Help me decide between 10-night Jade or 7-night Bliss

Looking at March 2019 sailings out of Miami, as those are the dates that work. Have a 13-yr-old son. We've sailed Gem (loved it) out of NYC, plus several Royal Carib ships (Anthem, Oasis, Liberty), which we also enjoyed. We really like the idea of 10 nights and lots of ports in S. Carib where we've never sailed, but worried there's not much to do on the Jade, especially for our son -- reviews seem kind of unenthusiastic. Bliss has all the bells and whistles, but is only 7 nights, so Jade seems like the better value.

Thoughts?

When there is a 13-year-old involved I would go for the shorter cruise and a brand new ship with all the fun things to do. I would think a 10 year old would get bored on a trip that long with limited shipboard activities.

When there is a 13-year-old involved I would go for the shorter cruise and a brand new ship with all the fun things to do. I would think a 10 year old would get bored on a trip that long with limited shipboard activities.

Ditto 100%

Jade, but we much prefer the smaller ships. and ill take any chance to be at sea as long as possible!

Yeah, that's where we're struggling :)

Gem didn't have any bells and whistles, and my son had a blast anyway. Found a gang of kids to hang out with, and they mostly swam, played ping-pong, giant chess, basketball, etc. We've done the ports that the Bliss sailing is offering, so that's another reason not to go on that ship, but I am so tempted with all the cool activities onboard (although having to pay for them does not thrill me at all LOL).

Would love to hear from people who have sailed Jade since the refurbish. So few threads about it...

Our dd’s first cruise at 12 was on the Pearl for 11 nights... it was an amazing cruise and she found plenty to do with the kid's club in the evenings... we were pretty port intensive, but she was never bored on the ship.

I vote Bliss because of your 13 y/o son. I think he will love the go carts and laser tag not to mention the water park. For a 13 year old son there is enough to do to keep him busy during the week.

The bells and whistles are over blown. Except for the water slides most of them are used by the adults. Kids can always find something to do especially during March when it is spring break. Go for the longer cruise.

Haven't been on the Jade, but we have been on her sister ships, and the Bliss. I would pick the longer cruise, the itinerary is the draw for me. If your son had fun on the Gem, he should enjoy the Jade as well. But I will confess, I had a blast on the water slides, and go-karts on the Bliss (and I am an old goat).:D

If it was Escape I'd vote her over Jade, but if it's Bliss, I'd vote Jade over Bliss - for the 13 yo.

You can ride the water slides all day and do the ropes course all day if on Escape, but on the Bliss it's book and pay for both Go-Karts and Laser Tag and the water slides are limited, and there is no ropes course.

As for the Jade there are multiple ports in Southern Caribbean that your son would enjoy. And also meeting other teens his age would be the highlight of his cruise.

Why don't you ask your son which he prefers - giving him the pros and cons of both Bliss and Jade.

I asked our son what his fave cruise was - he said the Jade as he met other teens from countries all over the world and they met at night to talk, play games, etc after exhausting day in port with parents!! He loved the ports also. (Xmas/New Year East Med out of BCN 14 days).

i was on Jade in January. it was gorgeous.

Yeah, that's where we're struggling :)

 

Gem didn't have any bells and whistles, and my son had a blast anyway. Found a gang of kids to hang out with, and they mostly swam, played ping-pong, giant chess, basketball, etc. We've done the ports that the Bliss sailing is offering, so that's another reason not to go on that ship, but I am so tempted with all the cool activities onboard (although having to pay for them does not thrill me at all LOL).

 

Would love to hear from people who have sailed Jade since the refurbish. So few threads about it...

I was on the jade last month. I liked it but not as much as the gem. The problem I had is that bliss on the gem is at the back of the ship we had a really good time in their. But bliss on the jade is in the middle of the ship and you get noise from it till about midnight when it closes if your cabin is in the wrong place. Spinnaker is used for the club and they have removed the water slide from the jade and don't do as much of an outdoor cookout.

I can't imagine a 13 yr old not having fun on a cruise ship in the Caribbean for 10 days. I would have been in total amazement at that age.

then again I'd drink out of a hose to avoid going inside the house in the summertime.

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I can't imagine a 13 yr old not having fun on a cruise ship in the Caribbean for 10 days. I would have been in total amazement at that age.

 

then again I'd drink out of a hose to avoid going inside the house in the summertime.

 

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Same here...

Thanks, all! We decided on Jade because of the itinerary, longer sailing and great price. :)

Good choice! You'll love it and I bet your son will too. We took our 11 year old son on the Jade Panama Canal cruise this past March and he loved it!

