To ask which holiday would you prefer?

[Hmmmm88]

Me and DH have saved up for a long long time for a fantastic holiday for next year.

DH has 2 wonderful son's who will be at the time we go on holiday 16 & almost 18.

We decided to have a special holiday because they are getting older and aren't as keen on holiday's as they were when they were younger.

We usually get ferry to France with motorhome and stay at very good sites with big pools flumes ect but last year they were a bit bored spent alot of the time shading under towels to see their phone screens

So what I'd like to do is a cruise on a royal Caribbean ship the specific one goes to numerous places in Italy Spain and France so we'd get to see a lot do a lot of exploring and the ships are incredible with so much to do for example surf machine football pitches swimming pools zip lining ice skating bumper cars cinema rock climbing ect ect plus you wake up in a different place everyday. It is very expensive £9,000

DH wants to go to a balearic island for 2 weeks which is hotel & swimming pool for 4 of us 14 nights between £6,500 & £8,000.

The thought of spending 2 weeks sat round a pool is my worst nightmare i like to see things and do things and i find all inclusive to structured eating sleeping sitting round a pool and i think DSS's will be bored.

It is a big decision because it's a one off and like i say we have saved a very long time. The boys like the sound of the cruise but DH just doesn't. We have to go during school holidays because next year youngest has GCSE's and eldest is in college so will also be doing exams.

So YABU = husband's holiday
YANBU = cruise

Can i also add me and eldest hate flying (the cruise is from UK)

Could you not do half and half?

Do the cruise, honestly it’s fantastic. Royal Caribbean are one of the best especially for kids that age, they will I’ll never be bored.

Remember to factor in the cost of excursions if you havnt already. We did a similar itinerary two years ago & had such a wonderful time. With cursing it’s something for everyone & my very hard to please daughter loves it.

@Hopeisnotastrategy hadn't thought of that i suppose it's something to look into. Thanks:)

Honestly nobody here can tell you what’s right for your family. I think generally majority rules but obviously there has to be a degree of compromise, it’s your husbands holiday too. Half an half may be a good idea. Or something completely different-travelling, adventures, activity?

@Mixitupalot i have added all excursions in. Going on a cruise is literally my dream. Glad you had a nice time and your DD. There really is so much for them to do

Why can't you just go to somewhere warm like Cyprus, stay in a hotel with pool (or a villa - villaplus ones are great in terms of the amenities provided and the quality) and then alternate day trips with relaxing? No one is making you sit round the pool all day - you wouldn't do that on a cruise so why would you on land where there is more to do?

@Mixitupalot

Please provide more detail! Could I do from Southampton? Can’t be bothered to fly.
A week long enough? Definitely a particular type of cabin? Any recommended locations?

Thanks

A cruise is fab for teenagers - so much to do, it is my favourite type of holiday.

My DC would be bored with the Balearic Island holiday. If your DH prefers a sunny resort, would you consider somewhere like Salou? There’s the theme park nearby, and it’s easy to go to Barcelona for the day, maybe see a football match.

I don't think majority rules at all for a holiday - although both sound like my idea of hell so I'd hate both . What do the teens actually enjoy? Could you do a week in an exciting city and a week near the sea/a pool? NYC/Boston + Long Island (not sure if out of your budget but that kind of idea?).

I think if the main point of this is a sort of ‘last hurrah’ family holiday because of their ages, then what they would prefer should probably take precedence.

He's adamant he wants an all inclusive. I will compromise but when we first started talking about it we both said a cruise would be great. We both work full time and i took on an evening job to save as much as we could and now the times comes to book and we can afford it he's changed his mind which is disappointing because I've had my heart set on this particular cruise and I've worked to the point of exhaustion to afford it

AI is not a prison, you can plan day trips and just enjoy the convenience of not thinking about restaurants if you want to return to the hotel for diner. Depends where you go.

Cruises are not for everybody, it's a very busy environment, depends how claustrophobic you would get.

I hate to say it but I think it’s probable that the boys will on their screens whatever you choose so you might end up feeling that you’ve wasted several thousand pounds.

Probably less likely to be on screens on the cruise so I’d pick that if I had to choose one of the options. (I wouldn’t do either as would rather use the money for something that wouldn’t feel like a waste, but that’s just me!)

I wouldn't enjoy either of those options, but everyone is different. Can't the family all vote?

DSS's have said they'd rather the cruise because there's more to do and the excursions are amazing. The days we are at sea we could always sit and relax around the pool but the boys could do something else if they get bored. It just seems like a win win

I'd probably be cautious about booking anything like either option atm until see how coronavirus pans out. You don't want to end up on a floating petri dish.

