Some Itinerary and Ship Help

[CruisinJohn14]

I have been looking into going to central America for some time now and I have narrowed it down to the three itinerary's and ships. I know two of the itinerary's are pretty much the same just backwards and on different ships. I have been on many cruises before including carnival and I know what to expect although I have not been on the "mega" ships yet not sure if any of the ones below fall into that category. Just wanted to see what anyone has thought who has been on the ships below and also the ports of call and what you believe is the best over all itinerary.

 

Ship Name: Carnival Legend

Sailing Date(s): August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 2007 7 Night

Ports of Call: Departs From Tampa, Florida visiting George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras

 

Ship Name: Carnival Freedom

Sailing Date(s): August 1, 29, 16, 2007 8 Night

Ports of Call: Departs From Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale), Florida visiting Cozumel, Mexico; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Colon, Panama

 

Ship Name: Carnival Valor

Sailing Date(s): August 2, 16, 23, 30 2007 7 Night

Ports of Call: Departs From Miami, Florida visiting George Town, Grand Cayman; Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras; Belize City; Belize; Cozumel, Mexico

[Wennfred]

Ship Name: Carnival Valor

Sailing Date(s): August 2, 16, 23, 30 2008 7 Night

Ports of Call: Departs From Miami, Florida visiting George Town, Grand Cayman; Roatan (Isla Roatan), Bay Islands, Honduras; Belize City; Belize; Cozumel, Mexico

 

Been onboard Freedom and Valor and have travelled to Limon, Costa Rica, Panama, Grand Caymans, Roatan, Beilze, Cozumel.

 

I recommend the Valor out of those itineraries because of the ship and those ports were the best ever.

 

Costa Rica was ok, we did the Dole Banana Plantation tour, we are currently looking to buy a home there also.

 

We received a flyer in our Cabin that morning of Panama stating that this was a dangerous port and not to stray too far from the cruise terminal or hit any side streets.

 

 

 

Fred

[nybumpkin]

We sailed Valor Western this past February and Liberty in 2007 on the same itinerary as Freedom. We also sailed on Legend, but on a completely different itinerary. Our favorite was the Mexico/Costa Rica/Panama itinerary, both because of the ports (we wanted to see the Panama Canal) and for the four sea days. The Valor (and Legend, for that matter) itinerary is fairly port-intensive, with four ports in four days and a sea day on each end. We enjoyed it, but we would have liked an extra sea day (but I couldn't say which port I'd eliminate - we enjoyed them all). If you prefer a "beach"-type cruise, I'd opt for Valor or Legend; there are wonderful beaches on that itinerary. Costa Rica and Panama are not "beach" ports (although we did go to a beach in Panama with an independent tour).

 

As for ships, both Valor and Freedom are Conquest-class ships and have the same layout. Both have the Lido deck screen, Mongolian barbeque, fish and chips, etc. Legend (Spirit-class) is a smaller ship; it doesn't have the screen or the extra dining areas. All three have a supper club. I'm one of the minority on this board that prefers the Conquest class to Spirit class; I found Legend's lounges too spread out over too many decks and I thought there was a fair amount of vibration in the dining room. However, Legend has an absolutely wonderful adult-only aft pool that is open, overlooking the stern wake. And the layout won't keep me from sailing another Spirit-class ship; we're booked on Miracle for next summer and are thinking about Pride out of Baltimore for February 2010. A lot of people think the Spirit-class ships feel less crowded (I didn't, personally).

 

One of the main drawbacks lots of folks see to the Conquest-class ships is that you cannot go from one end of the ship to the other on decks 3 and 4 because the main galley is between the two dining rooms. I don't have a problem with the layout; every other deck goes through.

 

Hope this helps!

[pungo3]

Of the 3 listed, I like the ports of the Freedom. I did the same cruise on the Legend and LOVED it. Plus, it's an 8 day cruise. An extra day makes it better, IMHO.

[caribbeanboy]

Just read the revievs of the different ships, but I guess that there will be no difference at all.