Where did you Cruise to and What Cruise Line did you choose? I would like to take the family, including a five year old and one year old, on a cruise in the Spring. Where do you suggest?
I've been on Royal Carribean and Celebrity and Celebrity was by far the best....However.. My cousin just took her two kids on the Disney Cruise line and she said that its the best vacation she has ever had so you may want to look into that one...sounds like they cater to both child and adult where as the cruises i've been on have kids programs but it's more for the adults.
I've been on a Royal Carribean,Carnival,and Norwegian and liked Norwegian the best. We sailed out of Miami but I bleive they have Galveston departures as well. Royal and Carnival seemed a little "La Quinta" to me where as Norwegian was more of a Radisson. The food,ambience, and rooms were better. But if you're taking children, Princess or Disney are probably youre best bets. Here is a helpful link:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruisestyles/articles.cfm?ID=2
Also, I dont know if you're deadset on a cruise but Grand Bahama is a LOVELY vacation place for a family. Its a beautiful,romantic,adventurous,and affordable location. Check out the Island Seas resort. Its perfect for families of all ages. :)
I don't have a ton of time to respond at the moment, but if you want some good "insider" information... I worked for Princess Cruise Lines for 3 years in the Corporate Offices and can make some good recommendations on the various lines and programs that are available, as well as what itineraries are best for families.
I will forewarn you, that any and all children's programs DO begin at age 2. So, you will need to keep your 1-year old with you at all times and he/she will not be allowed in the pool.
If you're interested in more info, send me a separate message and I will be happy to respond to any specific questions you may have.
Best,
K.
I would most definitely recommend a Disney Cruise, especially with the kids. My husband and I went alone on our honeymoon and it was amazing. They have so many programs and options for the kids. Even if you're not Disney fans- they'll love it and you'll be able to spend time alone, just the two of you. They'll be able to party with Mickey and Goofy and such and have a blast. Let me know if you choose that, because I have some tips.
A.
We have taken two cruises - one with Carnival and one with Royal Carribbean. It really depends on what kind of experience you are looking for in order to decide which cruise line to choose. The motto for Carnival is the "Fun Ships" because they are definitely catering to those people that want to spend the majority of their time partying hard. On our particular ship, the main demographic seemed to be younger adults who wanted to drink lots and lots and lots. We had taken our three year old daughter at the time and although she had a great time in the kid's program (their staff was wonderful), I felt she probably saw a few too many intoxicated people just walking around the ship. Also, the Carnival ships tend to be decorated a bit on the wild side to support that wild fun kind of atmosphere. Royal Carribbean on the other hand is what I would call a bit more elegant. Though there are clubs and plenty of alcohol around, I didn't feel like I was in the middle of party central. There seemed to be more families and shows that would appeal to people that were past that party hard phase of their lives. The ship was decorated more tastefully, lots of beautiful art to enjoy. We didn't take our daughter along on this cruise so I can't tell you anything about the kid's program but I'm sure it was good, these cruises need good programs to attract families. Also keep in mind that if you choose places like the Bahamas or Cozymel (did I spell that right????) the locals are very dependent on the tourists for their survival so when you step off that ship and start to explore the city, be ready to be hounded to buy every trinket on the island! LOL My husband was even asked if he wanted to buy some marijuna in Nassau!! If you go to the Grand Cayman Island, they are different. Most of their money is made in banking (people who hide their money off shore to avoid taxes) so they don't really care if you buy their t-shirts and necklaces - my husband and I thought they were almost rude about their indifference to the tourists. Anyway, we had fun on both cruises, ate way too much and were exhausted at the end. The other lady who mentioned getting off the boat, she is right, it does take quite awhile so be prepared to have to wait for an hour or more. They lay everyone's luggage out in a central location and then send in the sniffing dogs to make sure no one is sneaking anything in! Have fun if you decided to go!
I would go with Royal Caribbean. I was not that impressed with Carnival. Many people have told me that Royal Caribbean is much better.
R.
My husband and I went on a 7 day Carnival Cruise to Mexico. It was wonderful but we did not take the kids. Several other passengers did have children but there were around five years or older. Good luck!
We went on one in the spring and I did not care for it at all. My husband thought it was o.k. I just think it is a personal preference. I however would stay away from Norwegian Cruise Lines. I have heard that Royal Carribean and Disney is the best for children. Have fun!
M.:
We just went on a Carnival cruise over Thanksgiving for my brother's wedding with our little girl who was 16 months at the time. I definitely would not choose a cruise again with a little one. Some of our main drawbacks with the cruise were: the "kids club" starts with age 2; if they are still in diapers, they are not allowed in the pool; naptime (2 naps at an hour and a half each per day) and bedtime (8 pm pretty much on the dot for her) was miserable because one of us had to sit in the room while she slept; getting off and on the ship in port was horrible; and debarkation in Galveston took HOURS.
I will tell you that all the staff on the ship were amazingly nice and very helpful with the baby. There was always something that she was able to eat and food is readily available 24/7. Alot of the staff have kids that they don't get to see but once or twice a year, so they love seeing the babies.
I would also suggest that you find a blow-up style baby pool to put in the shower for your kids to bathe in. I tried to find one on advice of past cruisers but because it was off season, I couldn't find one so I just had my little one sit on the floor in the shower and kind of hosed her off with the shower head. Well, she came back from the cruise with a RAGING case of ringworm on her bottom that we are still battling.
Anyway, all that aside, we did have a pretty good time, it was just really hard with our little girl.
If you do decide to go or have more questions and want to chat more, feel free to contact me. I have a very extensive list for what you need to take with you on the cruise that a more seasoned cruiser prepared.
M.
No info on a cruise although we loved it when we went on a Carnival one. Anyways, laws are changing and you will need a passport if you are leaving the country. The last info I read was that you can travel through January to Canada or Mexico without one but beginning Feb. you must have a passport. If you or your children don't have them I would send in an application now, it can take 6 to 7 weeks to process. You can go to the Denton County website to get the application, you will also need copies of birth certificates for anyone getting one as well as a picture. I saw on the website that you can get your picture made at the Denton Cty office if you go there to submit the application. I think you can go to Kinko's and they also can take the passport size pictures. Good luck and enjoy your vacation!
