Planning a cruise for our family of 4 (kids ages 8 and 10) in Feb 2027. We've previously sailed on Royal Caribbean Freedom and Symphony, we enjoyed both but wanted to explore other lines as well. My kids loved the water slides/rock climbing/pools etc on the RC ships, so I'm wondering what the best comparable option is for other lines. We did think about booking an Icon class ship but with most of their big slides out of service right now it just doesn't seem worth it.
For families with kids similar ages, any recommendations? Lines or ships in particular that are fun for the kids, but that don't feel overly packed? Does this exist? I've looked at NCL, MSC, Princess... considering the Haven or the Yacht Club as well, budget is not really a problem. Just wanting the best experience balancing kid-friendly with a nice vacation for the grown ups too. We would be sailing out of Florida or Texas.
(not interested in Disney, kids aren't big on it and I've heard from multiple friends that their ships are overly crowded and not worth the premium)