smalltownmomwa

We haven't been on the POA, but have been on the Jewel.

Meals are only offered on shore days, and for an extra fee I believe. On sea days, they close from 12-2 and 6-8 (or something close, it's been a year!)

My kids were both happy to go, age 7 & 9, although they spent less time there than we anticipated. They often preferred hanging out with us, but they always had a great time in the club. There are near-constant activities.

There are also quite a few kids activities each day outside of the kids club.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

As a former kid who was pulled from school, and now as a mom who will gladly pull a kid from school - don't let the school schedule stop you! Go when it works out best. Teachers can give them make-up work.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

I think it really depends upon your budget. If I had the money, and time to vacation every year, or more often, I would just charge it and pay when I got the bill.

Some people have no problem putting the whole thing on credit and paying it off eventually.

We don't have the budget for that, so I am saving up now for a Europe trip in 2-4 years. It's in a separate bank account and I sock a few bucks away in there as often as I can. As soon as I have enough for the cruise fare & airfare, I will book, probably a year out. I will pay-as-we go for tips, excursions, etc.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We went that same time last year and the weather was in the 80's most days. Obviously cold if you stay on deck during glacier cruising. So, definitely layers. Fleece jacker & rain coat.

As for all the talk about waterproof shoes/pants/etc - you are only going to need those if your excursions call for them. Certainly don't need them for walking around town, going on tours, etc. Serious hiking or glacier-crossing would be a different story.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We cruised Alaska with kids (age 7 & 9) and they had a great time. Didn't even do any expensive shore excursions like sled dogging. We chose it simply because driving to Seattle was sooo much less expensive than flying + a cheaper cruise. All the kids on the boat seemed to be having a great time.

Not sure how old your kids are, but mine could honestly care less about the destination as long as there is something fun to do. Look at your airfare+cruise prices & go from there.

I would say with 5 people to get 2 connecting cabins. Some lines have cabins that sleep 5+, but they may be super-expensive for the 1st 2 people as it may classify as a suite.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

Hi! I had to respond when I saw your location because I'm originally from Moses Lake and my dad used to work in Royal City! So, I've been to Othello many times. :)

 

We recently did a Med cruise during the shoulder season (mid-September when rates drastically drop but the weather is still beautiful), and we really got a bargain. I chose an itinerary that really interested us, with ports we wanted. I already planned to travel during the shoulder season, so it was substantially cheaper than June - August.

 

Once we booked it, I put in an airfare alert on one of the popular booking comparison websites (it is similar to narrow boat dot com). Several weeks later, I got an alert that the fare had dropped several hundred dollars, so we booked!

 

It's worth noting that many of the Med cruises begin in Venice or Barcelona and end in the opposite city. It may be worth considering one that begins and ends in the same city, than you won't have to pay for a multi-city airline ticket, only a round-trip.

 

Also keep in mind that most cruise lines will adjust your price from the time of the initial booking (when you pay your deposit) until your final payment is due. So, if they have yet another sale, you can get a price adjustment.

 

For me, I'd book the cruise first and then the airfare!

 

If you're interested, I did a complete photo review of our trip which can be found in the link below (Carnival Breeze). Carnival pulled out of Europe but the itinerary is exactly the same as those found on other cruiselines.

 

Best to you and have fun planning!

Thanks! That was very helpful. We will work on picking our cruise first. And, save for worst-case airfare. If we get better prices, more to spend on the trip!

We are no longer in Othello. :( moved back to the wet/grey side. I miss sun!

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We will gladly pull the kids from school, and actually want to avoid summer as it is the only time of year DH is guaranteed to work. (And he doesn't get vacation pay, so crushing during bad weather here is much more cost effective.)

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We want to take the family on a European/Mediterranean cruise in the next few years. Budget is, of course, very tight. I've been to Europe, but the rest of the family hasn't, so we would be very open to any itinerary.

Is it generally better to choose a well-priced cruise, say during Kids Sail Free, and then watch for the best airfare prices, or watch for good airfare and then hope to find a cruise?

I did a mock booking of a Kids Sail Free cruise and the airfare was 50% more than the cost of the cruise. Same thing happened when I did a mock book to FL/Caribbean.

Are there any ports that are generally less expensive to fly into? Or times of year that are generally less expensive?

Thanks!

I used to be extremely motionsick. Car, bus, plane, train, boat - you name it, I've been sick on it.

In college, I went on a weekend sailing trip with friends on a 30' sailboat. I was so ill I spent the weekend outside, huddled under the limited cover, in the cold & rain as I couldn't bear to be inside. I could not get off that boat fast enough.

It did cure me though. I sailed many more times after that, on the same boat, and never got sick again. I also have not gotten sick on a plane, or car since.

That said, we did our first cruise last year, and since it had been 10+ years since I had been on a boat, I did feel a bit queasy 2 of the days, but not enough to hamper any plans.

So, I agree you can be acclimated if not fully "cured". Just keep going on cruises regularly to keep your acclimation. :)

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

My kids used the pool in alaska in May, so I'm sure New england will be fine. Most pools are heated. You may not want to lounge in your wet suit by the pool though.

Fall is pretty with all the trees. We went in summer though and it was still gorgeous.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

On our cruise, we were travelling with small children & so were not asked if we wanted to sit with others. We specifically chose NCL for freestyle.

My dad, on the other hand, really enjoys meeting other people at dinner, and a more formal cruise, and specifically chooses other lines because of it. I believe Princess is his favorite. He would have come with us on NCL to be with us, but wouldn't choose it on his own.

So, while I think you could find others to dine with on NCL, if that is important to you, you may wish to do as my father does and choose a line where it is more the norm as it will be simpler.

