moesyk4

20 hours ago, constable145 said:

My family time dining worked perfectly on the Harmony. Early seating was 6pm. Adventure Ocean staff retrieved my little one at 640pm.  

 

5:15pm seems ridiculously early for 1st seating. 

5:15 was super early...it wouldn't have been our choice to go that early but we switched specifically for the family dining. Oh well, it worked out!

19 hours ago, brillohead said:

That just seems weird.... odd that they're doing it on some ships and not others, too.  

Maybe trying to stagger things so there are "three seatings" so the kitchen is spread out more?  One group eating at 5, another at 6:30, and another at 8?

Weird.

That was exactly our thought too...try to fit 3 groups in an evening at a table.

5 minutes ago, Sotermarler said:

We weren’t happy with The kids club last fall on the Oasis. It was maxed out each day and the counselors also seemed liked they were bothered to do their jobs. Each time we came by one of the counselors was sitting on the couch with a microphone barking orders and not interacting. I was thinking this was just because it was busy, interesting to hear it was similar on the Allure.

On NCL it was a completely different experience where the counselors always had smiles and seemed to love their jobs and all the kids. 

Yes, literally 80% of the time we picked up the kids were sitting in a circle while the adults were giving them orders through a microphone. They had no choice but to participate. I was disappointed as I had hoped it would be a really positive part of their experience instead of a place we "stuck" them when we needed to.

We went to Giovanni's twice...the first time was the 1st night with all the kids. Service was super slow and that is torture with 3 young ones. We hadn't even gotten the dessert menu 1 hour and 40 minutes in and that was with finally asking to get the pasta and entree together. So essentially 2 courses in that time frame. We didn't get dessert because we just had to leave to get to the show. Waiter oddly seemed mad at us and complained that he "still had time" even though we had to get to the show before the standby crowd would be let in to get seats and we hadn't even seen the menu yet.

The 2nd time the food was top notch and I was so full I couldn't even do dessert. The only snafu was the waiter kind of seeming put out when my husband asked for seconds on a pasta even though we had read multiple places you can get multiples of everything but entrees. Other than that, we had a much better experience the 2nd time, but enjoyed the food both times!

Several have recently asked about fitting 5 in a room. I know some people would rather not cruise if that is their option, but we couldn't have done the cruise without the fantastic deal this afforded us and don't regret it!

First, these types of options are only available on Oasis class and above. Other ships offer family rooms, spacious ocean views, suites, etc. But none to my knowledge offer a basic room that sleeps 5 until this class. You have to call to book and most phone reps didn't even know it was an option...I recommend studying the floor plans and picking out several rooms to specifically ask them about.

Ours was a balcony, which is a necessity when little ones go down and you don't want to sit in the dark. Our kids are 9, 5, and 4. We had the 9 year old on the pull down bunk, the 5 year old who needs to sleep alone on the couch bed, and the 4 year old crashed with us as she often does at home. I brought a sheet to tuck into the bottom of the bunk to make the couch bed more secluded and also had a fan for white noise.

For us, it worked out great...the kids slept well, and we saved about 2,000. Yes, it was cozy and I wouldn't recommend it with adults or all older kids, but I think it is a great option with little ones.

I will happily post a picture of the set up with the beds down if I can figure out how. 🙂

Hello everyone, I am planning on posting a more extensive review of our recently finished cruise but wanted to post a few separate thoughts about cruising with a 9, 5, and 4 year old. It certainly isn't extensive, but it was just a few things that weren't what we expected for better or worse based on our research and worth sharing.

1. DreamWorks left the cruise line at the beginning of April. Many have asked on these boards what has replaced it. We did not sail with DreamWorks, but my impression was there was nothing in place of it...there was no specific parade, meet and greet, kid's shows, etc. It may be in the works, but certainly wasn't this one. We had plenty to do, but it was worth noting.

2. We sailed in a regular balcony stateroom with 5. I would do it again easily for the price! My middle son has some sleep issues and I was a little worried, but it worked out fine. I will do a separate post.

3. We have sailed Carnival, Norwegian, and now Royal and found Adventure Ocean to be by far the least impressive. Just about every time we came to get the kids, they were sitting in a circle doing a really boring looking game. All the kids looked bored. Our middle son is very active and I wish there was an option for them to just run off steam as opposed to constantly being forced to participate in the games.

They never had a positive thing to say about him at pick up or any of the other boys in class when they were getting picked up, and it was always little things like he said the word booty at the dinner table. Of course he shouldn't say it and we reminded him of that, but if he is there 3 hours and the first thing you say at pick up is how awful he is and that is the only thing you say when I ask why, I am not impressed (I work with kids for a living). He is 5 and not 15, and I think they were frustrated with a large group of active boys in the class. I shouldn't get a list of minor complaints at pick up, as a fellow child care worker reminding a kid to put a marker lid back on isn't a reportable offense at pick up, and relay soured us to the program.

None of our kids chose to go after the first day although we had some specialty dining planned and they went about 4 times total.

