2nd Cruise - undecided, please help us decide

[Tammynbrian]

TLDR: Looking for a 9 year old friendly cruise in Caribbean for Jan/Feb 2023.

 

I've done a lot of research and I'm having trouble deciding what's best. My wife and I have been on 1 cruise before (Celebrity, Eastern Caribbean). We are looking for a cruise to take our 9 year old in Jan/Feb 2023 out of NYC, FLL, Miami, or Orlando. We are looking in the $1500-3000 price range for 4-7 days and staying in a balcony. I'm having trouble understanding what might be best for us and for her for cruise lines and ships. We do plan on having her to go to the kids clubs for basically all of the sea days and, maybe for some of the evening on port days so we can get some time as the 2 of us, too.

 

I've read a lot of RC's Oasis class ships and they sound amazing. There are several good cruises to pick from here at the high end of the range. There are also some non-Oasis class ships to pick from in the low range ($1200-1700) but those are on Mariner or Grandeur. I have read that the kids clubs on the Oasis are amazing, though. I like that these cruises all have a Coco Cay stop but I'm not crazy about the other ports (though I've never been to any of them, so it's just from what I know of them and may not be reality) - Cozumel + Costa Maya + Honduras, or Jamaica + Haiti. There's one that is Coco Cay, St. T, St. M that that one sounds wonderful to us but it's 8 nights and that may be too long for us, even though it's only 1 extra day.

 

I also looked at NCL and their top-end ships. The price was at the top of the range (or over) for a 7 day on Escape but that includes some things that we might want anyways like drink package, wifi, specialty dining. BUT - reading into those terms seems not so good and maybe it's best just to go RC and a la carte. I don't think we will be drinking 6+ cocktails a day, especially on port days. The wifi is only 150 minutes, not unlimited. The specialty dining is 2 meals but, according to the terms, only for 2 of the 3 of us, we'd have to pay for our child's meal still. I did like the ports better on this one, though - St. T, BVI, DR.

 

I've looked a little at Carnival but I really know nothing about it since we didn't research them for our 2017 cruise. I know they're supposed to be family friendly.

 

Finally, I think we've ruled out Celebrity based on what we saw back on our 2017 cruise. Not that we wouldn't go on them again if it was just the 2 of us, but there were very few kids running around and we want her to have as much fun as we will.

 

Any suggestions are very welcome. Our family has 5 of us and the 2 older kids are in college/on their own mostly now. We'd like to see if cruising is a nice cheaper alternative for just the 3 of us that we can use a way to have a vacation that includes 3 of us but has some time for the 2 of us to also be together.

[mom says]

Since Disney would be outside your budget, I think RCCL will probably check most of the boxes on your wish list. Carnival might work, but I really hesitate to recommend it to anyone other than adult budget seekers. I'll get flamed for that from the Carnival fans, but that's JMHO.

Edited April 8, 2022 by mom says

[Essiesmom]

I think you should eliminate NYC as departure port at that time of year.  Not only will the first day or two be chilly, but unless you do a cruise longer than 8 days, they don’t go further south than the Bahamas, which will not be as warm as you are hoping.  In my opinion, Port Canaveral may be okay as a departure port, but it is a waste of time as port of call, unless you plan to visit the space center.  An excursion to one of the theme parks is an expensive series of long bus rides and lines.  
I’m one of of the adult bargain seekers and as a senior, I still love Carnival.  Just got off the Spirit on Monday.  Prices are very, very good right now.  If this is the first cruise for you 9 year old, she will be wowed by any ship.  Consider Conquest class or newer, which includes Freedom from Port Canaveral.  Wherever you choose to sail from, be sure to arrive a day early, especially considering winter storms.  EM

[cruizergal70]

7 minutes ago, mom says said:

Since Disney would be outside your budget, I think RCCL will probably check most of the boxes on your wish list. Carnival might work, but I really hesitate to recommend it to anyone other than adult budget seekers. I'll get flamed for that from the Carnival fans, but that's JMHO.

I  make well into six figures and my next cruise is on Carnival. 

 

OP, RCI will be fine. I don't get your issue with ports you haven't visited. Have you looked at excursions in those places? If you really like the 8 day itinerary,  do that cruise. I'm sure you could deal with one more day. Plan something special and make it an event day.

[hallux]

Just to correct a couple points on the NCL portion - 

4 hours ago, Tammynbrian said:

I don't think we will be drinking 6+ cocktails a day, especially on port days

The package only allows for drinks up to $15 for free.  The gratuities on the drink package (which NCL will charge you even though the package is included) are $20 per person per day, so even with $10 drinks you break even at 2 drinks per person per day.

 

4 hours ago, Tammynbrian said:

The wifi is only 150 minutes, not unlimited.

150 minutes each for the first 2 guests in the room, so a total of 300 minutes.  If you don't activate on day 1, you get an offer to "trade" that 150 minute package in for credit toward unlimited for one device (at a time, you can log out and log another device in to 'share' it), saving $100 off the unlimited package for for the rest of the cruise.

 

4 hours ago, Tammynbrian said:

The specialty dining is 2 meals but, according to the terms, only for 2 of the 3 of us, we'd have to pay for our child's meal still.

Yes, guests 1 and 2.  Does your daughter eat off the adult menu at this point or is she still picking from the kid's menu?  Kid's menu is ship-wide for kids up to 12 and in the specialty venues is still free.  Something else to consider - the SDP allows for multiple apps and desserts and only one entree, so if she likes the appetizers you could get one or two and a dessert for her and it would all be covered.  Honestly - the $89 (plus 20% grat) to get a 2-meal SDP for her could be a good value if she's going to order off the full menu, it's basically buy one, get one.  My meals in Le Bistro and Cagney's were $78 and $81, respectively.  She may not order as much as I did, but you're still getting more value than you paid in to the package.

[Tammynbrian]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Just to correct a couple points on the NCL portion - 

 

Awesome! Thank you so much for this! It’s definitely some perspective that I needed.

 

About the drink package, I had been just comparing the extra cost of the NCL cruise we looked at (with drinks) to the RCI with a drink package and they were about the same price, so I took the price difference between them to be mostly due to the “free” stuff and the drink package is the bulk of that. 
 

I didn’t realize the kids menu at specialty dining was free. She definitely would eat off of that and share an app or two with us. 
 

Also, the internet idea sounds great! Hope they still have it 8 months from now if that’s what we go with. 
 
Do you have any experience with the kids clubs on NCL? I’ve read so many good things about the RCI kids club but I’m lacking on feedback about NCL’s. 

[hallux]

5 minutes ago, Tammynbrian said:

Do you have any experience with the kids clubs on NCL?

Sorry, no kids.

6 minutes ago, Tammynbrian said:

I didn’t realize the kids menu at specialty dining was free.

I don't think it's a special kid's menu, the info I found indicated it's the same menu around the entire ship.  Someone in one of the threads I found indicated that kids used to be able to order off the specialty venue menu at half price but that ended several years ago.

 

9 minutes ago, Tammynbrian said:

Also, the internet idea sounds great! Hope they still have it 8 months from now if that’s what we go with. 

I can't say for certain, but I don't think the upgrade is an offer that will go away, you just have to know it's a thing and you can't activate your minutes until the second day then take the upgrade when it's offered.  See this thread for info on this -