Best cruise line for food and wine AND good for kids

[ruffs]

What would be the best cruise line for food and wine that is also good for kids? Thanks!

[Ga-Fl Peach]

I like Carnival.

[dinosaurdem]

See title.

[cruiseman40]

Wow, very subjective, but I was really impressed with Carnival Victory. It was constantly busy and never really saw everything on the ship. This is my 4th Carnival and was impressed of all the activities on board. My kids had a great time with the program and the food wasn't as good in some things compared to Celebrity/Princess, but Carnival was a fun ship. Since you talked bout kids, Carnival hands down. It's a blur memory with RCCL. Nothing really stuck out there with me or kids.

[mrsltg]

I'd go with Princess over Celebrity for kids. Celebrity still tends to draw a somewhat older crowd and the activities are going to be more geared toward them. I have friends who sailed Princess with their daughter and loved it.

[ChriStephanie]

Of the many cruises I've been on, Disney Cruise Line's food on both the Magic and the Wonder never fail to amaze me - it's always inventive and fresh for us adventurous eaters and consistently good for when you just want a darn good meal. The kids programs are awesome too.

 

Princess' food was good, but I feel like there was a slight lack of seafood. Growing up near the Chesapeake Bay in MD and now living in Rochester, NY where the seafood is deplorable - this is something I really look forward to on a cruise.

 

One thing that I remember from Costa Cruise Lines many years back was the lack of bagels at breakfast - in the dining room and on the buffet - there was plenty of other wonderful things to eat, but I didn't quite make sense of it!

[ruffs]

Thanks for the ideas!

[mrsltg]

When I sailed Disney I was disappointed in the food. The wine list was okay, but the food was just boring. It's not that it was bad, it just wasn't good. It was fine. I'd put it on par with a Friday's or Macaroni Grill. However, my daughter really enjoyed the kids club. The best food I've had at sea was on HAL. Even there though you're talking mass market and 2000 meals at one time is hard to pull off. It's a difficult question to answer but it's fun to try lots of different things!

[kelmac]

What would be the best cruise line for food and wine that is also good for kids? Thanks!

 

Here's the "Mac-O-Meter" concerning your question:

 

Quality of Cuisine (Food)

 

Main Dining Room

 

Celebrity -- 9.6

Holland America -- 9.1

Princess -- 8.7

Royal Caribbean -- 7.3

NCL -- 7.3

 

Buffet Area

 

Holland America -- 9.2

Celebrity -- 9.1

Princess -- 8.5

NCL -- 7.3

Royal Caribbean -- 7.2

 

Alternative Restaurants

 

Celebrity -- 9.8

Holland America -- 9.1

NCL -- 8.5

Royal Caribbean -- 7.9

Princess -- 7.7

 

Things for Kids to do

 

Royal Caribbean -- 9.2

Princess -- 8.8

NCL -- 8.2

Celebrity -- 8.0

Holland America -- 6.5

 

Over-all, I would look for the larger ships of Celebrity (Solstice class or Millennium class). As long as the cruise is not off season, there should be a number of families on board. Royal Caribbean is great for kids, but the food is so so. It's always a trade off.

 

Have a great cruise!

Kel:)

[ruffs]

This makes a really good case for Celebrity.

[palmtre2]

The food on most Carnival ships is very good and the kids clubs are great. NCL did not impress me for either.

[redsoxgrlt]

Carnival!