Have Caribbean Cruises Lost Their Lustre For You?

[Kuki]

My blog entry this week in on the topic...
Have Caribbean Cruises Lost Their Luster For You?

Cruisemates Blog Has The Caribbean Cruise Lost Its Lustre For You? – Kuki

I invite you to pop over to the blog, give it a read, and join the discussion there.

[ready2gonow]

Kuki, great article!

For me personally, I don't have an issue going to same ports time and time again. I cruise for the relaxation of it. Being familiar with a port takes the stress out of trying to decide what to do while there. If I enjoyed something once, I would probably enjoy it a 2nd time. I like the beautiful water and beaches. Just because I have been there before, doesn't mean I won't enjoy them again. It also gives me the freedom to stay on the ship, because I know what is there. Call it options. Cruising in Europe requires so much more, logistically and financially. I am probably the exception, but I love cruising the Caribbean, even after 18 cruises within 9 years.

[MarkNYC]

I personally avoid Caribbean cruises. I like going to the Caribbean and staying in a resort, but I find the ports themselves to be essentially identical (stores, crowds, hot, annoying).

[katlady]

Well I have only been to one carribean port (St. Maarten) so nope not sick of it yet. I have been to Alaska, Europe, and Mexican Rivieria. The transatlantic cruise had the stop in St. Maarten. I would love to take a cruise to the carribean but airfare is holding me back.

[Manuel]

I still enjoy going on a Caribbean cruise. The was weather has allways been great on the ten cruises we have taken there. I love the life aboard the ships ant the Caribbeand ports are fine for a short visit.

We have a Caribbean cruise booked for jan. and another in april.

TM

[richsea]

No, Caribbean cruising has no lost it's lustre for me, even though we've been to most of them numerous times. Just the mumber of fantastic beaches alone make us want to come back. I always have to laugh when I hear someone say that Caribbean islands are all the same. Each island has it's own flvor & lifestyle. I suspect that those who think that have not ventured out of the pier area at each island very much. If all one does is stroll through the port areas, they cannoe epect to get a flavor of the reast of the island.

Having said that, cruising the Caribbean, for us at least, brings a comfort level in that we don't feel that we have to see everything that the port has to offer on one cruise, because we know that we can always see some other sights on our next cruise. When cruising to say, Europe, we assume that we will never return & try to cram as much as possible into each visit.

Heck, after a European cruise, we need a Caribbean cruise to unwind!!!

[Trackypup]

Hasn't lost it's luster for us because we don't go very often. Twice in 13 years of cruising. I much prefer other areas so the Caribbean every 5 or 6 years is fine by us.

[Kimbopolo]

I look forward to the day when I have cruised enough to be tired of the Caribbean.

[skymaster]

We're just like Ready2gonow, and will NEVER tire of the Caribbean, simply because we seldom leave the ship anymore, so I personally couldn't care less where it goes. (As long as it isn't cold and raining outside) For me and the lovely Mrs. Jones, (Vita) the ship is the destination, and with rare exception (Barbados for instance) we stay aboard while in port.

"SKY"

[Lakers Fan]

We've only been on one caribbean cruise ,I would love to do another but my BDW believes at our age we should endeavor to see as many new places as possible .

[jacdenv24]

We've done 13 cruises,12 of which were Caribbean, and I hope I live long enough to do another 12! Neither DH or myself care for the hassle and expense of flying so we drive to the port and make it a part of our holiday.
I certainly don't agree that "if you've seen one island, you've seen them all", each one has a different culture and atmosphere. There are a few islands that we try to exclude from our itinerary-if we end up there then we simply stay on board. I rather enjoy going back to the same island,knowing what to expect, where to go, what to avoid. I think we've been to St. Thomas 8 times so didn't get off the ship last year but this Jan. plan on doing Paradise Point again-we did it on our first visit in 1995. Maybe it's because we live in the frozen north but I will never tire of turquoise waters, golden sand and swaying palms:-D

[Parrot Mom]

Un til April we hadn't done the Caribbean for many years, but preferred flying to Europe to sail trans-atlantics or cruising from our home port of Boston or going out of NYC..As has been mentioned all the ports we went to had the same jewelry stores, all the terminals looked the same.. and when we tendered into Grand Caymens there were five ships unloading...thousands of people. Okay, call me a snob..Since we have to pay for airfare and hotel because we cannot drive to Florida ports it is much more convenient and less congested to cruise from Europe.. IF we lived in Florida or were able to drive to Ft. Lauderdale and Miami..maybe with all the last minute deals, just maybe I'd get on a ship and never get off at the ports. Cruising to me is about being at sea and unwinding..not doing bar hopping.. Until the last five years when we have really started to cruise we would do land vacations to the D.R., Costa Rica, Venezuela, Peru, and Mexico.. staying at all inclusive resorts. Right now we find cruising much more convenient and believe it or not with the time frame of 10 to 14 days much more affordable. For a change.. try a New England cruise..go to Bermuda (which is quickly b ecoming too popular with cruise ships)..