Which ship for Western Caribbean?

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We are thinking of taking our daughter on a Western Caribbean cruise as a gift for her college graduation next year. (Last fling before reality strikes and SHE gets to start contributing to OUR social security.) We our leaning toward RCCL as she likes the idea of the rock-climbing wall and the ice rink. The Explorer, Mariner & Navigator all have Western itineraries, although I think I like the itinerary more for the Explorer (Belize City & Costa Maya). We haven't cruised for more than 10 years, although DH & I are booked right now on the Golden Princess So. Carribean in October. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

Is there a big difference between these 3 ships, or would you recommend one over the other?

Thanks!
Ginny

[TomCat32174]

Well obviously the Mariner is newer and the balconies are larger. As far as service and amenities, they are all the same. The only difference now is the itineraries. If she likes the beach then I recommend that you find a ship that is going to Labadee. It is such a wonderful location for those who love sun and beach.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;11;07;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

Until Mariner of the Seas


Navigator of the Seas 11/03
Explorer of the Seas 11/02
Royal Majesty 12/95
Costa Riviera 8/89 & 12/89
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[img]http://www.designandcreate.com/graphics/gif/boat001.gif[/img]
GET OUT THERE!

[PhoenixCruiser]

Agree with the above poster. We were looking at both The Navigator and The Mariner. The dates we were both able to go as well as air fare were the final decision makers.

Have fun planning [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

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[PhoenixCruiser]

Sorry...

[justcruzin85374]

Haven't been on any of these....YET [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] just wanted to wish you luck on your planning, and to say hello neighbor, we are in Surprise, the far west end of the Phoenix valley.....PhoenixCruiser and I have the west end covered, although she is almost in the middle with all the building going on in the west valley!

***

Soveriegn 92 E. Caribbean
Majesty 95 W. Caribbean
Granduer 97 E. Caribbean
Rhapsody 00 Mexico
Vision 02 Alaska
Radiance 03 Panama Canal
Brilliance 3/29/04



Radiance of the Seas/Panama Canal 10/18/2003
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2003;10;18;20;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]Are we there yet?
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2003;10;18;20;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

My bags are always packed!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=800080&cdt=2004;3;29;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img] Brilliance 3/29/2004

[TerriDHair]

Ginny, hello from yet another Arizona cruiser. I'll hold down the Mesa area. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

I have been on Explorer and Navigator and will be on the Mariner in October. After the Explorer cruise hubby and I agreed that it was the best cruise we had ever experienced. Next cruise was on another line but after that one we sailed the Navigator. We both agreed the Navigator was the best cruise we had ever experienced. I am hoping the same trend will hold true when we sail the Mariner. I am confident that whichever of those three ships you choose your cruise will be amazing so I recommend that you go with the most convenient time, itinerary, price, etc. you find.

Holiday 7/95
Enchanted Isle 7/96
Jubilee 7/97
Destiny 7/99
Triumph 7/21/01
Explorer 6/22/02
Conquest 6/22/03
Navigator 1/24/04
Carnival Spirit 2/27/04
Mariner 10/17/04
Adventure 2/13/05
[img]http://animatedgif.net/nauticalboats/ship_in_a_bottle_e0.gif[/img]

[amaddog10]

we agonized over the same decision...explorer vs mariner vs navigator...have done the navigator eastern carib last year... i was leaning to the mariner (newer ship,bigger balconies)...but the wife preferred the itinerary on the explorer (more of a mexico flavor...and she wants to see the mayan ruins).. the thing that tipped us in favor of the explorer was the port location...explorer goes out of miami...less than a half hour from the airport, while the mariner goes out of canaveral, which is almost an hour ride from the orlando airport...so that may be another consideration for you...

we ended up compromising...we're doing the explorer western this summer...and probably the mariner next year [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[jemingway]

We've been debating Navigator vs. Explorer for some time. There seems to be little difference, but it is a fun debate. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

JV The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection.

[PhoenixCruiser]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TerriDHair:
We both agreed the Navigator was the best cruise we had ever experienced. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hello neighbors [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] We need to have a Arizona Cruisers get-together! JustCruizin and I were able to meet each other a few weeks ago, we hit it off immediately and had a great time!

Thanks for your comments on The Navigator, we are getting sooo excited [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

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Navigator of the Seas 6/26/04


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[justcruzin85374]

Good Morning neighbors!!! Hi TerryDHair, nice of you to chime in for Az thanks for holding down Mesa....Woodz is around Mesa too, haven't seen them for awhile on board [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]
...PhoenixCruiser is right we need an Az get together! We had a great time a few weeks ago!

