Which ship would you choose

[Happyfirstcruiser]

We are considering a family cruise with 3 grandkids. Boys ages will be 6 and 9 and granddaughter will be 14. Which ship will entertain them the most? At this point thinking we should pick the best onboard experience and then select our itinerary. They want to enjoy all that the ship has to offer whether it be swimming, movies, rides, mini golf?  Adults want good food options and watching the kids have fun. Tell me your experiences selecting your ship.

[renza]

Go with any oasis class ship except Allure. They all have waterslides, dry slide, ice-skating, Rockwall, Flow rider, and mini golf. The Allure did not get water slides or the dry slide yet. 

Edited November 4, 2021 by renza

[deliver42]

You can't go wrong on any of the above.

[cynt]

Another vote for the Oasis class of ships.  Plenty to do on the ship for everyone plus the specialty restaurants for the adults. 

[soremekun]

Oasis class, first choice.  Quantum class, second choice.  

 

Also, choose an itinerary that visits CocoCay as icing on the cake.

[pasodancer]

Totally agree w/ Oasis class as 1st choice - it will be an amazing vacation with a lot of onboard experiences for the grandkids and you!

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, renza said:

Go with any oasis class ship except Allure. They all have waterslides, dry slide, ice-skating, Rockwall, Flow rider, and mini golf. The Allure did not get water slides or the dry slide yet. 

my then 8 yo LOVED the Allure (the only thing he couldn't do was zipline because he wasn't 75# at that time). We are doing Harmony next (only because it was a L&S from Independence), and then Allure again. Yeah, it doesn't have slides, but it has lots of other options and things to do.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Itchy&Scratchy

[matj2000]

The kids will have a good time on any ship or ship class.

 

You should choose by basing it on dates, length, available cabins, and price.

 

If the people going have never been on a ship or RC.

 

I would not start with an Oasis class ship to begin with.

 

Go with a Freedom class to start with and work your way up..

 

 

[binro01]

16 hours ago, renza said:

Go with any oasis class ship except Allure. They all have waterslides, dry slide, ice-skating, Rockwall, Flow rider, and mini golf. The Allure did not get water slides or the dry slide yet. 

It true that the Allure does not have the water slides or the Dry slide, but there is still a ton of things for kids to do on the allure, and you will get a very similar experience and save a ton of money sailing on her now. I booked a Feb 27th 2022 cruise on her for an OV balcony for just 1020.00 for two people for 6 nights. That’s less that 85 bucks a night per person. (All taxes and fees included).

[Itchy&Scratchy]

27 minutes ago, binro01 said:

I booked a Feb 27th 2022 cruise on her for an OV balcony for just 1020.00 for two people for 6 nights.

with 3 kids of school age, they may not be able to sail outside of school breaks, when it's the cheapest. That said, Allure is still a lot cheaper than other Oasis or higher class ships for the same time period.

I booked it for May right after the school gets out - $2,305 OV balcony for 3 people. It was way over $3K for 3 on Harmony for the same week.

[binro01]

16 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

with 3 kids of school age, they may not be able to sail outside of school breaks, when it's the cheapest. That said, Allure is still a lot cheaper than other Oasis or higher class ships for the same time period.

I booked it for May right after the school gets out - $2,305 OV balcony for 3 people. It was way over $3K for 3 on Harmony for the same week.

I was pricing out a summer cruise for the family on the Allure in June. (June 25th to be exact.) I can get 2 connecting OV cabins (no balcony) for 4 people. Me, the wife and our 2 18 year old boys who will be graduating in May, for just 3000.00 total. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

21 minutes ago, binro01 said:

I was pricing out a summer cruise for the family on the Allure in June. (June 25th to be exact.) I can get 2 connecting OV cabins (no balcony) for 4 people. Me, the wife and our 2 18 year old boys who will be graduating in May, for just 3000.00 total. 

