First Caribbean Cruise

[alexandraweston600]

Hi all, looking for a bit of advice! I am looking to organise a Caribbean cruise for November 2026 - I know that the itineraries are not out yet for then but am looking to get an idea if the ports of call generally stay the same / similar. I think we would be looking to sail out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale. We will be flying in from England / Spain for the cruise.

Any tips, etc more than welcome! There will be about 11 of us 

[Matt]

I'd say there's a good chance the itineraries stay the same, especially on 7-night cruises on the Oasis or Icon Class ships

[Ryan79]

The larger class ships can only get into a limited number of ports, therefore there is a limited number of itineraries that they are able to string together. So what you are seeing now, will be very very close to what you will see for November 2026. The good news with that is you can start looking at itineraries now, find one you like, and start looking into the ports and research excursions 

[steverk]

My advice is to consider the Voyager and Freedom. The cost is generally much less than Icon. The itineraries are more varied and interesting. And they are bug enough to have plenty of toys on board 

[Villageidiot]

Depending on cost I find Fort Lauderdale is easier than Miami. The airport and cruise terminal are very close together. I enjoyed our cruise this year on Odyssey of the Seas. This class of ship is polarizing if you read reviews but I liked the 270 experience and the non traditional promenade deck. I personally find Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries more interesting. Good luck with your planning.

[Ampurp85]

I agree that maybe you should start off with a smaller class over something like Oasis and Icon class. Also try a shorter itinerary so you can get a feel for cruising. Freedom and Mariner are great ships to start out on. I also think Fort Lauderdale(FLL) is much easier to navigate for first timers. The airport is visible from the cruise terminal and vice versa. The hotels are also more wallet friendly.  I often fly in and out of FLL even when sailing from Miami.

[SebagoSue]

@alexandraweston600 Being the family cruise planner also, I can appreciate planning this far in advance. Given the distance you are traveling,  I would recommend doing at least a 7 night cruise on an Oasis class ship.  As several people stated above, the itineraries for these ships out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale stay pretty much the same, it’s just the ship that may change. Sailing out of Port Canaveral (Orlando) is another option, just not as easy with flights most likely.

While I love both Voyager and Freedom class ships, I think the Oasis class has so much more to do than the smaller, older ships.  It has more entertainment, more activities and more restaurant possibilities, so with a group of 11 everyone can find something they like.  I also think right now it’s more budget friendly than Icon class.

Good luck with your planning!

[Herman Hinkelstein]

Agree with my Very wise friend @SebagoSue. Oasis class is the way to go. Plenty to do and a lot of great dining options to keep everyone happy while also visiting to most popular and developed Caribbean ports. My family and I had a great time in Falmouth Jamaica aboard the oasis. The kids loved it, the whole “Rastafarian “ vibe. So much fun! Yah Mon!

[smokeybandit]

I wouldn't go any less than 5 nights for a first cruise. Odds are you'll enjoy it, and any shorter cruise you'll be packing to go home right when you get a feel for things.

 

 

[Ampurp85]

If I was flying from overseas or something I would book a shorty then something longer....but that's just me

[steverk]

23 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

If I was flying from overseas or something I would book a shorty then something longer....but that's just me

To each his own. I'm of the opposite opinion.  If I fly across an ocean,  there's no way I'd do a short cruise.

[Southern Dan]

14 minutes ago, steverk said:

To each his own. I'm of the opposite opinion.  If I fly across an ocean,  there's no way I'd do a short cruise.

I think Ampurp was saying do a short AND then longer cruise B2B since the OP is flying in from Europe...

[steverk]

6 minutes ago, Southern Dan said:

I think Ampurp was saying do a short AND then longer cruise B2B since the OP is flying in from Europe...

That would be more sensible. 

[Traveling Mike]

I am the opposite as most people.  Do not go small and short the first time with a big group.  You are coming from England go on an Oasis class ship and go 7 days or longer.  Also hotels in Miami can be expensive so keep that in mind and maybe look for an Airbnb.

 

the other thought is go out of Orlando.  You can do 5 days at Disney World then go to the port and do a 7 or 8 day Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Adventure of the Seas for a good price.

 

[alexandraweston600]

Thanks all for your helpful replies. We will be looking to do Oasis class as I think Icon will be too expensive unfortunately  We have been on Symphony in Europe already and are booked to go on Allure just after the refit - we are able to drive up to Barcelona from where we live in Spain, so its super easy but flying in is going to be a whole new experience!

Appreciate the thoughts re Fort Lauderdale being much easier than navigating Miami. Does anybody have any hotel recommendations for Fort Lauderdale as would likely fly in a couple of days before? And also anything in particular to see whilst we are there?

