Carnival Miracle for New Year's with kids?

Hi! I've only been on Carnival ship once in Europe and are considering it for New Year's eve cruise from LA to Mexico (also looking at NCL Star and Ruby Princess). It will be grandparents, mom and 2 kids (6 and 8 years old).

I am wondering how is Miracle for kids, their kids club and if it will be family friendly cruise? Or more of an adult party atmosphere? How are aboard activities?

I would appreciate any advice! Thanks!

We have a cruise booked on the Miracle for April, it's an Eastern Caribbean though. I'm also interested in others opinions....

Over the holidays will have lots of families. Both kids clubs will be fine for your kids.

We’ve sailed the Miracle at least 6 times and various Princess ships (including Ruby) out of LA several times.

IMO Princess has a slightly stuffy country club feel and Carnival has a bit of a Vegas feel. How your cruise will be depends greatly on the crowd. I’ve been on extremely wild Princess cruises and extremely sedate Carnival cruises.

I travel with my almost 80yo Mom. She prefers Carnival for its livelyness and Princess for its itins.

Food is very subjective but our last Ruby cruise the food was not that great. We divide our dinners between the MDR and buffet. The buffet dinner rarely changed. Carnival’s buffet is a bit smaller but did change nightly.

One suggestion for either cruise is to get assigned dining. This will avoid the wait for anytime Dining.

All things being equal-The Miracle’s cabins are larger, the third will sleep on a sofa (daybed) in a Balcony or Ocean View. The Princess Balcony or OV has an upper.

The Miracle has a much easier deck plan to navigate.

My kids (9 and 11) sailed on the Miracle last year and have been on a handful of Princess cruises. I think the kids clubs a little better on Carnival, but honestly, my kids like both lines just fine. There is more of a party atmosphere on the 3 and 4 day cruises and somewhat more subdued on a 7 day, but Carnival will be more lively than Princess. There will be LOTS of kids on your cruise no matter which line you go on at that time of year.

I've never felt that Princess had a stuffy country club feel to it. It's not as flashy or loud as Carnival and people dress up a little bit more. It also has an older average age crowd, so nightlife tends to die down after 11-12 pm. Princess has prettier pool areas and the pools are freshwater.

Carnival cabins are better for families if you have 4 in a cabin. On Princess, unless you get a mini-suite, the upper bunks are directly over the lower beds vs on a Carnival balcony cabin where the kids sleep on a convertible sofa and drop down bunk over the sofa. If we have 4 in a regular balcony, we'd choose Carnival. When I've sailed with just my kids, the 3 of us in a Princess cabin is fine.

Thanks for the feedback! Sounds like Carnival with it's livelier vibe might be a way to go :-)