5 or 7 night . . .

[CrusingOnMyMind]

for kids' first cruise? DH and I are planning to take our kids on their first cruise this year (the sooner, the better :D ) and are looking at the 5 night Carnival Ecstasy or the 7 night Carnival Conquest, both leaving out of Galveston. These are are best options since we are within very easy driving distance of the port and are not ready to tackle first time flying with the kids AND first time cruising with them. SO . . . since most of you are experienced cruising with kiddos, which would be better to start out with or does it really matter? Pros and cons to each? And any advice on the ships would be greatly appreciated!! Oh, our kids are 3 and 5!

 

Thanks!!!

[crusinmama06]

Honestly, do you think they won't enjoy it? ;)

 

My kids cry after every cruise because they don't want to leave the ship. If you can book a 7 day and the price is right, then go for the 7 days. It won't feel as rushed. And they would have a few sea days to really enjoy the ship.

[CrusingOnMyMind]

THANKS for your response crusinmama06! I'm kinda leaning towards the 7 day as well . . . hoping to find a good deal on it! I think our kids would be happy with a 2 night cruise to nowhere - they just want to go on a boat!!! I would really like it to be special for them, though we keep getting told (from family) that they are too young and won't remember it anyway.

[crusinmama06]

THANKS for your response crusinmama06! I'm kinda leaning towards the 7 day as well . . . hoping to find a good deal on it! I think our kids would be happy with a 2 night cruise to nowhere - they just want to go on a boat!!! I would really like it to be special for them, though we keep getting told (from family) that they are too young and won't remember it anyway.

 

 

Oh please! Tell your family that YOU'LL remember it.

 

I have so many wonderful memories. Not just on cruises but MANY places with my kids. So should I have just sat home with them and gone no where because they won't remember it? ;) :D

 

And by the way, BOTH of my kids remember their cruises. My 3 year old could barely talk the last time she was on RCCL Freedom but recently she just told me IN detail things that went on in adventure ocean that I wasn't aware of. She told me the names of some of the kids IN AO. Told me some activities they did. What the counselors said. :eek:

 

My 8 year old remembers the ship we were on when she was 2 (she told me about the dance floor)

 

Have a great cruise no matter what you decide. :D

[stsomewhere]

My kids love cruising. They went on thier first when they were 1. DS-9, DD-7. This will be their 4th and 5th cruise We just sailed on the Truimph on 1/08. I asked them where they wanted to go next year for vacation. Both agreed a cruise. We are booked on a 9night RCL cruise. They can not wait. They love cruiseing because they enjoy going to kids club and having a vacation away from mom and dad.

[Dr_DNA]

I say the more nights at sea, the better! :D

Not only do I say this, but my 3 year old says the same thing (he's about to turn 4). I realize that we were on a ship as recent as September, but he still remembers our cruise in great detail. Just the other night we were talking about a taxi and he said, "Like the one that we took while we were on our big cruise?" BTW, his first cruise was 9 nights and that wasn't enough! Take the 7 if you can find a good deal.

[megnsamsgracie]

I say 7 nights! My kids loved cruising and had a blast with 7 nights. We did a 5n cruise our first cruise (No kids) and we were just getting into the groove when it was time to pack for home!

[cruisnmom3]

I agree-go for 7 nights! The sea days are the most fun for the kids sometimes and they will have a blast! My daughter had just turned 3 for her first cruise and she still remembers it....it is a great way to vacation as a family...

[CrusingOnMyMind]

THANK YOU all so much for your responses!! We've decided to do the 7 night on the Conquest - YAY! Now just to look for a good deal - sure hope we can find one!! The kids are so excited they can't stop talking about it! DS wants to go NOW and thinks Spring Break means we are going on a cruise! LOL He's telling EVERYONE we're going and we don't even have the date down yet!

 

So glad to hear that everyone's kids remember their cruises, even at a young age - DH and I really feel like our kids will remember, too . . . especially since they remember everything else they've done so far, in detail. It's just everyone else (family) that keeps harping otherwise. Think it boils down to they don't think we should go, period. But we're not the type to just sit around talking about wanting to do something and then 20 years later still be talking about it, kwim?? LOL

 

Thanks again!! I'm sure I'll have many more questions before it's all said and done! :D

[smilingrl]

The other thing I say to people who give you the "they won't remember it" line is that it is never too young to start teaching your kids to be good travelers and to appreciate different cultures and new experiences.

[cruisnmom3]

Oooh Maragret-I like that answer...