Background: Myself and DH (early 60s). First Carnival cruise - several RCL, Celebrity, and Azamara cruises. Cruise only for the ports, not for the ship. The only reason we vacation in the Caribbean is to snorkel.

Mostly take land vacations but use cruises as a way to see places to which we have never been and check them out for future land/snorkel vacations. Selected this cruise solely on the fact that it went out of the US and stopped at Belize and Roatan. Have always wanted to snorkel in Belize and would not consider a land vacation there as shore snorkeling is pretty much non-existent in Belize. Wanted to return to Roatan (had stayed on the east end for a week a few years ago and had amazing snorkeling) to check out Infinity Bay Resort as a place to return for a week this June. Never been to Caymans and thought that would be interesting. Second time in Cozumel, both cruise stops.

TAMPA: Stayed two nights precruise and one night postcruise at the Embassy Suites Westshore/Airport. Good choice. Used the free shuttle to go to the International Mall for dinners; walked across the street to the Westshore Mall for lunches. In retrospect probably should have stayed precruise downtown just for something different as we had never been to the Tampa area. However, my research showed nothing that spectacular about Tampa - aquarium didn't interest us - and we didn't want to rent a car and go outside of the area. Once I saw the port downtown area - Channelside - from the ship, doesn't seem like much there anyway. Read more