My turn! Advice on a Carnival cruise after a 5 year hiatus

[kbad]

I'm pretty sure that children can't be booked into the Spa cabins. . .

[legion3]

I agree with the poster who said you left carnival for a reason, you may remember that reason if you go Valor. Same old...same old.

 

Breeze is Carnival's newest, biggest and brightest (well maybe not glitziest) with all the bells and whistles (sans JI JI's and Alchemy Bar)

 

You may have a good time on Valor, I think you probably would have a great time on Breeze...but that's me, knowing my wife and family I think they would have fun on Valor but have a epic vacation on Breeze.

[legion3]

I'm pretty sure that children can't be booked into the Spa cabins. . .

 

Nope you are incorrect.

 

They can't be booked into the Havana Cabana areas of the Vista (12 and older- I guess teens aren't kids :rolleyes:)

[legion3]

Why I don't want to do it:

It's not the Breeze

No Waterworks or Cloud 9 Spa (although the standard waterslide and the Serenity Area will be acceptable alternatives)

 

 

Acceptable alternatives = Nope ;)

[sjn911]

I know! But I don't feel as if I'm being steered towards a bad decision! [emoji4]

 

I am so glad!:)

 

Maybe you are like me and one day be sold on one thing and the next completely sold on the other, I may use this kind of help next cruise..LOL..

 

So..I did not vote 2 times...lol..but today I woke up with Valor being ok if you think the kids are young enough not to have a big comparison to something better and get diverted enough with their experience.

 

You are very good with your expectations and helping folks with that. If expectations can be happy with Valor and all ports and plans..may be nice to just relax with the easier logistics and spend more with the Adult cruise which I did not see and then do the Breeze the next family vacation when it may be a tad cheaper with Vista comming on the seas..

 

Another way to say this is maybe as best as we can see in advance...

Could go this way...

 

This year Kid family cruise equals good.

 

Couples cruise equals "epic".

 

Next year maybe vica versa or 2 epic new choices.

 

I know no help whatsoever..back and forth..it is my worst and best quality..when I finally get the decision it is usually good though...lol.:)

 

OOPS..one more PS..I am old school and have a family of excellent public school teachers and ex scout and 4 h leaders, and even my folks were Sunday school teachers in my young day only..pre ranching. Nothing is more important than example. My nieces and nephews are allowed a personal day a year from 8th on for special situations but..they do not get to skip the last boring days..and none of this skipping early on...that is just a hard opinion..but I think it helps..to be the ones to see it through no matter what in these little things for doing the same in future and a little pride if only half the class shows and they did.....as a country we have to get less weak and start to compete scholastically again...IMHO...and the drive starts early.

Edited April 22, 2015 by sjn911

[Tripper10]

Just drive to Miami.

[Tapi]

I agree with the poster who said you left carnival for a reason, you may remember that reason if you go Valor. Same old...same old .

 

 

My favorite Carnival cruise was on the Liberty. Loved the ship and layout so Valor shouldn't disappoint. Second favorite was on the Dream. Had a great time and had no complaints on that one either so I'm sure Breeze will be very enjoyable as well. My decision to start checking out other cruise lines was simply because things were starting to feel a bit stale after 9 Carnival cruises in a row in a fairly short amount of time, along with a less than stellar sailing on the Fascination which was somewhat the straw that broke the camel's back.

 

But after a few years, and a few cruises on other cruise lines in between, I'm confident that we'll have a great time on Carnival. Things will feel new again even if they haven't changed much.

[Tapi]

Maybe you are like me and one day be sold on one thing and the next completely sold on the other, I may use this kind of help next cruise..LOL..

 

So..I did not vote 2 times...lol..but today I woke up with Valor being ok

 

 

You just described me! I drive myself nuts! Went to bed last night convinced to do Breeze but woke up thinking Valor, haha.

[Tapi]

Nothing is more important than example.

 

...they do not get to skip the last boring days..and none of this skipping early.

 

I think it helps..to be the ones to see it through no matter what...

 

...as a country we have to get less weak and start to compete scholastically again...IMHO...and the drive starts early.

 

 

You see? I was convincing myself to forego the last day of school but now you got me second guessing that decision! [emoji16]

Edited April 22, 2015 by Tapi

[mayesq]

We were on the Breeze last month during spring break. We loved the ship. The staff were wonderful. And room service was really quick when we ordered midday. It was maybe a 25 minute wait.

 

The ship is pretty and there is so much to do. You won't regret it.

[trvlgirlmq]

I am so glad!:)

 

Nothing is more important than example. My nieces and nephews are allowed a personal day a year from 8th on for special situations but..they do not get to skip the last boring days..and none of this skipping early on...that is just a hard opinion..but I think it helps..to be the ones to see it through no matter what in these little things for doing the same in future and a little pride if only half the class shows and they did.....as a country we have to get less weak and start to compete scholastically again...IMHO...and the drive starts early.

 

I have to completely disagree here. What is the purpose of a 6 year old playing board games and watching movies just to prove something? I would rather spend the day with my child traveling to our vacation. The schools themselves don't make this day important. There is no teaching or learning going on at all. Everyone has already mentally checked out anyway.

[Topo Gigio]

It's only an additional 3.5 hours drive extra to Miami.

[Tapi]

It's only an additional 3.5 hours drive extra to Miami.

