The Lollipop Road

Posts Tagged ‘cruise review’

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

In our reviews, we attempt to cover all aspects of the cruise in a fair, but candid manner, pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.  Each category will earn a Rating from A+ through F; our overall score will reflect a weighting of each category score.  Each review and rating is done from a families point of view, so if you are single or a couple traveling without kids, your priorities may differ. Now, on to the review.

I spoke to over a dozen families during this cruise and their comments and sentiments fairly reflected my observations and experiences.

Reservation/Documents

Rating:  A-

I reserved my 5-night Caribbean cruise through our normal online travel agency where I was able to take advantage of an onboard credit promotion.  I opted for an inside guarantee. Unfortunately, I ended up with a standard inside on Deck 8 about as far forward as you can get – a connecting stateroom nonetheless (more on that later). I suppose that is the risk of booking a guarantee.

The online check-in process was fairly easy and I opted to receive luggage tags via mail. I also chose to reserve one dining time in advance, which was an easy task.

Pier Check-in/Embarkation

Rating:  B+

I arrived at the terminal at 11:50 AM to be greeted with a very long line that stretched the length of the terminal building. I wasn’t checking luggage, so I quickly made my way to the back of the line. After about ten minutes, the line began moving and shade was a welcome shadow.

As the line made its way toward the entrance, we learned that there had been a power outage in the terminal that morning, which delayed the embarkation process. Once we were moving though, we were moving. The line split once inside and five security staff were checking documents. I made my way to the check-in line, which was surprisingly short, despite the flood of people who had been backed up.

The check-in moved quickly and I was directed on board. From the time I stepped out of the taxi until the time I stepped onto the ship, an hour had elapsed. Not bad for having had a power outage – kudos to the RCI check-in staff. Ten minutes later, I was in my cabin, with my luggage.

Accommodations

Cabin Rating:  C+     Cabin Service Rating:  A

As I explained, I had reserved a guarantee and was assigned a standard inside at the very forward of the ship. To make it worse, the cabin had a connecting door with another stateroom. I took the risk; however, given that Promenade cabins were available as well as dozens of other cabins, why did I get assigned this cabin while first-time cruisers were given glorious upgrades? A lesson to the folks reserving a guarantee, the outcome can be very good or very bad.

As I entered the cabin, I remembered exactly how small Royal Caribbean’s standard cabins actually are. At 158 square feet, this cabin is 20-30 square feet smaller than some of RCI’s competitors. Against the back wall was two twins that had been converted to a queen. There was a small nightstand on each side and not enough room to really walk on either side of the bed. The round mirror unfortunately didn’t help the room look wider.

To the left was a small closet and beyond that, a desk with drawers on each side, a mini-bar, television and safe. Across from the desk was a single chair and a coffee table. Next to the chair was the infamous connecting door (more on that later). Note that standard cabins in this category typically offer a love-seat sized sofa, but in cabins with a connection door, this becomes a single chair.

Across from the closet was the bathroom, and here is where I had to do the double-take. This cabin had the smallest bathroom that I have had in a cabin, well at least since the last time that I cruised on Royal Caribbean; I guess I had blocked it out. The shower is as small as it looks, although in all fairness, it does allow enough room to shower, but you’re not getting anything else done in there. The bathroom has a corner storage cabinet…and that’s it. One person at a time is all that you’ll fit in this bathroom.

The cabin was also equipped with a bulky television (with movies, Fox News, CNN, ESPN and various kid’s programming), desk telephone (not kid friendly), bar soap and shampoo (in a dispenser), a safe, mini-bar and a hairdryer. Storage was a bit tight for a 5 night cruise. The closet had shelves and the desk had six small usable draws. There was one other small cabinet above the television.

Unfortunately, the remote didn’t work properly, but I wasn’t watching television anyhow. One of the drawers was also crooked and hanging out, but I fixed it as best as it’s getting fixed. Other than that, everything else was in working order.

Now, for the connecting door. The problem was this – you could hear everything clearly through the door. Luckily my neighbors were very nice and not very loud. They went to bed early, woke up at a reasonable hour, never blasted the television and never talked like they were on their cell phone in the middle of a noisy bar. However, there is no privacy because of the design of the connecting door. This is a quad occupancy cabin, but I can’t even imagine sailing in this cabin with two adults and two children – there simply is not enough space.

The cabin steward was very professional, called me by my name and did the one thing that I asked of him and that was to keep the ice bucket full.. The cabin was always tidy, and clean. He never bothered me, even though my schedule may have been erratic. Overall, he was one of best cabin stewards I’ve had in a while.

Food/Dining Service

Food Rating:  B     Dining Service Rating:  B+

The selection at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner consisted of an extensive array of standard American cuisine as well as ethnic specialties. Each day there were several Indian and Stir-Fry entrees and sides as well as other special ethnic selections throughout the cruise. There were several stations, so there was always somewhere to get food without much of a line. They also offered grilled food inside, which did two things. One, the food was pre-cooked instead of freshly cooked, resulting in dry burgers that would sit in the tray for a while. Two, it added additional traffic to a crowded area and impeded traffic flow. Bad design and bad grilled food.

The drink selection was good – iced tea, lemonade and fruit punch. Although there are soda dispensers in the Windjammer Cafe, they are for passengers who have purchased the soda program. On the downside, the soft-serve ice cream station shut down when the Windjammer closed at 9:00 PM – disappointing. On the upside, Cafe Promenade offered sandwiches, pizza and light desserts 24 hours a day.

The seating at the buffet was adequate, most of the time, although on sea days, families were having a tough time finding a table. I did like the bar type seating. The downfall is that there is little outdoor table seating and it is not close by. The Windjammer Cafe could use a slight tweaking in the design.

Staying on that subject, the two specialty restaurants, Portofino and Chops are located at the entrance to the Windjammer. Surprisingly, noise didn’t filter into the restaurants, so I guess it was as good a place as any. Both offer a slightly upscale meal in a quiet, romantic environment.

I did dine in Chops and from that came two basic complaints. First, the waiter was very difficult to understand. That would be okay if he were the best waiter on the ship and was assigned there because of that. However, his service was no better than that of the waiters in the dining room, except I literally couldn’t understand a word he said, so I nodded a lot. Second, although the food was very good, the Rib Eye was tough and lacked flavor. I mean, this was tough to cut and chewy. I’m just saying, when you charge a $25 cover, I expect a prime selection of beef. I also asked the waiter to describe how the Alaskan Halibut was prepared. When he was done, I was uninspired to order it.

They also touted their Chocolate Mud Pie dessert as being simply the best. While it was very good, it was more like a piece of mouse cake than mud pie. Overall my dinner in Chops was somewhere between a regular dinner in the main dining room and a dinner at a fine dining restaurant. I probably wouldn’t pay the $25 again.

Royal Caribbean offers My Time Dining, which allows you to dine anytime you’d like. You can make reservations prior to sailing, on the ship or you can just show up and wait for a table. I did all of those, dining at various times and never had a wait.

The food in the dining room ranged from good to excellent, with the average being very good. Unfortunately, the one other time that I had beef, the prime rib, it was also tough and tasteless – perhaps this is a pattern. Breakfast and lunch is interesting, because there is a self-service aspect. At breakfast, you can fetch your own fruit, cereal and juice, while at lunch you can custom make a tossed salad, which was terrific.

Breakfast was a waste of time in the dining room. We had to serve ourselves half of our food, waited way too long for the rest (supposedly a backup in the omelet line) and there was less of a selection than at the buffet. This is a definite skip.

The service in all of the dining venues was very good. Although there was nobody to assist you with your plate at the buffet, the staff was friendly and very quick at clearing tables. Notice that I said plate – Royal Caribbean has removed trays from the Windjammer Cafe.

Overall, I have to say that the food selection was very good as was the overall food quality, although the beef was disappointing. The cover charges for the specialty restaurants, however, are not justified by the menu. I also had an issue with reservations. When I called in the morning, there was supposedly nothing until 9PM for the next day. Yet, when I called in the afternoon, I could have named my time and the restaurant was not full. Something just didn’t add up.

Room service (24 hours) was available and they did a very good job of delivering food hot and on-time. They even contact you in advance to notify you that they are coming in a few minutes – bravo! Also available until Midnight most evening is Johnny Rockets, a casual eatery serving burgers and the accompaniments, for a cover charge of $4.95 per person. Their delicious, rich and thick milkshakes are additional, but yummy. The unique experience also comes with entertainment every 30 minutes.

Activities/Entertainment

Rating:  B

I wish these categories were separate, because the activities were excellent, deserving of an “A”, but I can’t give the tired old entertainment anything more than a “C”. I know that I’ll get beaten for that last one, but please hear me out.

