A Game of "would you rather".....Southern Caribbean

[sportscruiser]

m about to pull the trigger on my first solo cruise. I'm booking now but cruise isn't for 2 years, so I figure that should be enough time to get used to the idea being solo and prepare myself! At the time of the cruise I'll be about 62 and will luckily still be as active. It's a Southern Caribbean itinerary to some awesome ports on what will be the new Norwegian Viva! Only problem for me is that this itinerary seems to only be available between Dec. 2023-Mar. 2024. During that time frame, due to work, there is only about 2 of those weeks that I could realistically take vacation. One in January and one in March. I've been going back and forth for weeks, done a lot of research, make a decision and then change again. 😕

 

The week in January is doable but would need to do a little work if any problems come up. In March, the rest of the staff would be off too, so no work. January is about $250 cheaper than March for same room, so that's a definite + for Jan. I love warm Caribbean weather and have always cruised there in July, so no experience with winter weather in that area, so i did some research on the weather in those months and there isn't too much difference except it seems it might rain less in March, definite + for Mar(see chart attached). Next, I checked other ships that'll be in the ports(also attached), again not much difference except the March week has no other ship in a port that I really want to see, so another + for March. Being that it'll be a solo cruise, I'm thinking in January there might be less people on board but the average of those that are on board may be more in my age range, a + for January. However, in March when there would be potentially more passengers on the ship, which could also be a good thing, but average age may be much younger than myself. Apologies for the jumbled post but that's how my brain has been while trying process this decision. 😁

 

Sooo....given all those parameters, if you were me, given your own previous experiences, Would You Rather go in January or March? If there's something that I haven't listed that you think might be a deciding factor one way or the other, please share.

 

I know in the end it's about what I think would work best for me but I'm just really not sure what that looks like at this point. 😁

WEATHERCHART-JANMAR.pdf PORTSCHEDULECHART-JANMAR.pdf

[LGW59]

12 minutes ago, sportscruiser said:

m about to pull the trigger on my first solo cruise. I'm booking now but cruise isn't for 2 years, so I figure that should be enough time to get used to the idea being solo and prepare myself! At the time of the cruise I'll be about 62 and will luckily still be as active. It's a Southern Caribbean itinerary to some awesome ports on what will be the new Norwegian Viva! Only problem for me is that this itinerary seems to only be available between Dec. 2023-Mar. 2024. During that time frame, due to work, there is only about 2 of those weeks that I could realistically take vacation. One in January and one in March. I've been going back and forth for weeks, done a lot of research, make a decision and then change again. 😕

 

The week in January is doable but would need to do a little work if any problems come up. In March, the rest of the staff would be off too, so no work. January is about $250 cheaper than March for same room, so that's a definite + for Jan. I love warm Caribbean weather and have always cruised there in July, so no experience with winter weather in that area, so i did some research on the weather in those months and there isn't too much difference except it seems it might rain less in March, definite + for Mar(see chart attached). Next, I checked other ships that'll be in the ports(also attached), again not much difference except the March week has no other ship in a port that I really want to see, so another + for March. Being that it'll be a solo cruise, I'm thinking in January there might be less people on board but the average of those that are on board may be more in my age range, a + for January. However, in March when there would be potentially more passengers on the ship, which could also be a good thing, but average age may be much younger than myself. Apologies for the jumbled post but that's how my brain has been while trying process this decision. 😁

 

Sooo....given all those parameters, if you were me, given your own previous experiences, Would You Rather go in January or March? If there's something that I haven't listed that you think might be a deciding factor one way or the other, please share.

 

I know in the end it's about what I think would work best for me but I'm just really not sure what that looks like at this point. 😁

WEATHERCHART-JANMAR.pdf 81.88 kB · 0 downloads PORTSCHEDULECHART-JANMAR.pdf 79.3 kB · 0 downloads

Solo cruising is what we make it, I've done it several times, had a blast.  If saving $250 bucks with possibly a bit more rain is important in your decision, you answered your own question.  

[vswan]

Hard for me not to factor cold weather into my decision. I always want to get out of the snow and cold so would go for the January. Of course by the time March rolls around I'm ready to go again. I would vote for both.

 

One thing to consider. I've cruised the Caribbean in January and it can be cool. You are going far enough south you probably won't run into that, but your early/late days out of Florida could be cold on the deck - or not.

 

If work could be a complication with ships internet - need to be able to access at a particular time - I would go in March.

[cheersforbeers]

For us it would be January, due to March being spring break!  Lots of younger partiers then. 

[BermudaBound2014]

I would be amazed if either of those itineraries stick as is in two years. Things are really really fluid still so I would be prepared for (major) changes to both itinerary and ship and there most certainly will be lots of changes to your port schedule list.

 

With that said, southern caribbean in January is lovely. Also, March will likely have more children due to spring break (no matter what the itinerary or ship) so that is something to consider. My vote would be January.

 

 

 

[Uff da]

1 hour ago, sportscruiser said:

Sooo....given all those parameters, if you were me, given your own previous experiences, Would You Rather go in January or March? If there's something that I haven't listed that you think might be a deciding factor one way or the other, please share.

 

I'm a few years younger than you, but I would never, ever cruise if there was any chance whatsoever that I was cruising during spring break. That does not appeal to me at all. I'd escape the cold and go in January. 