It's exactly $3,000 at the moment for 4 people in OV cabins. And right now for just $128 more total you could have 2 CP balcony cabins. 🙂

But I don't like people looking right into my cabin... 🙂

Right now the OV balcony for 2 on my May 28 sailing is $1,564. That's unbelievable! But we have 3 ppl, and that adds $741 to the price, which is still better than single supplement.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Itchy&Scratchy

[xtremegk]

I personally would look at length of cruise & itinerary BEFORE choosing the ship. If it's their first cruise or first cruise with RCI, they'll enjoy most of the ships. Oasis class, Quantum class and Freedom class would be the first picks, but I wouldn't shy away from a Voyager class. Oasis class will offer the most...but they'll probably enjoy a slightly longer cruise with more interesting destinations more than a shorter cruise on Oasis class.

[binro01]

35 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

It's exactly $3,000 at the moment for 4 people in OV cabins. And right now for just $128 more total you could have 2 CP balcony cabins. 🙂

But I don't like people looking right into my cabin... 🙂

Right now the OV balcony for 2 on my May 28 sailing is $1,564. That's unbelievable! But we have 3 ppl, and that adds $741 to the price, which is still better than single supplement.

That's a great deal! We tend to book 2 cabins now, since the twins are giants. 😛

[Merion_Mom]

18 hours ago, Happyfirstcruiser said:

We are considering a family cruise with 3 grandkids. Boys ages will be 6 and 9 and granddaughter will be 14. Which ship will entertain them the most? At this point thinking we should pick the best onboard experience and then select our itinerary. They want to enjoy all that the ship has to offer whether it be swimming, movies, rides, mini golf?  Adults want good food options and watching the kids have fun. Tell me your experiences selecting your ship.

 

Is everyone in Seattle?  If so, it would be a lot cheaper and easier to fly to Los Angeles (or Long Beach) to board the Navigator, which sails out of San Pedro.  (port of Los Angeles).  She has been "amped" so she has the slides, etc.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 minutes ago, binro01 said:

That's a great deal! We tend to book 2 cabins now, since the twins are giants. 😛

and you have 2 of them. 🙂 Obviously.

Our 10 yo can't be by himself yet, nor do we want him to. Neither do we want to be in separate cabins. When he is older, he may bring a friend with us - we could get separate cabins then.

[xtremegk]

3 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

and you have 2 of them. 🙂 Obviously.

Our 10 yo can't be by himself yet, nor do we want him to. Neither do we want to be in separate cabins. When he is older, he may bring a friend with us - we could get separate cabins then.

 

We're booking connecting cabins now with just one kid --- and he's only 3. The ultraspacious rooms work fine, but at his age, having the space for him to be able to play when he's in the cabin (early AM since he's an early riser and around his naps while he gets himself calmed and fully wakes up) and then having a room he can go to sleep with the lights off while we're next door (with some lights off, connecting door open) has just worked best. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

21 minutes ago, xtremegk said:

 

We're booking connecting cabins now with just one kid --- and he's only 3. The ultraspacious rooms work fine, but at his age, having the space for him to be able to play when he's in the cabin (early AM since he's an early riser and around his naps while he gets himself calmed and fully wakes up) and then having a room he can go to sleep with the lights off while we're next door (with some lights off, connecting door open) has just worked best. 

whatever works for you - you know your kid best. 🙂

I'd rather use this money for another cruise, since our kid is a little different.

DS started cruising with us at 3, once he was potty trained. Granted, he slept like a log (still does) but especially after ALL the activities on the cruise - cruising wears him out, he was out like a switch, with the lights on and us talking. On our first cruise with him we accidently got a handicapped room (we didn't ask for it, but it came in handy because I was wearing a boot at the time). Space was nice, but not necessary. I stayed in the cabin listening to audiobooks in the dark during his naps, while DH had fun elsewhere on the ship.

So, with him being a great sleeper and at 5', we are still fine with having him in the cabin with us. In a couple of years, he will be much closer to 6' and at a moody preteen-teen age - we might reconsider then. 🙂

Edited November 5, 2021 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Ozark_Kid]

16 hours ago, soremekun said:

Oasis class, first choice.  Quantum class, second choice.  

 

Also, choose an itinerary that visits CocoCay as icing on the cake.

I agree.  They will love CocoCay and it is one port that is not changing.  If you are cruising in the next few months, there is no guarantee that the itinerary will not change.  They are still offering Cozumel in itineraries but some have already received cancellations for March cruises.  Things would have to get really bad for them to cancel CocoCay. Wise that you are not basing it on itinerary at this time.

[yliebert]

Disney, of course!