Wanted: New Cruise Line

[cjnwildfire]

I am doing some research for our next cruise.

We have only cruised Carnival and we are getting a bit tired of them.

We also have 3 kids 13/10/6.

 

What are your favorite cruise lines and why?

 

Please include a story (I like a good story).

 

What are your kids favorite "kid" programs and why?

 

Thanks!

 

*Please remember these are personal opinions. We don't need to attack each other!*

[Scrapnana]

A bit more money but Disney is great for kids of all ages. My granddaughter was seven when we took her and her two year old brother. They both enjoyed the kids programs. There were lots of teens and tweens onboard and they all looked like they were having a great time. There are dedicated spaces for different age groups.

[JimAOk1945]

You might consider Royal Caribbean International. They have a great kids program.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Look at Royal's 2 big ships ..(we are Grandparents)

Edited August 3, 2014 by we're sailing away....

[Life is Good Cruising]

Another vote for Royal Caribbean because of the kid's program. Their programs range in these ages (Ages 6-8) (Ages 9-11) (Ages 12-14).

[olemissreb]

My kids have only been on 2 cruise lines - Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. When we went on RCI, my sons were 9 & 13. My 9yo LOVED the kids club. When he wasn't forced to be with us on excursions or at dinner, he was in the kids club. My 13yo could take it or leave it, but then that's his personality.

 

Last year in Alaska, the boys were 13 & 17. My youngest didn't enjoy the kids club as much - not enough to do for him (of course he also had a broken foot and was on crutches, so that might have dampened his enthusiasm). My oldest loved hanging out with the older teens and partaking in the video game tournaments.

 

For the ages of your kids, I'd recommend Royal Caribbean - much more to do especially if they are active and/or athletes like my youngest.

[DonnaK]

I recommend Royal Caribbean too. My kids are 23 and 21 now, but they would definitely agree.

 

Of course the two largest ships (Oasis and Allure) have everything, but any Voyager class (Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator, Mariner) or Freedom Class (Freedom, Liberty, Independence) would be great for kids!

[GTO-Girl]

Another vote for Royal!!!

 

We are Platinum on Carnival, but sail Royal a lot. I think you will really enjoy it especially with kids!!

Edited August 3, 2014 by GTO-Girl

[Seago2]

I love Carnival with the kids, but if I were going to make a switch and still had younger kids it would probably be to RC. Princess had a phenomenal kids club with a great group of kids but they don't sail from the places/during the times that we do. My kids did like NCL kids clubs but I'm not a huge NCL fan any more. Honestly it also really depends on the dynamic between the kids during your particular sailing...

[Cruisin' Chick]

We've only been on Carnival (a few times before child, and a few times while our kid was 23 mo, 3 yrs and 4yrs) an on Princess since then (the girl was 5, 7, 8, 13 and 15).

 

Hubby had an employee who was dating a Princess employee and knew we like going on cruises. So he offered us an Friends and Family discount and we jumped on it as we wanted to try another cruise line. A different experience and we feel more of a fit for at least my hubby and me (the decor not glitzy, no pool games that border on the crude -- no lipsynch contests involving a banana instead of a microphone, no stuff the bikini contest, no hairy back contest, you get the idea). Depending on your cruise director, you might even get a break from endless PAs about that last not-to-be-missed art auction or bingo tourney (which usually isn't as you'll hear the same announcement once or twice again on the Carnival cruises I've been on).

 

The children's program has a nice science program when there's plenty of kids on board: http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/activities/youth_teen/edutainment/ My girl really enjoyed these. Kids especially enjoy the squid dissection.:eek: Our first of these cruises was during Valentine's Week and not too many school-aged kids were on board (our local schools take off only one day in February for Presidents' Day and this was a west coast cruise) so not a lot of activities like on her other cruises, but she did have a shipboard romance of sorts with a fellow 5-year-old boy.

 

They also have the kids' dinners just like on Carnival. And undoubtedly many of the same activities.

 

Oh, here's the story: that guy who got us the discount did marry his gf on the Diamond Princess when it was brand new (all of her employee discounts went toward that wedding so we were out of luck for our cruise that year on the Sapphire). He was also in the armed forces and had reupped for another tour of duty in the Middle East without telling wifey. She wasn't too pleased about that and threw him out. End of marriage. Oh well.

