Newbie here!

[GAJayhawks]

Hello all! I have been browsing the RCL web site and this board for a few days now. There is SO much information, it is hard to digest. We are a family of 5 (dh, me, ds 17, ds 15, ds 8). We have been on one cruise before on the 4 day Disney Wonder several years ago. We wanted to do one big vacation to celebrate our son graduating from h.s. next year. We do know that we want to do a 7 day caribbean out of Port Canaveral (sp?) because we can easily drive there from our home. We'll either do it during their winter break (President's Day week) or some time in June. Does anyone have an opinion on those times of the year? I took a look at a sample Compass (is that what's it's called?) and just about shut down. TMI!!! I would love some input from anyone who has cruised with boys. Did they hang out with the teen clubs? What excursions were faves? Is it true that soda is extra $? Even with meals? Liquor too? What were favorite activities on the ship? One friend who recently did the MOS western told us that you MUST wear long pants to ice skate. Is ice skating or rock climbing extra? Whew! I know I will be spending lots of time here getting info so thanks in advance!

[Sylvia and Rich]

GAJAYHAWKS

First pick the time you want to go. We have sailed out of Port Canaveral and it was wonderful. We were on the Mariner. The ship has loads of things for your kids to do. Ice skating is free and yes you need to wear long pants. Rock wall is also free. SODA :eek: You pay for but can buy a soda card. free ice tea .

Drinks you pay for also.

Anything else just ask. :D

[tlopez1]

Hello all! I have been browsing the RCL web site and this board for a few days now. There is SO much information, it is hard to digest. We are a family of 5 (dh, me, ds 17, ds 15, ds 8). We have been on one cruise before on the 4 day Disney Wonder several years ago. We wanted to do one big vacation to celebrate our son graduating from h.s. next year. We do know that we want to do a 7 day caribbean out of Port Canaveral (sp?) because we can easily drive there from our home. We'll either do it during their winter break (President's Day week) or some time in June. Does anyone have an opinion on those times of the year?

 

I am also a Newbie- Went on my first cruise on June 10th. So I am a little biased. June seems like a great month. The weather was great! Also, since you are traveling with kids, there will be alot of kids on the boat at that time of the year.

 

 

I took a look at a sample Compass (is that what's it's called?) and just about shut down. TMI!!! I would love some input from anyone who has cruised with boys. Did they hang out with the teen clubs? What excursions were faves? Is it true that soda is extra $? Even with meals? Liquor too? What were favorite activities on the ship? One friend who recently did the MOS western told us that you MUST wear long pants to ice skate. Is ice skating or rock climbing extra? Whew! I know I will be spending lots of time here getting info so thanks in advance![/quote

Again, I am a newbie. so this is totally my opinion. We sailed on the Freedom of the seas for our 1st anniversary cruise. We laughed and joked that it was a great cruise if you were a teenager. there were so many teens and young adults having such a great time (WE had a blast also). They had a teen club, alot of teen only activities, and alot of mixers for kids in all age groups. Soda Cards on RCCL are about 46 dollars (adult price) and cheaper for children (30ish). Yes, liquor is extra. Drinks of the day are 5.95. Yes you must wear long pants when ice skating. Ice skating and wall climbing were not extra on FOS. There is also a surfing wave thing that all the teens just loved. I hope this helped...:)

[Shanafan]

I have done a few cruises during Presidents week. Loved it. Great weather every time. June might be iffy as it is the beginning of hurricane season. Break up your long winter during Presidents week. A senior in high school will have so many open houses and what not in June and then you have the weather issue.

 

I am sure you will get several different opinions here. I don't know what ship goes out of Port Can. and where it goes, but I can tell you that we were in Jamaica this past mid May and we had a lot of rain every day! Not showers, buckets of rain for hours on end! I asked the workers and they said.....beginning of hurricane season......it is common.

 

Good luck with your decision........and welcome to CC!

[dramaqueen4lyfe]

Pick either one, it doen't really matter. You'll have a great time anyway. MAriner will be gone to the West Coast in January so you'll have to wait and see what ship they put in Port Canaveral.

There is always plenty for kids to do every day. Just make sure you sign them up for their age appropriate activities.

[Sue L]

Pick either one, it doen't really matter. You'll have a great time anyway. MAriner will be gone to the West Coast in January so you'll have to wait and see what ship they put in Port Canaveral.

 

There is always plenty for kids to do every day. Just make sure you sign them up for their age appropriate activities.

 

 

The Mariner is rumored not to move to the west coast until 2009, so you should be ok to go next year for President's Week.

[Peggy13]

We are going on Mariner this Sunday for the 2nd time - although I think the Mariner is going to LA next year. Anyway, we've always cruised either end of June - early July and had great weather that time of year!

