Cruise with Kid Under Age 3?

[naked]

Here is the story: some friends want to take a cruise and they came to me because they know DW and I enjoy cruising. They are 2 couples in their late 30's or early 40's, each with preschool children. They are thinking about a trip in Jan, 2007.

Couple #1: Live in Brooklyn, NY. Children will be just turned 1 and age 2. Both love to dive and want to dive while the kids remain on the ship. They are Anti-Disney.

Couple #2: Live near Chicago. Children will be ages 2 and 6. Both are Celebrity Captain's Club Select Members but have never cruised with kids and want whatever can best support kids of that age.

I understand that Celebrity might not be the best line for this profile of guests. I also wonder if they might be better off waiting until the kids are 3, but I know at least Norwegian starts their kids club at age 2.

What cruise line do you recommend?

[lgmtseawa]

Here is the story: some friends want to take a cruise and they came to me because they know DW and I enjoy cruising. They are 2 couples in their late 30's or early 40's, each with preschool children. They are thinking about a trip in Jan, 2007.

Couple #1: Live in Brooklyn, NY. Children will be just turned 1 and age 2. Both love to dive and want to dive while the kids remain on the ship. They are Anti-Disney.

Couple #2: Live near Chicago. Children will be ages 2 and 6. Both are Celebrity Captain's Club Select Members but have never cruised with kids and want whatever can best support kids of that age.

I understand that Celebrity might not be the best line for this profile of guests. I also wonder if they might be better off waiting until the kids are 3, but I know at least Norwegian starts their kids club at age 2.

What cruise line do you recommend?

Camp Carnival starts at age 2, and they will change diapers (at least one other cruise line I researched last summer would page you if there was a need to change diapers)

Disney's kid's clubs only start at age 3 (and I believe potty-trained; not sure how they would deal with kids with developmental delays like my younger son), but they do have paid babysitting (not sure of the hours) for under 3 -- you have to sign up ahead of time -- "Flounders". I am no expert on that, probably others on this board or other disney cruise boards can tell you more about Flounders. (I need more info myself, see below :-)

Beyond those two cruise lines I don't know, but given the ages of the kids you talk about, I'd recommend Carnival, myself, as that was the exact age I had to find something for and Carnival was one of the few lines that fit the bill.

Both my kids (age 2 and 7) enjoyed Camp Carnival several times on our cruise in April.

When we go on a 3-day cruise on the Wonder this November (the reason I'm now reading the Disney board), our younger will still be 2, so not eligible for the kids' club, but again, since they don't take non-potty trained and he has Down Syndrome and won't be potty trained for the foreseeable future (if ever?), he would be excluded by Disney anyway, apparently. Since the cruise is so short and is a family get-together, it won't be too much of an issue for us this time around.

hope that helps,
Carolyn

[JCSM-Mom]

Here is the story: some friends want to take a cruise and they came to me because they know DW and I enjoy cruising. They are 2 couples in their late 30's or early 40's, each with preschool children. They are thinking about a trip in Jan, 2007.

Couple #1: Live in Brooklyn, NY. Children will be just turned 1 and age 2. Both love to dive and want to dive while the kids remain on the ship. They are Anti-Disney.

Couple #2: Live near Chicago. Children will be ages 2 and 6. Both are Celebrity Captain's Club Select Members but have never cruised with kids and want whatever can best support kids of that age.

I understand that Celebrity might not be the best line for this profile of guests. I also wonder if they might be better off waiting until the kids are 3, but I know at least Norwegian starts their kids club at age 2.

What cruise line do you recommend?

I have sailed both Celebrity (DS 14 months) and Royal Caribbean (DS 3, DD 17 mos) with Children. Both offer in Cabin Babysitting. Although it goes quick and you need to sign up for what you want as soon as you board. We used the service on both ships and were pleased, although I'd say we were happier with the sitter on Celebrity. I don't remember the cost exactly, but it was around (8-10 per hour). Both have a kids club that the 6 yo would be able to attend. We toured the one on the Voyager and it look like it would be a lot of fun. Disney has a Flounders reef, but it is limited to 10 hours I believe. We are sailing on Disney for a 3 day family cruise this December and in my research, that is what I found. My children are currently 3 1/2 and just 2. We had no problems sailing with either Celebrity or Royal and I don't anticipate any problems on Disney. Since both sets of Grandparents are going with us, I don't think we'll need the nursery this go around, unless she'd like to go in there to play. But, you need to sign up ahead, so it might not be an option by the time we get there.

Keep in mind that only Disney dedicates a 'mickey' ear for the babies in swim diapers to go in. All other cruise lines (as far as I know) do not allow non-potty trained children in the pools and no swim diapers.

I never left the ship while my kids were with the sitter since there would be no way to reach us if needed. We used the sitter to go to the late dinner and a show.

I've read on the boards here that if you do leave the ship while your kids are on board to make sure you book your excursion through the ship that way if there is a problem they won't leave without you.

I hope that helps. Let me know if I can answer anything else.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Om Disney kid swho are not potty trained do go to Flounders nursery. It is reservation only. $6 per hour 2 hour minimum and second child is discounted to $5 per hour. Nursery is very nice and CM's are awesome in there. However it is small and limited to amount of kids allowed at one time. So they do have the right to limit XXX amount of hours per family per cruise so everyone can have a chance to use the nursery.
The Mickey Earis awesome for little ones. It is jets of water squirting out of the sides of the ears, only an inch deep, it drains constantly. My grandson loved it. Be sure and bring lots of swim diapers and sunblock. The pool is in the direct sun light. They do sell swim diapers on board but they run out quickly and they are very expensive on board!!
We used twice as many as we thought we would.
mom x4,grandma x4

[JCSM-Mom]

Om Disney kid swho are not potty trained do go to Flounders nursery. It is reservation only. $6 per hour 2 hour minimum and second child is discounted to $5 per hour. Nursery is very nice and CM's are awesome in there. However it is small and limited to amount of kids allowed at one time. So they do have the right to limit XXX amount of hours per family per cruise so everyone can have a chance to use the nursery.
The Mickey Earis awesome for little ones. It is jets of water squirting out of the sides of the ears, only an inch deep, it drains constantly. My grandson loved it. Be sure and bring lots of swim diapers and sunblock. The pool is in the direct sun light. They do sell swim diapers on board but they run out quickly and they are very expensive on board!!
We used twice as many as we thought we would.
mom x4,grandma x4

I need to add swim diapers to my list! I just know I'm going to forget them! This will be my first cruise on the Wonder, I've done the Magic Twice. $6 is a pretty good rate for the nursery compared to other ships. What's you experience on reserving after you board? See, the only time I can even imagine maybe using it is the night we eat at, hmmm forget the name suddenly....Triton's? Anyway, the most formal of the 3. Since I don't know which night we'll be scheduled in there on the rotation, I can't plan ahead.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

When you first get on board I would go straight to the nursery to reserve your time. Your time and dining rotation will be on your Key to the World Card. There is a specific time the nursery is open for reservations and for parents to see it, but not sure when it is. Your navigator paper will have it listed. You cant get to your room until 1:30, so if you are anxious to read the time, the Navigators are posted on the wall near the family pool on both sides. You could check it out when you first board, if you are an early boarder. Then you can make sure you are at the nursery ASAP and you shouldnt have any problems reserving.
A lot of people will have the same problem wanting to know their rotation before reserving.
Have a Magical cruise!!!
mom x4,grandma x4