Hi All,
My wife and I ("young" mid-40's) have been wracking our brains planning a Caribbean trip for Feb. '05. We were going crazy trying to decide on which island to vacation. Then, a waitress at a local restaurant suggested a cruise. Hmmm, that way, we wouldn't have to decide on a single island, but sample many - and for about the same price as staying at one property on one island! So, here we are, never having considered cruising before and seeing all the choices - wow! Do we ever need help! Our trip could be a 7 or 8 night total.We like a good pool scene, casino, show, good bars/food(gee, how unique!) We live in NY. Some kind suggestions, please?

Oh yes, on the subject of large vs. smaller ships:We don't mind the number of passengers per se, but wouldn't be happy if we couldn't find 2 lounge chairs poolside if we didn't arrive there at sunrise.

Suggest you surf over to www.cruisecritic.com and research your trip with that sites helpful advice. I am a long-time devotee of cruising but will NEVER go on a big ship for a variety of reasons. Your first cruise can make or break your interest in cruising so get some help. A good travel agent who asks a lot of questions about what you like/dislike would be a good idea. I would suggest that you also check out www.windstarcruises.com and see how they differ from the mega-ships. If you like to relax and don't need to be entertained, then a big ship isn't for you. If you want to explore, then a small ship is much better (just think about the logistics of getting 1000 people off a ship vs. 150). Have fun! If you like to dress up and party, then go to one of the big ships. Just plan carefully and you'll be fine.

I think you may be able to find a 2 for the price of 1 sailing on the Radisson Diamond for February. That's a great ship and you'll always have lounge chairs together, great food, great everything.

tabcourt,
I just looked on the RSSC website and there are 2 for 1's on the Diamond:
http://www.rssc.com/voyage/details.jsp?code=DIA050215

For a first timer, I think you'd be happier with a smaller ship. You may want to look into Windstar and Silverseas as well. If you can swing it, a cabin with a balcony would be really special too. Happy Cruising!

Posting again to add something I forgot to mention. If you do choose the Diamond, they have a water activity platform that lowers in port for complimentary water sports. We really enjoyed jet skiing one afternoon. Others were waterskiing and kayaking. Everything you need is provided and it's a nice perk that you won't find on larger ships.

Also as you may or may not know all tips are included in your cruise fare, as well as alcohol set ups in the cabin, soft drinks, wine and cocktails at dinner. On Larger ships you pay for everything...including bottled water and soft drinks.

I would recommend a "Southern Caribbean" cruise out of Puerto Rico. You could add a couple of days in PR before the cruise and get a good sampling of 4 or 5 additional islands.

As to big or small ship, if you like big convention type hotels with lots of people and activities, lounges, bar, etc., than go for a large ship, 70,000+ Tons. If you are into smaller luxury hotels, that are more sedate, and like to dress up, go for a smaller ship on a luxury line. My one recommendation would be to take a ship that is not more than 5 years old, and IMO the newer the better.