We've been to all three (western, eastern, and southern) and enjoyed each one for different reasons. An eastern Caribbean cruise is booked for April. As you stated, we enjoy the food, culture, architecture, and rum tasting the Eastern has to offer. great show today.
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed this one. It is a tough subject but I do enjoy the eastern itinerary. Now all that might change since we have a 10N southern booked this year so it all might change! Love a good challenge and adventure.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 We've sailed twice to the southern islands and loved every minute. Enjoyed Grenada, St. Lucia, and Martinique because they were smaller and had more character and culture than the larger tourist islands.
We just love Old San Juan and have gone back for a few long weekends a few times. We have explored the rain forest and several areas surrounding San Juan. The people are so nice and I just love the vibe there. Ironically, I was raised in Indiana and went to IU Bloomington. You might have noticed my IU plaque in my videos. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
Like you, not a fan of Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize or Roatan. But did enjoy San Juan, St Thomas, St. Maarten and Puerto Plata in December. 30°C is plenty hot for this Canadian. I'm also more than happy to go to Alaska in May or even April when it's too cold for the average southerner.
Thanks for sharing my friend! I think we both like the culture and island vibe in the east. I'm right there with you for Alaska in the early months - even for this South Florida warm blood. Thanks for your support as always!
We are doing a b2b cruise in november, both eastern and western caribbean. We just booked the dolphin swim in cozumel chankanaab park, it didnt say anything about the manatees but I really hope we get a chance to swim with those too 😁
That sounds like a great cruise! My experience with the Dolphin Swim was a small group VIP option Celebrity excursion. There were Dolphin Encounter options that did not include the manatees and sea lion show. Ours also included lunch. You might want to cut and paste your excursion title into a search and find some reviews, etc to see if you are actually doing the swim or the encounter. Have a great cruise and thank you so much for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 my excursion is called dolphin swim and also includes lunch. It is with msc so might be different than yours but i hope to be able to go in the water with the manatees as well 😁
@@Cami_1606 perfect! I did go into the MSC site and saw the Premium Dolphin Swim with all inclusive Food and Drink. I don't think that includes the manatees since I also saw the one that sounded like ours - DOLPHIN SWIM & MANATEE ENCOUNTER VIP EXPERIENCE WITH LUNCH. It might be available if you want to investigate switching them. Either way the compound is impressive and the dolphin swim was incredible. You'll love it either way.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 i dont see any excursions with manatees on my sailing in november on the seascape. But we will enjoy the day with the dolphins anyway 😊 thanks
Yes, I have been to St Kitts twice. It is a very nice port with a small arrival port area. I would recommend an excursion though if you want to really see the island. Thanks for watching!
Great video. We're planning our first cruise and have always wanted to see the Caribbean. However the most convenient time for us to travel is in july and we're a bit hesitant since it's in the beginning of hurricane season-would you say the weather in July is a significant concern when visiting the Caribbean?
I have lived in South Florida for over 20 years and July is very hot in the Caribbean but you should not experience hurricanes. The heaviest hurricane season will be from late August through the end of October into early November. July will have less options for you to choose from but many cruise lines are sailing to the Caribbean year round now. The major Caribbean season is November through end of April with a huge assortment of cruise itineraries to choose from. Let me know if I can help plan and book with you! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Hi from Australia. Thoroughly enjoyed your video. We are looking to travel over next year and do a cruise that includes east, south and west. But finding there are not many options. Would it be best to divide into 2 and do b2b cruises? Would appreciate your thoughts.
Hello Australia!! I just researched this for a client and there are a few Princess 14+ day options for both Eastern & Western but if you take a look at B2B you are going to find many more options. Normally on B2B you only need to get off the ship and walk through immigration with your small B2B group and get right back on. Most times you do not even have to pack and change staterooms - I would make sure of that prior to booking. I hope that helps. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
We've done Eastern and Western. I'll take the western any day of the week. It's so much more economical at the stops. If you do eastern the prices are just outrageous in comparison. Two of us will take an $8 taxi ride in Costa Maya, where as in St Thomas it will cost you $25 a piece just to get into the taxi for about the same amount of time and mileage. If you were to do any shopping or private excursions you'll also discover that prices for similar fun times will cost at least twice the amount. I have no desire to go back to St Thomas or the vicinity. I'd like to go to Aruba but I suspect I'd find the same prices.