4. I posted separately about this, but my impression is there may have been some dining time changes. We were planning to utilize My Family Time Dining where the kids leave after about 40 minutes and the AO staff picks them up outside the dining room. We booked early traditional specifically for this which starts at 5:15, but when we got on board the pick up wasn't until 6:40? I asked both dining and kid's club staff about this and it was in the Compass as well. We were done with dinner by 6:40 most nights and MTD didn't start until 6:30, so I am not sure about the benefit? We were fine not using it, but something to note.

Overall, we had a fabulous cruise...the kids loved the shows, the ship had tons to do, the ice skates 3 times, and the staff was top notch.

The 1st seating was 5:15, Mtd was 6:30 to 9, and late seating was 8...this seemed new to me too?

We just voted off the Allure today...great trip! We did have an issue with one thing I was curious about...I had researched on here about family dining where the kids leave after about 40 minutes in the early traditional dining, getting picked up by Adventure Ocean staff. We switched to early traditional just for this.

When we got in board, early traditional was at 5:15, MTD didn't start until 6:30, and pick up for family dining was at 6:40? I wasn't sure how this helped either dining as we were done every night by 6:45. But it was confirmed this was correct by both AO staff and the dining staff. We ended up just not using it, but is this typical?

On 3/31/2019 at 8:44 AM, Iamcruzin said:

I believe it does save them money but not as much as is implied. When my kids where under 12, I don't remember any of the cruise lines offering kid's sail free. The internet was fairly new at least to us so there wasn't so much comparing price. The cruise lines did charge less for the 3rd and 4th passengers which I think in the end is what the kid's sail free amounts to.  There were times that it was actually less expensive to book two rooms than to take advantage of the 3rd and 4th passenger discount. 

We booked under KSF for our cruise leaving this Sunday. It saved us over a grand from an oceanview room on a Carnival ship. We are on the Allure! I think it is really the only true sale anymore.

I would recommend scouting out the floor plans for a specific room type you like before you call...many of the reps that I encountered didn't even know certain room types held 5. The Freedom class has family staterooms that are spacious and can hold up to 6...some even have separate "bedroom" areas. Again, research beforehand will show you which ones are best.

The Oasis class has "regular" staterooms that sleep 5...two in the bed, two in the fold down couch, and one on a pull down bunk. We will be staying in one next week with our little ones. Again, almost every rep we talked to would quote us the spacious oceanview which is quite pricey and said that was our only option, but when I would give them a specific room number they would be surprised to see it would work.

The Oasis class and above have regular cabins that sleep 5. We are staying in one in a week and I will report back! The suites and even the family cabins can be pricey, and we are on a budget. We know it will be tight but stayed all in one room on many vacations before.

You do have to call to book and I would check the deck plans before you call...almost every rep I spoke to said they only had the spacious ocean views and then when I asked about a specific room number that was marked as sleeping 5, were surprised it existed. More space would be nice, but for us it was less than half price with the kids sail free and the only way we could afford to all go!

We have done everything from a bunk bed on the lowest floor of one of Carnival's oldest ships to Royal's Freedom of the Seas the first year it came out and NCL's Getaway last year. 

We have enjoyed each and every cruise and agree with the previous posters...they are probably more alike than different. Here are the biggest differences you would notice on Carnival ships:

1) The older ships really can't compare activity wise to really any of RCCL's ships. That isn't a bad thing, just be aware that the options will be basic. We had a great time relaxing and doing the organized activities, but you just aren't going to find rock walls, waterslides, etc. on a lot of them. I do believe many have been remodeled to include many of these, so YMMV.

2) The entertainment, frankly, isn't great. Stage shows I mean. They used to be SO much better...10 years ago we did a back to back with the Triumph and Freedom of the Seas and we both agreed the entertainment on the Triumph was much better than the FOTS. The next time we went, however, they had cut out all the live music, all of the stage backgrounds, etc. It was just a few dancers with jazzy lights. Again, the newer ships may be different. It definitely wasn't a dealbreaker for us, but again, just something to be aware of.

We found the food to be very comparable, the staff to be exceptional, the ships to be clean and well cared for, and I do not remember seeing a single person falling down drunk. You will be fine!

NCL would be another great choice...we lucked out and got a phenomenal deal on a spa balcony with the unlimited alcohol, specialty dining package, etc. The ship had SO much to do we never got close to bored, the food was great, the drinks were great, etc. O'Sheehans, their 24 hour sit down restaurant, made RCCL's evening selection look pathetic! Freshly made mojitos...yum. Shows were great as well!

We stayed there about 3 and also 4 years ago. Perfect location right on the water and easy walk to Bayside Marketplace for food and fun. Taxi ride was cheap, around $10 if I remember right. Rooms were nice and so was the hotel!

That sounds like a great option...we aren't looking for pizza and nuggets, just something besides sandwiches and less crowded than Windjammer. We will plan on it!

I read on the Compass that Solarium is open when we board the ship. How crowded is it typically and how is the selection? Kids can go to the restaurant part, just not in the solarium, correct? I am trying to find a balance between the madness of the Windjammer and the Park Cafe, which I am sure my husband and I would love but the kids, not so much.

