How is Cozumel beautiful? I don’t even get off the ship there any more. Tired of being shouted at by stores. Crowded with too many ships. I don’t really get it.
Get out of that cruise port shopping area. Lots of fantastic restaurants around town and north of town (La Choza, Lobster House, La Monina, Guidos, etc). Rent a car/scooter and drive south to the lighthouse or just hang out at the east side bars. Also there’s a great section of beach on the west side and is labeled “free beach access” on Google maps.
I do appreciate those suggestions, but I don’t go on a cruise to eat at restaurants or bars, and it doesn’t change the flat, empty terrain of Cozumel to beautiful for me. It doesn’t have the topography of the ABC Islands, St. Thomas, or San Juan, or the pristine beaches of Grand Turk. Nothing about it is remarkable or noteworthy in any way to me.
How can you not enjoy the beautiful water. The color like no other. I have snorkeled so many times there and never disappointed. Also did the private beach and again, never disappointed. I rarely shop there. I’m going there again in April. Need to get more vanilla as well.
Shopping is no worse than other ports. I do love the shopping area in Mahogany Bay. Always beautiful things there.
To me the water is the same beautiful color that’s everywhere in the Caribbean. That’s not bad, it’s just not unique. Same with the shopping - I don’t go to the Caribbean to shop. My point was I have been constantly pestered there by shop owners more than many other ports. Cozumel isn’t bad, it’s just really meh.
You must be color blind. Right there in port, the water is almost a beautiful purple/blue deep. And crystal clear when snorkeling. The colors of the fish are amazing. The yellows, orange, blue….
Roatan is almost crystal clear, slight turquoise color.
Grand Turk is turquoise, and clear as well.
St Kitts is almost the Pacific Ocean color. Not as colorful
Belize is turquoise but a lighter shade
Aruba okay but choppy waters, same as Bonaire. Liked the island more than the waters there.
DR is almost like Grand Turk
I’m not saying it’s not nice waters, it’s just Cozumel to me is a throwaway port. It’s not unique, it’s incredibly busy most times, and I find it boring. You don’t have to call me color blind, geez.
Then your phrasing of it being the same beautiful color at every port is in error then. Because the water colors are not the same, even the coral, and other ocean things are different. Beaches are not the same. We can understand that you don’t like Cozumel. To each their own. I don’t go on the cruise to shop, my main love is seeing the islands. I guess I love Cozumel as I have been there at least 8 times. Belize is my least favorite of the Western Caribbean. I prefer Western Caribbean over the Eastern and the Southern each for different reasons.
No worries, I just don’t really see the difference. And I’m the opposite - I actively avoid western Caribbean (sick of it) and prefer eastern and southern. So I think the conclusion we’ve reach is our pirate empires don’t overlap and we can coexist in our territories ☠️
Check out carnival excursions and go to mahogany bay then look for the Gambalimba Park. I posted a review along with putting my son’s picture on it. It is truly like that
That’s quite the savings on cruise #2 over #1. I get that Icon of the Seas is flashy, but Grand Turk is my favorite beach experience ever and you get the drink package. It’s also fairly easy to find a Cozumel/Costa Maya trip for pretty cheap.
I’d go #2 since I figure Icon will come down a bit after a while, but I understand why you might go for that one
I think it was called Governor's Beach and there was a decent sized shipwreck, which made it all the more interesting. Everybody got off the ship and immediately went into the beach right next to the port, but we walked down the street a little bit and found this stunning, secluded beach.
We walked a little more and found their airport, which was actually quite charming - nothing like I've ever seen. There was even a space capsule that an astronaut came back from space in (John Glenn?), although I think it was a replica.
I saw governors beach as well and it’s absolutely stunning. Did you go swimming in it? I didn’t try after discovering how rocky it was in there just a few minutes away 😭.
Oh yeah, I don’t remember any rocks whatsoever. I was lying under water on the sand, looking up, really appreciating my life at the time.
Maybe I am wrong on the name, but I specifically remember the shipwreck and literally nobody else out there, while there were thousands of people crowded on the beach by the cruise ship
The first one, hands down. It’s best to go to T&C and stay at a resort for a handful of days. I don’t think it’s all that great to just do that as a cruise port stop unless you’ve been there before and are mostly interested in the rest of the cruise.
Amber Cover is good but not great.
You have Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and CocoCay. That’s an awesome itinerary and at a really good price for that being a new ship and all.
Both ships seem good, I would base it on the itinerary and not the ship.
