East or West Caribbean on Allure - motion sickness & beaches

[spangnash]

I am looking at booking a Caribbean cruise for Feb 2018 on the Allure... and am shocked at how many rooms are already sold and am now rushing to get something booked and need HELP! We are going to be a party of 6... me, my hubby, our sons who will be 3, 4, and 6 at the time of booking, and my mother-in-law. At initial glance, I liked the looks of the Eastern Caribbean ports more, but just read that the Western sailing may be better for someone who gets motion sickness easily (me). I've only been on 2 cruises, both of them in the Mediterranean (both on the Brillance, much smaller than the Allure), and got sick just once or twice (once in waters rough enough to close all of the decks), but most of our Med cruise was close to shore. With our little dudes, we'd like to just hang out at beaches during port days... which I THINK is easier/better on the Eastern itinerary. So... 2 questions 1) Are the Eastern ports better for beach days (St Marteen, St Thomas, Nausau vs. Cozumel, Falmouth Jamaica, and Haiti) 2) Are Western sailings generally less rough than Eastern... or does it REALLY not matter on a ship as large as Allure??? Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help out a very busy Mama!!!!

[Clarea]

I don't think you can generalize that the Western Carib itineraries are less rough that the Eastern.

[A&L_Ont]

I don't think you can generalize that the Western Carib itineraries are less rough that the Eastern.

 

I agree with Bob, having sailed both routes many times there is no real winner in which route is smoother.

[Ashland]

I'll just say go with the eastern caribbean...better ports...that's what's important not what the sea conditions can "possibly" be ;)

[flips7]

Either side could be rough. It depends on the weather that week. I think you are correct though that the beaches on the eastern are much nicer.

[riclop]

I am looking at booking a Caribbean cruise for Feb 2018 on the Allure... and am shocked at how many rooms are already sold and am now rushing to get something booked and need HELP! We are going to be a party of 6... me, my hubby, our sons who will be 3, 4, and 6 at the time of booking, and my mother-in-law. At initial glance, I liked the looks of the Eastern Caribbean ports more, but just read that the Western sailing may be better for someone who gets motion sickness easily (me). I've only been on 2 cruises, both of them in the Mediterranean (both on the Brillance, much smaller than the Allure), and got sick just once or twice (once in waters rough enough to close all of the decks), but most of our Med cruise was close to shore. With our little dudes, we'd like to just hang out at beaches during port days... which I THINK is easier/better on the Eastern itinerary. So... 2 questions 1) Are the Eastern ports better for beach days (St Marteen, St Thomas, Nausau vs. Cozumel, Falmouth Jamaica, and Haiti) 2) Are Western sailings generally less rough than Eastern... or does it REALLY not matter on a ship as large as Allure??? Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help out a very busy Mama!!!!

Rough seas can happen anywhere.

[spangnash]

Thanks everyone for your input! We've re-affirmed what we were hoping to hear!!! We'll stick with the Eastern route and cross our fingers!

[LeeW]

I certainly wouldn't pick an itinerary due to potential for sea roughness. Go to the port boards and check the ports for either cruise and see what you want to do. Beaches do tend to be a bit nicer on eastern (and we prefer these). Kids probably won't care!

 

You will get some seas on first and last night on either sailing - Gulf Stream does that. Roughest we have ever seen was between Grand Cayman and Cozumel, 30' seas, and the buildings at Grand Cayman kept disappearing behind the waves from the top deck. But the actual ride of the ship was pretty smooth - it really depends on the wind, wave, and ship travel direction. If you decide to use medications make sure you try them before sailing, and most folks recommend taking a few days before and after the cruise.

[cb at sea]

Eastern....the seas can do anything anywhere at any time. The Eastern route has the best, most gorgeous beaches! And, get a guidebook, so you'll find out which beaches will suit your family best!

[waterfever]

I just got off an Eastern Caribbean cruise on Allure on Sunday (Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Maarten). I had my 5-year-old granddaughter along, so I looked for good beaches for her. The ship doesn't stay in Nassau very long. We booked the excursion that goes to Blue Lagoon. It's about a 25-minute ferry ride there but was worth it. The beach was great for little kids. They also have a dolphin encounter right there where the ferry docks if your kids want to get in the water with them. You can either swim with them, or stay in the shallow water & interact with them. In St. Thomas, we went to Magen's Bay Beach, one of my favorites. It's very calm & great for kids as well. I've also been to the zoo there which is nice for little kids. In St. Maarten, we took a cab to Maho beach (too steep, rocky & rough for little ones) to watch the planes fly over us for about a half hour, then went to Mullet beach which the cab driver recommended. I wouldn't go there with little kids. My 13-year-old daughter went in the water, but the waves were way to big for little kids. I asked a lady who was selling nuts & snacks on the beach if anyone ever drowned there. She matter-of-factly replied, "Yeah." On other occasions, we've just taken the water taxi to the downtown area & gone to the beach which is right where you get off & the shops & restaurants are right behind the beach. That was better for little kids. The taxi driver that drove us back to the ship said Little Divi (I think that's the name) is better for little kids. I've been on the western route quite a few times as well. I don't know what the beaches are like in Cozumel. I've usually just shopped or did the dolphin swim. Labadee (RCCL's private area in Haiti) is a great beach day. Some of the beach areas are rocky, but the one called Columbus Bay (something like that) was nice & sandy (better on the feet). In Jamaica, I've been to 2 beaches, one at the bottom of Dunns River Falls (pretty nice) & one that I don't remember which was OK, but not great. The best western Carribean beach I've been to is West End beach in Roatan, Honduras. Your kids will love Allure, though. I can't count how many rides my granddaughter took on the carousel. It was never crowded when we were there & she could just stay on & keep riding. The regular ice show was great, but be sure to check you Cruise Compass for the How to Train Your Dragon ice show as well. For that one, you can't make reservations online prior to the cruise, but it wasn't too crowded. There's also an extra kids diving show, Madagascar-themed. You don't make reservations for that either but you need to get there early if you don't want to bake in the heat. There isn't much shade. When you're on the ship, check out all 4 pools if you don't like icy water. The temperature varies a lot from pool to pool. One more hint. We were in a central park balcony. The outlets are very limited, but if you get down on the floor & look under the vanity counter behind the section with the door & shelves, you'll find an extra one.

[EJPhilly]

Eastern way better & if you are prone to motion sickness book a room "mid-ship".

 

 

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[cruisinrealtor]

We're doing western for February 2018 on allure because we love Labadee and cozumel. Labedee hands down our favorite port for beaches and activities.

[Tm100]

I can say that with most of our cruises being 7 night eastern/western cruises, Western has almost always been smoother sailing than the eastern route. I attribute this to crossing the jet steam off of the coast of South Florida and touching the southern tip of the atlantic between the Bahamas and Virgin Islands. It could be purely coincidental that our eastern cruises are windier and rougher than our western, but it has been the case with our sailings.

[Shoof]

I cruised Western Caribbean from Tampa this past January. I'm not one to get sea sick, but this time around I did on the first 2 and last 2 days of the cruise. Rough seas out there. I really don't think it would matter much which parts you are cruising to, as much as what the weather conditions are at that particular time.

 

 

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