[Laughing Angel]

We've done Carnival several times, and the kids seemed to enjoy the clubs there, but for a different experience, you might want to try Disney Cruise Line. It's a higher end cruise experience, so it can be pricey.

 

Disney excels at fun things for kids to see and do. Terrific kid’s programs, with lots of art, science and exploration themed activities. We did a family cruise on the Magic a few years ago. This included my sister and brother-in-law and their 2 kids, and my brother and sister-in-law and their 2 kids. Ages of the kidsters ranged from 7 to 14. Once we got on board, the kids were pretty much free to enjoy the kid clubs for as long as they wished, and that’s just what they did—having lots of fun with their new friends and getting involved in the activities. They were able to play games, perform science experiments, learn to cook, create computer animation, do stop action movies, take part in a pirate treasure hunt...they had a blast! The only rule was that they were required to have dinner with the family each night. We'd pick them up every evening just before our early seating.

 

I liked the fact that there are several "adults only" venues on board (pool, restaurant, coffee shop, etc.). The shows were great. I very much enjoyed the dining options (you rotate to different restaurants each night keeping the same wait staff). The ship is elegantly appointed--no garish décor or Vegas style design. Nice sized staterooms. The split bathrooms (sink and toilet in one half, sink and tub/shower in the other) are genius—very convenient for families!

 

Okay, here’s my story:

 

Remember the rule about having dinner together? Everything worked out well, until one night I accompanied my sister to go pick up my 7 year old niece from the kid’s club. The little one came walking out dressed in an oversized lab coat and chef’s hat.

 

My sister said, “C’mon sweetie…it’s time to go”

 

“But Mom, I can’t leave now—tonight we’re making Flubber! Pleeeaasse!”

 

My sister turns to me and says, “Okay, am I gonna be the one who tells her she can’t stay and make Flubber?”

 

The staff promised to feed her dinner and she went back to complete her very important task. BTW, we did end up with a nice, healthy supply of Flubber to take home, so there's that. :D

[JimAOk1945]

“But Mom, I can’t leave now—tonight we’re making Flubber! Pleeeaasse!”

 

My sister turns to me and says, “Okay, am I gonna be the one who tells her she can’t stay and make Flubber?”

 

The staff promised to feed her dinner and she went back to complete her very important task. BTW, we did end up with a nice, healthy supply of Flubber to take home, so there's that. :D

 

Cute story! Thanks for sharing. :p

[A2Mich]

A bit more money but Disney is great for kids of all ages. My granddaughter was seven when we took her and her two year old brother. They both enjoyed the kids programs. There were lots of teens and tweens onboard and they all looked like they were having a great time. There are dedicated spaces for different age groups.

 

With all due respect, I don't feel that Disney's prices at double or MORE than double Carnival rates qualifies as "a bit more money." While I'm sure everyone had a great time on Disney, the cost difference to some may not be so much, to others, is considerable. As much as I do not personally care for Disney, I would like to take the family on a Disney cruise - however, at their prices, that is not going to be a possibility without a winning Powerball ticket.:D

[Seago2]

I would love to sail Disney and have never heard a bad word about them. I am not a Disney person by a long shot but I think I could be a Disney cruise person! But for the price of a five day Disney cruise in an OV I now have a B2B on carnival Fantasy- 12 days, of which 7 are in a suite. Fantasy is nothing to write home about but cost and length of cruise are my priorities. But- my youngest is 16 so I don't have the same priorities as the OP.

 

OP, I suggest you float around and try a few lines. Go for itineraries and home ports that interest you. Factor in cost. I am really happy that I have sailed a bunch of lines. I'm at a place right now where Carnival is "fine" but if I hadn't sailed Cunard I would always be wondering. Surf around. I wish you luck and good vacays!

[Velvetwater]

I am still a Carnival fan but as they are not in Europe for a bit I was looking at different lines for next year.

 

The two that seemed to fit (both in feel and price) were Royal and NCL. Both have bigger ships packed with things to do as well. I would go with either of those.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have to agree with some others here -- try RCI's Oasis or Allure.

[big al]

I am doing some research for our next cruise.

We have only cruised Carnival and we are getting a bit tired of them.

We also have 3 kids 13/10/6.

