Help deciding on Christmas cruise

[raynne]

Help please. Love the idea of Cruising at Christmas again but trying to find a cheaper option this year. Would have loved to try Ovation but really can't afford it.

 

Family of 6. me, DH and 4 DSs 28,24,19,10. We have so far only cruised on RCI due to one of our DSs being autistic - and they have been awesome for him. Youngest DS has not really enjoyed kids club on RCI, and teen hasn't really enjoyed his time on board. DH, DS28 and I enjoy the Trivia but no one has really been impressed by the entertainment.

 

We need something that will be Autism friendly, have decent day entertainment for 10 year old and son with Autism as well as keep young adults interested. Don't want to have to pay extras for everything so I am thinking maybe not the P&O offerings? But thinking maybe there isn't enough to do on HAL and Princess as the boys are used to mini golf and sports courts -they won't miss the rock wall etc. as they haven't really used them in the past.

 

Not really impressed at the offerings out of Brisbane so will probably need to travel out of Sydney. These are the offerings - advice please as we haven't been on any of these lines. Will be in interior cabins regardless and will be twin or triple according to lowest pricing. (advice on cabins on these ships - will 3 adult brothers drive each other mad- we have only done twin in the past) Ports shown in red are the ports we have already visited.

 

P&O

Pacific Pearl

Ports of Call

Sydney, Isle Of Pines, Mare, Port Vila, Mystery Island, Noumea, Sydney

10 nights $1210 per interior triple

 

Pacific Eden

Ports of Call

Sydney, Gladstone, Hamilton Island, Cairns, Willis Island (Scenic Cruising), Moreton Island, Sydney

$1359 triple interior 10 nights

 

Carnival

Legend

Ports of Call

Sydney, Noumea, Mystery Island, Mare, Loyalty Island (Lifou), Sydney

10 nights $1721 triple ocean view

 

Spirit

Ports of Call

Sydney, Isle Of Pines, Suva, Port Denarau, Noumea, Sydney

11 nights $1844 twin interior

 

Holland AmericaNoordam

Ports of Call

Sydney, Noumea, Mystery Island, Port Vila, Luganville, Suva, Dravuni Island, Lautoka, Sydney

14 nights $1855 triple

 

Princess

Dawn Princess

Ports of Call

Sydney, Champagne Bay, Luganville, Port Vila, Mystery Island, Isle Of Pines, Noumea, Sydney

 

12 nights $1626 triple

 

Out of Brisbane

 

Princess

Sea Princess

Ports of Call

Brisbane, Alotau, Kitava - Papua New Guinea , Rabaul, Kiriwina Island, Doini Island, Kawanasausau Strait & Milne Bay, Brisbane

10 nights $1383 triple

 

P&O

Pacific Dawn

Ports of Call

Brisbane, Noumea, Loyalty Island (Lifou), Port Vila, Brisbane

7 nights $1350 triple

 

 

Thank you for any advice or suggestions.

[mum and son]

Hi there! I know it's not on your list but the Celebrity Solstice sails out of Sydney on Dec 23rd. I have just cancelled my cabins on her (chose to travel in Jan because it's cheaper) but the cabins I released were family verandah cabins. There are only 4 on the ship and I had 2 of them. They sleep 6 people :). They won't be made available online. It would require a call to Celebrity from you or your agent.

 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

[GUT2407]

There's also a Emerald Princess, 19th I think to NZ.

 

NO Christmas cruise is ever cheap.

[GUT2407]

I'm not sure what you rate as Autism friendly, but Princess and HAL are both likely to have older average age.

[raynne]

Thank you for your feedback so far.

Mum and Son - I did look at the Solstice but thought I might try one of the cheaper options- don't think we could handle all six of us in 1 room either. thank you.

 

GUT2407 - yep, Christmas is never going to be a budget holiday. Ruled out Emerald Princess due to cost. Unfortunately due to work,(close down over Christmas and NY ) school (teachers and student) and University commitments it is only time we can get together as a family.

We have heard that Princess and HAL would be older demographic but don't know what they are like with respect to kids clubs and activities.

[GUT2407]

Thank you for your feedback so far.

Mum and Son - I did look at the Solstice but thought I might try one of the cheaper options- don't think we could handle all six of us in 1 room either. thank you.

 

GUT2407 - yep, Christmas is never going to be a budget holiday. Ruled out Emerald Princess due to cost. Unfortunately due to work,(close down over Christmas and NY ) school (teachers and student) and University commitments it is only time we can get together as a family.

We have heard that Princess and HAL would be older demographic but don't know what they are like with respect to kids clubs and activities.

 

Can't say first hand, my kids are a tad old for kids club, but have heard good things about the clubs on Princess.

[Discon]

Christmas isnt cheap. My recommendation would be a carnival cruise. Have been on 2 cruises with them with my extended family and thoroughly enjoyed both. Trivia we love and there was a great range across every day. The group trivial pursuit game each day was our favourite. With a large coloured dice to determine the groups category question. The ships have mini golf, sports courts and waterslides as well plenty of activities. We had kids teenagers and young adults in our group and everyone found plenty to do.

