Royal Caribbean or Celebrity for kids ages 11 and 14

[JRockey76]

Looking to take a cruise with our 2 kids ages 11 and 14 next year over Easter. This will be their first cruise, our 2nd(1st was on freedom of the seas), so we have no experience with celebrity. We want to do a 9+ night cruise that has a stop in Barbados, and from what I'm finding now, there is a 10 night Celebrity Equinox one which is what I prefer, or a 7 night Royal Caribbean on the Serenade or adventure of the seas. I don't know if Royal Caribbean just hasn't put their longer itinerary out yet or if they don't have long sailings with stops in Barbados. Anyways I know both ships have kids programs, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these programs on these ships. My daughter doesn't need the flowrider or anything like that, she will be happy with the planned activities, my son is into video games etc...he's my main concern with being bored. Also can anyone tell me what the shows are like on the Equinox. I hear Celebrity is geared more towards the 40 and over crowd, my husband and I are 35, any opinions are greatly apprecieated! Thanks!

[will773]

Looking to take a cruise with our 2 kids ages 11 and 14 next year over Easter. This will be their first cruise, our 2nd(1st was on freedom of the seas), so we have no experience with celebrity. We want to do a 9+ night cruise that has a stop in Barbados, and from what I'm finding now, there is a 10 night Celebrity Equinox one which is what I prefer, or a 7 night Royal Caribbean on the Serenade or adventure of the seas. I don't know if Royal Caribbean just hasn't put their longer itinerary out yet or if they don't have long sailings with stops in Barbados. Anyways I know both ships have kids programs, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these programs on these ships. My daughter doesn't need the flowrider or anything like that, she will be happy with the planned activities, my son is into video games etc...he's my main concern with being bored. Also can anyone tell me what the shows are like on the Equinox. I hear Celebrity is geared more towards the 40 and over crowd, my husband and I are 35, any opinions are greatly apprecieated! Thanks!

 

Royal does in fact have long sailings that go to Barbados. There are 12 Night sailings on the Explorer of the Seas out of Bayonne (so no airfare for you! YAY). However, this does not go over Easter next year (:mad:). There is also the Celebrity Silhouette that goes out of Bayonne, and I think that some of those go to Barbados as well. If you can shuffle your dates around, unlikely because of the kids, you may be able to get the itinerary you want.

 

If you really want a long cruise and go to Barbados, than do the Equinox. If not, than go for Royal.

[tcc3]

Hi,

We were on Independence of the Seas in 2009 and just finished cruising Celebrity 2 weeks ago. My answer would be 100% Royal Carribean for kids. My kids are 13 and 11 and no question they would pick Royal Carribean.

[BettyCruiser]

For kids that age, RCCL offers more active options on their larger ships.

[ladys]

We were on the Celebrity Equinox 10 day last spring. There was nothing for adults to do let alone kids. Go with RCI for sure.:)

[vegasgirl702]

Now if you said, I want to go on a romantic getaway with my husband. I might of answered Celebrity.

 

But I wholehearted enjoy a RCCL cruise even without my kid. Have done girls' birthday cruises, with both RCCL & Celebrity. We are a Group of married & single women in our 30's & early 40's. We all agreed --- had a much better time on RCCL. The vibe is totally different on RCCL, I enjoy the sexy legs and belly flop contests, even more refine activities as wine tastings or port lectures.

 

Bottom-line: I personally have a Fabulous time on any cruise. My son is the same. He makes friends easily. Tell your kids if they tell you "I'm bored" they can stay home next time. :p

 

Side Note:

People ask for more lectures type seminars on RC but while on Jewel ( Jun-Jul 2010) they had topics of Baltic & Russian History with barely a dozen participants.

[kernow]

We've done 2 Celebrity cruises, when my son was 12 and last year when he was 16, as well as lots on RCL. If you ask him his 2 favourite cruises he would say the ones on Celebrity, admitttedly partly because they were 2 of the longer ones but also because he loved the teen programs on X. One of those cruises was over Easter and the other in summer, both times there were plenty of kids his age and he made lots of friends.

Haven't been on Equinox but the X shows and entertainment as a whole is the weak spot, for us this is balanced by better food and fantastic service.

 

It I were you I'd definitely give them a try.

