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Bad experience with kids on NCL Sky.. help me find a great kid friendly ship.. please

azcater

By azcater,
in Family Cruises

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azcater

azcater

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After a very disappointing experience on NCL's Sky this past week.. we are looking to book another cruise in the caribbean in about 2 years. I'm looking for a ship that has a great kids program (where they leave the kids club area and do fun things in different areas of the ship), has water slides (nothing extreme, just kid friendly), maybe splash pads?, kids buffet area with kid friendly food (this was awesome on NCL's Star), maybe some games areas (like the big chess pieces, bowling alley, etc). I'm looking at all cruise lines at this point, to find the right fit.

 

My kids are 3 and 7.

 

Any ideas?? Thanks in advance!!

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Kamloops50

Kamloops50

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After a very disappointing experience on NCL's Sky this past week.. we are looking to book another cruise in the caribbean in about 2 years. I'm looking for a ship that has a great kids program (where they leave the kids club area and do fun things in different areas of the ship), has water slides (nothing extreme, just kid friendly), maybe splash pads?, kids buffet area with kid friendly food (this was awesome on NCL's Star), maybe some games areas (like the big chess pieces, bowling alley, etc). I'm looking at all cruise lines at this point, to find the right fit.

 

My kids are 3 and 7.

 

Any ideas?? Thanks in advance!!

No matter which ship or cruise line you chose your going to have to compromise. No one ship or cruise line will fulfill your needs.

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azcater

azcater

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Actually I do think I can get pretty much everything I'm looking for. I've been looking around today and Royal's Oasis of the Seas seems to have much of what I'm looking for. Now, whether they leave the kids club or not would depend on what the kids club offers. Disney had amazing things to do and play on right there in the club so there was no need to leave. On the Star they took the kids out for a parade around the ship or to decorate cookies in the buffet area. (my son was 5 at the time). I don't think I'm asking for a lot. I just picked the wrong ship this time.

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azcater

azcater

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VillaHappy- I'm starting to see that Royal has a lot of options for kids on their ships. I'll have to do some research but I like what I see. My kids are too small for the megaships with the big huge slides and rock climbing walls, etc. But a nice swirly slide on the pool deck would do wonders for excitement for my kids. It's the little things!! :)

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Mack2

Mack2

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VillaHappy- I'm starting to see that Royal has a lot of options for kids on their ships. I'll have to do some research but I like what I see. My kids are too small for the megaships with the big huge slides and rock climbing walls, etc. But a nice swirly slide on the pool deck would do wonders for excitement for my kids. It's the little things!! :)

 

Nobody is ever too small for the Megaships. :)

 

The Adventure Ocean area on the Oasis is HUGE!

This is a picture of the science room... but the whole area is gigantic!

389129_2570137261881_94338626_n.jpg

 

You actually DID need signs to point you where to go... you're not in a narrow hallway, but a wide corridor that lead to different areas

384247_2570136741868_631652085_n.jpg

 

Couple that with the Splash Park, the Zero-Entry "beach" pool, carousel, and mini-golf... there's stuff for the kids to do!

My kids enjoyed the... they called it a "lazy donut" pool.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

I'm curious as to what happened with the kids club aboard the Star that was disappointing.

 

We sailed aboard the Epic last year, and my kids didn't like the kids club at all. I suppose a lot of the planned activities weren't well organized, or just didn't happen. I attributed it to the fact that the ship had just gotten back from Europe on a TransAtlantic cruise and the Kids Club people were on their last week... not really prepared for US tourists but better equipped for whatever type of kid sails the Mediterranean.

 

Needless to say, the kids hung out with us a lot on the Epic...

didn't see them as much on the Oasis.

Edited by Mack2
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azcater

azcater

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Mack2- wow, that looks awesome. The Oasis seems to have a ton for the kids to do. We were watching The Breakaway when we were in port and they had the HUGE waterslides that my son wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. But the pool area on the Oasis sounds perfect. I also noticed the Jewel seems to have more options as well.

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azcater

azcater

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Lerin- the Star isn't doing Caribbean, otherwise I would return to it in a heartbeat.

 

Since I've been told I chose the wrong ship, the Sky just isn't a kid friendly ship and I didn't know that.. here is what I felt was lacking:

 

1. The Kids Club was blah.. the staff were disinterested.. my 7 yr old who looks forward to Kids club, after going to the sign up, wanted nothing to do it. The under 3 program for my almost 3 yr old was a joke. There were only a couple of very basic family activities. It was just nothing special, nothing exciting.

 

2. Hard to find kid friendly food out on the buffet (mac n cheese, french fries, hot dogs, chicken strips, etc) I was spoiled on the star and Royal's mariner. We were always able to get basic stuff like that at any time.

 

3. There was no kids pool area, unless you consider the shallow rectangle of ice cold water a kids pool area. No fun characters, or small little slide, nothing that would indicate it was a fun kid area. The Star had these things and I've seen it in pictures on other ships, so I know it exists on other ships.

