Thinking of taking the kids on a cruise. Several questions.

[de8212]

My wife mentioned wanting to take a cruise next year as our normal family vacation. We normally go to the beach but figured the cruise would be something different for the kids. She mentioned Disney first but a quick search online showed some pretty high prices. I know this has probably been covered but what are the best times of year to go on cruises? Would it differ from Carnival/Royal Car./Disney? She wanted to go in June but that may be the most expensive time of the year for all I know. She doesn't want to go during Hurricane season. IS that something to really worry about? What are the chances?

 

Are we not allowed to discuss prices? As I said Disney was a little more $ than I thought it would be. But maybe it was just the site I googled. If anyone knows of some good sites that they personally have used I would love to see some links.

 

She wanted to go to a Disney cruise, I believe, mostly because of the kids. Do other cruise lines also have activities, etc. geared towards children?

 

BTW the kids will be 4 and 6 next year. We live in GA so I would think departing from FL would be the closest port. And a 3 - 4 night cruise is fine, no 7 day cruises.

 

Any other info is appreciated.

[operafan]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Let me preface this by saying that we've never been on Disney but I've heard it's a wonderful cruise line..... The one thing you'll guarantee by sailing in June is that there will a lot of children on any ship you go on and all of the mainstream cruise lines have children's programs. Weather wise, I wouldn't worry too much about hurricanes.

 

I recommend you go to a travel agent and discuss your family's needs with them. There are a lot of cruises to choose from. Some better than others. The only thing I'd caution you about is the short 3-4 day cruise. They tend to be party cruises and less "family friendly" than a longer cruise. Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time planning. Cruises are a great way to travel!

[luvs2travl]

So glad to have you with us. :)

 

 

My wife mentioned wanting to take a cruise next year as our normal family vacation. We normally go to the beach but figured the cruise would be something different for the kids. She mentioned Disney first but a quick search online showed some pretty high prices. I know this has probably been covered but what are the best times of year to go on cruises?

 

The best times for family cruises are (obviously) when the kids are out of school, especially if you want to have lots of other kids on board for yours to play with! The summer months, June through August, Easter (Spring Break); Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years would be the peak times for families with children to be cruising. Christmas tends to be the highest-priced time of the year for cruising, tho' the summer months are also "peak" cruise times.

 

Would it differ from Carnival/Royal Car./Disney?

 

Disney is, by far, the #1 cruise line for catering to children, but it is also expensive. Carnival, RCCL and NCL are the other 3 cruise lines that attract families with small children. LOTS for them to do on board, and all have great Kid's Clubs. Just do a search under each cruise line and check out their children's clubs and activities.

 

She wanted to go in June but that may be the most expensive time of the year for all I know. She doesn't want to go during Hurricane season. IS that something to really worry about? What are the chances?

 

Hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico is officially June 1 - November 30 each year. So - that will cut a big chunk out of your travel plans if you don't want to sail in the Gulf/Caribbean areas during hurricane season. We have done it many, many times with no problems. Ships'captains are very aware of the weather at all times, and with passenger safety their #1 priority, they can and do sail around a storm - especially a hurricane or tropical storm - even if means missing a port. We don't give it a second thought when booking.

 

Are we not allowed to discuss prices? As I said Disney was a little more $ than I thought it would be. But maybe it was just the site I googled. If anyone knows of some good sites that they personally have used I would love to see some links.

 

We are not allowed to discuss specific travel agencies, whether brick and mortar, or on-line, nor are we allowed, by CC rules, to recommend sites. But, generally speaking, if you just google "On Line Travel Agencies" - many, many will come up where you can at least price shop. We do it alot, but if this is your first cruise, I would recommend that you find a good brick and mortar (local) travel agency in your city that specializes in cruises. Call your BBB if no one you know can recommend one for you.

 

Ask a LOT of questions. A good TA is worth their weight in gold. They can very often beat the cruise line price. Ask them if they have a "group booking" for the cruise you want. (Group booking = travel agency has purchased a block of cabins on board at a reduced price. You will NOT be part of any specific group - just a good way to get a price break ;)) Ask about "perks" for your booking. Perks = OBC (on-board credits); complimentary dinners in specialty restaurants on board, wine/soda cards, etc.... If they want your business, they will bend over backward to try & get you the best possible deal.

