Castle511

On 5/27/2019 at 7:05 PM, cello56 said:

One other thing to point out - at least for RCI, but probably Norwegian also. In order to be allowed in the kids clubs, the child must have already turned 3 years old AND be 100% potty trained. That means wiping and pulling clothes up and down. Just wanted to point that out.

Yeah... we saw this.  Cruise or not the youngest will be potty trained by then, but our oldest still needed help well into his 3's so 100% may not be achievable.  I have heard that some parents have had luck having the kids go in the stateroom first with parents' help and then they're good for a few hours.  We really want to have both kids enjoy the kids area for a few hours each day so if they can't that would be super disappointing.  It's one of the reasons we're waiting until the youngest turns 3 to go. 

On 5/27/2019 at 4:39 PM, renza said:

     Well now that I see your kids are so young the longer cruise might not be the best. All the oasis class are awesome. Kids would love the splash area on symphony. 

Got it - thanks.

11 hours ago, debgreg said:

I have done Oasis, Symphony and Ovation, which is the same class as Anthem and I can honestly say I didn't find any of them crowded , other than sea days around the pool but we always managed to get beds together (6 of us) there are so many different areas to choose. On the first two you have the ice rink, carousel , waterpark and on the Anthem the dodgems, trapeze, ifly all included.

 

We had a balcony on Ovation  , ocean view  on Oasis and inside Symphony which were all fine and governed by price. We don't use a balcony or our cabin enough to justify almost double, we would rather have another cruise 🙂

I have also heard lots of negative comments about the food on RC ships, I thought it was lovely for what it is , mass market catering, so I'm looking forward to my first NCL on the Epic in a few weeks to compare  🙂

That's good information, thanks.  We would likely get an oceanview or balcony if we went on RC too.  We've sailed on RC previously and never had any complaints about the food either.

21 hours ago, sargemrs said:

Just got off of the comparable to Bliss, Joy!  The Haven aft cabins are terrific!  The children’s activities kept our grandkids happy and occupied!  They didn’t want to leave!  The walk is problematic for elders like us, 73 & 77 but younger people would enjoy the exercise!  The Haven amenities are worth every penny, IMO.

Great to hear, thanks!

22 hours ago, amygutman said:

Agree totally - that being said, in 19 days we are going on our 1st Dawn cruise. No Haven - but a suite. It's summer, so hopefully no lost pool time. It's an older ship without bells and whistles, so hopefully the (very small) pool and kids pool area will not be too crowded. Could not beat the price - was literally 1/2 the cost of a similar week on a mega-ship. Dawn Suites still have all of the Haven "perks", just no private area / pool / restaurant for dinner. The low cost let us book the DOS plus put a chunk on our 11 day Haven on the Gem for Thanksgiving. Not sure what they are offering in your time frame for cruising, but the Dawn may be worth a look. Overall, the smaller / older ships are a much better bargain for your dollars - and speaking as a mother of a child with some special needs, smaller is often better. Still tons of stuff to do - just maybe not lazer tag, etc. 

 

I understand from the RCL Boards (i sometimes stalk them too) that the suite  perks on RCL are not worth the suite price - so a balcony may be the way to go. Way too busy for us though - which is how I would feel I think about NCL's Breakaway class if we weren't in the Haven. 

 

It's vacation on a luxury hotel / resort on the water either way...surely you cannot go wrong! 

Amy

We did check out the Dawn and Gem, but I like the idea of the haven area.  Not that it matters much though, all the other ships/itineraries out of NYC were more expensive (although also longer).  The Bliss is down to $1300 pp for the 7 day cruise.  The only alternative near that is a 4 day cruise to Bermuda on the Escape.

23 hours ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Off topic however have you looked at MSC out of Miami? Check out the Seaside which is a new ship.