Either way, a cruise is a cruise and if you go planning to have fun, you will! :)

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

My 7 & 9 YO's each had their card on their lanyard. They didn't really *need* it, as they were always with us, or in kids club, but they loved having it. And, we would let them jog ahead & let themselves into the cabin. Before crusing I wasn't sure how the crowds would be, so I gave it to them as a safety thing that they could always go to the cabin & get in if we got separated. That wasn't an issue at all.

I don't think a 5 YO would need one as I wouldn't let them out of my sight or kids club. Ever.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

on NCL Jewel, we did not get pagers (7 & 9 YO's). They asked where we would be. One time they did call us in the cabin as my daughter wanted to leave.

That said, our kids spent much less time there than anticipated, but if they had wanted to stay for hours, I would have popped in to check every 2 hours max.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

As a family of 6, we travelled Europe for a month. We were each allotted one suitcase. My mom brought one extra small bag, but we had no other carry-ons/personal bags. My parents bought each of us a Europe Through The Back Door bag (rick steeves website). We limited our clothes to versitile things that went together & did laundry. Worked very well.

I still have that bag (25+years) and it has served me well on many travels - Bolivia, mexico, Uganda, summer camp :)

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

Jealous! I would love to go on a klove cruise!

As for what to bring, there are scads of threads with huge lists. I'm pretty sure I took an extension cord of some sort. Very handy for charging multiple items at once. We also took a few battery operated candles to help see the way to the bathroom at night.

We took a highlighter but didn't need it. Didn't take or need duct tape, or over-the-door shoe organizer.

Have fun!

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

I have only been on 1 cruise, NCL. The food was good, not great. Perfectly adequate. That said, the specialty restaurants were great - much better food & ambiance. If you factor the up-charge for those in, the cruise is more in line with the others.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

My kids happily wore their passes on a lanyard the whole cruise. Didn't make any unauthorized charges or anything either. They were 7 & 9.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We went on our first cruise in april, with 2 kids aged 7 & 9 at the time. We had a mini-suite on NCL which is about the same size as a deluxe balcony I'm guessing. It was totally fine. We are campers as well and used to being in close quarters.

We unpacked everything into the closets. Suitcases under the bed and filled them up as we went with dirty clothes. Stay tidy as you would in a camper & it's fine.

Our porter always had the pull-out bed/couch put back as a couch by the time we got back from breakfast. Makes a huge difference.

The couch obviously is smaller than the two twins put together, but I would've fit there easily with my 7 YO daughter. My DH is 6'2" and fit the bed fine. Your DH's toes will probably hang off, but that would be the case in any bed I'm guessing.

I know we would have felt like sardines in a regular oceanview or inside with all 4 of us. Next cruise, I will look into adjoining oceanview rooms - about the same space & price as the balcony, with an extra bathroom and more privacy.

I would leave your reservation as is and just go with the 'we will have fun' attitude and it should be great. The reason your TA never suggested booking an extra inside across the hall is that most folks (myself included) seem to think 8 & 10 is too young for kids to be in a non-adjoining room. While you have to book an adult in each room, most don't actually do that for sleeping. Your situation is unusual having the parents assume they won't be sleeping together. Especially considering the main reason parents want their own room (nudge nudge wink wink).

Have fun!

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

Your post is a teensy bit confusing. But, if the first & last names on your ticket and passport match exactly, you should be fine. Middle names are not required on passports. All our families passports have full middle names and I don't think I even put initials in when buying tickets. If your ticket says first-initial middle-name, and your passport has first-name middle-initial, you will very likely have a problem.

If your passport has first-name middle-initial last-name and you want to change it to middle-name, you should probably follow the instructions on travel.state.gov for changing your name - take the proper form, proper ID, and apply in person, &/or for an error (ie. Typo). If you renew by mail, your new passport will have the exact same name as the current one.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We took our 7 & 9 YO's on a cruise. We all bunked together in a large balcony (mini-suite on NCL). We have gone camping a lot in trailers & motorhomes so don't mind being in the same room. An inside or one OV would have been too cozy though. Next cruise, we will look into adjoining OV's. We would absolutely not put our kids across the hall. They would have been terrified, and I would not be at all comfortable either.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We prepaid our tips & had $100 of nonrefundable OBC. We barely spent that. Wouldn't have come close if DH hadn't insisted on going to specialty restaurants twice. If you don't drink, gamble, buy photos, etc, you can easily easily spend nothing or next-to-nothing onboard.

We went to Alaska and the sum total of all our touring around, souvenirs, coffee/snacks in port, was less than $300 for a family of 4.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

We have only been on one cruise but are saving for another. As a mom with young kids any vacation where I don't have to cook & clean is a good vacation! We usually go camping or borrow a friends cabin.

Husband liked lounging in the room being a bum. The kids loved having activities.

We are looking at a Med. Cruise vs. Touring around ourselves for the cost-saving aspect as well as much less planning, packing/unpacking, moving around, etc.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

As you aren't paying for her, you have every right to change the trip to when it works best for you. Especially since neither of you has booked.

We invited all our extended family to cruise with us last year. They were all excited and wanted to go, but when exactly they could go, when they could go, were all very iffy. So, we planned when it was best for us, booked and told everyone the info if they wanted to join up. Noone did and I don't think any of them considered themselves uninvited.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the review! We just started saving up for a Med. Cruise. Your review inspires me to toss in a few more $ so we can go sooner!

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

I would suggest that the 2 bachelors room together, if that isn't a possibility, at least book 1 kid in the room with them to avoid the single supplement. The kid can actually sleep in the room with mom/dad. Technically, you'd be paying more for the kids, but the overall rate would go down a bit.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk