Technically not our first, but might as well be...family in the Caribbean?

Hello All,

First post here but I'm definitely not new to online forums. Our family (two kids 11 & 7) did our first & only cruise in October of 2014 on the Disney Fantasy and LOVED IT! So much so that we're wanting to go again. We live in Canada so a looooong cold winter means a tropical vacation is a must to maintain sanity, hence the Caribbean. I keep reading that Disney is THE BEST when it comes to families but they sure take a big chunk of the wallet. It seems like second place is Royal Caribbean but the information on what is and is not included is overwhelming. So, can anyone who has done both please share their stories, good, bad or otherwise and help point us in the right direction. I don't mind paying a bit more for top shelf service like Disney but is RC really all that far behind? Any other tips, advice or help is greatly appreciated.

TIA

Unless you have some real attachment to all things "Disney", you'll get the same or better experience on RCI...Really!!! The RCI kid's club seems to be preferred to Disneys......and your 7 year old is the PERFECT age!!!!

The cabins aren't quite as large on RCI...but they're sufficient. The ports you'll travel to don't care how you get there!!!

I love Disney...but wouldn't pay for the name....I'll go to the theme parks...but I'll cruise on with a different company!

Hello Masked Bandit,

Another strong vote for Royal Caribbean. The ships are beautiful, there is a huge variety of activities on board to keep you and your family entertained. The brand new Anthem of the Seas sails from nearby Bayonne, New Jersey to the Caribbean and features bumper cars, IFly simulated sky diving and a circus school plus a giant observation globe that soars above the ship and out over the sea.

We are huge Royal Caribbean fans, great crew, delicious food, friendly passengers. Book any of their ships and you will be ecstatic you did.

Jonathan

Just remember that Disney is very unique and none of the cruise lines have family programs that match up to what Disney provides.

Other cruise lines such as RCI, Princess and Celebrity and NCL will be fine but in terms of expectations they are not Disney.

Keith

RC's Oasis and Allure are great ships. Family friendly also.