Which Ship For A Single Dad and Two Teen Daughters?

I'm working on booking our first cruise ever. We've narrowed it down to Adventure of the Sea or Serenade of the Seas. Both depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico and we'll be traveling in March, 2008.

Which ship is better for a single Dad with two teenage daughters (15 and 13)?

Thanks.

Single Dad wrote:

I'm working on booking our first cruise ever. We've narrowed it down to Adventure of the Sea or Serenade of the Seas. Both depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico and we'll be traveling in March, 2008.

Which ship is better for a single Dad with two teenage daughters (15 and 13)?

Thanks.

Single Dad,

I personally think both ships are great but, given the ages of your daughters, I would tend to recommend Adventure over Serenade for you. Adventure features Johnny Rockets, The Rock Wall, the Royal Promenade and it always seems to be a favorite ship for families.

On the other hand, Serenade is special in it's own way with the Seaview cafe and the overall elegent feeling of the ship.

Either way, I'm sure you're going to enjoy it!

We're glad you found us!

First welcome to the boards! Second, I think you will LOVE Puerto Rico and made a good choice of a sailing port. Be sure to schedule some time there if you can. There are many fun things to do on the island and Old San Juan is fun to just walk around. As far as the ship is concerned, a lot will depend on what your girls like to do. If they are very active and like lots to do you can't go wrong with the Adventure with everything it has to offer. The Serenade is a beautiful ship but more laid back as far as active activities go. Also look at the ports of call and things to do there. Get your girls into the planning process and show them the ships, ports and excursion options and ask them what they would like best. (You can take virtual tours of the ships on www.rccl.com

A wonderful company that I have used several times for shore excursions in the Caribbean and Hawaii is www.shoretrips.com they are a great company and will even create a customized trip if you call them. Looking at their website will help you decide what your options are in each port in addition to what the cruise line offers. (Wonderful options for Puerto Rico too!) When you decide be sure to come back and let us know what you picked! Either way you are going to have a great time!

I'm in a very similar situation, we decided that Explorer of the Seas, which is a sister ship to Adventure of the Seas fit our needs the best. We're going to Canada at the end of next summer and we're very much looking forward to it.

I would suggest the Adventure for the teenagers. There's so much more for them to do on this ship versus the Serenade. Both ships are great and my personal preference would be the Serenade, but with teenagers, I feel the Adventure would be the best choice.

I too would recommend Adventure of the Seas. The Voyager class ships have so much to do on them and the teen areas are more grand.

You chose a great trip as a southern is one of our future cruises.

Have a great time which ever you chose

Another vote for the AOS.....more for the kids..........

We have been on the SR and she is a beautiful class but we're taking the AOS next May......want to see Aruba and Curacao...

Well it's overwhelming, I guess we'll try Adventure of the Seas for our first cruise. Thanks for that advice.

My next question is - is there much difference between category "E" and category "D" balcony cabins? Also, am I allowed to book two cabins, one for myself and one for the girls? And, if not, do you think upgrading to a Junior Suite is better than 3 of us trying to share one cabin.

Thanks so much for your advice!

Category D cabins on the AOS = 202 sq. ft., balcony 50 sq. ft.

Category E cabins= 173 sq. ft., balcony 47 sq. ft.

So the Ds are bigger.......yes,you can book 2 cabins.....I think thats a better idea than one JS....you'll get 2 bathrooms that way and with 2 girls,I think you'll need it..........

You can look at the deck plans and find connecting cabins,if that makes you feel more comfortable.....at the very least,I suggest cabins next to each other........

Being that it is just you and your two girls.
I would go with one cabin.
The reason is:
If you book two cabins you will have to pay the price of 4 people not 3 as the cabins are based priced as double occupancy. So you will be paying alot more for what you need.

Yes it would be nice to have two bathrooms but is that one bathroom worth say $1400 more.

Where as with 3 people in one room you pay the double occupancy price and the third person is like only $500 more.

You can go with either a E1 D1 or JS

The JS is more spacious and there is a bath versus just a shower.

But a E1 and D1 are pretty close in size.

If you want a cool view grab a AFT-Stern room. The balconies are bigger than those on the side of the ship.

Its a longer walk but it takes off those extra calories you intake on the cruise.

Happy to help

Another cabin is not necessarly $1400 more......we did connecting PR cabins with our daughter in a cabin by herself....

To each his own,but if the cost is not that much more,I still say I would go for 2 cabins....

Heck,one can even do a balcony/inside connecting cabin on the VY class ships..