best cruise line for 2 year old with great food!!!

[psychtobe]

Which cruise line would be best to indulge the parents' food demands with activities for a 2 year old? Sounds like NCL, Disney, and Carnival are our main options at that age - RCCL has in room babysitting only, Princess, HAL, and Celebrity do not have programs until the kiddo turns 3.

 

Any thoughts on which (NCL, Disney, Carnival) has the better food? From what I have read Carnival may be the better pick, but NCL has the mini-suites which sound more spacious.

[jam82]

I have a 2 year old as well. I have found that great food is not an option on Carnival. However, I like Camp Carnival and will stick with it until my son is 3. The quality of child care is worth giving up good food for.

 

I have also cruised NCL and loved their freestyle dining. I didn't mind paying a little more for the options and the quality. To me their child care didn't compare to Carnival.

 

I have never been on Disney.

[beachchick]

As an FYI, the mini-suites on NCL really aren't that spacious compared to Disney and Carnival cabins. The mini-suites on NCL Jade were really about the size of the average RCI D1 balcony cabins. If you've cruised on RCI, that might give you a perspective size-wise.

 

Although Disney would be "all Disney," we've heard good things about their food options (especially adults only dining that is truly adults only), adults only areas (for when the youngsters are off doing kid activities with the kids club), and spacious cabins. I know they're more expensive, but you'd likely have as much space in a Disney balcony cabin as you'd find in an NCL mini-suite. (Plus, the NCL mini-suites do not receive any of the perks afforded to the full suites, so there's no "benefit" there.)

 

beachchick

[psychtobe]

As an FYI, the mini-suites on NCL really aren't that spacious compared to Disney and Carnival cabins. The mini-suites on NCL Jade were really about the size of the average RCI D1 balcony cabins. If you've cruised on RCI, that might give you a perspective size-wise.

 

Although Disney would be "all Disney," we've heard good things about their food options (especially adults only dining that is truly adults only), adults only areas (for when the youngsters are off doing kid activities with the kids club), and spacious cabins. I know they're more expensive, but you'd likely have as much space in a Disney balcony cabin as you'd find in an NCL mini-suite. (Plus, the NCL mini-suites do not receive any of the perks afforded to the full suites, so there's no "benefit" there.)

 

beachchick

 

ok thanks. The Disney cruises don't seem to have the most interesting itineraries, but I guess it's more about the cruise experience in those cases.

[cb at sea]

If food is important, don't do NCL--it's pretty basic. Disney would probably be your best bet, for both your child and your tastebuds!

[ljtee]

We've done Carnival (Glory) and NCL (Pearl) with boys aged 2. NCL's food was disappointing. We had a mini suite on both trips and found them great - Carnival had a bit more space than the NCL room. As for kids programs, both had good camp programs - which we really only used at dinner time for us to have a nice dinner without the kids. We found that at age 2 the boys would easily fall asleep poolside for a good long afternoon nap giving us nice relaxation/reading time to ourselves without using camp. Once the kids hit 5 and were older we used camp more often (at their pleading). NCL Pearl was a great ship - with a water slide that the kids could use with us (under age 6 need an adult).

 

Food - my vote's with Carnival. Adult enjoyment - NCL. Kid enjoyment - either!! I liked the NCL itinerary better and the NCL onboard experience more - so would sail again with NCL and likely won't with Carnival.

 

Lisa

[ChristinaN]

I'd vote Carnival since it is the only line with free & frequent childcare for a 2 year old. I found their food quite decent with a great variety as well.

[psychtobe]

so perhaps a Carnival balcony over a NCL mini-suite would give us better food and still a great kids program. I'm surprised to hear so many people talk positively about Carnival food - but that has definitely been consistent. For some reason I have always imagined Carnival as the 'spring break' cruise line, but I don't know where that image comes from.

 

I'll look for a Carnival cruise then - thanks!

[BeachBar]

I haven't been on Carnival in quite a while, but when I went the food was pretty good (better than NCL). However the Freestyle dining works well with a toddler, but the food was just okay.

[abitaturbodog]

The best food we've experienced is on Costa!

[2Cruise4Ever]

We've been on Carnival and NCL. While our kids have never been on Carnival, we feel NCL is better. I've heard great things about Camp Carnival. And, their food is pretty good. But, we feel the food on NCL is slightly better. And, we always get a 2-room suite, which Carnival doesn't have. Our kids have loved the Kids Crew on NCL (can't keep them out of there really!). And, we've never received anything less than exceptional service on NCL.

 

Disney is way out of our price range. And, like you said, their itinerary is not that appealing. Also, DH and I love to gamble. Disney doesn't have any casinos. So, we'll probably never sail them anyway.

[cruisincarly]

I haven't been on many cruiselines, but I have been on Disney. It's a fantastic cruise (we went without children -- we're expecting our first right now, due 5 days ago!), but I wouldn't go for the food. It was perfectly acceptable. Some things were good. But nothing (except one dessert) was fantastic.

[psychtobe]

things have changed since my OP. Now our daughter will be 3, and we are thinking of a Southern Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Summit. Any comments on the food quality? It seems the children's programs on Celebrity are well-liked.

[jam82]

I've been on Costa, Carnival, RCCL, NCL and Celebrity. By FAR the best food was on Celebrity Summit. However, I don't know anything about their children's program.