22 month old on Celebrity Century Panama Canal

We've cruised before but never with a child! Our daughter will be 22 months when we leave on our 15 day cruise 12/21. Any advice on cruising with a toddler is appreciated! I'm also interested to hear advice on what to do at specific ports: Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Quetzal, Puntarenas, Colon and Cartagena. Thank you and wish us luck!

For the ports I would go to the ports of call board and ask about a toddler in each one. I always got great advice. When my girls were that age, we loved the Krystal resort in Puerto Vallarta and went there many times - easy walk, kids pool, playground, decent food, etc., but it's been some time since we've been there.

I'd bring a supply of take n' toss cups, disposable bibs, new little amusements for the dining room, good reclining stroller with sun shade, sealed snacks for port days.

All the best,

Mia

Unfortunately, she won't qualify for any kids program on Celebrity. We've done a few Canal cruises and I think some ports are a bit more child friendly. Cabo is a tender port and there isn't a lot for a young child. Perhaps check into a beach. I also don't see much for a young child in Puntareanas. In Colon, stay with a ship tour. The port area can be very rough and you really don't want to step far from the port on your own. I highly recommend the antique train ride out of Colon. The ship will bus you to the train station and you're on an air conditioned coach to Panama City. It's really a nice tour. In Cartagena I also recommend a ship sponsored tour. Perhaps a nice city tour or maybe a beach.

We did the PC with my 3 and 6 year olds last fall. In Cartagena, we did the Friends for Columbia tour. They were amazing and tailored a tour that was appropriate for the 9 kids and 9 adults that made up our group.

I have thought a bit about this response. Trying to find exactly the right things to try to make sure you are prepared for your trip. First I suggest you pack a bag and move in to your daughters room. For a week, I suggest one of you are in that room with her when she is sleeping. Find something to keep you busy but will not wake her up. You may not leave the room, for any reason until she wake up unless you trade places with another adult.

Next, I suggest you visit your local buffet, for breakfast or lunch every day during the test week. Push your Angel in the stroller while getting the food and then balance the tray on the stroller while you search for a table. Make sure to pick the busiest times for the establishment. To make this more realistic, it would be best if there is a line at least outside the door.

Each night during the test, ensure that dinner is later than planned or ideal or your little one. Then seat her at the table for at least 15 minutes before food goes on. Ensure that while you eat, she is reasonable quiet and that dinner takes no less than one hour.

So we have covered, eating and sleeping, the greatest challenge will be the rest of the time. I suggest you find a really fun looking park. Preferably, one that has a splash pad or waterslide. Place you DD in the stroller and spend at least an hour walking around the park. However, she is too young to play on any of the equipment or touch the water. I suggest you repeat this 2X per day for at least one hour each time.

If you do the above for a week and are still having fun, talking to you spouse, and have not made reservations in the local mental hospital, CONGRADULATIONS, you are ready to cruise for days with a toddler. If not, I suggest you call and BEG to reschedule this trip for 12 months later, when DD will be old enough to play in the water and go to the kids club.

The problem is that things might go fine and you could have an OK time. But there is BIG potential for things to go poorly, and you are really stuck for 2 weeks. Good luck.

I have thought a bit about this response. Trying to find exactly the right things to try to make sure you are prepared for your trip. First I suggest you pack a bag and move in to your daughters room. For a week, I suggest one of you are in that room with her when she is sleeping. Find something to keep you busy but will not wake her up. You may not leave the room, for any reason until she wake up unless you trade places with another adult.

 

Next, I suggest you visit your local buffet, for breakfast or lunch every day during the test week. Push your Angel in the stroller while getting the food and then balance the tray on the stroller while you search for a table. Make sure to pick the busiest times for the establishment. To make this more realistic, it would be best if there is a line at least outside the door.

 

Each night during the test, ensure that dinner is later than planned or ideal or your little one. Then seat her at the table for at least 15 minutes before food goes on. Ensure that while you eat, she is reasonable quiet and that dinner takes no less than one hour.

 

So we have covered, eating and sleeping, the greatest challenge will be the rest of the time. I suggest you find a really fun looking park. Preferably, one that has a splash pad or waterslide. Place you DD in the stroller and spend at least an hour walking around the park. However, she is too young to play on any of the equipment or touch the water. I suggest you repeat this 2X per day for at least one hour each time.

 

If you do the above for a week and are still having fun, talking to you spouse, and have not made reservations in the local mental hospital, CONGRADULATIONS, you are ready to cruise for days with a toddler. If not, I suggest you call and BEG to reschedule this trip for 12 months later, when DD will be old enough to play in the water and go to the kids club.

