My husband and I have never been on a large cruise ship. We want to take our 5 year old twin boys on a cruise over springbreak april of 2006. Our travel agent has recommended the Celebrity Millinium and the Royal Carribean Explorer ship.

Does anyone have any comments on what would be the best choice? My husband is a travel snob and likes the best so we were leaning towards the Celebrity. I have also had many people tell me with kids that young we should only consider Royal Carribean. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Lauren

Hi Lauren,

I would say, that RCCL has the better kids program. Celebrity also has some people for the kids club, but we have been on a cruise with the Zenith this year and they had only 3 kids, joining them.
It depends on the time, you want to cruise, how many children will be on board. They told me, that on some cruises they have 300 children on board. But during springbreak on the Explorer I would foretell, that there are more children as you can imagine. And you can´t compare the Explorer with other smaller ships.
And I think, that RCCL is even for a tavel snob as your husband a good choice. But it depends on the ship.
Okay, Celebrity´s Millenium is a better ship than the Zenith, but we have now booked two RCCL cruises, because we did not like the Zenith, but we loved Brilliance and Jewel.

Good luck with your decision.
Marita

2twins

If you husband is a travel snob then simply the best place for 5 year old are on the Disney Magic. I can't think of another cruise line that I have been on that offers free kids club till 1am which allows adults lots of time to enjoy the adult late night entertainment. In addition, you will find your kids never wish to leave the programs. But remember, you pay for what you get. Disney gets their price!

Hi Lauren,

With two 5 years old boys, during Spring Break, either ship you choose would be an excellent choice.

Celebrity primarily for adults. They do have children programs, so they will be fine and during Spring Break there will be alot of children on the ship.

Now if the children was a little older, then I would really stress Royal Caribbean. Explorer is a great ship and has alot to offer to adults, teens and children. Even a Travel Snob would enjoy this ship along with the remaining Voyager and Radiance Class ships. Although the ship has children's programs, at 5 years olds they will not get to much more then they would get on the Millinium.

Again, Explorer has alot to offer, but I think and I must stress I think, the children would have to be a little older to enjoy all the benefits the ship has to offer. But as a family I think you ALL would enjoy this ship. SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE EXPLORER. In addition, to regular theatre performances - the ship has a excellent ice-skating show. Along with alot more that Celebrity does not offer.

Although you never mentioned anything about Disney - I have to agree with the above arckac. That would be the best choice even with a travel snob.

DYG

I had mentioned the Magic only to counter her travel agents suggestion. I would be surpised if a travel agent would not make mention of the Disney ships. My son, now 8+, at this point prefers RCCL and, yes, club HAL on Holland America's Vista class ships.

Carnival or Royal Carribean. These 2 would be my choices if I were going with children. Tom

Im not sure Carnival is right for a travel snob. Good for kids, not mine as he puts it but I think other kids enjoy it! Still for 5 year olds I dont know how the Magic of Disney would not be a strong consideration choice. I consulted my 8 year old on this one! LOL

2twins, if you end up considering the Disney ships, please be aware that they do not have a casino. If that's important to you or your husband, take that into consideration.

Children's facilities are excellent on Disney and Royal Caribbean. I have to say, though, that 5 year olds will have a good time in any decent children's program geared to their age group. If your husband truly likes a "finer" vacation, you may want to think seriously about Celebrity. It's considered the more sophisticated, slightly more upscale sibling to Royal Caribbean.

Sandy

Good point about the Casinos. I dont even consider them as I work to hard to afford the cruise and find the casinos a waste of good public space. I know many enjoy them though. I prefer Holland America and my son swears by club hal over the Celebrity programs.

arc, I'm glad to hear your son likes Club HAL so much. Holland America has been trying for years to get away from the image that they're only for senior citizens. Putting in good children's programs certainly is a good way to do it.

Sandy

I believe there are two different HA's One that is the traditional HA and the new Vista. We will be sailing the Oosterdam in August to Alaska and my son is more thrilled with this than the two sooner upcomming cruises listed here.

Yes, RCCL!
I can recomend a 5 day cruise for the same time if you want? How long do you want?

Our friends went on a Disney cruise recently and can't stop talking about it. Free childcare until midnight, the cabins are spacious and classy, food is great (they said they were rotated between a different restaurant each night but with the same wait staff), plenty of activities for both child and adult. They have a 6 year old daughter, who actually preferred to be in playing with her friends, which freed up lots of time for Mom and Dad to spend together.

We are seriously considering taking our family in a couple years when our daughter is a bit older (child is 1). You might want to check out their website: http://www.disneycruise.com

Adrienne

I think the Disney recommendation is a great one. Your husband will be pleasantly suprised as those ships are top notch. I sent an older couple (who didn't have children) on the Magic a few years ago. The wife picked it out for the "fun" of Disney, and I was sure the hubby would hate it (bit of a travel snob himself). She couldn't get him off the boat! He still raves about the trip.

And the Magic either just came out of or is just finishing being in dry dock. They're adding on to the kid's club, redoing the spa areas, and if I'm not mistaken, adding a movie screen or something outside on one of the decks.

Hello,

I can't think of anything that would be more fun than going on a cruise with 5 year old twins! Though your husband may be a travel snob, try and make the whole trip an adventure, for the twins and get them involved in every aspect of the cruise. Celebrity cruises are more oriented toward older adults, not stuffy by any means but rather the ships are like fine European hotels. Accordingly, an RCL or Disney ship will be the better choice for you. I would select a cruise with the least likely hassles at airports/ flight times and so on.

Have a great time,

Fred

Yes the Disney ships are top notch, but of all the cruise lines I have been on, the food was the worst of the group.
Ask yourself whats important to you, food, type of passengers, activities etc. Because your kids at that age will enjoy any of the ships that have a good kids program.

Art

Travel snob? I thought I cornered the market on travel snobbery... This is all you need to do: get him on the ship and wait 24 hours. He will de-snob on his own. A key part of de-snobbery is not having to amuse two 5 year olds 24/7. In that vein I would pick the best CCL ship I could get. Travel snobs probably prefer smaller ships, so keep that in mind... Good luck- he will love it as long as it is family friendly and he can relax. I have watched incredible acts of de-snobbery... for example, my mother... so I'm sure you will have a great time.