Eastern vs Western

[Maesa]

Hi - Thinking about going on the 7 day cruise next year. Which one did you enjoy and prefer most? Eastern or Western?

Thank you.

April

 

[Mouse~House]

From what I have read on other posts the difference between Eastern and Western is if your goal is to go on more adventurous excursions you go on a Western, if you prefer to lounge on a beautiful beach you go on a Eastern. I have been on a Western and am going on an Eastern later in the fall. I am sure I will love the Eastern as much as I did the Western! If I were you I would check out the different activities at all of the ports and choose the itinerary that interests you the most.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Hi - Thinking about going on the 7 day cruise next year. Which one did you enjoy and prefer most? Eastern or Western?

Thank you.

April

We’ve done both on the Fantasy, Eastern in 2013 and Western in 2014. Eastern was definitely a more relaxing, laid back cruise, while Western seemed more adventurous to me. I think part of that was the extra sea day on the eastern. I wouldn’t hesitate to do either again, but have to give a little extra nod to eastern, only because I LOVE sea days.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

Hi - Thinking about going on the 7 day cruise next year. Which one did you enjoy and prefer most? Eastern or Western?

Thank you.

April

Having been on each twice, I probably prefer the Western. As Mouse~House said, I think the excursion options are more varied with the Western, especially at Cozumel. I generally prefer more sea days, but we skipped getting off the ship in Jamaica our last time on the Western, which essentially gave us another sea day.

 

[southerngirl528]

but have to give a little extra nod to eastern, only because I LOVE sea days.

Count me in on this vote!

 

[MickeyD]

I have been on both, the Western far more than the Eastern. While I love a good beach, I prefer the calmer waters of the Caribbean to the eastern Atlantic, but then I cruise in February and it can be a bit choppy. I know everyone says that the extra sea day is nice, and sometimes it is, but honestly, i get bored and prefer to have that extra port on the Western. Of course, your preference may be different.

 

[Tulip2796]

We did the Western in 2016 and the Eastern less than 3 weeks ago - we definitely prefer the Western. The initial day on the ship plus 3 sea days was a lot. We enjoy our time on the ship and it's definitely relaxing, but we prefer a little more adventure. Even the ports on the Eastern are very low key. We live 10 minutes from the beach so our goal when cruising is not more time on a beach, a day on Castaway Cay is enough. On the Western we swam with dolphins, went in caves and got to explore an island a bit and saw sea turtles and other animals which my kids love. There just seemed to be more to do at the ports on the Western. We still had a lot of fun on the Eastern and my kids can't wait to cruise again but I don't really see ourselves doing the Eastern again.

 

[lorimay]

This is my thought on the choice:

No matter which itinerary you choose first doesn't matter, because you will become addicted and do the other itinerary as soon as you possibly can!

Have fun!!!

 

[disney_dreamin]

If I were you I would check out the different activities at all of the ports and choose the itinerary that interests you the most.

This is my thought on the choice:

No matter which itinerary you choose first doesn't matter, because you will become addicted and do the other itinerary as soon as you possibly can!

Checking the excursions was how I originally chose to go on the Western itinerary. Since then I tried to go on the Eastern itinerary but ended up doing the Western due to a hurricane going through the Eastern Caribbean, and I chose the Western itinerary again because Jamaica was added instead of Key West, and hubby and I always wanted to go there. Planning on the Eastern itinerary soon, to I absolutely can't wait! But lorimay is right, whichever you choose first, you'll want to go on the other itinerary as soon as possible!

 

[Mouse~House]

Checking the excursions was how I originally chose to go on the Western itinerary. Since then I tried to go on the Eastern itinerary but ended up doing the Western due to a hurricane going through the Eastern Caribbean, and I chose the Western itinerary again because Jamaica was added instead of Key West, and hubby and I always wanted to go there. Planning on the Eastern itinerary soon, to I absolutely can't wait! But lorimay is right, whichever you choose first, you'll want to go on the other itinerary as soon as possible!

This is definitely true! disney_dreamin's experience in booking an Eastern but going on a Western is a good example of why it doesn't hurt to check out all excursions. Never know when mother nature will decide to change your plans!

 

[mycutiepatooties]

Do you have to take smaller tender boats to dock at any of the Western Ports? This would be an issue for me due to motion sickness. We did the Eastern on the Fantasy and I really loved the extra sea days.

 

[disney_dreamin]

You have to take a tender boat in Grand Cayman.

