Kids Clubs on Diamond Princess v Sun Princess

I am looking at cruising on Diamond Princess or Sun Princess and would love some feedback on all aspects of kids clubs.

 

Are the kids clubs different with both ships as one is US based, the other Australian?

What activities are available for 6, 8 & especially 11 year olds?

Are they better than Royal Caribbean and P&O kids clubs?

What are the opening/closing times for the clubs both sea & port days?

Are there extra costs involved for these clubs?

Are there amusement arcades on board?

 

Am I better off cruising on P&O as I know my kids love their programmes?

 

Thankyou in advance

Having been on both P&O and Princess in the youth clubs I find that they are almost identical. Only difference I found was that Princess had more options due to having more advanced ships. I can't say for RCCL as I never went to their centre. Out of Diamond and Sun Princess I would say that the Diamond is the better option as it give them more options plus the centres on the Sun Princess seem a little crowded.

 

Times: I will split this into two groups. The first group is for all the ages under 13.

On sea days they open at 9am-12pm 1pm-5pm 6pm-10pm(It may also be 9pm or 11pm I am not sure)

On port days they open at 6pm and close at 10pm(same as above.)

 

The teens so ages 13-17.

On sea days open at 9am-12pm 1pm-5pm 6pm-3am

On port days, 12pm-5pm, 6pm-3am

 

There are no extra costs unless otherwise stated for a particular activity that you child wishes to participate in. They are not made to participate and can stay in the centre during that active with everyone else if the don't participate.

 

The Diamond princess has a Arcade on board. There are even some activities that give free access to the games for the youth clubs.

 

Sorry, I can't comment on the activities for your age groups. If you had a teenager I could of sent you the program from my new year cruise on the Diamond. I can assure you that they are basically run exactly like P&O's clubs.

I can't help you Rose, as you know my children are not children any more. :D

Don't think they have as many children as on P&O. On my recently completed Sun Princess cruise to NZ there were only 16 children. A girl about 2, a friend's daughter and and son, about 6 & 8, and the rest were older children. The kid's club was very quiet when we went past. I guess they would have many more children in the holidays or island cruises.

All I can remember about the kids club on Diamond Princess was that they had a very big area and it was akin to walking into the Dome on the Pac Dawn ;) :D

Our kids have done both. Both are much the same. However, the Diamond is a far superior ship compared to any P&O operate in this part of the world.

 

Princess tends to be more expensive than P&O and this tends to create a demographic difference that's very noticeable on the ship - P&O is a lowest-tier operator and Princess is somewhere in the middle. Think t-shirt and jandals versus cocktail dress as the respective expectations of formal wear on the posh evenings.

Our kids have done both. Both are much the same. However, the Diamond is a far superior ship compared to any P&O operate in this part of the world.

 

Princess tends to be more expensive than P&O and this tends to create a demographic difference that's very noticeable on the ship - P&O is a lowest-tier operator and Princess is somewhere in the middle. Think t-shirt and jandals versus cocktail dress as the respective expectations of formal wear on the posh evenings.

 

I think you are exaggerating somewhat here!!! (Unless you always dined at the buffet. :D) We have been on four P&O cruises in the last two years - many men wear suits and most women take pride in their dress for cocktail/formal nights. People are turned away from the MDR if they arrive dressed the way you describe. In fact, I didn't feel the passengers on Pacific Dawn were at all "inferior" in any way, to the passengers on Sun Princess. :rolleyes:

Our kids have done both. Both are much the same. However, the Diamond is a far superior ship compared to any P&O operate in this part of the world.

 

Princess tends to be more expensive than P&O and this tends to create a demographic difference that's very noticeable on the ship - P&O is a lowest-tier operator and Princess is somewhere in the middle. Think t-shirt and jandals versus cocktail dress as the respective expectations of formal wear on the posh evenings.

I have to agree with this post (many men wear suits and most women take pride in their dress for cocktail/formal nights. People are turned away from the MDR if they arrive dressed the way you describe. )

 

yes the diamond and sun princess are nicer and newer then P&O australias fleet.

 

on our last nz cruise there was more then 16 children on the ship

Gidday Brossy.

 

Our family was on a Christmas and New Years cruise on the Diamond Princess a couple of years ago and the kids DS14 and DD10 really enjoyed the kids clubs.

 

The middle group 8 to 12 was overflowing so it was split by age into 8 to 10 and 11 to 12.

 

So be aware that although the kids may qualify for the same group passengers numbers may cause different groupings.

 

I hope you and your family enjoy their cruise.

 

God bless you:)

 

TraceyG

We spent 32 nights on the Diamond Princess in November/December and our little one loved the kids club. She is 5 so I am not sure about the older age groups. They are fantastic and have heaps of activities. She never wanted to leave. The hours were 8am to 12pm then 1pm to 5pm then 6pm to 10pm and $5 per hour after 10pm until 1am. On port days they were open from 8am to 5pm. Then 6pm till 10pm and $5 per hour after 10pm until 1am.

 

There was no extra cost except for the late night babysitting fees. There is an arcade on the ship but it is up the other end of the ship outside the princess theatre. I can't compare the kids club to P&O because we have never cruised with them but I can say the Diamond Princess is awesome and I highly doubt you would regret sailing on such a beautiful ship.