Royal Caribbean has been doing the same type of entertainment for over 20 years. While every other cruise line is looking to mix it up, Royal Caribbean continues to book the same dancing, singing, comedic magic type entertainers. You could have switched the three main shows on this cruise with three shows on my 1988 Sovereign of the Seas cruise and nobody would have known the difference. I know that people like the quality of the production and the variety of the music, but it just isn’t hip or “happening” and certainly is not family friendly. I believe that Royal Caribbean has realized this and is trying to implement a change with Oasis and Allure. Hopefully that change filters down into the rest of the fleet, soon.

Royal Caribbean has done a tremendous job at integrating family activities and it’s more than just a few. Each and every day, they offered family activities; and cool ones, not just lame stuff, like family bingo. Of course, the selection of adult activities is also excellent. The musical entertainment is diverse and there is something to appeal to every audience. I was also surprised that the movie selection included family favorites, like Alice in Wonderland and Shrek 4. Finally, the ice skating show, although geared more to an adult audience, certainly can hold the interest of kids for at least for about 20-30 minutes. A few tweaks and this could be a great family friendly production.

Overall, if Royal Caribbean could add a few family friendly productions to the evening lineup (such as the Dreamworks productions that are in the making), they would make a giant leap forward in consistently attracting younger families. While they would still not be at the level of Disney, they would take second place in family friendly activities and entertainment.

Onboard Amenities/Features

Rating:  B+

Sailing on board the Navigator of the Seas can be like playing in an amusement park. We love that Royal Caribbean devotes so much space to public areas. Rarely does the ship feel crowded or lacking activities, although the main pool area as well as the Windjammer Cafe can be bustling on sea days.

A rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, 9-hole miniature golf course, in-line skating track, deck sports (table tennis, basketball, shuffleboard and a kid only game deck), movie theater, Royal Promenade (boasting Ben & Jerry’s and a Cafe) and two main pools with wading areas round out the family friendly facilities. Johnny Rocket’s also provides a hip hangout for families and teens willing to pay the $4.95 cover charge.

What is missing from this ship is a pool area for younger kids. Unlike other Voyager Class ships, the Navigator of the Seas does not offer Adventure Beach, but rather has opted to utilize this space as a teen sun deck. During this cruise, that area saw more adult usage than teen usage. This makes the main pool area a bit more crowded during the day. Although there is ample lounge seating on all of the open deck areas combined, the immediate area around the pool has a peculiar layout.

The Solarium is not covered, but it does provide a quiet space with a small pool and two large whirlpools where adults can get away for some relaxation. The extensive fitness center also offers a hydrotherapy pool that is complimentary.

Overall, this ship is ideal for families with teens and tweens. For families with children under the age of 5, there are definitely better ship selections within the Royal Caribbean fleet (due to the lack of a kid’s pool or splash zone). For the families with children between 5 and 9, it is a toss up and will depend on your child’s specific interest and willingness to participate in the kid’s program without any parental transition time.

Adventure Ocean

Rating:  B-

Royal Caribbean’s kid’s program, better known as Adventure Ocean has many facets and is far reaching in terms of activities. The program is divided into 5 age groups, Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8), Voyagers (9-11) and two teen groups (12-14 and 15-17). On board the Voyager Class of ships, including Navigator of the Seas, you’ll find one large space broken up into two sections for the youngest groups. The tweens have their own space as well. The two teen groups then share two separate spaces, a lounge and a nightclub. On the Navigator, the aft sun deck is reserved for teens; however, on some Voyager class ships, this area is occupied by Adventure Beach, a play area with fun pools and slides.

Despite this being a relatively new ship, the teen spaces on Navigator are somewhat sparse and dated, as compared to the hip teen lounges found on many ships these days. There are computers and video game terminals for the Explorers and Voyagers, but not much else. The Aquanauts space is a little bit more fun with a mini-slide and cool play table. One of the unique features that I haven’t seen produced on any other cruise line is an outdoor game deck just for kids. There is also a huge video arcade, which is situated in the middle of all of these spaces.

Adventure Ocean requires that children be 3 years old to participate and all participants must be potty-trained. Parents are not allowed in the club area, so for those families with shy or apprehensive children, there will be no transition time allowed. We see this as a potential problem for some children that may result in them not participating at any time during the cruise.

From a security perspective, there are no gates, so in order to prevent kids from wandering out, they block off the exits with small stool-type seats, ropes or chains. All you will need to pick up your child is your cruise card. According to the youth counselor, once they know the parents, identification is not necessary. Unfortunately, these security controls are a bit reminiscent of what we experienced on NCL. We’d like to see Royal Caribbean update their spaces and at the same time improve the security process, which then might allow parents access to the club to transition their children.

Although there were 179 kids under 18 on the ship, program participation was slim and age groups were being combined. Again, countless family activities were scheduled (family golf tournament, family ice skating, family water balloon toss, family science fun, etc), but there was a lack of participation. I cannot determine if this was indicative of the program or the mix of passengers. They definitely get an “A” for effort; the staff was very courteous and professional. I love the fact that they also offer a lunch and dinner program on select days. Their extended hours, from 10:00 PM until 2:00 AM ($6/hr) are also helpful when you need a night out. Babysitting is available in-cabin for $12/hr.

For the youngest cruisers, there is the Royal Babies and Royal Tots programs that offer activities and play time during select hours each day (participation requires parent supervision). The quality and extent of this part of the program is one of the best in the industry, simply based upon the fact that counselors are dedicated to interacting with the parents and children. That leaves us even more puzzled and disappointed in the security and transitional issue that makes it difficult for some parents to make this program work for their kids.

Overall, Royal Caribbean gets dinged on the lack of transition as well as sparse kid and teen spaces that are a bit outdated. On the other hand, the youth staff was great and the level of activities provide this program with a great deal of promise.

Ports Of Call

Rating:  B+

This 5-night sailing called at Montego Bay, Jamaica and Labadee (RCI’s private island).  Labadee is a great stop for kids as there are tons of activities that have been added in the past few years. There is a small splash zone next to a small play area. There is also an aqua park with a water trampoline and several icebergs to climb as well as an alpine coaster that plunges down a 360 degree spiral at 30 MPH. For teens, you’ll find a 2,600 foot zipline that crosses over water from one end of the resort to the other. On the downside, the Artisian Market has exploded and is a bit out of control. For more information, read our full review of Labadee.

Our port call in Ocho Rios was changed to Montego Bay due to dock availability issues. We are not big fans of Jamaica, nor are many of the passengers that I spoke with. This could be a truly great itinerary if Royal Caribbean would add Grand Cayman or Key West in place of Jamaica.

Getting on and off the ship was pretty easy. In Labadee, security screening occurs on shore, making the line to get onto the ship flow more quickly. Overall, Royal Caribbean gets a thumbs-up on the improvements at Labadee, especially the new dock, which eliminates the need to tender.

Crew/Cleanliness

Crew Rating:  A     Cleanliness Rating:  A

I have rarely seen a friendlier crew or a cleaner ship. The crew was consistently upbeat and conversing with passengers. They were eager to please and until the last day, outgoing and polite. Why is it that on every cruise line that the last day seems to be the downward spiral of service and friendliness? I mean, if someone looks directly at you and greets you, should you not greet them back? Despite the questionable enthusiasm on departure day, I’ve still given them an “A”.

On cleanliness, there was always crew cleaning; my cabin was spotless and the buffet area was never cluttered with dirty dishes, except again, on departure morning. Despite the fact that the ship is 8 years old, it looks fresh and well maintained, with the exception of the kid’s and teen areas that could use a refresh of the décor.

Disembarkation

Rating:  B-

I think that the departure process may be a little chaotic, but I’m not sure if the problem lies with Royal Caribbean, customs or the port workers. Here are the facts: Departure groups are assigned colors as well as a specific departure time. Groups are assigned a lounge, but lots of people ignore that and go elsewhere. At 10:15 AM, there was a long line to enter the terminal upon disembarkation. There was a line to collect luggage. There was a line to clear customs. Lots of people were confused.

It just seems that at 10:15 AM, disembarkation should be nearly complete. Royal Caribbean is certainly flexible in its departure process as it allows passengers carrying their luggage to depart at their leisure. Perhaps it is the process in the terminal that causes the delay, compounded by the fact that the Navigator was the last ship to dock that morning. On the upside, not once was I harassed to leave my cabin or any public area during disembarkation. For the people having to claim luggage, this experience was likely not as good as mine.

Conclusion

The food was very good and the crew was excellent. The public facilities are not only ample, but also appeal to families. Families absolutely love the Royal Promenade, ice rink, rock climbing wall, mini-golf and adults-only Solarium.