 

4. No shows for the kids to attend at a reasonable time of night.

 

I could go on, but I think you get the point..

 

We had a great cruise, I just don't want to end up making the same mistake of going on a ship that is known for being older and non kid friendly. I know to do more research now especially since I know now what is really important to us as our kids are getting older.

Edited by azcater
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tammy531

tammy531

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We did the Gem with then 3 and 7 year olds...the actual kid pool area was OK but there was one spiral slide at the main pool which they enjoyed more. Everything was very kid friendly and they really enjoyed the ship. We then did the Dawn when they were 6 and 10...the kid's pool area on the Dawn was fantastic and appropriate for both ages (and had a hot tub for the adults). They also had a kid area in the buffet with their own line and their own tables. The kids club was great there too. Next up the Breakaway! (They will be 9 and 13.)

 

sent from my Samsung galaxy s3

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flhokie

flhokie

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I'd highly recommend RCCL, especially Allure or Oasis. There is not a kids buffet or water slides, but the splash area is great (spray area, current pool, kids pool), there is a "beach" pool, miniature golf, carousel, small playground, shows for the family & kids, character breakfasts (Dreamworks characters), donut area in the am, Johnny Rockets (small cover charger, but burgers, fries, milkshakes, etc).

 

On both Allure & Monarch, I saw Adventure Ocean kids around the ship. Young ones were in groups with the counselors. It caught my attention because on Monarch they stopped their "pirate hunt" to do a little skit that was really cute. DD was too young for AO on Allure so I can't comment specifically on the programs, but the nursery was wonderful & the AO facilities looked great.

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boulders

boulders

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thanks for the ideas everyone!!

 

It's looking like we'll be trying Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas out of San Juan for our next adventure.

 

Jewel of the Seas won't have much for kids. No splash pad, no skating rink, no kids pool. It will have Adventure Ocean, but the programming won't be as extensive as on other ships. There's a big difference between the Radiance class ships and the Oasis class ships. The Radiance class tends to attract adult cruisers, not families.

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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

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Jewel of the Seas won't have much for kids. No splash pad, no skating rink, no kids pool. It will have Adventure Ocean, but the programming won't be as extensive as on other ships. There's a big difference between the Radiance class ships and the Oasis class ships. The Radiance class tends to attract adult cruisers, not families.

Jewel of the Seas has a slide with a little pool. The slide is only open a few hours a day.

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reallyitsmema

reallyitsmema

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Thanks for this. I noticed the Adventure Beach on the schematics, and spent several hours looking for a pic...lol.

 

Does anyone know if this is standard on all the Radiance class ships?

The only ship in that class that I have been on is the Jewel and it definitely had a slide. I have not heard of them being removed as part of the revitalization program so I think they are still there, they are on the deck plans at least.

 

As far as searching, it can be tricky at times. I did a forum search in the RCL forum using the words "Jewel slide" at was able to come up with that picture. It was in DarthGrady's Jewel review which is an excellent picture review if you are looking at that class. Once I found his review, I did a thread search on "slide" but got only sliding door posts:o. I just went through his thread looking at pictures and ignoring posts. I am sure someone else can do it easier but that worked for me. Another thing to try is Google "Jewel of the Seas slide" and then just look at images only and it will point you here a lot of times.:)

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Kerry's Girls

Kerry's Girls

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Thanks for this. I noticed the Adventure Beach on the schematics, and spent several hours looking for a pic...lol.

 

Does anyone know if this is standard on all the Radiance class ships?

 

The Radiance itself looks very much like that - if not identical. There was a mini-golf course above it, a basketball court and the kids club nearby.

 

Best,

Mia

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Onessa

Onessa

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There are no waterslides or a kids buffet on Royal Caribbean ships. Although they have great things, they don't have those. That's why the previous poster said you'll have to compromise.

RCCI ships with "Adventure Beach" facilities (water slide)

  • Adventure of the Seas
  • Radiance of the Seas
  • Explorer of the Seas
  • Jewel of the Seas
  • Serenade of the Seas
  • Brilliance of the Seas
  • Voyager of the Seas

H2O Zones (water park, with interactive geysers shooting out from colorful, climbable creations, plus water guns, pools, and waterfalls)

  • Liberty
  • Mariner
  • Freedom
  • Independence
  • Navigator
  • Allure
  • Oasis
  • Quantum

All ships have climbing walls. Some have other younger-kid friendly features such as ice skating, roller blading, carnival style rides, etc. Look at the Family section for the ship you are looking at.

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Mistyhon

Mistyhon

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We just got back from a trip on the Carnival Magic (and did Breeze earlier this year.) Our kids LOVED it (3 and 6) Fun waterpark, ropes course & sports square. Giant chess games, & kids club. They don't have a kids buffet though. That would have been nice, but we managed to find yummy stuff for the kids (the liked the grilled cheese and pizza & hotdogs.) No bowling alley, flow rider or ice skating rinks though. :)

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