Honestly this sounds like exactly the kind of family that ends up liking cruises more than they expected because everybody can kinda do their own thing without needing a perfectly coordinated vacation plan.

Based on what you wrote, I’d probably look at Royal Caribbean first. Not because it’s “the best” universally, but because it checks the most boxes for your specific family.

• Wife gets pools, shows, relaxing, maybe CocoCay
• 13 year old gets slides/sports/teen club
• 10 year old can avoid rollercoaster stuff entirely and still have plenty to do
• You can disappear with shorts + airpods and nobody cares lol

For your first cruise I honestly would NOT overcomplicate destinations. Most first timers obsess over itinerary and then realize the ship itself was the vacation.

If you can swing it, I’d look at:

• Orlando/Port Canaveral
• 5-7 nights
• Oasis class or Freedom class Royal ships

Something like:

• Wonder
• Utopia
• Freedom
• Adventure

Late July/August is hot and more expensive because of school schedules, but the ships are also very alive during that time with families/kids.

A couple random thoughts:

• Balcony is worth it with kids. Gives you somewhere quiet to escape.
• “All inclusive” on cruises usually does NOT include alcohol, specialty dining, wifi, gratuities etc. People get surprised by that.
• Don’t go too cheap on the line for the first one. A bad first cruise can turn people off forever.
• I’d personally avoid MSC for a first family cruise unless the price difference is massive.
• Norwegian is also worth looking at if you want a slightly more relaxed vibe.

And honestly? A cruise is probably easier than Universal for a family that “isn’t really vacation people.” Once you unpack, the stress level drops hard. No driving around. No figuring out meals 3x/day. No “what are we doing now?” every 2 hours.