We just got off the Oasis and I just thought I'd share some thoughts on RCCL kids club. While the Oasis is a GREAT ship for kids (all in all I think I like it better for a 7 day cruise with my age kids DD7 DS10), the kids club is a HUGE difference--and not for the better, IMO.
We travelled with extended family on Oasis, and just the 4 of us on the Dream. It would have been very hard for DH and me to do anything alone on the Oasis if Nana hadn't been there and staying in kids' room! The kids clubs close at 10pm, and after that you need to pay a charge of $6/hour PER KID and the activities and feeling can't hold a candle to DCL.
On DCL (just recently, so kids were basically the same age) both kids basically lived in the Lab. They liked doing some of the group activities, but also loved the quiet smaller group projects and the video games. They begged to stay as long as possible and on the last night DD curled up on cushions watching a movie past midnight! The counselors on DCL also seemed so into the kids and seemed like camp counselors--kids loved them.
On RCCL, the rooms are smaller (not linked like Club and Lab) and not as visually appealing. There is also a set schedule of activities that they run through during their scheduled hours. Everything is much more scheduled--DD said she didn't like it because it felt too much like school!! She said they needed to do certain activities at certain times, needed to line up, were told to be quiet, etc. DS liked it more, but only during the activities he liked. A couple of times we went to go in, he found out the activity, and he asked to leave and come back once it was over. There was very little, if anything, to do if you didn't like the organized activity.
If DH and I had been on the cruise alone, we never could have gone out after dinner like we did on DCL--younger daughter didn't like clubs, and the late night extra charge sessions seemed to have very little going on.
Some kids may prefer the added structure, but I think DD got the feel of the place when she said it felt like school--kids might like the activities, but you had to do what they scheduled at that time. Counselors also really didn't seem to want to be there. I heard a lot of them sounding frustrated and annoyed with the kids--nothing nasty, but just not into it.
That being said, in general Oasis was a GREAT kids boat (especially for the over 6 age group), but I thought it was worth posting just how different the kids clubs are.
If you primarily cruise Disney because of the kids clubs, I'd be wary about changing lines. If your kids aren't that into the kids clubs anyway, and you have extended family going that can babysit for some date nights, I'd HIGHLY recommend Oasis.
Just thought I'd share because I had heard great things about the RCCL clubs, but they were just SO different from DCL, again IMO.
Happy to answer any other questions about Oasis as well!
We travelled with extended family on Oasis, and just the 4 of us on the Dream. It would have been very hard for DH and me to do anything alone on the Oasis if Nana hadn't been there and staying in kids' room! The kids clubs close at 10pm, and after that you need to pay a charge of $6/hour PER KID and the activities and feeling can't hold a candle to DCL.
On DCL (just recently, so kids were basically the same age) both kids basically lived in the Lab. They liked doing some of the group activities, but also loved the quiet smaller group projects and the video games. They begged to stay as long as possible and on the last night DD curled up on cushions watching a movie past midnight! The counselors on DCL also seemed so into the kids and seemed like camp counselors--kids loved them.
On RCCL, the rooms are smaller (not linked like Club and Lab) and not as visually appealing. There is also a set schedule of activities that they run through during their scheduled hours. Everything is much more scheduled--DD said she didn't like it because it felt too much like school!! She said they needed to do certain activities at certain times, needed to line up, were told to be quiet, etc. DS liked it more, but only during the activities he liked. A couple of times we went to go in, he found out the activity, and he asked to leave and come back once it was over. There was very little, if anything, to do if you didn't like the organized activity.
If DH and I had been on the cruise alone, we never could have gone out after dinner like we did on DCL--younger daughter didn't like clubs, and the late night extra charge sessions seemed to have very little going on.
Some kids may prefer the added structure, but I think DD got the feel of the place when she said it felt like school--kids might like the activities, but you had to do what they scheduled at that time. Counselors also really didn't seem to want to be there. I heard a lot of them sounding frustrated and annoyed with the kids--nothing nasty, but just not into it.
That being said, in general Oasis was a GREAT kids boat (especially for the over 6 age group), but I thought it was worth posting just how different the kids clubs are.
If you primarily cruise Disney because of the kids clubs, I'd be wary about changing lines. If your kids aren't that into the kids clubs anyway, and you have extended family going that can babysit for some date nights, I'd HIGHLY recommend Oasis.
Just thought I'd share because I had heard great things about the RCCL clubs, but they were just SO different from DCL, again IMO.
Happy to answer any other questions about Oasis as well!
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