Caribbean Year-round

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Please count me in for a YES vote. I would love 10, 12, 14 days Boston to C aribbean to Boston any / every month of the year.

 

btw, the ship's casino is almost always closed when the ship is in port (with a few exceptions)

Sounds like a good idea ...

[sail7seas]

Sounds like a good idea ...

 

 

I would love it so much I am ready to put down a deposit for future cruise request.

 

MAASDAM or NOORD M my ships' :wink: (m from Boston to Caribbean to Boston. . I t cannot get better than that (In terms of a Caribb. cruise) I IMO pick a date/ any date !!! :)(

[sail7seas]

Sounds like a good idea ...

I would love it so much I am ready to put down a deposit for future cruise request. MAASDAM or NOORDAM---- 'my ships ' ;p from Boston to Caribbean. It cannot get better than that I IMO pick a date/ any date !!! :)

[boscobeans]

I would love it so much I am ready to put down a deposit for future cruise request. MAASDAM or NOORDAM---- 'my ships ' ;p from Boston to Caribbean. It cannot get better than that I IMO pick a date/ any date !!! :)

 

I have my charge card ready, however we can only schedule our cruises in the January----March or early April. 10-12-14 days would be killer.

 

Sailing out of the NYC area in the winter knowing that within 2 days you will be in shorts and t-shirts is a delight. Love days at sea and love the idea of spending my entire vacation time and budget on a ship, not getting to and from one.

 

bosco

[sail7seas]

I have my charge card ready, however we can only schedule our cruises in the January----March or early April. 10-12-14 days would be killer.

 

Sailing out of the NYC area in the winter knowing that within 2 days you will be in shorts and t-shirts is a delight. Love days at sea and love the idea of spending my entire vacation time and budget on a ship, not getting to and from one.

 

bo

Bosco........ NOT out of NY though. I want out of Boston All things being equal, as in, I am well, January, March, early April work forme. ::) See you aboard.

[boscobeans]

Bosco........ NOT out of NY though. I want out of Boston All things being equal, as in, I am well, January, March, early April work forme. ::) See you aboard.

 

We are only 3 hours from either port, matters not to us. We have 2 cruises booked for the time slots we have free and would be happy to cancel either or both. LOL.

 

We also have done a lot out of Baltimore (six hours from home) but the bridges to the port limit what can go in and out and the itineraries have been worked to death and the small ships which we love are a little long in the tooth or have been retired.

 

bosco.

[Hlitner]

Perhaps somebody can correct my logic. Several of you talk about 10,12 day Caribbean cruises out of Boston (in the winter?) to the Caribbean....on a medium size HAL vessel. These smaller ships are not very fuel efficient (on a per passenger mile)...so HAL tends to operate their ships at slower then maximum speeds (more fuel efficient). So a 10 day Caribbean cruise would take about 6 days just to go round trip to the northern most Caribbean ports...most of which are not the most desirable. Most of those 6 days (in the winter) would be in colder weather...which would not attract sun lovers (I am one) who want to go to the Caribbean for sun/sand. HAL might be better off just going 100 miles off of Boston and cruising in circles for 10 days (at very slow speed) and charging a lower cost.

 

We live in the Northeast and have done a few late fall/winter Caribbean cruises out of NY area and Baltimore ports (these are 2 days closer (on a round trip cruise) to the Caribbean. We stopped doing these cruises in colder months because we did not appreciate 4 days of chilly weather on what most thought of as a warm weather cruise.

 

While we understand that some HAL fans would be fine with these cold weather cruises, we suspect there would not be enough to justify the cost of positioning a ship in the Northeast during that time of year. Personally, we still do 1 Caribbean cruise (14 - 21 days) every year....but now only do cruises that depart from Florida (where we can fly...quite cheaply on SW). We did try 1 such cruise on HAL (Westerdam) and were so disappointed that we will no longer even consider HAL for the Caribbean. We still like HAL and continue to cruise the line on longer cruises doing more exotic itineraries. Having happily cruised on 14 different lines, we have grown to appreciate that each line (and sometimes each ship) seems to have their niche....and the Caribbean is not HAL's niche.

 

Hank

[boscobeans]

So a 10 day Caribbean cruise would take about 6 days just to go round trip to the northern most Caribbean ports...most of which are not the most desirable. Most of those 6 days (in the winter) would be in colder weather...which would not attract sun lovers (I am one) who want to go to the Caribbean for sun/sand.

 

we suspect there would not be enough to justify the cost of positioning a ship in the Northeast during that time of year. Personally,

 

Hank

 

Two points.

