Will NCL be horrid for kids ages 8 and 10

My mom wants to take us on a cruise. Disney is all booked up into the foreseeable future. I wanted to do Princess, but my mom booked us on NCL for a Mexican riviera cruise in March. They have the worst reviews I have read for kids. I don't want to waste her money. Any advice on specific ships - there are a couple that go to Mexico; Jewell and Sun. Help me feel better, or let me know if we should try and get out of booking.

My kids are 8 and 10.

The jewel and the sun don't have big splashy water slides, but all NCL ships have splash academy kids club and they do a great job with the kids. We went on the Pearl when dd was 11 (sister ship to the Jewel), and dd had a blast. I wouldn't worry and go have a great time!

Any cruise will be fun for your kids. Sure, Disney is at the top, but you pay through the nose for that. After Disney, I'm not sure there's much difference between NCL or Royal Caribbean or Princess. HAL skews to an older crowd and fewer kids.

I went on the jewel and my daughter loved it and so did my nephews. She was 10 when we went. My nephews were 11 and 6.

We also went on princess when she was 8, she still talks about how much fun that was.

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My mom wants to take us on a cruise. Disney is all booked up into the foreseeable future. I wanted to do Princess, but my mom booked us on NCL for a Mexican riviera cruise in March. They have the worst reviews I have read for kids. I don't want to waste her money. Any advice on specific ships - there are a couple that go to Mexico; Jewell and Sun. Help me feel better, or let me know if we should try and get out of booking.

 

My kids are 8 and 10.

Yes, it will be horrible. Don't take them. JK

Cruises are what you make of them. All the major lines have kids programs and do a nice job with them.

I don't think that the Jewel will be the disaster you are foreseeing. I would not take all those negative reviews that seriously.

I think maybe this is a cruise which is more for your mom than for your kids and there's nothing wrong with that. But as information, the best ships for kids are these:

The best NCL ships for kids are:

Getaway

Breakaway

Escape

Epic

These are comparable to most Disney ships in terms of amenities for kids with 3 - 5 waterslides, bowling, rock climbing walls, mini golf, bungee jump, ropes course, spider climb and so many other things for kids!

Some other great ships for kids:

RCCL

Oasis Class

Quantum Class

Freedom Class

Carnival:

Magic

Breeze

Vista

MSC:

Seaside

Princess - to me the things for kids on these ships feel more like an afterthought.

However, most kids are flexible and the Jewel is a very nice ship with a good kid's club. What I would do on this Mexico cruise is focus on the ports and not the ship. Let the kids go to the kids club. Bring IPADS or whatever they like for downtime. Bring binoculars - have them identify passing vessels and find them on the internet.

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:25/centery:37/zoom:9

In the bridge viewing room, there is identification of the different officers - have your kids draw these and then identify officers they see onboard - maybe ask for their autograph next to the drawing of their shoulder boards.

Another fun thing to do with kids on a cruise ship is to plan a scavenger hunt - where they take pictures of the things they "found". Mitsuigirly's review, linked below would give you a considerable list of things you could put on a scavenger hunt for your kids.

There is still a pool onboard and a slide and there is also a kiddie pool and kiddie hot tub. There is ping pong. Not so many other options, but it's not the end of the world for your kids to experience a different type of cruising. My dad was a Captain, and back then, the ships didn't have stuff like mini-golf and slides and so forth but I still enjoyed being on the ship whenever I could go.

Here is a review by one of our frequent posters who travels with her young daughter with lots of photos of the Jewel and she does say what she thinks about each cruise she takes so you will get the lo down:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1959571

The Jewel is a wonderful ship, wonderful crew. The kids I see appear to be having a good time. Just turn them loose in the buffet or Great Outdoors or near the ice cream machines. That alone would make me happy.... Yes. Disney would be a kids' choice. But they aren't paying for it. Mom and mother should be pretty pleased with the Jewel I think. We always are.

My mom wants to take us on a cruise. Disney is all booked up into the foreseeable future. I wanted to do Princess, but my mom booked us on NCL for a Mexican riviera cruise in March. They have the worst reviews I have read for kids. I don't want to waste her money. Any advice on specific ships - there are a couple that go to Mexico; Jewell and Sun. Help me feel better, or let me know if we should try and get out of booking.

 

My kids are 8 and 10.

On the contrary!

Also agree with the poster who mentions that the kids will be really thrilled on the Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, with all the bells and whistles, but he other ships also do a great job with the Kids Club.

How could a cruise be horrid? There are a lot of kids who will never be able to go on one. Your kids are lucky and I'm sure they will have a great time.

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We've sailed on the Jewel several times (along with her sister ships). You kids will have a wonderful time. Enjoy!

