DougB

So, our first cruise was rccl, they had this magnificent chocolate lobby during one day. Had one toddler.

We've done 4 Carnival Cruises, the 3 and 4 days from Los Angeles to Ensenada, and once to Nassau and somewhere... maybe key west.

We like cruises, walking around on the boat, food is great, being able to relax and come back to the room that is cleaned and a little towel animal is made. Lots of fun.

Our kids are now 5 and 7. I've heard that the 7day cruises are 'so much more' than the smaller cruises, both in terms of boat size and activities. I've heard that Carnival is one of the better kids programs.

For me, money is sometimes an issue so I've been a bit 'cheap' on shore excursions.

But I'm ready. Planning my next vacation, for sometime in August. So far I've thought about an Orlando trip, an Alaska cruise, or Carribean.

Alaska sounds beautiful, with good wildlife and maybe some fun excursions for kids? But also sounds cold and wet in mid August. Carnival is very limited in availablility also.

In the Atlantic, the Western or Eastern Caribbean, I don't know enough about any of the ports. Also, the wife worries about the weather during that season. What is a good boat or what are some nice ports that have decent activities for 5 and 7 year olds?

Or, leave the kids on the boat during excursions? Is that pretty common to do? Save money, of course, but will the kids have more fun on excursions or on the boat?

The kids were absolutely fine on the 3 day ensenada cruise, without exiting the boat, but I'm really anxious to hear ideas for my (our) first 7day, how it might be different, and what can help me decide.

Thanks lots and bunches!
DougB

patandhank

Have you thought about Disney's line? You could do a combo Disneyworld trip and cruise. It gets great reviews for having both kids and adult stuff to do.

bonniejns

With your kids I'd pick Carnival or Royal Carinean and the Caribean. Both have very good kid's programs but don't think any ship runs them when in port. When in port there is nothing for the kids to do but the pool with you.
You can get a cab to any beach in any port - except Belize.
Weather is no problem at all. If there is a storm or hurricane the ships don't go where those would be. I have seen western Carib.ships in the Eastern Carib. to get away and the opposite from the Eastern Carib.
For an abundance of information go to cruisecritic.com . The most comprehensive cruise web site i have ever seen. Just check out their menu at the top of the page! Any question you can think of about cruising will be answered here!

Dayenu

We don't always go on tours offered by cruise lines, either buy on shore, or explore on our own. You don't have to buy a trip at every stop! Pick the itinerary where you'll feel safe (and we felt safe in Alaska) or maybe more sea days?

Eschew

For 2011, Disney will have a boat in Alaska. Be fore warm that shore excursions for Alaska is more pricy when comapre to Caribbean excursions. With children that age, they will enjoy the pool, the beach, anyting! So I wouldn't worry about spending too much money on shore excursion and sight seeing. Just spend the time on the beach and they will love it.

Caribbean offers some of the nicest beaches. Carnival now stops at the HAL private beach as well on most Western Caribbean itenaries. If you find them on a last minute sale off, they can be as cheap at $399 each for inside which is a bargin. If you live on the west cost, maybe a Mexican Riveria or the coastal LA to Vcancouevr when ships are re-positioned.

jenalr

I've cruised many times and a few of them have been 7 night cruises. 7 nights definitely does feel different than the 4 or 5 nights. The best 7 night cruise that we took was on the Carnival Legend. It was the "Exotic Western Caribbean" itinerary which took us to Roatan, Belize, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman. We actually missed Grand Cayman due to a hurricane that was in the Gulf. Even with the hurricane out there we did not have really rough seas. The excursions were reasonably priced and you could really do the excursions on your own - except for in Belize. Unless things have drastically changed it was strongly recommended that you take a ship sponsored shore excursion - and we did. It was great!

We are doing the 7 night Alaska cruise this upcoming June and the shore excursions are really a lot more pricey than the other cruises we've taken.

We've sailed Carnival and Norwegian. Carnival's kid's program is fabulous! Norwegian's is great - but one huge difference is - if you're in port and the kids don't want to get off the ship and see the city - you have to pay for "babysitting" whereas Carnival's (Camp Carnival) is open when in port and is free of charge.

My vote would be to take the Legend (or Valor - does the same itinerary) to the Western Caribbean.

Have you considered RCCL's (?) Canada/New England itinerary out of Boston, I think it is? OR RCCL has that gorgeous new ship Oasis of the Seas.

jacketwatch

tgry the southern Caribbean route. The CCL Destiny has been doing this route but check out the others. If you can get a RCI voyager class ship that would be great too. The nice thing about this route besides the nice ports it usually goes to is that you can do shore excursions w/ a provate tour guide and its very reasonable cost wise.

Eschew

jenair, the main reason why Alaskan excursion is more expensive than Caribbean excursions is the cost to operate the tours. In Alaska, you have tour opreators and guides making Americaan wages plus higher operating cost and tax. In the Caribbean, you have operators working on much lower wages and operating cost.

jenalr

Eschew - makes sense. I am also assuming that since their cruise season is shorter - they still need to bring in X amount per year in order to pay the ongoing expenses for running the business, even though it's only half of the year (if even?)?

Something else I thought of for DougB is the Carnival Victory out of San Juan. It does the Southern Caribbean and has a port every single day. I'm a balcony addict, but even on that cruise you'd probably be too tired for the balcony since you're off the ship every single day. Save money on the cabin and put that extra amount towards excursions and/or souvenirs!

Eschew

We've been on outside, balcony, suites but never been on an inside cabin yet. We always book outside and take whatever free upgarde they'll dangle. We've been lucky. Suite upgrades are hard to come by and we got one last trip. The people on the next cabin paid doubled what we paid.

For a port intensive cruise, save the money only if they price difference is great. You will notice that the differnece maybe only $100 for a 7 night Caribbean cruise. For the extra $100, you get teh extra space (balcony) and if you are a smoker, then your only personal smoking place. (That's why I don't like paying for Balcony, if you get a smoking neighbour, then you don't get to use it even if you pay for it. If I get it as a free upgrade, then it doesn't matter if I don't use it)