Holiday Cruise '08: Spirit or Majesty??

[JudgeDred]

We are looking for guidance from the CruiseCritic gurus about our next holiday time cruise: because of distance, school holidays, college holidays, and employment holidays (we need Office Outlook just to plan a family dinner sometimes!) we are limited in where we can travel from without breaking the bank. I have narrowed down our options to: Spirit sailing out of New Orleans for the Christmas cruise (we can get a good airfare to NOLA that we can't to Tampa, Pt. Canaveral, or Miami/Ft.L) or Majesty sailing out of Charleston for the New Years cruise (we can drive). We have cruised Majesty before, but the new itinerary (Bahamas and Florida) is less than inspired IMHO. For our family (DW and I, and three teens: 19, 17, and 13, in two cabins) it fits our budget better than Spirit by quite a bit. On the other hand Spirit's ports are much more interesting and the ship sounds interesting, too, from the postings. If Majesty was still on the Western Caribbean run I would likely choose her, but . . . any ideas? Thanks!

[BeachBumMama]

Since you've sailed the Majesty before, and you're not inspired by the itinerary, I would think the better choice would be the Spirit (a new ship for you) and the ports it sounds like you haven't been to. What kind of cabins are you pricing? Would it be possible to get the Spirit more into a manageable budget if you were to get the absolute cheapest inside rooms? Or is that what you were pricing?

[electricron]

I would choose the Spirit, mainly because you haven't sailed on her before.

Variety does add spice to life.

 

It'll also prepare you for NCL's better and larger ships, being not too large or too small. ;)

 

The Spirit, even from most reviewers who panned it for other reasons, almost all agree it is one of the most beautiful ships sailing from North America.

It also as a good percentage of teak decks like the Majesty, which is one of the charms I enjoyed on both ships.

 

Since you are familiar with the Majesty, you already know you'll have a great cruise on either ship. If money is a concern, I know you'll enjoy it as well.

[98Charlie]

We've sailed Majesty twice and Spirit once with another Spirit booked.

 

We really enjoyed the cruises on the Majesty and were looking to sail her one more time before she is retired/sold. But.........the new itinerary is IMHO pathetic . A day a Port Canaveral?? Whooopie:rolleyes:

 

We love NCL but who are they trying to kid. A "family friendly itinerary"? NCL's gonna save a bundle on fuel costs by going nowhere.

 

I would take the Spirit, no 2nd thoughts. A day before or after (or both) in NOLA and, again IMHO, a much better itinerary.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great vacation.

 

Charlie

[bqkali]

I haven't cruised before, but as someone near the age of your kids (I'm 21), I would lean toward the Spirit. As a teen, my favorite vacations were always the short ones because you didn't have a chance to get bored, annoyed by your family, or miserable. The exception would be longer vacations where we stopped at many different places--for the same reason--you didn't have time to get bored!

 

Because of this, I'd recommend the Spirit, since you said the Florida itinerary on Majesty is not that thrilling. I'm assuming that means your kids have "been there, done that" and instead of finding something interesting to do, they'd start complaining that they wish they were home to be with their friends or bickering with each other, etc. Your children could act totally differently than this, but I know that many of my friends and I were brats during our teenage years. (Sorry Mom and Dad!)

 

As a teen, I also liked when my opinion was respected. If you end up deciding that the Spirit is something you can afford, bring the two options to your kids. I'm sure they'd like to be part of the decision making process, and they might even be able to help suggest ways to save some money for the added expense of getting to NOLA. They might even agree to cut back on gifts a little this year in order to go on the cruise.

 

Have a great cruise either way!

[JudgeDred]

Thanks for all the help - isn't it a great problem to have - which cruise to take!?

I'm going to crunch the numbers and then make a pitch for the Spirit to DW (aka "she who must be obeyed" - if you like Rumpole!). I know Majesty would be great too ("any day cruising beats any day not cruising"), but I agree with Charlie - the intinerary is to yawn for. We have done a yearly trek to Orlando with the family for years and a day in Port Canaveral would be a waste of time for us - been there, done that, bought the T shirt . Cheers!

[JudgeDred]

Would it be possible to get the Spirit more into a manageable budget if you were to get the absolute cheapest inside rooms? Or is that what you were pricing?

