firstfamilycruise

Great advice on booking two connecting/across rooms. I never even considered this, but it makes a ton of sense! I'll contact MEI to ask for some quotes on various scenarios. I'm sure it's a good idea to have a pro in my corner, anyway. Thank you so much!! You've all been so helpful, and I'm really looking forward to this now.

This is all immensely helpful. I'm overwhelmed by your willingness to help out a newbie! Very grateful to everyone who's chimed in thus far. Still weighing our options, but I definitely feel more confident that my husband may find more to appreciate on these ships than he thinks. Independence is SO much cheaper than Harmony that cost could tip the balance in the end. I love its new improvements, too. If we sail w/ Harmony, we'd probably do Spring Break to save money and be able to afford a balcony room (my one must-do!). Harmony is definitely the costliest of the bunch (though Anthem/Bermuda is costliest per night). Is it generally considered the best of the Oasis ships? Thanks again to all of you!!

Hi everyone. My name is Sarah, and I'm new here. Hoping you all can help me narrow down our choice for a first family cruise together. It will be me (42), my husband (43), our daughter (16), and our son (14). We're considering Caribbean/Bahamas/Bermuda cruises for Spring Break 2019 or Summer 2019. Never cruised before, as we usually visit Disney World for our big family vacations. Here's the catch. My husband is not excited at all about cruising. He's a huge introvert, so anything communal or overly social is out for him. I'm also more introverted but am open to meeting new people and enjoying different experiences. We're mostly doing this for our kids' sake, however. Our daughter's been dying to go on a cruise since she was little, and we heard RC is the best for kids, without breaking the bank like Disney does. Port Canaveral and Ft. Lauderdale are ideal departure ports, though Cape Liberty and Miami are possibilities, too. We're looking for something in the 4-7 night range. 4 would be ideal for my husband, but the rest of us are open to a full week. I have a slight preference for Eastern Caribbean cruises, but it's not a dealbreaker. I think, as a whole, since this is our first time cruising, we would be fine with a less port-intensive itinerary. Not looking to spend a lot of money on excursions and such. We'll definitely be booking an ocean view balcony room. 6 other factors: 1. We are strictly casual diners. 2. The kids love any and all activities, so the Oasis ships naturally appeal to them. I can see them spending lots of time at the pools and teen club. 3. VOOM streaming capability is important to my husband. Not sure if some of the ships are better than others with their connectivity. 4. The less crowding/lines at meals the better. 5. My husband and I are big fans of art, jazz, small-scale entertainment and enrichment. Not as big on splashy shows, gambling or bar-hopping. 6. Cost is important, but we can swing the Oasis-class ships if the added value is worth it. WITH ALL THAT SAID (phew!), these are the ships/itineraries I'm currently considering: 1. Mariner of the Seas: 4 day Bahamas with Perfect Day itinerary, from Port Canaveral 2. Independence of the Seas: 5 day Western Caribbean itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale 3. Anthem of the Seas: 5 day Bermuda itinerary from Cape Liberty 4. Adventure of the Seas: 6 day Western Caribbean itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale 5. Allure of the Seas: 7 day Eastern Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale 6. Harmony of the Seas: 7 day Western Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale 7. Oasis of the Seas: 7 night Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral Any thoughts? I'm really looking to figure out the best way to please the kids, while still holding out hope that my husband will enjoy this experience more than he thinks! If the Oasis-class ships are the way to go, is there one (or two) from my list that stands out as a better choice for teens and a potentially crabby cruiser? Thank you so much for reading this far, and for any advice you're willing to share!