[Toddcan]

Family of 5 here too :)

3 boys here too :) Ages 18, 13, 11, so we are very close to the same family type.

 

I've not sailed on RCI yet, but have sailed with all 5 of us.

 

Each kid is different. Our 10 year old (at the time) loved to spend the day at sea in the pool. Pool- eat- pool- eat, you get the picture. The others like to walk around the ship on their own, play some mini-golf, and just walk around. They actually never even tried out the teen clubs.

 

As far as excursions go, well, again, each kid is different. One thing you probably won't find them too excited about is if you want to shop all day :)

 

My boys all wanted to be doing SOMETHING on the excursions. They did not appreciate the old kicking back on the beach thing that my wife and I loved. We did Stingray adventure, and a beach-day.

[Toddcan]

We are going on Mariner this Sunday for the 2nd time - although I think the Mariner is going to LA next year. Anyway, we've always cruised either end of June - early July and had great weather that time of year!

 

 

We are booked on the Mariner in March '08 out of PC. So, it's still in Florida at least until then.

[GAJayhawks]

Family of 5 here too :)

3 boys here too :) Ages 18, 13, 11, so we are very close to the same family type.

 

I've not sailed on RCI yet, but have sailed with all 5 of us.

 

Each kid is different. Our 10 year old (at the time) loved to spend the day at sea in the pool. Pool- eat- pool- eat, you get the picture. The others like to walk around the ship on their own, play some mini-golf, and just walk around. They actually never even tried out the teen clubs.

 

As far as excursions go, well, again, each kid is different. One thing you probably won't find them too excited about is if you want to shop all day :)

 

My boys all wanted to be doing SOMETHING on the excursions. They did not appreciate the old kicking back on the beach thing that my wife and I loved. We did Stingray adventure, and a beach-day.

 

You sound a lot like us! My kids wanted nothing to do with the kids' clubs on the Disney cruise. The older two just explored and enjoyed going to movies, swimming and eating on their own. The younger one just hung around with us. We loved doing the family games/bingo etc. We are not into casinos, shopping or lying around the beach so that is good. I think snorkeling, swimming with dolphins or rays and the zip line or falls in Jamaica sound good.

[GAJayhawks]

We are booked on the Mariner in March '08 out of PC. So, it's still in Florida at least until then.

 

I think you're right. When I looked into Feb cruises next year, the Mariner was available out of PC.

[grangermom]

My two boys are also 17 & 15. We have taken them on two RCI cruises (Navigator and Voyager). Anytime we try to plan a vacation, they just want to cruise again. Mine do not do the teen activities. They have tried, but there's never any other teens there. The teenagers just like to have the freedom to roam the ship. They also hang out by the pool at night. Mine like being able to eat whenever they want, play ping pong, go tot he arcade, play shuffleboard, wander around, go to comedian's shows, all sorts of things. They also like hanging with me and the DH. One time that I won't go again is during spring break. Cruising has become the new vacation for college kids, and things get too wild. The partying goes on all night. Enjoy your vacation. You really can't go wrong on RCI!

[PrettyLA]

Pick either one, it doen't really matter. You'll have a great time anyway. MAriner will be gone to the West Coast in January so you'll have to wait and see what ship they put in Port Canaveral.

There is always plenty for kids to do every day. Just make sure you sign them up for their age appropriate activities.

 

That will be in January 2009. Not 2008. Just wanted to clarify.

[yosh12]

Hello all! I have been browsing the RCL web site and this board for a few days now. There is SO much information, it is hard to digest. We are a family of 5 (dh, me, ds 17, ds 15, ds 8). We have been on one cruise before on the 4 day Disney Wonder several years ago. We wanted to do one big vacation to celebrate our son graduating from h.s. next year. We do know that we want to do a 7 day caribbean out of Port Canaveral (sp?) because we can easily drive there from our home. We'll either do it during their winter break (President's Day week) or some time in June. Does anyone have an opinion on those times of the year? I took a look at a sample Compass (is that what's it's called?) and just about shut down. TMI!!! I would love some input from anyone who has cruised with boys. Did they hang out with the teen clubs? What excursions were faves? Is it true that soda is extra $? Even with meals? Liquor too? What were favorite activities on the ship? One friend who recently did the MOS western told us that you MUST wear long pants to ice skate. Is ice skating or rock climbing extra? Whew! I know I will be spending lots of time here getting info so thanks in advance!

 

You need to find a local travel agent and sit down and talk to them and book through them. Posting on here is just going to get you 50 different answers from 50 different strangers who know nothing about you or your family or what you really want out of a vacation.

 

A good travel agent will take the time to question you to death first, and then suggest and present all of your options. MUCH easier IMO. Use this place as a reference for ideas, but I'd never make such a big decision based on what you read online (anywhere, not just CC).