 

My nephew and also a cousin (8 and 14) are both on the spectrum and the crew could not have been any better with them. Especially the waiters in the mdr who made were great. Both boys are constantly begging to go again! Especially for the 24/hr pizza!

 

Carnival will have a lot of kids on board but for a fun family vibe it is great!

[mum and son]

Thank you for your feedback so far.

Mum and Son - I did look at the Solstice but thought I might try one of the cheaper options- don't think we could handle all six of us in 1 room either. thank you.

 

Yes, that's not fun. These cabins do have 2 separate bedrooms and a living room. From memory it was only one bathroom though :eek:.

 

I have done a couple of Xmas cruises and (unfortunately) it is usually cheaper to fly overseas and cruise from there than it is to cruise out of Australian ports at that time of year!

[Fletch1]

I think you should also consider convenience. We are booked on a Christmas cruise this year and chose the Golden Princess, mostly because it sails out of our home port of Melbourne. That way, we don't have the added expense of airfares at that time of the year as well, which are usually premium priced too.

 

Being in Brisbane, maybe consider flying to Asia and cruising out of there...maybe Singapore or Hong Kong???

 

For what it is worth, we have done a few Christmas cruises and they are fabulous, especially if can get one that also incorporates New Years Eve.

 

Out of your list, I would pick the Sea Princess out of Brisbane. Nice ship, home port and it visits some new interesting ports in New Guinea. And from personal experience, Princess do it well over Christmas...lots of decorations around the ship, Christmas music piped throughout the ship in public areas, Christmas carols in the atrium on Christmas eve and Santa comes on Christmas day.

 

Edited June 12, 2016 by Fletch1

[The_Big_M]

Although I think that Sun Princess itin is the pick given the new ports, service and food onboard and convenience, if your key requirement is day features for children it is lacking in that department. The kids club is the only offering - which is good for a club, but doesn't have those other activities which is really what RCL targets more than others.

 

Hence if they're non-negotiable it would come down to an RCL or P&O itinerary. None of the other ships you list have that number of those onboard childrens facilities either. Carnival are the closest but it's only the water slide. P&O have the edge activities which number about 10+ so more than RCL - though they are at extra cost. But given the savings in the booking would cover it.

[peter.kath@hotmail.com]

We have been on a cruise on the Pacific Jewel at Christmas and it was a really great the ship was festive and nicely decorated, on Christmas Eve the officers sung Carols in the Atrium and it snowed, Santa arrived by tender from Mystery Island and Christmas Day in Lifou the locals had their own Santa.

I too am going to recommend the PNG cruise we have been once and are going again in Feb 2017.

Each port is really unique the islands are absolutely stunning.

The history behind Alotau/Milne Bay and the devastation of Rabaul is so fascinating.

I haven't been on Princess so don't know about that ship. We have been on Carnival and although nice enough there would be no way I would go on it in school holidays. My 15 year old daughter has CP and uses a wheelchair and it was a bit to busy for us.

[MicCanberra]

I am not sure how 'Autism friendly' you would require but if your child is at the upper end of the spectrum and has higher needs, I suspect none of them can cater for that. I wish you luck in finding a cruise to suit both your needs and pocket.:D

[Suzbluz]

I think the Spirit would be good activity wise, to cater for everyone but someone mentioned school holidays and that's true, there will be a lot of kids on that cruise. I would recommend avoiding the Eden. We did it as a couple and it was fine if you are looking to relax but I was glad our teenager wasn't on that cruise with us as I think he would have been bored. It is too small and the activities are fewer and further apart.

[cdwh1902]

Thank you for your feedback so far.

Mum and Son - I did look at the Solstice but thought I might try one of the cheaper options- don't think we could handle all six of us in 1 room either. thank you.

 

GUT2407 - yep, Christmas is never going to be a budget holiday. Ruled out Emerald Princess due to cost. Unfortunately due to work,(close down over Christmas and NY ) school (teachers and student) and University commitments it is only time we can get together as a family.

We have heard that Princess and HAL would be older demographic but don't know what they are like with respect to kids clubs and activities.

 

Our first Christmas Cruise was on HAL's Volendam and was amazing!! The entire ship was decorated beautifully with Christmas trees everywhere! Being an American ship, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve but Christmas morning was extra special for the kids. We all had to congregate in the Theatre where we watched Santa 'landing' in a helicopter, who then made it to the theatre where EVERY child received a Christmas present from Santa.

 

It was far superior to P&O's Christmas Cruise.

 

We were with friends and had organized a Kris Kringle. We found one of the trees and commandeered it with a bottle of champagne and present exchange. Had a ball! Fabulous cruise line and highly recommend for the kids, whom we never saw at any other time!

[icat2000]

I would look at carnival or rcl.

 

I too have gone over and over Christmas cruises and changed my mind twice now only to settle on my original choice.