On the downside, the cabins are smaller than that of Royal Caribbean’s competitors (other than NCL) and the evening entertainment consists of the same old (but good) variety type shows that lack family appeal. The real deal breaker for many families will be the lack of transition opportunities for Adventure Ocean, which likely has a direct impact on their participation levels. With no kid’s pool, the Navigator also poses a challenge for families with kids under the age of 3.

For the first time, we’ve split our rating by age group. Unfortunately, the lack of a kid’s pool area (specific in this case to the Navigator) and Adventure Ocean transitional issues warrant a slightly lower score for families traveling with kid’s under the age of 9.

Overall Rating:  B (B+ for families with Teens/Tweens)

Positive – Selection/quality of food, family friendly activities, excellent crew/service, generous public areas and family friendly facilities.

Negative –Lack of a kid’s pool, same old production shows and a lack of transition time for Adventure Ocean.

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

As our regular readers know, we’ve spent the better part of May sailing onboard the Carnival Sensation, Disney Wonder and Norwegian Jewel in search of the most family friendly cruise line.  Having sailed on 25 cruises before having kids, our perspective was just a bit different once we had little ones in tow.  Up until this point we had only sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas and Celebrity’s Mercury with the kids, so we thought it might be time to broaden our horizons and see which cruise line really provides the best cruise experience for families.

It was an interesting journey, but we discovered lots along the way.  We’ve exposed the good, the bad and the downright ugly for each of the three cruise lines in our competition and in the end have chosen the best cruise line (among Carnival, Disney and NCL) in several different categories.  Now, on to the awards!

Most Family Friendly Dining Experience

Disney Cruise Line

Disney does an amazing job of not only entertaining kids during mealtimes, but the staff is attentive and are always available to assist with whatever you may need.  Disney provides sophisticated upscale choices for parents and simple but tasty foods for kids.  An excellent experience all around!

Best Children’s Program

Disney Cruise Line’s Oceaneer Club/Lab

Disney knows how to entertain kids!  With extensive, well equipped play areas, a nursery and a dedicated space on Castaway Cay, Disney goes beyond any other cruise line in offering a complete experience for your kids.  Professional, well-trained counselors are focused on making your child’s experience comfortable, fun and something that they will always remember.

Most Family Friendly Shipboard Amenities

Carnival Cruise Line’s Waterworks™ and Mini-Golf

Carnival has made a concerted effort to appeal to families.  This is obvious in their recent additions onboard, replacing underutilized public spaces with fun areas that have broad family appeal.  The ship never felt crowded and there were plenty of play areas for the kids as well as the family.  Two thumbs up for Carnival’s investment in families.

Best Embarkation and Disembarkation Process

Disney Cruise Line

You might ask why this is even an award category – well, if you’ve ever waited in long lines with screaming kids, you understand.  Disney has taken its well-developed process that it uses on land and transformed that into the best embarkation and disembarkation process at sea.  They will zip you on and off the ship without so much as a blink…and when you’re waiting, you’ll be well entertained.

Most Family Friendly Staterooms

Disney Cruise Line

This is a tough category to award because we’ve never really found a perfect cabin over the course of 30 cruises.  However, when it comes to families, Disney has made larger rooms with sitting areas and bathtubs standard.  An inexpensive upgrade will get you a deluxe cabin (214SF) with split bath and porthole mirror.  Disney was able to make our family of four comfortable in an inside cabin – that is an accomplishment!

Most Family Friendly Entertainment

Disney Cruise Line

I suppose to most that Disney was the obvious winner in this category; however, NCL with its Nickelodeon themed programming came close.  At the end of the day, Disney won out though because of its quality of entertainment.  Thank you Disney for understanding that quality is better than quantity.

Family Value Award

Carnival Cruise Line

The Family Value Award recognizes a cruise line for its appeal to families while creating an affordable experience for all to enjoy.  Carnival Cruise Line has made significant strides in creating a family friendly atmosphere while keeping fares low.  When cost is a limiting factor, Carnival is the cruise line of choice for family friendly cruising.

Most Family Friendly Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line

Disney has done a tremendous job of perfecting its product on land and now at sea.  Providing superior food quality, service, entertainment and activities, Disney Cruise Line is not only for families, but also for adults who like to have fun.  Once you’ve cruised Disney, you too will discover the Disney Difference!

For more information, please read our full reviews of the Carnival Sensation, Disney Wonder and Norwegian Jewel.

If you have enjoyed our tips, tricks and reviews, you’re sure to love our book that will be coming out this fall.  Focused on cruising with kids, this publication will take what we’ve done this month and expand it to cover all of the major cruise lines with a ship by ship recap of family friendly amenities and even more tips for selecting, reserving and sailing on your next family cruise.

Oh, and be sure to be on the lookout for our reviews of Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas and Celebrity Mercury coming soon!  Bon Voyage!

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

In our reviews, we attempt to cover all aspects of the cruise in a fair, but candid manner, pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.  Each category will earn a Rating from A+ through F; our overall score will reflect a weighting of each category score.  Each review and rating is done from a families point of view, so if you are single or a couple traveling without kids, your priorities may differ.  At the conclusion of our Cruise Views Marathon, we will crown the most family friendly cruise line (only Carnival, Disney and NCL are being evaluated) in several categories and then overall.  At some later date, we will be posting reviews from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity that were not part of this event.  Now, on to the review.

Ever since our first child was born four years ago we’ve been on a quest to find the most family friendly cruise line.  Having sailed on 30 cruises, we had a few ideas of where to start, but it would be an interesting journey.  This was our 4 year-old’s fifth cruise and our 19 month old’s fourth cruise.  My wife and I had sailed on NCL many years ago and were extremely excited about the new Nickelodeon themed program.

We spoke to over a dozen families during this cruise and their comments and sentiments fairly reflected our experiences.

Reservation/Documents

Rating:  B-

We reserved our 7-night Bahamas cruise through our normal online travel agency where we were able to get a 10% reduction in the base price of the cruise fare.  We opted for a Category AF Mini-Suite with a specific cabin assignment.  Normally we would choose a guarantee, but because these suites are on Deck 11 (below the pool and Garden Cafe), choosing a cabin in the quiet part of the ship (below the Library) was important. After several price changes during the week we were trying to reserve, we finally were able to get our reservation locked, although at a higher price than originally quoted. The issue with NCL is that pricing can change several times during the day and there is little reasoning from a passengers perspective as to how and when pricing changes. This oddity made making this booking rather frustrating and resulted in a lower rating for their part in this ordeal.

The online check-in process was fairly easy. We received a booklet in the mail that included our luggage tags about 45 days prior to sailing. 

Pier Check-in/Embarkation

Rating:  B-

Getting to the pier in Manhattan is a bit of a challenge, even on a Saturday. Convenient parking is available on the top deck of the cruise terminal for $210 for a 7-night cruise. This is New York and the porters were a bit rough (we do not blame NCL). We finally made it inside the terminal around 12:15PM where we waited in line for about 30 minutes. There were several areas to check-in depending on your status and location on the ship. We were directed to a suite-only area that was as long as any other.

Once our turn arrived, we quickly understood why it was taking so long. A process that had taken us 3-4 minutes in Port Canaveral took us twice as long here. Why…I have no idea, but our agent seemed quite disorganized.

Embarkation was quick and we were able to drop our luggage a little after 1PM without being scolded. Although, alarms did sound when we opened the fire doors; there was no way we were waiting until 2PM!

Overall, when cruising from the New York area, we prefer to cruise from Cape Liberty in Bayonne as getting there, parking and checking in is much easier.

Accommodations

Cabin Rating:  B-     Cabin Service Rating:  A-

On this sailing we opted for a mini-suite due to its affordable price and our desire for a larger room where the kids could spread out for 7 nights.  The standard cabins on this ship are only 143 square feet, but our mini-suite was 285 square feet, including the balcony. The balconies are large enough to comfortably fit two chairs and a small table with extra room to walk around; I wish I could say the same about the interior of the cabin. With the beds together, there was about 18 inches between the bed and closet on one side, 18 inches between the bed and sofa on the other and about a foot or so in front of the bed (to the wall). After entering our cabin on the first evening, we quickly asked the cabin steward to convert the sofa from a bed back into the upright position as it was taking up the last bit of space in the cabin. The coffee table did tuck nicely away next to the bed, which allowed us free space between the sofa and desk area.

As a result of a larger bathroom, the hallway was long and without closet space. We later decided that this cabin was more narrow than those on other ships, but longer, which made it feel more confined. The bathroom was spacious (as shipboard baths go) with a tub and separate toilet areas with a sliding glass door (only part frosted). Unfortunately, there was only one sink, which made its functionality for multiple people limited.

