Just thought - huricanes may be a problem in August! Perhaps that's why there are so few cruises around the Caribbean at that time of the year?

Yes that and also that it is simply that they are deploying their ships all over the world. Summer Alaska Med. etc etc. Winter Far East Australia/NZ etc The Caribbean has a lot of the ships back there during the winter as the US passengers want this but not during the summer. Yes it is best to avoid the Caribbean in Hurricane season July/November.

Repositioning cruises are great value such as Panama from the West Coast back to the Caribbean. Mexico is an all year round but tend to have shorter cruises. It is also best to avoid short Caribbean cruises even if you are putting 2 or 3 together to give you a longer holiday. I avoid these as there is a lot of drinking/partying etc so not ideal with a family.

Hope this helps. I have just booked for the NZ/OZ for November this year and I am off to NY and the Caribbean with QM2 at the end of February.

Sue

Caribbean summer cruises are most popular with US tourists!
I've taken 9 Caribbean cruises during the summer. They all sail full!!
Never had a problem with hurricanes. 2005 was a bad year in the gulf of Mexico but there were none in 2006. The Caribbean gets millions of tourists ,whether to land resorts or on cruises that have not been impacted by hurricanes each year.. The Cruiselines will take you well out of the way of bad weather.
Try any of the Royal Caribbean cruises that leave from Miami or Port Canaveral. For example, Mariner of the Seas to E or W Caribbean for 7 nights. Freedom or Liberty of the Seas from Miami to E or W Caribbean for 7 nights.For more info see www. Freedomoftheseas.com
Adventure of the Seas from San Juan also to Southern Caribbean for 7 nights.
Freedom and Liberty are the largest ships afloat, they have H2O zones, Flowrider, sports courts, several pools, Rock Wall, Ice skating, shops, something to do for everyone.
After that take a look at Caribbean Princess 9 nights from New York to E and W Caribbean. Fabulous ship.
NCL Dawn has a nice itinerary to Bermuda from New York for 7 nights also.

Huricane season , and reduced number of ships, will reduce the options a bit but still choice if you look just not pushed as much in the UK by the Travel industry since the Med is more popular.

How old are the kids, are they still looking for teenage things or are they happy with adult time or looking for a mixture. Is the stay theme park or something a bit more beachy or cultural. If the stay is beach then could a longer cruise do the job with some beach days.

You may find a DIY package could work, standard 2 week fly drive and slip a cruise in the middle.

What sort of budget (pp or total with or without spends) do you have that could make a difference.

If the kids really are about to leave home and are in the UK drinking age group then US ships are not so tollerant of drinking under 21.

My recomendation is try to plan a similar trip this year and see what you can get, the chances are the same will be available next year or something very similar.

Too get a list of cruises use somewhere like http://www.vacationstogo.com/ add about £50pp for taxes and fuel and you will be close on the price range.

No idea on prices of the flights and land part put a 7night caribbean trip out of florida in August are currently around £400-£600pp cruise only cheaper pp if you 4 berth it.

One option could be Carnival Destiny out of Barbados with a cruise and stay from there I have seen some good offers on Barbados with BA holidays in the past.

Thanks for the tips. There will be two adults, an 18 year old daughter and a 15 year old son. The girl will be happy just soaking up the sun but the boy is a bit more active so some sporting activities are needed on board. We've never tried a DIY package before but that is an option as it may save some £££s. Budget wise we've looking at a maximum of £6,000. I'l do some research!

I would look for a ship with a sport court(thats most) they do activities like football short tennis etc. climbing walls are popular.

The other thing to think about is cabins and sharing arangements, one popular option is balcony with inside opposite, some ships have 2 bedroom suites, 3-4 pax are much cheaper and you get other benifits. I think you should find something at that budget,

Another option might be to consider something like this, http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=19207 with flights to NY perhaps a city break and cruise to the sun.

or mexico out of the west coast here is one from LA http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=20938

Just noticed on TXT that http://www.virginholidayscruises.com/ do crusie/stay packages, this could be a good place to set basic pricing that you need to better with DIY.

Another point many people think that a Stay/Cruise is the best option because the stay part is often a bit of a let down after a cruise.

Jetsave do cruise and stay packages and I've had a quote for a week in Orlando and a week on the Carnival Glory's Western Caribbean cruise for about £5,800. This is for 3 adults and 1 teen in August 09. Now I'm sure I can save some money if I put this together as a DIY, although as I've never done a DIY holiday before I'm not sure where to start. I note this cruise is on sale at http://www.vacationstogo.com. Is my best bet to book the cruise and then find flights/accommodation around this? And given the protection that comes with a "packaged" cruise holiday, is there going to be a significant saving be going DIY?

Thanks for any help!

Planning wise I think you have to do flights and cruise around the same time and try to sync these up then locking both in,
If prepared to do a land/sea then flights are probably best booked first if cheap since there are likely to be more cruise options and if they go up a land holiday is the fall back, book the cruise and the air goes up you are stuffed.

Land accomodation is easier so can be left till later.

When giving prices for other to help, cabin grade and count are needed because this can make a big difference to costs especialy 2 cabins against a 4share.

I would guess this is 2 cabins at £1450pp which sounds a lot but are flight steep that time of year?

August 09 cruise only <£500pp
http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=19115

Virgin(easy to check there must be cheaper) flydrive Aug 09 is around £3800 for 4 so not far of the same added together.

too early for scheduled flight options.

I'm not sure of the exact breakdown but the cost was based on 3 adults and a teenager (15) sharing a 4 berth outside cabin flying to Orlando on 17 August. The flights definitely push up the cost as it's the last fortnight of the school holidays. There's not a lot of room for manoeuvre when you don't want to take your kids out of school, unfortunately.

Why don 't you look at Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas from Port Canaveral, (Orlando area) a much more beautiful ship than the Glory, and lots more to do onboard for all the family. They do alternate East and Western Caribbean. She has an ice skating rink, rock wall, the flowrider, grand Promenade, sports courts, several pools, H2O zone.....