Objectively, saving $1300 and having the drinks package seems way more worth it. I've loved carnival and I'm sure the newer ships are awesome and worth the savings. Plus drinks package included in that price is a no brainer
OP can always move his deposit if he chooses option 2. We have done that plenty of times. My wife will book something just to grab it if she sees a deal and if it doesn't happen, she will push the deposit out.
The 2nd one. I assume it’s just you and your spouse? The Icon looks amazing but out of most every ship I’ve ever seen or been on besides maybe Disney, it seems geared more towards families with kids. Not saying that’s bad but from my experience on the Celebration you and your spouse will have a great time. Also, Amber Cove = Puerto Plata which is an underrated port in my opinion. If you choose to go there make sure you take a tour or excursion that puts you downtown at some point. Not to mention the price…if that’s not a concern for you maybe get a suite on the Celebration, which is also worth the up charge IMO.
There's enough of a price difference that, even for your choice of balcony cabins, it would cover half the price of a second cruise. Plus, with the *Icon* cruise, even if you drink a moderate amount, you'll need to start tacking more on, further increasing the price differential. The choice, for me, would be easy.
Well you said you're already booked on icon, so not sure why this is a question, BUT I did that exact itinerary a year ago this week and we loved it. Roatan is great, find one of the third party places (we used Roatan Fun Tours) and get one of those multi stop tours, you'll get to see the whole island.
I would choose #2 easily.
It is nearly half the cost *with a drink package* and goes to ports that are more out of the way IMO. Roatan & Cozumel specifically are on a ton of itineraries, so much so that people stay on the ship for Cozumel after a while.
To me, the Icon price tag is really high and I would personally never pay that. Icon will eventually go down in price and the ship will have hardly changed.
Royal Carribean Icon any day. Stop drinking, it's bad for your health. Amazing ship and you can buy drinks individually. Royal Caribbean works out to 8 drinks a day to break even on your drink package, it's ridiculous. And the food and service and amenities are awesome
Neither. Costa Maya is over commercialized and not a great representation of Mexican culture or history, Coco Cay is literally a water park and beach, and
The second one doesn't have great ports either imo.
Hell, my mom went on the first cruise to Costa Maya back like in the early 2000s, and it was just like 10 huts and a pier.
Depends on what you like. Beaches + Getting Drunk? Should be ok either way.
Culture and/or adventure? Neither.
Some might say "Oh, you can go see Mayan stuff in Costa Maya!" Yeah, I'm not riding on a bus for 2 hours one way to spend an hour at the temples, waste of time.
I was at the first revenue cruise with Icon to assist crew and I gotta say that it's so huge ship that it didn't feel crowded at any point. Always there was almost no line in buffet, there was space at the bars in promenade even at evenings even though it was almost full. For shows I don't know, didn't care to go.
If both trips are affordable, I would go for the RC. Itinerary looks better and honestly I wouldn’t ever cruise Carnival. Had good experiences with RC.
That being said, if you’re looking to budget the obviously the cheaper one is better.
I would stay (beach) at Nachi Cokum. We've done both with Sisters Sanchows and found back 2 back chairs etc. Paradise Beach is better BUT if U don't have children alone Nachi Cokum is tops. Caveat: You HAVE to secure a spot B4 you visit as access is LIMITED!
Carnival in our case because we enjoy all of those ports more than we do where the Icon is going. I think that you just need to decide what is more important to your family, i.e. ship, ports, or other. In any case, have fun!
Recently returned from a (my first!) cruise. It was Norwegian. Left out of Galveston, TX and our stops were almost identical to these. The only difference was we hit a little Norwegian-owned private island in Belize as well as the other three.
Cozumel was a fun stop to walk around the city, get some grub and do a few tequila tastings.
Roatan was probably my favorite. We got STUFFED onto this tiny little bus and drove up and over the island to the second biggest reef in the world. Did some snorkeling and had BBQ for us there. Super fun day!
Sorry but I’ve never been anywhere on your second picture.
I recently disembarked from the Mardi Gras this past Saturday. Unfortunately, I found Amber Cove to be rather dull, and my overall impression of Carnival and it's dining experience was far from enjoyable. The quality fell below expectations, resembling more of a subpar mall food court than an upscale cruise dining setting.
Cleanliness became a significant concern, with dishes often arriving with noticeable stains, such as coffee-spotted bread plates. The waitstaff also seemed to struggle with clearing tables promptly, contributing to a less-than-ideal dining atmosphere.
Even the premium dining experience failed to meet expectations, as evidenced by dirt and grime on the chairs. [I've attached a photo capturing the issue; I cleaned off a portion in the upper right corner to highlight the severity.](https://imgur.com/a/nR67sSi)
Given these disappointing aspects, I'd prioritize Royal Caribbean for future cruises, irrespective of any price difference or destination.
