Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruises
For those that want to take a Caribbean cruise, the Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruise itinerary will usually be a question you’ll have to wrestle with. An eastern Caribbean cruise includes destinations like the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Nassau, St. Maarten, Grand Turk and San Juan. A western Caribbean cruise can include stops in a variety of places such a Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize, Jamaica and Costa Maya. When choosing between an eastern and western Caribbean cruise, there is a lot to consider besides just the destination.
Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruises: Similarities Between The Two
Both the eastern and western Caribbean have a warm weather climate as they are both located near the equator. This is great for those looking for a destination with a lot of sun and the ability to spend much of their time outdoors. The feel throughout the Caribbean tends to be very laid-back. The term “Caribbean Time” is often heard as many of the locals run late and aren’t known to be punctual. As far as activities go, they tend to be similar in both eastern and western Caribbean destinations. Sure, there are different sights to see at each destination, but activities like hiking, zip lining and adventure type activities are available in both destinations. Most Caribbean islands also have amazing beaches as well as great snorkeling or scuba diving. You can also find some great deals shopping in the Caribbean. St. Thomas is know for deals on jewelry. You can get great rum in Jamaica or Puerto Rico. Beautiful hand made goods can be found in both Eastern and Western Caribbean ports. Read more about the best things to buy in the Caribbean.
Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruises: Their Differences
There are a few differences between eastern Caribbean and western Caribbean cruises. For those that want to visit as many ports as possible, an eastern Caribbean cruise is the way to go. It’s not uncommon to visit 4 or 5 more ports on a 7-day cruise out of S. Florida. However, this can be a drawback for some, as the ship doesn’t always spend a lot of time at each destination. For western Caribbean cruises that are a week long, they usually only stop at 3 or 4 ports. They also tend to have more at sea days which some people enjoy to relax at sea. Keep in mind that in some ports such as Costa Maya, there is not much to do right at the port, so you will often need to purchase shore excursions that focus on the Mayan Culture that are bit of a drive away from the port itself.
Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruises – Which One To Choose
Cruises in our opinion, are the best way to travel. You unpack once, have great meals and entertainment, and wake up in beautiful ports of call. Both the Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises offer a great blend of relaxation and opportunities for sightseeing and adventure. The Western Caribbean offers more history and nature with more opportunities for active adventures, where the Eastern Caribbean ports are more known for beach hopping and shopping. Cozumel is popular with people that like bars that offer music and drinking with a party vibe.
Depending on the time of year, Western Caribbean port are known for heavy winds and sometimes ports get cancelled. Eastern Caribbean ports can often be crowded with 4 or 5 ships parked in the same place in 1 day.
Have a travel agent help you look through cruise itineraries and find the best trip based on your interests. Take a close look at the amount of time you spend in each port. A travel agent can also help with tips for those that have already done a cruise and are looking for something new to do, such as taking a ferry to St. John’s instead of staying in St. Thomas where it is more crowded. St. John’s offers a great beach and some hiking trails.
Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruises – Which Ships Do we Recommend
It’s important to remember that each year cruise lines do move ships around as ships, particularly when new ships come to market. Our advice while writing this post could change for the following cruise season, so it’s always good to speak to a cruise specialist for the year in which you which to cruise.
For the budget traveler, Carnival Cruise Line 2020 offers more choices of Eastern & Western Caribbean cruises than any other cruise line from various ports in the US. Just discuss with an agent the size and age of the ship, as there may be less to do onboard than what you are hoping for, then again keep in mind that if the itinerary is important to you vs. the ship, then Carnival may be a good option. Royal Caribbean Cruises 2020 and NCL Cruises 2020 are the most popular options that we sell. The Norwegian Encore, Bliss, Escape and Getaway all offer great options for Eastern & Western Caribbean Cruises. The Escape and Getaway are currently year round, where the other two ships join them in the Winter months of November through April for Eastern and Western Caribbean Cruises. NCL has a beautiful new private island in Belize called Harvest Caye. Royal Caribbean also keeps certain ships year round in the Caribbean and then brings more back in the Winter months as well. Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas & Harmony of the Seas are the newest ships sailing the Caribbean.
Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises & Holland America Cruises only offer Caribbean cruises November through April. They are a good option if you want a bit smaller, quieter cruise option. The same goes for premium and luxury cruise lines such as Oceania, Regent and Seabourn.
Eastern vs Western Caribbean Cruises – Which Itinerary Do We Recommend for Children
Although both have great beaches, we like the Eastern Caribbean for families. The reason for this is that in most ports there is lots to do a very short walk from the ship. This way you can go into town for a couple of hours but never be too far away just in case they get fussy. Most cruise lines also have a private island as one of their stops which have a section for children with water slides and pools. Once you are traveling with teenagers, then consider what they like to do. Does visiting Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica interest them, snorkeling the Mayan ruins or perhaps photography. Again speak to your travel agent about your family and their interests so they can best recommend an itinerary and ship.
If you happen to be planning a trip for several family members, we recommend reading our posts How to Plan A Family Reunion Cruise and Best Cruise Lines for Family Reunions.
If you are not ready to book your cruise, we suggest trying our free cruise price alert program where you can keep on eye on several sailings to help you find the best deals.
