Please Calm Down my OCD!

[Miss America]

Please help me deal with my OCD....did we make the wrong choice?

 

Freedom of the Seas new Western route....OV cabin....4 of us...13 year old boy and a 9 year old girl. We are all experienced, worldwide travelers, but not experienced cruisers. I would describe us as "champagne taste on a beer budget". We're not super extroverted but not super introverted either.

 

We could also have gone on, for the same price, Carnival Valor, with a balcony...the 8 day itinerary that visits Arubu, Bonaire, and Grand Turks.

 

Or there was the Celebrity Summit to Bermuda...inside cabin.

 

I know you all must get tired of these same types of questions over and over, but this is a lot of money to us and I hope we chose wisely.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Miss America

[LMaxwell]

I would choose Freedom over Valor 8 out of 7 times....

[Clarea]

I would normally favor the longer ABC cruise, but I don't know if the Valor is comparable to Freedom.

[LMaxwell]

I would normally favor the longer ABC cruise, but I don't know if the Valor is comparable to Freedom.

 

valor has all of CCL's 2.0 upgrades, my main gripe with longer Carnival cruises is the lack of evening entertainment / shows.

[Miss America]

I don't know that we're big into the evening shows....but I am hoping for the best fit for all 4 of us.

[LMaxwell]

I don't know that we're big into the evening shows....but I am hoping for the best fit for all 4 of us.

 

I don't think you will go wrong bringing kids on Freedom. It is a consistently high ranked ship. If you're worried you made some kind of grave error I don't think that is the case at all.

[Miss America]

I don't think you will go wrong bringing kids on Freedom. It is a consistently high ranked ship. If you're worried you made some kind of grave error I don't think that is the case at all.

 

Thank you. Like I said, the OCD gets out of control sometimes. :o

[yogimax]

Too many abbreviations, especially when they have nothing directly to do with cruising..

 

Had to google OCD.

[klepton]

I'll echo the others and say Freedom. While I typically book cruises for the itinerary first and foremost, and the Valor itinerary is better IMO, I don't think you can really go wrong with a freedom class ship. Lot's more activities than what you'll find on the Valor (flow rider, ice rink, rock wall) that your kids will enjoy. In addition, the entertainment is far more varied on the Freedom.

 

But a lot of it depends on you and your family. If you're the type(s) who like to sit in peace and solitude on your balcony and read books, the balcony might be a deciding factor for you. Or if you're more concerned with getting to new/exotic ports, that may make a difference. Aruba and Bonaire are both great islands... Grand Turk is just ok, I'd never book a cruise specifically to get there. I'm guessing that itinerary also hits La Romana or Amber Cove?

 

I can't speak to the Summit, but depending on the time of year Bermuda is really awesome! I just did the same itinerary on the NCL Breakaway (sailed out of new york, 3 days in Bermuda) and we had a great time. We saw the Summit a few times on the way and it was docked right next to us all three days. It's a good looking ship to be sure, though doesn't have the activities I mentioned above that the Freedom has.

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise! :D

[Biker19]

Some advice for next time: settle on the sailing by doing lots of research before you book and after you book, take a break from CC.

[jagsfan]

Freedom is a beautiful ship, and has more to offer as a destination itself than most ships. The ice show is excellent, very professionally done and free! The Royal Promenade has a Dreamworks parade, and the rock climbing is fun for kids.

From what I've heard, Carnival and Royal Caribbean's kids' program are pretty similar.

 

 

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[micmacmissy]

You chose wisely.

 

The Celebrity Summit would be the nicest in terms of your "champagne" tastes, but an inside cabin would be miserable, especially for 4 people.

 

Don't do Carnival...instead of champagne taste on a beer budget, Carnival is more like...beer taste on a generic soda budget... :eek:

[baytree97]

Your family sounds very similar to how we were going on our first cruise. I choose the voyager class upon the recommendation of the travel agent and have not looked back since. Bermuda is beautiful but I would not recommend the Summit for children, to me it was the dullest ship I had ever been on. I can't speak to Carnival as I have never sailed them. The Freedom I have done a couple of times and you can't go wrong with it IMO. Whichever you choose go and enough, cruising is a wonderful family vacation.

[exelsor]

Haha ... Beer taste on a generic soda budget, that just made me really lol micmacmissy, [emoji12]

Iv never done a carnival cruise before. ( so far loyal to royal ). When i look at the carnival ships online i just think there decor is really loud and not nice colours. Even on the new vista. This is just my personal taste though. Mabe you have to see it in person to see an orange and black stripey carpet. [emoji15] lol

 

 

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[sjb317]

Some advice for next time: settle on the sailing by doing lots of research before you book and after you book, take a break from CC.

 

That is probably the best advice I've ever seen on CC!:D

 

Sherri:)

[MrsKC08]

Please help me deal with my OCD....did we make the wrong choice?

 

Freedom of the Seas new Western route....OV cabin....4 of us...13 year old boy and a 9 year old girl. We are all experienced, worldwide travelers, but not experienced cruisers. I would describe us as "champagne taste on a beer budget". We're not super extroverted but not super introverted either.

 

We could also have gone on, for the same price, Carnival Valor, with a balcony...the 8 day itinerary that visits Arubu, Bonaire, and Grand Turks.

