Help my family pick a cruise!

[Torinate]

Hello there.

 

I posted this in the questions sections as well and also the RCI section. Thanks for your help!

 

Looking for a family cruise for February 2017. Looking to book now (or soon!) to hopefully take advantage of good rates and hopefully some good perks. I like the included unlimited drinks on NCL!

 

Anyone know if RCI will have similar promotions with free drink packages or included gratuities. Either would be great!

 

Kids first cruise... They will be 14 and 12. Parents have cruised before but not "seasoned" cruisers.

 

Any ideas anyone? For both great deals as well as perks. And also, of course, best cruise for us.

 

Here's an idea of what we've liked so far.

 

NCL Escape - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Miami.

 

RCI Allure - February 12, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Harmony - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Freedom - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Oasis - February 19, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

 

Is there a "best" out of these or are they all going to offer something great?

 

Liking the idea of 2 rooms, but cost goes up quite a bit with this option. Thinking of 1 balcony and 1 interior. Cheapest route is 1 balcony but may be "tight" space wise. Suites would be awesome, but more than likely out of my price range.

 

Please, offer advice, positives and negatives for all these.

 

Is this a good time to book or is there better promotions coming?

 

Is there s best ship or different ship or cruise line to look at?

 

Thank you for your help!!!

[wilmingtech]

We did RCI Freedom last Feb. and loved it. We have 4 kids. We also booked in Nov. last year for that one. The best deal for us was a Family Oceanview. You have to call directly to book it...and you might need 5 to do so but its worth a call. It was cheaper than 2 insides for us.

 

I'd be excited to take the Escape or any of the Oasis class ships. My kids would be excited to go on any of the newer larger ships...my wife and I as well.

 

Looks like some tough choices to make. Not sure if RCI will have anything other than a 25$...maybe 50$ obc special.

 

NCL has been hard to follow. Specials have been about the same each month but some weekends have been peppered with 2 of the specials instead of one or extra OBC.

 

There is no wrong choice there. They all have the same/similar itineraries so its really just picking the ship that looks best for you all!

 

Have fun!

 

-Sean

 

 

Hello there.

 

I posted this in the questions sections as well and also the RCI section. Thanks for your help!

 

Looking for a family cruise for February 2017. Looking to book now (or soon!) to hopefully take advantage of good rates and hopefully some good perks. I like the included unlimited drinks on NCL!

 

Anyone know if RCI will have similar promotions with free drink packages or included gratuities. Either would be great!

 

Kids first cruise... They will be 14 and 12. Parents have cruised before but not "seasoned" cruisers.

 

Any ideas anyone? For both great deals as well as perks. And also, of course, best cruise for us.

 

Here's an idea of what we've liked so far.

 

NCL Escape - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Miami.

 

RCI Allure - February 12, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Harmony - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Freedom - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Oasis - February 19, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

 

Is there a "best" out of these or are they all going to offer something great?

 

Liking the idea of 2 rooms, but cost goes up quite a bit with this option. Thinking of 1 balcony and 1 interior. Cheapest route is 1 balcony but may be "tight" space wise. Suites would be awesome, but more than likely out of my price range.

 

Please, offer advice, positives and negatives for all these.

 

Is this a good time to book or is there better promotions coming?

 

Is there s best ship or different ship or cruise line to look at?

 

Thank you for your help!!!

[flapbreaker]

We have been on both the freedom and the allure. Both were fantastic. We are booked on the ncl spirit next summer primarily for the itinerary. I would not get too hung up on the "free perks" if I was you as nothing is ever truly free. We booked the spirit back in May 2015 for an August 2016 cruise. The only perk offered was 1/2 off for 3rd and 4th passenger. Since then they now are offering a free unlimited beverage package however the cruise price is now $500 more and we would have the gratuity on top of that. For us we just would get the value out of the increased cost. My point being that if you are planning that far out you are likely going to get a pretty decent price. We did book through Costco which included an additional $140 in on board credit not offered through ncl. We enjoyed the eastern Caribbean cruise and although it was en expensive excursion we really enjoyed visiting Atlantis. Amazing water park. Their "lazy river" was a blast. Walking through the "dig" was also some of the best aquariums I've ever seen.

[flapbreaker]

Oh, and the entertainment on the allure was truly entertaining.

[murcor]

Don't be afraid of all of you staying in 1 room. We are a family of four with two teenagers, 16 & 15 and we still do it with with no issues and our 15 year old is 6'3" 230lbs.

 

The only thing I would suggest is looking at the sleeping arrangements that each child gets their own bed. At those ages, I'm guessing they will not want to share.

 

I'm thinking it was the oasis that we cruised in a balcony and there was only a sofa pullout for the 3rd & 4th guest.

 

We cruised on the NCL Pearl in August in a quad ocean view room and that turned out fine.

 

Usually, by the time all four of us were back in the room we all vegged in our own space :)

Edited November 9, 2015 by murcor

[xcell]

I have two girls age 12 and 9 who pretty much grew up vacationing on cruises...

 

Earlier on I'd vote RCCL - it's a quality product but as they get older, NCL entertainment (rope course, waterslides, etc...) has gotten their attention.

