Help! What option would you recommend 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Polition67]

Looking at 2024, We are considering 2 options (FYI we are from Scotland) 

- TA from Barcelona to FL then a week in Orlando and fly home. The big draw is one flight 😩 or

- Orlando for 2 weeks and a week on icon. 
 

We haven’t done a TA before and as they are a bit cheaper we could get connecting balconies one for us and one for the teenager but the prices on icon are so expensive I don’t see us getting 2. 
 

Thanks for any advice. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

Which ship is the transatlantic on?
 

 

[Polition67]

20 minutes ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Which ship is the transatlantic on?
 

 

Oasis 😊

[Norwich Cruiser]

23 minutes ago, Polition67 said:

Oasis 😊

In that case I’d go for the transatlantic and a week in Orlando.

The cost of Icon will undoubtedly drop in the next year or two as they build more ships.

 

[lovesthebeach2]

I would do the TA to Florida and the week in Orlando.  TAs back here are in the fall so weather will be nice! I live here and don’t know what you would do in Orlando for 2 weeks….but if it’s parks that can get expensive.

[sgmn]

I personally would also vote for transatlantic and one week in Orlando. 

If you go for the latter  then a week in Orlando doing a few parks and then five days to a week on the gulf coast in an apartment or house with a pool will be nice 

[toxicfairy]

We've never done a TA so that would definitely be my choice!

[smokeybandit]

Definitely the TA.

[Tlbecker1]

I would definitely do the TA also.  Enjoy!

[HappyTexan44]

I would do the TA.   Not because I don't think two weeks in Orlando wouldn't be nice.    In fact, we spent so much time there the last three years that I instituted a NO FLORIDA until Epic opens.  

Either way, I'd get a VRBO and Universal season passes.  

[Polition67]

9 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

I would do the TA.   Not because I don't think two weeks in Orlando wouldn't be nice.    In fact, we spent so much time there the last three years that I instituted a NO FLORIDA until Epic opens.  

Either way, I'd get a VRBO and Universal season passes.  

Thanks for the advice everybody much appreciated. 
 

Yeah we have done the these parks multiple times and over the last couple years only done universal we have aged out of Disney 😂 excited for Epic and will without doubt book for 2025/26 and add on a cruise…obviously 

[OCSC Mike]

Another vote for TA on Oasis and one week here.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Polition67 said:

Looking at 2024, We are considering 2 options (FYI we are from Scotland) 

- TA from Barcelona to FL then a week in Orlando and fly home. The big draw is one flight 😩 or

- Orlando for 2 weeks and a week on icon. 
 

We haven’t done a TA before and as they are a bit cheaper we could get connecting balconies one for us and one for the teenager but the prices on icon are so expensive I don’t see us getting 2. 
 

Thanks for any advice. 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

I am old (well,,,, very old) and doing a TA is fine for me. BUT,,, I would not subject a teenager to a TA cruise. I would strongly suggest avoiding that with a teen. A Caribbean cruise at beaches every port would probably be better. 

 

Now, yup, the Icon will be the most expensive cruise option you could possibly do from FL. And maybe do something half way like an older Oasis class ship in FL and stick the teen in an inside room. When our kids were teens, they didn't care. Inside, balcony, all the same to them... they were on the ship and didn't spend much time in the room. So,,, we didn't spend money on a balcony for them. 

Edited July 21, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Another_Critic]

20 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

I am old (well,,,, very old) and doing a TA is fine for me. BUT,,, I would not subject a teenager to a TA cruise. I would strongly suggest avoiding that with a teen.

The TA is on Oasis, not Vision class.  There will be tons of options for a teen.

[George C]

Definitely the Oasis TA , oasis has fantastic entertainment would love to do a TA on her class, after sailing her we are not interested in sailing any other rccl class ship.

[jwlane]

TA, skip Orlando and do the B2B (maybe even B3B!).

[FionaMG]

23 hours ago, Polition67 said:

The big draw is one flight. 

 

Check what TAs there are going in the opposite direction and book a round trip flight and a TA back...

[Polition67]

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

 

Check what TAs there are going in the opposite direction and book a round trip flight and a TA back...

Would absolutely love too however we are tied with school, those pesky kids 😂

[FionaMG]

3 hours ago, Polition67 said:

Would absolutely love too however we are tied with school, those pesky kids 😂

 

Dang! Guess you'll have to wait till they go off to university. 😂

[Polition67]

5 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

 

Dang! Guess you'll have to wait till they go off to university. 😂

💯 we are off when they go 😂

[Billy Baltic]

3 hours ago, Polition67 said:

Would absolutely love too however we are tied with school, those pesky kids 😂

We’ve looked at this before but wasn’t practical due to school. TA and a week there is the best part of 3 weeks. Do you have that much Autumn hols in Scotland?

[Polition67]

15 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

We’ve looked at this before but wasn’t practical due to school. TA and a week there is the best part of 3 weeks. Do you have that much Autumn hols in Scotland?

They get 10 days never taken them out of school before but it’s the only time we can take off work that year. My backed up annual needs to be used and hubby will be away the only month we have is November 😩 We are also thinking it won’t be practical either unfortunately 

[firefly333]

On 7/21/2023 at 4:41 AM, Polition67 said:

Looking at 2024, We are considering 2 options (FYI we are from Scotland) 

- TA from Barcelona to FL then a week in Orlando and fly home. The big draw is one flight 😩 or

- Orlando for 2 weeks and a week on icon. 
 

We haven’t done a TA before and as they are a bit cheaper we could get connecting balconies one for us and one for the teenager but the prices on icon are so expensive I don’t see us getting 2. 
 

Thanks for any advice. 

Have you considered a few days on the beach in cocoa beach. It's a lovely beach. Then go to orlando. Cocoa beach is where the port hotels mainly are. Before Thanksgiving prices for hotels wouldnt be bad vs in the winter during season.

 

[SPacificbound]

Most definitely the TA!!  😃

[Etta1213]

On 7/21/2023 at 10:58 AM, Another_Critic said:

The TA is on Oasis, not Vision class.  There will be tons of options for a teen.

Also, some teens are avid readers, and/or physical fitness buffs. It really depends on the child.