 

Or there was the Celebrity Summit to Bermuda...inside cabin.

 

I know you all must get tired of these same types of questions over and over, but this is a lot of money to us and I hope we chose wisely.

 

I have cruise Freedom twice and would book her again in a Heartbeat. And although I haven't cruised the Valor, I have cruised on Carnival a few times and actually visited the ports you mentioned (Aruba, Bonaire and Grand Turks). Grand Turks is amazing and one of my all time favorite islands, but the other two islands I'm not a fan of. Aruba is more of a place to visit if staying in a resort, not a cruise port. It docks in a very industrial area, and although there is lots of shopping nearby, it just isn't a great cruise port IMHO. Bonaire is completely not ready for cruise traffic. We were literally only off the boat about an hour tops. They are known for snorkel and scuba diving, but if you aren't doing that, there isn't much to do in that small little port.

 

As for the overall experience, I think RCCL will give you more of a WOW experience than Carnival will, and the ship is just full of things to do.

[Surfguyxxx]

Freedom all the way.

[vickiw0318]

No Summit. The late DH and I are/were two of the world's most easily amused people and we were bored on the Summit. I love Bermuda, but don't see it as the best destination for children of your children's ages.

 

I have been on the Carnival Triumph. In looking at the Valor's deck plans, it appears to be similar to the Triumph. The pools on the Triumph were very small. The balcony was also very small. I too like the Valor itinerary better, but your kids will like the Freedom class ship much better - even with just an outside cabin. I need to add that I was on the Triumph with a friend and her then 6/7 year old niece. She had a blast at Camp Carnival, but hated the pools.

Edited June 20, 2016 by vickiw0318

[matj2000]

Don't do Carnival...instead of champagne taste on a beer budget, Carnival is more like...beer taste on a generic soda budget... :eek:

 

 

Why do people advise other not to sail on Carnival.

 

If they never been on Carnival themselves?

 

They have no idea.....

[BLAMBKY]

Another no to the Summit, we did it last year with 2 interiors for 4 people. I really enjoyed the dining room food but nothing else wow'd me. Now I would go back to Bermuda in an instant but my family says, not on Summit. Teen area was too small/overrun during summer & it did not have as much entertainment for mid 40's parents.

I think you made the right choice with Freedom although your room will be tight.

Edited June 20, 2016 by BLAMBKY

[aussievc]

Don't do Celebrity, your kids will be bored. Celebrity is great but it's typically an older crowd. My nephew has been on RCCL several times since the age of 5, he's 17 now, and he always had a great time at the kids activity centers everytime....it was hard to get him to join us for dinner. He also hung out with other kids his age that he met when he was in his teens and they would meet up and go to the pools together, have lunch, etc. Personally, I prefer RCCL over Carnival.

[cb at sea]

You made an excellent choice. Now, stop worrying! ANY vacation is great, and your family will have a wonderful time.

 

This is really no different than any other vacation, so relax, enjoy and don't worry about a thing.

[sdpete]

Freedom is an excellent choice.

[evelyn51]

I'll echo the others and say Freedom. While I typically book cruises for the itinerary first and foremost, and the Valor itinerary is better IMO, I don't think you can really go wrong with a freedom class ship. Lot's more activities than what you'll find on the Valor (flow rider, ice rink, rock wall) that your kids will enjoy. In addition, the entertainment is far more varied on the Freedom.

 

But a lot of it depends on you and your family. If you're the type(s) who like to sit in peace and solitude on your balcony and read books, the balcony might be a deciding factor for you. Or if you're more concerned with getting to new/exotic ports, that may make a difference. Aruba and Bonaire are both great islands... Grand Turk is just ok, I'd never book a cruise specifically to get there. I'm guessing that itinerary also hits La Romana or Amber Cove?

 

I can't speak to the Summit, but depending on the time of year Bermuda is really awesome! I just did the same itinerary on the NCL Breakaway (sailed out of new york, 3 days in Bermuda) and we had a great time. We saw the Summit a few times on the way and it was docked right next to us all three days. It's a good looking ship to be sure, though doesn't have the activities I mentioned above that the Freedom has.

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise! :D

 

We have experienced 2 Celebrity, 1 Disney, and 1 Royal Caribbean. Personally, our experience was that Disney had too many children. Celebrity too many seniors; tongue in cheek here as I'm a senior :) Our Royal was a perfect mix of cruisers. Our future cruises will be onboard the Freedom Class ships.

 

Good luck, and happy sailing! :)

[ksg]

We've been on the Summit twice (once to Bermuda) and we love the ship, but I can tell you that our kids, when they were teenagers, would have been bored. We took them on the Voyager class ships (we don't take them away anymore - they can take themselves now) and they had a ball. So Freedom would be even better.

 

I also think for teens the Western itinerary is preferable to the ABCs as there are more active excursions available and better snorkeling, if that's what you plan to do. I have never enjoyed Aruba. It always seems to be unbearably hot the three times we've been.

 

We've only been on one Carnival ship and wouldn't go again.

 

Yes, you'll be crowded with four in one cabin, but you'll never be there except to sleep. We've always felt that our balconies have gone to waste.

 

Have a great time!