Your opinions......Eastern OR Western Cruise??

[Tam-PA]

Hi everyone!! I am interested in hearing everyone's reason for taking their Eastern versus Western Disney cruises. I am sure both are terrific, but wanted to be sure of my choice. Right now I am considering a Western Cruise, but wanted to hear other opinions. Would love to hear your choice and why....... Thanks so much!!

 

[ga9497]

If you like shopping the Eastern has better options. If you like water excursions and just more than just shopping the Western is better.

 

[Samsma]

Eastern is also a little less expensive right now I think.

 

[llachance]

Having done both I think that they each have their advantages. Really enjoyed the shopping on the Eastern and the water trips on the Western. I thought I would miss the extra day at sea but didn't because you don't get into Key West until noon and so there is no struggle to be up and atom on the first morning of the cruise. We are going on the western again next year, only because it is the trip they are offering during the week that we want to travel. We are already having fun planning what we are going to do - the same and different!

 

[Masonpips]

We chose West over East even though it was more expensive due to ports. I have been to Key West and Cozumel and have always wanted to go to Cayman (and see the stingrays). I had no desire to do Nassau whatsoever. The other Eastern ports would have been ok but the stingrays swayed me.

 

[prymsu]

On all my past cruises, I must say that Grand Cayman is my favorite port...

 

[atigeg]

We have done both, and I definitely prefer the Western. The Eastern was fun, but the ports seeemed more like "generic" ports to me...I wasn't overly impressed by either St. Martin or St. Thomas. I did like the extra sea day, but the Western ports really won me over. I LOVED snorkeling with the stingrays on Grand Cayman, and it's way too hard to choose an excursion on Cozumel because there are so many good ones...the jeep tour was a blast, and we love Xcaret (we were there when we sailed on RCCL). There was so much to do in Key West that I feel like we didn't evne scratch the surface. We are already booked for another Western on 1/4/03.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[mcnuss]

We did a Radisson cruise in '98 that took us to St. Maarten (Dutch side) and we hated that port. We went on a snorkel trip that put us under the airport's flight path. It was awful. I went back to the ship as soon as I could. Nassau does not interest me in the least. We did like St. Thomas but St. John is better and DCL does not go there. I hope DCL comes up with some other interesting itineraries after our Western in November, as I doubt I will ever convince DH to do the same itinerary over again.

 

[bennett]

We really loved the eastern ports-have no desire to do the western-we like the shopping and could care less about the excursions-eastern has better shopping-for what we look for-

 

[magic cruiser]

I've been to the eastern and western caribbean and prefer the western. The only beach that's more beautiful than Grand Caymen is the beach in Aruba. Cozumel is fun and I love silver jewelry.Key West is also a fun place to visit. I really don't care for St. Marteen...very poor and sad.I do like St. Thomas...the beaches and the shopping. I wish Disney would do the southern Caribbean one day, like alot of other cruise lines do !

 

[Tam-PA]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. I enjoyed reading all of them. It's always interesting to hear everyone's viewpoint. Thanks again!!!!

 

[strawberryblonde]

I chose Eastern for many reasons:

1. My 10 yr. ann. fell on that date
2. I like the idea of an extra sea day
3. DD would be too young to do the stingrays
4. Eastern sounds abit more relaxing, laidback
5. Western sounds abit more mature, a good one to do a few years later when the kids are older

I must say though, reading all the time from so many how the western is better makes me abit nervous . Hard to know what the perfect choice would be until you go.