 

What are your favorite cruise lines and why?

 

Please include a story (I like a good story).

 

What are your kids favorite "kid" programs and why?

 

Thanks!

 

*Please remember these are personal opinions. We don't need to attack each other!*

 

 

I am both a cruise agent and avid cruiser..we have cruised 29 times ( # 30 on Oasis in Oct) including 12 RCI, 6 Carnival, 5 NCL, 2 times Disney, and once each on HAL, Princess, Celebrity & Celebration...

 

My vote in order would be:

1) Oasis/ Allure of the Seas ( RCI)

2) NCL Getaway

3) Freedom Class ships (RCI)

4) Disney Dream or Fantasy

 

All the cruise lines have something to offer, but I would eliminate HAL, Celebrity, & Princess because you have kids and those lines ( all good) TEND to attract a more mature, older passenger age.. I have cruised ( as you can see) on all but MSC ( Toured Divina- fantastic!) and Costa , but these I mentioned have perqs for families & kids AND adults a bit more than the others...RCI's Oasis & Freedom Class ships have a kid's pool area called H20 Fun Zone, which no doubt your 6 yr. old will love, even maybe the 10 yr. old..there is a family pool for all with LIVE caribbean music, something Carnival has dropped in favor of a loud DJ- bad move for many, including myself..I love hearing that reggae bad at the pool..it's part of the cruise experience IMO..also the FLOWRIDER is a surf simulator that allows all to ride the waves in ( Oasis /Allure have 2 Flowriders)..kids LOVE it! Also, there is an AMAZING diving show in the Aquapark, where divers dive 56 feet into a small pool- it's breathtaking..also, there is an ice-skating rink with skaters form several countries putting a show on to great music- kids & teens love that as well..Parades line the fantastic Royal Promenade ( this is the "WOW" factor RCI has over other ships) at night..very festive..also there is a 70's retro disco party there with the staff dressed as the Village People singing...there is an ADULT pool that is simply awesome with inifinity hot tubs that stick out over the sea with killer views..there are EIGHT pools and 16 hot tubs on Oasis ships, 3 pools and 8 hot tubs on the Freedom ships..both have teen clubs & video arcades..you WON'T be bored on these huge ships..

 

Getaway has a great pool area for kids and lots of slides ( NO slides on RCI) and like the Oasis/ Allure, has 22+ dining options ( very few dining options on Carnival..)..also, the Getaway has lots of shows including Illusionarium, a dinner magic show that the kids would love..a Japanese steakhouse called Teppanyaki, where they cook the food Hibachi style in front of you at your table..good fun & great food..there's a 24 hr Irish Pub called O'Sheehan's with FREE food ( cool place)..my fav is an outside area called "The Waterfront" , which is a promenade OUTSIDE with bars, cafes and restaurants that allows you to eat & drink while watching the sea- VERY COOL!!! Great concept..The Getaway is made for families, as are the Royal ships...

 

The Disney ships Dream & Fantasy are about 15-20 % more $$ than others , but are truly in a class by themselves..IMO, Disney has THEE best cabins ( most have TWO bathrooms, how cool is that??) , best dining room food ( very subjective this..) , best musical production shows ( all 4 on the Dream were spectacular!!) , great pool areas with the Aquaduck , a water ride that takes you on a journey all over the ship, including hanging over the edge ( very safe & we loved it!), and the best service..also the best breakfast buffet I found on Disney..shrimp cocktail & fried coconut shrimp at lunch? Eggs Benedict at the buffet?? Are you kidding?? The brunch at the adult Palo restaurant was amazing- no other word for it..it took me 2 weeks to get over it..have medics standing by..for $20 pp it's a steal...

 

There you go..my opinions in detail..most hear are saying RCI as you can see..I agree but they are pricier that NCL , not as pricey as Disney..also NCL has some great deals with OBC's ( on board credit) that you may to look at..great $$ specialty dining options ( the best of the bunch IMO) if you like better dining and lots of options..any questions fire away...good luck and may the cruise be with you...

 

Big Al

[cjnwildfire]

Please keep 'em coming!

