fv9 Posted April 23, 2009 #1 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Hello, My wife and I (in our mid-30's) have never been on a cruise but are considering a July 5th Mexican Riviera cruise out of LA or SD. We will also have our 3 yr old daughter (turns 3 in may) and do not know which line/ship would be best. A friend works for RC and can get us a $225 onboard credit on the marincer of the Seas. However, the Carnival Splendor looks neat. We would want to use the kids club at times. Our daughter is pretty active so we need something that will keep her going. We also would like a cruise with other fun people around our age with younger kids for our daughter to play with. Any advice is greatly appreciated as we plan on booking asap. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted April 24, 2009 #2 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Kids club would be equally good on both. When you subtract the $225 from the Mariner price, is it less than the Splendor? I have a preference for Royal Caribbean, but I wouldn't rule the Splendor out. Price them both out, if you get a higher category on Carnival for the same price as a lower category on Mariner, and if they both left the same ports and same itinerary, then I would go with Splendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv9 Posted April 24, 2009 Author #3 Share Posted April 24, 2009 The price is cheaper for RC after the $225 credit. We are also open to other suggestions for cruiselines, etc. Thanks! EDIT: I just looked on Carnival again. Looks like the are offering $120 credit per person. That would be a $360 credit vs. $225. Of course, we wouldnt want to irritate the friend at RC. Anyone have thoughts how the 2 ships compare, onboard amenities, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted April 24, 2009 #4 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Reviews on Mariner are here... http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=274 Reviews on Splendor are here... http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=375 Mariner Ice-skating rink Rock-climbing wall In-line skating Royal Promenade (open 24 hours) Johnny Rockets '50s-style restaurant Portofino Italian Restaurant Café Promenade Ben & Jerry's ice cream Vintages wine bar Boleros Latin-theme lounge Themed bars and lounges Casino RoyaleSM Golf simulators 9-hole miniature golf course Adventure Ocean® youth facilities, including teen-only areas, Fuel and Living Room Day Spa and Fitness Center Full-size basketball court Splendor is new. I know less about it. It has a slide It has a retractable roof Thalassotherapy Pool LED Screen by the pool to watch movies 9 hole mini golf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv9 Posted April 24, 2009 Author #5 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Reviews on Mariner are here...http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=274 Reviews on Splendor are here... http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=375 Mariner Ice-skating rink Rock-climbing wall In-line skating Royal Promenade (open 24 hours) Johnny Rockets '50s-style restaurant Portofino Italian Restaurant Café Promenade Ben & Jerry's ice cream Vintages wine bar Boleros Latin-theme lounge Themed bars and lounges Casino RoyaleSM Golf simulators 9-hole miniature golf course Adventure Ocean® youth facilities, including teen-only areas, Fuel and Living Room Day Spa and Fitness Center Full-size basketball court Splendor is new. I know less about it. It has a slide It has a retractable roof Thalassotherapy Pool LED Screen by the pool to watch movies 9 hole mini golf Thanks! I think the Mariner may be the way to go. The pool ssetup alone looks better than the Splendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tink24 Posted April 25, 2009 #6 Share Posted April 25, 2009 The price is cheaper for RC after the $225 credit. We are also open to other suggestions for cruiselines, etc. Thanks! EDIT: I just looked on Carnival again. Looks like the are offering $120 credit per person. That would be a $360 credit vs. $225. Of course, we wouldnt want to irritate the friend at RC. Anyone have thoughts how the 2 ships compare, onboard amenities, etc? FYI - Carnival only offers the OBC to the first 2 passengers in the room, so your total OBC would only be $240.00. The Splendor has a really cool looking "splash zone" for little ones. Your 3 year old won't be able to appreciate a lot of the things on RCCL like the ice rink and rock wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahcd Posted April 25, 2009 #7 Share Posted April 25, 2009 We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Mariner. We sailed Eastern Caribbean - our kids were 5 and 8. They had such a good time. The 3-5 year old area has a slide and a ball pit that was very popular with my daughter. The counselors were great. Lots of art, games and stories. On pirate night all the kids paraded through the promenade and sang a pirate song. The counselors had them well in hand and I never worried about safety. When I tried to take a picture of my daughter playing in the kids' area on tha last day, they stepped right in front of my camera and said no pictures allowed for the safety of the kids. I hadn't ever thought of that, but I was very happy to know that they had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ula Posted April 25, 2009 #8 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I think Mariner would also be the way to go. Your daughter would love the ice show. Also the kids club is wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv9 Posted April 27, 2009 Author #9 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks for all of your input. Now, we just need to see if swine flu will keep us from deciding to go to Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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