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Help us choose: 11 night vs 12 night

bstevenson95
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bstevenson95

bstevenson95

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Hello All,

 

My husband and I have already booked the 11 night Southern Caribbean on Serenade on April 18th for our 5 year wedding anniversary. Now we're considering the 12 night Southern Carribean on Anthem leaving that same day. We have an oceanview reserved now but would have to go with the interior on Anthem (at this point the two are priced about equally.)

 

My husband wants cool stuff to do on board (which is why we're considering Anthem) and I want to travel to ports I've never seen before (we honeymooned in Jamaica, I've been to Mexico, we cruised to the Bahamas).

 

Our only other cruise together was on Majesty in 2014 (his first ever, my second - although I was 17 the first time). We're both in our late 20s and are looking for a last hoorah before children. Does anyone have any suggestions either way?

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Langley Cruisers

Langley Cruisers

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Hello back. :)

 

First of all, we have not sailed Anthem so I cannot give you a fair comparison. However, having said that, Serenade is a beautiful ship and you will love her Southern itinerary. My favorite part of the ship is the outdoor aft eating area of the Windjammer buffet; we have spent many nights out there, lounging after dinner and watching the sunset from a different port each night. It is glorious.

 

Is there any way you could swing a balcony cabin? They are so worth it on this itinerary.

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OfTheSeasCruiser

OfTheSeasCruiser

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Hello back. :)

 

First of all, we have not sailed Anthem so I cannot give you a fair comparison. However, having said that, Serenade is a beautiful ship and you will love her Southern itinerary. My favorite part of the ship is the outdoor aft eating area of the Windjammer buffet; we have spent many nights out there, lounging after dinner and watching the sunset from a different port each night. It is glorious.

 

Is there any way you could swing a balcony cabin? They are so worth it on this itinerary.

 

To be fair, Anthem also has an outdoor WJ area at the aft.

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boulders

boulders

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Although Serenade is a beautiful ship, there won't really be any "cool stuff" to do on her. Also, since late April is low season and it's a 12 night cruise, the other passengers will probably be significantly older than you.

 

Now, Anthem and Quantum are not exactly getting rave reviews, but they do have the "cool stuff". The week of April 18 is also a school vacation week in Maine and Massachusetts, so the passenger demographics are likely to be a lot younger than the Serenade sailing.

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dsvd79

dsvd79

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I've done the 11 night Southern Caribbean on Vision in 2013. We are booked again on it for Serenade this coming January. Same trip, just swipe St. Vincent for Grenada, and reverse order of ports. We also have done the 12 night on Quantum. I would book Quantum for the ship. I would book Serenade for the port of calls. Quantum will have a lot more technology, and activities. The shows will be bigger and have more choices with the addition of 270. Plus, you can choose when you want to eat, and schedule your dinner around the shows. We are sailing on Serenade because we have never been to Grenada. Also, she is the ship that got us hooked to cruising 10 years ago.

 

So if it is Ship/Activities/Shows- ANTHEM

 

If its is all about the ports- SERENADE

 

Also check the price of air fare. You can make the drive in one day from Mi to NJ. It might be cheaper than flying.

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KBD1516

KBD1516

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We were on Quantum (balcony) 16 days with 9 sea days. Loved the ship, activities and the dynamic dining . We have 10 day Serenade coming in December (inside). We Plan to love that. Very different ships but the basic cruising experience is what draws us, not necessarily the ship or the ports.

 

For what it is worth (nothing!), I would suggest that you flip a coin and call heads or tails. Period. The coin toss decided it. If you are even slightly disappointed With what the coin toss decides, take the other one. If you are still stuck with one person happy, the other not so much, then you are back at square one and it hasn't cost you anything to try it.

 

I assume the departure port doesn't matter since these 2 ships leave from different ports.

 

You could reserve both, then decide later at final payment.

 

One question. Your Anthem ports don't match with southern Caribbean. Those ports are for western 7 day, aren't they.?