I just went through this same decision, Jade vs Bliss, sailing with a 7 year old. I cancelled the Bliss and went with the Jade. I hope I made the right choice. LOL

I just went through this same decision, Jade vs Bliss, sailing with a 7 year old. I cancelled the Bliss and went with the Jade. I hope I made the right choice. LOL

I am considering the same Jade cruise on Nov 16, also with a 7 yo kiddo. :)

I am considering the same Jade cruise on Nov 16, also with a 7 yo kiddo. :)

Cool! Let me know if you decide to book. My daughter loves to make friends!!

The Bliss will have more kids in the teen club. The longer cruise, in general, will have fewer families compounded by the smaller ship. For the kids, pick the Bliss.

For the cruise itinerary, pick the Jade.

The Bliss is about the same size as the Anthem and Liberty with 4000 passengers. The Jade is half the size.

Just because the Bliss is a brand new ship doesn't mean it really has all the bells and whistles. All it really has to offer is the go karts which people seem to say one time is enough and the laser tag .same with that. No basketball court, no ropes course on Bliss. I would go with the 10 day if its cheaper than the 7 day on the Bliss.

For us, we chose the Jade because of the itinerary, because the 10-day aligned well with our schedules (which can't be counted on happening again), and because my daughter still had plenty of fun on the Pearl. We will miss not having Ocean Blue and Food Republic, and the Go Karts and water slides would have been fun, but our daughter sails FREE on the Jade, and we didn't feel those few things were worth having to pay her fare, given the other considerations. I am looking forward to the ports we've been to before, and to visiting three new ports. I think it's going to be a fantastic cruise...even more so because all the pieces seemed to fall into place in terms of schedule, cost, perks, etc. At the end of the day, how can you go wrong, either way. LOL

I just got off the Bliss a couple of weeks ago! I have to say, it’s a beautiful ship! The Go Carts are good for your son, but can get quite expensive! He would probably really enjoy Laser Tag. I have also been on the Jade which was ok. I am actually going back on the Jade, March 1st for a 10 day. I love the longer cruises and especially the ports we are going to! I am going on the Sun at the end of this month. Can’t wait to experience Cuba! I think you made the right choice! The longer the better!

We just got off the Bliss on Saturday with 8.5 and 11.5 year old boys. We enjoyed the Go Karts and Laser Tag, but at $9.95/person/time you just can't do them a lot unless you really want it to add up. The Go Karts take about a 1/2 hour (or less) total between getting lined up, getting in your helmet and car, getting instructions, and the racing for about 6 minutes. Laser Tag is 15 minutes between instruction and 2 5-minute games. So it's not like your kid is going to be occupied all day with these things. There were ping pong tables, a 5 hole mini golf course and the 2 water slides as well. One of the slides was far too scary for my kids - the kind where you stand in a chute and the bottom drops out from under you - that thing scared me just watching people in it becuase I was sure someone wasn't going to make it over the first hump and get stuck in there!! :) The other was fun for my kids.

To the poster above who asked about their 7 year old.... a 7 year old is unlikely to be able to do the Go Karts unless he's very tall. My 8.5 year old is tall at 55 inches and that was the height limit.

For us, we chose the Jade because of the itinerary, because the 10-day aligned well with our schedules (which can't be counted on happening again), and because my daughter still had plenty of fun on the Pearl. We will miss not having Ocean Blue and Food Republic, and the Go Karts and water slides would have been fun, but our daughter sails FREE on the Jade, and we didn't feel those few things were worth having to pay her fare, given the other considerations. I am looking forward to the ports we've been to before, and to visiting three new ports. I think it's going to be a fantastic cruise...even more so because all the pieces seemed to fall into place in terms of schedule, cost, perks, etc. At the end of the day, how can you go wrong, either way. LOL

that's exactly why I am looking at Jade. DS will only miss one day of school - Monday, and the itinerary has interesting ports we haven't been to before. The price is reasonable (but not low).

It's interesting that if I choose the lowest guarantee inside stateroom and to pay for all three of us, the total is a little cheaper than if I were to choose a more expensive inside guarantee room with the 3rd person free perk.

To the poster above who asked about their 7 year old.... a 7 year old is unlikely to be able to do the Go Karts unless he's very tall. My 8.5 year old is tall at 55 inches and that was the height limit.

I still remember the time we were at some carnival and my then 4 yo DS was able to go on some ride due to being over the height limit, whereas some 6 yo was crying her eyes out because she was shorter than the height limit. Her mom was very upset and kept asking the attendant why he would let my 4 yo go on the ride, but not her 6 yo....

P.S. RCI has great FREE activities on their megaships. I don't understand it when you have to pay for go-carting and laser tag on Bliss. I just don't.