Freedom Over Christmas

I have a friend who is taking the Freedom over Christmas this year and has a few concerns. There are 6 adults and 3 kids going and her daughter usually wants to take Disney but the price was much higher this time of year. My friend wants to make sure there aren’t going to be any issues for her daughter and had some concerns.

1. The kids program on RCCL breaks into age groups of 3-5 and 6-8. Two of the kids are 7 and 8 and would be together but the other is 4 and she is concerned about them being split up and the younger one not wanting to go without the other two there. What are the chances RCCL will let them stay together?

2. This 7 days sailing has 3 stops, one of which is San Juan on Christmas Eve and not until 2p and the other St Maarten on Christmas Day. She is concerned that there might be a lack of excursions because of the holiday and late arrival into San Juan as well as a lack of stores open and things to do. Any thoughts from anyone experiencing either of these? The Disney sailing they were looking up has one more stop and is at sea on Christmas.

I’ve been on the Freedom several years ago and assured her that her family will love it. I, however, did not have any kids so don’t have the same concerns she does.

Thanks!

I have a friend who is taking the Freedom over Christmas this year and has a few concerns. There are 6 adults and 3 kids going and her daughter usually wants to take Disney but the price was much higher this time of year. My friend wants to make sure there aren’t going to be any issues for her daughter and had some concerns.

 

1. The kids program on RCCL breaks into age groups of 3-5 and 6-8. Two of the kids are 7 and 8 and would be together but the other is 4 and she is concerned about them being split up and the younger one not wanting to go without the other two there. What are the chances RCCL will let them stay together?

 

2. This 7 days sailing has 3 stops, one of which is San Juan on Christmas Eve and not until 2p and the other St Maarten on Christmas Day. She is concerned that there might be a lack of excursions because of the holiday and late arrival into San Juan as well as a lack of stores open and things to do. Any thoughts from anyone experiencing either of these? The Disney sailing they were looking up has one more stop and is at sea on Christmas.

 

I’ve been on the Freedom several years ago and assured her that her family will love it. I, however, did not have any kids so don’t have the same concerns she does.

 

Thanks!

From what I have heard (I don't have small children myself on cruises) is that the age breakdown is firm. They probably plan age appropriate activities and for that reason are firm about the ages.

As far as Christmas cruising and port activities. We did a Christmas cruise that stopped in Nassau on Christmas day....there was very few shops open (which did not bother me at all), and much fewer shore excursions to take advantage of.

Some people had booked excursions and then they were cancelled because the excursion was not going, since it was Christmas Day.

The dock when we were walking off the ship was not full of excursions that you could book independently of the cruise line either. It clearly was going to be a VERY quiet day. For us -- that was HEAVEN! For others that could be torture.

Or plan on being on the ship and enjoying activities there.....on Freedom there should be plenty to do. We were on her sister ship Liberty and loved it...and will be on the Independence in February, and expect to have plenty to do on board.

 

1. The kids program on RCCL breaks into age groups of 3-5 and 6-8. Two of the kids are 7 and 8 and would be together but the other is 4 and she is concerned about them being split up and the younger one not wanting to go without the other two there. What are the chances RCCL will let them stay together?

 

 

We were just on the Freedom a week ago. The kids club was firm with the ages. I'm not sure they'd place a 4 year old in the next group up since the age cut-off isn't really close. Granted, I only have 1 experience with the kids club, so maybe I am wrong.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately this helps make their case more for Disney.

They don't want to feel like they are just on a ship for 7 days and since 2 of the 3 stops are during a holiday, they are worried about that.

Plus, Disney does their kids program allowing 3-12 year olds to be together unlike RCCL so this could be another issue.

Oh well - thanks for the info!

We are on that sailing and I know that most of the tour operators have told the people on our roll call that they will be open Christmas Day. We will be in St Martin on that day.

We don't have kids so I can't help with those questions.

I know that Disney combines the age groups, but seriously, I have a 12 yo and there is no way he'd want to be in a group with 3 and 4 year old kids.

Activities are designed for specific age groups. How do you keep 3 year olds and 12 year olds happy at the same time? They don't have the same interests.

As for the port stops on the holidays, I think that for me, I'd be happy with the sea days or not getting off on the holidays. I want to relax. There are other times for excursions. It won't be my last time on a ship, and it sounds like these people have cruised before, so not having too much to do in a port shouldn't be that big of a problem on a holiday sailing.

I know that Disney combines the age groups, but seriously, I have a 12 yo and there is no way he'd want to be in a group with 3 and 4 year old kids.

 

Activities are designed for specific age groups. How do you keep 3 year olds and 12 year olds happy at the same time? They don't have the same interests.

 

They still have different activities for different age groups. They just aren't as strict about the kids having to stay in their respective groups. I'm sure Disney knows something about keeping 3 year olds and 12 year olds happy at the same time. :D;)

They still have different activities for different age groups. They just aren't as strict about the kids having to stay in their respective groups. I'm sure Disney knows something about keeping 3 year olds and 12 year olds happy at the same time. :D;)

I have sailed Disney and spent many a day at the parks, sometimes visiting up to 4 times in a year and that's from NJ.

I just don't get the thought of not separating them. What is a 12 or 13 year old going to do when little ones start wanting to come into their group? I can see them doing this when you have 10 or 11 year olds that are really ready for an older group, but little ones? I just don't see it.

We sailed on the Disney Wonder when my older son was about 3.5. I don't remember him being in a group that allowed him to decide he wanted to be with kids 3 to 4 times his age.

I have sailed Disney and spent many a day at the parks, sometimes visiting up to 4 times in a year and that's from NJ.

 

I just don't get the thought of not separating them. What is a 12 or 13 year old going to do when little ones start wanting to come into their group? I can see them doing this when you have 10 or 11 year olds that are really ready for an older group, but little ones? I just don't see it.

 

We sailed on the Disney Wonder when my older son was about 3.5. I don't remember him being in a group that allowed him to decide he wanted to be with kids 3 to 4 times his age.

I'm not sure what visiting Disney parks has to do with this discussion, but whatever.

The way Disney does it apparently works, whether you get it or not. Perhaps it doesn't work for you, and that's fine, but I bet you'd be hard-pressed to find many people that are unhappy with it.

I'm not sure what visiting Disney parks has to do with this discussion, but whatever.

 

The way Disney does it apparently works, whether you get it or not. Perhaps it doesn't work for you, and that's fine, but I bet you'd be hard-pressed to find many people that are unhappy with it.

My comment about having spent a lot of time in the parks was meant as a response to the statement that Disney knows something about keeping 3 and 12 year olds happy...I've spent a lot of time immersed in the Disney magic.

I didn't say I was unhappy with what they do...I said I don't understand it.

My comment about having spent a lot of time in the parks was meant as a response to the statement that Disney knows something about keeping 3 and 12 year olds happy...I've spent a lot of time immersed in the Disney magic.

 

I didn't say I was unhappy with what they do...I said I don't understand it.

Nor did I. ;)

We were in San Juan on Thanksgiving and almost nothing was open. The forts were closed, only a few excursions were available. It was a disappointment.

We were in San Juan on Thanksgiving and almost nothing was open. The forts were closed, only a few excursions were available. It was a disappointment.

It would be a disappointment for us as well. We cruise primarily for the ports.

My comment about having spent a lot of time in the parks was meant as a response to the statement that Disney knows something about keeping 3 and 12 year olds happy...I've spent a lot of time immersed in the Disney magic.

 

I didn't say I was unhappy with what they do...I said I don't understand it.

I think it is pretty easy to understand--they used to have firmer age groups, but they got too many complaints from parents who wanted their kids to be able to stay together.