foxygrl

Neat little tid-bit does look like a Disney ship!

Not sure if this is aloud but here are some cool pics of old cruise ships and what they did for fun on long voyages!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/stunning-vintage-photos-show-how-glamorous-cruise-ships-used-to-be/ss-AAiXLpU?li=BBnb7Kz#image=1

Has anyone stayed in one of those cabins. We have them booked for an upcoming cruise. They are unusual in design and am wondering if anyone has pictures?

 

Thanks!!

this may help ... http://www.cruisecritic.com/norwegian-sun-deck-plans/dp/mini-suite-with-balcony-mb/cc/

you want the trip to be memorable in a positive way not remembered for a tragedy better to be safe than sorry. there are to many shady people and the sex trade for girls runs rapid in other countries. obviously you are concerned since you are asking so go with your gut and say no! just my 2 cents.

Answers in red.

thanks for the tips No pun intended LOL :)

so i know they add the preferred tips to the bill is this correct? how do you pay for these add it on the credit card?

also if you get a soda or something do you tip the bar tender cash or does it go on a receipt and you pay at the end?

how much cash do you bring and how much are you spending approximately? we would only be getting soda or juice no alcoholic drinks.

i know you tip the room service people appx 2 bucks per item?? is this cash or do you add it on the receipt?

i have never cruised so i am wondering how much monty to plan on spending?:confused:

so what was the excursion that you were wading down a waterway with the life jackets on? looks like it was a great trip! did you feel safe leaving the boat to check out the Mayan ruins and other excursions? thanks in advance!

They net the pools on DCL too.

Carnival has salt water pools, so they may drain them of a night time and refill with sea water in the morning. DCL pools are fresh water. They drain the hot tubs and clean them of an evening, and the pools may have a higher concentrate of treatment chemicals run through them or be drained for cleaning.

 

Why do you ask?

 

ex techie

Just wondered if it was the same as the carnival. I remember seeing his video of the pool at night sloshing because of the high seas and it was netted. I knew there were saftey provisions but didn't know what they did.

I believe my friend said they netted the carnival pools?

Can you walk around the ship at any hour? Also can you bring food back to the cabins?:)

my kids will probably want to be with me the whole time. i just dont want to hear people complaining about all the kids! :)

My first NCL cruise isn't until January, but I have sailed Disney twice. For families, I'm not sure Disney can be beat. My nephews absolutely had a blast. The kids clubs are jaw-dropping good, and they are basically open all day until around midnight. Plus the fireworks show/pirate night, character interactions, and dining staff who make it their personal goal to entertain your kids and make them smile. Not to mention, the ships are in immaculate shape, and the Disney private island is usually ranked as the best of its kind (it is truly paradise!). As far as being overrun with children, I think you won't notice any difference there, as Disney has so much for them to do, they are "hidden" quite well. As far as I'm concerned, the only (or at least, the main) downside to Disney is the price. But you get what you pay for!

thats what i think also we should just bite the bullet and go with disney this time. but then it will be hard to top LOL. i look forward to hearing about your trip in January!

NCL also has...

- free soft serve ice cream (self serve in the buffet area)

- casual dress code

- depending on your itinerary NCL does have private islands (but not as kid focused as Disney)

- Escape has great water slides and rope course (depending on size of kids some slides/rope course may be restricted)

 

I don't see people getting irritated with kids unless they are misbehaving. I also feel that the servers go out of their way to entertain kids. Many of them have their own families that they miss and enjoy interacting with kids.

 

Any ship can be crowded with kids if you are travelling a peak vacation time (holidays, spring break) although probably not as much as Disney.

i have just seen some people complain about to many kids. i checked and my kids could do all of the things by their height requirements so thats a good thing! :) i still dont know if we should just splurge for DCL while my kids are young or save $ and do the escape?

We are first time cruisers and are interested in the escape or dcl fantasy even the royal caribbean oasis ships. i have 2 boys 6 & 8 and i was wondering if there is enough to keep them entertained. looking at the 7 day to Bahamas/Caribbean. has anyone done the escape with kids? i have some pros and cons of dcl vs others. Does anyone have any input of any of the other cruise lines when cruising with kids. we are not disney freaks so that being said we are open to others.