My son is now 13 and has been on over 20 NCL cruises since the age of 2. We've been on every class of ship. Including the Jewel and the Sun. We celebrated his 10th birthday on the Jewel and he was 9 on the Sun.

We don't even travel at High Season, so only a few kids on board. He to this day says that the Jewel was his favorite. We did the Pacific Coast and Alaska in the month of May.

My son loved the kids club. Usually asked me if he could stay when I would go to check him out. We do travel with an IPad. It is great for that down time. My son also liked to sit in a lounge or by a window playing the Ipad while I participated in the martini tasting. That is just how we roll.

We also did the activities like origami, cupcake making, pizza making, lego building (The definitely have some fun family activities)

A vacation is what you make of it. It you go in with a negative attitude and already think you will not enjoy, then maybe you just should not go. But if this is a family trip and your Mom really wants it, then why not do the trip as a family.

I'm a single Mom and believe me, when my son and I cruise. We do many things together, but we also do many things with our respective age peers.

My mom wants to take us on a cruise. Disney is all booked up into the foreseeable future. I wanted to do Princess, but my mom booked us on NCL for a Mexican riviera cruise in March. They have the worst reviews I have read for kids. I don't want to waste her money. Any advice on specific ships - there are a couple that go to Mexico; Jewell and Sun. Help me feel better, or let me know if we should try and get out of booking.

 

My kids are 8 and 10.

The kids will be much better on NCL than on Princess. It's not Disney, but it is not bad.

I feel better. Though I was wrong it is the NCL Jewell or Star (not sun.)

I realize I was being a little annoying worrying. We will have a great time!

Marisa

Yes, it will be horrible. Don't take them. JK

 

I agree... take me :)

While i can speak for the west coast boats, we did just get off the escape. My 10 year old never wanted to leave splash academy..... ever. She loved it, NCL has done a good job with our children both trips this year.

Are you kidding????? ANY ship will be a treat for a kid....they will LOVE it! Stop reading reviews...you are talking yourself out of a good time!

My kids always love the kids club until we did Disney. My youngest at the time was 7 and she cried every time we took her. On Ncl, we had to pry her out. Your kids will have fun.

My kids ages 12, 11, and 9 loved our cruise in February. They did not participate in kids club. We did take them to it to see it but decided it wasnt for us. Kids hung out with my wife and I and spent lots and lots of time in the pools. Taking them back on the Rpic next week and everyone is looking forward to it.

Kids on Disney are too catered to. Just my opinion.

Kids on Disney are too catered to. Just my opinion.

[emoji849][emoji849]

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Disney isn't the only cruise line that has fun stuff to do. Is it non-stop, wall to wall kids stuff? No. but there are fun things to do. To even suggest that a cruise other than Disney is "Horrid" is short sided. And if you feel that way before even stepping on the ship, then perhaps you should stick to Disney. In my opinion, it was over priced and my kids were ready to be done with Mickey Mouse and Disney Princesses by day 4. Go in with the idea that it is fun and new and you will have a good time. Go in with "ugggh this will be HORRID if my kids aren't constantly stimulated by a mouse, a princess or a pirate" and you will have a HORRID time.

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My kids always love the kids club until we did Disney. My youngest at the time was 7 and she cried every time we took her. On Ncl, we had to pry her out. Your kids will have fun.

Disney has all the kids (all ages) in the same general area due to pressure from parents who wanted their 4 yr. old to be able to be in the same "group" as 10 yr. old big brother/sister. I have read that some children find this arrangement a little chaotic and overwhelming. As far as cruise ships go, Disney has great entertainment for kids, but not necessarily above all others. JMO! :D

My kids loved the Star, the Sun, the Pearl and the Sky. All smaller ships on NCL that we sailed from ages 7-12. They will have a great time!

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Disney isn't the only cruise line that has fun stuff to do. Is it non-stop, wall to wall kids stuff? No. but there are fun things to do. To even suggest that a cruise other than Disney is "Horrid" is short sided. And if you feel that way before even stepping on the ship, then perhaps you should stick to Disney. In my opinion, it was over priced and my kids were ready to be done with Mickey Mouse and Disney Princesses by day 4. Go in with the idea that it is fun and new and you will have a good time. Go in with "ugggh this will be HORRID if my kids aren't constantly stimulated by a mouse, a princess or a pirate" and you will have a HORRID time.

 

 

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Get out of my head! Lmao.

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Go and enjoy. Your kids will have a wonderful time, making memories which they will share with you and your mom.

hi, grandma let me post this we just got off the epic, I had a lot of fun I even sang on stage with dueling pianos. I also got to sail with grandma on the escape. Splash academy was different but fun on both. I wanted to spend more time there than mom & grandma would let me. You should have fun!