Input needed! Med. vs Caribbean!

[Bcshur]

Okay, I need some help deciding!

 

Hubby and I currently have a 9 day Caribbean cruise out of Bayonne booked. We're located in PA, so wouldn't have to pay for flights. We're paying about $2,800 for that.

 

However, I am looking into doing a Greece cruise as we currently have no children and are looking to have one last hoorah. We said that last year during our Med. cruise too....

 

 

I can get a cruise out of Istanbul to Greece INCLUDING flights from JFK for right around $3,400.00. Now, I would still need to include a hotel in there and transportation to and from the airport as well as to and from the port. But to me, this deal is just unthinkable and truly unbeatable.

 

We were trying to not spend an insane amount this year on a trip because we ended up with a pretty big bill last year. But, I feel as if I am crazy if I don't jump on this?

 

Any input????? I am a little concerned being as it's on Rhapsody and I am not used to the smaller ships anymore.

 

A little background information on hubby and I. Both early 30's, active, and professions.

[Merion_Mom]

OMG, yes! Travel to Europe BC. (before children)

 

You will NEVER regret it.

[tidygirl]

I'd have to say Med once you have children it will be a long time before they are interested in that kind of trip!

Just watch your finances on how much you spend on the ship and check into DIY ports to keep finances under control.

[TheMastodon]

Too close to Syria for my comfort.

[kruzinkel]

Med all the way. Istanbul is fantastic- try to spend some time there!

[voyager70]

Another vote for the Med. IMO you can't even compare to the Caribbean.

[yogimax]

Europe is fantastic. If you can afford it, go for it!

[LEtue]

Easy decision! GO :D

[didicruiser]

Med. no question about it!

[Life is Good Cruising]

There is no comparison between the Caribbean and the Med. Another vote for the Med!

[Bcshur]

You guys are the best! Does it make anyone nervous traveling to Turkey? I didn't really think twice of it until I had a few people asking if I really want to go there with all that is going on. Hmmm! I asked the cruise rep. and she said that they do not take their ships to anywhere unsafe, that I knew! But would anyone be scared to travel there, so to speak? I just can't get over this deal!

[American Bear]

We look at it differently then most,,,,,

 

The Med is about history, The Caribbean is about beaches!:D

 

Yes there are beaches in the Med., but they'll never compare to the sand and warm water of the Caribbean!

 

And yes there is history in the Caribbean, but nothing like the history you'll see in the Med.!

 

So our opinion is,,,,chose the one you want more, history (Med.) or beaches(Caribbean)!:D

Whatever your decision, have a great trip!:D

[holula]

For that price it's a no brainier - Med!

 

 

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[phoenix1181]

Run, don't walk, to the nearest phone to call your TA or Royal & book the Med!! Do it NOW............

[Sam.Seattle]

We look at it differently then most,,,,,

 

The Med is about history, The Caribbean is about beaches!:D

 

Yes there are beaches in the Med., but they'll never compare to the sand and warm water of the Caribbean!

 

And yes there is history in the Caribbean, but nothing like the history you'll see in the Med.!

 

So our opinion is,,,,chose the one you want more, history (Med.) or beaches(Caribbean)!:D

Whatever your decision, have a great trip!:D

Great comparison! The Med was non-stop tours and site seeing... The Carribean is beaches and relaxing...

[MTdreaming]

With that price differential I would say the Med for sure.. I would think you will find better prices more often in the Caribbean than in the Med..Also it would be easier to travel to the Caribbean with children at a younger age than the Med..However I would add that I am not a huge fan of Med cruises.. I want to spend more time in each port than is available on a cruise...There is so much history, art, culture etc etc to enjoy that you barely get to sample it on a cruise. As to Turkey..we loved Istanbul when we were there, a fascinating city where you could spend weeks, see something different each day and enjoy wonderful food. I would think you would be fine safety wise as well...The world is not a safe place anymore unfortunately wherever you are... Enjoy.

[Bcshur]

Hubby and I are all about exploring! We LOVED the Med. last year. We booked the Caribbean one because last years trip was non-stop and we wanted a more relaxing trip. But, when are we going to ever be able to do this again? We said we want to travel when we have kids. But paying all that extra money when they won't truly appreciate it for 15-20 years. We're not getting any younger!!!!!!! I just wish I felt more secure about travel to Turkey, that is my biggest hiccup right now.

