Which one would you choose?

[colesc15]

Looking at future options for cruises and I think I have it narrowed down and want opinions for my wife and I. We've been to Aruba and Curaçao many times and we love it. Been to bonaire once, grand cayman a handful of years ago, and Coco cay plenty. The others, never. Cheapest for a oceanview balcony is oasis, then adventure being about $200 total more, and then the 11 nighters are close in price and roughly $700 total more than Adventure. Opinions? Talk to me! 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rather be golfing]

Just double check to make sure that the Oasis is an Ocean View Balcony since they also list their Boardwalk and Central Park balconies in that category.  Lots of times the O/V is considerably more expensive. 

[colesc15]

2 minutes ago, Rather be golfing said:

Just double check to make sure that the Oasis is an Ocean View Balcony since they also list their Boardwalk and Central Park balconies in that category.  Lots of times the O/V is considerably more expensive. 

Yes. I'm actually basing all on a travel agent price as they're all way cheaper than royal with a group rate. 

[Mikamarii]

Bonaire is our number one spot we want to get too but can never find a ship that goes there during our time off so that would be my choice of the ones listed. 

 

We had an 11 night southern Caribbean on Explorer booked for next fall (2024) but opted to go for 11 nights on Utopia instead. My concern with the 11 nighter was that we read several reviews that suggested only doing Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia with organized tours because of crime in the area. There weren't a whole lot of excursions on the website for booking.  When it's just us adults I'd be fine with it and would explore but with kids in tow we opted to change it. We figured if we were gonna spend at least 1 or 2 of those ports on the ship then might as book something with more fun for the kids. 

[smokeybandit]

If you can pull off 11 nights, then do it.

[firefly333]

I would prefer oasis but see it misses bonaire. I have the same issue with my next jan cruise, misses bonaire. 

 

I recently signed up for adventure the southern one april 2025. So I will finally see bonaire. Oddly enough it's less than dec 2024 eastern on group rates .. better deal but I booked both. Booking direct the southern is higher. 

 

I booked radiance twice earlier this year that did colon, columbia etc  10 days and actually loved it, though I only went the 2nd time, missed the first one. I'm up for some more unusual ports. If price per day is close I'd pick by ports you have not been to.  Me I booked 4 a month ago including the 3 on adventure. 11 days more ports. 

[Sunshine3601]

I vote for the 11 nighter that goes to Grand Cayman instead of CocoCay.

[OCVTSGIRL]

I always vote for Oasis or an Oasis class ship just because I prefer the bigger ships and there is so much to do on the Oasis.  Love the boardwalk, Central Park and the diving show.

[colesc15]

19 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I vote for the 11 nighter that goes to Grand Cayman instead of CocoCay.

Oddly enough, the one that had grand cayman is like $650 more than the one with Coco cay. 

[colesc15]

29 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I would prefer oasis but see it misses bonaire. I have the same issue with my next jan cruise, misses bonaire. 

 

I recently signed up for adventure the southern one april 2025. So I will finally see bonaire. Oddly enough it's less than dec 2024 eastern on group rates .. better deal but I booked both. Booking direct the southern is higher. 

 

I booked radiance twice earlier this year that did colon, columbia etc  10 days and actually loved it, though I only went the 2nd time, missed the first one. I'm up for some more unusual ports. If price per day is close I'd pick by ports you have not been to.  Me I booked 4 a month ago including the 3 on adventure. 11 days more ports. 

Bonaire is by far our favorite snorkel we've ever done. Clearest water we've ever seen. I wish the 11 nighter stopped in Bonaire. 

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

Oddly enough, the one that had grand cayman is like $650 more than the one with Coco cay. 

I did grand Cayman again last sept and dont see the attraction. Rcl for sure the tender was a mess. I had a rcl excursion and usually we meet onboard, but for grand Cayman it's a open tent at the port. Like this excursion meet at green tent. No ac to wait. I was directed 3 times to the opposite end of the ship to get off. .. rcl doesnt do grand Cayman well. It's at the bottom of my list.