He's adamant he wants an all inclusive. I will compromise but when we first started talking about it we both said a cruise would be great. We both work full time and i took on an evening job to save as much as we could and now the times comes to book and we can afford it he's changed his mind which is disappointing because I've had my heart set on this particular cruise and I've worked to the point of exhaustion to afford it

Given the update, you should have final say. You worked an extra job based on it being a cruise and he’s changed his mind? Fuck that.

2 week’s in the Balearics is not a holiday of a lifetime and definitely not worth working an extra job for.

But a cruise is all inclusive. And if your husband doesn't want to do excursions he can sit by the pool all day. Is he worried about being on a ship?

I agree, given the update I think he’s being quite unfair.

Neither are my cup of tea but given the choice I'd take the cruise, I think.

I suspect they might be a bit cheaper now/very soon as people might be reluctant to go on one for a while.

I would chose a holiday that includes a lot of activities my kids would enjoy (and ban screens, I always ban them on holiday apart from airports...)

Depends what your own kids are interested in!

@Bringringbring12 I am in Ireland so we fly to Malaga usually then get picked up there but as far as I know you can sail from Southampton. The only downside with this is that your spending the first day travelling to your destination with no sun! I liked just stepping of the place on the bus and straight into the cruise all by noon.

The first time we went with an inside cabin (no window), it was cosy but with kids we found the balcony option much better when we went the 2nd time. In saying that we were hardly in the room, just at night time & the odd time the kids wanted to go to the room to sleep during the day.

We’ve done, the med (7 days is plenty here) the first time visiting Rome/Florence/nice/monaco/Malaga etc and we loved it, there is so much to see and do and my kids aged 6, 10 & 14 found it all very interesting.

The 2/3rd time we we went to Miami/Florida/Caribbean & it was equally as good. We did 17 nights each time and took in the parks etc however we got an amazing deal on these, usually that would cost upwards in £30,000 for that long but we got it for £12,000 but sheer luck tbh as I’d seen special offers advertised 18 moths in advance.

Me & DH had lots to do on all the cruises and we usually go an odd night to the better on board restaurants as we are big foodies.

We have used royal Caribbean, TUI & celebrity cruises all of which are very different. It’s honestly depends on what you and the kids like. I found royal Caribbean to be quite overcrowded and very much for the kids however that’s just my personal take as we are a very quite family. Celebrity is geared towards older couples but the level of service and class is way above average. TUI was great, smaller ships, lots to do but the pool area and entertainment was very scaled back compared to royal Caribbean.

It takes a lot of research to find what’s ideal for your family but I can honestly say it’s the best way to holiday as it’s so flexible.

I voted for your husband’s idea purely because I think he is more realistic (sorry, I know you’ve really fallen for the cruise idea and have your heart set on it). My experience of Royal Caribbean in the Med in the summer is such that I think you are going to be disappointed. You have listed lots of their “big sellers” (Flow Rider, ice skating, etc) but the reality is with probably close to 5000 on the ship you might get to do one of those things once, possibly two. I know someone who booked an RCI cruise with two teenage sons and said “the lads are going to love it - they have xboxes on board so they can still play Xbox all day”. There were two x boxes on the ship and her sons never even got a look-in the entire cruise. You’re paying a lot for gimmicks.

And cruises are not the best ways to see a place. The massive ships have to dock in horrible industrial ports an hour or more from the city you want to visit. The only way to get to see anything is to join one of their massively over-priced, over-commercialized tours, navigate your way through public transport or take a pricey taxi (taxi drivers at ports are not stupid...). In Barcelona you can walk from the port to town but in Rome, Livorno, etc you are in the middle of nowhere. Waking up in a new destination each day is great if you enjoy the sight of container ships.
I also don’t think & hours or so in a port each day is enough to get a feel for a place. You are never on land at night. You don’t really get to experience anything of that country. Your husband’s idea of AI also means you will probably spend a lot of time at the resort but you don’t have to. You are permitted to leave AI resorts and venture into nearby towns and villages!
If this is a big dream holiday of a lifetime for you, I’d be wary of the dream that Royal Caribbean are selling to you. It looks great and there’s no doubt their ships have “thought if everything”. Except the practicalities of how 5000 people can enjoy those things. On our cruise for example you had to book times for everything. Rock climbing, Flow Rider, everything had to be booked in advance and the slots were all filled in no time at all.

Sounds like your husband is outnumbered 3:1. He either needs to come up with an alternative , or do the cruise.

Silly question and sorry, it's unrelated really...Have always liked the idea of a cruise but can you actually feel the big liners moving or is there no sensation of moving??