The cabin was also equipped with a bulky television (with movies, limited Nick programming and a few cable channels), desk telephone (not kid friendly), basic toiletries (in dispensers), a safe, refrigerator and a hairdryer.  Storage was a bit tight for a 7 night cruise. There was a two door closet, four large draws (some too deep to be practical) and three small draws (in the desk). The remainder of the space was filled with life jackets. We ended up placing much of our clothes on the top shelf of the closet.

Having the balcony was a great bonus, especially when arriving and departing port. It also allowed plenty of natural light to enter the cabin, gave me a place to write at night and gave the kids an extra play space. Room darkening curtains kept the kids from waking when mom and dad were up at night.

There are only 3 cabin categories that are larger than the mini-suite, the Penthouse Suite (sleeps 5), Courtyard Villa (sleeps 5) and Garden Villa (sleeps 6+). I would not recommend sailing in a standard cabin with four people on the Jewel class of ships, although you may be able to squeeze into a balcony cabin (205 square feet).

Our cabin steward was extremely friendly and the kids loved him. His 30 years of experience showed in his interactions and flexible attitude. The cabin was always tidy, but there could have been a bit more cleaning of furniture and bathroom surfaces. Overall, he was the best crew member that we encountered throughout the cruise.

Food/Dining Service

Food Rating:  B     Dining Service Rating:  B-

The selection at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner consisted of an extensive array of standard American cuisine as well as ethnic specialties. Each day there were several Indian and Stir-Fry entrees and sides as well as other special ethnic selections throughout the cruise. You could visit the waffle station in the morning, pasta station during the day and pizza station anytime. They also offered several grilled food areas inside and on deck in addition to the frequent BBQ lunch buffet by the pool. Late night snack were basic and ice-cream shut off by 9:30PM or so. I did partake in the NCL Chocoholic Buffet, but desserts are not their specialty.

There is also a small Kids Cafe area at the entrance to the Garden Cafe. Featuring a kid friendly buffet and pint-sized seating, this was a great alternative for family lunches. Unlike the limited drink selection of water and iced tea elsewhere, the Kids Cafe also offered juices throughout the day. We also dined at the Great Outdoors on several occasions when it was nice outside and we needed to get away from the crowds. The buffet was more limited (and it was a hike from the main buffet), but it was quiet (except for the musical entertainment).

NCL offers Freestyle Dining, which allows you to dine anytime you’d like. You can make reservations (1 day in advance) or just show up and wait for a table. There are monitors throughout the ship alerting you as to the status of each restaurant. There are only four free dining areas on the ship – The Tsar’s Palace Restaurant (the nicest and largest dining room), Azura Restaurant (limited views and smaller), Blue Lagoon (small cafe style eatery with limited menu) and the Garden Cafe (buffet style). We sampled all of these during this cruise and found the food to be best in the dining room (especially dessert).

Here is where it goes downhill pretty fast – there are eight specialty restaurants, which take up precious space on this ship. With cover charges from $10-$25 per person, we expected the food and service to be something special…think again. While in port, there was a 2 for 1 special at several restaurants, so we decided to go to Mamas Italian Restaurant. Interestingly, the food that we ate there appeared or had appeared on the buffet during the week. The food was very good and were treated to special breads, but little else was special.

Overall, I have to say that the food selection was excellent and the overall food quality was very good with the exception of desserts. However, the fact that there are steep cover charges for 2/3 of the restaurants creates a higher expectation, which they did not meet, causing them to earn a slightly lower score.

The dining room service as well as the service at the buffet was fair at best most of the time. At the buffet, there was never anyone to help with your tray if you were struggling and the staff rarely kept the tables clean and clear. One day I even decided to bus our own table…needless to say, I still didn’t get a tip. In the dining room, the kids meals are served first only if requested. In the specialty restaurant, this was an impossible situation, which resulted in a rough mealtime experience for us and those around us. The first evening in the dining room, we waited almost 15 minutes for a high chair (after making two requests), our waiter could not find a kids menu and we waited so long for dinner that our 19 month old broke down and had to be removed for a nap. This, along with the experience in the specialty restaurant were the most trying – all on account of slow service.

Our conclusion is that NCL has a difficult time catering to kids in the dining room or in any dining venue for that matter. High chairs are never easy to find and getting one can take 3-15 minutes. Dining service was a frequent complaint from other families too. Capacity is also a significant problem. The Garden Cafe was often crowded and finding a table meant hiking a bit. There was rarely table space available on the pool deck. The lack of capacity in the complimentary restaurants also created a wait, even during periods that should be non-peak. These challenges take their toll on family dining.

Room service (24 hours) was supposedly available, but there was no sign of a menu or card in our room to order – again, we would spend enough time in the room to avoid the crowds, so we enjoyed getting out at mealtimes.

As a side note, we were advised from another passenger that they were often ignored by bar waiters when they had their soda program cups out. After a while they gave up and only had a total of 8 sodas (4 each) during the entire cruise, working out to about $12 per soda!

Activities/Entertainment

Rating:  B

So, NCL didn’t do a bad job with family friendly entertainment. In addition to the Nickelodeon program activities (we review this with the Kids Crew program), there were several shows that actually held the interest of kids. The best was Cirque Bijou, which was an acrobatic production with some dancing, music and interesting costumes. Unfortunately, they added a crew number to the end that really spoiled the continuity. They pretty much ignored the rule of leaving on a high note.

The comedic magic of Jean Pierre as well as the Second City Family Show was also entertaining for kids of most ages (more of a challenge for under 3). Of course, Slime Time Live was popular with all kids. So, we were able to attend about half of the shows – not a bad outcome.

NCL also worked at planning several family activities during the day. Family Pizza Making and Family Cake Decorating were abysmal activities run by an uninspired Kids Crew Staff, but the more engaging Family Charades, Family Dodgeball and Family Friendly Feud Game Show held more promise. We give NCL a kudos for the effort, but a thumbs down on the execution.

Overall, the entertainment and activities were more family friendly than the average mass market cruise line, but missed the mark on quality and execution.

Onboard Amenities/Features

Rating:  D

This is the most poorly designed cruise ship that I have been on since Royal Caribbean’s (stretched) Nordic Prince. Unfortunately there are four ships in this class, although the Gem and Pearl have a few more features than the Jade and Jewel. With over 2800 passengers on our sailing, there was little room to breath in most of the public areas. The Garden Cafe was always crowded, the pool deck was SRO (standing room only) during the day, the one usable lounge had permanently placed folding chairs for additional seating and the specialty restaurants, Shopping Galleria, outdoor sports courts and private deck areas ate up precious public space that could have been used much more wisely.

The length of half the ship on Deck 7 was open concept dining, bars and mini-lounges (Fyzz being the largest). Not only a bad design, but compound it with the fact that there is only one corridor (narrow) that spans that deck from the dining rooms to the theater (unless you want to walk outside). This area was an absolute nightmare in the evening.

Unfortunately, NCL has opted to create money making spaces over open public spaces. The result is a lack of places for kids to go and passengers to relax. Compounding the problem is the placement of the adult-only pool about 10 steps from the family pool. Of course, this is only about 10 steps from the tiny area containing the Splashdown Kids Pool and hot tub (saw plenty of kids with diapers/swimmers). The pool deck is not a fun place to be; however, the kiddie pool area did become a sanctuary ( if you can believe that) – it turned out to be the best public feature for kids on the ship!

There is a water slide, more shallow in rise than most other ships, which allows younger kids to enjoy the slide. NCL also allows adults to go down with their young children, which was great in getting our 4 year old comfortable with the slide. However, due to the shallow rise, unless you were wearing a bikini or non-resistant bathing suit, you would get stuck and had to struggle to push yourself down. Needless to say, the fun wore out quickly.

The only other features were a full basketball court with bleachers (rarely used), a golf driving cage (not kid friendly), a small video arcade and a few table games. The library did have a selection of children’s books and games, but hours were limited.

For mom and dad, there was a gym with treadmills, ellipticals and a couple of recumbent bikes, but the equipment was packed tightly together. Next door there was a spa, with some interesting offerings including Rasul and a VIP Thermal Suite Pass that included access to heated lounge chairs, indoor jacuzzi, hydro-therapy pool, Japanees plunge pool, sauna and steam ($99pp/$165cp). At the back of the ship on Deck 7 there was also the Galleria Shops that took up as much space as one of the main restaurants. Nearby were a very small internet cafe and art gallery.

NCL completely missed the mark with space allocation on this ship. You cannot enjoy Freestyle Cruising if there is nowhere to enjoy it! We would have given them an F, but for the Splashdown Kids Pool.

Kids Crew/Nickelodeon Program

Kids Crew Rating:  C- Nickelodeon Rating: B

A combined facility for kids aged 2-12, the Splashdown Kids Club located on Deck 12 had some cool features, but was inadequate for the number of kids and lack of counselors. Suffering from the same design problems as the rest of the ship, the club is split into sections – a main play area with padded jungle to climb through, an area with tables for activities, a movie room and then some transition space that adjoins the Teen Club Underground. Nearby is also a small video arcade.

