Family cruise line suggestions

[namest]

We recently returned from a Disney Cruise with (2) six year olds, (1) 3 year old and an 18month old and their parents. Ten people total. We had a wonderful time and Disney was great with a few exceptions. The big negative is the large price tag and the nickel and dimeing of everything.

 

We would like to cruise again with everyone but wonder if others have found other cruise lines that will accommodate who all love to swim. The 18month old was not allowed in the pool on Disney and the splash area was lame.

 

All suggestions are welcome.

 

Thanks

[mjkacmom]

If you think you are nickeled and dined on DCL, a mainstream mass market cruise line isn't going to make you happy - all of them charge extra. I think DCL is the only one with free soda. DCL and some RCCL ships are the only ones with even splash areas for diapered kids, none allow babies in swimming pools.

 

I suggest an AI, where everything is included, and babies can go in the pools.

[cb at sea]

None of the cruise lines allow diapers on ANYONE in a pool...some ships do have baby "splash" areas...but they aren't pools. Ship pools are too small to handle potential fecal contamination. Even if the child has a swim diaper on, the pool water flows THROUGH whatever is in the diaper, and can make others quite ill.

[Ashland]

Consider RCI Harmony.

[onthelake]

Realistically, you will have a lot better luck potty training the 18 month old over the next xxx months before the next cruise than finding a cruise line that will let a swim diapered child in the pool.

[melski]

We cruise on Royal Caribbean. Look at Liberty and Harmony (although Harmony much more expensive than Liberty). Both have splash pools but rather small.

 

As with any mass market ship, you can feel nickel and dime. However, even buying everything I want I still come out ahead of Disney. My kids are only allowed 1-2 sodas a day, so the free soda isn't a big deal to me on DCL. You don't have do go to a specialty dining (cost extra) unless you want to and we find the free food fine especially when eating with the kids.

[roboref]

We've cruised on all the major cruise lines except HAL (leaving on our first HAL cruise in 11 days). All of them do good things for kids, but I would be on RCCL with my little ones if I still had them.