We have, both the Seaside and Meraviglia.  Both ships look beautiful, the rates are quite reasonable, and the entertainment seems better than the NCL Bliss.  The reviews though have been mixed (both for food and service quality) and we don't like how their yacht club suites don't include the larger rooms (this isn't a big deal, but it irked me).  Plus, we still have to get down to Florida.  At that point, we will just stick with RC since we've sailed them before.

23 hours ago, Nola26 said:

If the adults want the Haven and you like your deal, just go with it. The RCCL option isn't so unique, you'll be able to select it in the future. It sounds like your Haven deal is special, take it.

 

The kids Aqua Park on the Bliss will be a nice option once you're in the warm weather and the Haven pool will work when you're not. NCL does show movies on various big screens, so just watch your dailies or have your butler keep you posted. The kids club will provide lots of entertainment for your little ones so definitely sign up for that on Day 1. For the days you are in port definitely get off the ship and add the beach or other family fun to your trip.

 

I have never sailed in the Haven, but I hear it can be habit forming so good luck with that!

 

 

Thanks -- I think I like the haven but my wife isn't convinced that it's the best choice given the ship and weather.  We are still debating.  Plus, there's the risk we stick with the haven, fall in love with it, and then never sail another cruise line again...

2 minutes ago, Granny DI said:

Central Park also has balcony cabins.....NO NO. Too noisy and humid! Central Park Views have sound proof windows. I chose the Central Park Views because my daughter didn’t want the kids in a room with a balcony.  She didn’t want to worry about them at night. They thought they were the best rooms ever. They always sailed in Ocean View rooms.

Oops -- totally mistook what you said.  Got it now, thanks. 

27 minutes ago, Granny DI said:

We never book a cabin the Haven area because the cabins are small. We love the Haven aft 

cabins for their size and balconies.

There are two bathrooms in the Haven aft cabins. 

 

I think booking connecting Oasis Central Park View cabins will give you the biggest bang for your buck. I booked 3 of those cabins next to one another with two connecting for a total of $4500 total....4 adults and 3 kids. RCCL is too proud of their suites for us. Always booked Grand Suites until we booked a Haven aft cabin......never going back to a suite on RCCL.

We do like the idea of 2 bathrooms.  It makes getting ready in the morning so much easier.

What do you like best about the central park view cabins?  If we were going for a balcony I was envisioning an ocean facing one.  Do you feel like the central park view cabins are a better value?  Have you had any issues with noise from the central promenade area?  It doesn't seem like there's a big price difference between them.

With RCCL's BOGO 50% sale, it's totaling around $4300 for 2 connecting rooms, but there's only 4 of us.  That is in line with what we were looking at otherwise so it's not bad. 

6 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

So the the Anthem has slightly more passengers than the Bliss. Both are obviously smaller than the Symphony.

Right, Anthem and Bliss have nominally 4180 and 4004 passengers, respectively.  Symphony and Oasis are up at 5518 and 5400.  I'm not sure if we would like a big ship, space, and entertainment that comes with it (along with the passengers) or a small ship, less space, less entertainment (and less people).  I don't have a feel for how well all the ships handle the crowds.

8 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

But,,, everything that makes Cococay attractive to kids all cost extra $$$ or $$$$$. 

I think both Cococay and Great Stirrup Cay offer the same free stuff (beach and water), right?   I think we would end up skipping things like the waterpark on Cococay anyway.  

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

Good point....that time of year you’ll have one to two days where it’s chilly.  But, once you get into the warm areas, the WaterFront is great.

Got it -- thanks!

40 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Have sailed Anthem, Harmony and Allure.  Sailed both “Away” ships and most recently, the Escape.  All of those ships are great.  I tend to sail NCL more because they have great entertainment, service and food.  RCCL isn’t shabby, but I always feel like the Royal ships try to push passengers inwards, where NCL has the WaterFront, where you can eat, drink or just lounge around, all while sitting outdoors enjoying the outdoors.  Both have beautiful ships that are well cared for.

