6 Yr old-DCL or Freedom?? Any experiences?

[Skyw]

Hi
I am sure everyone goes thru the process of looking at other cruises considering the money you spend on DCL. Now that my son is 6, I just wonder if he will enjoy the Freedom of the Sea and what it has to offer or DCL Wonder? we have been on the Wonder when he was 3.5. It was great for the family. Especially with the shows and pool.

So has anyone had any experiences with both? Or one? With an active 6 year old and a family that likes to do things together.

Thanks
Skyw

 

[Edd]

I have been on the 3 Disney cruises 2 Wonder and 1 Magic. 3 Carnival cruises 2 Sensation and 1 Glory. 4 Royal Caribbeans and in 2 weeks the 5th on the Freedom. Disney is expensive, but very nice. It has a lot of kids.

The Royal Caribbeans ships are very good. Even the older Monarch which is the same size as the Disney ships but a couple of years older. The RC's offer an older and mature crowd. The pool area is not so crowded with kids and the kids club is highly respected and talked about. The food is better than the Disney ships.

One big thing I have noticed between the RC's and the Disney ship is the RC buffet rooms have either filled tables or they are ready for the next passengers to use them. It doesn't seem that way to me as when on the Disney ships, there are many tables left uncleaned for long periods of time while people walk around looking for a table to eat at. The food just doesn't compare with the RC's and the Carnival ships.

From what I hear from many passengers who have traveled on DCL and chose the Freedom cruising out of Port Canaveral there is no comparison. The Freedom is twice as big as the Disney ships. The pools are much nicer. They have great floor shows, good entertainers and bands, a great ice skating show, a great gymnasium, a casino and two great extra pay restaurants. Chops, steak, and an Italian restaurant Portofino. The seating runs about 2 hours and well worth the extra money spent.

The Freedom has the flow-rider, the rock climbing wall, a full basketball court, a 24 hour table tennis room and a great kids club.

It is a good chance just to get away from the Disney ships. I usually take my 10 year old grandson after three cruises on the Disney he prefers the RC also. He enjoys the shows, the kids club, table tennis, basketball court and the less crowded pools.

The Carnival cruises are also great. The crowd is much more younger and single and so it is a party cruise ship. I enjoyed the meals but couldn't party as hardy. I haven't been on the Dream but plan to cruise it sometime in 2010.

 

[ICEMANPAD]

Our DS (age 10) has been on the Disney Magic, the Disney Wonder and RCCL Liberty of the Seas (sister ship of FOS). He enjoyed Liberty, but still prefers the DCL ships overall. He prefers the children's programming, the shows and the food on Disney. Additionally, he still enjoys seeing the characters out and about. He did like the ice rink, the rockwall and the H2O zone on Liberty. He was not tall enough for flowrider.

 

[kcashner]

At 7, DD was on her third cruise, first on DCL. She feels it was probably her favorite cruise ever. Never done Freedom, so can't comment on that.

 

[cruisinmama06]

I have a 5 and 9 year old. Been on Magic and Wonder, Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas (Freedom's sister ship)

No comparison. Freedom/Liberty/Independence and now Oasis has so much more to do for the kids. It's amazing. My kids never ask to go back to Disney, they just want to know the next time they can go back to the "H20 zone" (on RCCL).

There was just so much that we didn't get to do in 7 days on Freedom so we had to go back and try to get to the rest on Independence.

In one sea day afternoon my kids ran me from the H20 zone to the ice skating rink and then to the rock wall.

There are parades through the promenade (middle of the ship). The kids perform in a circus. They have talent shows.The kids pirate parade. I ended up buying my kids their own pirate costumes (after Halloween sale) just so they could wear them on Independence. PJ Party.

I have many of the kid compasses at the link in my signature. You can take a look at the Adventure Ocean activities there.

One week just wasn't enough.

 

[Skyw]

Thanks everyone for your comments!!!!!!
For those who went on Freedom...how were the excursions for the kids???

Thanks
Skyw

 

[cruisinmama06]

Thanks everyone for your comments!!!!!!
For those who went on Freedom...how were the excursions for the kids???

Thanks
Skyw

Excursions? Do you mean the shore excursions?

Which FOS itinerary are you considering? Eastern or Western?