Find out the cruise lines that offer both eastern and western cruises. Some cruise lines you may want to consider are Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Lines.
Look at the ports of call. For the eastern Caribbean cruise, the stops may include the Bahamas, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Grand Turk Island, St. John and Tortola. For the western route, you may head to Belize, Cozumel, Havana, Key West, Roatan and Montego Bay. Research the cities that the cruise plans to stop in. Many of the western Caribbean cities are less built up with a more natural setting while eastern Caribbean cities are typically more touristy with a lot of shopping and gambling available.
Consider the departure city for both eastern and western Caribbean cruises. Many of the ships leave from the same area, either Miami or Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, depending on the cities you dock in, you may find that you are at sea for a longer period of time for the eastern Caribbean cruise.
Check out the shore excursions for the cruises when making comparisons. Some potential excursions for both areas are snorkeling, scuba diving, Jeep tours, sailing, horseback riding and bus sightseeing.
Compare the price of each cruise. One of the final details to consider is the price of eastern versus western Caribbean cruises. You can find deals on both types of cruises from sites like CruiseCritic.com.
