5 day Elation or 7 day Dream?

[helene109]

help my kids will be girls 18 and boy 15

 

like the idea of a 5 day as we would stay 1 day before and 1 day after in New Orleans and have 2 rooms

 

but my husband does not like mexico at all did the ruins a few years ago and does not want to go back

 

if we did the 7 day we could only do 1 day before the cruise and only have one room

 

and the time that it departs is 12 not sure if we would make on the sunday to airport next flight that is affordable is late at 7pm

 

thanks!

[mzloolue]

So, the choice is sharing one cabin with two teenagers on Dream.

 

Or, two cabins on Elation with a day or so to spend in New Orleans.

 

For me, Elation would be the winner.

 

But you say that your DH does not like Mexico or ruins.

So that makes things a bit harder.

How many times has he been to Cozumel or Progreso?

There are a lot of things to do there unless someone has already made their mind up that they don't like it.

[helene109]

the dream is also $500 more for 1 room than the elation 2 rooms 1 outside and 1 inside

[mzloolue]

I am packing today for my Elation cruise number 6.

So I really don't have anything bad to say about Elation.

I like five day cruises.

I know that some people don't think that five days is enough, but really it is the length of an average work week and I never hear people complaining that their work week is too short.:)

 

Seven days is okay, but five days with a day or so to spend in New Orleans sounds wonderful.

There is a lot to do even in the French Quarter that is actually educational for kids.

 

In August 2005 we took our kids and a big family group to New Orleans and a five day on Sensation.

We got a hotel in a 200 year old building in the French Quarter.

Olivier House is the very definition of shabby chic...not for everyone, but loved by many.

The ceiling was leaking in the kid's room and they moved them into a room with a sitting room with a fireplace and a crystal chandelier and a balcony over the street.

Walked a lot, sweated a lot, and ate lunches at some of the less expensive, but still interesting places. ( I did so much research to be sure we had affordable choices)

It was a fabulous trip we call The Great Adventure :)

Met Katrina in the Gulf and got back into port on evacuation day.

 

It was fun.

Well, not every moment was fun, but overall fabulous.

 

Hope you have a super time whatever you decide to do.

[mzloolue]

the dream is also $500 more for 1 room than the elation 2 rooms 1 outside and 1 inside

 

To me that $500 would be a good start on another trip. :)

[maldenmusic]

Elation, Elation, Elation.....did I mention Elation?

[helene109]

thanks for my elation positive responses would you go with 2 outside or 1 inside and 1 outside for the kids to have an outside is $100.00 and which deck? thanks!

[JRock59]

help my kids will be girls 18 and boy 15

 

like the idea of a 5 day as we would stay 1 day before and 1 day after in New Orleans and have 2 rooms

 

but my husband does not like mexico at all did the ruins a few years ago and does not want to go back

 

if we did the 7 day we could only do 1 day before the cruise and only have one room

 

and the time that it departs is 12 not sure if we would make on the sunday to airport next flight that is affordable is late at 7pm

 

thanks!

 

Sailed on the Dream last week and I say book the Dream! There are more things for your kids to do and enjoy. And over all I think you will all enjoy it more the shows are great, the ports of call better and the crew is wonderful! Elation is a nice ship we are booked on her in September but if we had kids we'd go with the Dream.

[cruising_diva]

There would probably br more for them to do on the Dream. Elation is smaller, and without 2.0 upgrades. Unless your kids enjoy relaxing and chilling, they will be bored on the Elation.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[helene109]

my son is really into exercise and my kids aren't water people

 

such a hard decison

 

my husband really doesn't want to go to mexico twice

[maprn]

We had the same issues when we considered our cruise this October. DH and I had been on the Elation before without the kids and honestly, WE got bored and it was a 4 day cruise. We decided to book the Dream since we have three kids, 15, 13, and 6 simply because of the Water Works and more for our 6y/o. We have cruised other Fantasy Class ships before and liked them all except the Elation. With that said, we cruised the Elation right before the last dry dock so that may have had something to do with how we felt about the ship. We have also cruised the Triumph and fell in love with that class of ship. This will be our first Dream Class cruise so we will see how we like this type of ship.

[mzloolue]

thanks for my elation positive responses would you go with 2 outside or 1 inside and 1 outside for the kids to have an outside is $100.00 and which deck? thanks!

 

I would do the one inside and one outside.

They should be thrilled enough just having their own cabin and feeling sort of adult.

 

If your kids can amuse themselves at home or on a camping trip, then they should not be bored.

Get them some blank books to keep a trip journal and do illustrations.

Binoculars are good too.

My kids never got bored.

If they are bored, then maybe they are a bit too spoiled, you know.:)

 

It is the same as eating out three times a day, staying in a hotel, and going on an all day nature trip.

 

If your husband really does not want to go to Cozumel again, then that would change things.

If you push for the five day and things go wrong, then it may be all your fault, which is way not fun.

In Coz, I would not go shopping.

Shopping there was horrible to me and DH.

(And if you want to buy some touristy stuff, do it in Progreso. Better stuff at better prices.)

Check out Chankanaab.

Quiet beach, hammocks, drink service, garden trails, dolphins, shops, zip line, snorkeling, tequila tasting, iguanas, historical artifact replicas, guided tours, and some kind of trained seal show. All a short cab ride from the boat.

 

In Progreso, a tour or ride the three dollar bus and head back to the ship.

 

Where we live the land is flat and the water is brown, so a Caribbean beach is continually amazing to us.

 

What are the stops for the Dream trip you are considering?

Edited May 1, 2014 by mzloolue

[WAHMto5]

I would for sure say the Dream! We have 3 children left at home that still cruise with us and range in age from 9 ~ 16, and they all love the Dream and were bored on the Elation. Plus, a longer cruise would be a win/win for me;)

[wrigley80]

I've been on both and my vote would be for the Dream. More activities for kids. Sure you have to share a room but really how much do you plan to be in the room anyway

[helene109]

The Dream's ports are Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel

 

We have never been to Jamaica and we were at Grand Cayman once and loved it!!

[helene109]

If we did the Dream would be able to make an 11:45 flight home?

 

so hard to decide!!