Pros disney

Décor made for kids like the padded portholes in halls to sit and watch the ocean

Casual dress code

Movies in the theater

Free ice cream

Food with kids in mind

Pools (although packed with kids)

Characters (star wars)

Excellent service people

Free non alcoholic drinks

Cons Disney

Price $$$$

crowded with kids

Pros other ship

Ropes course

Water slides

Carnival free icecream

Price $$ $$$

Cons other ships

Dress codes

Adult themed

People irritated with kids?

Adult themed food

Not all is kid friendly

No private island

No free drinks except some free juice tea ice tea coffee?

i am just looking for 2 cents i guess. also if anyone did the star wars cruise how or if their kids participated in the jedi training and other things or were they all booked?

Welcome to CC.

 

We all love DCL here. Well mostly ....

 

You do realize you never asked a direct question in your post that I found.

.. outside ..

 

"... i am not sure how that works i am not sure if my boys will even get to participate for the jedi training and the other stuff...."

 

Sail the big ships if possible. Boys 6 and 8 deserve the Dream Class IMO.

I am bias though.

 

Kids 6 and 8 can ride the Aquaduck. Participate in Detective agency stuff.

Etc. BBB even.

 

Just a biased opinion. Although correct in this situation. lol.

 

Enjoy regardless of Class of Ship

so i have been reading reading and reading about all the cruises, ships, pricing, pros and cons and i still keep coming back to doing a Disney cruise. i feel that it will be a perfect 1st cruise for me my 2 boys 6 and 8 years old and my mother and her husband. we were interested in the star wars day at sea but i am not sure how that works i am not sure if my boys will even get to participate for the jedi training and the other stuff. so that makes me think it would be best to just do a regular fantasy ship 7 day cruise it seems cheaper (a little). i looked at royal Caribbean and the price is a little cheaper. they have great ships with a lot to do for the kids. i just keep going back to disney how they are more directed to kids. cast away cay looks awesome and safe. so that is one super bonus for disney. carnival has their own island also and i believe RCL does. the norwegian ships look fun also but the prices are not that much cheaper either. My boys are young now and it seems there is not much for teens on disney from the reviews so i think i should just bite the bullet and do the disney. :confused:

Depends on your budget. I have always heard Disney is the best, but for my family of 5 who cruises in the summer, it would cost over $10,000. My budget is a max of $5000.

 

I can get two adjoining rooms on a Royal freedom or voyager class ship for less than $5k, so that is what we do. My kids LOVE the kids club! In fact, they are there so much that they have never even done the ice skating or rock wall. They are either in the pool or at kids club.

 

I also like cruises with a lot of ports ( like Royal Caribbeans Adventure of the Seas). We spend our days on exciting excursions together, we eat dinner on the ship together, then the kids go to kids club and my husband and I have some kid-free time. It's perfect!

how old are your kids Happymanitee? not sure mine would want to go to the kids club?

yes SuiteTraveler i did forget those. boy this is a hard decision not even sure what to do. i looked and if we went on the fantasy on a non star wars week we could pay 10k and get a Concierge suite. and the concierge sure offers alot on disney not sure we would use it all though.

ncl offers free 3rd and 4th person + free wifi or drinks. it isnt technically free but it does discount alot.

So we are planing a cruise me my mother (senior) her husband and my two boys 7,8 years old. i was thinking the star wars at sea on the fantasy. so if we all squished in a family suite with balcony it is over $11,696. they are not into disney like mickey and such but they are cool with star wars. but there is no guarantee that they could be the kids on stage doing the training and meeting darth. so that makes me unsure to pick a disney cruise. it is nice that there are free soft drinks in the pool area where other ships have free ice tea coffee some juices and water. cast away cay is awesome and i know my kids would love it! but other than the aqua duck water area and arcade will my kids be bored on the ship? i know disney goes all out so it would be worth it to check it out?? should we skip the star wars and just do a disney cruise?

my second pick was norwegian escape they have a cool ropes course ninja turtle mini golf and 3 or more water slides. i know they have alot of adults on board so there are a lot of adult restaurants i am worried there will not be enough choices for kids???

Any help from you all would be great. :)