NCL - Caribbean

We're thinking of doing a Western Caribbean cruise with NCL either from Miami or Houston next year for our silver wedding anniversary. We'll be arranging our own flights from the UK so that we can afford it!

Does anyone have any useful thoughts or advice?

Miami has way more cruise options. Houston is a minor port in the world of cruising.

Unless Houston is a significantly cheaper flight, I'd recommend Miami. You didn't mention if you'd been there before, but it's a destination in itself.

Unless Houston is a significantly cheaper flight, I'd recommend Miami. You didn't mention if you'd been there before, but it's a destination in itself.

I'm curious as to why you think this way. Live there? Or you just like one more than the other?

Tourists visit both cities.

Considerably more would consider Miami and South Florida a tourist destination compared to Houston.

And although you did not mention it as a possibility, NCL sails pretty much the same western caribbean itinerary out of New Orleans, which in my personal view, is a far superior "destination" than either Miami or Houston. We are doing the western carib. out of New Orleans AGAIN in February. We usually spend 2 or 3 days in N.O. visiting the WW2 museum, which is amazing; my personal favorite, mardi gras world, which is an enormous facility with hundreds of past used mardi gras floats, and then spend or day or so at the regular touristy places and going to their wonderful antiques shops.

Terry

Definitely Miami. You can visit the beautiful beaches in Fort Lauderdale or Miami, shop, dine, and sightsee, all within range of the airport and ports themselves! Lots to see and do there.

I'm curious as to why you think this way. Live there? Or you just like one more than the other?

Because of this:

Tourists visit both cities.

 

Considerably more would consider Miami and South Florida a tourist destination compared to Houston.

We're thinking of doing a Western Caribbean cruise with NCL either from Miami or Houston next year for our silver wedding anniversary. We'll be arranging our own flights from the UK so that we can afford it!

 

Does anyone have any useful thoughts or advice?

To me the deciding factor would be price of the cruise and airfare. Since you are coming from across the pond I would think a "hub" like Miami might be easier and cheaper.

We've done the Western Caribbean out of FLL & Tampa. When we looked at coming from NY to NOLA, the price of air was just crazy.

We have cruised out of Ft. Lauderdale and flown back in to Miami. Also, I have family in Houston.

I believe you would find more variety for cruises out of Miami, but if you want a Western Caribbean cruise, New Orleans or Houston would work just fine if your airfare was cheaper.

Houston is not a major tourist destination, but is underrated as a city. Prices for hotels and food would be cheaper in Houston.

Miami does offer some great beaches and South Florida has some interesting places to see, like Key West if that is what you want.

We've done all three ports, Miami, New Orleans, and Houston. We usually arrive the day before the cruise and leave the day the crusie ends. Since the cruises are bacially the same I'd say go to the port that is the cheapest, unless you plan on spending a few days in the port city. If the fares are about the same then I'd choose NOLA just for sightseeing or Miami for beaches etc but Houston does have some sights to see as well.

Keep in mind the Houston cruises only do 3 port stops while the Miami, Tampa and New Orleans cruises have 4.

We're thinking of doing a Western Caribbean cruise with NCL either from Miami or Houston next year for our silver wedding anniversary. We'll be arranging our own flights from the UK so that we can afford it!

 

Does anyone have any useful thoughts or advice?

I would take advantage of your time here .

Fly into Miami a few days early an head south to the florida keys for a few days whilst in the neighborhood . :)

Check it out = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbIO2NYnTu8

For the NCL cruises I seem to recall that all the ships visit two ports in Mexico, one in Honduras and one in Belize.

I would take advantage of your time here .

 

Fly into Miami a few days early an head south to the florida keys for a few days whilst in the neighborhood . :)

 

Check it out = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbIO2NYnTu8

Wholeheartedly agree. Key West is such a long drive from Houston. ;)

Houston has a large International airport and flights may be almost as cheap as Miami. If you choose Houston, there is NASA, Kemah Boardwalk near the cruise port, fantastic downtown parks, great zoo, museums, and Galveston beaches and the Strand.

For the NCL cruises I seem to recall that all the ships visit two ports in Mexico, one in Honduras and one in Belize.

We did Costa Maya, Belize, Roatan & Cozumel. That was from Tampa, NCL Dawn 2012

if your flying from uk think about going into orlando and driving down we have always found it works out cheaper than flying to miami but we usually fly from dublin as no airport tax just priced around again from dublin delta for us is the cheapest

if you fly united consider flying into newark and spending a few days in new york

usually cost no extra for a stop over

Thought the op would appreciate a response from another uk resident.

There are many more flight options to miami than Houston from the uk. You have more airports to choose. From, I.e Manchester, Birmingham and not just heathrow.

Flight times don't differ much

As others have said, Miami offers more cruises and more ports due to a shorter sail down and more options of ncl ships too.

When you say, so we can afford it, remember ncl flight prices include flying the day before, transfer to hotel, overnight hotel, transfer to ship and transfer from ship back to airport - so at least £200 worth if extras between 2

We sometimes do inclusive and sometimes our own flights - depends on the flight times

My cousin, who lives in London, flew direct to Tampa from Gatwick, I believe, last year for my wedding in the Tampa area. You could add Tampa to the mix for Western Caribbean itineraries if flights are less expensive to Tampa (or Orlando, which is an hour or two away).

So many options! :-)