 

The Haven tilts the scale way over to NCL.  They do suites better than any other mainstream cruise line.  Never sailed in a comparable suite on RCCL.  But, every time I’ve looked, Royal charges a whole lot more for their Suites than NCL does for the Haven.

 

 

Thanks!  For itineraries that will be cold for half the trip, does the waterfront make a difference at that point? 

Agree wholeheartedly about the haven.  RCCL does a terrible job with their suites (which is weird because they sunk a bunch of money into the Celebrity suite experience -- different passengers I guess). 

3 hours ago, Granny DI said:

The Oasis Kids pool is next to the soft ice cream machine!

Book two adjoining  Central Park Views .......all you do is put an adult in each room. At night the kids sleep in their room....two bathrooms and 3 or 4 beds.

 

We won’t book suites on RCCL as there is no bang for your buck.

We won’t sail on Breakaway etc if not I the Haven.....actually we always book a Haven Aft Suite.

 

The Oasis is a kid’s paradise and the private islands are great. 

 

All the kids need is a play ground and a bucket of sand.

 

 

Thanks!  Yeah, we weren't impressed with the RCCL suites for how much they cost.  We do have a refundable deposit on the aft haven suite on Bliss.  We have heard mixed reviews about the fact that it's not in the haven proper.  Some people say it never made a difference and others would only book in the haven (it would have to be 2 bedroom since the courtyard suites only hold 3 people).  What are your thoughts?

We love everything that the oasis class offers in terms of entertainment.  Its disappointing that there is such disparity between NCL and RCCL in terms of entertainment.  We also like CocoCay more than Great Stirrup Cay. 

You're right though -- especially for a first time cruise the kids will be happy no matter what.

3 hours ago, LadyShiva said:

With booking a 2 bedroom Haven, you can also have the concierge walk you to the assigned Haven seating.  However, with the ages you're talking... what would you be watching for shows?  Check out the dailies on the cruises you're considering.  The shows might be too late, or too long.  As a mom, I've yet to make it to the late shows with my husband. 🤣 My daughter also is not a fan of how LOUD the NCL kids clubs are 24/7 (music and screaming games); there's late hours in theory, but the kiddo crash pads are right in the middle of the action.

 

Also, remember the newer Haven pools are to cool off, not to swim.  I adore the 2 bedroom Haven layout (as does my small family), the private restaurant, and the various other ship within a ship features.  Don't worry so much about what the kids will get out of the cruise--enjoy your time with your family without stressing about needing to do ALL THE THINGS--that's how you have meltdowns (parent and kiddo!)

 

Good luck, and I hope you have the BEST time no matter which cruise you choose!

Yeah, our assumption is if we are on the Bliss it's unlikely we'll be attending the shows (and to some extent that may be true on RC).  We have a refundable deposit on an aft haven cabin.  While not in the haven, we liked the balcony size for all of us and it fit better with our budget. 

My kids can have a blast in a puddle, so I was thinking the haven pool, while shallow, would be just fine.  Is swimming and playing discouraged in the pool?  I don't want to be "that" parent that ruins it for everyone else.

Thanks!

6 minutes ago, Nola26 said:

I have sailed the Bliss and it is a gorgeous ship and the Observation Lounge is incredible.

 

One of the adorable activities I noticed was one evening the 3-4yr olds had a parade on deck 8 all adorned with either a custom made crown on tiara and singing Twinkle Twinkle little star, precious. I noticed one of the little girls wearing her crown/tiara the next day on the pool deck. I can only imagine that morning conversation in the cabin, lol.

 

The Escape the Big Top is likely also a good family activity (we did not attend as our kid was 17 and used the teen club). I agree the shows on the Bliss are not ideal for families.

 

There are charges for the Go Carts and Laser Tag and a painting class my mother took, but can't quite agree with NCL charges for everything. We also had our first Specialty meal on the Bliss, but RC will charge for those too.