[Ashland]

Definitely either one of the 11 nights on Explorer that doesn't include Coco Cay.

 

We're on the March 30th itinerary on Explorer. Booked this one when it opened and got a great price. Amazing itinerary.

[colesc15]

8 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Definitely either one of the 11 nights on Explorer that doesn't include Coco Cay.

 

We're on the March 30th itinerary on Explorer. Booked this one when it opened and got a great price. Amazing itinerary.

Not sure I can justify the extra cost to go to Grand Cayman over Coco cay unfortunately 

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, colesc15 said:

Not sure I can justify the extra cost to go to Grand Cayman over Coco cay unfortunately 

And the funny part is the 8 days on harmony to coco cay out of Galveston I knew would go crazy and they have.  From Galveston coco cay is such a rare port the price is bonkers. 

 

From florida to coco cay nothing special. So departure port matters.

[LilBlackDress]

I have been to all the ports listed, I really enjoyed the 11-night itinerary (1st one listed) when we did it in 2020 before the shutdown... 
As much as I love Curaçao, I would pick the one with Grand Cayman. It's been several years since I was there. 

I have no need to do private islands. Been there done that and there is only so much to do. All the other ports, no matter how many times you go, there is always more to see!! 

 

As far as the comment from @Mikamarii "My concern with the 11 nighter was that we read several reviews that suggested only doing Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia with organized tours because of crime in the area."

We did Columbia on our own and had no issues, never felt like we were in danger. And I am overly cautious at new ports... 
Costa Rica was with a 3rd party vendor that I booked through our roll call. I never found their website or reviews on them, but again never felt any danger and never saw anything to suggest there might be. 

Panama I have always wanted to go on a Panama Cruise and we did an excursion that went through the locks thru RC. 
 

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, LilBlackDress said:

I have been to all the ports listed, I really enjoyed the 11-night itinerary (1st one listed) when we did it in 2020 before the shutdown... 
As much as I love Curaçao, I would pick the one with Grand Cayman. It's been several years since I was there. 

I have no need to do private islands. Been there done that and there is only so much to do. All the other ports, no matter how many times you go, there is always more to see!! 

 

As far as the comment from @Mikamarii "My concern with the 11 nighter was that we read several reviews that suggested only doing Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia with organized tours because of crime in the area."

We did Columbia on our own and had no issues, never felt like we were in danger. And I am overly cautious at new ports... 
Costa Rica was with a 3rd party vendor that I booked through our roll call. I never found their website or reviews on them, but again never felt any danger and never saw anything to suggest there might be. 

Panama I have always wanted to go on a Panama Cruise and we did an excursion that went through the locks thru RC. 
 

We did the Panama Canal RCI itinerary (full transit) last October and we also did Cartagena on our own. Took a taxi from the port (which we loved with all the bird/animal exhibits) to the walled city and back. No concerns at all about feeling safe.

 

In Costa Rica we did an amazing tour with "Thumbs Up Tours" with our roll call. This was just amazing.

[LilBlackDress]

3 minutes ago, Ashland said:

We did the Panama Canal RCI itinerary (full transit) last October and we also did Cartagena on our own. Took a taxi from the port (which we loved with all the bird/animal exhibits) to the walled city and back. No concerns at all about feeling safe.

 

In Costa Rica we did an amazing tour with "Thumbs Up Tours" with our roll call. This was just amazing.

I could have spent all day at the bird/animal exhibits!!

[ARandomTraveler]

Based on the way I read your post, it kind of sounds like you'd rather go on the cruise that takes you to new ports you haven't visited.  But those options are $900 more than the Oasis balcony, so you need some convincing to spend the money. 
 

