Western or eastern Caribbean?

[kp3690]

We are planning our first family cruise for next September or October. It will be me, dh, ds (14), and dd (10). Would you recommend the eastern or western Caribbean cruise?
Thanks!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are planning our first family cruise for next September or October. It will be me, dh, ds (14), and dd (10). Would you recommend the eastern or western Caribbean cruise?
Thanks!

Both are excellent, more sea days on the Eastern, more shopping and beaches,.

I think the Western is more Caribbean it goes further south, warmer, more to see historically, the best dolphins interactions. More port days less sea days.

But both a great. We did Back to back last time photos in the link below

 

[lorimay]

We have done both, you won't be sorry if you choose one over the other.
We did our first Eastern in 2002 and then booked Western for 2003.
You will be hooked and be re-booking a second one in no time.
Have a wonderful time.

 

[OhThePain]

When someone is torn between itineraries, if there is someone who has never cruised before that is going with them, which, in this case is your whole family, I always suggest the cruise with less sea days. Yes, for most people sea days are the best days, but they aren't for those who can't handle the waters so well (like my wife, who is very hit and miss with cruises, but she loves them enough to take her chances). Since you won't know how your family handles being at sea until after you cruise, it's always safer to go with the itinerary with more ports and less sea days, IMO.

 

[Overflow]

Personally, I'm going to try eastern C before western. But that's because visiting St. Maarten and Puerto Rico is something I've wanted to do for awhile. But I definitely wouldn't be upset if I had to take a western. Both are great itineraries. It just depends how much you wanna be on the ship.

For your first time, I'd recommend the western however.

 

[kp3690]

All very valid points. Thanks so much for the input!

 

[mikeyg1479]

Basically, do you prefer to port in Mexico/Key West/Grand Cayman (west cruise), or would rather do some US Virgin Island stops (St Thomas, St John, St Marten) and Puerto Rico.

Either way, you have a nice time.

 

[geekboy]

They are both great itineraries! I have done both. The nice thing about the Eastern is that you'll do St. Thomas and/or San Juan and your cellular phone should be as if you were here in the continental US. So you can catch up and brag about being in Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) while they are experiencing snow in the northeast. (Been there... done that!)

The Western itinerary has more ports of call and if you are looking for more history and want to see the ruins, nothing beats going to Costa Maya, Belize, or Cancun/Cozumel. The only thing I don't like about the Western is the tendered operations at Grand Cayman.

Otherwise, they all have plenty to see and do. As someone else suggested, the Western has more port days (I think one more) than the Eastern which has more sea days (typically 4 sea days).

 

[tonyolily]

We've done both and love them both! I don't think you can go wrong with either itinerary. We'll be going on the Western a week from now and I'm super excited about going to Grand Cayman again. Love the excursions there.

 

[tvguy]

Both are excellent, more sea days on the Eastern, more shopping and beaches,.

I think the Western is more Caribbean it goes further south, warmer, more to see historically, the best dolphins interactions. More port days less sea days.

But both a great. We did Back to back last time photos in the link below

Actually, the Eastern goes further south, granted, not by much, but St. Maarten is further south than Grand Cayman. I have always felt the Eastern was more Caribbean because it goes to more Caribbean ports instead of Mexico.

 

[Bree]

They are both great itineraries! I have done both. The nice thing about the Eastern is that you'll do St. Thomas and/or San Juan and your cellular phone should be as if you were here in the continental US. So you can catch up and brag about being in Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) while they are experiencing snow in the northeast. (Been there... done that!) The Western itinerary has more ports of call and if you are looking for more history and want to see the ruins, nothing beats going to Costa Maya, Belize, or Cancun/Cozumel. The only thing I don't like about the Western is the tendered operations at Grand Cayman. Otherwise, they all have plenty to see and do. As someone else suggested, the Western has more port days (I think one more) than the Eastern which has more sea days (typically 4 sea days).

Eastern has three ports (2 islands & Castaway Cay) and three sea days.

 

[geekboy]

Eastern has three ports (2 islands & Castaway Cay) and three sea days.

Yes. I always mistakenly count the first night as a sea day.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Actually, the Eastern goes further south, granted, not by much, but St. Maarten is further south than Grand Cayman. I have always felt the Eastern was more Caribbean because it goes to more Caribbean ports instead of Mexico.

image by Andrew D Porter, on Flickr

I would disagree maybe I could have worded it a little bit better but from this cruise map you can see the main cruise ports.