 

BTW I don't think age matters but we were in our late 30s for the first X cruise and weren't out of place.

 

Julie

[JRockey76]

Where did you find this at...I just did a search on RC website and can't find any for next year that are 12 nights out of Bayonne with a stop in Barbados...can you help...what month(s) did you find it in?

 

 

 

 

Royal does in fact have long sailings that go to Barbados. There are 12 Night sailings on the Explorer of the Seas out of Bayonne (so no airfare for you! YAY). However, this does not go over Easter next year (:mad:). There is also the Celebrity Silhouette that goes out of Bayonne, and I think that some of those go to Barbados as well. If you can shuffle your dates around, unlikely because of the kids, you may be able to get the itinerary you want.

 

If you really want a long cruise and go to Barbados, than do the Equinox. If not, than go for Royal.

[The_Big_M]

Anyways I know both ships have kids programs, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these programs on these ships. My daughter doesn't need the flowrider or anything like that, she will be happy with the planned activities, my son is into video games etc...he's my main concern with being bored.

 

For what you describe, Celebrity's program is just as good.

 

Celebrity doesn't have all the physical activities (e.g. rock wall), but the kid's club is at least as good, for some it's better.

 

I'd say their enjoyment will come from other factors like how many other children there are, whether they enjoy the shows, foods and ports.

[bajathree]

Just keep in mind that the longer the sailing the fewer the kids;)...10+ night sailings tend to have few children. As far as Royal verse X for kids....Royal hands down. We just did our first X sailing on Solstice this Jan....300 kids verse 1200 on Freedom class during April spring break time. My 12 and 16yr old were bored with the teen club on X.... spent little time there other than to meet up with other kids and find something else to do. On Royal they live in the teen club. The wine and food on X is MUCH superior to Royal....however the crowd is older and my wife and I were bored with the lack of activities....we are in out late 40's. For Europe I would lean towards the more refined atmosphere of X....for Caribbean.....just look at my future sail list below.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

We always go on 9 night and longer (up to 14 night) cruises with our kids and there are always a lot of kids on RCCL (EOS and VOS). Kids enjoy Royal much more than =X= because there is more to do.

 

I dont know why the posts about Explorer going to Barbados. It DID in the past (we just got off one- it was a 14night on Explorer from Bayonne, but that WAS the itinerary...

 

will773 PLEASE post where you are finding this available itinerary, as none of us can find it. It WAS an itinerary, but it doesnt seem to be currently available.....maybe the second part of 2012 which hasnt bene released yet??

 

BTW - To the OP - if you're looking for a spring break cruise there will be A HUGE amount of kids on any RCI ship...

 

[over 1,000 kids on our last 14 night]

[bajathree]

We always go on 9 night and longer (up to 14 night) cruises with our kids and there are always a lot of kids on RCCL (EOS and VOS). Kids enjoy Royal much more than =X= because there is more to do.

 

I dont know why the posts about Explorer going to Barbados. It DID in the past (we just got off one- it was a 14night on Explorer from Bayonne, but that WAS the itinerary...

 

will773 PLEASE post where you are finding this available itinerary, as none of us can find it. It WAS an itinerary, but it doesnt seem to be currently available.....maybe the second part of 2012 which hasnt bene released yet??

 

BTW - To the OP - if you're looking for a spring break cruise there will be A HUGE amount of kids on any RCI ship...

 

[over 1,000 kids on our last 14 night]

 

 

Thats most likely because it was a Holiday cruise and kids are off longer.....on spring break in April most kids are only off a week.....when you start talking about 9 night and longer then add on the additional nights for air travel it starts to add up and most parents don't want to pull their kids out of school....teachers much frown upon that. I also believe that your kids are quite a bit older or adults:confused:

[kernow]

On our 11 night southern caribbean Constellation cruise over Easter there were between 200 and 300 kids of all ages, a couple of years later on our 12 night Explorer cruise over Easter there were over 600 kids, so more kids on RCL but plenty on both lines for them to make friends. On both cruises our son met other British kids, over here they all have a 2 week holiday at Easter.

 

On our Eclipse 14 night Baltic cruise last July there were 200 kids just in the teen age group, plus all the younger ones.

 

Julie