Regal with kids???

[defeser]

I'm close to booking either the Regal Princess or Norwegian Getaway for a New Years Cruise, leaving December 28 but I need help in choosing which ship would be best for us! My family consists of my wife, 11 yr. old son, and 8 yr. old daughter. We have sailed as a family on RCCL, Carnival, and NCL. I know both the Regal and Getaway are brand new ships which I like a alot. I'm figuring every cruise during this week will have lots of families with children, even Princess? How can I decide which is best??? Help!!! :)

[Colo Cruiser]

Be better to stay with NCL, many more options.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Appygirl]

Really what difference does it make? To a kids eyes cruise ships are all the same. There's a kid club where they can play with other kids and there are swimming pools. There's not too much else on board to interest a kid. There are fancy pants dining rooms where they're forced to dress up and sit for up to 2 hours while several grown up food choices take forever to show up and get eaten when all they want to do is eat a burger and fries and be done in 15 minutes so they can get back to their friends. And don't forget those boring shows at night where they watch singers and dancers or listen to a lame comedian telling jokes they don't understand. Kids tend to be doers more than watchers. It would be more fun to race each other up and down the show room stairs than watch the act.

 

You and your wife choose the ship that has the itinerary and price you like the best. It'll all be the same to your kids. Like most kids, I had no input into vacation planning. When I was a kid we went to places my parents wanted to go and did the things my parents wanted to do. My lucky friends went to fun places like Hawaii and Disneyland. I get it we were fortunate to be able to afford vacations at all, but as a kid I would have loved to do something fun for a change instead of visiting museums and art galleries. To my kid's mind you seen one old church you've seen them all. To your kid's mind, you seen one cruise ship you've seen them all, so either way, really what difference does it make which one you choose.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Really what difference does it make? To a kids eyes cruise ships are all the same. There's a kid club where they can play with other kids and there are swimming pools. There's not too much else on board to interest a kid. There are fancy pants dining rooms where they're forced to dress up and sit for up to 2 hours while several grown up food choices take forever to show up and get eaten when all they want to do is eat a burger and fries and be done in 15 minutes so they can get back to their friends. And don't forget those boring shows at night where they watch singers and dancers or listen to a lame comedian telling jokes they don't understand. Kids tend to be doers more than watchers. It would be more fun to race each other up and down the show room stairs than watch the act.

 

You and your wife choose the ship that has the itinerary and price you like the best. It'll all be the same to your kids. Like most kids, I had no input into vacation planning. When I was a kid we went to places my parents wanted to go and did the things my parents wanted to do. My lucky friends went to fun places like Hawaii and Disneyland. I get it we were fortunate to be able to afford vacations at all, but as a kid I would have loved to do something fun for a change instead of visiting museums and art galleries. To my kid's mind you seen one old church you've seen them all. To your kid's mind, you seen one cruise ship you've seen them all, so either way, really what difference does it make which one you choose.

 

Actually, my daughter likes the shows. But then she saw her first cruise production show when she was 23 months of age. But then, she had already been to some live shows, including Blues Clues Live the month before that first cruise (we did take seats near the back just in case she started fussing but didn't have to). When she was 13 on our second Princess RT to Hawaii, she made it to the comedians' show (a pair) and made sure to see them again two years later on the same ship. And joined her dad and me to see some of the other shows we were going to.

 

And once she turned 13, she asked if she can help with planning the port days, so I passed her the brochures I've collected and some post it notes. Her dad didn't want to do any shore excursions on that cruise, but for the next one, I showed our girl the Princess shore excursions pages for our ports and she wrote down some she was interested in.

 

Of course, kids are different just like adults are.

[Iamcruzin]

I thing NCL is better suited for families in terms of price,room choices and activities. With that said we always choose Princess because of itinerary which for us trumps everything else. However we always pulled our kids out of school at the end of May when less families travel so our kids did receive more attention from the Princess staff in the kid's club. Personally I wouldn't sail on either the Regal or Royal unless the itinerary was outstanding. IMO at this point the Regal and Royal have the worst Caribbean itinerary within the Princess fleet and other lines. New ship smell is not enough for me to buy in.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Iamcruzin

[caribill]

Personally I wouldn't sail on either the Regal or Royal unless the itinerary was outstanding. IMO at this point the Regal and Royal have the worst Caribbean itinerary within the Princess fleet and other lines.

 

I do not find the Royal itinerary of

 

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda | St. Lucia | Barbados | St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis | St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands | Princess Cays, Bahamas | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

 

to be a bad Caribbean itinerary.

[Avalon35]

I do not find the Royal itinerary of

 

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda | St. Lucia | Barbados | St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis | St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands | Princess Cays, Bahamas | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

 

to be a bad Caribbean itinerary.

 

 

Or Royal: Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Dominica, St Thomas, Turks and Caicos (No Princess cays -yay) That is a pretty good one also! And I really checked out the other cruise lines. So not sure why anyone would think Princess doesn't have great Carribean itineraries. The Royal has a more ports/less sea days than any other one except the luxury lines.

 

 

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[Iamcruzin]

Or Royal: Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Dominica, St Thomas, Turks and Caicos (No Princess cays -yay) That is a pretty good one also! And I really checked out the other cruise lines. So not sure why anyone would think Princess doesn't have great Carribean itineraries. The Royal has a more ports/less sea days than any other one except the luxury lines.

 

 

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Are those 10 day itineraries? I didn't see them but I was looking at 7 day.

[LewesBeach]

IMHO the NCL Getaway is more kid friendly. And I think it makes a huge difference to kids. Maybe not toddlers, but especially an 8 & 11 yr old who are old enough to discern their choices. I've had my grandkids on Disney and Princess - guess where they had more fun?