We are currently booked on the Allure in 2 weeks...woohoo! We were booked on MTD before we found out about family MTD with the early traditional seating. I have tried to switch but early is full...we will check on board but right now it is a no go. MTD is also full until late, so we will try reservations on board or just show up. We are planning on eating early, around 5:30 pm. I have read that you can show up with the kids at the suggested time and they wouldn't know what time your dining is, you just sign up there. Is that still true? And if so, will the waiter care if we are MTD but request the schedule of the Family Time dining?

Secondly, we have the 3 night dining package scheduled and are planning to do a date night a couple of nights by ourselves. I read that although the programming is typically from 2-5 pm and 7-10 pm, you can sign the kids up to eat with them and drop them off by 5. Do they keep them after they eat until the programming starts? I assumed, but wanted to clarify.

Thanks!

We will be in San Juan from 7:30 to 1 next month. Want to see a fort with the kids and do some sightseeing...realistically will have 3 to 3.5 hours and a slow pace as our youngest is 4. Any suggestions for a self guided walking tour plan?

Also, is it possible to bring an umbrella stroller if we are ok folding it up occasionally or would it be too much of a hassle?

Another poster stated that they were only able to choose between Giovanni's, Samba, and Sabor with the BOGO dining package on the Allure, with the host stating that it isn't included per the T&C which only state Chops isn't included with the Dine and Discover package.

We have no interest in Samba or Sabor...we are planning on Chops, 150, and Giovanni's. Has anyone been specifically on the Allure recently and can let me know if we are going to have trouble trying to reserve those? Or know if we do have trouble, are we able to cancel the package onboard? Thank you!

Not to hijack, but we have the 3 night dining package...is it a possibility they would try to exclude that as well on the Allure? Our plan is Giovannis, Chops, and 150.

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

On my Allure Easter cruise, we paid $10 for Chop's and able to order from the Adult menu.  We also took the kids to Giovanni's and the waiter that we had for lunch (CP promo) was nice enough not to charge us.  We tipped accordingly.  Giovanni's was fantastic as they serve family style and never saw so much apps., entrees & desserts in our lives on a cruise.

Do you happen to have a picture or remember some of the offerings from the kid's menu at Giovannis? Trying to decide which restaurant to take the kids to and can only find Chops.

1 hour ago, rimmit said:

 

Every night but the first night is the typical

kids dinner schedule for the Oasis class ships.   So nights 2-7 you can put the kids in from 5-7 to bridge the gap from 2-5 and 7-late night if you want a date night.

 

Keep in mind this can change at anytime but the Oasis class ships tend to have kids dinner every night unlike some of the other class ships.

That is good to know, thanks! It sounded really odd to me to not have it open during such a prime slot.

5 hours ago, rimmit said:

Which ship are you?  I can guesstimate how many kids dinner nights there are based on your cruise, length and ship based on past experiences and we have been on everything from 4-16 night cruises with our kids.  I will say that they always have the kids dinner on formal nights for any RCI cruise we have ever been on.

We are on the Allure Eastern.

I wish I would've known that about family dinner! We actually tried to switch to traditional after we realized how hard it was to get early my time dining and he said even though it showed as available, it wasn't letting him switch us for some reason? If we are MTD and schedule for 5:30 every night, does that work or is it a separate sign up just for traditional?

Thanks for your help, so much to learn with our first cruise as a full family.

13 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Not sure other questions but be aware newer policy when bringing on Soda is limit of 12 cans or bottles of 17oz max and must be carried on. Limit is per cabin not per person

Thanks! I had read that somewhere...we wouldn't need more than that. Our kids are little and rarely drink pop, so splitting a can or two a night will work fine. 

My oldest has been on 2 cruises and is very easy going. He did great during the dinners, but as with any child, 90-120 minute long dinners did get really long for him. He sat nicely with plenty of coloring pages and toys, but it did involve a decent amount of planning and distractions on our part. Now, we will have 3 children, including our middle son who has some special needs on top of being one of the most active children I have ever met. He is also not one for coloring, crafts, etc. which makes distraction at any restaurant a little bit of a challenge. He knows what is expected as they all do and does his very best most of the time, but the dinners are one of my husband and I's favorite parts and I was pretty clear in the beginning I did not want to have any of us "suffering through" long dinners that weren't enjoyable for everyone.

We have only sailed with kids on other cruise lines so I was quite disappointed to find out the kid's clubs are closed during prime early dinner times! I know they open at 7, but we have shows scheduled several nights and early bedtimes the nights we can that will make that time unfeasible.

What do others do to make dinner work and enjoyable? Our tentative plan is to aim to eat at 6:15 pm, get the kids their food first, and be willing to take them to kid's club if they get antsy. That seems like a lot of shuffling around for them though as we plan on them attending most of the shows with us. Our kids are definitely not the "stay in the clubs all day and beg to never leave" types...they will go the times we want them to willingly and enjoy themselves, but would probably never ask to go on their own.

We are on the Allure of the Seas if that makes a difference and we do plan on doing 2 "date" dinners at the specialty restaurants regardless. Buffet for the adults at least is not a dinner option, blech.