Britannia with 12 year olds balcony or suite? Or Independence of the seas?

[jenhugs]

We have only been on two cruises one a Thomson when we where very young. The other the Queen Victoria. (Quite a contrast)

 

We want to go with the children and have looked at independence of the seas (IOS) and Britannia. On the Britannia we can have a suite for the same price as an ocean view on IOS. We are looking at the Norwegian fjords cruise, taking on board that a balcony is a must we will be paying even more on IOS.

 

With all this in mind I am concerned that the difference in price means that the IOS is so much better then P&O. Will my children enjoy P&O which seems to have less to offer in terms of the swimming pools (surf pools) and golf courses, to west end shows!

 

Obviously the price difference is swaying me towards a balcony/suite, is the suite worth the additional price?

 

My husband is swaying towards IOS, he has been taken in by the marketing. I am swayed towards the Britannia I am swayed by money :'). Any advice appreciated.

[FangedRose]

The standard balconies on Britannia are only half the depth of all others I've had. There will be standing room only if all three of you are there together. IOS does have more sporty things to do, if that is the way your 12 year old is inclined. The atmosphere on NCL ships is more relaxed and your child may be happier with dress codes etc.

[sammybonny]

You say 'children' so will there be four of you in the cabin? If so I think a standard balcony cabin would be very cramped. A suite would give you a lot more space with a sitting area and much larger bathroom and longer balcony. Breakfast is in Epicurean for suite guests.

 

Have you looked at the superior deluxe balcony? (called mini suites on some ships) Price inbetween standard and suite but much larger also with sitting area and 2 tvs. Very nice on Britannia.

 

Whether your children would enjoy Britannia I couldnt say but there are childrens clubs.

 

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[scifimonkey]

We have only been on two cruises one a Thomson when we where very young. The other the Queen Victoria. (Quite a contrast)

 

 

 

We want to go with the children and have looked at independence of the seas (IOS) and Britannia. On the Britannia we can have a suite for the same price as an ocean view on IOS. We are looking at the Norwegian fjords cruise, taking on board that a balcony is a must we will be paying even more on IOS.

 

 

 

With all this in mind I am concerned that the difference in price means that the IOS is so much better then P&O. Will my children enjoy P&O which seems to have less to offer in terms of the swimming pools (surf pools) and golf courses, to west end shows!

 

 

 

Obviously the price difference is swaying me towards a balcony/suite, is the suite worth the additional price?

 

 

 

My husband is swaying towards IOS, he has been taken in by the marketing. I am swayed towards the Britannia I am swayed by money :'). Any advice appreciated.

 

 

Have to declare that we have never been on IOS though we have often considered it and have friends who have and therefore our view may be a bit skewed as we have had had two great cruises on Britannia. One in side suite to the Med and one in a rear corner suite to the fiords.

If you can get a back corner suite on Britannia then the wrap around balcony is brilliant for a fiords cruise if still a little narrow at its ends. It is better though than the side suite balconies which are narrow along the whole length and offer a more limited prospect in just one direction.

The bedroom in the corner suite is also more disconnected from the living space compared to the suites on the sides which may suit you better if you have a child or children using the sofa bed in the living space.

We had a great time last summer on Britannia to the fiords in a corner suite with our 16 YO son. If it is a weeks cruise then there are only 2 sea days and therefore assuming you make the most of the opportunities on shore then the extent of kids entertainment options may not really be critical? The kids clubs on P&O have a great reputation and our son loved them when he was younger and made some great holiday friends. He is a bit old for them now and is more than happy to accompany us most of the time as long as he has WiFi available and the pretty good TV offering that Britannia has. The pools are good though in the fiords the weather may limit use for less hardy souls.

IOS has more obvious attractions such as climbing walls and surf riders but unless your kids are really keen on these specific activities then I doubt if the kids clubs or the pools will be much better than P&O - bear in mind the number of people that are likely to be in the queue.................

P&O are perhaps more fussy about dress codes but are unlikely to get het up about 12 year olds as long as they are reasonably dressed on formal nights of which there will only be 2.