1. NCL sends a ship into the Caribbean and arrives in San Juan after 2 (two) days at sea. The ship is the mega BREAKAWAY and cruises at 21.5 Knots. And remember most of the second day you are well out of the cold. The HAL NOORDAM cruises at 22 KNOTS..

Even on the returns from the southern islands the first of the three days at sea are in the Caribbean along the Florida area. So on the average 4 days total of not perfect cruising days. Compared to the normal 3 days (sometimes 4) spent flying down to Florida 2 of which are spent at least partially in AIRPORTS. I choose to spend that time on a ship. JUST MY OPINION AND PERSONAL CUP OF TEA.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Repositioning cruises seem to do very well and some have 6 or more days at sea, and roundtrips to Hawaii spend way more days at sea even for me..

Besides this would not be a full positioning so to say as for an entire season JUST FOR ONE OR TWO WELL ADVERTISED JOURNEYS.

 

It is also just a wish if not a pipe dream, but something to think about.

 

bosco

Edited July 6, 2017 by boscobeans

[navybankerteacher]

I sailed Noordam on a 10 day New York to Caribbean in January 2007, and an 11 day in January 2008. Both times we were in Gulf Stream waters by early afternoon of first sea day - not hot, but close to 70. Also Celebrity out of Bayonne a couple of years later.

 

I have a hard time understanding why at least one of those two lines cannot compete with NCL - who runs two ships from NY and Royal Caribbean who runs their hideous monster from Bayonne all winter. Considering the fact that R/T air plus one night Florida hotel has to come to at least $500 per head for New York area cruisers who do not like NCL or RC, HAL should be able to tap the New York area market profitably.

 

My wife and I -as well as many we know -feel that the above savings on air and hotel - not to mention avoiding the grim hassle of winter flying would make us happy to spend $100 per day more on HAL from New York than from FLL

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Might one-way between NY or Boston and Fla. be worthy of consideration? (Not sure if this was mentioned above)

 

It might include some Caribbean ports and/or Bermuda. Northerners would not mind the first cool day at sea, knowing the rest of the cruise would be tropical, and Floridians would enjoy the option of a cosmopolitan stay (NYC or Boston) at the end of their trip.

 

It could be the East-Coast version of the Pacific Coastal cruises, albeit longer.

[boscobeans]

Might one-way between NY or Boston and Fla. be worthy of consideration? (Not sure if this was mentioned above)

 

We actually did a round trip from up North that hit Bermuda and the Eastern Caribbean. I think it was on Royal Caribbean.

 

It might include some Caribbean ports and/or Bermuda. Northerners would not mind the first cool day at sea, knowing the rest of the cruise would be tropical, and Floridians would enjoy the option of a cosmopolitan stay (NYC or Boston) at the end of their trip.

 

It could be the East-Coast version of the Pacific Coastal cruises, albeit longer.

 

This sounds like a great cruise to schedule AFTER the ship makes one or two round trips from up North. This would bring the ship on line for a full schedule of round trips out of Florida and allow us Northerners a chance to drive to and from our cruises without ending a leisurely vacation with a day or so in an airport.. This would also allow Floridians a chance to visit NY and arrive back home after their cruise.

 

For all those potential cruisers an easy three hour drive home is always better than a day spent flying back to NYC or NJ and then still have the drive home .

 

Like I said this would be great for a lot of people :D BUT NOT for everyone.. LOL

 

bosco

[Hlitner]

Might one-way between NY or Boston and Fla. be worthy of consideration? (Not sure if this was mentioned above)

 

It might include some Caribbean ports and/or Bermuda. Northerners would not mind the first cool day at sea, knowing the rest of the cruise would be tropical, and Floridians would enjoy the option of a cosmopolitan stay (NYC or Boston) at the end of their trip.

 

It could be the East-Coast version of the Pacific Coastal cruises, albeit longer.

 

The Regal Princess does a one-way (at the end of October) from NYC to Miami. We have taken this cruise the past two years and found it enjoyable. In order to fill that ship (in a time of good weather) Princess has been forced to offer huge discounts (2 years ago we paid about $45 per passenger day for the highest category balcony)...and even with great last minute deals has not been able to sell out that one cruise. The problem is that many Caribbean cruisers do not have a valid Passport...which is always needed on a one-way cruise. Another issue is that one must still get back from Florida...and lots of folks do not want to fly. In order to get to some Southern Caribbean ports (1 of the ABC islands) that cruise only stops at 3 ports in 10 days (many would not like this).

 

Hank

[sail7seas]

 

We are only 3 hours from either port, matters not to us. We have 2 cruises booked for the time slots we have free and would be happy to cancel either or both. LOL.

