Need help with November Cruises...

[ftthomas]

Hello,

 

So my boyfriend and I are planning on taking our first vacation together next November! I know exciting right? So because of his schedule and everything it looks like November-December is the best time to take a vacation for both of us (mainly him), but how can I complain to much because either way I get a cruise next year. So I have taken 2 cruises on Carnival and he has taken one Alaskan cruise on Princress! So I am wondering if you guys have any tips for princess cruises in November to December for either Caribbean or Bahamas?

 

Please help!

[Essiesmom]

Princess does not sail to the Bahamas, with the exception of calls at their private island, Princess Cays.. You might search using this website:

http://www.cruisetimetables.com

to see who is sailing the Caribbean and from where. EM

[Pam in CA]

When cruising in November, you need to keep in mind that it's still hurricane season so be flexible. Your well-planned cruise could go an entirely different route.

 

While there are plenty of activities during the day and evening on Princess, you won't find as much drinking or partying as on Carnival. Instead of glitz, there's glamour. No neon, almost no PA announcements and when there are, they're in public areas, not in cabins.

 

I think every itinerary has it's positives and negatives. Some like more shopping, others like more beaches, some like to be in port every day, others like a lot of sea days. So it really comes down to where you want to go and what you want to do. Personal preference.

[Beopthtuh]

theres a couple of ships doing 7 day sailings in the caribbean and theres the emerald p doing 10 day sailings

prefer longer cruises than 7 days give you more time to enjoy the cruise :cool::cool:

[cindep]

A little tip money wise: Look at cruises that sail between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are usually bargains to be had and you won't have to worry about hurricane season (hopefully). Also the ships are decorated for Christmas which is pretty special. We historically try to cruise around the first week of December to get the most "bang for the buck".

[SailinC2C]

We did the Crown on Nov 12th this year. 3 ports and 3 sea days. this was our first fall cruise and we were concerned about the hurricane possibility. Turned out we had great weather. I would definitely cruise again in November.

[ftthomas]

Yeah the first two weeks of November are bad for him. And the week after thanks giving is good for me. I work in a bakery department so holidays are really hectic for me. How is the weather like on the ships around that time of the year. I must say I do like the itinerary that goes to St. Thomas, St. Marteen, Grand Turk, and the private island.

[waterbabyfish]

Just got back on a 10 dayer on emerald, the weather was great! Not to hot just right.The water at princess cayes was a little nippy! Best prices can be found around end of sept.-nov. for a cruise in nov. or dec.

[Beopthtuh]

we,ve always sailed last 2 weeks in nov first week in dec.

weathers always been in the 80,s .

princess cays is a nice end of cruise stop .

 

yip if your lucky will have xmas decorations up and falling snow in attrium

[TravlGrl]

Yeah the first two weeks of November are bad for him. And the week after thanks giving is good for me. I work in a bakery department so holidays are really hectic for me. How is the weather like on the ships around that time of the year. I must say I do like the itinerary that goes to St. Thomas, St. Marteen, Grand Turk, and the private island.

 

You'll likely have highs in the upper 70s/lower 80s while in port in FL, then mid-80s during your cruise when you get to the islands. You might also like to check out the southern Caribbean itinerary on Princess. Some good deals to be had after Thanksgiving/before Christmas, as other posters have stated.

[ftthomas]

Yeah I have been looking at the Aruba and Curacao itinerary, and I do love my Sea days. I do enjoy shopping and haggling too so I want to have a great trip!

[TravlGrl]

Yeah I have been looking at the Aruba and Curacao itinerary, and I do love my Sea days. I do enjoy shopping and haggling too so I want to have a great trip!

 

Hmm...if you enjoy haggling you might prefer your original idea then of St. Thomas, St. Maarten et al better than the southern itinerary. You'll have a lot more shopping opportunities and definitely haggling opportunities. :)

[Shogun]

yours Shogun

[robgvic]

I usually like to travel end of November to early December because the prices are very good. We leave December 8 on a 10 day on the Emerald and we got a balcony for 1199 which ended up being a Cafribe deck one. Very happy

[FawnRiver]

We currently have to cruise in January - DH is self employed and that is his slow time of year.

 

St. Thomas is on both the eastern and southern itineraries, so you'll hit it one way or the other. We enjoyed the eastern (though to be honest we prefered the western, but we're snorkelers, not shoppers). We're going on the southern this next cruise, so I can't compare - yet.

[TravlGrl]

We currently have to cruise in January - DH is self employed and that is his slow time of year.

 

St. Thomas is on both the eastern and southern itineraries, so you'll hit it one way or the other. We enjoyed the eastern (though to be honest we prefered the western, but we're snorkelers, not shoppers). We're going on the southern this next cruise, so I can't compare - yet.

 

Not necessarily. We're on a southern on Grand Princess in 13 days (yay!) sailing to Aruba, Curacao, and Princess Cays. Depends on which Princess itinerary she's looking at. I don't believe Crown's southern itinerary goes to St. Thomas either, does it?

[FawnRiver]

Not necessarily. We're on a southern on Grand Princess in 13 days (yay!) sailing to Aruba, Curacao, and Princess Cays. Depends on which Princess itinerary she's looking at. I don't believe Crown's southern itinerary goes to St. Thomas either, does it?

I stand corrected, your cruise is only 7 days so it doesn't stop there on the way south (7 days isn't enough time), but we did see it on our 7 day eastern cruise on the Ruby last year and we are stopping there again on our next cruise on the Emerald which is a 10 day southern cruise. It all depends on which itinerary you choose.

 

Once the Crown moves to Galveston, I don't think it stops at Princess Cays anymore.

[caribill]

Once the Crown moves to Galveston, I don't think it stops at Princess Cays anymore.

 

Right

1Galveston, Texas

2At Sea

3Island of Cozumel, Mexico

4Island of Roatan, Honduras

5Belize City, Belize

6Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico

7At Sea

8Galveston, Texas

[Doug R.]

Not necessarily. We're on a southern on Grand Princess in 13 days (yay!) sailing to Aruba, Curacao, and Princess Cays. Depends on which Princess itinerary she's looking at. I don't believe Crown's southern itinerary goes to St. Thomas either, does it?

 

Same itenerary with the Southern on the Caribbean Princess in November 2012 that we are on. We are St Thomased out (especially my wallet :eek:) after 3 port calls.