Eastern, it sailed two straight days in the Atlantic to St Marten, it as you see is not actually in the main Caribbean Sea but us considered a port in the Caribbean. The ship then goes to St Thomas and then is in Bahamas waters, not Caribbean.


Western after a quick run off the Florida straights it's in the proper Caribbean Sea as marked here, it's sailing in Caribbean waters rather than just a quick touch in and out on the Eastern.

Grand Cayman, Jamaica are true Caribbean ports in the Caribbean Sea, and not Mexico! There is just one visit to Mexico but still in the Caribbean Sea at Cozumel.if a cruise went yo Costa Maya it's even further south, this area is generally hotter than the exposed Virgin Islands which face on there East Coast the Atlantic Ocean.

 

[tvguy]

image by Andrew D Porter, on Flickr

I would disagree maybe I could have worded it a little bit better but from this cruise map you can see the main cruise ports.

Eastern, it sailed two straight days in the Atlantic to St Marten, it as you see is not actually in the main Caribbean Sea but us considered a port in the Caribbean. The ship then goes to St Thomas and then is in Bahamas waters, not Caribbean.


Western after a quick run off the Florida straights it's in the proper Caribbean Sea as marked here, it's sailing in Caribbean waters rather than just a quick touch in and out on the Eastern.

Grand Cayman, Jamaica are true Caribbean ports in the Caribbean Sea, and not Mexico! There is just one visit to Mexico but still in the Caribbean Sea at Cozumel.if a cruise went yo Costa Maya it's even further south, this area is generally hotter than the exposed Virgin Islands which face on there East Coast the Atlantic Ocean.

Yeah the Caribbean name is kind of a loose description, but Saint Maarten is further south than any of the Western ports.

When I started cruising in 1980, I don't think anyone went to any of today's Western Caribbean ports.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Yeah the Caribbean name is kind of a loose description, but Saint Maarten is further south than any of the Western ports.

When I started cruising in 1980, I don't think anyone went to any of today's Western Caribbean ports.

From the map, it's not kinda loose but quite clear where it actually is, the Eastern Islands are the barrier between the seas, to the East is the Atlantic, inside is the Caribbean, it's quite clear.

Didn't you post in reply to me recently that your last Disney cruise was about ten years ago at New Year, as they have been undertaking Westerns for a long time now, I did a Western DCL cruise in 2002.

 

[Bear3412]

...
Didn't you post in reply to me recently that your last Disney cruise was about ten years ago at New Year, as they have been undertaking Westerns for a long time now, I did a Western DCL cruise in 2002.

So geography accuracy is dependent on the most recent sail date? Love it.

Give us more. Love it all.

BTW; You both got me curious. So I checked the lats for current DCL sailings. It's close.

Latitudes; That would be the imaginary horizontal lines around the globe some use for navigation for those outside the loop.
Like your car GPS system.

Cozumel ......... 20.41
St Thomas....... 18.33
St Maarten .. ... 18.06
Grand Cayman . 19.33
Falmouth, J. .... 18.49
San Juan PR .... 18.45
Equator ........... 0.00

Looks like St Maarten wins as the most Southern. Therefore the Eastern Itinerary wins as the most southern.

tvguy wins a free cruise.

I'm happy for the winner. lol

Anyone else have a test?

Free BBJ flights for the next winner.

lol.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

So geography accuracy is dependent on the most recent sail date? Love it.

Give us more. Love it all.

BTW; You both got me curious. So I checked the lats for current DCL sailings. It's close.

Latitudes; That would be the imaginary horizontal lines around the globe some use for navigation for those outside the loop.
Like your car GPS system.

Cozumel ......... 20.41
St Thomas....... 18.33
St Maarten .. ... 18.06
Grand Cayman . 19.33
Falmouth, J. .... 18.49
San Juan PR .... 18.45
Equator ........... 0.00

Looks like St Maarten wins as the most Southern. Therefore the Eastern Itinerary wins as the most southern.

tvguy wins a free cruise.

I'm happy for the winner. lol

Anyone else have a test?

Free BBJ flights for the next winner.

lol.

I think you know yourself you have taken my comments way out of context, please re read.

Which ports are actually in the Caribbean Sea or islands that have a side facing the Caribbean and a side in the Atlantic.