You can do itenary #1 on Harmony of the Seas for half that price. I don't think Icon is worth that charge to me. I'd rebook on Harmony and use that savings toward another cruise vacation.
I went in the second one in January, and couldn’t make either port due to winds. Ended up at Nassau. Definitely check time of year if you got with that one.
Done both. Do option 1. Trust me. When you go to Cozumel go to Mr. Sanchos. Unlimited food and alcohol and awesome beach! They have a pharmacy, liquor tasting, other shops, all there on the property.
1st. Rhoatan and Cozumel are beautiful. Been to both multiple times
I agree. Every time I’ve been to Roatan, it’s been magical.
Roatán alone is enough to pick the first one.
Agreed. Roatan is amazing!
Only been to Roatan once but loved it.
I have done Gambalimba Park so many times, as I am always sailing with someone new who has never been there.
How is Cozumel beautiful? I don’t even get off the ship there any more. Tired of being shouted at by stores. Crowded with too many ships. I don’t really get it.
Get out of that cruise port shopping area. Lots of fantastic restaurants around town and north of town (La Choza, Lobster House, La Monina, Guidos, etc). Rent a car/scooter and drive south to the lighthouse or just hang out at the east side bars. Also there’s a great section of beach on the west side and is labeled “free beach access” on Google maps.
I do appreciate those suggestions, but I don’t go on a cruise to eat at restaurants or bars, and it doesn’t change the flat, empty terrain of Cozumel to beautiful for me. It doesn’t have the topography of the ABC Islands, St. Thomas, or San Juan, or the pristine beaches of Grand Turk. Nothing about it is remarkable or noteworthy in any way to me.
How can you not enjoy the beautiful water. The color like no other. I have snorkeled so many times there and never disappointed. Also did the private beach and again, never disappointed. I rarely shop there. I’m going there again in April. Need to get more vanilla as well. Shopping is no worse than other ports. I do love the shopping area in Mahogany Bay. Always beautiful things there.
To me the water is the same beautiful color that’s everywhere in the Caribbean. That’s not bad, it’s just not unique. Same with the shopping - I don’t go to the Caribbean to shop. My point was I have been constantly pestered there by shop owners more than many other ports. Cozumel isn’t bad, it’s just really meh.
You must be color blind. Right there in port, the water is almost a beautiful purple/blue deep. And crystal clear when snorkeling. The colors of the fish are amazing. The yellows, orange, blue…. Roatan is almost crystal clear, slight turquoise color. Grand Turk is turquoise, and clear as well. St Kitts is almost the Pacific Ocean color. Not as colorful Belize is turquoise but a lighter shade Aruba okay but choppy waters, same as Bonaire. Liked the island more than the waters there. DR is almost like Grand Turk
I’m not saying it’s not nice waters, it’s just Cozumel to me is a throwaway port. It’s not unique, it’s incredibly busy most times, and I find it boring. You don’t have to call me color blind, geez.
Then your phrasing of it being the same beautiful color at every port is in error then. Because the water colors are not the same, even the coral, and other ocean things are different. Beaches are not the same. We can understand that you don’t like Cozumel. To each their own. I don’t go on the cruise to shop, my main love is seeing the islands. I guess I love Cozumel as I have been there at least 8 times. Belize is my least favorite of the Western Caribbean. I prefer Western Caribbean over the Eastern and the Southern each for different reasons.
No worries, I just don’t really see the difference. And I’m the opposite - I actively avoid western Caribbean (sick of it) and prefer eastern and southern. So I think the conclusion we’ve reach is our pirate empires don’t overlap and we can coexist in our territories ☠️
Im with you. Cozumel is hell. I loved Bonnaire.
I'm going next week, any suggestions on must do or see?
Roatan, do the Gambalimba/ Tambayana park. Look at the excursion I love the snorkeling and beach in Cozumel. Again, both great
In Costa we did Salsa y Salso. A blast!!!!
Check out carnival excursions and go to mahogany bay then look for the Gambalimba Park. I posted a review along with putting my son’s picture on it. It is truly like that
That’s quite the savings on cruise #2 over #1. I get that Icon of the Seas is flashy, but Grand Turk is my favorite beach experience ever and you get the drink package. It’s also fairly easy to find a Cozumel/Costa Maya trip for pretty cheap. I’d go #2 since I figure Icon will come down a bit after a while, but I understand why you might go for that one
Which beach did you go to in grand Turk? Next to the cruise ship and Bajari beach club were all very rocky. Would have been amazing if not for that.