[smillerholmes]

9 hours ago, Uff da said:

I'm a few years younger than you, but I would never, ever cruise if there was any chance whatsoever that I was cruising during spring break. That does not appeal to me at all. I'd escape the cold and go in January. 

Ditto! January.

[TrumpyNor]

I have been on Caribbean cruises both in March and in January and experienced amazing, sunny and warm weather on both. However, unfortunately on the March cruise there was a small group of "spring breakers" who simply could not behave themselves and ruined both shows, dinners and other on-board-experiences for their fellow cruisers by being extremely drunk and very loud and rude in commenting people around them as well as even shout rude comments to entertainers on stage in the theater. And based on that experience, as we would be travelling all the way from Europe to do the cruise, we just decided that "never ever again to cruise in the Caribbean during spring break". So for that reason only, I would go for January.

I have absolutely no problem with people partying, drinking and having a great time on a cruise - but I draw the line at being rude to others around them who they don't even know....

Edited March 12, 2022 by TrumpyNor

[sportscruiser]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Pricing and Spring Break are the main 2 reasons I even considered going in January. I live in California so escaping the cold isn't really a factor since we had temps in the 70's this past January. 😎 I was hoping that since this cruise will leave from Puerto Rico, that although there may be more kids on board, there wouldn't be a bunch of rowdy college kids like what @TrumpyNorexperienced. My main concern was that there might not be enough older cruisers on board since they're avoiding cruising during Spring Break, like many of you mentioned. Any other mature cruisers(50+) out there that DO travel during March?

[debenson0723]

I have been a solo female cruiser around your age since 2015.  I try not to cruise during spring break and summer to avoid kids.  Nothing against them, I have one of my own, but I go on a ship/travel for rest and relaxation from a stressful job.  I did a Thanksgiving Mexican Riviera cruise on the Bliss and while there were not younger kids (due to vaccination requirements at the time) the roaming packs of teens only reinforced my preference (though the price and capacity were too good to pass up).

 

I also don't have to escape the cold weather in the winter so that doesn't usually factor into my decisions.  I did the Escape last month and it was freezing in Florida at embarkation but beautiful weather the rest of the week...and not a drop of rain.

 

My only question for you is why wait 2 years?  Go now if you can.  If I have learned anything in the past 2 years is we never know what tomorrow can bring.  As someone mentioned, so much can change between ships, itineraries and the world that we need to do what we can when we can. I booked my last 2 cruises within 2 weeks of sailing and while I enjoy the anticipation and planning, it was great to pack my bags and just go.   Whatever you decide, have a wonderful, exciting adventure.

 

PS - I lived 15 years next door to you in Mountain View.  Great area of the country to live in (though very expensive!).

[eileeshb]

For the southern Caribbean there isn’t as much of a difference in weather from month to month. I did that cruise last week sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico and the locals on the islands said they get most rain in the summer. There was rain during one excursion on St Lucia but it lasted less than 30minutes. 
 

March is definitely spring break season, I saw quite a few college age kids around San Juan after my cruise because I stayed a few days extra after the cruise ended so I was into the second week of March. The last time I cruised in the first week of March there were 500 french speakers on board as that week was spring break in France and Quebec. 
 

The restricted dates is/was down to the ship serving that route moving to Europe for the Mediterranean itineraries. I had a Mediterranean cruise booked for 2023 that got cancelled as NCL are moving ships around to different bases as the new Prima class vessels join the fleet, but those changes are not yet finalised. 

[sportscruiser]

52 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

I have been a solo female cruiser around your age since 2015.  I try not to cruise during spring break and summer to avoid kids.  Nothing against them, I have one of my own, but I go on a ship/travel for rest and relaxation from a stressful job.  I did a Thanksgiving Mexican Riviera cruise on the Bliss and while there were not younger kids (due to vaccination requirements at the time) the roaming packs of teens only reinforced my preference (though the price and capacity were too good to pass up).

 

I also don't have to escape the cold weather in the winter so that doesn't usually factor into my decisions.  I did the Escape last month and it was freezing in Florida at embarkation but beautiful weather the rest of the week...and not a drop of rain.

 

My only question for you is why wait 2 years?  Go now if you can.  If I have learned anything in the past 2 years is we never know what tomorrow can bring.  As someone mentioned, so much can change between ships, itineraries and the world that we need to do what we can when we can. I booked my last 2 cruises within 2 weeks of sailing and while I enjoy the anticipation and planning, it was great to pack my bags and just go.   Whatever you decide, have a wonderful, exciting adventure.

 

PS - I lived 15 years next door to you in Mountain View.  Great area of the country to live in (though very expensive!).

Thanks @debenson0723 I agree with you completely about going when you can , life is too short, etc. I mainly love cruising for the ports, at least until I've seen them all, and I haven't done the Southern route yet. So, only reason for the 2 year wait is because this itinerary isn't available on any other ship. Before Covid I was going to book a Carnival ship that had some great ports but they pulled that ship during shutdown. This one is the best itinerary I've found that's comparable and unfortunately it only sails this itinerary for a short time in late 2023/24. Really wish it was this March! 

 

PS -  lived in Mtn View for about 20 years, I got priced out cause of what we now call MV,  Googleville and had to move south. Housing and gas are going to end up pushing me even further south!