Kids on Board!
 

My husband and I both professionals in our forties. We our planning our first cruise to the Carribean out of San Juan on the Destiny this summer. But I've read people take kids on Carnival alot and it's a "zoo." Should we consider RCCL or Holland America instead? I won't call the travel agent back till I hear from people out there!

My husband and I are in our mid 30's and feel the same way you do. We have been on 2 carvinal cruises (going on our 3rd this summer)and did not find too many kids. We saw a younger crowd, adults in their 20's. If you don't mind being with senior citizens, RCCL might work for you. My inlaws who are in their 60's went on RCCL. They told us most of the folks are older. Not sure Holland. Ask your TA. When you find out, please let me know. We are going on Carvinal because it goes where we want in June.

Dear G.<BR> Thanks for the info. Actually, I have several friends who sailed RCCL and didn't mention the age thing, they also are in their forties, were very happy with the cruises. I've heard all this negative stuff about Carnival so it's refreshing to hear that you're taking them again for the third time.

Hi Beckie,<BR><BR>The Destiny out of San Juan will have less children than a standard Caribbean sailing but still quite a few. On all mass market cruise lines (RCCL is included) there are lots of children since they are family cruise lines. There is also quite a few seniors.<BR><BR>Celebrity has less children and HAL even less. You see the price dictates the amount of families.<BR><BR>Carnival's age profile is about equal. It is not like walking into a school zone or a Saturday afternoon movie house.<BR><BR>I can tell you that if you do not like children you should sail HAL.<BR>But then again you will not find any Southern Caribbean sailings in the summer.<BR><BR>Good luck,<BR><BR>Paul

Hi Beckie<BR>I have been on 4 Royal Caribbean cruises as well as 2 Carnival and 4 other cruise lines. My husband and myself are in our mid forties and we enjoy Royal Caribbean much more than Carnival. The Carnival ships are quite lively, but children never seemed to be a problem. There are so many activities for them to occupy their time. We just returned Feb 17/02-Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas. We were a group of 20, ages ranging from 10 to 74 and I never heard one complaint. We feel a little more pampered on RCCL as compared to Carnival and I feel that RCCL draws a more upscale clientele. There was soooooo much to do if you wanted it and the ice show was great. We had friends cruise on the Destiny and they seemed disappointed (not their first cruise). Royal Caribbean is not all elderly people. I don't know where this person is getting their info. You will see a real mix, although many in their 30's and up. RCCL is a little more expensive so it doesn't draw as many young families. Hope this all helped. Since this is your first cruise and you have nothing to compare it to, you might think that the Destiny is great. Good luck with your choice.<BR>

Beckie,<BR> Please read some posts on ALL the ships that leave from San Juan. Evidently, they attract large families and groups from Puerto Rico which some have found to be a problem. It was my decision to take the Voyager instead of the Adventurer for this reason.

Recently returned from cruising the Destiny and am planning to cruise the Adventure in the near future.<BR><BR>The Destiny was fabulous and so were the ports.<BR><BR>Any ship sailing out of Puerto Rico has many Puerto Rican families aboard. I find the Puerto Rican children much better behaved than our American children. Hate to say this but they get spanked often.<BR><BR>The Puerto Ricans are very well dressed and I spoke to many. Majority are business people that do not wear K-Mart polyester and sweat pants.<BR><BR>The cruise lines have late-nite salsa dance/stage shows that are wonderful (very exciting). <BR><BR>Let me tell you, there are very few undesirables on the Destiny.<BR><BR>Since I have sailed RCCL Explorer and Voyager no one can tell me that there are less families and children on those two ships than on a Carnival ship. I found other RCCL ships to be dressier and more elegant than Carnival with a tad older passenger profile.<BR><BR>Paul<BR>