Help: Spring Break Anthem OTS or NCL Escape bringing kids

[lizzy911]

I realize I'm posting on the RCCL section so there will be bias.

 

Situation: Spring break cruise out of NYC. Will be driving 9 hours to the port. Seems a less popular week (depart 3/15 on Anthem OTS or 3/17 on the Escape). Both lines running kids free promos for the ships and dates.

 

It will be my husband and me and our two daughters, ages 3 and 6. I have cruised before on Celebrity (2x), Princess (2x), NCL (1x Escape, most recent), Carnival (1x). I am also going on a girls trip on the Brilliance in early February next year (4 nights, will be first on RCCL). My husband similar to me. My older daughter went at age 4 on Celebrity and there were only two other kids in the kids club and it was not a great experience for her (very few activities, one of the other children kept hitting her).

 

For me a big factor is kids programming - I want the girls to want to go to the kids club. They have been in childcare since they are babies so are familiar with being away from us. I am not saying I want the kids gone the entire day, but a few hours in the morning and a few in the evening after dinner would be awesome.

 

The cruises are about the same price (RCCL $300 overall cheaper) BUT with NCL we get the drink package and dining package promo for the grown ups. Assuming we each have 3 drinks a day, that makes the prices pretty much the same, and with the specialty dining NCL is cheaper.

 

It seems a big pro is Anthem has more indoor space for sailing out of NYC in March.

 

We have been on the Escape before, and I enjoyed it a lot, but the ship was pretty crowded.

 

So to me it will come down to the kids programming and how much we value the indoor space vs the drink package.

 

Anything else we should think about? Food about the same (I have found the food to be pretty comparable between Princess / Celebrity / NCL)? Anyone done both or similar ships with kids?

[Cel_cruise]

I have not done either of these ships but my kids (6 and 10 on their last cruise, 4and 8 on the one before that) loved the Royal kids clubs. I expect that there will be enough kids on the cruise even though it’s not a NY spring break week.

 

It’s cold in March. I would pick Anthem for its size and the indoor space / covered areas for that time of year and solid kids programming and activities.

 

 

 

 

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[mattb31]

We are a young couple and went through the same debate when we were cruising last November. Ultimately we chose Anthem solely because the ship is much better suited for cold weather. It ended up being an awesome decision because when we left Cape Liberty it was 50 and raining, and didn't really get warm enough to be comfortable at the outdoor pool until we left Florida.

 

We spent a ton of time in the Solarium on Day 1 and 2 and it was great. Super warm in there and able to relax under the sun. The ship is so technologically advanced and modern that it blew me away.

 

We don't have kids, but there was plenty for kids to do around the ship. IMO the SeaPlex is kind of unmatched on cruise ships. They had Xbox's, ping pong, bumper cars, dodgeball games, roller blading, etc. We even enjoyed the SeaPlex while we were in there.

 

Keep in mind that although NCL offers the drink package for 'free' they still charge an abundance of fees on these, so I'm not sure if you factored that into your cost.

 

Lastly, a big factor for us was that the AOTS left from Newark whereas the Escape left from Manhattan. Coming from PA, this saved us money in parking, tolls, and a hell of a lot of time in traffic (traffic around NYc may not matter to you since you're driving 9 hours anyway).

[lizzy911]

Thank you guys so much! mattb31 - how crowded was the ship on colder days? That is my biggest concern about NCL. It was crowded even sailing out of Florida...

[accio_7]

Another vote for the cruise on Anthem purely for the indoor amenities (i.e. pool, RipCord by iFly, North Star, SeaPlex) which the other posters mentioned and additional sea day offered. Both of the itineraries appear to be very similar. Did you enjoy the children's programming on the Escape the last time your family sailed on her?

 

If your family plans to sign up for traditional early dining in the Main Dining Room, Royal Caribbean offers an optional add-on program (included in your cruise fare) called My Family Time Dining for children ages 3 to 11. As one of the CC mods, Bob, mentioned in this post, the children are fed in an 45 minute period and then escorted afterward to the children's club called Adventure Ocean. There is more info linked in both posts or you can do a further search on the Royal Caribbean message board for this topic. (Alternatively, CC offers a dedicated message board as well for family cruising.)

[lizzy911]

Last time we were on the Escape we didn't bring the kids. My 3 year old has never cruised and my 6 year old only once on Celebrity when she was 4, which was not her favorite (boring to her, plus a kid kept hitting her). I did notice Escape looked waaaaaay more kid friendly than Celebrity. So I knew when we booked a family cruise we would either do NCL or RCCL.

 

Thanks for the info on the family board! I had no idea. I am leaning towards Royal at this point but just a bit worried of the unknown.

[mattb31]

Thank you guys so much! mattb31 - how crowded was the ship on colder days? That is my biggest concern about NCL. It was crowded even sailing out of Florida...

 

Honestly, the ship never once felt crowded to me. It's laid out very well and Royal manages the crowds. The only time I saw people complaining was if they tried to get into dinner or a show without reservations. The indoor pool areas got a bit crowded on cold sea days but nothing that was unmanageable.

