{"id":6238,"date":"2014-10-21T16:05:23","date_gmt":"2014-10-21T20:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/?p=6238"},"modified":"2014-12-10T14:47:45","modified_gmt":"2014-12-10T19:47:45","slug":"comparing-cruises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/21\/comparing-cruises\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparing Cruises"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Taking a cruise with kids can be tons of fun for many reasons (see my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/27\/palermo-sicily-italy\/\">Top 10<\/a>!) and we&#8217;ve done many.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6230\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/DSCN1587-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"family cruise ship\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" \/>Our first family cruise was with Norwegian Cruise Lines in July, 2011. \u00a0Honeybun has just turned 3 and Sugarplum was just shy of her first birthday. \u00a0We embarked and disembarked in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/01\/copenhagen-denmark\/\">Copenhagen, Denmark<\/a> and the itinerary included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Warermunde\/Rostock, Germany (with available visits to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/17\/berlin-germany\/\">Berlin<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/12\/helsinki-finland\/\">Helsinki, Finland<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/08\/st-petersburg-russia\/\">St. Petersburg, Russia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/24\/tallinn-estonia\/\">Tallin, Estonia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/14\/stockholm-sweden\/\">Stockholm, Sweden<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We took this cruise with hubby&#8217;s parents as a way to see the Baltic and the region where we both have a lot of ancestry. \u00a0We loved every place we visited and were taken by the friendliness and culture of the region.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6239\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_1823\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823-333x250.jpg 333w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/IMG_1823-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Things we loved about Norwegian: So many dining options. \u00a0You can eat what you want, when you want, where you want. \u00a0Our ship (the Norwegian Sun) had a great kids pool and the girls loved the glass elevators!<\/p>\n<p>Things we didn&#8217;t love about Norwegian: The &#8220;Free Style&#8221;\u00a0dining. \u00a0Even though we ate in the main dining room almost every night and sat at the same table (at the back by the big windows to help entertain the girls) we had different wait staff each night so we had to re-explain everything each night as far as my father-in-laws allergies and Sugarplum&#8217;s special needs. \u00a0The menus also weren&#8217;t as extensive\/fancy as other cruises we&#8217;ve done.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6243\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-vision-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"cruise vision\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" \/>Our second family cruise was on Royal Caribbean in October\/November, 2011. \u00a0Honeybun was 39 months and Sugarplum was 15 months. \u00a0We embarked and disembarked in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/05\/istanbul-turkey\/\">Istanbul, Turkey<\/a> spending the first day in port there. \u00a0The itinerary included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Israel (We did day trips to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/29\/galilee-region-israel\/\">Galilee Region<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/11\/jerusalem-israel\/\">Jerusalem <\/a>and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/06\/dead-sea-region-israel\/\">Dead Sea<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/22\/athens-greece\/\">Athens, Greece<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/17\/kusadasi-turkey-and-ephesus\/\">Kusadasi, Turkey and Ephesus<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We did the Holy Land Cruise with my parents and sister. \u00a0We loved seeing the history in this part of the world and sharing the stories with Honeybun.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-halloween.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6242\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-halloween-218x300.jpg\" alt=\"cruise halloween\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-halloween-218x300.jpg 218w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-halloween-300x413.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-halloween-182x250.jpg 182w, https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cruise-halloween.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><\/a>Things we loved about Royal Caribbean: Having the same wait staff each night in the dining room (by the end of the trip they had fruit waiting for the girls when we arrived so they had something to nibble on while we waited for our dinner). \u00a0A lot of great entertainment, especially during the days at sea there was plenty to do to stay busy. \u00a0We were also on board for Halloween and the ship went all out with decorations and a costume party!<\/p>\n<p>Things we didn&#8217;t love about Royal Caribbean: \u00a0Less options for breakfast and lunch which made the places busy, especially during times we were at sea. \u00a0Our ship (The Vision of the Seas) did not have as many places to go and hang out with the kids as other ships we&#8217;ve been on.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/DSC05170-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6244\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/DSC05170-3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"SONY DSC\" width=\"201\" height=\"201\" \/><\/a>Our third family cruise was on Holland America in May, 2012. \u00a0Honeybun was almost 4 and Sugarplum was 21 months. \u00a0We embarked and disembarked in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/19\/rome-italy\/\">Rome, Italy<\/a> and the itinerary included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/21\/pisa-italy\/\">Pisa, Italy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/20\/monte-carlo-monaco\/\">Monte Carlo, Monaco<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/25\/barcelona-spain\/\">Barcelona, Spain<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/23\/tunis-tunisia\/\">Tunis, Tunisia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/27\/palermo-sicily-italy\/\">Palermo, Sicily, Italy<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This cruise we did by ourselves with the girls as a way to see a few of the last places we hadn&#8217;t made it to before moving back to Florida and we did not do as much running around and touring as we did on the previous two cruises.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/DSC04834-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/DSC04834-3-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"SONY DSC\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a>Things we loved about Holland America: Open dinner seating. \u00a0We were able to go to dinner any time we wanted and were able to request the same table each night except one when we were later than usual but did get put with the same wait staff (who had become accustomed to having milk ready for the girls along with a little snack). \u00a0Our ship (MS Eurodam) also had an awesome lounge area on top with board games which kept the girls busy so hubby and I could relax a little. There was also an indoor pool and the outdoor pool had a retracting roof they could close in the case of rain, cold or extreme wind.<\/p>\n<p>This we didn&#8217;t love about Holland America: \u00a0We ended up on a deck lower than we would have preferred because we didn&#8217;t want a veranda room (balcony) which most of the rooms on board are (we preferred a picture window instead because of the girls). \u00a0This ship was not a child friendly, there seemed to be more places the girls couldn&#8217;t go and while it was the only ship we used the Kids club on, Honeybun was often the only child in attendance (Sugarplum was too young to go).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Taking a cruise with kids can be tons of fun for many reasons (see my Top 10!) and we&#8217;ve done many. Our first family cruise was with Norwegian Cruise Lines in July, 2011. \u00a0Honeybun has just turned 3 and Sugarplum was just shy of her first birthday. \u00a0We embarked and disembarked in Copenhagen, Denmark and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tiny-travellers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6238"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6716,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6238\/revisions\/6716"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}