 

The problem is that things might go fine and you could have an OK time. But there is BIG potential for things to go poorly, and you are really stuck for 2 weeks. Good luck.

I completely agree about the buffet - it's a miserable experience with toddlers, but I did three cruises with my twins before they were 3 and we just ate every meal in the dining room - which was one of my favorite parts about cruising - believe me, they never have a child wait 15 minutes before food is brought out. After the first night, her favorite starter can be served immediately, if it's not at the table already. As for the rest, the great thing about a cruise is someone else is doing all the shopping, cooking and cleaning - I just got to enjoy spending time with my kids - heavenly. In the cabin I read or napped when they did - something I never get to do at home because there is always work to be done. Most of the parents who post here about cruising with toddlers had a great time and end up doing it over and over.

I wish now that I had done more longer cruises before my girls started school. It's SO difficult now to plan anything that doesn't interfere with school without costing a fortune.

All the best,

Mia

We did the 10 day roundtrip Panama Canal last January with out two year old son. My son loves to explore, so he actually really loved wandering around Cartagena. Dora De Zubiria led an outstanding private tour for my family, and if you can afford private tours they will make all the difference in the world, since you can make your child's needs the priority. Cartagena is very hot and very humid, so try to see the old city first, before everyone wilts in the heat.

The buffets at off hours were quite good for my son, as it was easy to get him food but he could walk in front of me, and I filled his plate. The waiters always brought him yoghurt.

He also really liked a variety of small cereal packages. Whenever he got whiny on a tour, we let him pick a new cereal and he was happy eating it.

I've been meaning to post a follow-up on this board to help other anxious parents! Long story short, the trip was way more successful than I expected! I did a lot of online research and followed all the advice I could find, on this thread and elsewhere. For the trip, we bought lots of disposable bibs, take n toss cups, the first years jet stroller and an extra sun shade, the cosco scenara carseat, lots of little toys to keep her occupied and small inflatable pools to use in the pool area to keep her entertained and to bathe her in since she wasn't used to a shower. We used so many disposable bibs we ran out, we did not use the take n toss cups, the stroller was not much better than the $20 umbrella stroller we already had but the extra sun shade was a must, the carseat was awesome and we used the inflatable pool daily to bathe her in the shower but not at all in the pool area.

All in all, she did great in our small cabin with no deck - I think she just enjoyed my and my husband's constant attention. One if not both of us napped with her daily, which we often enjoyed but sometimes got a little bored. The bottom line was that this was not the best choice of trip for a toddler, but we went to spend time with our family and have no regrets. We were a big group altogether. Our biggest challenge was entertaining on a cruise that had more days at sea than at port and was not super baby friendly. There was very little to do with her on the ship. We did take her in the jacuzzi a few times and the pool a couple times. We watched people zumba and did hip hop dance class. She played with her cousins, explored the ship, etc. It was difficult at times. The most fun she had was after dinner. She loved going to see all the live music and dancing! If I were to cruise in the future, I would look for a child friendly cruise line with stops at ports everyday.

As for ports, Cabo was a beach day which was great. We went to Antigua in Guatemala and got a private tour which was ideal. Colon was a horrible port - I think both adults and kids would agree - and getting off the ship was barely worth it. We took cabs to the old town area in Cartagena and just walked around and it was beautiful. In Puntarenas we went to a resort that was very child friendly and used their pools and beach all day.

I did not think the buffets were difficult - in fact, they were a nice way to deal with a toddler who is picky with food! She could try all sorts of things and I didn't worry if she didn't like it. Sit down dinners were more difficult and I admit we relied on Curious George and Daniel Tiger playing on the iPad for her to last through the meal.

Overall it was a great experience. Parents, don't be afraid! Family time is the most important!

Thanks for sharing. I think it can be a bit of challenge at that age. They love the ship and all the attention but it is a lot of work for Mom and Dad. It sounds like a successful family vacation and that is important. My Dad is on oxygen now and my step-mother has dementia so their traveling days are over. I am so glad that we have memories of trips with grandparents. I know it made them happy to have the whole family together.

I am traveling with my 13/14 month old on Sunday. I will write a detailed review but I think the best advice is go with the flow and enjoy your time with the little one

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I am traveling with my 13/14 month old on Sunday. I will write a detailed review but I think the best advice is go with the flow and enjoy your time with the little one

 

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Can't wait to read your review. I will be looking for it.