PhoenixCruiser, when I told DH the # of days since our last 2 cruises, I really was only saying can you believe it's been that long...he's the one who thought it was too long!!! I don't expect too much out of it.

I need to get on one of the Voyager class ships so I can give a real honest opinion [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

***

Soveriegn 92 E. Caribbean
Majesty 95 W. Caribbean
Granduer 97 E. Caribbean
Rhapsody 00 Mexico
Vision 02 Alaska
Radiance 03 Panama Canal
Brilliance 3/29/04



Radiance of the Seas/Panama Canal 10/18/2003
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2003;10;18;20;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]Are we there yet?
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2003;10;18;20;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

My bags are always packed!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=800080&cdt=2004;3;29;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img] Brilliance 3/29/2004

[treehugr]

Hey all you fellow zonies,

Holding down the fort at north Phoenix ourselves. We are booked on the 9/12 Mariner sailing. I don't think you could go wrong with either the Mariner or the Navigator, let the itinerary decide for you.

Talk to Y'all later
George, Anne, Arrielle

"BIG CATS INVADE THE MARINER"
[
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;9;12;16;30;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

My Review on thr Glory
[url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=969097554&m=3493023447"]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=969097554&m=3493023447[/url]

9/06/03 Glory Big Cats
[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/aagglaser"]http://community.webshots.com/user/aagglaser[/url]

Family 9/22/02 Paradise Pictures
[url="http://www.cruise-addicts.com/picturepost/view.php?uid=1537"]http://www.cruise-addicts.com/picturepost/view.php?uid=1537[/url]

Family 8/4/01 Triumph Pictures
[url="http://cruise-addicts.com/picturepost/view.php?uid=988"]http://cruise-addicts.com/picturepost/view.php?uid=988[/url]

Song of America - 11/98
Paradise - 8/99
Triumph - 8/01
Paradise - 9/02
Glory - 9/06/03
Mariner of the Seas - 9/12/04

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do"

Mark Twain

[TerriDHair]

PhoenixCruiser, how lucky you are to be cruising on the Navigator in 30 days! The crew onboard in January were incredible.

An AZ cruisers' get-together would be fun. DH and I had an IRC chat channel for several years called "Phoenix" and we had some real life get togethers. It was a lot of fun and two of the people from that channel ended up getting married eventually!

aaglaser, your name seemed familiar to me so I noted your past cruises. You were on the Triumph two weeks after I was in '01, so I imagine I saw you on the Carnival board back then. You'll be on the Mariner five weeks before me this fall.

Justcruzin, I don't think I've seen Woodz, yet. And yes, you do need to get onto a Voyager-class ship. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] I think I'm getting quite addicted to them, actually...

I love all three of your sayings/quotes, btw:

"My bags are always packed" [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

"The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection." [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do"

Mark Twain

Holiday 7/95
Enchanted Isle 7/96
Jubilee 7/97
Destiny 7/99
Triumph 7/21/01
Explorer 6/22/02
Conquest 6/22/03
Navigator 1/24/04
Carnival Spirit 2/27/04
Mariner 10/17/04
Adventure 2/13/05
[img]http://animatedgif.net/nauticalboats/ship_in_a_bottle_e0.gif[/img]

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thanks to everyone for so many replies! I didn't know there were so many cruisers in the valley! I'm always open to meeting new people. This looks like a fun bunch! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

All the comments have been quite good. I'm kind of leaning to the Explorer for the itinerary. DH wants to see the Mayan ruins. DD is spending the summer in San Antonio and will look at the information when she returns in August. I hope to book whatever cruise we'll be on before we leave for our Oct 3 cruise. ( I hear that's the best way to beat PCD!)

Ginny

[PhoenixCruiser]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sunny AZ Girl:
Thanks to everyone for so many replies! I didn't know there were so many cruisers in the valley! I'm always open to meeting new people. This looks like a fun bunch! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, I think we have most of the valley covered in this thread [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Hope everyone has a fantastic holiday weekend, we sure will have beautiful weather!!

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Navigator of the Seas 6/26/04

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[TerriDHair]

And the week-end it about overwith, darn it!

Holiday 7/95
Enchanted Isle 7/96
Jubilee 7/97
Destiny 7/99
Triumph 7/21/01
Explorer 6/22/02
Conquest 6/22/03
Navigator 1/24/04
Carnival Spirit 2/27/04
Mariner 10/17/04
Adventure 2/13/05
[img]http://animatedgif.net/nauticalboats/ship_in_a_bottle_e0.gif[/img]