sweetnugomine

How old are the children ?

Kiddos will be 5 and 13 at the time of the cruise.

You listed primarily florida ports which would exclude the Quantum class. Oasis/Freedom class are probably your best bets. Oasis class is going to cost you more typically but they are the "best" of the RCL fleet.

Thank you! This is exactly the sort of info I was looking for!

Disney ships are great for the younger kids. Royal Caribbean has great programs for say age 7 to high school. Have always heard great reviews for Adventure Ocean on Royal Caribbean.  We have met several families over the years who"s kids eat dinner and bee line to Adventure Ocean for the evening or even during the day when we are at sea days.    Carnival is a party ship.   Norwegian and Cunard  are for the more reserved older folks.  Crystal and Celebrity are excellent lines.   Cruise Critic  and  Royal Caribbean blog are extremely helpful.  You can check out any cruise line and google to see when the ship has or will be refurbished.   Royal Caribbean has been named best cruise line  the last several years.    WELCOME to cruising  and enjoy your cruise.

I don't have any interest in Carnival - have heard exactly what you mentioned, that it's a party ship, and not the cleanest/nicest cruise line out there. I plan to stick with either Disney or Royal Caribbean. Is Adventure Ocean like a kids club onboard RCL?

We plan to take a cruise sometime next year. I have never been on a Royal Caribbean cruise, or any cruise for that matter, so I am excited to try something new. We are avid travelers, however, and have fairly high expectations when it comes to our accommodations and adventures. We don't mind paying a premium in order to experience the best of the best.

We plan to either deport from Galveston, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando or Tampa. My question is, which are the best ships to cruise on? Which are the nicest with the most amenities? Are there any ships that we should avoid (perhaps older ships that just don't compare to the newer ones)?   Are there any ships that are more suited for adults? Any ships better suited for families with children? What is your favorite ship and why?