[accio_7]

Thanks for the info on the family board! I had no idea. I am leaning towards Royal at this point but just a bit worried of the unknown.

 

No problem, we're all here to help :)

 

I do hope that you and your family will give Royal a chance. You can sail with them once, and, if you really don't enjoy the experience, you can elect to sail with a different cruise line next time; at least you can say that you tried it for yourself, right?

 

Best wishes to you and your family!

[muskrat191]

We did Anthem for Ontario's March Break this year. Ship was full of families from Ontario on March Break (over 1000 kids!). I've never cruised NCL, so I can't compare, but I can give you my thoughts based on my experience. My kids were 4 and 6 on our cruise (turned 5 and 7 a few weeks after the cruise).

 

My kids typically hate kids' club type things, but didn't mind the kids' clubs. They were in two different clubs due to the age splits. The staff run activities which my kids enjoyed. Our kids went a couple times in the morning or afternoon. We also did a few of the family science/art activities offered.

 

Keep in mind that the 3 year old will not be able to participate in bumper cars (even as a passenger) or trapeze. The 3 year old can roller skate if an adult is out with them in closed-toed shoes, but the smallest available roller skates may be too big. The 3 year old can do the indoor skydiving!

 

Our cruise was quite cold, so I appreciated the indoor spaces - particularly the indoor pool for families. The room at the back of the ship called 270 is a cool multi-purpose space. There is no splash park or waterslides on the ship. There is an outdoor, zero-entry, water play area for kids, but it doesn't really have any water features. The small pool with the current (I can't remember what it is called) had a height requirement that even my oldest didn't make (and she is tall for her age).

 

For food, the kids' menu in the main dining room is limited. IIRC, there were only two appetizer choices and limited dessert choices. However, my kids had no issues ordering off the adult menu if they wanted - particularly cheesecake for my oldest :)

 

Our cruise was 8 nights with just three ports, and we ended up missing CocoCay due to the wind/waves making tendering unsafe. Even with all that time on the ship, we were never bored. However, we brought toys and my kids enjoy just playing in the room while my husband and I read or napped. I was very happy with our experience (and it didn't hurt that we got a great deal!)

[lizzy911]

Thank you for the response! Probably the same itinerary... which is also nearly identical to the NCL itinerary but NCL is only 7 nights. Honestly I don't care much about the ports, we will probably get off at the private island (assuming safe tendering) and maybe to the beach on Florida, but I doubt we would get off in Nassau.

 

I will have to ask my eldest whether she prefers freezing in the outdoor splash area on NCL or having a pool she can use in warmth on RCCL :D

[muskrat191]

Yes, that is the same itinerary. We rented a car and went to the Kennedy Space Centre for the Port Canaveral stop, and in Nassau, we bought day passes at the British Colonial Hilton. It is walking distance to from the port and has a beach and heated pool. A food credit is included in the day pass, and there is even a bunch of sand toys available. The beach faces the cruise ships (I'm sure there are lots of better beaches), but walking distance and therefore no car seat/vehicle safety concerns with the kids was worth it for us.

[SJ]

We have been on the Breakaway twice. Escape is basically bigger Breakaway. We prefer Anthem for ship layout and amenities. Public areas on Anthem has plenty of seating. Most of the Breakaway activities including love and marriage show, occurs in the atrium next to guest services with about 20 seats if that. Another vote for Anthem are the cabins. Simply more spacious and better design. 135sq ft vs 166-180 sq feet for the inside category. Big difference when you are doing 4 in a room.

[gerig]

Thank you guys so much! mattb31 - how crowded was the ship on colder days? That is my biggest concern about NCL. It was crowded even sailing out of Florida...

 

 

anthem offers more space on cold seas days. escape is a zoo of wall to wall people. I have cruise both ships.

[JinxyB]

I have been on both ships with my son who was 6 and 7 when we went on Anthem and Escape. I did not particularly care for Anthem and would choose the Escape hands down. Your younger daughter will not be able to do a lot of activities on both ships such as iFly, waterslides on Escape, ropes course on Escape. I have to lookup the bumper car age/height restrictions. Personally, I thought waiting on line for an hour for a 2 minute spin on bumper cars was pointless. The Seaplex was overrated to me- all games such as air hockey, etc you had to pay for and the Xbox consoles were either broken or in use by teens. I did not like the Quantum class ships st all. Your older daughter will not be able to do the Flowrider because of height. North Star was lame IMO.

 

Both Royal and NCL kids clubs are top notch and my son loved them both. Make sure your younger child is potty trained or she won’t be allowed in clubs or pools. The Anthem does have a covered pool but it will be very crowded and I don’t remember if they heat the pool (went in summer). I did not like the atrium area on the Escape but O’Sheehan’s, drink package, and better buffet would be a draw to me,

[Biker19]

Honestly I don't care much about the ports, we will probably get off at the private island (assuming safe tendering) and maybe to the beach on Florida, but I doubt we would get off in Nassau. :D

The pier at Coco Cay should be completed by your sailing, no tendering.

