Fjords Children

[crosby99]

Hi all

We are looking at doing Ventura in July Norwegian Fjords with a 11 year old and 4 year old. We have done Royal Carribean many times is the past but considering having a go with p&o. 2 questions how does kid facilities compare on the 2 lines? 2nd question Norwegian fjords what will it be like with children really fancy going but excursions etc don't sound great for children.

Thanks for any advice

[the english lady]

Hi all

We are looking at doing Ventura in July Norwegian Fjords with a 11 year old and 4 year old. We have done Royal Carribean many times is the past but considering having a go with p&o. 2 questions how does kid facilities compare on the 2 lines? 2nd question Norwegian fjords what will it be like with children really fancy going but excursions etc don't sound great for children.

Thanks for any advice

I do not have children, so cannot help you there, except to say if it is during the school holidays they will be children on board. From what people have posted the children seem to like the kids clubs.

Fjords...well we have done it twice so far, going back for a third later on this year.

You say you have done RC ..I think with all their whizz bang I am not sure that P and O is so exotic..ie no climbing wall, flow rider etc.

As a destination I don't think the fjords will grab the children, unless they like mountains. These cruises are all about the scenery. No hot weather sunbathing on the top deck, unless you are v v v lucky.

If it was me I would say the combination of destination and age group it would not be the best choice to do with them..

Wait until they don't want to go on holiday with you then try it. Just my thoughts. I love them..but I am not 11 years old.

[kruzseeka]

I do not have children, so cannot help you there, except to say if it is during the school holidays they will be children on board. From what people have posted the children seem to like the kids clubs.

Fjords...well we have done it twice so far, going back for a third later on this year.

You say you have done RC ..I think with all their whizz bang I am not sure that P and O is so exotic..ie no climbing wall, flow rider etc.

As a destination I don't think the fjords will grab the children, unless they like mountains. These cruises are all about the scenery. No hot weather sunbathing on the top deck, unless you are v v v lucky.

If it was me I would say the combination of destination and age group it would not be the best choice to do with them..

Wait until they don't want to go on holiday with you then try it. Just my thoughts. I love them..but I am not 11 years old.

 

I have to say that I agree with english lady. Although I'm sure your children will enjoy the kids club (they all seem to have a great time there) unless as a family you like hiking or are at least good walkers, there is little to do at some destinations except to take what are basically excursions to appreciate the scenery - or walk. Some destinations are quite small villages really. Absolutely beautiful but not a lot to do.

 

Sorry to be a bit negative - we haven't cruised with RCL either but imagine there to be more attractions catering for children on board - but I'd say the main issue for you are the destinations and whether as a family they offer what you want. We think the Fjords are awesome in the true sense of the word and are going back later this year - so do go sometime even if not this holiday.

 

Good luck with your planning though and whatever you decide I hope you all have a great time.

Edited February 22, 2015 by kruzseeka

[BigJH]

I do not have children, so cannot help you there, except to say if it is during the school holidays they will be children on board. From what people have posted the children seem to like the kids clubs.

Fjords...well we have done it twice so far, going back for a third later on this year.

You say you have done RC ..I think with all their whizz bang I am not sure that P and O is so exotic..ie no climbing wall, flow rider etc.

As a destination I don't think the fjords will grab the children, unless they like mountains. These cruises are all about the scenery. No hot weather sunbathing on the top deck, unless you are v v v lucky.

If it was me I would say the combination of destination and age group it would not be the best choice to do with them..

Wait until they don't want to go on holiday with you then try it. Just my thoughts. I love them..but I am not 11 years old.

Hi, we are going on Azura in July to the Fjords, with our two children (12 and 8), this will be our third time in four years with us taking a break from it last year by going to the Baltic. We have been with P&O, Princess and Celebrity. Whilst I agree with "the English lady" above, we have always had the opinion that the holiday is what you make it, it doesn't have to be all about kids clubs and flow riders....

 

My son was 4 on our first cruise (Fjords and Iceland on Ventura), and he loved it. We did try the kids clubs once, but our kids don't like them, and we don't like putting them in there, our view is we all go on holidays together, I why go otherwise? There is plenty to do that will interest and stimulate the children, but it's not going to be fairgrounds and cartoon characters. I do, however agree that the excursions put on by P&O do not in any way cater for children, which is something they need to embrace, as simply catering for the "older" generation will mean that they are not looking after their future customers - something that other lines do more effectively, but that doesn't mean that there isn't plenty to do...

 

Good luck in making your decision...

 

Cheers

[my marina bay]

To put your mind at ease, we did the Fjords last July on Azura in school holidays. Ok we didn't have children with us but the ship was full of families, and Azura had the maximum quota of children. In fact we were very surprised at the average age of passenger which at a guess would have been around 40. Lots of very active parents with children who seemed to hire bikes at every venue or go off walking with rucksacks etc. or hired kayaks/canoes.

 

If you like the outdoors, great scenery, fresh air go for it, you won't be disappointed.