Shows on Britannia are pretty good and the digital stage sets are state of the art. Need to allow to be there 15 mins early to ensure reasonable seats but have heard some horror stories from friends of never being able to get into the theatre on IOS so that may be no better.

If there is a good price difference and you can get a corner suite ( maybe with the exception of G deck where ther may be noise from the club below) I would say go for Britannia.

 

 

 

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[Presto2]

I can't help re the question about if your children ill like the ship but if it is any help at all, just to say that we have sailed on IOS and Britannia as a couple and much prefer Britannia. She is a much nicer ship and we hated that huge promenade area on IOS. Lots of other dining venues on Britannia and all children we saw were more than happy.

[Barnum42]

Been on both.

 

IOS has a lot more toys and activities.

 

But both has kids clubs that will keep the younger ones entertained. Our daughter (now over 18) enjoyed both clubs. The only negative with P&O was they would close it down for an hour for staff breaks, whereas Royal Caribbean kept them open.

 

Standard of the shows is comparable. I'd not be troubled by missing an abridged west end show on RC for the shows on Britannia.

 

IOS is a flashier, quirkier ship ship, wheras Britannia is a bit understated, with an atrium that looks like a shopping mall.

 

Food was comparable on both, buffet-wise IOS was better, but very repetitive.

 

Norway and balcony would personally seal the deal for me.

[mandylennon]

My son was 14 on his first P&O cruise. He preferred the kids club on P&O as they had limits as to how many children of that age group can attend. RCI do not have limits and can take as many children as they like. On RCI he was 16 and the club was mainly just a get together with no timed activities. This was a few years ago though.

[Bennybluehat]

It depends on whether you want lots to do for the children with a smaller cabin or not much to do with a big cabin. How much time will you all spend in your cabin compared to how much entertainment and activities you intend to do. For me it’s a no brainer - it’s Indy every time! Can’t wait to see what they do in the refit.

[Bobblehat71]

I have been on both recently.

Which is best for the kids really depends on the destination. For a week in the fiords then a suite on Britannia makes a lot of sense, prices for drinks are also almost half of those in IOS.

Independence is a fantastic ship for families and warmer climates .The pools and activities are great. For older kids the promanade ,kids clubs and snack bars etc are ideal for letting your kids free to explore on their own.For young children the water park is also great However onboard spend could be an issue as drinks,coffee , soft drinks etc are very expensive so worth looking at drink packages or all inclusive deals even if it means having a lesser cabin choice. As an alternative to a single ocean view you could look at prices for two inside cabins with an adjoining door.Four people in a single cabin on IOS would be a squeeze even with small children.

[yuvraj]

I have been on IOS many times. Never on Britannia but quite a few times on Ventura (not the same but gives me a reference to contrast P&O versus Royal Caribbean).

 

I have also done a cruise on Oceania sailing with parents and teenage children. We had an aft mini suite and really enjoyed the views from the balcony. The room was very comfortable and worth paying extra.

 

I would regard Norway as a cruise which is all about port stops and scenery. With that in mind, features on board the ship might not matter as much but comfort in cabin might.

 

I like IOS because of the ice show, promenade parades, theatre shows and the casino. Also a nice ship to explore if it is your first time. I don't believe it so good as to warrant a huge premium. If you monitor prices, you will find prices vary and it is all driven by demand.

 

I also like P&O for different reasons. I like the speciality restaurants, the British experience, good choice of wine and down to earth entertainment like tribute acts. IMO the puddings are better and they know how to make tea.

 

My children have enjoyed cruises on both. They are now adults but as children, exploring a large ship, making friends, hanging out at arcades and getting together for meals and shows in evenings is what made it fun. You do need to book excursions at some of the stops in Norway so if budgeting, it is better to save some money on cruise fare and spend it on the excursions.

 

My recommendation would be to try IOS on a different itinerary like Med to get the most of the pool deck facilities that are aimed at children. If Britannia is cheaper then I would choose her for Norway.