foxygrl Posted September 21, 2016 #1 Share Posted September 21, 2016 We are first time cruisers and are interested in the escape or dcl fantasy even the royal caribbean oasis ships. i have 2 boys 6 & 8 and i was wondering if there is enough to keep them entertained. looking at the 7 day to Bahamas/Caribbean. has anyone done the escape with kids? i have some pros and cons of dcl vs others. Does anyone have any input of any of the other cruise lines when cruising with kids. we are not disney freaks so that being said we are open to others. Pros disney Décor made for kids like the padded portholes in halls to sit and watch the ocean Casual dress code Movies in the theater Free ice cream Food with kids in mind Pools (although packed with kids) Characters (star wars) Excellent service people Free non alcoholic drinks Cons Disney Price $$$$ crowded with kids Pros other ship Ropes course Water slides Carnival free icecream Price $$ $$$ Cons other ships Dress codes Adult themed People irritated with kids? Adult themed food Not all is kid friendly No private island No free drinks except some free juice tea ice tea coffee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nets33 Posted September 21, 2016 #2 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) NCL also has... - free soft serve ice cream (self serve in the buffet area) - casual dress code - depending on your itinerary NCL does have private islands (but not as kid focused as Disney) - Escape has great water slides and rope course (depending on size of kids some slides/rope course may be restricted) I don't see people getting irritated with kids unless they are misbehaving. I also feel that the servers go out of their way to entertain kids. Many of them have their own families that they miss and enjoy interacting with kids. Any ship can be crowded with kids if you are travelling a peak vacation time (holidays, spring break) although probably not as much as Disney. Edited September 21, 2016 by nets33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyMom Posted September 21, 2016 #3 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I have sailed both with Disney and with NCL and while I personally prefer Norwegian, with kids that age I would have to go with Disney. Yes, it is more expensive, but no other cruise line has that Disney magic. My son was 8 when we sailed on DCL and it was an incredible trip from the time we boarded the bus (we took the DCL shuttle from Animal Kingdom Lodge) to the time we got back to the airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oteixeira Posted September 21, 2016 #4 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Hi, I can tell you over the years I have done Disney and Princess, and am booked on the Escape next month. I don't bring my son, but I have yet to find a cruise line that does not have a good setup/program for kids these days. Just read up on how each handle it, and choose what works best for you. I think there is an entire subforum for cruising with family, that may help you as well? I am new so don't quote me on this. :) Orlando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickey_mouse Posted September 21, 2016 #5 Share Posted September 21, 2016 My first NCL cruise isn't until January, but I have sailed Disney twice. For families, I'm not sure Disney can be beat. My nephews absolutely had a blast. The kids clubs are jaw-dropping good, and they are basically open all day until around midnight. Plus the fireworks show/pirate night, character interactions, and dining staff who make it their personal goal to entertain your kids and make them smile. Not to mention, the ships are in immaculate shape, and the Disney private island is usually ranked as the best of its kind (it is truly paradise!). As far as being overrun with children, I think you won't notice any difference there, as Disney has so much for them to do, they are "hidden" quite well. As far as I'm concerned, the only (or at least, the main) downside to Disney is the price. But you get what you pay for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxygrl Posted September 21, 2016 Author #6 Share Posted September 21, 2016 NCL also has...- free soft serve ice cream (self serve in the buffet area) - casual dress code - depending on your itinerary NCL does have private islands (but not as kid focused as Disney) - Escape has great water slides and rope course (depending on size of kids some slides/rope course may be restricted) I don't see people getting irritated with kids unless they are misbehaving. I also feel that the servers go out of their way to entertain kids. Many of them have their own families that they miss and enjoy interacting with kids. Any ship can be crowded with kids if you are travelling a peak vacation time (holidays, spring break) although probably not as much as Disney. i have just seen some people complain about to many kids. i checked and my kids could do all of the things by their height requirements so thats a good thing! :) i still dont know if we should just splurge for DCL while my kids are young or save $ and do the escape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy'sGurl Posted September 21, 2016 #7 Share Posted September 21, 2016 We have done DCL 3 times and are just now heading to NCL on the Escape with our teenagers. The Fantasy has an amazing waterslide and the kids clubs are amazing. For children of your kids ages, I would recommend DCL without hesitation, however, I am finding it REALLY hard to wrap my mind around not being on DCL...we were really spoiled and I am afraid nothing else will live up to it - which is why we chose the UBP - cause there's a drink for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxygrl Posted September 21, 2016 Author #8 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) My first NCL cruise isn't until January, but I have sailed Disney twice. For families, I'm not sure Disney can be beat. My nephews absolutely had a blast. The kids clubs are jaw-dropping good, and they are basically open all day until around midnight. Plus the fireworks show/pirate night, character interactions, and dining staff who make it their personal goal to entertain your kids and make them smile. Not to mention, the ships are in immaculate shape, and the Disney private island is usually ranked as the best of its kind (it is truly paradise!). As far as being overrun with children, I think you won't notice any difference there, as Disney has so much for them to do, they are "hidden" quite well. As far as I'm concerned, the only (or at least, the main) downside to Disney is the price. But you get what you pay for! thats what i think also we should just bite the bullet and go with disney this time. but then it will be hard to top LOL. i look forward to hearing about your trip in January! Edited September 21, 2016 by foxygrl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickey_mouse Posted September 21, 2016 #9 Share Posted September 21, 2016 i have just seen some people complain about to many kids. i checked and my kids could do all of the things by their height requirements so thats a good thing! :) i still dont know if we should just splurge for DCL while my kids are young or save $ and do the escape? There are adults-only areas to ensure you can enjoy kid-free spaces if you wish. Your kids are in the sweet spot, age-wise, for a Disney cruise, in my opinion. Once they are teens they might not be as interested. I'm a travel agent and have yet to find any other product that caters to children as well as Disney does. Unfortunately, Disney only has 4 ships, so the demand/prices remain very high! Although the two new ships are fantastic, don't discount the two older Disney ships, as the Magic has been totally refurbished and the Wonder is about to undergo the same treatment. They tend to run a little cheaper than the Fantasy. Might be a good idea to start small and work your way up to the larger ships. The Magic is probably my favorite ship out of 5 cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxygrl Posted September 21, 2016 Author #10 Share Posted September 21, 2016 my kids will probably want to be with me the whole time. i just dont want to hear people complaining about all the kids! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nets33 Posted September 21, 2016 #11 Share Posted September 21, 2016 my kids will probably want to be with me the whole time. i just dont want to hear people complaining about all the kids! :) If you do Disney I think you'd find that the kids are happy to participate in the kids events. I agree with the previous poster that Disney is a great option for your kids at their current age. NCL does have a kids program (as do all cruise lines) but Disney's focus is on the kids more than any other line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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