[muskrat191]

. Your younger daughter will not be able to do a lot of activities on both ships such as iFly, waterslides on Escape, ropes course on Escape. I have to lookup the bumper car age/height restrictions.

 

For iFly, the minimum age is 3, so that is available to her. The bumper cars would not be an option for her. (The minimum age for a passenger is 5, and they are strict about it. My daughter's 5th birthday was 11 days after our cruise and she was not allowed on the bumper cars.)

[TheRisleyFamily2021]

Very recent Escape experience for us.  Have sailed both with my now 9 year old son. He preferred the Anthem kids club. The indoor pool and space for him to just MOVE were wonderful for us! More options on Anthem  for complimentary, casual quick dining or to simply pick up a snack... he lived in the pizza joint! We spent some time on the cold sea days in/out of NJ in the 270 theater /multiuse space.  Not only could he watch the trapeze artists practice, but when there was no rehearsal he could actually be on the stage area pretending to be a "star". Lovely views, Excellent food right there, plenty of comfy seating and room for him to roam, or for us to just hang out and play cards.  Nothing like it on Escape!  If you take them to the Anthem indoor pool area at "off" times (mornings right after breakfast, when everyone else is at lunch or one of the more popular activities) it is more than manageable and a welcome respite from the cold. 

 

Don't forget about the WIND combined with the cold temperatures!  It definitely hampered our enjoyment of the Escape, and there was no indoor pool to enjoy. 

 

The bumper cars could be a very enjoyable outing for one parent with the six year old while the other takes the 3 year old to the indoor play space for children. It is a very large space that apparently sees very low use. Lots to do and explore! The six year old might even enjoy it! 

 

The other positive I see for families is the SET dining times and ASSIGNED table. You have the same wait staff every evening, and they do an excellent job remembering the whims of your children! Nothing like coming to your table on the third night rro find your child's fruit cup, favorite breads and preferred beverage already waiting! A quick word with the head waiter and my son didn't even know that there WAS a kids menu! No chicken nuggets or mac and cheese for him - he ordered off the adult menu every night. They are MORE than accommodating about food for the little ones... veggies were ALWAYS brought with his meal after I asked just once. HIGHLY recommend the early dinner seating and stop by early in the cruise to ask for a table next to a window to "keep the kids occupied" 🙂

 

I don't have much to say about the Escape. In the cold weather it was just "meh". Felt like we wasted 4 days of vacation, to be honest. The wind was killer - too cold for the ropes course, the mini golf, the bocci. Too cold for the pool, the water features or even the hot tubs.  Kids club had more "free play" time in the schedule but with a lot less equipment to play with!  I went on the Escape with an open mind, but it missed all the marks for us.  

 

If you do go on Anthem, make sure to get a reservation for the escape room for some couple time, and get on line for the trapeze early 🙂

 

Also on Anthem, they have the "Spacious Ocean View" rooms which have a LOT of extra floor space under the window. They look out over the front of the ship, so the windows are huge and at an angle. I will try and attach photos. @My son spread out a blanket there and that was his space!  Just great cabins for kids. I don't do balcony staterooms out of NY/NJ in cold weather. 

 

Speaking of NY/NJ ports, the Port Liberty on Bayonne WAS FABULOUS and quick, easy to access, and parking was a breeze. Manhattan parking was $100 more expensive for parking, traffic was a nightmare in comparison, and dragging luggage through that slushy, soggy mess after snow was a nightmare. Will NEVER do that again 😕

[truckswain]

We just finished cruising on the Anthem and then the following week on the NCL Escape.  We have cruised with our kids when they were young and it is such a great vacation for them.  With excellent kids clubs it is also a nice break for Mom and Dad.

 

I agree that sailing from Bayonne is cheaper but access to the terminal and inside the terminal is not great.  Sailing on the Escape out of Manhattan was very special and the terminal is much nicer.

 

We found the food on the Escape a little better than the Anthem.  We made reservations for all our dining and we had no problems being seated and in fact found the service in the dining rooms better than the Anthem.  Breakfast in the dining room on the Escape was excellent and we saw many families and they were served quickly.

 

However, with no covered pools or inside areas on the pool deck of the Escape it was unusable for 2 solid days because of cool weather.  The Waterfront on Deck 8 which is also a very nice feature to sit and watch the ocean was also unusable during this time.  This results in the inside public areas being very crowded.  We found it difficult to find an inside spot to sit and relax.  We enjoyed O'Sheehans and the District Brewhouse on the Escape but were not impressed with being charged tax on drinks when in New York and Florida even though we had the Ultimate Drink Package.

 

My choice would be the Anthem.  They have a great covered pool which I did not think was super crowded during the cooler sea days.  With the top deck being usable regardless of the weather it was definitely less crowded in the inside public areas.  Anthem food and service is very good and the 270 area is really  amazing to just sit and relax or see a show.