1st time Cruiser -Allure/Oasis of Seas-help!

Hi ,

1st time cruiser , aim to cruise later June , is this a quieter time for cruising on the Oasis/Allure ? When do the major school holidays start in the US ? Looking at the Eastern Cruise . Any other cruises would be ideal for a family of 4 (12/16yr old kids) . Looking for good food , good pool , , decent bars for mum/dad , plently for kids to do that is organised . Have done Club Med last three years . Thanks

We are going in these coming September school holidays with our 12 and almost 16 year old. It is a quieter time apparently as American kids have finished their holidays and are back at school so there won't be thousands of kids like there would be in their holiday break in June-August.

We have been on one Royal Carribbean cruise in the Mediterranean and we all absolutely loved it. The kids thought it was fabulous and they can't wait for the Oasis as it is an amazing ship with so much to do.

We will let you know how it all goes. We are doing the eastern itinerary on Oasis of the Seas.

Hi ,

1st time cruiser , aim to cruise later June , is this a quieter time for cruising on the Oasis/Allure ? When do the major school holidays start in the US ?

Pretty much all US schools including colleges are out of session and on Summer vacation from the mid- to late-May until mid- to late-August. Expect a FULL ship, LOTS of kids and families, and it won't be quiet.

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The ship will be full of kids and families having fun. Some areas may be a bit noisier than other. No Big Deal!

The ship is designed to accommodate families. RCI's Kid's Programs are great! Once you kids get into the program, meet others their age, and start having fun, it will be hard for you to keep them out of the program.

Go and your whole family will have a great time!

Hi ,

1st time cruiser , aim to cruise later June , is this a quieter time for cruising on the Oasis/Allure ? When do the major school holidays start in the US ? Looking at the Eastern Cruise . Any other cruises would be ideal for a family of 4 (12/16yr old kids) . Looking for good food , good pool , , decent bars for mum/dad , plently for kids to do that is organised . Have done Club Med last three years . Thanks

Either Oasis or Allure woul be excellent ships for you and your family. I think the Western itinerary might be more entertaining than the Eastern itinerary for your kids. However as far as crowds are concerened, both ships are always sailing full and there will be 6000+ people on board. Both ships handle the crodws very well and the crowds should not be a problem. If you have a choice and wanted to minimize the number of US families on school break, you would need to sail in early to mid May. The problem with waiting until September is hurricane season, Just check the current weather in the Caribbean with Tropical Storm/Hurricane Issac. Hurricane season really starts to ramp up in mid to late July through November. If you choose to sail in June the hurricane risk is still fairly low, although not zero.

Thanks for all the fast replies !!

any advice re other cruise liners that may be similar but a bit smaller ? As mentioned , looking for good food , pool and happy kids !!

travelling from Australia , so need to get it right .

Thanks for all the fast replies !!

 

any advice re other cruise liners that may be similar but a bit smaller ? As mentioned , looking for good food , pool and happy kids !!

 

travelling from Australia , so need to get it right .

The food is the same on all RCCL ships, so that should not be a factor if you choose RCCL. If you are flying half way around the world, I think Oasis/Allure is your best choice for happy kids. There is plenty to do. The crowds at the pool are no worse than any other ship. I guarantee if you select a smaller ship and you happen to see the Oasis/Allure in port all your kids will say is: .... Wow, why didn't we sail on that ship?

Your summer options out of Florida are going to be some what limited as most of all the ships that winter there have re-positioned to Europe or Alaska.

Some other ships still sailing from Florida that may be an option and may be considered 'larger' ships:

- Disney Fantasy (new in 2011) and Disney Dream (new in 2012)

- Carnival Breeze (2012), Carnival Dream (2009), and Carnival Freedom (2007), Carnival Liberty (2005), Carnival Victory (2000)

- Freedom of the Seas (2006)

With that said, coming all the way from 'Down Under' I might stick with the biggest and best: either one of the Oasis-class ships. The Oasis of the Seas runs a little cheaper from what I have seen, especially on the Western Caribbean route.

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Allure/Oasis, the biggest and the best entertainment at sea. If you want to go smaller, the RCCL Freedom Of The Seas from Port Canaveral. ;)

Not sure when your school vacation is but the first two weeks in May is a good time also.

We sailed both Oasis and Allure in the busy March period and frankly, while the ships were full, we barely ever felt the crowd. These are well designed ships for smooth flow of passengers. I was specifically impressed by how much space there was on the pool decks all the time. If take a look at my video, you'll get a feel for how uncrowded it was during a busy period.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PsWmDHJQO4

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Agree. Oasis and Allure are best for entertainment, excitement, etc. Oasis Western is running a bit less expensive than Allure. A great option is RCCL Freedom or Liberty. Many similar venues as O&A, but smaller ship and less expensive. Any of these will be great.

thanks for all your help from Australia . Just a final question . I have tried to book interior rooms , unable to book for June 2013 , more expensive options come up , are rooms released later or is it really full ??

thanks for all your help from Australia . Just a final question . I have tried to book interior rooms , unable to book for June 2013 , more expensive options come up , are rooms released later or is it really full ??

Are you trying to book all 4 of you in one cabin? I just tried with 4 people and came up with no cabins too. Although it just may depend on which date / ship you're looking at.

I think the "family" cabins that sleep up to 5 have to be booked by calling. Otherwise you might try 2 cabins with 2 pax each - actually can be a better idea - more space and 2 bathrooms.

Here's some shots of our interior on the Radiance - 165 sq ft.

We spent 34 days in it while circumnavigating your wonderful country earlier this year. Cabins are small but extremely well laid out.

We are going in these coming September school holidays with our 12 and almost 16 year old. It is a quieter time apparently as American kids have finished their holidays and are back at school so there won't be thousands of kids like there would be in their holiday break in June-August.

 

We have been on one Royal Carribbean cruise in the Mediterranean and we all absolutely loved it. The kids thought it was fabulous and they can't wait for the Oasis as it is an amazing ship with so much to do.

 

We will let you know how it all goes. We are doing the eastern itinerary on Oasis of the Seas.

With a September sailing keep in mind that it is hurricane season, chances are low there will be a problem, but look at what is happening with the Allure right now.

Hi ,

1st time cruiser , aim to cruise later June , is this a quieter time for cruising on the Oasis/Allure ? When do the major school holidays start in the US ? Looking at the Eastern Cruise . Any other cruises would be ideal for a family of 4 (12/16yr old kids) . Looking for good food , good pool , , decent bars for mum/dad , plently for kids to do that is organised . Have done Club Med last three years . Thanks

Hi, I am a Club Medder too and my kids LOVE it there! I think with your kids being teens, they would love cruising too!! The Oasis is a city at sea and there will be tons to keep your family busy and happy. I have yet to take my kids on a cruise because Club Med works so well for their age (9&7), but I know they will love cruising in a year or two. Good luck!!

I also would suggest you get 2 cabins. We are doing that this time with the 2 kids who will be 15 and 12 in a cabin across the hall from us. This gives everyone more space and privacy. We are are on deck 11 and we have the ocean view and the kids have the boardwalk view. I think you will find the cruise works out cheaper than Club Med too. It is really good value we think as long as you don't drink too much!

Hi ok