I think one of the benefits of cruising is getting to see so many new places in the span of one vacation. Unless I'm going on a cruise to completely check-out, lay in the sun and do nothing, then I tend to choose a cruise that at least takes me to 1 new place (which is getting hard to do, hence why 3 of my next 4 cruises require me to fly halfway around the world to get to them). 

An 11 day cruise going to a bunch of places that you've never been, and that you might not consider going to on a land vacation sounds like the best, most interesting, biggest bang for your buck option to me. Plus the Panama Canal and South American itineraries aren't very common with Royal Caribbean, so if you don't pick that one, the opportunity might not come up again for a while.  If you can swing the extra $900 and 4 more days of vacation time, that would be my choice. 
 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by ARandomTraveler

[LobsterStalker]

12 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Not sure I can justify the extra cost to go to Grand Cayman over Coco cay unfortunately 

...11 nighter to Curacao !

Much nicer than Grand Cayman , JMHO

 

Cheers

[George C]

I would pick oasis because of all the entertainment options , aquashow , ice show ,lots more options for food also .

[LilBlackDress]

12 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Oddly enough, the one that had grand cayman is like $650 more than the one with Coco cay. 

 

12 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Not sure I can justify the extra cost to go to Grand Cayman over Coco cay unfortunately 

$650 for an additional 3 nights...  If you can't justify it, I am not sure why its an option. 

Sounds to me like you had made uo your mind before you posted 

[colesc15]

I think my wife and I have narrowed it down to one of the 3 11 nighters. Now we just have to decide if we want to save the $650ish and do the one with Coco cay or pick the one that stops in grand cayman or Curaçao. Both which we've been to a handful of times 

[kitkat343]

19 hours ago, Mikamarii said:

Bonaire is our number one spot we want to get too but can never find a ship that goes there during our time off so that would be my choice of the ones listed. 

 

We had an 11 night southern Caribbean on Explorer booked for next fall (2024) but opted to go for 11 nights on Utopia instead. My concern with the 11 nighter was that we read several reviews that suggested only doing Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia with organized tours because of crime in the area. There weren't a whole lot of excursions on the website for booking.  When it's just us adults I'd be fine with it and would explore but with kids in tow we opted to change it. We figured if we were gonna spend at least 1 or 2 of those ports on the ship then might as book something with more fun for the kids. 

Cartagena was one of my favorite ports, and felt very safe.   Dora De Zubiria (dora@cartagenatour.com) gave my family a wonderful private tour (we had our 2 year old with us and felt extremely safe.  Cost Rica and Panama also felt quite safe.  I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Edited July 11, 2023 by kitkat343

[printingchick]

On 7/10/2023 at 8:45 PM, colesc15 said:

Oddly enough, the one that had grand cayman is like $650 more than the one with Coco cay. 

I agree with the votes for the 11-day with Grand Cayman, but that price difference is pretty steep!!

 

I'm going to ask, despite how much I had it when people offer up an option you DIDN'T ask for, but have you looked at cruises that sail from San Juan, rather than Florida? You might be able to get most of those ports on a less-than-11 day cruise if you don't have to spend so much time at sea. If you LIVE in Florida or you LOVE sea days, then I vote for the 11-day with Grand Cayman. I'm not a fan of the private islands. To me they seem like Disney replicas of actual Caribbean ports. 

[colesc15]

8 hours ago, printingchick said:

I agree with the votes for the 11-day with Grand Cayman, but that price difference is pretty steep!!

 

I'm going to ask, despite how much I had it when people offer up an option you DIDN'T ask for, but have you looked at cruises that sail from San Juan, rather than Florida? You might be able to get most of those ports on a less-than-11 day cruise if you don't have to spend so much time at sea. If you LIVE in Florida or you LOVE sea days, then I vote for the 11-day with Grand Cayman. I'm not a fan of the private islands. To me they seem like Disney replicas of actual Caribbean ports. 

I did! We're actually going out of Puerto Rico in January 2024 for the itinerary but 2025 ones out of Puerto Rico aren't anything special.