 

PS: we had great weather too.

[BrianI]

Have a look at this excellent video of cruising the fjords on Azura with children.

Brian

[P&O SUE]

Have a look at this excellent video of cruising the fjords on Azura with children.

Brian

 

That brought back happy memories of my 2013 cruise :)

[Thejuggler]

The 4 year old probably won't care where they are, the 11 year old should be inspired. Our 8 year old has been to the Fjords twice (and Oslo) and enjoyed it, even a couple of years ago when it poured it down.

 

You will always find something to do, even in quieter ports.

[dsrdsrdsr]

A lot of Norway is ideal for children. Especially the tender ports - free boat rides on the tenders are a big attraction.

Edited February 22, 2015 by dsrdsrdsr

[Suebiker]

Hi

 

With regards to the Kids facilities, you will find P and O does not have climbing walls, ice rinks, flow riders , crazy golf etc, however it does make up for this with an amazing youth team and fantastic kids clubs. Our DD has been in the 2-4 and 3-8 age group club and has thoroughly enjoyed them. In fact we only have one problem -getting her out !!!!! lol. She thinks the kids clubs are the best part of the holiday and can't wait to go. I can't comment on the older age groups but we will find out this year. I know that they have air hockey , game consoles etc for the older kids and a whole host of activities running. In fact "The Kids clubs " are probably one of the main reasons that we cruise with P and O.

 

I agree with you regarding shore excursion however, they do not cater very well for children.

 

Regards

 

Sue

 

P.s - when we went to Norway about ten years ago , the weather was really hot. This was in June - I asked our tour guide if the weather was unusual for the time of year and he said no, that it was usually very hot all summer. So hopefully you will get good weather in July.

[crosby99]

Thanks all useful advice.

We have decided to go for it. The frozen theme has done it for the 4 year old!

 

Ps 18 months ago RC Allure of the Seas Caribbean excursions were not actually that kid friendly either.

Looking forward to comparing the 2 lines

[groovechick]

We did the fjords 3 years with older children (11 and 16). The kids clubs are brilliant, both mine made friends they are still in touch with and our son was delighted when a couple of the friends he'd made turned up on our Iberian cruise the following year.

Child-friendly excursions: Stavanger's oil museum. Sounds boring but in fact we spent most of a morning there and some of the exhibits are hands-on (trying out a survival pod, survival suits, etc.). IIRC there were trips to aquariums/sea life centres in one port and the trip up to the glacier in Olden is quite fun if you take the troll cars (it's probably too long and steep a walk for a 4-year old) as the road is twisty-turny, you drive through spray from waterfalls etc. I think the tour guide who told suebiker Norwegian summers were always hot was pulling her leg. We were there in August and it was like a cool UK summer, temps in low 20s, some sun, some rain.

[themanwithahat]

My Hatlets are a bit old for the Kids Clubs, but I've been on three P&O cruises, all in the school holidays and barely seen any children. I know they are there because they appear at mealtimes and so on, but during the day they just vanish. Whatever P&O are doing with them they seem to like it :)

[jaydeemdm2015]

Hi all

We are looking at doing Ventura in July Norwegian Fjords with a 11 year old and 4 year old. We have done Royal Carribean many times is the past but considering having a go with p&o. 2 questions how does kid facilities compare on the 2 lines? 2nd question Norwegian fjords what will it be like with children really fancy going but excursions etc don't sound great for children.

Thanks for any advice

 

My five year old loved the fjords. We went may year before last. P&O have a great kids club from memory though I was on Cunard when we went and disappointed with the club.

 

It was warm when we went. We love a mix of sun, sea and adventure on our holidays.

[skit72]

We took our 8 year old at the time, for our first cruise to Norway, with P&O and she loved it. We have since done the Canaries/Portugal with P&O and a Mediterranean cruise with Disney cruises. Mediterranean was her least favourite and Norway her favourite. The kids clubs on P&O are great also.

[Jo and Rob]

Hi all

We are looking at doing Ventura in July Norwegian Fjords with a 11 year old and 4 year old. We have done Royal Carribean many times is the past but considering having a go with p&o. 2 questions how does kid facilities compare on the 2 lines? 2nd question Norwegian fjords what will it be like with children really fancy going but excursions etc don't sound great for children.

Thanks for any advice

 

We loved the Fjords and so did our children. Here is a link our family video which shows the ship Azura (sister ship of Ventura) and the Norwegian ports. Stavanger 1minute 32, Flam 3min 40, Geiranger 6min 35, Bergen 9 min 10

 

We also did a couple of Norwegian Fjord ports on our Iceland cruise so I've added a couple of photographs of family fun with different activities at Geiranger and Bergen.

 

Geiranger

 

 

 

 

Enjoying a tasty hot chocolate

 

 

Bergen - take the funicular up to a free National Park where you can take boats out for free!

 

 

Bergen - view from the top of the funicular

 

 

Addition photographs available with the following link

Edited February 23, 2015 by Jo and Rob