 

We also have done a lot out of Baltimore (six hours from home) but the bridges to the port limit what can go in and out and the itineraries have been worked to death and the small ships which we love are a little long in the tooth or have been retired.

 

 

 

If

bosco.

If I have to fly in order to sail Caibbean, I'd rather fly to FLL than to Ny I do not wish to deal with airports and flying togo NY> I am quite clear I don't want to fly to NY to catch a ship. I've done i t in the past but do not wish to now. I'll stay home first.. If I decide I am willing to fly to cruise Caribbean, it will be to FLL

 

We all get go make our own choices. :)

 

I'll put down a deposit today for future cruise request Boston to Caribbean but not NY. Nothing against NY b ut I hav ve no wish to put up with airports and planes to go to NY. My late DH and I eddnjoyed gthe city greattly many times but I do not wish to go there solo now. Flyiing is too big a misery these days, IMO.

Edited July 6, 2017 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

The Regal Princess does a one-way (at the end of October) from NYC to Miami. We have taken this cruise the past two years and found it enjoyable. In order to fill that ship (in a time of good weather) Princess has been forced to offer huge discounts (2 years ago we paid about $45 per passenger day for the highest category balcony)...and even with great last minute deals has not been able to sell out that one cruise. The problem is that many Caribbean cruisers do not have a valid Passport...which is always needed on a one-way cruise. Another issue is that one must still get back from Florida...and lots of folks do not want to fly. In order to get to some Southern Caribbean ports (1 of the ABC islands) that cruise only stops at 3 ports in 10 days (many would not like this).

 

Hank

 

 

I lovet he ABC islands, have a valid passport, and 3 ports in 10 days is fine. I'd agree to Princess but not Baltimore.... Boston is so perfect fo fme I can hope and try. for Boston :D. When I was a 'we'I was more flexible and grznged DH had rights. If he wanted to to do something, it was almost always with some ex ception) okay with me.

Edited July 6, 2017 by sail7seas

[AmazedByCruising]

Please count me in for a YES vote. I would love 10, 12, 14 days Boston to C aribbean to Boston any / every month of the year.

 

btw, the ship's casino is almost always closed when the ship is in port (with a few exceptions)

 

How about this one?

 

https://www.ncl.com/eu/en/cruises/14-day-eastern-caribbean-from-boston-DAWN14BOSSTTPHIFDFANUBASTOVSJUBOS/schedule?&itineraryCode=DAWN14BOSSTTPHIFDFANUBASTOVSJUBOS&customerStoriesCurrentPage=1&customerStoriesPageSize=3

[sail7seas]

How about this one?

 

https://www.ncl.com/eu/en/cruises/14-day-eastern-caribbean-from-boston-DAWN14BOSSTTPHIFDFANUBASTOVSJUBOS/schedule?&itineraryCode=DAWN14BOSSTTPHIFDFANUBASTOVSJUBOS&customerStoriesCurrentPage=1&customerStoriesPageSize=3

I love, love, love it. I read about similar for this year btr trequires flying home from San Juan. THIS ONE IS PERFECT. THANK YOU>

 

I sailed NCL one time and it exceeded my expectations. IF HAL won't do it, I am all in for NCL> :D

Th

Edited July 6, 2017 by sail7seas

[navybankerteacher]

If I have to fly in order to sail Caibbean, I'd rather fly to FLL than to Ny I do not wish to deal with airports and flying togo NY> I am quite clear I don't want to fly to NY to catch a ship. I've done i t in the past but do not wish to now. I'll stay home first.. If I decide I am willing to fly to cruise Caribbean, it will be to FLL

 

We all get go make our own choices. :)

 

I'll put down a deposit today for future cruise request Boston to Caribbean but not NY. Nothing against NY b ut I hav ve no wish to put up with airports and planes to go to NY. My late DH and I eddnjoyed gthe city greattly many times but I do not wish to go there solo now. Flyiing is too big a misery these days, IMO.

 

I share your general feeling towards flying, and your specific antipathy towards New York airports (which, sadly, are my nearby gateways to the world).

 

However, from Boston you do have the option of Amtrak's four hour service (barring, of course, the current lash-up at Penn Station) -- which usually makes train from Boston to New York actually take less time when considering getting to/from airports, checking in, TSA, etc. --- all while costing less, giving more room and wifi.

 

Only a masochist would fly from Boston to New York.

[navybankerteacher]

A recently popular method of taking the train from Boston to New York is to go Amtrak to New Haven or Stamford (preferable) then change to Metro North (trains every thirty minutes most times) to Grand Central - whose charm makes the whole exercise worthwhile. A bit more costly in $ and minutes, but avoiding Penn Station is worth it.