 

She wanted to go to a Disney cruise, I believe, mostly because of the kids. Do other cruise lines also have activities, etc. geared towards children?

 

Carnival, NCL and RCCL are very much geared toward children and familes, and all have wonderful Kid's Clubs and lots of activities for small kids.

 

BTW the kids will be 4 and 6 next year. We live in GA so I would think departing from FL would be the closest port. And a 3 - 4 night cruise is fine, no 7 day cruises.

 

It may be difficult to find a wide selection of 3-4 day cruises in the peak months. Here again, an on-line search would be helpful, or again, asking a cruise specialist from a travel agency. I did a quick on-line search for the summer months, and it doesn't appear that Disney does anything less than a 7-day cruise. However, NCL, Carnval, and RCCL have some 3 and 4 day cruises to the Bahamas out of FL. You will just need to check & see what will work for you!

 

Just a world of caution - 3 to 4 day cruises CAN be what some call "booze cruises" - more of a "rowdy" crowd, and not as family-oriented as you may wish. It may be wiser to do at least a 5-day cruise. Seven day would be better still.

 

Any other info is appreciated.

 

Hope this is of some help and will get you started looking. Welcome again to Cruise Critic and to the wonderful world of cruising. You will probably be "hooked" for life! :D

[GORDONCHICK]

And my 2-cent's worth on 3-4 day cruises is that you don't really get a feel for the ship's layout in that time, and the feel of short cruises is much different than a 7 night. Also, you will usually have much more sea time than port time on the shorter cruises.

 

We have been cruising with our son since he was 3.5 (now 9) and we've not done Disney due to the ridiculous pricing (IMO). Our family does 2-3 vacations a year of a week or more each time and some shorter getaways as well. We would rather do this than blow all the money on Disney. All of teh mass-marketed lines have good kids programs. As young as your children are, they should be fine with any of those in most cases.

 

 

Any time kids are out of school, the prices will be higher because of demand. But don't get me wrong - cruising is still one of the best vacation deals out there.

[Essiesmom]

I'm not sure I would say a 3/4 day cruise is not family friendly...At the time of year you mentioned, they are a bit too family friendly, in that there will be a lot of large family groups (you know, matching t-shirts...) for reunions. And with only three days, they start from boarding to have as much 'fun' as possible. They almost seem frenetic. So, I would go for at least four days. Depending on where you live in Ga, you might also consider leaving from Charleston.

There is a board here at CC for Family Cruises, located in the Special Interest Cruising area. Drop by there and see what folks have to say. Prices will be highest in the summer...kids out of school, etc. If you can move it back to May, you will get a better rate. Prices also drop at the very end of August. For your first cruise, I would recommend booking through a travel agent. We can discuss prices here, but not where you found them, unless it is on the cruiseline website. EM

[de8212]

Great info everyone, thanks.

 

I should have mentioned, I have been on a cruise before. Once by myself and once with my wife (honeymoon) so I am not totally new to them. But honestly, I booked through a travel agent and didn't shop around. The most recent was almost 7 yrs ago.

 

The reason for the 4 night is mainly just because we aren't sure how the kids will do. We'd rather see how they do before we do a whole week. Also the cost is obviously higher for a 7 day cruise.

 

Great tip about Charleston, Essiesmom. That would be much closer that driving to FL.

 

Any other suggestions, please keep them coming.

 

So, I can shop around on the cruises websites and talk with a travel agent or 2 and list all the prices here for you experts to help me see if everything looks OK?

[griffy116]

We booked our first cruise as a 4 day and knew immediately we should have booked a longer cruise. We felt we had barely unpacked and it was time to leave. Also, you are going to be much more limited in your choices with a 3-4 day cruise. We book during JUne and July because we have kids in school (in GA) and the school districts don't excuse absences, even for 1st graders for a cruise. You can check your county school calendar to take a cruise during some of the holidays but that can get even more tricky. You'll see lots of families during June and July. Disney, RCCL and Carnival all have a great kids program. You truly need a travel agent to help you get the best deal, best cabin choice and best date to make the most of your vacation. Warning: You wll be hooked on cruising.

