I've cruised twice before but both times pre children. Once for a week with Celebrity (on our honeymoon!) in the Carribean and then with Airtours/Sunbird in the Med for a fortnight.

We are considering doing a Med cruise next year with our two children a boy of 6 and a girl of 4. My initial though was Ocean Village as I see them heavily advertised as family friendly and I liked their Gateways & Gondolas itinnerary on Ocean Village 2. However I am way out of touch with who any other players are in the field of family friendly cruising that could also be a possibility.

So any recomendations of "family friendly" cruise lines or opinions on Ocean Village?

If you want to avoid flying, 'Independence of the Seas' (the world's biggest) sails two week return Med cruises from Southampton in Summer 2009. Alternatively you could fly/Cruise from Barcelona for a week on 'Voyager of the Seas'.

www.royalcaribbean.co.uk

Alternatively check out the Norwegian Cruise Lines fares. 'Norwegian Jade' is sailing from Southampton in summer 2009, to the Med and Baltic. They will also have a ship based in the Med for Fly cruises.

P&O's new 'Ventura' is meant to be child friendly too.

(But I still think RCI win. )

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[ 08-04-2008: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

I'm in the far north of Scotland so would fly to wherever - any Scottish Airport works for me! SOuthampton is not really a viable option.

It would be early July - the schools break up 3rd July so anytime after then.

Money is always as issue!!! I would hope for under £3K for a week but I have no idea if that is realistic or not?

I've not cruised OV, but my knee jerk reaction is RCI, simply because they build the biggest, most amazing 'Floating Resorts' (Freedom and Voyager class) which are very family friendly. Mind you a four and a six year old probably do not need a Rock Wall, do they? They would like the water park and ice skating show!

RCI do of course offer an Anglo/American experience, as NCL do. P&O offer that rare thing, a British experience.

I'm in the far north of Scotland so would fly to wherever - any Scottish Airport works for me! Southampton is not really a viable option.

Pity, because that is where RCI, NCL and P&O cruise from each summer.

It would be early July - the schools break up 3rd July so anytime after then.

Peak prices, of course!

Money is always as issue!!! I would hope for under £3K for a week but I have no idea if that is realistic or not?

The RCI web site will let you select a cruise and give you a quote. A good specialist TA (not necessarily the famous high street names) should discount the brochure fare. In fact NEVER pay the brochure fare, even if it claims it's discounted.

Other cruisetalkers will have different opinions.

[ 08-04-2008: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

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Originally posted by eroller:
I was thinking the new MSC FANTASIA. Very family friendly, and don't kids sail free on MSC?

Ernie

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Cunard Queen Victoria also sails the Med. Cunard is a bit pricey and the nightly formal requirements can be an extra baggage burden if flying.

If you go on Celebrity-which is American 'professional' class cruise format, the Millenium/infinity/Summit/Constellation have good children's programs. My sister with 5 kids did a repo on the Constellation and gave a good report back. I sailed the Summit in Alaska last summer and she is a very liveable ship.

Their older ships such as the Galaxy/Century/Mercury are bargains to be had. They do lack some of the bells and whistles of the newer ships, but still a wonderful experience.

I am about to take the Galaxy in November.

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In the Med or Alaska for that matter, one does get an international crowd.

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Originally posted by Claire Jessiman:
I guess another reason I looked at Ocean Village was because of the lack of formality with regards to eating arrangements.

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Cunard, P&O [& Fred. Olsen too during school hols] have separate mealtimes for children, with kiddie foods and thereafter they can go to kids club or be babysat [extra fee usually] while the parents dine.

As you break up for the summer earlier than in England it is still a bit cheaper to go early July than the last 2 weeks.

If I had kids the ages of yours personally I would go NCL, MSC or RCI - In that order. [MSC will have lots of nationalities aboard and it depends on whether the children like that or not.. my son, when younger, on one trip was the only English speaker at kids club, but made firm friends with many, one Japanese lad in particular, who spoke French ]

Others will have different opinions and it is really quite a minefield out there. It also depends on what level of 'formality' you yourselves enjoy, as the kids can fit in on most lines to suit you too.

Have just ordered brochures for Ocean Village, NCL, Celebrity, RCI, MSC & P&O - so that will give me some bedtime reading next week!!!

I think that itinerary will also play a major part the more I think of it. Because we have already done a 14 night med cruise we'd ideally not like to repeat too many of the destinations and go somewhere new.

On our previous med cruise we visited Rome, Livorno, Villefranche, Barcelona Naples, Messian, La Goulette, Valletta and Mahon. The Ocean Village itinneray of Gateways & Gondolas appealed as there were no duplicates - Crete to Split in Croatia, Venice, Korcula in Croatia, Corfu, Katakolon in Greece for Olympia and back to Crete.

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Originally posted by Claire J:
Have just ordered brochures for Ocean Village, NCL, Celebrity, RCI, MSC & P&O - so that will give me some bedtime reading next week!!!

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

They all have web sites too. Remember, don't pay the brochure prices!

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I have absolutely no intention of paying anywhere near the brochure price!

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Originally posted by Claire J:
I like a brochure to have a proper browse through - websites just can't compare in that respect.

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Agreed! The RCI web site for example is pretty good, the NCL one is near useless!