Jump to content

How to go about selecting the next family cruise?


attran99
 Share

Recommended Posts

We recently returned from a 7-day cruise of the southern Caribbean on the Carnival Fascination (San Juan, St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Maarten), and we had a great time with our kids (14, 12, and 11). We had terrific family time at each port (the beaches and the water was amazing!), and they had a good time with the kids they met at the kids' club on the ship. I think we had so much fun that we may look for another cruise as next year's vacation.

How does everyone go about selecting their next cruise?

Do you do it for the ship?

The itinerary?

We really enjoyed the fact that we got to visit 6 different countries in 7 days, but as I look at the itineraries available, I'm finding that lots of them have 2-3 sea days so I understand that our experience was unique. Looking for tips or ideas from folks with experience so we can make the right decision.

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I look at cost, ship and itinerary. I like to choose a ship with some kids space and outdoor activities. But we like to go to at least one new port. The more sea days, the more the ship matters to me. I am not exactly loyal to any cruise line. My next few are on MSC that we haven't sailed on yet, and back on Freedom of the Seas that we loved.

 

It is a bit addicting. And I am jealous you got to do the southern from San Juan. Kiddo hates to fly so we are stuck with direct flights for now. Someday we'll get on that one.

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're in Canada and the cost to fly to ports is crazy expensive, so now that we have a kiddo we look at the closer ports to us to see what is on offer. From there, we tend to Carnival because that's all we've done, however for the right price and itinerary we'd happily try another line.

 

I think you'd still have fun on a sailing with 1 or 2 sea days. Between the kids club, mini-golf, the pools, and other on board activities your kids will have lots to do. Sometimes it's nice to rest and wake up knowing you have no where to go, no appointments that you can just roll with whatever fun things come along. Heck we had lunch in our room and watched a movie on the tv one of our last sea days and it is still a fond memory, because it was just so unscripted.

 

If the ports excite you, base your choices on those. If cost is a factor consider that as well. It's all so very personal. I guess all I'm saying is don't let sea days deter you if everything else is favorable.

 

What ever you choose enjoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What exactly did you and your children like best on your last vacation - visiting the ports, or being on the ship? For my family (so far) we choose cruises based primarily upon itinerary (my kids are too small to get a vote yet but yours are old enough to have opinions). If you are trying to avoid sea days, you may need to fly. Cruises based near us leaving out of NYC will have a ton of sea days before they reach the Caribbean; if we fly to San Juan, there are cruises with lots of ports and few sea days.

 

You should speak to your children to see where they'd like to go - are they interested in history, art, or culture? You can find European cruises with few sea days. And what kind of an itinerary would make you happiest?

 

Sorry - I;m not familiar with the Carnival Fascination. Is it a new ship with lots of waterslides and kids amenities? And did they actually use them? If your kids just liked the kids club almost all the mainstream lines have good kids clubs and you will have a lot of options.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I look at cost, ship and itinerary. I like to choose a ship with some kids space and outdoor activities. But we like to go to at least one new port. The more sea days, the more the ship matters to me. I am not exactly loyal to any cruise line. My next few are on MSC that we haven't sailed on yet, and back on Freedom of the Seas that we loved.

 

It is a bit addicting. And I am jealous you got to do the southern from San Juan. Kiddo hates to fly so we are stuck with direct flights for now. Someday we'll get on that one.

 

If you can ever convince your kiddo, do it. We loved leaving out of San Juan. I'm actually planning on doing this route, again, in a few years time. Would like to try some new ports in the meantime.

 

We're in Canada and the cost to fly to ports is crazy expensive, so now that we have a kiddo we look at the closer ports to us to see what is on offer. From there, we tend to Carnival because that's all we've done, however for the right price and itinerary we'd happily try another line.

 

I think you'd still have fun on a sailing with 1 or 2 sea days. Between the kids club, mini-golf, the pools, and other on board activities your kids will have lots to do. Sometimes it's nice to rest and wake up knowing you have no where to go, no appointments that you can just roll with whatever fun things come along. Heck we had lunch in our room and watched a movie on the tv one of our last sea days and it is still a fond memory, because it was just so unscripted.

 

If the ports excite you, base your choices on those. If cost is a factor consider that as well. It's all so very personal. I guess all I'm saying is don't let sea days deter you if everything else is favorable.

 

What ever you choose enjoy!

 

 

Right now there are so many options, everything looks good. We just had a great time with our kids during the days at port...exploring, seeing new things...lots of good quality time. We saw them the least on sea days where they would run off with their new friends.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it helps to know your family cruising style. If you liked the island hopper with 5 ports, you may be cruising for the ports - and place the highest value on waking up someplace new. Other people cruise for the ship and often time don't even get off at ports. And then there are those that like a particular size ship, and want smaller or mid-size as opposed to mega. We also fall into that category.

 

But we are not picky about the ship so destination is our first priority. We are scheduled on this same cruise next March - because it has 3 ports we haven't been to and we have done all the Eastern and Western ports.

 

Fascination has very few bells and whistles compared to newer and larger ships, so anything you try from here will be a "better" ship. Our kids really like the ones with the Sports Square - Sunshine is their favorite CCL ship.

 

The next consideration for us is price; we get a balcony and put the kids in an inside. So I have to look at schedules and what is available in our price range. So continually, we find ourselves going back to Carnival.

 

We don't need the RCI skating rings and shows. And our teenage boys don't want Disney! We all like Princess, but they lose out in the $ realm. So for now, for family cruises we tend to look at CCL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What exactly did you and your children like best on your last vacation - visiting the ports, or being on the ship? For my family (so far) we choose cruises based primarily upon itinerary (my kids are too small to get a vote yet but yours are old enough to have opinions). If you are trying to avoid sea days, you may need to fly. Cruises based near us leaving out of NYC will have a ton of sea days before they reach the Caribbean; if we fly to San Juan, there are cruises with lots of ports and few sea days.