Great points, however many locations in the Western still require you purchase transportation to do almost anything. Many ports in the East are walkable from the port and do not require an excursion. Aruba was nice but I'd rather go back and stay at a resort than on a cruise. The port was average but walkable. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Eastern Caribbean blows away western Caribbean in terms of available destinations (number of countries and cultural attractions). The west is good if you either want to do water activities, relax on the beach or spend more time on the ship. I personally prefer to stay on the ship while in port on western Caribbean cruises.
I agree with you. I was just in Cozumel and did not even consider getting off the ship. I have enjoyed the western ports but after being there once or twice, it just does not offer a lot unless you like the diving / snorkeling activities. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I am right there with you! My preference would be Eastern but a good price to Cozumel and Grand Cayman is something that I would never rule out. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
there are so many areas for snorkeling! I just always read the reviews of the spots or the excursions to make sure it is a great time. I just did one in Puerto Plata, DR that was not very good unfortunately. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
That is an interesting question. If you are just interested in kid friendly beach days, there are a few ports on each that can work. The Western itineraries normally include Cozumel which has a few beaches that are a cab ride away and have different levels of price. Grand Cayman has a couple of decent beaches as well. The rest of the Western ports are normally focused on diving and snorkeling or more Mayan cultural activities. Key West has crappy beaches. Most Eastern Caribbean ports will have many more beaches for kids on all of the private islands in the Bahamas as well as Turks and Cacaos has a great port area with free beach and a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville pool area. The Virgin Islands also have beautiful beaches that are either availalble as a ship excursion or by taking a cab to one for the day. Just do a bit of research to make sure your beach decision has bathroom and food options. I'd also think about brining along your own bag with snorkeling gear to save money and make sure you have a good fit for the kids. I would go with an Eastern Caribbean itinerary for beach days with kids. I hope that helps.
Thanks for your answer. So the cruise I'm looking for is the wonder of the seas and the eastern itinerary. It's this that is good for kids Philipsburg, St. Maarten Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida
That is so difficult to advise these days. I always advise to book as EARLY as possible to get the best selection and the best rates. You can always watch and have your travel advisor (always use a good travel advisor) can reprice when new promotions come out. The cruise lines will not do this for you. The cheapest fares are always months in advance in this current market but last minute "I don't care where my cabin is located" fares are sometimes available but not always. BOOK EARLY!
2026 will Likely take a few weeks to Experience the Southern, Eastern AND Western Caribbean! 😎🙃❤😎🤔 Enjoy your 2024 & 2025 Cruises & Beyond. May they BE UnRecognizable!
you showed all the super commercialized places made very developed for kids and very paved path type like the dolphin - that wasn’t in nature . what about the travel destinations that arent like theme parks to see actual culture and adventure - puerto rico i know if amazing travel but i didnt see that noted as a distinction
Unfortunately most of the major cruise ports in the Caribbean are very touristy locations with industrialized attractions and modern amenities. You have to choose your excursions very carefully in order to experience authentic nature and not manufactured for tourists. The smaller, expedition cruises are great at that but you are not going to find many of them in the Caribbean unfortunately. San Juan is one of my top spots and it is just a short drive to the rain forest.
We've been to all three (western, eastern, and southern) and enjoyed each one for different reasons. An eastern Caribbean cruise is booked for April. As you stated, we enjoy the food, culture, architecture, and rum tasting the Eastern has to offer. great show today.
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed this one. It is a tough subject but I do enjoy the eastern itinerary. Now all that might change since we have a 10N southern booked this year so it all might change! Love a good challenge and adventure.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 We've sailed twice to the southern islands and loved every minute. Enjoyed Grenada, St. Lucia, and Martinique because they were smaller and had more character and culture than the larger tourist islands.