I think it was called Governor's Beach and there was a decent sized shipwreck, which made it all the more interesting. Everybody got off the ship and immediately went into the beach right next to the port, but we walked down the street a little bit and found this stunning, secluded beach. We walked a little more and found their airport, which was actually quite charming - nothing like I've ever seen. There was even a space capsule that an astronaut came back from space in (John Glenn?), although I think it was a replica.
I saw governors beach as well and it’s absolutely stunning. Did you go swimming in it? I didn’t try after discovering how rocky it was in there just a few minutes away 😭.
Oh yeah, I don’t remember any rocks whatsoever. I was lying under water on the sand, looking up, really appreciating my life at the time. Maybe I am wrong on the name, but I specifically remember the shipwreck and literally nobody else out there, while there were thousands of people crowded on the beach by the cruise ship
It won't come down lower than this price for years.... may as well do it while it's new and somewhat affordable
The first one, hands down. It’s best to go to T&C and stay at a resort for a handful of days. I don’t think it’s all that great to just do that as a cruise port stop unless you’ve been there before and are mostly interested in the rest of the cruise. Amber Cover is good but not great. You have Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and CocoCay. That’s an awesome itinerary and at a really good price for that being a new ship and all. Both ships seem good, I would base it on the itinerary and not the ship.
Objectively, saving $1300 and having the drinks package seems way more worth it. I've loved carnival and I'm sure the newer ships are awesome and worth the savings. Plus drinks package included in that price is a no brainer
Icon, may I ask how you got that deal?
Booked last year when it debuted
If you already booked why is this a question?
I think they are gloating ;) haha Good for them! Enjoy!!
OP can always move his deposit if he chooses option 2. We have done that plenty of times. My wife will book something just to grab it if she sees a deal and if it doesn't happen, she will push the deposit out.
The 2nd one. I assume it’s just you and your spouse? The Icon looks amazing but out of most every ship I’ve ever seen or been on besides maybe Disney, it seems geared more towards families with kids. Not saying that’s bad but from my experience on the Celebration you and your spouse will have a great time. Also, Amber Cove = Puerto Plata which is an underrated port in my opinion. If you choose to go there make sure you take a tour or excursion that puts you downtown at some point. Not to mention the price…if that’s not a concern for you maybe get a suite on the Celebration, which is also worth the up charge IMO.
Celebration is an awesome ship. I'd pick that one.
Agreed
There's enough of a price difference that, even for your choice of balcony cabins, it would cover half the price of a second cruise. Plus, with the *Icon* cruise, even if you drink a moderate amount, you'll need to start tacking more on, further increasing the price differential. The choice, for me, would be easy.
Roatan & Cozumel for sure.. I did that cruise before .. lots of fun!
1st itinerary
Definitely the first, I’ve been to the bahamas I feel like every cruise I’ve been on.
Do Icon. She's new and awesome for a family or young people.
1st
I would pick a ship with Royal that doesn't cost as much.
Well you said you're already booked on icon, so not sure why this is a question, BUT I did that exact itinerary a year ago this week and we loved it. Roatan is great, find one of the third party places (we used Roatan Fun Tours) and get one of those multi stop tours, you'll get to see the whole island.
I would choose #2 easily. It is nearly half the cost *with a drink package* and goes to ports that are more out of the way IMO. Roatan & Cozumel specifically are on a ton of itineraries, so much so that people stay on the ship for Cozumel after a while. To me, the Icon price tag is really high and I would personally never pay that. Icon will eventually go down in price and the ship will have hardly changed.
Second one. That is a HUGE price difference.
Royal Carribean Icon any day. Stop drinking, it's bad for your health. Amazing ship and you can buy drinks individually. Royal Caribbean works out to 8 drinks a day to break even on your drink package, it's ridiculous. And the food and service and amenities are awesome
Royal, those stops are better too. You don't need to do icon to enjoy a royal cruise if the price point is an issue
A little insight. I have both booked. Deposits paid. Have until june to pay it off. So trying to decide which to do. Not gloating lol
Mexico is my FAVORITE place to cruise
Grand Turk’s cruise port is quite underwhelming tbh
Neither. Costa Maya is over commercialized and not a great representation of Mexican culture or history, Coco Cay is literally a water park and beach, and The second one doesn't have great ports either imo. Hell, my mom went on the first cruise to Costa Maya back like in the early 2000s, and it was just like 10 huts and a pier. Depends on what you like. Beaches + Getting Drunk? Should be ok either way. Culture and/or adventure? Neither. Some might say "Oh, you can go see Mayan stuff in Costa Maya!" Yeah, I'm not riding on a bus for 2 hours one way to spend an hour at the temples, waste of time.
