which cruise line is best with kids

[beachpeople]

I have been on the Carnival Conquest, RCCL Explorer of the Sea and last week the Golden princess. Here is my opinions:

Princess does a great job with the children under 8 (they do a lot of board games and arts and crafts). Most parents with that age group were very happy. They do a great job with the teens (they have thier own deck and hot tub, thier own disco/meeting place and playstation area). My kids were not happy with the 8-12 year olds. You had to really go through the princess patters to see if there was anything that seemed fun. There was many times when we would drop them off and they did not do what was scheduled and just sat around. My 8 year olds friend fell asleep a couple of times in a chair he was so bored. She cried a couple of times that she wanted to leave. The kids area was so small compared to RCCL and Carnival. My 11 year old was only allowed to play on the Nitendo 64 while the teens Playstations went unused (right next to him). They acted very strict at times about check in and sign out (even called us one night at 10:30 because my husband forgot to initial in my 11 year olds slot - we had to get out of bed to go initial it). But 2 days later my two kids showed up at our door at 4:55 p.m (you had to pick them up at 5:00) because the girls said they were leaving. ???

On Carnival and RCCL my kids always begged to go to late night - they loved it when they went and would complain when we would pick them up at 12:00. Well at Princess late night they are grouped with the little ones and they have to lay down (and I mean had to) and watch a cartoon movie. No Nitendo.. no board games nothing. My kids refused to go and I did not blame them.
I do have to say my kids loved the freshwater pools!!!!!! That was a huge plus and made up for the bad kids program - they did miss the slides though.
I would highly recommed RCCL or Carnival for this age group. I personally liked my Princess cruises better then the other 2 but if the kids arn't happy no one is...

Beach People

Golden Princess April 2004
Carnival Conquest April 2003
Explorer of the Sea Apr./2001
Ocean Princess 2000

[trcori]

you haven't been on Celebrity but I would recommend them, especially for 3-12 ... one new feature is Celebrity Science Journeys, a special fun/educational/hands-on session each day focusing on something scientific (insects, weather, the ocean) -- our son, now 8 and a veteran of four Celebrity cruises, is a huge science nut and had a SPECTACULAR time. Not a good line if you have a little one because there's nothing for non-potty-trained kids ... but otherwise, even though they don't market heavily to the family crowd, they do a fine job in our opinion. Free late-night sessions on formal nights! ($6/hour from 10 pm-1 am otherwise) And fwiw, they do NOT make the older kids lie down with the little ones after 10 pm. At least not till about 11:30-midnight. Our son would have protested mightily otherwise, since he is the quintessential night owl [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

trc
Millennium 12/12/04
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just back from Mercury 4/4/04
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Infinity 8/03, Century 3/03 & 9/02