Dishes for kids

My kids like to eat off divided plates in specific colors. Should I bring some onboard with us or just us what's available. My 3 year olds are very opinionated. I think they will eat off the plates in the main dining room, but their own plates might be good for the windjammer.

I know you can't bring fresh fruit onshore, But can you bring kids snacks onboard and ashore - granola bars, cheese & crackers, apple sauces packets, cookies etc

There is no way I'd bring my own dishes onto a cruise. Even if you use them in the buffet, you would have to return to your cabin to wash them. Sometimes you end up using multiple dishes in the buffet anyway, especially if the kids are picky.

You can only bring off prepacked food - boxes of cereal, packaged granola bars, etc.

Now is the time to get them used to "grown up" plates!

Yes..you can certainly bring pre-packaged snack items, if you want. There is applesauce on the ship, but you can't take it ashore. Plenty of cookies, though!

Packaged snacks are fine...just make sure hey are still sealed when taking them off the ship. We kept crackers, applesauce pouches & gummi fruit packages with us (never ended up using them, but had them in case we needed them).

I would leave the plates at home. I took toddler silverware (stuff that could be thrown away), but DD (2) never used it. She managed fine with the regular silverware.

Where would you wash them? You couldn't use your bathroom sink - if even a little bit of food got down there (which would be bound to happen washing multiple plates throughout the day) you would end up backing up the plumbing in your room and probably the rooms around you as well.

If they have no other choice and see all the other big kids eating off grown-up plates, sounds like a good time to break that habit.

You'll need to bring your own unopened pre-packaged snacks for use in port.

Best,

Mia

The only dishes from home we've ever brought were bottles when our child still needed them.

Eventually your children will get hungry enough to eat off a normal plate. ;)

Thanks for the feedback. I won't bother with the plates. They do fine in restaurants at home, just they have never had 20+ consecutive meals in a restaurant. I am bringing them their refillable water bottles for around the ship and in ports and some packaged snacks for port.

We did bring sippy cups, and we did run into an issue of not having it filled for bt, kept sending daddy back!

I suggest the take & toss cups/or sippies, that way if you lose them (which we did), nbd. I'll bring dd's favorite for in cabin/port. And let her use the cups/straws everywhere else.

Also, while we brought snacks, dd didn't eat them. I was able to get stuff to bring off ship for port days or buy local at port.

Now is the time to get them used to "grown up" plates!

I brought a few Take and Toss plastic forks and spoons and when I didn't forget them, I'd bring them back and wash them in the sink.

we bought them and we used them. i used divided dishes, take/toss spoons and forks, and an insulated sippie to walk around with. buffet cups are small so no need to bring small cups. small bowls were also helpful for cereal. i bought a divided dish, small bowl, and ultra small bowl.

DD also ate with the camp at times so i guess they used regular dishes and utensils but we loved the divided dish.

Thanks for the feedback. I won't bother with the plates. They do fine in restaurants at home, just they have never had 20+ consecutive meals in a restaurant. I am bringing them their refillable water bottles for around the ship and in ports and some packaged snacks for port.

They will get used to the routine. And yes cruise vacations have a routine. I find it funny watching my 2yo and 4yo play cruse ship.

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and what about special allergic menu?do they have it separate or you need always to find out what does the meal consists of?fortunately, it's not such a big problem for me and children but i just want to be sure about some products

If you or your child has a special dietary concern, you address that before you leave. Each cruise lines has a procedure for that.