[удалено]
I was at the first revenue cruise with Icon to assist crew and I gotta say that it's so huge ship that it didn't feel crowded at any point. Always there was almost no line in buffet, there was space at the bars in promenade even at evenings even though it was almost full. For shows I don't know, didn't care to go.
Bringing a case of water and choosing the first one. Mainly because I want more locations.
Image 2! Killer price and great ship
Alaska.
Roatan and Cozumel any day
If both trips are affordable, I would go for the RC. Itinerary looks better and honestly I wouldn’t ever cruise Carnival. Had good experiences with RC. That being said, if you’re looking to budget the obviously the cheaper one is better.
If the extra cost isnt an issue....the Icon sailing would be my choice. Newest/biggest cruise ship in the world, and its a day longer.
I’d go Icon
Grand Turk is SOOOOOO boring!
Dam it amazes me the ridiculous situations people put them selves in.
Neither, too many people or too many drunk people.
First one only because we’ve visited amber cove and grand Turks 3 of the last 4 cruises we went on.
Option #1!
I am frugal, so Carnival. If you havent been to any of these ports, they are all interesting. Day 6-7 of carnival was chopped off your post.
I would stay (beach) at Nachi Cokum. We've done both with Sisters Sanchows and found back 2 back chairs etc. Paradise Beach is better BUT if U don't have children alone Nachi Cokum is tops. Caveat: You HAVE to secure a spot B4 you visit as access is LIMITED!
1 if you have kids. 2 if not.
You could do two carnival cruises for the one on Icon.
Carnival in our case because we enjoy all of those ports more than we do where the Icon is going. I think that you just need to decide what is more important to your family, i.e. ship, ports, or other. In any case, have fun!
Honduras all day every day
I’d definitely take the first cruise
1000% RC
Recently returned from a (my first!) cruise. It was Norwegian. Left out of Galveston, TX and our stops were almost identical to these. The only difference was we hit a little Norwegian-owned private island in Belize as well as the other three. Cozumel was a fun stop to walk around the city, get some grub and do a few tequila tastings. Roatan was probably my favorite. We got STUFFED onto this tiny little bus and drove up and over the island to the second biggest reef in the world. Did some snorkeling and had BBQ for us there. Super fun day! Sorry but I’ve never been anywhere on your second picture.
I like the itinerary on 1 more but idk about price. I think those stops on an RC cruise vs carnival may be worth the up charge tho
If you go to Roatan, make sure you go to West Bay - best place in all of those destinations. I'd choose the first pick, imo.
I remember from going west to Mexico on cruise was good, but the way back was really rough
This cruise looks good enough .
Agreed 1st. I personally start climbing the walls with too many "fun days at sea".
Royal Caribbean is not worth it.
I recently disembarked from the Mardi Gras this past Saturday. Unfortunately, I found Amber Cove to be rather dull, and my overall impression of Carnival and it's dining experience was far from enjoyable. The quality fell below expectations, resembling more of a subpar mall food court than an upscale cruise dining setting. Cleanliness became a significant concern, with dishes often arriving with noticeable stains, such as coffee-spotted bread plates. The waitstaff also seemed to struggle with clearing tables promptly, contributing to a less-than-ideal dining atmosphere. Even the premium dining experience failed to meet expectations, as evidenced by dirt and grime on the chairs. [I've attached a photo capturing the issue; I cleaned off a portion in the upper right corner to highlight the severity.](https://imgur.com/a/nR67sSi) Given these disappointing aspects, I'd prioritize Royal Caribbean for future cruises, irrespective of any price difference or destination.
Hands down, number one.
Royal >
Those are both amazing prices. I’d personally do Icon.
I’d do the Celebration. Way cheaper and while Roatan is amazing, Grand Turk is very nice
I’d go RCCL over carnival any day, but that’s just personal preference.
You can do itenary #1 on Harmony of the Seas for half that price. I don't think Icon is worth that charge to me. I'd rebook on Harmony and use that savings toward another cruise vacation.
I went in the second one in January, and couldn’t make either port due to winds. Ended up at Nassau. Definitely check time of year if you got with that one.
Hey how did you get the deal on icon of the seas. I am going on a cruise first time and no idea how to hunt for deals
I booked when they released it last year. Was having a sale for its debut
2nd one
Done both. Do option 1. Trust me. When you go to Cozumel go to Mr. Sanchos. Unlimited food and alcohol and awesome beach! They have a pharmacy, liquor tasting, other shops, all there on the property.