[luvs2travl]

It does appear that only Carnival cruises out of Charleston, SC. However, there are no 3/4 day cruises listed. Only cruises of 5 - 7 days. But - if you were considering a 4-day, a 5-day might not be too far fetched for you and your family. After all, the first day on board is really only 1/2 day, and the last day is when you will be docking and disembarking, so really only 4 1/2 days on board!

 

I would think this 5-day would give you and the kids a much better idea of how you will do as "cruise family." And - Carnival has great Kid's Clubs & activities ("Camp Carnival").

 

Best of luck! :)

[DFritz]

Three and four day cruises are great for families and a way to decide about a longer cruise later. RCI and Carnival have great childrens programs and facilities. As to the 5 day out of Charleston...if you can swing it , grab it. You will love it.

[DFritz]

Should also have said we've sailed a dozen times during hurricane season, which is half the year, and it has never been an issue or interferred with our vacation. Value pricing can be found in early May, early to mid September through mid November, early december and early to mid January. Since the kids are so young you really wouldn't have much of a school issue to get in the way. We've taken our child out of school to cruise a number of times and turned it into an awesome learning experience. She is now working in the travel industry and is very happy.

[euro cruiser]

Cruise Critic has a nifty little "find a cruise" tool up top. According to their data base, Celebrity and Carnival cruise from Charleston, but the Celebrity cruises are longer in length. There is a good selection of Carnival cruises, for various numbers of days.

 

See here: http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruisetoresults.cfm?action=all&sort=shipname

 

Carnival also shows four and five day cruises out of Jacksonville: http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruisetoresults.cfm?action=all&sort=shipname

[suezyq50]

Not sure where in GA you live, but last year we lived in Rome, GA (northwest of Atlanta) and drove to Port Canaveral. We drive down the day before and stay at a hotel. You can board the ship around 11ish and have lunch. With kids, 3-4 day is fine. Disney is great for kids, nice pool area, characters, etc. RCCL's Freedom goes out of Port Canaveral, but I don't think they do 3-4 day ones. I understand the pool area is great for kids. Dreamworks is pairing with RCCL. Hope that helps.

[Marie51]

Disney cruises are overpriced in my opinion. Actually my grandchildren like Royal Caribbean and Carnival better than Disney. You might want to get 2 connecting cabins so you can put the kids to bed in their own room.

[GatorMomInNC]

How about Jacksonville? That wouldn't be too far of a drive, and there are 5 day Carnival cruises out of there -- in fact, I'm going on one with my 6 and 3 year old in October!

[Grannycb]

We have traveled with our GD, now age 7, for the past several years. Her favorite crulseline is RCI. Their program for children is easier for both parents and children than that of Carnival. The main entertainment in the theaters is early enough and family friendly enough for everyone to enjoy on RCI. She was treated well by the crew. After the waiters discover she likes fruit and steak, they have it waiting for her when we sit down. That makes her free to go to the children's club while adults have dessert and coffee.

 

As for the 4 days vs 7 days. we have done both with GD. The Majesty of the Seas is a smaller ship that goes to the Bahamas (4 day cruise). Every day was a beach day. There isn't time for the kids to use the children's club other than the evenings, but GD didn't mind as she enjoyed the beaches. The ship is small but the value is very good. Note: cabins are tiny - consider two cabins with connecting doors (also gives you a second bathroom). 7 day cruises with sea days allow for more play time with other kids. That could be a good thing.

 

I'd suggest you visit the Roll Call section of Cruise Critic once you book your cruise. There may be other people traveling with kids the same age as yours.

 

We have sailed on Carnival and RCI with GD.

[PaganView]

We did a 5 day cruise out of Tampa on Carnival with our 3 kids last summer. We weren't sure about a 7 day since it was the first cruise for my two youngest. It was a great length. Long enough to get into a routine and try out everything but not long enough for them to complain about being bored :p I'm not sure they would have gotten to that point though. They had a blast and have begged to do another one.

