I need a vacation. Anyone care to recommend a cruise?

[Cruise Leprechaun]

We live in Florida, have 2 boys age 14 and 11 and have cruised Alaska, Hawaii, Bahamas and Western Carib. The kids love cruising and we are pretty easy going people as to food and cruise-lines etc.

 

So to all you experienced world travelers, where next? I guess my only requirement is it has to be fun for the kids, it'll be summertime so I dont have any doubt there will be other kids on board for them to hang with. My first thought is Eastern Carib on the Freedom of the Seas since we live in Fla there wouldnt be any expense of flying involved. But I want to be open minded too. Would they be too young for a European cruise and are those less kid friendly? As for lines we've done Disney, NCL, RCL and Carnival. Should we consider a princess of HAL or any other line or are we good sticking to these lines since they are more family friendly?

 

So if anyone would care to point me in a direction by naming a few ships/itineraries they'd recommend, it would be much appreciated Thanks.

[sunandseagirl617]

We will be sailing the Eastern on Freedom June 14th from Port Canaveral! My son will be 15 and my daughter will be 9! They love the eastern route! We would love to have you join us;)!

 

St Thomas, St Martin, and their all around favorite, CoCo Cay!!!:D We have sailed Princess, RCL, and Carnival. The kids prefer RCL due to the ship's activites!!

 

Princess and Carnival are great alternatives! Princess does not sail from Florida during the summer and unfortunately Carnival's activities for teens was not that appealing for my teen! He likes extreme activities like flowrider, rock climbing etc....!

 

Hope that helps!!

[Cheryl H]

We did a fun one out of Boston this fall (Jewel of the Seas - New England/Canada). We found out we love Boston. We did the Old Town Trolleys. We got off at Charlestown and toured the USS Constitution & Cassin Young, then rode to another stop and got off at the Old Statehouse. The trolley was a great way to see all of Boston. The 2 ships were free, just be sure to get in the line for the navy escorted tour of the Constitution. It was a very good tour.

 

At Bar Harbor, we did a ride up to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park and then we were supposed to board a 4 masted schooner for a sail, but the sailing part was cancelled that day. (they lost their gangway in a bad storm the previous day)

 

At Saint John, we toured a tower built to watch for American attack. It was very interesting. I think it was called Martello Tower.

 

At Halifax, we toured the citadel (fort) and the maritime museum (titanic artifacts) and walked the boardwalk & rode a double decker bus. At the citadel, there were men in kilts giving tours, and one playing the bagpipes. We saw other bagpipers as well. One played for our ship to leave port.

 

At Portland, we did a tour that included Portland Head light (light house) and then on to Kennebunkport.

 

We had a great time. I see most of the New England ones are in the fall, but I think the Grandeur does one in June.

 

If you do Boston, be sure to rent the John Adams miniseries (HBO). You can get it from netflix. It helped us connect all the events in Boston that led up to us declaring our independance from England.

 

In regard to the carribbean, we liked the Eastern a bit better than the western ones. St Thomas was so nice. Did a nice catamaran ride over to St John. And if your window or balcony is on port side, you'll have a lovely view of all the sailboats in the harbor at St Thomas.

 

Well, have fun planning! We're hoping to do an Alaskan one next (probably in a couple years).

[rebeccalouise]

I traveled to Europe with my then 14 year old son in 2002. It was great. It was also one of our last vacations together. He became a teen, is now off at college and prefers to travel with friends.

 

Take advantage of the fact that your boys want to be with you!

 

I have cruised thru Europe for the past two summers with my younger son (he is 8 now) and we have sailed on the Celebrity Millenium, Holland America Zuiderdam and Grand Princess.

 

Of these three lines I liked Princess that best. They have a nice teen area, freshwater pools, an outdoor movie theatre, mini golf, etc. I was really pleased with the cruise. On this cruise we did the British Isles.

 

If you are looking for a reasonably priced cruise- Grand Princess offers a 7-night cruise out of Southampton England to the Baltics. It is about $1100 per person.

 

Another way you can go is NCL- they have alot of European itineraries and are less expensive than the other lines. I have sailed NCL and always had a great time. NCL is not as sophisticated as Princess though. If ambiance is important- I'd do Princess, Celebrity or Holland America. If you want a fun cruise with lots of passengers- then NCL fits the bill.

 

Flying to Europe in the summer is very expensive. You will pay about $1100 per person just to fly but Europe really is fantastic and it is like being in a museum- all the old buildings and artwork.

[honeywell]

I think with the age of your boys, that your first instinct - the Freedom Eastern Caribbean route - is a great choice. Flow rider, rock wall, mini golf, full court basketball, lots of things for boys of their age. No air, new itinerary, a no-brainer!

[new_cruzer]

I think with the age of your boys, that your first instinct - the Freedom Eastern Caribbean route - is a great choice. Flow rider, rock wall, mini golf, full court basketball, lots of things for boys of their age. No air, new itinerary, a no-brainer!

 

I totally agree, we took my then 13 year old on the Liberty of the seas (almost the same as the Freedom of the seas) last year and it was perefect for him and there was always so much to do.

