Looking for advise & recommendations....

[Kansasgal]

I am wanting to do my homework before I make a choice of what line and where to take a cruise with my family. I have been on three adult cruises but want to take the kids (11,9,8,5) this next time....probably at the end of 2005 summer vacation. Please respond with your ideas/advice on where and what ship worked for you. I am thinking maybe combining this with the Disney World experience too.....What you DO think?

THanks!!!

[cruisinqt]

Disney has some wonderful stuff for young ones. It is definitely a cruise line that will appeal to your kids. But be forewarned that there are no casinos or gambling on board and some adults have complained that there wasn't many activities scheduled for the adults to do and it was more of a cruise line for kids. I wouldn't know because they are just way too expensive for our budget. We go on at least 2 cruises every year and would have to cut back to just one if we went on Disney. And since our kids love RCI and Carnival, we'll probably just stick to them.:)

 

On RCI, the kids program is awesome! They have computers for the kids to use in the kids area, as well as Gameboys, lots of toys, and T.V.'s with cartoons running on them continually. Our kids got their pictures taken with the Captain of the ship and also got their faces painted like a pirate and went on a treasure hunt. They also helped to build a volcano that with the help of the counselor, they made explode! The kids get to make their own jewelry, paint pillowcases, do tye-dye t-shirts, and they even made their own rubber balls. And every time your kid enters the kids area, he gets an ocean adventure dollar.;) At the end of the cruise these dollars add up and your kids get to spend it on some neat stuff. Our kids recently came home with stuffed octopusses named "Inky" and "Stinky" that they bought with the ocean adventure dollars. If your family does the family treasure hunt and wins, you all get ocean adventure dollars along with your prizes.

 

On Carnival, the kids program is equally impressive. They also have computers for the kids to use in the kids area, as well as Playstation 2's, and video walls with cartoons playing on them. But what my kids like in the kids area on Carnival is the outside area that has playground equipment, a jungle gym, mini basketball hoops, and a wading pool.:) They also like the 214 ft. spiral waterslide that is on all Carnival ships. Carnival has also just come out with some new activities like helping the kids to make their own ice cream, and creating dreamcatchers. They are also saying on the Carnival website that the kids will now be making custom helicoptors and mini-hovercrafts in the kids area as well. Plus, they say that there will be a new art program aboard the ships where the kids will be taught how to paint using oil paints as well as watercolors and this would be done by a professional. They will also be making paper mache art. My kids have always enjoyed doing the tye-dye shirts and painting the pillowcases. But these new activities sound quite impressive. We will be sailing the Conquest in a few weeks and I will let you know how these new activities were rated by my kids.

 

Overall, I've tried several cruise lines but always go back to RCI and Carnival because my kids love them so much, they're reasonably priced, and there's lots of activities for adults as well as kids. RCI and Carnival both have casinos, bingo, slot tournaments, black jack tournaments, lounges with live bands and dancing, bars to hang out in, and tons of scheduled activities for adults. There is no charge for leaving your kids in the kids program. The only time you are charged is after 10 p.m. and it's usually around $6 for the first kid and $4 for each additional one. With Disney, I have been told that there is a babysitting charge if you want to leave your kids with someone at any time. Though, everyone that has been on a Disney cruise has said that it was the highlight of their children's lives and they loved it. If you could afford it and it has the itinerary you're looking for, go for it. But if your hubby is going to be fussy because he doesn't have as much to do, then you might check into RCI or Carnival.

 

You might check out Cruise Critic's opinion on this. If you go to the top of the page and click on "Interests" you'll see one of the discussion topics is "Family". Just click on it and you'll see a variety of family cruising topics. I liked "Top 10 family cruises" but I can't get that link to work for me anymore. Another topic that's really helpful is "Children's programs at sea" it gives an in depth look at all of the cruise lines childrens programs including the hours they are open, what they cost, how much babysitting costs, and what they can offer the kids. It's really quite helpful with lots of info. and totally unbiased. I hope this helps!:)

[zeke11]

what are some good ports of call - where you can get off the ship and be at a beach (or at least not too far away)?

 

 

Kris

[kitty9]

With four children your only problem will be finding a room that will fit six comfortably. I really think the children are too young for their own room and the only room that would fit 6 would be the family suites on RCCI. The other choice is connecting rooms (with an open door in between the rooms), but you would have to pay the full fare for 4 of you, which can be terribly expensive (when you book two rooms, two people in each room have to pay the full fare) and with the family suite only two of you pay the full fare and the kids will pay the third person fare.

[kcdd]

I havent been on other cruise lines, but we just returned from Carnival Conquest with my family of 5 (children 11, 9, 8). They loved the ship and Camp Carnival. Most of the time they had fun and also some educational activities planned for them. My kids had to go in 2 different age groups which I thought could be a problem (6-8 and 9-11 years), but they had so much fun they didnt care. Sometimes they even did things together. Some of the things they did were scavenger hunts, sand art, candy art, making a paper mache volcano and then watching it erupt on the last night, a coketail party, basketball, volleyball, cake decorating, ice cream sundae making, make your own pizza, karaoke, I cant remember all. Anyway, they couldnt get enough and would always ask, Is it time to go to Camp Carnival yet.

Someone had mentioned rooms. Our TA advised that it was cheaper to get 2 rooms than a suite. We had two interior rooms (side by side, not adjoining). My husband and I stayed in one room and the kids in the other. We had taken a baby monitor , to monitor activity in their room, but after the 1st night we didnt use it. We were in the very back where it was very quiet and not much activity.

I cant speak for other cruise lines but my kids loved it.

[boxer_mommy]

We just sailed Mariner back in June. Brand new ship, huge, so much to do...:p

 

Took my two step-kids (ages 12 and 15), my niece (16), and my mom (68). Mariner has awesome kids programs broken down into age groups and the teens had their own hangouts too. All the kids did their own thing and the only times we saw them were at breakfast, dinner, and in ports. We did have 2 inside connecting cabins which worked out nicely. DH and I were directly across the hall. Getting three cabins was a lot cheaper than a family suite. You could definitely get away with two cabins. Most cabins today provide either a sofa bed or murphy bed for the 3rd or 4th person.

[serene56]

what are some good ports of call - where you can get off the ship and be at a beach (or at least not too far away)?Kris

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

[DEERINH2O]

We are sailing Princess on 11/21 and we too went with the three rooms. We are side by side and the kids are in their rooms and us in ours. It was cheaper than doing two rooms with three to a room.

 

Kathy