 

I think these may be your ports? Bayonne/Cape Liberty, Labadi/Labadee, San Juan/Puerto Rico, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Fort-de-France, Barbados/Bridgetown, Basseterre, Bayonne/Cape Liberty

 

Maybe I am confuses...happens all the time [emoji79]

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bstevenson95

bstevenson95

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We were on Quantum (balcony) 16 days with 9 sea days. Loved the ship, activities and the dynamic dining . We have 10 day Serenade coming in December (inside). We Plan to love that. Very different ships but the basic cruising experience is what draws us, not necessarily the ship or the ports.

 

For what it is worth (nothing!), I would suggest that you flip a coin and call heads or tails. Period. The coin toss decided it. If you are even slightly disappointed With what the coin toss decides, take the other one. If you are still stuck with one person happy, the other not so much, then you are back at square one and it hasn't cost you anything to try it.

 

I assume the departure port doesn't matter since these 2 ships leave from different ports.

 

You could reserve both, then decide later at final payment.

 

One question. Your Anthem ports don't match with southern Caribbean. Those ports are for western 7 day, aren't they.?

 

I think these may be your ports? Bayonne/Cape Liberty, Labadi/Labadee, San Juan/Puerto Rico, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Fort-de-France, Barbados/Bridgetown, Basseterre, Bayonne/Cape Liberty

 

Maybe I am confuses...happens all the time [emoji79]

 

 

 

Yes, the ports for Anthem are as you have listed plus St. Kitts. The Serenade: Aruba, Bonaire, St. Lucia, Antigua, Barbados, and Grenada. I think we would enjoy both itineraries but I guess I'm not sure if we should do 4 sea days on Serenade or 5 sea days on Anthem.

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bstevenson95

bstevenson95

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Hello back. :)

 

First of all, we have not sailed Anthem so I cannot give you a fair comparison. However, having said that, Serenade is a beautiful ship and you will love her Southern itinerary. My favorite part of the ship is the outdoor aft eating area of the Windjammer buffet; we have spent many nights out there, lounging after dinner and watching the sunset from a different port each night. It is glorious.

 

Is there any way you could swing a balcony cabin? They are so worth it on this itinerary.

 

I wish we could swing a balcony!! But we're budgeting for drink packages and shore excursions as well ;)

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mcatmcat Great Review Rare

mcatmcat

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Posted (edited)

I like the idea of going for 12 days instead of 11 and since the price is the same I rather go with the Anthem , and ocean view is nice but in my case I'm never in my stateroom anyway so I will be happy to be in an interior

Edited by mcatmcat
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bstevenson95

bstevenson95

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I like the idea of going for 12 days instead of 11 and since the price is the same I rather go with the Anthem , and ocean view is nice but in my case I'm never in my stateroom anyway so I will be happy to be in an interior

 

On our first cruise we had an oceanview, but we didn't look out the porthole much :eek: We got some good pictures, but we literally just slept and showered in there. So I'm thinking the virtual inside will be ok.

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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We were on Quantum (balcony) 16 days with 9 sea days. Loved the ship, activities and the dynamic dining . We have 10 day Serenade coming in December (inside). We Plan to love that. Very different ships but the basic cruising experience is what draws us, not necessarily the ship or the ports.

 

For what it is worth (nothing!), I would suggest that you flip a coin and call heads or tails. Period. The coin toss decided it. If you are even slightly disappointed With what the coin toss decides, take the other one. If you are still stuck with one person happy, the other not so much, then you are back at square one and it hasn't cost you anything to try it.

 

I assume the departure port doesn't matter since these 2 ships leave from different ports.

 

You could reserve both, then decide later at final payment.

 

One question. Your Anthem ports don't match with southern Caribbean. Those ports are for western 7 day, aren't they.?

 

I think these may be your ports? Bayonne/Cape Liberty, Labadi/Labadee, San Juan/Puerto Rico, Philipsburg/St. Maarten, Fort-de-France, Barbados/Bridgetown, Basseterre, Bayonne/Cape Liberty

 

Maybe I am confuses...happens all the time [emoji79]

 

Don't reserve both, that's just wrong. :mad:

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