 

[ScooterScott44]

We have been on both twice, our last eastern was a little over a month ago. We would agree with other posts that the western has better choices on excursions. Cozumel has a great range of port adventures, from the exciting to the historical (Chichen Itza). Having the extra sea day on the eastern is very nice also. You need to weigh what is most important to you.

The drawback at this time for the eastern is the ports/islands are still rebuilding from the last hurricane season. Tortola is still not open and we heard rumors while on the ship it could be November before the port is accessible. St. Maartin is a fun place but there was still a lot of work to be done. A more optimistic point of view is by going to the eastern you are supporting their economy as they are rebuilding.

 

[OKW Lover]

We have done both several times. We try to mix it up by doing a eastern one time and a western the next just so we will have different ports. But we've also repeated. I wouldn't give the edge to one over the other.

 

[mousefan73]

Bumping as i found this while searching. We are also trying to decide which one to take. Which one has ports that are best suited for an elderly woman who can walk on her own but not long distances. 1 hour max in the heat. My mom would like to get off the boat maybe for an hour or two for something within walking distance is. Or ports that offer air-conditioned tours that aren’t too long. But my mom actually might prefer to stay on board. Also which one has the most tender ports. I read above the Cayman Islands does tenders so do all the other ports in the eastern and western itineraries have pier stops? Also our travel time would be end of August if that plays a role with water or temperature conditions. I figure risk of hurricane is just as great eastern and western, correct?

The one thing that really would interest me would be Cozumel and seeing the Myon ruins. If anyone can come at is this a trip one can do on their own hands a lot cheaper than a Disney port excursion ?

 

[amiskell28]

Bumping as i found this while searching. We are also trying to decide which one to take. Which one has ports that are best suited for an elderly woman who can walk on her own but not long distances. 1 hour max in the heat. My mom would like to get off the boat maybe for an hour or two for something within walking distance is. Or ports that offer air-conditioned tours that aren’t too long. But my mom actually might prefer to stay on board. Also which one has the most tender ports. I read above the Cayman Islands does tenders so do all the other ports in the eastern and western itineraries have pier stops? Also our travel time would be end of August if that plays a role with water or temperature conditions. I figure risk of hurricane is just as great eastern and western, correct?

The one thing that really would interest me would be Cozumel and seeing the Myon ruins. If anyone can come at is this a trip one can do on their own hands a lot cheaper than a Disney port excursion ?

Take my advice with a grain of salt (since we're taking our first cruise ever in February - Eastern on the Fantasy), but - from what you describe, it sounds like the Eastern would suit your traveling party better. We chose Eastern for our first, as we've never seen any ship (let alone a Disney ship), and we want to enjoy it and relax. The extra sea day and relaxed ports of call appealed to us. We'll almost certainly do a Western at some point, but we're trying this first!

From what I've read - you can't go wrong no matter what you try! Happy cruising!

 

[My2Qtz0205]

Eastern, a million times over! DH says he will never step foot in Mexico again. I don’t think we would get off the boat in Jamaica, either. Grand Cayman was nice, and honestly we had fun in Cozumel, but with the climate in Mexico we will not go back.
St. Thomas and Tortola were so nice! I would definitely go back there! We swam with sea turtles in St. Thomas and at Tortola we went to the Baths.

 

[mlayton14]

Eastern much more scenic as far as natural beauty goes, western more options including all inclusive days on shore. Both are great but prefer western

 

[ScooterScott44]

Take my advice with a grain of salt (since we're taking our first cruise ever in February - Eastern on the Fantasy), but - from what you describe, it sounds like the Eastern would suit your traveling party better. We chose Eastern for our first, as we've never seen any ship (let alone a Disney ship), and we want to enjoy it and relax. The extra sea day and relaxed ports of call appealed to us. We'll almost certainly do a Western at some point, but we're trying this first!

From what I've read - you can't go wrong no matter what you try! Happy cruising!

You will see my earlier response up higher in the thread. Taking the information you shared into account I agree that the Eastern would be better. The Mayan ruins are a great excursion but you have to take a boat from Cozumel to the mainland for the excursions. If tendering is an issue, while Grand Caymen is a great stop it does require tendering. It also sounds like your mom would not make it outside the port shops in Jamaica and if you have been to one you will not find huge differences.

 

[Meriweather]

Done both multiple times.....my adventursome, but do like something to do.
Much, much prefer Western....even though I am tired of Cozumel, but do find new things to do each time.
Going for the 5th time there in Jan. and did find something new to do.
Love Grand Cayman, but out of 4 times, they had to skip it twice....makes for another resting day.