Yet another informative video. And as always, you're preferences match ours! Thanks for answering this question about the Caribbean ❤👌🍺
Thanks again for sharing and for watching!
Hi. I was raised in PR but now I live in Indiana. I just wanted to thank you for saying such wonderful things about my country!
We just love Old San Juan and have gone back for a few long weekends a few times. We have explored the rain forest and several areas surrounding San Juan. The people are so nice and I just love the vibe there. Ironically, I was raised in Indiana and went to IU Bloomington. You might have noticed my IU plaque in my videos. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
Like you, not a fan of Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize or Roatan. But did enjoy San Juan, St Thomas, St. Maarten and Puerto Plata in December. 30°C is plenty hot for this Canadian. I'm also more than happy to go to Alaska in May or even April when it's too cold for the average southerner.
Thanks for sharing my friend! I think we both like the culture and island vibe in the east. I'm right there with you for Alaska in the early months - even for this South Florida warm blood. Thanks for your support as always!
We are doing a b2b cruise in november, both eastern and western caribbean. We just booked the dolphin swim in cozumel chankanaab park, it didnt say anything about the manatees but I really hope we get a chance to swim with those too 😁
That sounds like a great cruise! My experience with the Dolphin Swim was a small group VIP option Celebrity excursion. There were Dolphin Encounter options that did not include the manatees and sea lion show. Ours also included lunch. You might want to cut and paste your excursion title into a search and find some reviews, etc to see if you are actually doing the swim or the encounter. Have a great cruise and thank you so much for sharing and for watching!
@@seemoreseascruises3791 my excursion is called dolphin swim and also includes lunch. It is with msc so might be different than yours but i hope to be able to go in the water with the manatees as well 😁
@@Cami_1606 perfect! I did go into the MSC site and saw the Premium Dolphin Swim with all inclusive Food and Drink. I don't think that includes the manatees since I also saw the one that sounded like ours - DOLPHIN SWIM & MANATEE ENCOUNTER VIP EXPERIENCE WITH LUNCH. It might be available if you want to investigate switching them. Either way the compound is impressive and the dolphin swim was incredible. You'll love it either way.
@@seemoreseascruises3791 i dont see any excursions with manatees on my sailing in november on the seascape. But we will enjoy the day with the dolphins anyway 😊 thanks
Have u ever visited St.kitts?
Yes, I have been to St Kitts twice. It is a very nice port with a small arrival port area. I would recommend an excursion though if you want to really see the island. Thanks for watching!
Great video. We're planning our first cruise and have always wanted to see the Caribbean. However the most convenient time for us to travel is in july and we're a bit hesitant since it's in the beginning of hurricane season-would you say the weather in July is a significant concern when visiting the Caribbean?
I have lived in South Florida for over 20 years and July is very hot in the Caribbean but you should not experience hurricanes. The heaviest hurricane season will be from late August through the end of October into early November. July will have less options for you to choose from but many cruise lines are sailing to the Caribbean year round now. The major Caribbean season is November through end of April with a huge assortment of cruise itineraries to choose from. Let me know if I can help plan and book with you! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Hi from Australia. Thoroughly enjoyed your video. We are looking to travel over next year and do a cruise that includes east, south and west. But finding there are not many options. Would it be best to divide into 2 and do b2b cruises? Would appreciate your thoughts.
Hello Australia!! I just researched this for a client and there are a few Princess 14+ day options for both Eastern & Western but if you take a look at B2B you are going to find many more options. Normally on B2B you only need to get off the ship and walk through immigration with your small B2B group and get right back on. Most times you do not even have to pack and change staterooms - I would make sure of that prior to booking. I hope that helps. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
We've done Eastern and Western. I'll take the western any day of the week. It's so much more economical at the stops. If you do eastern the prices are just outrageous in comparison. Two of us will take an $8 taxi ride in Costa Maya, where as in St Thomas it will cost you $25 a piece just to get into the taxi for about the same amount of time and mileage. If you were to do any shopping or private excursions you'll also discover that prices for similar fun times will cost at least twice the amount. I have no desire to go back to St Thomas or the vicinity. I'd like to go to Aruba but I suspect I'd find the same prices.