[TravelerThom]

...I just wish I felt more secure about travel to Turkey, that is my biggest hiccup right now.

FWIW the murder rate per 100,000 in Turkey is 33, in the USA it is 42, in St. Kitts is 382 and in Jamaica is 529. If you are willing to go to the Caribbean, or even stay in the US, GO to the Med. It is much safer than much of the Caribbean. (I go to the Caribbean a couple of times a year, but there are areas I avoid.)

 

Thom

[Bcshur]

FWIW the murder rate per 100,000 in Turkey is 33, in the USA it is 42, in St. Kitts is 382 and in Jamaica is 529. If you are willing to go to the Caribbean, or even stay in the US, GO to the Med. It is much safer than much of the Caribbean. (I go to the Caribbean a couple of times a year, but there are areas I avoid.)

 

Thom

 

Thank you traveler Tom! We were in Paris a few months ago and navigated our way through there with very little knowledge of french. I support we can do Turkey!

[tidygirl]

We have always traveled with our 3 kids from the time our oldest was 3 weeks old. When they are young they are happy at the pool and beach all day! Teenagers want more amusement parks etc. and don't mind some sightseeing.

We just took 2 of our 3 kids and SIL now 26 and 23 to the Med in Sept and they seemed to enjoy it. They are still very active and didn't want to spend long periods of time at any one place, but they thought it was pretty cool to climb the Leaning Tower, see the Vatican and Colliseum etc.

I too would be a little nervous going to Turkey, but I can't say I wouldn't go if the opportunity would arise. How many people thought it was unsafe in Paris? You just never know!

[George C]

I also pick Med, but you need to put some serious money aside for the sore excursions, in Caribbean we take cab to the beach normally, in Europe I would need approx. 200 per person per shore excursion

[TravelerThom]

I also pick Med, but you need to put some serious money aside for the sore excursions, in Caribbean we take cab to the beach normally, in Europe I would need approx. 200 per person per shore excursion

I don't doubt that a couple can easily spend $400 a day for tours, but touring can almost always be done much cheaper than that. Four months ago we had a port stop in Iceland; the ship Golden Circle tour was $169pp, a taxi for four people was $595 ($149pp), but four of us rented a car and went everywhere the tours went and more for $100 ($25pp) including gasoline. I can hop the Athens Metro or catch a bus for a couple of Euros, get a ticket to the Acropolis for 12 Euros, wander downtown Athens including Plaka, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and catch the changing of the guard in Syntagma Square and have seen more than most ship tours for less than $25. In Kusadasi it is easy to catch a taxi to Ephesus. I could go on, but this can be done most places (although I have toured on my own in St. Petersburg, that can be only be done with pre-planning for a personal Russian visa). All this takes is some time with guide books, which one really should be doing to get full benefit even if you then hire a guide. I am terrible at languages (the only course I ever flunked in my life was French) but even with that impediment this can be done. Sure I get a little lost occasionally, but the local people and places along the way have made the adventures that much sweeter. And no waiting for the entire tour bus to use the WC, or sitting on the bus waiting for the inevitable shopping straggler.

 

Thom

[SPacificbound]

Rhapsody is a fantastic ship for a Med cruise!

[yolanda1]

The Med. No question. Go for it!!! :)

 

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[SarahInPA]

IMO - go MED! My husband and I went Med in Sept 2013, to kick off our baby making, so we could do the trip before children. and it was the BEST trip we ever took! thats a great price, and about what we paid, give or take. We went Rome, Sicily, Athens, Crete, Kushadasi, back to Rome. We may never have the chance to take a trip like that again. We were onthe Navigator, before its dry dock, and we had such little time on the ship, it was no big deal to be on a smaller ship. For us, it was about the ports. We are also from PA, and the weather in Europe was perfect at that time of the year. Warm to be at the pool, but cool to walk all the cities and see the sights. We also booked transportation through RCC, as well as all the excursions through RCC. This was our first time doing that, because we were on very unfamiliar territory, it was a great choice for us, and we were satisfied with the excursions.

 

PS, we're still working on that baby making stuff, so we booked a trip on Oasis for March :D