Your guide to choosing a Western Caribbean or Eastern Caribbean cruise for your family

Summer vacation planning is likely at the top of your to-do list.  My kids, 16 and 9 years old, a boy and girl respectively, usually don’t have the same things in mind when thinking about a dream vacation.  My son wants to explore, go geocaching, and enjoy nature, while my daughter enjoys swimming, find native sparkly jewelry (ie – go shopping), and historical landmarks.  I enjoy it all.   I really do.  Well, I’m not a big fan of shopping actually.

We’ve gone to the beach for almost every vacation the last 15 years and will be going to the mountains in Arkansas this summer, so to balance things out, because I can’t possibly go 6 months without seeing the ocean, we planned a cruise vacation with Carnival Cruise line for our Spring Break.  I am really excited because I know both kids will enjoy the cruise since there are a lot of entertainment and activity options on board and at ports that cater to both of their tastes.

While your spring break has likely passed, planning your summer vacation doesn’t have to be difficult especially if you consider a cruise.     This will be our first family cruise and the kids are as excited as my husband and I are.  The most difficult part of planning our cruise vacation was choosing whether to go on an Eastern Caribbean or Western Caribbean cruise.

Below are scenarios I put together for those of you who are wondering which is better fro your family; a Western or Easter Caribbean cruise.    These scenarios take into consideration that we are departing from Miami but there are many other ports to choose from.  There are so many choices when it comes to a cruise, including departure ports, destinations, excursions, etc.  Carnival Cruise line lets you choose a cruise based on departure port and/or preferred destinations.  The ship below is Carnival Breeze and is the ship we’ll be cruising on during our Spring Break.

Whether you should choose the Western or Eastern Caribbean-style Carnival Cruise depends a lot on your personality.   They each have different flavors in the activities that you will participate in and places you will visit.

For example, if you choose the Western Caribbean Carnival Cruise and you start out in Miami, you will have the option to take a fun fan boat ride through the Everglades. The local wildlife, gators, Blue Herons and cranes, ensure a unique party location.

On the second day of your Western Caribbean cruise, you will experience a fun time at sea, and you will also have access to a sports bar that features big screen TVs. On the third day, you visit Cozumel, Mexico, a location made famous for its scuba diving, but that is not all that is available here. While in Cozumel, you can check out the amazing secret river or swim with the dolphins. There is also an all-inclusive beach day and sea lion show. While here, the ancient Mayan Kingdom of Tulum will also be available to visitors.

On day four of the Eastern Caribbean Cruise, you will be visiting Belize, which gives you the sightseeing privileges to some of the most diverse wildlife on the planet. The Mayan ruins of Altun Ha are also located here. It’s the perfect island paradise, and you can visit the famous Jaguar Cave or go on a ziplining adventure.Day five, you visit Mahogany Bay. You have a beach house exclusive getaway, but you can also visit the Mayan Princess, which features an all-inclusive bar.

On day six, the cruise takes you to Grand Cayman, the biggest of the Grand Cayman islands. Here, you can swim with dolphins or go kayaking. There is also a stingray and turtle swimming option.For day six, you enjoy a fun day at sea with the Twister Water Slide and Cloud 9 Spa. There is also a serenity adult-only retreat. On Day seven, you can enjoy a game of roulette or party it up with DJ Irie. It’s the perfect place to get your groove on.

How does an Eastern Caribbean Cruise differ?

To start out with day one, you have a more relaxed vibe. For example, once you get off the plane, you can enjoy a hop-on or hop-off city tour of Miami. The is also the option for an Everglades tour.

On day two, you visit the exotic Half Moon Cay private island. A perfect location for a romantic getaway. You have sightseeing, snorkeling and horseback riding.