Great points, however many locations in the Western still require you purchase transportation to do almost anything. Many ports in the East are walkable from the port and do not require an excursion. Aruba was nice but I'd rather go back and stay at a resort than on a cruise. The port was average but walkable. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Eastern Caribbean blows away western Caribbean in terms of available destinations (number of countries and cultural attractions). The west is good if you either want to do water activities, relax on the beach or spend more time on the ship. I personally prefer to stay on the ship while in port on western Caribbean cruises.
I agree with you. I was just in Cozumel and did not even consider getting off the ship. I have enjoyed the western ports but after being there once or twice, it just does not offer a lot unless you like the diving / snorkeling activities. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I think I agree
It doesn't matter as long as you enjoy yourself!
I prefer the Eastern, but will go Western depending on ship and price.
I am right there with you! My preference would be Eastern but a good price to Cozumel and Grand Cayman is something that I would never rule out. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I cruise to snorkel so…..
there are so many areas for snorkeling! I just always read the reviews of the spots or the excursions to make sure it is a great time. I just did one in Puerto Plata, DR that was not very good unfortunately. Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!
With one is better for kids. We only want to be out to the beach and close to the chip.?
That is an interesting question. If you are just interested in kid friendly beach days, there are a few ports on each that can work. The Western itineraries normally include Cozumel which has a few beaches that are a cab ride away and have different levels of price. Grand Cayman has a couple of decent beaches as well. The rest of the Western ports are normally focused on diving and snorkeling or more Mayan cultural activities. Key West has crappy beaches. Most Eastern Caribbean ports will have many more beaches for kids on all of the private islands in the Bahamas as well as Turks and Cacaos has a great port area with free beach and a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville pool area. The Virgin Islands also have beautiful beaches that are either availalble as a ship excursion or by taking a cab to one for the day. Just do a bit of research to make sure your beach decision has bathroom and food options. I'd also think about brining along your own bag with snorkeling gear to save money and make sure you have a good fit for the kids. I would go with an Eastern Caribbean itinerary for beach days with kids. I hope that helps.
Thanks for your answer. So the cruise I'm looking for is the wonder of the seas and the eastern itinerary. It's this that is good for kids Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida
Best time to go to cruise is??? When I will get the cheapest tickets??
That is so difficult to advise these days. I always advise to book as EARLY as possible to get the best selection and the best rates. You can always watch and have your travel advisor (always use a good travel advisor) can reprice when new promotions come out. The cruise lines will not do this for you. The cheapest fares are always months in advance in this current market but last minute "I don't care where my cabin is located" fares are sometimes available but not always. BOOK EARLY!
Hoosiers 💯
Ha Ha! Thanks for watching
2026 will Likely take a few weeks to Experience the Southern, Eastern AND Western Caribbean!
😎🙃❤😎🤔
Enjoy your 2024 & 2025 Cruises & Beyond.
May they BE UnRecognizable!
Thanks so much for watching!
you showed all the super commercialized places made very developed for kids and very paved path type like the dolphin - that wasn’t in nature
. what about the travel destinations that arent like theme parks to see actual culture and adventure -
puerto rico i know if amazing travel but i didnt see that noted as a distinction
Unfortunately most of the major cruise ports in the Caribbean are very touristy locations with industrialized attractions and modern amenities. You have to choose your excursions very carefully in order to experience authentic nature and not manufactured for tourists. The smaller, expedition cruises are great at that but you are not going to find many of them in the Caribbean unfortunately. San Juan is one of my top spots and it is just a short drive to the rain forest.
Please show me the ship, not selfies.
Thanks for watching!
Get a life and learn some manners, kid.
I thought the selfies were quite nice.