The major problem with the Kids Crew program is the staff. Uninspired and downright rude at times, the staff seemed to be more interested in talking to each other than interacting with the kids. We also had several security concerns and the fact that they did not allow parents in the club at any time (even for transition) made us a bit apprehensive (especially in light of security concerns).

We opted to observe the chaos from afar and ultimately chose not to subject our son to the program. Instead, we focused on participating in the family activities and attending most of the Nickelodeon activities. But for those events, this cruise would have been a challenge for the kids.

There was also an Under 2 play area in one of the conference rooms by the Stardust Theater. Although another good try, the execution was poor. We visited 3 times, but mostly to meet other families as opposed to actually playing. You can read our full review here.

Overall, although we did enjoy the Nickelodeon activities, they were only a small part of the cruise. Given that the Kids Crew was not a viable option for us due to lack of a transition and security concerns, we wouldn’t purposely choose to cruise NCL just for the kids programs.

Ports Of Call

Rating:  C+

This 7-night sailing called at Port Canaveral, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island).  Nassau is a great stop for kids as there are tons of activities.  This time we went to the Pirate Museum (really geared toward kids aged 6-13). We have gone to Blue Lagoon Island in the past and highly recommend it! In Port Canaveral we rented a car and spent some time at the beach and Dinosaur Store. Because you don’t dock until Noon, venturing to one of the Disney area attractions can prove to be a bit much with younger kids. Great Stirrup Cay was very crowded and with little shade, we were forced to enjoy the water most of the day – that was okay with the kids. Overall, for a 7 night cruise, this itinerary is a bit uninspiring. If NCL removed Port Canaveral and added Freeport it would be a bit more exciting.

Getting on and off the ship was a bit of a challenge in Great Stirrup Cay. The staff on the tender were not helpful and failed to assist passengers on and off the tender, even when they obviously needed assistance. We found the security staff to be less friendly than on other cruises.

Crew/Cleanliness

Crew Rating:  B-     Cleanliness Rating:  A-

In general, most of the crew that we encountered were indifferent, but several did provide excellent service (at least as compared to their fellow crew). This was a common sentiment amongst the passengers that we spoke with. Of particular note, Iain, the Cruise Director and the Nick Program leader did a great job…unfortunately, they are mere individuals in the sea of indifference.

I did have a brief conversation with the Hotel Director who seemed very open to feedback. Unfortunately, his staff failed to follow up with me, resulting in him chasing me down the gangway during disembarkation. He apologized for the mishap and offered to refund a portion of our service charges. I in turn promised to send an e-mail outlining our concerns.

Update – I sent a two-page e-mail within a week of our return detailing the issues that we encountered with specific examples.  As of August 2, 2010 the Hotel Director has yet to respond nor has NCL Public Relations made any attempt to contact me.  NCL did comp our onboard account charges (approx $400).  Such action on their part did not impact our review.

We found the ship to be clean and sanitary.  However, there were dirty dishes, that would pile up on tables regularly. The only area that could use a bit of refreshing in the pool area.

Disembarkation

Rating:  C-

The disembarkation process was the worst we’ve ever seen. NCL utilizes the traditional process of colored baggage tags and they call groups at certain intervals. This is New York, so disembarkation started a bit late, but those passengers walking off with their luggage (highly recommended here) had it the easiest. Once colored tags began being called, it was chaos. We queued up after the first two colors (before we were called) and we stood in line for almost 45 minutes due to congestion in the terminal. We attribute the chaos to an antiquated process, NCLs inability to process passengers in an organized fashion and the NYC porters and immigration staff. We didn’t get to our vehicle (parked above the terminal) until almost 11AM!

When sailing from the Manhattan terminal, always reserve later flights. Also, for those taking the bus, there is no rush to get off the ship as buses depart after Noon.

Conclusion

Overall Rating:  C+

Positive – Selection/quality of food, Nickelodeon program, family friendly entertainment.

Negative –Lack of public space, mediocre dining service, kids program concerns, compact cabins, NYC departure/arrival issues, inadequate pool area.

For those families wishing to sail on the Norwegian Epic (ie the other Nickelodeon ship), there is an excellent candid and comprehensive ship review to get you started.

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

In our reviews, we will attempt to cover all aspects of the cruise in a fair, but candid manner, pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.  Each category will earn a Rating from A+ through F; our overall score will reflect a weighting of each category score.  Each review and rating is done from a families point of view, so if you are single or a couple traveling without kids, your priorities may differ.  At the conclusion of our Cruise Views Marathon, we will crown the most family friendly cruise line (only Carnival, Disney and NCL are being evaluated) in several categories and then overall.  At some later date, we will be posting reviews from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity that were not part of this event.  Now, on to the review.

Ever since our first child was born four years ago we’ve been on a quest to find the most family friendly cruise line.  Having sailed on 30 cruises (as of next week), we had a few ideas of where to start, but it would be an interesting journey.  This was our 4 year-old’s fourth cruise and our 19 month old’s third cruise.  None of us had sailed with Disney Cruise Line before, so we didn’t really know what to expect.

We’ve talked to lots of folks who have sailed on Disney before and their sentiment seems to be that DCL has gotten better with time.  With a new ship coming out next year, perhaps they’re right…Disney has perfected their model and is ready to expand.

Reservation/Documents

Rating:  A-

We reserved our 3-night Bahamas cruise through our normal online travel agency where we were able to get a $150 onboard credit as an incentive for booking.  We opted for a Category 12 – Inside Guarantee, which netted us an upgrade to Category 10 (cabin 2043  - a deluxe inside with split bath).  There were never any price reductions (we understand that Disney cruises only get more expensive as time passes – unless you live in Florida).  Our total cruise fare after discounts for a family of four was about $1,500.  If we had booked more than 4 months in advance, we could have saved a few hundred dollars.

The online check-in process is a bit cumbersome, as you have to login and enter your reservation number each time you visit and the layout was a bit disjointed.  We were able to register our kids for the kids programs, make babysitting reservations in the nursery and print all necessary documents prior to sailing.  We received a booklet in the mail that included our luggage tags about 30 days prior to sailing. 

Pier Check-in/Embarkation

Rating:  A

We were coming from the Carnival Sensation, so we took a taxi across the port to the Disney Wonder (it took all of 3 minutes).  We arrived at the terminal around 9:30AM; passengers were still disembarking.  That gave us a chance to speak with several families who were able to give us lots of great tips.  The landside staff then directed us to the proper location to wait for the porters to open the gates to start loading the luggage.  Luckily, around 10AM, a DCL staff member let us pass our luggage over the locked gate so that we could head into the terminal.  Once again, we gave him a small tip to make sure our luggage got where it was supposed to go (it arrived in our cabin around 2PM).

We were the first to get through security shortly after 10AM.  If you are a past passenger or booked in a suite, you can use a special dedicated line to check-in, which is a bit faster as the agents started checking in those passengers early.  The dedicated Disney Cruise Line terminal was huge and designed to entertain families.  There was plenty of comfortable seating, televisions playing cartoons and a model replica of the cruise ship.  All of these extras meant that waiting to board wouldn’t be difficult as the kids would be well entertained.  Oh, and of course, Mickey and Minnie showed up on cue around 11AM for photos.

It began to get a bit crowded around 10:30AM as we were checking in and by 11AM, there was little seating left.  Disney uses boarding groups to board, so the earlier you arrive, the lower the number you’ll receive.  After checking in, you can make your way to the Oceaneer Club/Lab registration area to pick-up your child’s bracelet and your pager.  If you didn’t pre-register online, you’ll have the opportunity to register here.

Boarding began around Noon and along with the 50 or so other passengers in our boarding group, we were onboard in no time.  As you board, the host or hostess will announce your family over the mic.  The young lady announcing us must have lots of practice because for once our name was pronounced correctly.

There is no option to divert to your cabin as they shuttle you to Parrott Cay or up to the Beach Blanket Buffet for lunch.  No worries, my scolding would come soon enough.

Accommodations

Cabin Rating:  B+     Cabin Service Rating:  B

On this sailing we opted for an inside cabin so that we could honestly review what it is like to sail in an inside cabin with kids (not to mention that it was a lot cheaper).  Disney’s standard cabins measure about 184 square feet, which allows for a queen-sized bed (or two twins), a desk, closet space, a small sofa, coffee table (that raises and lowers) and a rather large bathroom with bathtub.  Our deluxe room was a bit larger at 214 square feet.  In addition to having a slightly different configuration (and a steamer trunk for storage), it had a split bath (one with toilet and sink and one with tub and sink).

Each bathroom was small and we think that we may have preferred a single larger bathroom.  The cabin was also equipped with a small flat panel television (with tons of family friendly movies and cartoons), desk telephone (not kid friendly), basic toiletries, a safe, cooling box (ie refrigerator) and a hairdryer.  There is also a wall mirror in the deluxe inside cabins, which makes the cabin feel less confined.  There was more than adequate storage space for a 3-night cruise.

I do have to say at this point that the lack of natural light did cause us to sleep late each day.  If we were to sail again, we would either book an outside cabin or bring a natural light alarm clock.

All cabins on this ship are considered family friendly as every stateroom can accommodate at least 3 guests.  You’ll find the “secret porthole” cabins (priced as inside, but really obstructed view outside), deluxe verandah cabins (some with enclosed “navigator” balconies), a deluxe family verandah (sleeps 5 and a bit larger at 304SF), and mega suites that can accommodate up to 7 guests.  If you want to sail in a special cabin or a suite, you will need to reserve far in advance, as they are very popular.

Cabin service was a bit of a disappointment during our cruise.  Our cabin steward kept the room clean, however, he never seemed to clean at any predictable time.  He also scolded me on the first day for dropping off luggage before the 1:30PM “cabin availability” time (hey, I couldn’t lug around two kids, a stroller and 5 bags of varying sizes anymore) and hounded us on the last night about getting our luggage out (we easily made it before the 11PM deadline).  This was in stark contrast to our Carnival stewards accommodating attitude.

Food/Dining Service

Food Rating:  A-     Dining Service Rating:  A

The selection at the buffet for breakfast and lunch consisted of quality entrees, sides and desserts that catered to both adults and kids.  As a matter of fact, there was a special kids side to the buffet (that didn’t stop me from eating the goodies).  There was also Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, Pluto’s Dog House (a grill area that serves a half-dozen items like burgers, hot dogs and chicken) and Goofy’s Galley (deli and ice cream).  Goofy’s, Pinocchio’s and Pluto’s were all open in the evening for a fast-food dinner and sometimes a late night snack.  The selection was limited (especially the salad selection), however, the quality was excellent; the dessert selection was extensive and very good.  Another perk is that Disney offers free soda 24 hours a day, something that you would pay for on other cruise lines.

Disney offers two fixed seating dining choices (5:45PM and 8:15PM) and incorporates dining room rotation.  We chose the 5:45PM seating as we have young children; these families are assigned an APT rotation and your wait staff rotates with you, which is terrific.  The menu in both Animator’s Pallet (a modern restaurant that changes colors) and Parrott Cay (a Caribbean themed restaurant) yielded several delicious meals for everyone at our table.  However, the menu at Tritons (French themed and upscale) was a bit more limited, so I reluctantly chose beef for a third night in a row as the rest of the entrée choices were not appetizing to me.  Unfortunately, the beef wasn’t on par with earlier meals.  Other than this particular meal and a few so-so items from the buffet, the food was excellent.

The dining room service as well as the service at the buffet was also excellent.  At the buffet, there was always someone to help with your tray if you were struggling and the staff kept the tables clean and clear at all times.  In the dining room, the kids meals are served first, so kids aren’t kept waiting.  This is the first time in months that we actually got our 19 month old to sit in a high chair.  Of course, having another family with a child similar in age at our table also helped to keep everyone entertained.  Just before dessert, there was also a short bit of entertainment from the dining room staff that the kids really loved.  I’d say that Disney definitely gets it right when it comes to feeding and serving families.

Room service (24 hours) offers a basic continental breakfast, sandwiches, salads, pizza and desserts.  In addition, late night snacks were also available in Route 66, except on Pirate Night when there was a buffet on deck.  The Pirates in the Caribbean buffet was just so-so, although there were some interesting items, such as the giant turkey legs!  There was also a dessert buffet, which was a bit disappointing; the desserts were not as good as those served at other times during the cruise.

Overall – a very enjoyable dining experience.

Activities/Entertainment

Rating:  A-

Okay, so here is where Disney really pulls ahead of the competition.  Somehow, Disney has managed to create activities and entertainment that is not only appealing to kids, but also adults.  Throughout the cruise, there were many family oriented activities that you could participate in together.  Our favorite was the family dance night, but there was also crab racing, Wii tournaments, frisbee making, family friendly trivia, family bingo, family karaoke and don’t forget “Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer?”.  This is in addition to a parent’s ability to participate in Oceaneer Club/Lab activities as well (discussed later).

Now, we’ve been to a family disco night before on another cruise line where the music was blaring and there was nothing fun about it.  On Disney, there was a singer who interacted with the kids and parents, the music was fun and upbeat and everyone was having a blast!  I’ll call this the Disney Difference (DD for short).

As far as evening entertainment, the first night was The Golden Mickey’s.  Admittedly, this production was a mix of Disney movies meets a typical cruise line song and dance production.  My 19 month old fell asleep, my wife and 4 year-old had ditched to go to the Oceaneer Lab and I bailed early because it was getting a bit boring and I was exhausted.  If it was only this show and the rest were just like it, I’d feel differently, however, the next two productions, Toy Story: The Musical and Disney Dreams managed to entertain the entire family.  On the four cruises we’ve been on with our kids, this is the first time we actually got through more than 5 minutes of a show, never mind the entire show.  Once again, it’s the DD.

This is on top of the Disney character appearances throughout the cruise.  There must have been at least 20 opportunities each day and there was always a line.  If you bring an autographs book, you can get them to sign along with taking a picture.  Don’t want to wait, no bother, drop off a white pillowcase, t-shirt or other item at the Guest Information desk and they will return it to your room signed by All-Stars, Princesses or both (limit one item per person).

Oh, and did I mention the fireworks display at sea?  Let me say it again – the DD.

Onboard Amenities/Features

Rating:  B+

Built in 1999, the Disney Wonder is probably due for a little expansion and renovation.  There are lots of great family spaces onboard, however, Mickey’s Splash Zone is too small to serve the number of children that cruise.  Equipped with a 3FT by 12FT (approx) water fountain “splash area” for those still in diapers, Mickey’s Slide (min 38” to participate) and a shallow one foot deep (I figure a bit more, but I didn’t measure) wading pool with “hot tubs” for kids, this is the center of the action.  This areas was packed every day, so I cannot imagine what it would be like during school holiday, so please take heed that overcrowding may e a serious problem during peak periods.

About 30 steps away is Goofy’s (Family) Pool, which can accommodate all ages (so long as they are potty trained).  With two hot tubs, this area was also hopping, but not as much as the Splash Zone.  There is also a gigantic aerial television above the pool area that shows movies throughout the day and night, so this is a great place for your tweens to hang out.

Take another 30 steps and you’ll find yourself in the Quiet Cove Pool area.  Boasting two hot tubs, a large pool, cozy loungers and shaded tables for hanging out, this is an oasis for childless adults.  We were able to get an hour to ourselves and this was our destination; we enjoyed every last moment.

For the entire family, there is also a large video arcade (best for tweens and teens), Diversions sports pub (over 18 only after 9PM) where you can watch sporting events during the day and deck sports such as basketball, ping-pong and shuffleboard.  There is no mini-golf course.

For mom and dad, there are several shops with the usual trinkets (Mickey’s Mates is geared toward kids), art gallery, a spa, gym and several adult only entertainment areas, such as Cadillacs (night club) and the Cove Cafe.

Overall, Disney has done a great job of putting together a ship full of popular amenities for families and they have done a great job of carving out quiet and secluded areas for adults as well.  However, the limited space at Mickey’s Pool is a concern.

Oceaneer Club/Lab

Rating:  A

Disney has undoubtedly worked on perfecting their kids program over the last ten years to get it the way it is today.  From 9AM until Midnight (or later), the youth staff has cool activities to keep the kids busy at all times.  Honestly, the clubs themselves are so cool, that I’m not sure they even need activities!  Read more about the programs.  They even offer the programs on the island at Castaway Cay!

Really, the best part is that Disney has disbanded the notion of age groups.  This allows younger kids to participate in Oceaneer Lab activities and older kids to participate in Oceaneer Club activities (although that is less common).  The upside is that two siblings who would normally be separated can now play together.  From what we’ve seen, it is working very well and was a smart move…should we say…another DD.

Another great feature of the program is that parents can participate in the activities or just hang around in the club while their child plays.  This is ideal if you have a shy or uneasy child who isn’t comfortable staying there alone.  You are also allowed to bring children under the age of 3 into the clubs so long as you stay to supervise.  Okay, this is a huge DD!

Don’t forget the Flounder’s Reef Nursery, where you can drop your infant or toddler for babysitting or play time.  You do need to reserve in advance and there is a fee ($6/hr), but it may be well worth it.  We were able to leave our 19 month-old twice, each time for an hour.

Security and safety was very good and we were very impressed with the youth staff overall.  They went out of their way to make kids feel comfortable and always had a great attitude and were very flexible.  Thanks to them, we were able to leave our 4 year-old for over an hour and sneak away to the Quiet Cove Pool.  He would have stayed longer – the counselors were great.

There were parents onboard who were not successful in getting their kids to participate in the program alone.  However, this is where Disney differs – on any other cruise line, the kids would be out of luck, as adults are not allowed.  On Disney, adults can participate as long as they wish with their child. While not ideal for adult alone time, it does keep your child entertained.  We loved being able to make Flubber and chocolate chip cookies!  Chocolate…Chocolate…Chocolate…chip…chip…chip.

Ports Of Call

Rating:  B

This 3-night sailing called at Nassau and Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island).  These  are two great stops for kids.  In Nassau, we stayed on ship to enjoy the pool and activities as did many other families.  We did venture out to Castaway Cay and found it to be a bit crowded.  You can read our article on Castaway Cay for a full review.  Stay tuned for articles on Nassau Excursions and Blue Lagoon Island coming up next week.

Getting on and off the ship was easy, there were no lines and the security staff was fast, efficient and pleasant.

Crew/Cleanliness

Crew Rating:  B+     Cleanliness Rating:  A-

In general, most of the crew that we encountered were friendly and many provided excellent service.  The only exception was our cabin steward who was a bit inflexible and inconsistent.  We always felt welcomed at Guest Information and the youth staff always gave 110%.

We found the ship to be very clean and sanitary.  There were no dirty dishes, food or other trash collecting in public areas and the ship overall was well maintained.  Some of the areas are becoming a little worn (pool area), but everything else was in tiptop shape.

Disembarkation

Rating:  A+

The disembarkation process was the best we’ve ever seen.  Although we thought it a bit inflexible at first, we understand the reasoning behind their method.  They strongly encourage you to eat breakfast in the dining room (only limited food available elsewhere) at your required time.  This is determined according to your rotation.  We ate last in Triton, so we would eat in Triton for breakfast on the last day at 7AM.  Times were staggered, so breakfast started at 6:30 in AP, 6:45 in PC and 7:00 in Triton.  Second seating was staggered 7:45, 8:00 and 8:15.  This worked out amazingly well.  After breakfast, we grabbed our bags from the room (don’t bring them with you if you have young kids – just put them out of the way of your cabin steward and collect them later) then headed off the ship.  There was nobody in line and getting our bags was a breeze.  A friendly porter met us at the elevator, whisked us through customs and into line to wait for the Budget shuttle.

I’ll say it one last time…what a DD!

Conclusion

Overall Rating:  A-

Positive – Spacious family friendly cabins, excellent food and service, extensive kids facilities and activities, family friendly evening entertainment, spacious adult-only areas.

Negative –Small Splash Zone area, inadequate beach chairs/space on Castaway Cay, inflexibility from our cabin steward, price.

Note:  Disney Wonder would have received an Overall Rating of “A” but for an inadequate amount of space at Mickey’s Pool and Splash Zone.  We understand that they have addressed this when designing the Disney Dream (debuting in 2011).

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

If you enjoyed these photos and would like to see more, visit Photo Friday at Deliciousbaby.

Disclosure

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

In our reviews, we will attempt to cover all aspects of the cruise in a fair, but candid manner, pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly.  Each category will earn a Rating from A+ through F; our overall score will reflect a weighting of each category score.  Each review and rating is done from a families point of view, so if you are single or a couple traveling without kids, your priorities may differ.  At the conclusion of our Cruise Views Marathon, we will crown the most family friendly cruise line (only Carnival, Disney and NCL are being evaluated) in several categories and then overall.  At some later date, we will be posting reviews from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity that were not part of this event.  Now, on to the review.

Ever since our first child was born four years ago we’ve been on a quest to find the most family friendly cruise line.  Having sailed on 30 cruises (as of next week), we had a few ideas of where to start, but it would be an interesting journey.  This was our 4 year-old’s fourth cruise and our 19 month old’s second cruise.  Only I had sailed on Carnival before and that was over 20 years ago, so we didn’t really know what to expect.

At one time, Carnival Cruise Line was branded as the Fun Ships.  Known for its young crowd and party atmosphere, it earned a reputation that lived up to its branding.  Well, all of that has changed.  Carnival, like much of the industry has begun to target families, which can be seen in its new slogan – Fun For All. All For Fun.

Reservation/Documents

Rating:  A

We reserved our 4-night Bahamas cruise through our normal online travel agency where we were able to get a 10% discount off of the base cruise fare.  We opted for an Outside Guarantee, which netted us an upgrade to category 6B (cabin M57  - convenient to the elevators).  We took advantage of one price guarantee, which reduced our total cost by $30.  Our total cruise fare after discounts for a family of four was just over $1,000.

The online check-in process went smoothly and we were able to print all necessary documents (ie Fun Pass and luggage tags) prior to sailing.  If you print luggage tags on a standard printer, they will need to be taped of stapled to your bag, but wait until you get to the pier as the porters have staplers and will complete that task for you. 

Pier Check-in/Embarkation

Rating:  B

We arrived a day early and rented a car from Budget, which has an office just a few miles from the port.  We were dropped off at the terminal around 11:30AM where the porters checked our three bags and pointed us in the direction of the terminal building a couple of hundred feet away.  Although there are signs stating that the porters are salaried and tips are not required, if you want to see your luggage on the ship, I would tip them a dollar a bag. Besides, they did help us to staple our luggage tags onto the bags.

There was a line stretching outside of the terminal building to get through security.  If you are a VIP or past passenger, you can use a special dedicated line, which is quite a bit faster.  Shore side cruise line staff will check your ID prior to the actual security check.  We were surprised to learn that the kind PR rep that we had been dealing with had placed our names on the VIP list, which would entitle us to a speedy private check-in upstairs…this was a great start.

Going through security was much like going through airport security – you know the drill.  When we arrived into the terminal building, it was not busy as boarding had commenced.  As part of VIP check-in we were ushered into a small room where we received personal attention.  Once we were done, we would be escorted to the ship.  This is where the service that we would see from Carnival started to go downhill.

It was getting a bit crowded at the VIP desk, so we were asked to wait on the side for our escort.  Unfortunately, a very rude and miserable employee began harassing us because she thought we should be somewhere else.  She proceeded to get into an argument with another employee (who had previously helped us); finally, they sorted it out and we were on our way.  There was no line, so VIP boarding was useless at that point.  Boarding was fast and we were able to sneak down to our cabin to drop our bags without being scolded.

Accommodations

Cabin Rating:  B-     Cabin Service Rating:  A+

On this sailing we opted for an outside cabin so that we could enjoy the natural light and sea views.  Carnival’s standard cabins measure about 180 square feet, which allows for a queen-sized bed (or two twins), a desk, closet space, a chair, end table and a rather large bathroom (by cruise ship standards).  We had two pull down berths to accommodate four people.  Although the size of the room was acceptable for a family of four when the berths were up, once they were lowered, the room became claustrophobic.

The bathroom was roomy and had plenty of space for two people, which is unusual on a cruise ship.  The cabin was also equipped with a small flat panel television, wall mounted telephone, ample toiletries (including toothpaste and razors) and a safe.  Noticeably missing was a hair dryer.  There was adequate storage space for a 4-night cruise.

I had the opportunity to tour other cabins throughout the ship.  Unfortunately, the Verandah cabins are not much larger (other than having a verandah – try U230 or U243).  The largest suite, the Grand Suite is approximately 300 square feet and provides a large sitting area with a balcony (8 have extended balconies), which would provide ample space for a family.  Overall, Carnival’s cabin sizes are generous, however, configuration is a bit challenging in quad cabins and there aren’t an abundance of larger cabins onboard, which does make it a bit more difficult for families.

Cabin service was excellent during our cruise.  Our cabin steward kept the room clean, never bothered us to leave the cabin and left a cool towel animal every night.  He also helped us with a couple of special requests without hesitation.  One of the best experiences we’ve had.

Food/Dining Service

Food Rating:  C-     Dining Service Rating:  B-

The lunch buffet on the first day of the cruise was probably the best meal that we had the entire cruise; there was a good variety and the quality was very good.  However, it went downhill from there.  The selection at the buffet for breakfast, lunch and especially dinner was limited to about a dozen items.  The upside was that they always had a very good salad bar and deli and pizza (24 hours) were available during meal times.  There was also a grill outside where the traditional fare was available in addition to some Mongolian specialties.