 

 

Of course, you're right and I was pricing two balcony staterooms on Spirit and two oceanview on Majesty. Ideally DW and I would have a balcony and the three kids somewhere cheaper (are we bad parents or what?!). The NCL website states that someone 21 or older has to be in each cabin (I don't know how they worked this when we cruised Majesty on Spring Break - I doubt 10% of the Breakers were 21). For our March 8th Majesty cruise my wife and I each "booked" a separate oceanview (C cat.) cabin side by side and the steward set up one for us and the other for the two youngest (older DD was in university that week) without a peep. Ideally I'd give us old folks the "good" cabin and put the kids in the cheapest inside stateroom on the ship but that would be so very, very . . . wrong! Maybe I should post a separate thread on the subject in general - our eldest is an adult for all intents and purposes (she can drink, vote, serve on a jury, marry or join the armed forces if she wants (in Canada), but she can't book an NCL cabin even if I'm paying?

 

Looking at the cabins on the March cruise I was drawn ever upwards by the low price differential between categories. I had intended to book us four into an inside cabin. When the TA got the quote I thought, hum, maybe two cabins inside. The quote was still really good so "how about an outside", and then two, and so on . . . until we had two outside cabins (612 and 614 - glorious) I was drawn to the bargain difference in price for what you get particularly out of Charleston. I realize that like many others we spend little time in our cabin, but there is something to be said for waking up and looking out to watch the dawn . . . .

 

I notice that the Spirit has lots of adjoining cabins - maybe that's the answer for us - two adjoining insides and more money for the next cruise, too! As the comedian said on the Majesty - they call the stateroom TV view of the bridge cam "windows" in the inside cabins!

 

Thanks for the thoughtful help folks - that's why this is the best cruise website!

[ChBoxers800]

#1) You are not a bad parent by booking a higher class cabin for you and wife and putting the kid in an inside cabin. It is NOT wrong! Who's paying the bill? ;)

 

#2) I'll get flamed for this for sure, but here goes. The rules on ages in cabins are strictly to prevent a bunch of teens from booking a cabin and going wild. You know your children better then anyone and it sounds to me as if your 19 year old is very responsible. I would book an outside OV or balcony in your name, and an inside (right across the hall) in your wife's name. While on the cruise, I would put all 3 kid in the inside room. Of course this depends on how much you trust your 19 year old to accept and follow through on the responsiblity of his/her younger siblings and him/her self when all of you are not together. I would NEVER suggest this with younger children, but with the ages of your children, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

Let the flames begin! :eek:

[BeachBumMama]

Let the flames begin! :eek:

You want to get flamed so you can start on an early tan, don't you?:D

Actually, I think alot of the flames are people that have younger children, I've read posts where their kids are all under the age of 6 and they're wanting a separate cabin across the hall from them. With no intention of an adult in the room.:eek: That for me, is frightening to say the least.

 

Most do it the way you suggested. And actually, I've booked before without having to book hubby and me separate. Kids were 16 and 17, both girls. They were right next to us, no adjoining, and NCL said it was fine as long as they were beside us or across the hall. It would be different if the only other cabin was 2 decks down.

 

And actually, booking the 'good' cabin for the parents, and the cheap inside across the hall for the kids is not so very, very wrong. You all get to go on a wonderful cruise, you all will have the advantages of a balcony as the kids of course will come there to hang out, and yet you'll have the advantages of privacy and 2 bathrooms! I'm sure the kids will understand it makes better sense for the budget.:)

[98Charlie]

Not really part of what OP was asking but, just a comment on kid's getting the "lesser" cabin.

 

Do the kid's have a master bedroom at home? If of driving age do they have a car equal to the parents (if they have a vehicle at all)?

 

If for security they are going to be in a connecting room then they will have an equal cabin. But, if the family is comfortable with an across the hall setting and the kid's are trustworthy, I wouldn't worry about the cabin category.

 

Charlie

[Stillfloatin']

If your kids are typical teens, they'll probably enjoy the dark cabin for sleeping in on sea days. I think booking a balcony for the "wage earners" and an opposite inside for the "wage spenders" is an excellent idea. It's a good lesson in how life really works - we all move up in goodies as we increase our experience and earning capabilities.

[JudgeDred]

Thanks once again for all the feedback - hey, yah know I had tongue in cheek when I said that "bad parent" stuff! You bet we would put our loving and talented but less deserving kids in the cheaper room in a New York minute!!! :D Cheers!:D

[JudgeDred]

If your kids are typical teens' date=' they'll probably enjoy the dark cabin for sleeping in on sea days.quote']

 

 

You sure got that right - it's like we are in different time zones!:)