[sail7seas]

A recently popular method of taking the train from Boston to New York is to go Amtrak to New Haven or Stamford (preferable) then change to Metro North (trains every thirty minutes most times) to Grand Central - whose charm makes the whole exercise worthwhile. A bit more costly in $ and minutes, but avoiding Penn Station is worth it.

 

South Station where we board and exit the train in Boston is VERY near Black Falcon c fuise terminal, I'd far rather skip the train an d gfo direcctly to the ship. :)

[sail7seas]

A recently popular method of taking the train from Boston to New York is to go Amtrak to New Haven or Stamford (preferable) then change to Metro North (trains every thirty minutes most times) to Grand Central - whose charm makes the whole exercise worthwhile. A bit more costly in $ and minutes, but avoiding Penn Station is worth it.

South Station where we board and exit the train in Boston is VERY near Black Falcon c ruise terminal, I'd far rather skip the train an d fo direcctly to the ship. :)

[sail7seas]

A recently popular method of taking the train from Boston to New York is to go Amtrak to New Haven or Stamford (preferable) then change to Metro North (trains every thirty minutes most times) to Grand Central - whose charm makes the whole exercise worthwhile. A bit more costly in $ and minutes, but avoiding Penn Station is worth it.

When we sailed Noordam from NY,p We booked first class on Amtrak's fast train, Acela. which gave us access to the club in both Boston and NY It was a quite good experrience. The train made very few stops along the way. :) We were served breakfast going and lunch returning. DH had a bloody if I recall corrrectly.

 

WYTThry sernt an esscort to walk us to yhe club and take u s to the platform to board our train to Boston. nice Take Accella first class if given the choice.

Edited July 6, 2017 by sail7seas

[navybankerteacher]

When we sailed Noordam from NY,p We booked first class on Amtrak's fast train, Acela. which gave us access to the club in both Boston and NY It was a quite good experrience. The train made very few stops along the way. :) We were served breakfast going and lunch returning. DH had a bloody if I recall corrrectly.

 

WYTThry sernt an esscort to walk us to yhe club and take u s to the platform to board our train to Boston. nice Take Accella first class if given the choice.

 

Agreed, Acela service is very good. The thing is: regular coach on Amtrak is so much more comfortable than flying. We take it a lot -with son, DIL and grandchildren plus an older sister in DC area. Given the number of trips we take, the savings over Acela is enough to upgrade from outside to verandah on a ten or eleven day HAL cruise.

[rafinmd]

From Baltimore I use Amtrak a lot for cruises out of both New York and Boston. My general rule is Acela First Class on disembarkation day to have the lounge pre departure and regular trains are fine for the ride to the cruise. Even Boston-Baltimore is not a bad trip and Grandeur of the Seas has a nice variety of itineraries year round.

 

My feeling about HAL is that one of their big strengths is in imaginative world-wide itineraries and I would not personally want to see that diluted by tying up a ship with Caribbean cruises in the summer.

 

Roy

[SetAnOpenCourse]

The Regal Princess does a one-way (at the end of October) from NYC to Miami. We have taken this cruise the past two years and found it enjoyable. In order to fill that ship (in a time of good weather) Princess has been forced to offer huge discounts (2 years ago we paid about $45 per passenger day for the highest category balcony)...and even with great last minute deals has not been able to sell out that one cruise. The problem is that many Caribbean cruisers do not have a valid Passport...which is always needed on a one-way cruise. Another issue is that one must still get back from Florida...and lots of folks do not want to fly. In order to get to some Southern Caribbean ports (1 of the ABC islands) that cruise only stops at 3 ports in 10 days (many would not like this).

 

Hank

 

Thanks very much. That sounds ideal, and I would like to try Princess, but as I recall reading about Regal, it does not have a full promenade, which is very important to me.

[Hlitner]

Thanks very much. That sounds ideal, and I would like to try Princess, but as I recall reading about Regal, it does not have a full promenade, which is very important to me.

 

That is true, no full promenade...which is something missing from many new ships. One thing we really enjoyed on Princess was there was real life around the Martini Bar....and folks were actually out and about...even after 10pm! A negative on the Regal was the lack of a passenger staircase in the center of the ship (above deck 7) which we found frustrating. It forced us to use an elevator to go just a few decks...rather then simply run up or down the steps (we try to avoid elevators on cruise ships). The Staircase issue will likely be corrected at the next dry dock (this has already been done on the Royal Princess)....but you will not ever see a full Promanade. Another big negative is that Princess does not have any decent bar with a view such as our beloved Crows Nest. Ooops..guess we can't say that much longer as HAL is destroying all their Crows Nest bars.

 

Hank