Topping off the buffet was ice cream and frozen yogurt that was also available 24 hours a day.  Unfortunately, the other dessert selections were cheap and predictable, with few exceptions.  Having said that, we always found something that the kids would eat, as there was a selection of 7-8 pizza choices, calzones and several hot sandwiches available most of the time.

The dining room menu was hit or miss.  There is a separate kids menu with the usual fare, but our kids ate from the regular menu every evening.  On one evening I enjoyed some amazing melt in your mouth spare ribs, but the corn and french fries that they were served with were soggy and in the case of the corn, inedible.  On another night, I left dinner after eating only half of my prime rib, because it was stringy and tasteless.  Don’t get me wrong, there were several items that we enjoyed (the kids loved their pasta and the lasagna was one of the best that I’ve ever had), but overall, the quality of the food was not what we had experienced on other cruise lines.

We participated in Your Time Dining, which was a great enhancement to Carnival’s offerings.  We got to dine between 5:45PM and 9:30PM every evening in the same dining room with the same servers, but we could arrive at any time.  With a busy itinerary and young kids, this made a great deal of sense as getting the entire family ready for dinner at a specific time is challenging.  I highly recommend this option if you have young kids.

Room service, which offers a basic continental breakfast, sandwiches and desserts during the day, is also available.  Overall, we always found something to eat that we enjoyed, however, it was a challenge on occasion.

We were also a bit disappointed in the service.  Regardless of how much we struggled at the buffet, there was never any server that offered to help us.  In the dining room, although the staff was mostly friendly, we received incorrect food on occasion and had a server argue that what he had brought was whipped cream when it was clearly cream cheese…the Maitre’d finally straightened that one out.

Having been on 10 cruise lines and over 20 different ships, we tend to be opinionated when it comes to food.  However, if you asked the kids, they wouldn’t know the difference, so you have to decide how important food quality is to you.  Note – there is no specialty restaurant on the Sensation; however, there is a Sushi bar and Joe’s Cafe (where you can get a milkshake and pastries).

Activities/Entertainment

Rating:  B-

There is only one sea day, so activities during the day are limited while in port.  Although Carnival has begun to cater more to families in many ways, activities and entertainment (outside of the kids programs) is not really one of those ways; most of the daily activities remain geared toward adults.  Although not billed as “family” activities, there are a limited number of activities that may appeal to families, especially families with teenagers.  Towel folding, karaoke, sports trivia, cartoon trivia and pool games, along with the bean bag toss, mini-golf tournament and ping pong tournament are just a few that might hold your their interest.

We tried to pick out a few family friendly entertainment venues, but unfortunately, most of Carnival’s evening entertainment is geared toward adults.  There was a magician and juggler one evening, but it was scheduled at 10:15PM, past the bedtime of any child who might be interested.  The remaining evening shows were typical cruise line song and dance productions – sure to put you’re kids to sleep.

Remember, our ratings are based upon a family’s perspective.  Ship amenities and non-scheduled activities are covered below.

Onboard Amenities/Features

Rating:  A

Refurbished in 2009, the Sensation sports many new features that are also being rolled out throughout the Fantasy Class fleet of ships.  The best and most amazing of these is Carnival Waterworks™.  Situated up on Verandah Deck (11), this play area is really geared toward the entire family.  With two parallel deck-high slides and a winding (partially enclosed) water slide stretching two-deck high, this was the most popular feature for our kids (and us, truth be told).  Kids must be 42″ to ride the slides and they do enforce that requirement.  Our 4 year-old was 1/2 inch short and they wouldn’t let him go…he was sad, but the squirting, dumping and showering water features soon made him forget.  He loved it so much that when we were on the Disney Wonder (docked next to the Sensation), he emphatically told us that he wanted to go back to the squirters – over there.  We just laughed.

There is also an easy to navigate 9-hole mini-golf course up on Sun Deck (14), a Resort-style pool area (complete with fake palm trees and hot tubs) where our son went in “alone” for the first time, a Virtual Reality room (read video games) and plenty of deck sports like ping pong and shuffleboard.  Our one disappointment was that the library had very limited hours (only about 3-4 during the entire cruise), so we were unable to get any games or kids books.

For mom and dad, there are several shops with the usual trinkets, an internet cafe (Bow2Stern wireless also available), art gallery (only one auction on this cruise), a spa, gym (mainly treadmills and weights with a few elipticals) and best of all, Serenity, Carnival’s exclusive adults-only retreat nestled on the Promenade Deck Aft.  There are plenty of lounge chairs, but only one hot tub.  It does adjoin the Plaza Lounge and is overlooked by the outdoor eating area at the rear of the Seaview Bistro, so privacy can be elusive during mealtimes.

Overall, Carnival has done a great job of putting together a ship full of popular amenities for families.  There is no doubt that your kids can entertain themselves for days without ever getting bored.

Camp Carnival/Circle C

Rating:  B-

Carnival has completed a major overhaul of its kids programs in recent years as part of its focus on appealing to families.  Camp Carnival caters to kids aged 2-11, while Circle C focuses on those tweens, 12-14.  There are also group teen activities, including an exclusive hangout, shore excursions and late night parties.  For a more in-depth review, read our recent article on Camp Carnival.

Camp Carnival activities are extensive and varied, beginning as early as 7:45AM and lasting until 3AM the next morning (after 10PM there is a fee of $6/hr).  Circle C offers evening activities on port days and activities beginning in the afternoon on sea days.  Although very limited, there are also designated times when you can bring children under 2 into the club for free play.  They are also eligible for late night babysitting…and good news, Carnival counselors do change diapers!

The size of Camp Carnival is a bit small, but there are lots of basic toys and fun activities to keep your kids busy.  There aren’t any special features and there is no splash pool or outdoor play area dedicated to the kids club (other than Waterworks), which is why we feel that the offerings are basic, although the amount of activities is significant.

Although security and safety was good, we were not impressed with the youth staff overall.  In one particular encounter, I was with my 4 year-old and one of the youth counselors was short, rude and couldn’t wait to close the door in my face.  Having a shy child, we were disappointed in their lack of ability to deal with children who were unsure of being left alone at the club.  We spoke to many parents onboard and this was a common sentiment.

A few of our readers have commented that their children loved Camp Carnival and that indeed makes lots of sense because there is literally a ton of cool stuff to do, but on this particular ship with these particular counselors, our child and many others would have nothing to do with Camp Carnival.  Conversely, our son has participated in the programs on both Disney and Celebrity, so we cannot determine if it was the club itself, the counselors or some other reason.

Ports Of Call

Rating:  B+

This 4-night sailing called at Freeport and Nassau.  If you haven’t cruised before, these really are two great ports for kids.  We ventured out on our own in both ports, so we cannot comment on the cruise line offerings, however, for both of these ports, doing it on your own is almost always less expensive.  You can read our articles on Freeport Excursions and Lucayan National Park.  Stay tuned for articles on Nassau Excursions and Blue Lagoon Island coming up next week.

Getting on and off the ship was easy, there were no lines and the security staff was fast, efficient and pleasant.

Crew/Cleanliness

Crew Rating:  B     Cleanliness Rating:  A-

In general, most of the other crew that we encountered were friendly, however, we did share an elevator with a particularly grouchy crewmember and the crew staffing the guest relations desk could have used a lesson in congeniality (although the Guest Services Manager, Marcus was awesome).  We also encountered one of the activity staff who lied and when later confronted with it, she was quite embarrassed.  With few exceptions, we found much of the crew to be cordial, but very few went out of their way to provide truly excellent service.

We found the ship to be very clean and sanitary.  There were no dirty dishes, food or other trash collecting in public areas (although they were slow to remove trays in the Seaview Bistro) and the ship overall was well maintained, with the exception of the windows and surrounding paint, which are in dire need of rehabilitation.

Disembarkation

Rating:  B+

The disembarkation process was the traditional chaos, starting with the fact that we never received a sheet telling us the actual process.  I had a meeting with Marcus at 8:30AM, so we left the luggage in our stateroom and our cabin steward was just fine with that.  They want everyone off the ship by 9AM, so it was a rush, but there were no lines and our bags were easy to find, as was a kindly porter who helped us to a taxi for the 3-minute trip to the Disney Wonder.

Conclusion

Overall Rating:  B-

Positive – Great onboard features and amenities (Waterworks, mini-golf, Serenity), fun ports of call, excellent cabin service, lots of kids program activities and a very affordable price.

Negative - Mediocre food and dining service, lack of family entertainment and activities, lack of kids program amenities and oddly configured cabins. 

You can read more about this topic, as well as many other family cruising topics, in our new book–Cruising With Kids: A Guide To The Perfect Family Cruise Vacation. Visit our dedicated Cruising With Kids website for more details.

Carnival Cruise Line has provided giveaway items to our readers in conjunction with this event.  That participation had no impact on our review.

Disclosure