Oh man... Regal or Pacific Princess

[mommykim]

This is the kind of dilemna I like having. Right now my husband, son and myself are booked on the 7/2 sailing of the Regal to Hawaii. Cabins have opened up that would allow just my husband and myself to go on our actual 19th wedding anniversary later in the month b2b on the Pacific Princess. I can't decide which I would rather do! The actual itinerary doesn't really matter as we've done both multiple times. Help!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Wouldn't mind going on the Hawaii cruise again. Just without the "gang." You'll have fun either way, Kim.

[DrTravelBugPhD]

Wouldn't mind going on the Hawaii cruise again. Just without the "gang." You'll have fun either way' date=' Kim.[/quote']

 

Spring for the 3rd person rate and get a babysitter and join hubby and I in 30 days :).

[mommykim]

Spring for the 3rd person rate and get a babysitter and join hubby and I in 30 days :).

 

Right now we have the 3 of us on the Regal in Hawaii. We can't bring Jonathan on the Pacific as there is no real kids program on it and it's pretty much an adults ship.

[DrTravelBugPhD]

Right now we have the 3 of us on the Regal in Hawaii. We can't bring Jonathan on the Pacific as there is no real kids program on it and it's pretty much an adults ship.

 

Sorry mom, that comment was for Cruisin Chick :)

 

As far as your situation, wow, that is a toughie. I understand how you would like to have a family vacation, but, 19 years is a hecka long time to be married these days and to do a back to back with only your hubby? It's fate I think. I think maybe you should see how many other teens your son's age will be on the hawaii trip (the longer voyages tend to draw less children I think) and see if he even WANTS to go. He may want to spend the two weeks with a good friend camping or something.

 

I think you might be struggling with "abandoning" your son to spend time with your husband (because you are a great mom, no fault there), but you need to remember that Mom and Dad need time too. He may surprise you if you ask him what he wants to do :)

 

Also, you mentioned the Pacific Princess doesn't have a children's program. From the reviews of the Regal that I have read, they have a very small one with little to do for younger ones. The children's center is up on the top deck with the only access being a walk across the entire top deck to get there (so in bad weather, you have to walk across an open deck to drop off/receive a child)

 

Whatever you decide to do, congrats on 19 years!

[Spikesgirl]

Just an FYI here - the last time we sailed on the Pacific Princess, there were 167 kids on board. We rarely saw or heard them, unlike some other people who complained bitterly about them.

 

We have been on both the Regal and the PP and I preferred the latter, but I'm a sucker for the smaller ships.

 

Charlie

[Druke I]

We've been on the Regal Princess three times, and the new Pacific Princess once.

 

If I were travelling with children, I think I would opt for the Regal. Being larger, there are more activities scheduled, for all ages.

 

Without kids, I would opt for the Pacific - lack of activities doesn't impact me, I am perfectly content to find a comfortable chair and a good book, read and watch the world go by.

 

Should there be rough water on the trip, I would prefer Regal, which handles heavy seas well.

[mommykim]

Well, I cancelled Hawaii and booked the Pacific back to back. I love the Regal but what the Doc said was true. The only reason I was not cancelling immediately was that I felt like I was cheating our son. He knows he'll go to Hawaii another time so he was ok with it!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Spring for the 3rd person rate and get a babysitter and join hubby and I in 30 days :).

 

Kim knows the gang I'm referring to. But it's good to know that kids have been seen on the Pacific P. During the summer, that makes sense, even on a longer cruise.