 

You may want to price check a broader array of NCL cruises to get a more preferred itinerary. Given the current Free or Reduced airfare you may find something more to your liking out of New Orleans, Miami or other Florida port. The free air won't apply to the kids, but they'll be free in your cabin. You may enjoy a western itinerary that goes to Harvest Caye, NCL's other private island that is joint with the country of Belize, absolutely gorgeous with no charges for loungers at the pool or on the beach. The beverage package doesn't apply on the island so you will pay for any beverages and food is also at a charge. However you are able to walk to and from the ship so if you want to go back onboard for lunch and return to the island, that's doable as well as delaying your departure from the ship. I paid $5 to rent a locker and there are kayaks, paddle boats, etc. available for rent at a reasonable rate. With the current promotions you can get $50 per port credit for shore excursions so you can have some essentially free options. I think other NCL ships do a better job with family shows including jugglers, acrobats, etc.

 

I have not sailed RC, but hope to do so in the future. We sail NCL regularly and really have enjoyed each and every cruise and ship (Sky, Dawn, Pearl, Getaway, Escape, Bliss). I currently have two cruises booked on the Epic, 2019 Mediterranean and 2020 Southern Caribbean featuring the ABC islands.

I think my kids would have no problem marching around deck, singing, and with a crown if given a chance 🙂  I'm sure they would love that!

I think the concern about costs is that RC offers both an abundance of activities and they are free where Bliss has less and they charge for more of them.  

We have checked the rest of the NCL cruises and there are few alternatives out of NYC.  If we have to fly somewhere to meet the ship, the haven wouldn't be an option (both because of the cost of travel and that other itineraries are just more expensive).  I feel like if we aren't getting the haven, there's less incentive to choose NCL over RC 😕

Thanks!

12 hours ago, BNBR said:

Having sailed the Haven on Escape... I would sail an inside on Symphony over any Haven cabin.

 

The Haven is nothing special. It's only decent because the rest of the ship is a crowded mess. Symphony doesn't have that problem, so no need for a Haven.  The solarium on symphony is better than the Haven. And the entertainment is light-years better than NCL. 

 

I'm totally with you on the entertainment.  With Symphony being the bigger ship though, I heard lines and pre-booking everything were givens.  Is that true?  

12 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

I would eliminate the 11 day cruise with children that young. Too many ports of call, you will be limited in what you can do in port  with a 3year old and until they are older they won't appreciate it.   I think the NCL Haven suite would be your best choice. The ports of call wouldn't interest me at this stage of my life but for a young family I think it would be perfect. No flying is a plus. With young children you will be spending more time in your room than you would if you were traveling as a couple so the accommodations and the perks that come with the room is what I would focus on.

This is helpful -- thanks!

17 hours ago, reaton said:

I would book the Haven no question. I sailed on NCL in the Haven last summer and I can’t imagine comparing the service in the Haven to that in a balcony room. However, when we travel we value more pampering than we experience in everyday life. I would compare what your children will be able to do on each ship. Will they want to sit for a show? Will they want to go ice skating? Will they want to go swimming? I also believe RCCL is no longer with Dreamworks so I don’t know what that change looks like. 

I'm in total agreement about the pampering -- we're pretty cheap day-to-day and enjoy splurging for trips.  It's also our first vacation longer than a weekend trip in years so we're overdo for some pampering. 

The kids will sit for shorter shows -- magicians probably or something active but not musicals.  They will go ice skating and swimming.  Overall, as this is their first cruise, I think they'll love it, but knowing that we won't get another cruise for a while we're indecisive about what fits best.

18 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

@Castle511- Anthem has an indoor pool  🙂

 

I'm on her in January and really looking forward to both the ship and the itinerary.

Yeah, our struggle is all of these options are solid choices, it's just the battle about which is best.  Have fun!

18 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Ok, here is someone with a totally different opinion. Sailing out of the northern ports that time of year, you would likely have some rougher seas and colder temperatures, and any outdoor kids areas would likely be closed. 

