How do you choose?!

[RonnieCosmic]

I'm really torn right now.

 

I have the choice of a ship/class I'd love to go on (Oasis - I've never been on an Oasis class before) with an itinerary that I could take or leave (Eastern Caribbean)

or a boat I've been on before (Explorer) with an itinerary I've always wanted to do (Pacific Northwest).

 

What's the deciding factor for you? What's more important? The ship or the stops?

[reallyhooked]

Hi Ronnie

We like to try different. Going on Explorer later this year. Went on Oasis in March because DH ( Ronnie) wanted to see Labadee again. Do the one that appeals most to you,

Have a great cruise:)

[Cruise Junky]

Itinerary is always first with us. I cruise for places not ships

[Cruise or Lose!]

I love cruising - especially sea days - but the Pacific Northwest is on my bucket list too. For me, it's no contest - go with the better itinerary.

 

 

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[easyboy]

Itinerary first, then choose the ship.

 

 

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[jemrtt]

In this house, the wallet counts first. Once we find one that appeals to our bank account, we then look at which itinerary we'd like to do. The ship is most likely the last thing to think about.

 

Have fun choosin'...but have more fun cruisin' :)

[Clarea]

I'm really torn right now.

 

I have the choice of a ship/class I'd love to go on (Oasis - I've never been on an Oasis class before) with an itinerary that I could take or leave (Eastern Caribbean)

or a boat I've been on before (Explorer) with an itinerary I've always wanted to do (Pacific Northwest).

 

What's the deciding factor for you? What's more important? The ship or the stops?

In your case, I'd go with the Explorer cruise. Those PNW itineraries are rare, who knows how long Royal will do those.

[wales4ever]

The ship is the last thing I think about. The itinary is the be all and end all of our cruise. Not a"free" drinks package or "free" gratuities. Not a certain type of cabin in a certain part of the ship. We cruise to vist the world.

[cruiseguy1016]

We cruise for the destinations so that is our first priority. The ship we cruise on is always second.

[BillOh]

I'm really torn right now.

 

I have the choice of a ship/class I'd love to go on (Oasis - I've never been on an Oasis class before) with an itinerary that I could take or leave (Eastern Caribbean)

or a boat I've been on before (Explorer) with an itinerary I've always wanted to do (Pacific Northwest).

 

What's the deciding factor for you? What's more important? The ship or the stops?

 

For me it would be a no lose situation. Who is traveling with you? What do they think? But I have done the Eastern itinerary on an Oasis class 3 times, and I've already got the newest in the fleet set for a different Eastern Itinerary in 2019.

[danzig1989]

For me, this is a "no brainer"...Do both.

 

 

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[Tatka]

We start with maximum days we can sail, port and line/ship we prefer out if available ones.

We drive to US ports so less time is nicer, but sometimes preference is to try a new ship. Then we can drive longer (to Florida) as we did for Allure, Celebrity Silhouette and Royal Princess last year.

 

But sometimes we stray from Caribbeans to Europe. Then itinerary takes first place over ships (except for Costa and MSC in Europe) and a price, as these trips are more expensive considering flights and shorex.

[vacationlover_mn]

We love trying new ships, and so we usually look at ship first, then itinerary. However, if there is a spot we really wanted to try (for example, Alaska), we'd go regardless of the ship :)

 

Other criteria we use to book:

Dates - if we're being thrifty, we pick that first week in December. However, we really like to get away in the middle of winter, but after the super bowl, so February is our preferred month.

Departure Port (since we have to fly in, we prefer the ports that are closer to an airport)

Length of cruise (we prefer at least 7 nights)

Cost of balcony (cruises are great and all, but we don't want to spend more than what we can afford)

Itinerary (even though ship is #1 with us, we do like to try new islands... so if there are a few new ports, that might sway us to pick it)

[OceansOfTravels]

I always cruise for the ports over the ship, if price is not an issue. When I started cruising, I would cruise just to cruise, but now I know there there is so much out there that I would like to see, so I cruise for the ports over the ship. My next cruise is the first cruise in a long time that contradicts that statement, but it is my first ever MSC cruise and I am optimistic for the experience. But if the Pacific Northwest is something that you want to do and you have the proper funds, I would definitely suggest cruising the Pacific Northwest :)

[NateUpNorth]

Itinerary's and ports can change.

That ship will be around for a long time.