 

You should speak to your children to see where they'd like to go - are they interested in history, art, or culture? You can find European cruises with few sea days. And what kind of an itinerary would make you happiest?

 

Sorry - I;m not familiar with the Carnival Fascination. Is it a new ship with lots of waterslides and kids amenities? And did they actually use them? If your kids just liked the kids club almost all the mainstream lines have good kids clubs and you will have a lot of options.

 

 

We enjoyed quality family time with the kids on port days. They enjoyed unlimited food and running on their own time when they were back on the ship. We saw them the least on sea days, except at dinner every night.

I'm a vacation dictator...if we're paying, we decide where we go...and they are at our complete mercy. We usually pick places with things or activities they'd be interested in anyway. The youngest came along on my island tour of St. Lucia and we had a nice few hours together.

The Fascination is a no bells and whistles, smaller Carnival ship. No Guy's or BlueIguana Cantina...or some of those other things. But we didn't mind one bit because it was a port-intensive trip and we had plenty to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it helps to know your family cruising style. If you liked the island hopper with 5 ports, you may be cruising for the ports - and place the highest value on waking up someplace new. Other people cruise for the ship and often time don't even get off at ports. And then there are those that like a particular size ship, and want smaller or mid-size as opposed to mega. We also fall into that category.

 

But we are not picky about the ship so destination is our first priority. We are scheduled on this same cruise next March - because it has 3 ports we haven't been to and we have done all the Eastern and Western ports.

 

Fascination has very few bells and whistles compared to newer and larger ships, so anything you try from here will be a "better" ship. Our kids really like the ones with the Sports Square - Sunshine is their favorite CCL ship.

 

The next consideration for us is price; we get a balcony and put the kids in an inside. So I have to look at schedules and what is available in our price range. So continually, we find ourselves going back to Carnival.

 

We don't need the RCI skating rings and shows. And our teenage boys don't want Disney! We all like Princess, but they lose out in the $ realm. So for now, for family cruises we tend to look at CCL

 

 

RCI turned me off when they were going to charge over twice the Carnival price for one less port, when we were looking at our last cruise. My cousins love RCI and all the bells and whistles, but I don't feel like I need an ice skating rink to make my vacation. Carnival was more than sufficient for our needs this last trip.

I think we are adventurers looking for new places to go together as a family. I probably need to accept that 1 sea day an anomaly, and pick something that will work for our schedule.

Nice tip about the Sports Square...our boys would like that, too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the one out of san juan as mentioned in the op was the best one I have been on of the 3 we have went on.

We went in 2008 on a Western out of Miami with CCL for honeymoon, Bahamas in 2011 with our almost 2 year old with NCL out of Port Canaveral and then the Southern out of San Juan in 2015 with our 6 year old with CCL...have the itch to go again in 2018...new ports are preferred but I would do the San Juan again in a heartbeat, so much fun...the flight is crazy coming from the Canadian prairies. FLL or Orlando is easier and cheaper to get to than even Miami...right now it is probably a 5-7 day Disney cruise or Panama Canal of some sort

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RCI turned me off when they were going to charge over twice the Carnival price for one less port, when we were looking at our last cruise. My cousins love RCI and all the bells and whistles, but I don't feel like I need an ice skating rink to make my vacation. Carnival was more than sufficient for our needs this last trip.

 

I think we are adventurers looking for new places to go together as a family. I probably need to accept that 1 sea day an anomaly, and pick something that will work for our schedule.

 

Nice tip about the Sports Square...our boys would like that, too!

 

 

Yes, the island hopper is a rarity. If you are looking for adventure try a ship like Magic Breeze Dream or Sunshine going the Western route to grand Cayman, Belize Roatan and Cozumel. Only 2 sea days and really really active ports with tons to do with kids - sting rays, snorkeling, sharks, dolphins, Alton Ha ruins with River Wallance, zip lining, beaches and exotic animals like monkeys and sloths.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, the island hopper is a rarity. If you are looking for adventure try a ship like Magic Breeze Dream or Sunshine going the Western route to grand Cayman, Belize Roatan and Cozumel. Only 2 sea days and really really active ports with tons to do with kids - sting rays, snorkeling, sharks, dolphins, Alton Ha ruins with River Wallance, zip lining, beaches and exotic animals like monkeys and sloths.

 

 

I saw that itinerary, and I think it speaks to me the most. Going to look into it for next year's adventure. Thanks so much for your helpful advice...much appreciated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

We did Liberty of the Seas (Freedom class) with kids aged 7-11 last year, and they LOVED it. I think they liked the ship more than the ports. Lots of water slides, lots of pool time, lots of activities (rock climbing, Flowrider, etc).

 

We live near Galveston, so when all of us are along, we sail from there so we don't have to pick airfare. We chose Liberty because of the itinerary (Roatan, Belize, Cozumel)....and then last summer's hurricane decided to visit Belize at the same time we were supposed to so we were diverted to the Bahamas at the last minute. It meant more sea days than expected, but the kids didn't care. We're sailing Liberty again on our next family vacation because they liked the ship so much.

 

I loved the Carnival Magic too - we did it without the kids and had a good time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We booked the Western Caribbean route on the Magic next Spring Break. Looking forward to some cavetubing and ziplining in Belize! It started out as a simple cruise with family, but has since ballooned to a party of 23 folks scattered across 8 cabins on the ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...