caribbean island (My 10 day land trip to there is in 2 months today!), with Puerto Rico and Barbados tied for second. You will visit all three of those if you pick Fascination. September is also hurricane season, so having only 1 sea day minimizes your risk of getting caught in a storm while at sea. If you choose the Glory and bad seas arise, you will be stick on the ship for likely 2 days. And if you're on the itinerary I did, you are either leaving every port early, or arriving late (with the exception of Amber Cove). All of the stops on the Fascination cruise have regular port stops and times. If you want a more "Caribbean" feeling, you will get it out of Barbados, St.Lucia and St.Kitts, whereas Grand Turk and Amber Cove are both Carnival-built stops that don't let you experience any of the local culture. Amber Cove is honestly my least favorite port ever, which is a shame because I love the Puerto Plata region. That port completely deprives you of the local culture and all of the great natural wonders in the area, so if you dock in Amber Cove, you will likely need an excursion to truly experience the area. Some will argue that you will be able to relax more on the Glory because there is one less port and you'll likely want to be out and about in the ports, but if all are new to you, then you'll be out and about either way. The Fascination is an older or smaller ship, but the time you will spend on it is somewhat minimal, because you'll be out in the ports anyway.

 

I hope I helped, I have done both itineraries and can help you with whatever you choose!

Thanks so much for your detailed response!! I really would like to experience this itinerary as it does seem to represent a more authentic Caribbean experience. Do you recommend flying in to St. Juan the day before or the day of the cruise. I don't believe it leaves PR until 10:00 that first night.

Also what type of room is best for that ship with such a port intensive itinerary? We will have only experienced the Freedom/Breeze out of Galveston and have always had a balcony. I can't imagine we would really use one on this itinerary.

Thanks so much for your detailed response!! I really would like to experience this itinerary as it does seem to represent a more authentic Caribbean experience. Do you recommend flying in to St. Juan the day before or the day of the cruise. I don't believe it leaves PR until 10:00 that first night.

 

Also what type of room is best for that ship with such a port intensive itinerary? We will have only experienced the Freedom/Breeze out of Galveston and have always had a balcony. I can't imagine we would really use one on this itinerary.

You're welcome! But I had a direct flight from Baltimore that landed in Puerto Rico at 4PM on departure day, because I had been to PR twice in a year, and had another cruise that called in SJ booked for later on in the year, so I saved $120 a person on the later flight, plus no hotel room and I didn't really mind it. But, if it is your first time in PR, I would 100% recommend flying the day before so you can see a little bit of San Juan! I know the flights to PR can get expensive, and the idea of an additional hotel night only contributes to extra expenditures for the vacation, but don't let that drive you away. Use the website 'AirBnB" to find some cheap accommodations in the area, which will not only give you a more local experience in terms of spending the night in a local-style apartment or condo, but also in the aspect that your AirBnB host will be the perfect guide in telling you where to go, what to do, and the secrets to maximizing your time in SJ. Plus, AirBnB always helps save you tons of money.

I guess I should conduct a bit more research to decide whether the airfare will be ridiculous and thereby become a deal breaker. I doubt that will be the case.

I guess I should conduct a bit more research to decide whether the airfare will be ridiculous and thereby become a deal breaker. I doubt that will be the case.

SOuthwest should have direct flights from Hobby to SJU, but I could be wrong. That's what came up when I searched. United also has direct flights from IAH. Skyscanner could likely find you the best price, so I would recommend checking the Southwest website (skyscanner will give you southwest flights but will not add the price, so you have to book them on the Southwest website) as well as Skyscanner to find the best possible deal. I hope that airfare is not a deal breaker for this trip, it is truly a remarkable itinerary. I would assume that the Fascination cruise would be cheaper than Glory because Carnival knows that many have to fly, so hopefully it all evens out. Best of luck!

As a ship class, I like Glory better, but the itinerary for the Fascination is a hands-down winner. I'd do Southern in a heartbeat!

We are leaving in 2 weeks for Fascination. Southwest does have direct Hobby to San Juan. We are going a day early. Last time we did a San Juan departure we flew in the day of the cruise, and didn't get to explore San Juan. I love the smaller ships, and the S Caribbean is my favorite itinerary! These are different islands, mostly, than the last time we cruised the Southern.

It is hurricane season, but they tend to not go that far south, so don't let that stop you.

Flights are expensive. We booked most of ours on points, but did pay for one initially at around $475. Then my oldest daughter decided to go. One month before sailing, and flight was $600. So plan to book early, or book on points if possible. You can get the SWA credit card and they give you a bonus of 40-50,000 points, depending on their special. This could definitely help with tickets!

I'd also recommend the Southern Caribbean out of San Juan. We did this itinerary twice, and fairly recently (Valor in May 2013 and again on Liberty in September 2015). I would love to do this itinerary again because there is still so much more that we'd love to see and do. The airfare to San Juan is usually a little more expensive, but it is definitely worth it. If you get a chance for a few extra days before/after your cruise to spend in San Juan, it would really be worth it. So much to see and do there.

The reason we love this itinerary so much is the ports. It's the most scenic Caribbean itinerary that Carnival offers. I even love and enjoy the views as we sail in to the ports in the mornings and as we sail away in the evenings. Some will say that all of the islands are the same and that they all look a like. To us, each is very different, but all offer something for everyone, whether you like historical sites/landmarks, shopping, active tours (hiking/zip lines), water tours and beaches. St. Lucia is the one island where I'd recommend some type of organized tour, whether through a private local vendor or a tour sponsored through the cruise line. The reason is because most of the sights (volcano, mud baths, waterfalls, the Pitons, overlooks, Jalousie/Sugar Beach) are down near Soufriere, which is a very expensive cab ride and takes about an hour and a half. Those areas are normal stops on many of the organized tours, so a tour would be the most cost effective way to see the sights. If you're interested in pictures of the islands, I did reviews of both those cruises and included a lot of pictures. Both are linked in my siggy.

If you are basing your decision on the ship, to be honest, we've never been on the Fascination or any ship in her class so I can't give you any first hand experience. I do think I'd prefer a smaller ship. Smaller ship = smaller crowds. We have been on Glory (loved her) and of course, her sister ships (Valor & Liberty). They do have a lot of the "bells & whistles" that Fascination lacks, don't let that deter you. Fascination is scheduled for her upgrade before you plan to cruise, so she will have a few of those loved extras, although I don't know what all she'll be getting. She is a smaller and older ship, but with this itinerary, the ports are the attraction. When we cruised on that itinerary, we basically looked at the ships as "floating hotels" that got us to where we wanted to go. If you choose the southern itinerary out of San Juan, I definitely recommend a cabin (room) on the right side of the ship. After Barbados you'll be heading north and will be passing other islands that will be on the right hand side.

As for going in September (hurricane season), that was our fear for September 2015 as well, but we just decided to go for it anyway and take our chances. Our fears were unfounded...we had the best weather we've ever had while on a cruise in addition to the calmest seas. The islands on the itinerary of the Glory cruise you're looking at tend to be more in the path of hurricanes than the ones in the southern Caribbean. They do get hit occasionally, but chances are lower for them than those on the Glory itinerary.