[kendon]

Are those 10 day itineraries? I didn't see them but I was looking at 7 day.

 

For too many of us the ten day itinerary (as interesting as it is) is not an option. The seven day itineraries are booooring. Time to shake them up.

[aikensbest]

For too many of us the ten day itinerary (as interesting as it is) is not an option. The seven day itineraries are booooring. Time to shake them up.

 

What would you add or subtract? There are only so many islands you can reach from Fl. with a 7 day cruise.

[Iamcruzin]

What would you add or subtract? There are only so many islands you can reach from Fl. with a 7 day cruise.

 

 

Years ago they had 7 day southern itineraries with only one sea day. Unfortunately they were out of San Juan which can be an expensive flight for most. Those itineraries were just about the same ports as the 10day that they are selling now. 10 day isn't an option for us however it has to be more than Princess Cay, St Thomas and St Maarten for a 7 day cruise which is what they were running on the Royal last year.

 

 

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[caribill]

It has to be more than Princess Cay, St Thomas and St Maarten for a 7 day cruise which is what they were running on the Royal last year.

 

 

 

Amazing how the Crown, Ruby and Caribbean can fit in four ports on those same seven days.

[Iamcruzin]

Amazing how the Crown, Ruby and Caribbean can fit in four ports on those same seven days.

I know and for what it's worth I prefer those ships over the new ships because they have ocean view staterooms. However I would suck it up and book an inside for one of those 10 day itineraries.

[hubofhockey]

Really what difference does it make? To a kids eyes cruise ships are all the same.

 

You've never met my kids. ;) To them, there is a big difference between Royal Caribbean and Princess.

[HUNKY]

Since you are paying top dollar to go over the New Year's Eve holiday - I'd book a Disney ship. Second choice NCL. Princess would be last after RCCL and Carnival.

[CI66774]

I'm close to booking either the Regal Princess or Norwegian Getaway for a New Years Cruise, leaving December 28 but I need help in choosing which ship would be best for us! My family consists of my wife, 11 yr. old son, and 8 yr. old daughter. We have sailed as a family on RCCL, Carnival, and NCL. I know both the Regal and Getaway are brand new ships which I like a alot. I'm figuring every cruise during this week will have lots of families with children, even Princess? How can I decide which is best??? Help!!! :)

 

OP- I've done the Royal (Regal's sister ship) twice with my five-year old. One was a 26-day transatlantic in April. We've been on several cruise lines, including Disney and RCCL. She LOVES Princess kids club - more than Disney and more than RCCL. The ship will be decorated beautifully, too. I wouldn't stay away from the Regal because you think your kids will be bored. THEY WON'T. My daughter and I are doing another 26-day transatlantic on the Royal Princes in April 2014. I say go for it.

[hubofhockey]

OP- I've done the Royal (Regal's sister ship) twice with my five-year old. One was a 26-day transatlantic in April. We've been on several cruise lines, including Disney and RCCL. She LOVES Princess kids club - more than Disney and more than RCCL. The ship will be decorated beautifully, too. I wouldn't stay away from the Regal because you think your kids will be bored. THEY WON'T. My daughter and I are doing another 26-day transatlantic on the Royal Princes in April 2014. I say go for it.

 

 

OP has an 11-year old. There's a world of difference between 5-year olds and 11-year olds. I would agree that activities and things to do on Royal Caribbean may not appeal to 5-year olds. Mine are now teens but love RCIs flow riders, rock climbing walls, mini golf, ice skating, zip lines, etc. I suppose many of theses things would appeal to 11-year olds, but not 5-year olds.

[Cruisin' Chick]

OP has an 11-year old. There's a world of difference between 5-year olds and 11-year olds. I would agree that activities and things to do on Royal Caribbean may not appeal to 5-year olds. Mine are now teens but love RCIs flow riders, rock climbing walls, mini golf, ice skating, zip lines, etc. I suppose many of theses things would appeal to 11-year olds, but not 5-year olds.

 

Depends on the kid. Mine would probably look at those activities with interest, but when she was 5, when she 10, when she was 15...she would be the same with these activities. For example, she try the rock climbing wall for all of five minutes before deciding to come down again. Some just aren't into the physical activities that much.

[smtcan]

We were just on Royal Princess with our sons and their families. The grandchildren are 9, 11, 12 and 15. They all had a wonderful time. The younger ones did not spend a lot of time in the kids club, but the 15 year old loved meeting other teenage girls in the teen club. They ate with us in the MDR, but sat at the end of the large table and read or played cards quietly while we had a leisurely dinner. They had input into the activities at the ports, and they went to some theatre shows and activities in Princess live. They are already asking when they can go on another cruise!

[CI66774]

OP has an 11-year old. There's a world of difference between 5-year olds and 11-year olds. I would agree that activities and things to do on Royal Caribbean may not appeal to 5-year olds. Mine are now teens but love RCIs flow riders, rock climbing walls, mini golf, ice skating, zip lines, etc. I suppose many of theses things would appeal to 11-year olds, but not 5-year olds.

 

We've been on RCCL and my daughter really enjoyed some of the activities (not the flow rider, wall, or zip line - too young) but she much preferred the kids club on Princess. Now, when she's 11 or 12, she probably won't even want to be around Mommy anymore but I think there's enough to do (in terms of the clubs) for tween on Princess. I guess it up to what is more important to the OP. This is a holiday cruise and the Royal/Regal are lovely ships. I would pick Princess over RCCL but that's just me.:)