 

Don't expect the pools to be anywhere useful as they are filled with kids...

 

On that note - we are looking at RCCL's newest ship Harmony because it has the best of both worlds, waterslide, rock climbing, surfing, etc...

 

So it's a flip between NCL Escape and RCCL Harmony if I had to choose (we cruise based on the ship not the itinerary). PLus one for 1 cabin (balcony for sure) to squeeze you all in...not sure when I will feel like spending for two cabins...

[mrobstad]

Cheaper options will be NCL Breakaway, Getaway....once I shared a room with 3 teenage sons. Never again! Just think of where you'll put 4 suitcases!

[Jay Sam]

All of those look good to me. All nice and large ships. I would let price be the deciding factor. I have had great cruises on both lines.

 

Also have enjoyed Carnival cruises as well.

 

Look into these:

 

13 Feb - Carnival Breeze - 8 nights - S CRB - Miami

 

13 Feb - Carnival Sunshine - 8 nights - E CRB - Pt. Canaveral

 

14 Feb - Carnival Splendor - 7 nights - E CRB - Miami

 

I took a repositioning cruise on Splendor and enjoyed it so much.

 

Am booked on Breeze on the 5th of Dec and am looking forward

to it. Have heard many great things about Breeze.

[Jenjer]

All of those ships are great options. It is really going to come down to price and itinerary. We love it when a ship goes to a private island. It offers a easy, relaxing beach day.

 

Harmony has not launched yet but I am sure she will be amazing. She will also be your most expensive option. I don't know a lot about her but I can say we will most likely sail her in summer 2017.

 

 

Oasis and Allure are awe inspiring ships, so much for teens to do no chance they will ever get bored and they will truly be spoiled. Of the 2 I would pick Oasis since she goes out of Port Canaveral and that is a easy and cheap port to fly into. Maybe saving enough money on airfare to get 2 rooms.

 

Freedom is a wonderful ship but she does not have as much stuff as all your other options. Being your first cruise you can not miss what you have not had yet. She was such a great ship we sailed her twice 2 years in a row. Her royal promenade is cool.

 

Escape is the next ship we are going on and the pictures that are coming in are truly amazing. Having sailed her sister ship Getaway, having Escape expand on everything we loved, the ropes course, water slides and Thermal spa makes our cruise a very anticipated one. Not to mention the new restaurants and UBP.

 

I have never seen RCCI run the "free" beverage program maybe a little OBC with some perks thrown in by a TA.

 

 

You can totally put 4 in a room but it will be tight no question about it. Check the deck plans and see if there are Pullmans or just sleeper sofas. Getting 2 rooms would defiantly make your cruise "easier" because that means 2 bathroom, more storage space and more privacy for everyone involved. On Escape a 2bed haven would give you a exceptional experience but if that's more money than you want to spend on a vacation a Minisuit would be helpful. They do not offer any suite perks but do have a much larger bathroom.

 

We have sailed on Freedom in a Family Ocean view and that room was HUGE. They opened it up for booking for families of 4 but depending on availability its usually for 5 or 6. The kids had their own "bunk room" AKA sleeping closet but it worked, still only one bath.

 

Just because you pick one ship this year doesn't mean you can not sail the others later. As far as I know none of them are going away (to china or other places)

[sixesandeights]

Hello there.

 

I posted this in the questions sections as well and also the RCI section. Thanks for your help!

 

Looking for a family cruise for February 2017. Looking to book now (or soon!) to hopefully take advantage of good rates and hopefully some good perks. I like the included unlimited drinks on NCL!

 

Anyone know if RCI will have similar promotions with free drink packages or included gratuities. Either would be great!

 

Kids first cruise... They will be 14 and 12. Parents have cruised before but not "seasoned" cruisers.

 

Any ideas anyone? For both great deals as well as perks. And also, of course, best cruise for us.

 

Here's an idea of what we've liked so far.

 

NCL Escape - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Miami.

 

RCI Allure - February 12, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Harmony - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Freedom - February 18, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.

 

RCI Oasis - February 19, 2017 - 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

 

Is there a "best" out of these or are they all going to offer something great?

 

Liking the idea of 2 rooms, but cost goes up quite a bit with this option. Thinking of 1 balcony and 1 interior. Cheapest route is 1 balcony but may be "tight" space wise. Suites would be awesome, but more than likely out of my price range.

 

Please, offer advice, positives and negatives for all these.

 

Is this a good time to book or is there better promotions coming?

 

Is there s best ship or different ship or cruise line to look at?

 

Thank you for your help!!!

 

With the continued changes and the new NCL CEO constantly going to the media making comments about more changes and not caring if people leave them, etc I would recommend avoiding NCL until everything pans out. I have an Escape cruise coming up that is to late to do anything about, but have already booked a replacement for my May 2016 Getaway cruise on the RCCL Allure. The escape might be a nice ship, but even it doesn't hold a candle to the Oasis or Quantum class ships. Go with RCCL on one of these classes and you will not be sorry. If you had asked me this same question in January of this year my answer would have been NCL no questions asked, but because of the new management that is not at all the case anymore.

 

6&8