Rare MillbrookMom Posted September 30, 2006 #1 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Dh will be choosing his holidays weeks for next year soon and we are looking at 2 different cruises that we're trying to decide between. 8 night Carnival Cruise on the Carnival miracle to the Caribbean from NY in April or 9 night RCCL Explorer of the Seas to the Caribbean from NY as well in Nov. What advice can you give me to help us choose? thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamandamn14 Posted September 30, 2006 #2 Share Posted September 30, 2006 What ages are your kids that will affect which cruise you should pick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MillbrookMom Posted October 1, 2006 Author #3 Share Posted October 1, 2006 What ages are your kids that will affect which cruise you should pick They will be either 8 and 10 or 9 and 11 at the time of cruising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen tev Posted October 11, 2006 #4 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Take Rccl Explorer.We have done both ships and found more to do with a more active kids group on Explorer.Better kids pool area too.Nice waterslide for the kids,plus Johnny rockets is right there next to the pool area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Leprechaun Posted October 12, 2006 #5 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Just got off the Miracle last week, have 2 kids 9 and 11. We loved everything about the Miracle.....except the kids clubs. They were terrible. Very unorganized, activities on the schedule never happened, our kids hardly did any of them. We have done Disney, RCL and NCL and they were non-stop busy with the kids activities on those lines al the time - they loved them. In short, Miracle is a great boat but I swore I would not do Carnival again with the kids. hope it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinsforme Posted February 5, 2007 #6 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Most definately, Explorer of the Seas. I cruised on the Miracle in February 2006 and then on Explorer of the Seas in June 2006 and without a doubt, Explorer of the Seas was better. The kids ages were 8, 8 and 10. They hated the kids club on the Miracle. The 8 year olds were disappointed when Camp Carnival changed scheduled activities because not enough 8 to 10 year olds showed up. They were thrown in with the younger kids on several occasions and there was no warning ahead of time. The other thing I didn't like is that whoever signed the kids in had to sign the kids out. I was travelling with my sister and her kids. There were times when I wanted to go pick up the 3 kids, but could only take mine if she signed hers in. This also pertains to a husband and wife. If Dad signs the kids in, Dad has to sign the kids out. I think it's a stupid policy. Some people will say it's because of security, but I've cruised Disney, NCL RCCL and Carnival and Carnival is the only one with this policy. I think if I authorize my sister, or anyone else to sign my kids in or out, that should be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorkingMomNeedsaVacation Posted February 6, 2007 #7 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Wow. We leave on the Miracle in 12 days... with kids ages 11 and 7. Honestly, I think this is the first negative review I have read about the ship for anything - besides the lights in the dining room! I'm not too worried about the kids clubs - we view it as there for the kids to have something to do - not something they HAVE to go to. I was hoping for one dinner at Nick and Noras, but if I have to skip it, no big deal. My kids are real funny about those kids camps anyway - they are hit or miss. The first resort we went to with the kids was a Club Med and I couldn't peel my son away. He didn't even want to eat dinner with us. He was 8 at the time. My daughter was too young so she didn't even make it through the door. When the kids were 9 and 5 we went on the Disney Magic and both of my kids HATED the kids clubs. We "made" them go one night so we could eat at the Adults only restaurant - and the kids were miserable. Last year, we went to Hawaii and they had a kids camp there too. I wasn't planning on using it - it cost about $140 per day for both kids to go - and the kids literally begged and pleaded for me to let them go. They had the best vacation ever. So, I've learned not to go in with any expectations. I think it depends largely on the staff, the other kids in the program, other activities outside the camp that kids feel they are missing, etc. But it is disappointing if Camp Carnival isn't an attractive option. Families choose Carnival because it is supposed to be catering to the kids more these days. Hopefully you told them about this on your comment card so they can address it and make improvements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soocruise Posted February 6, 2007 #8 Share Posted February 6, 2007 We just got off the Triumph with my 11 year old DD. The best part of the trip was Camp Carnival, she loved it and the people working there!! When we signed her in we put down both my and DH's names, either of us could sign her out. We were on the Voyager of the Seas a few years ago, DD found it really really busy. She got upset when she missed things to do. It was pretty well impossible to do everything they offered. So much depends on the Staff and other passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegsue Posted February 6, 2007 #9 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I have heard great things about the Miracle Kids club, isn't everthing a kind of wait and see? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseHobbit Posted February 13, 2007 #10 Share Posted February 13, 2007 We went on the Miracle last August. My kids loved Camp Carnival. It sounds like the posters above who did not like Camp Carnival were cruising when there were very few kids onboard. My kids were 8, 9, and 11 on the cruise. The 8 yo was in the 6-8 year old group. We did not think he would like it much because he was the oldest in the group, but he had a great time helping the others with crafts and games. The 9 year old, had a great time in the 9-11 year old program. We allowed her to sign herself out(we were hesitant, but after the first day, were not worried about her). The 11 yo was turning 12 in three months, so they allowed her to move up to the 12-14 year old program. While she thought it was great, and went to all the activities, the participation in the structured activities for this age group was very poor, as would be expected. Most of them went to the meet and greet the first night, and did their own thing the rest of the cruise. While my kids loved the Miracle, we were on the Miracle only 7 days, there were four ports, and only two sea days. I believe you will have three ports, and four sea days, so it might be better to pick a ship that has more for them to do, espically if you are cruising while school is normally in session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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