I have to say, Disney is out. They have spent quite a bit of time in the park and I don't see the point. I am also not a huge fan of Disney anyway:eek:

 

After your suggestions, I did some more digging into RCI. They are a bit more expensive than NCL. But the one thing I do like is that they both have 2 bedroom suites with a balcony. As it is now I am having to bring an extra adult to put into the adjoining balcony room for the kids (hubby and I always plan our vacation in late sept-early oct. for our anniversary, so we want "a little" alone time). I liked NCL's suite services over RCI.

[Aquahound]

I have to agree with the majority of responses here. Royal Caribbean, especially their bigger ships, is my recommendation.

 

I'm pretty much an equal opportunity cruiser, meaning I'll consider any line. But as you can see in my signature, I just keep coming back to RCI. Oasis and Allure are amazing ships, and Freedom Class is a close second. There's live entertainment everywhere, the ships are beautiful, service is excellent, food is good, and they have been consistently great cruises for me.

[Seago2]

RCI is indeed more money and that's what has kept me away. I'm not living on canned tuna and bartering shells and trinkets in my "real life" but it's hard when you go to an online TA and click "compare cruises" and see RC consistently coming in hundreds and hundreds more per sailing. And then when you compare a top CCL ship to a low level RCI ship and still come out with RCI costing more.... I don't know. I'm really torn for a number of reasons. My next cruise may very well be Allure or Oasis. Honestly if CCL had more loyalty perqs it would settle the argument!

[OCruisers]

Princess has a very good program for children and is a family friendly cruise line. :)

LuLu

[cjnwildfire]

RCI is indeed more money and that's what has kept me away. I'm not living on canned tuna and bartering shells and trinkets in my "real life" but it's hard when you go to an online TA and click "compare cruises" and see RC consistently coming in hundreds and hundreds more per sailing. And then when you compare a top CCL ship to a low level RCI ship and still come out with RCI costing more.... I don't know. I'm really torn for a number of reasons. My next cruise may very well be Allure or Oasis. Honestly if CCL had more loyalty perqs it would settle the argument!

I hate to say this, but the straw that broke my camel's back was when one of our group was strong armed to move cabins.

It was because he was in a room that sleeps 4 and he is cruising alone.

We book 3 adjoining balcony cabins, 2 with an interior adjoining door and 1 just on the other side.

I called CCL and asked them (nicely the first time) to put him back in his previous room. I explained that this was his first cruise and we wanted him next to us so that we could help him around and kind of help him through his cruise.

I was told that they couldn't do that. I was also told that they could put him in an interior room if they wanted. I asked how they could do that without our permission and she told me to read the contract.

Finally I told her to put him back in the room he was in (not so nicely this time) or I would cancel all 3 rooms and would take my business elsewhere.

We did get him back in his room, but they lost my business. While we will be taking this cruise because I have already paid for airfare and hotels. I WILL be finding another line to go with.

The thought of them just being able to change a room, because they can, just sickens me.

There is a reasonable expectation of service, when you pay for a product, us have a right to expect what you pay for. I can no longer trust that CCL will do that.

[dorisis]

I have to agree with some others here -- try RCI's Oasis or Allure.

 

Awesome ships with something for everyone.

[lem4]

I went on an 8 days cruise on Carnival Miracle 2012 at a price of $1048.00 p.p. inside cabin.

6 months later I went on RC's Explorer of the seas for a 10 day cruise at a price of $699.00 p.p. inside cabin.

[skandls]

Please keep 'em coming!

I have to say, Disney is out. They have spent quite a bit of time in the park and I don't see the point. I am also not a huge fan of Disney anyway:eek:

 

After your suggestions, I did some more digging into RCI. They are a bit more expensive than NCL. But the one thing I do like is that they both have 2 bedroom suites with a balcony. As it is now I am having to bring an extra adult to put into the adjoining balcony room for the kids (hubby and I always plan our vacation in late sept-early oct. for our anniversary, so we want "a little" alone time). I liked NCL's suite services over RCI.

 

If you book adjoining rooms just do the booking with one of you in each room - when you get on board just get room keys for both rooms. As long as you are in adjoining rooms they don't care who sleeps where.

 

Royal Caribbean is our favorite 'cruising line'. The Oasis and Allure have so much going on you can't do everything. The kids programs seem to be well run and the kids seem to be having a lot of fun. My friend and I (over 60) took a ride on the merry-go-round.