 

Given the the age of your kids, I would choose Symphony or any of the Oasis class ships.  So much more for the kids on those ships. 

 

If it was just the two of us, we would take the longer Anthem cruise, because we like those ports 

All valid points -- especially entertainment.  It was ridiculous how much more RC offers for kids compared to NCL.  

18 hours ago, zeppgirl said:

In your particular situation, this is going to be important to your relaxation.  An oceanview or balcony is great, but with two young kids, especially if they are napping or with early bedtimes, you will want a separate area for them for for things to be as simple as possible.  Another option that you might want to look into is connecting rooms.  We were able to do this for just a tiny bit more than one room.

We did look at connecting rooms but leaning towards the ultra spacious oceanview (it has a little closet nook with bunk beds and plenty of floor space for little play areas).  It's not as quiet though for naptime as a separate room would be... we're still debating. 

2 hours ago, amygutman said:

Parents of a 10 year old here:

 

We liked, but did not love the Anthem, but we were on the 2nd sailing - everything was still getting perfected. Great amenities though and tons to do. LOTS of lines, and I hate having to plan everything on a schedule - dinner reservations, show reservations, etc. Our balcony room was spacious and clean - no complaints, but we've never booked again. 

 

We have been on 5 Haven cruises from Jewel to Breakaway class, and loved every minute - the BEST amenities. Not planning a thing, having a private restaurant and bar.... it's heaven. They treat you like celebrities - especially by son who has just been doted on and spoiled on every cruise. Here's why the Haven may be worth it to you over the other ships:

 

1. FREE movies. In the middle of winter when the weather is rough, or at 0300 in the morning when the kids are up, this is a great feature. They can run $7-13 dollars each - and you get about 50-60 to choose from

2. Room service - yes...it's available to anyone, but it's free in the Haven. Again...a nice 0300 perk.

3. The covered pool - you hit on this earlier. The rest of the ship has no pool the first few days and last few days out of NY, so this is a huge bonus. It can get crowded on some itineraries according to some, but we have never had a ton of disruptive kids on any of our sailings. It's wonderful and we absolutely love this area. Plus you never have to fight chair hogs, and can eat lunch and breakfast in full view of your kids. 

4. No planning. NONE. Pick up the phone and call the concierge - done. Sure, there are things that need to be booked, but a goof concierge can usually wangle you into anything you need, or find a great alternative.

 

I am not a fan of the NY-based itineraries to the Bahamas, but I will take that over the cost and inconvenience of flying any day - personal choice of course. But packing a bag, driving a few hours and getting on a ship is better any day in our book than packing light, scrambling to a flight, squishing into a plane, taxiing to a hotel, then doing the same thing on the turn-around whilst hoping your flight isn't cancelled due to weather...ugh. Not my type of "relaxation".

 

Hope you have a great time what-ever you choose! Amy

This is great information -- thanks!  There are a few longer Norwegian itineraries out of NYC that hit better port options, but they are all substantially more expensive for the haven 😕 .  This may be the wrong impression but I feel like if we aren't staying in the haven then there is little incentive to choose NCL over RC.  

I totally agree with you on flying -- it's not how I want to spend my vacation time or money. 

15 hours ago, Granny DI said:

We did the Oasis with the grandkids. Normally book a suite but booked 3 Central Park Views.....not balconies. Everyone had a great time.

 

We sail in the Haven when sailing without the grandkids. 

 

Weather out out of the NE is iffy. We only sail from NYC in May when we go to Bermuda.

 

Nassau is the pits and we try to avoid cruises that dock there.

 

 

Agreed -- we love the haven but don't like the Bliss' entertainment or port options.  

19 hours ago, cruisencrazy said:

If it's a cold winter, 11 days might not be enough.....being stuck inside with bad weather or playing in the sand at the beach....?

LOL, if it were just me and my wife 11 days would be perfect.  Kids being kids though can make vacations less relaxing.