 

 

Hey Topo: Yes, it's only another 3.5 hours to Miami, but with the mandatory food and bathroom stops with small kids, it becomes more like another 5 hours. Unless we split the drive to Miami in 2 days, we will fly

Edited April 22, 2015 by Tapi

[StaceySteveDMB]

I don't know where the poll went so I did not vote, but I would recommend the Breeze. We took a Breeze two day when it first came over from Europe and have been trying to figure out the best time to go and have not been able to make it work. We have taken a lot of cruises since then, but still really want to get on the Breeze. Drive the extra few hours to Miami and don't be afraid or feel guilty about taking the kids out early. We have two kids and though we will not take them out for a week during the school year, we have no problem with them missing the last couple days before school ends or missing a couple days the week of Thanksgiving. Make it a point to spend at least one day doing a historical tour and the educational value of that will far exceed anything they could have learned in school.

[StaceySteveDMB]

Here's an idea, take them out a couple days early, drive down and stop in Port Canaveral on the way. Take the kids to Kennedy Space Center and make it a learning adventure. Stay over night and drive the few hours to Miami the day of the cruise.

[Tapi]

I don't know where the poll went so I did not vote, but I would recommend the Breeze.

 

 

I can't see it because I'm on my phone, but the last time I checked, it was NOT a close competition. Something like 85% in favor of the Breeze!

Edited April 22, 2015 by Tapi

[sjn911]

You see? I was convincing myself to forego the last day of school but now you got me second guessing that decision! [emoji16]

 

 

I am really sorry and I knew I would catch some flack.....

 

I also know it won't be the end of the world either way and I would not judge you one bit and too many schools do nothing because there is a point where the kids will be too hard too much to have any attention "lassoed".

 

But sigh, there is something about early on not ducking out early..not doing what we want and honoring the school year and the parents and kids and teachers need to get it..and we are going to eventually have to bump it up to catch up to rest of world...when we get that we zoom back up to par with the world. I have the following educators in family: 4 elementary teachers, one high school, and 3 of elementary teachers have additional certificates, one School Psych, One English as second Language, one special ed. And I am in an old school thinking state...so just a little bias...your mileage will vary and we can always teach our kids..but this is a pretty easy STICK OUT commitment accomplishment if not sick and AGAIN..SORRY:o.

 

This is the last big free time...before the sports...here it us all sports..even auntie here goes sometimes to support..but that suit up and show up is longer than school year...all the extra stuff...my family all loves it and parents face it most with joy..one with a nervous stomach poor dear..2 college football. kids..sigh....but that was epic...put themselves through...and brothers played agst each other one big game....

Edited April 22, 2015 by sjn911

[Tutontow]

Tapi, I am torn for you. I just got off of the Valor and I must say it was an excellent cruise. The staff for the most part was great. The band by the casino was very good and the piano player in the piano bar played very well and sang just okay.

 

The food in the MDR was pretty darn good and the ship was easy to navigate.

 

Also the money you save by cruising on the Valor could be spent on many other things including excursions, steakhouse dinners or many other things including another cruise. BTW the spiced rubbed steak was one of the best steaks I have ever had.

 

Having said all of that my understanding is the Breeze is a much nicer ship and the Cuban food in Miami is to die for.

 

Me, I am a lazy traveler. I live 4 hours from Miami and never ever consider going there for a cruise. Tampa and Port Canaveral are just too easy for us.

[sjn911]

You just described me! I drive myself nuts! Went to bed last night convinced to do Breeze but woke up thinking Valor, haha.

 

He he,,,,missed this...feel slightly better opening my big trap...but you will be good mom and dad whatever you do...that is obvious. I do the same..but we do make good decisions in the end...with very little "what if's"...we have already done that...LOL...:).

Edited April 22, 2015 by sjn911

[Topo Gigio]

I don't know, but I thought you were an airline pilot.

[Scooter McGavin]

I still vote Valor with some lovely Orlando theme park action with the savings!

[Tapi]

I am really sorry and I knew I would catch some flack...

 

 

Well, it's not you. I grew up in a household that was pretty strict when it came to academics, so the thought of cutting class to go on a vacation is a bit foreign to me. From elementary school all the way until my last day in college, I don't ever recall taking a day away from school for that purpose.

 

We did take our son out for a day a few months back because of a work conflict and we explained it to the teachers. They didn't seem to care. Interestingly we thought that our son would be thrilled about having an extra day off, but he wasn't!

[sjn911]

Well, it's not you. I grew up in a household that was pretty strict when it came to academics, so the thought of cutting class to go on a vacation is a bit foreign to me. From elementary school all the way until my last day in college, I don't ever recall taking a day away from school for that purpose.

 

We did take our son out for a day a few months back because of a work conflict and we explained it to the teachers. They didn't seem to care. Interestingly we thought that our son would be thrilled about having an extra day off, but he wasn't!

LOL...thank you..and I hear you, the both of us and great on your child...well it is a happy decision...and a fun thread...you do not have to go with the vote...LOL...but either is/ will be fine.

[Tapi]

I don't know, but I thought you were an airline pilot.

 

 

I am, which means that when we fly, we do so on a standby basis. If there are seats open we get on. But we would be attempting to fly on a Friday afternoon, at the beginning of the summer break, and to a popular destination. That means that flights will be packed, with tons of other airline employees trying to standby as well. Not a risk I want to take when catching a cruise the next day. That's why if we decide to fly for this cruise, we would buy regular, confirmed tickets.

[Topo Gigio]

I am, which means that when we fly, we do so on a standby basis. If there are seats open we get on. But we would be attempting to fly on a Friday afternoon, at the beginning of the summer break, and to a popular destination. That means that flights will be packed, with tons of other airline employees trying to standby as well. Not a risk I want to take when catching a cruise the next day. That's why if we decide to fly for this cruise, we would buy regular, confirmed tickets.

 

Ok. I see. Yes, that's the problem with flying sby. I also fly most of the time on sby, but I know exactly what the load is for the flight I want to take since my gf is 2nd in command @ ops.