 

I am very jealous you wouldn't have to worry about flights, it took us 11 hours to get to Miami.

[kimmimom]

I would go for that!

[CanadianTwosome]

Yes, I absolutely recommend a cruise. :p

[Kimjergen]

We live in the Miami area and have two sons, ages 11 and almost 13. We took the boys on a transatlantic and they absolutely loved it and learned so much!

 

Basically last year, we did a transatlantic cruise , there were only 25 kids onboard but they made friends, had a terrific time, and we(adults) actually had a wonderful and relaxing time. With the sea days, we had our couple time and the ids had lots of quality time with their new friends. We played trivia together each evening and rented movies from the library for family time but most of the day we did our own things but with laundry service, etc to actually give me a break from the mom duties that I rarely escape. On the port days together as a family we saw everything we possibly could in a day and really enjoyed ourselves and each other. The boys really loved this cruise! (We've also done cruises to Alaska, Carribean, Mexico, Bahamas etc but they truly learned so much more seeing and experiencing Europe)

 

The year before that we did the Roman Empire cruise (Rome, Athens, Santorini, Corfu, Dubrovnick, Ephesus, Sicily and it was probably my all time favorite vacation. JetBlue & AerLingus fly very economically out of Florida to Europe and back compared to other airlines. Seeing Ephesus in particular was an incredible experience for us as a family. And renting a car in Santorini was probably one of the most exciting days we've had on their beautiful yet winding roads.

 

Anyhow, hope this helps. We haven't done canadian cruise itinerary yet but considering a HAL Ft lauderdale to Quebec cruise for relaxation and educational experience too. We also hope to do a Hawaiin cruise maybe from San Diego to Hawaii and back as we've learned to llove enjoying the ship on sea days and relaxing rather than just hectic everyday in port itineraries as it helps us as a family and a couple too.

 

Happy Travels,

Kim

[rebeccalouise]

We have done two transatlantics and they have been my favorite cruises. I did one on Celebrity Millenium and the other on QM2. The trouble is with TAs is that they are usually not during school closings.

 

QM2 sails in the summer though and Holland America offers a couple transatlantics with lots of ports. I am thinking about doing Eurodam if I have a good year in real estate!

[brazilgirl]

I second the other Kim´s recommendation!Take your kids to Europe!

 

My kids loved the Caribbean , but when forced to choose , they said they would choose Europe.

 

As the other Kim mentioned , Santorini is amazing for kids. We also rented a car and had an unforgettable day. They loved all of Italy -gondolas , bike rides , the Coliseum.And Dubrovnik was one of their favorites too.

 

 

We are now planning a Baltic cruise for the end of June /July.We are doing a pre-stay in Paris , going on the Eurostar train.Post-cruise we will visit London.

 

I have researched the itinerary a lot and there is sooooo much neat stuff for young people.We will visit beaches , palaces , castles , forts , submarines and amusement parks(Tivoli Gardens in Denmark).It has one of the world´s best roller coasters.

 

Travel is such a perfect opportunity for learning and having the time of your life.

 

Check our the Celebrity Constellation-June 27th-Baltic Seas.I think it will be incredible!

 

Kim

[Kimjergen]

We have done two transatlantics and they have been my favorite cruises. I did one on Celebrity Millenium and the other on QM2. The trouble is with TAs is that they are usually not during school closings.

 

QM2 sails in the summer though and Holland America offers a couple transatlantics with lots of ports. I am thinking about doing Eurodam if I have a good year in real estate!

 

Actually school being still open is one of the better parts of TA cruises and spring European itineraries. There are smaller crowds so significantly better deals both on ship and on land (for pre and post cruise visits.) We frequently take vacations in late April or May(easter break or memorial long weekend days off school can sometimes be combined), most of the standardized tests are over in schools, and we prearrange having our boys send their schoolwork and sometimes alternate assignments via email to their teachers. I generally meet with the principal weeks ahead and explain the value of travel and how we still want our kids to be held accountable for their work as well (they still can even make it back for final exams too when scheduled carefully by returning by late May/early June) I feel the world is their classroom and what better way to learn as well as bond with each other as a family then learning together. Plus it's more economical as many specials in the shoulder season in Europe and the weather has been outstanding with the major sites less crowded.

[rebeccalouise]

I did meet with my school principal and outlined a proposed TA cruise with her. I had all kinds of cool excursions planned (hypothetically). This was a December 2008 16 night TA. I said that I would "home school" him but the answer was "No". She was nice about it but she was not onboard with the idea. It was a great deal and a wonderful itinerary.

 

We are going to the Caribbean instead and he will miss 4 days of school and I didn't try to get permission. His missed days are "illegal" but cruises at the end of January were 1/3 the cost of holiday cruises.

 

I should mention here that there actually aren't too many children on the summer QM2 sailings. There were no more than 100 on our TA (August 1 2007). In fact, you bearly noticed children on that particular sailing. So it is a good choice if you want to do Europe in the summer. There is are also a couple really interesting ones on Holland America (Maasdam, Eurodam) this summer.