Regarding itinerary, ideally we would like to include Roatan (my son is obsessed with Sloths and would be so happy if we could go and see some in real life) and I also think Perfect Day would be amazing if we were able to find a route with both - at the moment I can only see Icon offering this but you never know!!

Thanks again!

[Pooch]

Loved the sloths!

[FionaMG]

27 minutes ago, alexandraweston600 said:

Thanks all for your helpful replies. We will be looking to do Oasis class as I think Icon will be too expensive unfortunately  We have been on Symphony in Europe already and are booked to go on Allure just after the refit - we are able to drive up to Barcelona from where we live in Spain, so its super easy but flying in is going to be a whole new experience!

Appreciate the thoughts re Fort Lauderdale being much easier than navigating Miami. Does anybody have any hotel recommendations for Fort Lauderdale as would likely fly in a couple of days before? And also anything in particular to see whilst we are there?

Regarding itinerary, ideally we would like to include Roatan (my son is obsessed with Sloths and would be so happy if we could go and see some in real life) and I also think Perfect Day would be amazing if we were able to find a route with both - at the moment I can only see Icon offering this but you never know!!

Thanks again!

Regarding Fort Lauderdale vs Miami, flying from Europe you can easily get non-stop flights straight to Miami International whereas to fly into Fort Lauderdale you will almost certainly need to book connecting flights. This may impact prices and convenience.

If you fly into Miami and sail from there, you will save on the cost of transport from Miami to Fort Lauderdale which, for 11 people, will not be insignificant even if you choose the cheapest method.

Conversely, accommodation in Fort Lauderdale is likely to be cheaper than in Miami, so that may offset the additional transport costs. Do your sums.

Where accommodation is concerned, for a larger party like yours, it may be cost effective to look at somewhere like Home2suites or Gallery One by Doubletree (both of these are Hilton properties but I expect other chains offer similar options) as they offer apartment-style accommodations with kitchenettes that can sleep 6-8 people per unit.

If you do stay in Fort Lauderdale, the water taxi is a great way to spend a day. https://watertaxi.com/

Lastly, regarding Roatan as a destination, if any of your party are British passport holders (and do not have a second nationality that they can use, such as Spanish), note that they will require a visa. This is a new measure by the Honduran government that is due to come into force on 15 August 2024 (i.e. next week).

 

[Southern Dan]

Although the itineraries for November 2026 won't be announced until late this year I'm sure there will be a 7 Nt Western Itineary + Perfect Day where you can hit both Roatan and Coco Cay.  It is a pretty common itinerary for Royal ships that alternate between the 7 Nt Eastern and Western jaunts.

[Peter D]

6 hours ago, alexandraweston600 said:

Thanks all for your helpful replies. We will be looking to do Oasis class as I think Icon will be too expensive unfortunately 

I would not rule out Icon for consideration in November 2026.  With the addition of Star of the Seas in 2025, pricing on Icon might be more affordable than you think.

[Herman Hinkelstein]

6 hours ago, Pooch said:

Loved the sloths!

Blatant exploitation of animals under the guise of “eco-tourism”….disgusting

[alexandraweston600]

20 hours ago, FionaMG said:

Regarding Fort Lauderdale vs Miami, flying from Europe you can easily get non-stop flights straight to Miami International whereas to fly into Fort Lauderdale you will almost certainly need to book connecting flights. This may impact prices and convenience.

If you fly into Miami and sail from there, you will save on the cost of transport from Miami to Fort Lauderdale which, for 11 people, will not be insignificant even if you choose the cheapest method.

Conversely, accommodation in Fort Lauderdale is likely to be cheaper than in Miami, so that may offset the additional transport costs. Do your sums.

Where accommodation is concerned, for a larger party like yours, it may be cost effective to look at somewhere like Home2suites or Gallery One by Doubletree (both of these are Hilton properties but I expect other chains offer similar options) as they offer apartment-style accommodations with kitchenettes that can sleep 6-8 people per unit.

If you do stay in Fort Lauderdale, the water taxi is a great way to spend a day. https://watertaxi.com/

Lastly, regarding Roatan as a destination, if any of your party are British passport holders (and do not have a second nationality that they can use, such as Spanish), note that they will require a visa. This is a new measure by the Honduran government that is due to come into force on 15 August 2024 (i.e. next week).

 

Thank you so much, hugely useful information!

[Linda R]

I also would not fly across the ocean for like 12 hours and do a short cruise.  In fact I am in the US and will pretty much only do 14 days, I usually do B2B.  I live in Idaho so East Coast is still a ways to fly and change plane once or twice.