Go with the destinations you want.

[gsuoumu]

Itinerary first, but a port within driving distance is a major + because my wife doesn't like to fly. So we typically need something out of Tampa/PC.

 

Next year we don't really see any itineraries out of Tampa/PC that appeal to us so we're considering Galveston or Alaska.

 

Boat is usually one of the last factors we consider. Though, if things go well on Oasis I think we'll be itching to go on Harmony soon.

[cruiserking]

We cruise out of New York/New Jersey a lot because we live nearby and it's convenient. So most often the ship is our first choice.

 

However, a more appealing itinerary would certainly be the deciding factor for us provided it was with a cruise line we loved like Royal Caribbean.

 

I think the Pacific Coastal cruise on Explorer would be terrific. Plus Explorer is a very elegant, classic ship and the friendliest in the fleet.

 

Jonathan

[cruiseguy1016]

Itinerary's and ports can change.

That ship will be around for a long time.

Go with the destinations you want.

 

Great answer!

[RonnieCosmic]

Thanks for your replies everyone!

 

You guys are so right- the Oasis class ships will be there in the future but this itinerary may not be.

 

My Pacific Northwest crusie has been officially booked!! :hearteyes:

[RomanceMama]

I'm really torn right now.

 

I have the choice of a ship/class I'd love to go on (Oasis - I've never been on an Oasis class before) with an itinerary that I could take or leave (Eastern Caribbean)

or a boat I've been on before (Explorer) with an itinerary I've always wanted to do (Pacific Northwest).

 

What's the deciding factor for you? What's more important? The ship or the stops?

 

On cruises like that which are so different with starting ports we take airfare into consideration.

[printingchick]

For me, the itinerary is ALWAYS first.

[cruzinlisa]

Thanks for your replies everyone!

 

You guys are so right- the Oasis class ships will be there in the future but this itinerary may not be.

 

My Pacific Northwest crusie has been officially booked!! :hearteyes:

 

This!

 

Before I read your post, I was going to say it depends for me. If its a difference between two similar itineraries with ports where I might have a preference but not make or break, then probably ship. But if it is a special itinerary, then I would say the ports. For example, if I have a choice between Grand Cayman/Cozumel/Jamaica on an older ship or St. Marteen/Nassau/St. Thomas on Oasis, I would pick Oasis, even though I don't care for the itinerary as much as the first. But if the old ship is taking me to Aruba, Barbados and Curacao or somewhere else more exotic and new, I would pick the old ship and the fun itinerary, because I can sail the Western Caribbean any day.

[8toes1961]

I'm really torn right now.

 

I have the choice of a ship/class I'd love to go on (Oasis - I've never been on an Oasis class before) with an itinerary that I could take or leave (Eastern Caribbean)

or a boat I've been on before (Explorer) with an itinerary I've always wanted to do (Pacific Northwest).

 

What's the deciding factor for you? What's more important? The ship or the stops?

 

I make the itinerary my first option. I have a lot of places on my to see list and, in the case of the cruise I just booked, the ship was not at all a part of the decision making process.

[Cruisegirl6]

I choose for the ship and what I expect out of the cruise as I cruise other cruise lines. Choosing itinerary is silly because your only docked at an island for a handful of hours plus they dock at the worse place, most industrial place never at the decent part of the island.

 

Usually my main cruise is one of the newer larger ships such as this year it was the Harmony of the Seas that we went on this month. I know I am going to get good decent quality shows (compared to what carnival offers) and very good food overall including in the buffet lunches and the Oasis class has all the bells and whistles too.

 

My second and sometimes third cruise of the year I don't mind going on an older smaller ship, but this year we chose the Oasis for October only because the past three years cruising on 6 or 7 carnival ships we realized all the things we were missing out on so we decided to stay with RC (perhaps Princess in the future) and not choose Carnival.

 

The only way to really see an island is to stay there on a land based trip, we love Aruba and go there every year for two weeks usually in July and August and to us its the most beautiful of islands and the Tradewinds are always strong so you get to sit outside all day and never sweat, the people are the friendliest and the food is the best on this island....nothing like Aruba. For those who don't do land based vacations then I can understand wanting a cruise for the itinerary, but keep in mind, you don't have the time to see the best parts and enough of it.

[Tatka]

For me, the itinerary is ALWAYS first.

What if it is twenty fifth Caribbean cruise? :)