RCL Kids Club BIG Ships versus Smaller Ships? And other Qs

[OnlyMe]

We sailed on Independence with our 3.5year old last March and he absolutely adored the kids club! And the H2O Zone .. but especially the kids club .. they did so many activities - parades on teh promenade etc etc.

 

He is now 4 and he keeps asking can he go back:D ... so here we are looking at sailing again next year. We now also have a 4month old and will be sailing sometime after he is 9months we hope.

 

We will have to sail Europe and we were looking at Independence / Adventurer but prices are HUGE for next summer (we'd be looking at Summer as we want some nice weather - we sailed out of Southampton in March last year and it was fairly cold the first few days and last few days so the H2O Zone was unusable those days)

so now I'm wondering about the smaller ships - like Splendour etc ..... I haven't done indepth research but am starting and already I see a Greek Isles cruise which I think would be a good cruise with beaches for the kids etc.

The thing is though, how is the kids club and pools on these smaller ships? Would it be a big let down for a 4.5 year old after sailing Indy? We all LOVED that ship.

Pre-kids my husband and I sailed Radiance twice and also Grandeur and I know the pool areas were small enough for kids.

We did NCL with our eldest but the kids club was terrible and he wouldn't go in .. he was younger then though but still, the kids club wouldn't entice me either tbh for the lower age group.

 

I would greatly appreciate and advice and comparissons on sailing with children on the various classes of RCL ships please.

 

Thanks so much in advance

[cb at sea]

The kid's club activities will be pretty much the same, no matter which ship....it's pretty standard across the board.

 

As far as ships being smaller....none are tiny...that's for sure. It's just that the "new" ships are really big! The older ships have plenty to do...no worries!

[OnlyMe]

Thanks very much for your reply.

I suppose really what I'm trying to say is that our last cruise they spent a few different days getting ready for the parades and then doing them and my son particularly liked that kind of activity so what I'm wondering is on the smaller ships am I correct assuming they wouldn't have parades or 'shows' anything like that? Or would they? And if they don't do they do anything as a kind of alternative on top of 'regular' activities ... am I even explaining that right?:o

 

Also, re the pools - do they all have a baby pool? They did on Indy ... and what kids facilities (poolwise) do they have?

 

Thanks so much

[kitty9]

We were on Grandeur and they had the kid's parade, but not as large.

[boulders]

Thanks very much for your reply.

I suppose really what I'm trying to say is that our last cruise they spent a few different days getting ready for the parades and then doing them and my son particularly liked that kind of activity so what I'm wondering is on the smaller ships am I correct assuming they wouldn't have parades or 'shows' anything like that? Or would they? And if they don't do they do anything as a kind of alternative on top of 'regular' activities ... am I even explaining that right?:o

 

Also, re the pools - do they all have a baby pool? They did on Indy ... and what kids facilities (poolwise) do they have?

 

Thanks so much

 

Only the Freedom class and Oasis class have baby pools and H2O zones, so of RCL's European itineraries, only Independence and Liberty will have those. Other ships will have just a small pool.

[crusinmama06]

Yes Adventure Ocean will be exactly like it was on Indy. And actually - my girls (who have been on Indy, Freedom, Grandeur and Enchantment) prefer the smaller ship Adventure Ocean because the staff just SEEMS friendlier.

 

Your son will no doubt have a wonderful time on the newly refurbished Splendor. They added all kinds of bells and whistles.

[OnlyMe]

Sorry I haven't been online in a few days ... can anyone tell me if there is any kind of baby pool on the smaller ships?

 

Thats great they still do the parade on the smaller ships too!!

 

Cruisinmama - how do the rooms and facilities in the kids club rooms compare on the smaller ships as opposed to say Indy or Adventurer so you know?

DS really really really wants to go 'on the same' cruise (his words!) and I really don't want him to be disappointed as tbh the kids club and pool really made the holiday and as those with families also know, happy kids mean happy parents:D

 

Oh and can anyone tell me if the smaller ships have ice cream machines like on Indy? .. The ones beside the pool I mean

 

I have a LOT to learn:o

[ds99jove]

Like mentioned above, only freedom and Oasis class has a baby pool unfortunatly :-(

[crusinmama06]

Sorry I haven't been online in a few days ... can anyone tell me if there is any kind of baby pool on the smaller ships?

 

Thats great they still do the parade on the smaller ships too!!

 

Cruisinmama - how do the rooms and facilities in the kids club rooms compare on the smaller ships as opposed to say Indy or Adventurer so you know?

DS really really really wants to go 'on the same' cruise (his words!) and I really don't want him to be disappointed as tbh the kids club and pool really made the holiday and as those with families also know, happy kids mean happy parents:D

 

Oh and can anyone tell me if the smaller ships have ice cream machines like on Indy? .. The ones beside the pool I mean

 

I have a LOT to learn:o

 

Small pool no. Ice Cream machine - yes

:D

 

Check out "www.beyondships.com" to see if he has a tour of the Splendor kids club. Each one is so different. On Freedom they had that boat slide. But then on Grandeur they had a jungle gym. You should just look for pictures. But I can tell you - my girls have never been disappointed. From the wait staff to the cabin attendants - the smaller ship staff REALLY go out of their way to make it a memorable cruise.

[OnlyMe]

Only the Freedom class and Oasis class have baby pools and H2O zones, so of RCL's European itineraries, only Independence and Liberty will have those. Other ships will have just a small pool.

 

Like mentioned above, only freedom and Oasis class has a baby pool unfortunatly :-(

 

I missed your post before boulders - sorry!

Think we would actually survive without the baby pool if we bring a little blow up pool as he would be less than a year so we would probably get away with that :)

 

cruisinmama - thats a great website!! Thanks a million!!

 

 

Now I am throwing the cat among the pigeons again and before I post a separate thread ... I took a peek at what crusies Carnival have to offer and there are a couple on there that really appeal to us - itinerary wise and also they have a 9 night one and a 12 nighter which we prefer over the shorter cruises BUT ... what is the kids club like?? ... As I said before DS LOVED RCL kids club ... what appealed about it also was the age range was 3-5 so no "babies" .. he will be almost 5 when we cruise so I am a bit concerned he would balk with those so much younger than him. How does it work with Carnival? How do they gear it to suit all the ages in the group? .. Would we be fools to even think of considering it with the 2-5 age range rather than the 3-5 on RCL? .. DS can be quite headstrong and once he takes a notion theres no going back iykwim so am a bit wary tbh.

We have never cruised Carnival so I know nothing about it really.

 

Oh, it would be the Sunshine ship or Legend (I think) and from my very quick reading of it Sunshine looks like its being given some big facelift with a water park kind of thing??

 

Thanks again!!!

[OnlyMe]

OMG Cruisinmama - I just seen your rubber shark and some other posts:eek: ... DS can be a bit moody at times and need a little bit of cajoling ... we never had any issues at all with RCL .. they would just joke with him for a minute if he took a notion and he would be fine ... dosn't sound like Carnival are very flexible if thats the right word:(

[crusinmama06]

OMG Cruisinmama - I just seen your rubber shark and some other posts:eek: ... DS can be a bit moody at times and need a little bit of cajoling ... we never had any issues at all with RCL .. they would just joke with him for a minute if he took a notion and he would be fine ... dosn't sound like Carnival are very flexible if thats the right word:(

 

I tell everyone to *try* other cruise lines. Our experiences on Carnival might not be what you experience. But yeah, we have had some interesting experiences on Carnival ;)