[Kimjergen]

I did meet with my school principal and outlined a proposed TA cruise with her. I had all kinds of cool excursions planned (hypothetically). This was a December 2008 16 night TA. I said that I would "home school" him but the answer was "No". She was nice about it but she was not onboard with the idea. It was a great deal and a wonderful itinerary.

 

We are going to the Caribbean instead and he will miss 4 days of school and I didn't try to get permission. His missed days are "illegal" but cruises at the end of January were 1/3 the cost of holiday cruises.

 

I should mention here that there actually aren't too many children on the summer QM2 sailings. There were no more than 100 on our TA (August 1 2007). In fact, you bearly noticed children on that particular sailing. So it is a good choice if you want to do Europe in the summer. There is are also a couple really interesting ones on Holland America (Maasdam, Eurodam) this summer.

 

Wow Rebecca,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the school's principal! How much do you really think he would have missed learning in school during that time yet how much would he have benefited and learned by experiencing a trip to Europe with his family?

 

While watching my brother battle with cancer, and my parents battle illnesses, and navigating the education of my mildly autistic yet very capable son, I learned many valuable lessons. Along with learning to truly embrace life, another lesson I learned was to purposely run my own life, recognize and grab opportunities and make my own decisions despite the support or lack of support I might get in my choices. This experience also verified my belief that if somethings seems like the right thing to do in your heart for yourself or you child, or you feel something is wrong - go with your gut instinct. Vacations may seem small but in the long run it's frequently the only time we actually relax, and fully enjoy and embrace life and the ones we hold most dear.

 

It ceases to amaze me at how wrong the current educational system is these days. Since the beginning of time, travel and experiencing other cultures has been pivotal in creating future leaders and contributors to our world. Today's classrooms rarely engage the learners with real hands on learning and opportunities for educational travel experiences should be the choice of the parents who are committed to the child's best interest as life long learners and not the bureaucracy of school systems. Every child is an individual learner and parents understand best how their children will benefit.

 

Maybe you should try a different approach - a) do not ask for permission but merely inform principal of your travel dates and plans to arrange schoolwork with your child's teacher, you are the parent :p. b) temporary change your child's student status to home educated student during vacation and re-enroll after trip. This can be done at your local school district office. c) switch schools for a principal more respectful of parental involvement d) consider virtual school classes or dual enrollment status etc...

 

Life is too short and their childhood is over in a blink. Vacations are a time to enjoy each other as well as to grow as a person through learning hands on about our world. Embrace your opportunities and don't let others bog you down. Before we know it, they will only want to be in the company of their peers so we have to cease our quality time learning with each other while we can.

 

The most educational cruise vacations we've taken were in Alaska and Europe without a doubt. I suspect the dreaded upcoming standardized test preparation was all the principal had in mind concerning your child missing school. The "no child left behind" law has created a nation of professional test takers in the school system. Can't wait for that to finally be resolved to benefit our future as a nation and our children's futures.

 

Carpe diem,

Kim

[rebeccalouise]

Third grade is the year that they have the federally standardized tests- so the schools not only benefit from high test scores- they also benefit from having kids not miss days of school. That's what I am up against.

 

I wish I could home school my son sometimes but other times I don't feel that I could give him all the advantages of his school. They have an excellent gym teacher, art teacher, etc. So he is getting a well-rounded education.

 

I do take him on extensive summer vacations and this is how I fill the void. I guess it is the best of both worlds.

[Cruise Leprechaun]

Thanks all for the great advice, I decided to do Freedom Easter Carib this summer (booked it last night and it was about $1,000 less than when I priced it out a month ago) and in light of all the good comments on Europe will look into that for next summer. For those of you who have done Freedom of RCI before , do you have any experience with your kids attending groups other than their age? Mine will be 14 and 11.9+ yrs when we sail and I think Royal's group is 12-14. It would be nice for them to be in the same group. I've read that Royal is more flexible than other lines about allowing them to move up/down if they are close but was wondering if anyone had any first-hand knowledge?

 

Thanks again for the ino.

[rebeccalouise]

I think it depends on the sailing and how many kids are in each group. I haven't heard of kids moving up to the next age group under normal circumstances.

 

I don't think it would be bad for your kids to be in separate groups. The 14 year old will probably have more fun without the sibling and the 11 year old will meet kids their own age.

[crusinmama06]

I've read that Royal is more flexible than other lines about allowing them to move up/down if they are close but was wondering if anyone had any first-hand knowledge?

 

Thanks again for the ino.

 

Actually, that's not quite the case. It depends on the counselor and they are not really THAT flexible. ;)

 

I have seen many parents ask if they could make the age switch and we always ask them to come back and report what happened, most of the time it's "no". If they were allowed to move the child, then it was down an age group not up.

 

I will be interested to know what happens with my own daughter in a few weeks. She is 8, turning 9 just days after stepping off of the Independence. I asked her if she wants to stay in the 6-8 year old group, she said "yes, for one more cruise"

 

I guess we'll see if the couselors want to keep her in the 6-8 or move her up. And of course, I will come back here to report what happens. :D