Disney Magic VS Nick Themed NCL Epic....?

[keltshan]

My best friend and I are planning on doing a 7 night Caribbean cruise Jan 2011 with the kids. She has a daughter that would be 4 and I have a 6 and 7 year old. Initially we had planned a Disney cruise on the Magic and get adjoining rooms, but then we found some info on NCL new ship, the Epic. The kids programs will be Nickelodeon themed (Spongbob / Dora ). We could also share a villa suite with 2 bath/2 BR which would sleep 6, and it looks awesome! Any advice from cruisers with young kids? :o

 

Both ships have similar itineraries, the Epic looks AWESOME, Disney would be completely immersed in the theming, 2 rooms better than 1??????????

 

THANKS!

[randyamy]

We are doing Disney Wonder with our 4 year old and 20 month old in May, then cruising onboard the Norwegian Jewel (with Nick activities) a week later. We'll be interviewing folks and live blogging during those cruises, so we'll come back and let you know how they stack up against each other.

[randyamy]

We are doing Disney Wonder with our 4 year old and 20 month old in May, then cruising onboard the Norwegian Jewel (with Nick activities) a week later. We'll be interviewing folks and live blogging during those cruises, so we'll come back and let you know how they stack up against each other.

 

When we sorted through all of it, Disney was by far the best for kids, especially young kids. I would not choose NCL just for the Nick programming, although it was mostly positive.

[crusinmama06]

randyamy -- do you have a link to your blog? Can you post it? I would be interested to read it.

 

I am thinking about doing Epic and wanted to read your thoughts about your Jewel experience. I was on Jewel (just for the tour) and we thought it was great.

 

I've sailed on both Magic and Wonder -- just think they are ok. Like them but not blown away like I should be.

 

I think what sold me on NCL was seeing the villas. I have Villa Envy :eek:

 

So I would be interested to read your entire experience. Can you post your link please? Thanks. :)

[Julienatul]

We just went on The Disney Wonder with our 4yr old and 16mo old and I wouldnt do it again. It definitely was not what we expected. It was way to chaotic, picture chuck e cheese for 5 straight days. Kids everywhere running and screaming all day and night. Standing room only in the pools. No tables or chairs to sit at out on the decks because people throw stuff on it for the day and then hit the pools. Hourlong waits for the characters and if you dont arrive at least 30-40 minutes before hand they close off the line. Now that they combine the age groups in the Oceaneers club its chaos there. About 200 kids of all ages literally running around in a small room with 5-6 different activities going on. My 4 yr old was way to overwhelmed and only went a few times. My son got second degree burns on his feet from the baby splash area. Apparently the rubber matting gets so hot it burnt his feet. There were no signs posted so I had no idea it would be that hot or I would have brought swim shoes. Who wears shoes in a pool? There were 800 kids on our sailing and it was off season! The shows were great, the cabins are very nice and family friendly and the service was great but it was in no way relaxing. My son would never nap because kids would run down the hallway banging doors and screaming all day and night. It was like living at an amusement park for 5 days straight.

 

I think the other lines are a bit better because there are enough children to be family friendly and fun but its not overrun and overwhelming. I would do the EPIC before I would do Disney again.

[CanadianTwosome]

randyamy -- do you have a link to your blog? Can you post it? I would be interested to read it.

 

I am thinking about doing Epic and wanted to read your thoughts about your Jewel experience. I was on Jewel (just for the tour) and we thought it was great.

 

I've sailed on both Magic and Wonder -- just think they are ok. Like them but not blown away like I should be.

 

I think what sold me on NCL was seeing the villas. I have Villa Envy :eek:

 

So I would be interested to read your entire experience. Can you post your link please? Thanks. :)

 

I'll be full of info for you after our Epic cruise in December - unless your villa itch is going to drive you to book before then!! :p Be careful, though... from what I read on the NCL boards, once you've tried the 'suite life' on NCL, you're ruined for anything else! ha ha ha

 

It's almost time for 'real' reviews from 'real passengers' to start coming in -the inaugural TA is in two weeks!! I can't wait to read all about it - Nick, Cirque, Blue Man - the water park!! :)

[boulders]

We just went on The Disney Wonder with our 4yr old and 16mo old and I wouldnt do it again. It definitely was not what we expected. It was way to chaotic, picture chuck e cheese for 5 straight days. Kids everywhere running and screaming all day and night. Standing room only in the pools. No tables or chairs to sit at out on the decks because people throw stuff on it for the day and then hit the pools. Hourlong waits for the characters and if you dont arrive at least 30-40 minutes before hand they close off the line. Now that they combine the age groups in the Oceaneers club its chaos there. About 200 kids of all ages literally running around in a small room with 5-6 different activities going on. My 4 yr old was way to overwhelmed and only went a few times. My son got second degree burns on his feet from the baby splash area. Apparently the rubber matting gets so hot it burnt his feet. There were no signs posted so I had no idea it would be that hot or I would have brought swim shoes. Who wears shoes in a pool? There were 800 kids on our sailing and it was off season! The shows were great, the cabins are very nice and family friendly and the service was great but it was in no way relaxing. My son would never nap because kids would run down the hallway banging doors and screaming all day and night. It was like living at an amusement park for 5 days straight.

 

I think the other lines are a bit better because there are enough children to be family friendly and fun but its not overrun and overwhelming. I would do the EPIC before I would do Disney again.

 

Hmm, I just came by from a 5/15 cruise on the Disney Magic. Our experience was the exact opposite of yours. There were far fewer kids (400) than on the Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises I've been on, where there have been 1000 kids. It was very quiet. Sorry you had a bad experience.