carnival or royal Caribbean for 11 year old?

[ljt56]

I live in Florida and am new to cruising. I want to take my 11 year old daughter on her first cruise in the beginning of August and can't decide what ship. Any suggestions??

[cruzeluver]

Either Royal's Oasis, Allure or Freedom of The Seas. Endless options for the two of you to have a great time and the ships are gorgeous!

[gerif]

Either Royal's Oasis, Allure or Freedom of The Seas. Endless options for the two of you to have a great time and the ships are gorgeous!

 

I concur. She'll love any of those ships.

[ljt56]

I know the allure and oasis are spectacular ships but the carnival ships are so much cheaper! I live in south Florida so have many options. Are carnival ships as bad as I've heard?

 

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[BobIsham1]

I have a 10 y/o Daughter that we've taken on 4 different Carnival Cruises and she Loved them all! For the value of your $ it's hard to beat Carnival and they have great kids programs in which she limes but loves their water parks onboard the best. It's a very family friendly cruise line.

 

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[ljt56]

Did you leave out of Miami or ft Lauderdale on any of them?

[BobIsham1]

Yes the last 2 we left from Miami on our 8 night southern on Valor and 6 night exotic on Breeze, both were out of Miami.

 

Celebrity Century 9/2000

Carnival Sensation 12/2008

Carnival Victory 3/2011

Carnival Inspiration 10/2011

Carnival Valor 10/2012

Carnival Breeze 2/2013

[ljt56]

Thanks for the info. I keep hearing such bad things about carnival and have only sailed on short royal cruises before. I know allure or oasis would be amazing but we have to sail without my husband this time and feel guilty doing that one without him. Carnival has such good deals but I've heard terrible things so I've been conflicted ...My daughters 11. It won't take much to make her happy but I've been warned that the quality of the other passengers is the problem???

 

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[cruzeluver]

The kid will be fine on Carnival unless she has unusually discriminating taste for an 11 year old. Just bear in mind, why are those Carnival prices so attractive? We sailed them three times but never again.

[ljt56]

Never again? Why? Please share ...

 

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[BobIsham1]

We've met people from nearly every walk of life on Carnival Cruises, they are very economical for my family and our budget and have never encountered any major problems at all. We are common folk and while we desire the finer things in life we don't have the bank rolls to attain them. They are some people on these are probably considered lower class or more undesirable by people of higher tax brackets but I have no problems at all around them. We Love Carnival and probably the reason we cruise most of the time with them is the price, but the service has been good too, its not 5 star, but it is everything we need, and they are always very fun cruises for my family. We look to try an experience on royal Caribbean sometime soon, but I can sometimes price nearly 2 from Carnival at their price for 1, but none the less we still want to try them.

 

Celebrity Century 9/2000

Carnival Sensation 12/2008

Carnival Victory 3/2011

Carnival Inspiration 10/2011

Carnival Valor 10/2012

Carnival Breeze 2/2013

[cruzeluver]

This is my experience only, but having sailed Carnival along with Royal, Celebrity and Norwegian I cannot come up with one area where I feel Carnival excels or even matches the competition including food quality, food presentation, fellow travelers, service, decor (way over-the-top and cheap-looking), on board activities, entertainment and on and on. They are the price leader and a lot of folks sail with them, but price seem to be what keeps a lot of their base loyal.

[ljt56]

Thanks for your input. Here's another question for you...if I can only afford an inside cabin on the allure vs an ocean view on carnival which one should I take? I never stayed in an inside room before?

 

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[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Royal will be great ...

[Keith1010]

I would go with RCI.

 

Keith

[BobIsham1]

I've stayed inside and outside and find both as near equal. Of we're up late and want to sleep in the "no light" is great inside. I find most of my views from the outside on deck anyway, and is where we spend the majority of our time. We haven't had a balcony yet in which I would expect to be great, but just a window with really no wind or ocean sound its not quite worth a lot more up charge, if there's not much difference then its a value, but not worth 300 or more per cabin in my opinion.

 

Celebrity Century 9/2000

Carnival Sensation 12/2008

Carnival Victory 3/2011

Carnival Inspiration 10/2011

Carnival Valor 10/2012

Carnival Breeze 2/2013

[attilamom1217]

Both Carnival and RCCL are great for families. Carnival is less costly; my preference is RCCL. Both have activities for the kids. I'm not a fan of the very large mega ships, but I have heard there are alot things to do on them (more than the less huge ships). We've been on Explorer of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas (3500 passengers) and there is rock climbing, mini golf, ice skating, as well as the kids' activities, sports deck with basketball courts - lots to do.

[WendyYC]

We've been on both and I concur with RCI over Carnival. I believe that RCI has just as good/superior children's program as Carnival. However, I would not pass up a Carnival cruise if it were priced low enough. I guess I'm not as discriminating as most. :p As far as the inside vs ocean view, I take the inside every time. Just because the few times I've had ocean view we've spent maybe 30 minutes a cruise looking out the window. In my opinion, OV is not worth the price difference- balcony cabins definitely are worth the difference. It's all about what's most important to you.

[cb at sea]

Carnival is no more a "party ship" than any other cruiseline. I'd pick by my budget and preferred destination! It's truly an "either/or" situation.

[t_car]

We have been on both over the years. Normally we look for ports of call, but when all is equal and the price difference is substantial, we opt for Carnival.

Yes RCI is a bit more upscale, but not much, and the mega ships are just too big for my liking. Besides, the money we save on the cruise, gives us more to spend on shore excursions, and shopping.

[Winnigirl]

Without hesitation I would choose an indoor cabin on the Allure or Oasis over an ocean view or balcony on Carnival. There is so much to do on those RCL ships that you won't be spending that much time in your cabin anyway.

[hubofhockey]

Thanks for your input. Here's another question for you...if I can only afford an inside cabin on the allure vs an ocean view on carnival which one should I take? I never stayed in an inside room before?

 

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We had a Boardwalk Balcony cabin, which still had ocean views and a view of all of the action down below. If that is not out of your price range, go for that. In any case, I agree with others on that being a better vacation, UNLESS you really want to do this for ports and excursions as opposed to the cruise ship experience.

[ljt56]

Thanks everyone. Oasis it is. Now I have to choose between unguaranteed inside or guaranteed inside balcony on boardwalk. $350 price difference is a lot. I dont think inside would bother me but if I'm stuck on deck two it might! Have 24 hours to decide :)

 

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[hubofhockey]

Check and see if the boardwalk balcony cabins close to the AFT are open. If you can get in the last 1-5, those offer better ocean views and views of the aqua theatre. It's not necessary though. You made a great choice either way. I loved the Dreamworks parade on the Royal Promenade. Enjoy your cruise. You'll be wowed.

[bus man]

Not that I'm trying to steer you away from Oasis, but there are other Royal ships sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, including some on shorter, and MUCH cheaper, itineraries. Did you look at any of them?

 

I've done interior rooms before, and I find them to be perfectly fine. You don't have a view, but you can get that out on deck anytime you want. For just you and your daughter, they're plenty big enough.

 

I've not sailed on Carnival, so I can't speak to a comparison between the two lines. But I've always been very, very pleased with Royal Caribbean.

 

EDIT to say, I just re-looked at your original post and you want to sail in August. The shorter cruises I'm referring to are only available between November and April. Sorry.