 

While DH and I prefer HAL for ourselves, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Carnival for a family. I don't know that I would do a 3 day though. As previous posters have said, the shorter the cruise, the higher number of party cruisers.

[Cruizingwithtoddlers]

Just my 2cents as well, I also live in Georgia, we decided to go out of mobile,al. We are doing a 5 day cruise in Feb, kids are out for 'winter break' and it is a bit cheaper than in spring/summer. Our kids will be 5&6 by the time we cruise. We have done a 3 nighter, their first cruise and then a 7 nighter. We REALLY enjoyed the 7 nighter. We have done Carnival and the kids enjoyed their camp and also RCCL, they again enjoyed their kids club. HTH

[Jimnbigd]

Mobile. Charleston, Jacksonville and maybe even Tampa and Port Canaveral -- probably all a days drive. In June there are not as many RCCL options -- their ships seem to head for Europe then.

 

You can always book more than one cruise with the refundable rate, and cancel later. You don't save that much booking the Carnival non-refundable rate -- not like the difference in airlines refundable vs. non-refundable. This way you get the cabin selection you need for 4 people.

 

You need to decide one or two cabins. You could manage with one -- with two pull down uppers for the kids. But you might be more comfortable with two connecting cabins -- with a door between the cabins so you can walk from one to the other without going into the hallway. This works well for families. If you want two connecting cabins, that is all the more reason to book now. If you look at the deck plans, the connecting cabins often have an arrow or triangle between them. I suggest two inside connecting cabins.

 

I bet your kids love the cruise even more than you. My grandkids can't wait to go again next March.

[renae83]

We arew going on our second cruise in October. On our first cruise October 2007 our 3 kids went with us ages 3,2, and 8 weeks. The 2 oldest LOVED it the youngest well she did not complain. lol. Our then 3 year old now 6 still talks non stop about how much fun "camp" was and how he cant wait to go back. He did not think he had enough time he wanted to stay longer this was a 7 day cruise. This time we will have 4 kids with us our newest addition will be 1. All of the older kids are so excited they cant wait they keep asking if today is the day. We live in North Carolina and drove to Port Caneveral for our last cruise it took aprox 8 hrs not bad the kids did great. The staff was excellent our very shy 2 year old big mommys boy at the time was dancing and walking around with our room attendent, the waiter for dinner would make diffrent things out of napkins like a bow or anything else and put it on our oldest sons head. we all had a great time. I do not have one thing to complain about. Both of these cruises are with RCCL. We cruise in October bc it is a LOT cheaper and our kids are on fall break as they are in year round school. The ships are very aware of the weather situation and will re route the ship if they need to I would not worry about this at all. I hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!!

[GatorMomInNC]

We arew going on our second cruise in October. On our first cruise October 2007 our 3 kids went with us ages 3,2, and 8 weeks. The 2 oldest LOVED it the youngest well she did not complain. lol. Our then 3 year old now 6 still talks non stop about how much fun "camp" was and how he cant wait to go back. He did not think he had enough time he wanted to stay longer this was a 7 day cruise. This time we will have 4 kids with us our newest addition will be 1. All of the older kids are so excited they cant wait they keep asking if today is the day. We live in North Carolina and drove to Port Caneveral for our last cruise it took aprox 8 hrs not bad the kids did great. The staff was excellent our very shy 2 year old big mommys boy at the time was dancing and walking around with our room attendent, the waiter for dinner would make diffrent things out of napkins like a bow or anything else and put it on our oldest sons head. we all had a great time. I do not have one thing to complain about. Both of these cruises are with RCCL. We cruise in October bc it is a LOT cheaper and our kids are on fall break as they are in year round school. The ships are very aware of the weather situation and will re route the ship if they need to I would not worry about this at all. I hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!!

 

I enjoyed reading this as I am taking my 2 boys (ages 3 and 6) on their first cruise, out of Jax on Carnival Fascination, in early October - they are also in year round schools (Track 4, Wake Co - how about you?), so a lot cheaper than summertime. They seem excited and I hope they are going to love it because I've already booked 2 more cruises for the next 2 trackouts!!. My big concern right now is that it is a short cruise (5 days) during the traditional school year, and there won't be ENOUGH kids on board.