Should I go to the Eastern or Western Caribbean?

Question

We are taking a Carnival Cruise next spring, but I am trying to decide on whether to go to the Eastern or Western Caribbean. Any suggestions, experiences or excursion advice would be great. Thank you!

Answer 1

Eastern definitely. It is one of the best parts of the Caribbean. More to do, and everything. You get to go to places like St. Thomas and St. Maarten, and other places like that and they are some of the coolest ports around. I would definitely do eastern again, as I wasnt to fond of the Western Caribbean but thats just me. Bon Voyage.

Answer 2

go on an eastern for a first time cruiser.  western is better for people who have taken a cruise before.

Answer 3

i've been on cruises to the eastern western and southern Caribbean. just booked my 5th cruise for Feb '08. going to the western Caribbean (Roatan, Honduras; Belize City; Cozumel; Great Stirrup Cay) out of the 4 ports of call i've only been to Cozumel. i pretty much enjoyed all ports of call, except maybe Guadeloupe (southern Caribbean cruise).

i personally feel that cruising is worth every penny and am looking forward to future cruises to the Mexican Riviera, Italian Riviera and Alaska.

Answer 4

I have always done the Eastern, mostly because I sail out of NY and the ships dont go to the Western Caribbean.  I dont want to go to the Western because I dont hear great things about the poverty and begging that goes on in Jamaica.  Also, all the ships go to Mexico and I dont want to have to worry about not drinking anything, and if i do getting sick for a few days on my vacation.  I love the Eastern because even though some of the islands look poor there is less begging (exception Bahamas).  The virgin islands are amazing and even Puerto Rico is great (very historical place).  I would want to do the Southern Caribbean eventualyl but not before i do the eastern a few more times and long before I try the western

Answer 5

Both are very different.  Eastern is Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands.  Western includes Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize, Jamicia, etc....

It really doesn't matter you should have a great time either way.  I've been all over the Carribean and I can still say my very favorite places are Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

Answer 6

Western.  My family and I went on a cruise in the western Caribbean in the beginning of July.  We had a blast.  If you go to the western, and you go to Cozumel, Mexico, go to the Mayan Ruins.  They are really cool.  I took like 150 pictures there.  If you go to Jamaica, zip lining is really cool.  We went and I have to say, the guides we really funny.  They were teasing my mom by telling her that there was a spider on her head.  The guides were funny and they seemed to be having a great time doing their job.  If you go to Grand Cayman, you should swim with stingrays.  They are really cool, but you have to get used to them.  I went on a tour that was swimming with stingrays and swimming in a barrier reef.  When we were at the barrier reef, we saw a baby Nerf shark.  It was really cool.  I have been to places in the eastern Caribbean, and the western is definatly prettier.  On thing that is really cool is that the further that you go west, the clearer the water gets.  When we were pulling into port in Mexico, we could see all the way down to the bottom.

I hope that helps!

Answer 7

ive been on the western twice, and the eastern once.

i like the westner better, but thats just me.  it also depends on your cruise line,  RC western is different thancarinvals.  but i did do a carinval eastern.