1st time cruising with the kids...

We are thinking about taking the 7day Eastern Caribbean cruise next Feb. We'll be traveling with 4 adults, 4 kids (8,7,5,4). I've never cruised with kids before. I know this may seem like a dumb question but what do you do with the kids all day? On our last cruise, we spend at sea days basking in the sun, enjoying the pina coladas. Obviously can't spend at sea days the same way with kids! ;) We're also considering doing a few days at Disney then doing the 4 day cruise. Any thoughts/suggestions/reassurance? :o

Disney has clubs for the kids according to their ages. They open around 9 a.m. and stay open all day until midnight, most nights. Your kids are welcome to come and go as you want. You are given a beeper so they can page you any where on the ship if your needed for some reason.

If you want they will even take your kids to lunch and dinner in the buffet in case you want a quiet dinner just for two.

The clubs have many structured events as well as free time for all ages. It is free accept for the Nursery and your kids are too old for that, so no worries.

also they have many things you can do as a family on board too. Studio Sea is set up for games and dances. In the movie theater they always have a few films geared towards the kids.

There is also a kiddie pool for them to play with loungers around it for moms and dads to relax on.

Disney does an EXCELLANT job of entertaining the kids so grown ups can have some quiet time!!!

mom x4,grandma x4

We are thinking about taking the 7day Eastern Caribbean cruise next Feb. We'll be traveling with 4 adults, 4 kids (8,7,5,4). I've never cruised with kids before. I know this may seem like a dumb question but what do you do with the kids all day? On our last cruise, we spend at sea days basking in the sun, enjoying the pina coladas. Obviously can't spend at sea days the same way with kids! ;) We're also considering doing a few days at Disney then doing the 4 day cruise. Any thoughts/suggestions/reassurance? :o

We too are looking at the Feb sailing to Eastern Carribbean! And we will also be taking our boys for the first time. We're looking forward to it and it sounds like if we're going to take our kids Disney is the way to go! From what I've heard the kids don't like to leave the kid areas so we'll see if we even get to see them on our vacation! :) We're looking at the Feb 2nd sailing how about you??

So they'll realy take the kids all day so I CAN enjoy a pina colata from time to time? :D LOL! I've always been nervous about traveling with the kids for fear of not being able to enjoy the vacation but rather be chasing kids around, getting sippy cups, kids getting over tired, etc. This is the first year I thought I might enjoy a trip with the little ones.

We're still uncertain as to what exactly we're going to do. Everyone else is kind-of leaning toward a few days at Disney then take the 4 day cruise. Other friends of ours want to do the 7 day cruise in 2009 so maybe we'll wait and do that one with them. Either way, we'll be traveling in 08 somewhere in the last 3 weeks of Feb, not the first.

Decisions decisions!

Thanks for all your help.

Hello all,

Cruising with little ones isn't too bad. I have 2 little ones ages 5 and 3 and the oldest has olready been on 3 cruises. We have only flown once and we live in Missouri. We have brought inflatable pools for the balcony when the kids were really little...lol. Now they are getting older and it seems like it will be nothing to take them. Look on other boards to get some ideas for cool things to bring for the kids. Cruisecritic has ideas everywhere. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Princess are all very active forums. There is also an area just for kids on cruisecritic. This place is loaded with information.

Some of the things I like are sound machines to keep the kids sleeping just a little longer. Clothes pins to keep the curtains shut tight. Dish washing soap for cups and things you might want to wash. cloth hamper.wet wipes. hand sanitizer, collapsible cooler, snacks ( crackers and peanut butter...stuff like that), zip lock bags, portable DVD player with as many headphones as possible!! (lifesaver), solarcane, big cloth bag for the beach to carry stuff,...This is only the tip of the iceberg. I know it sounds crazy, but we used all of the stuff on every cruise. Big insulated mug !! There are lists all over the place here to give you ideas and to help you feel more prepared. I also bring lots of different kinds of medicine. My kids have gotten colds and different things so have some of those handy. The doctor's are great on the ship. We have been to them before for one of the kids. Well, I hope this helped.

I could show you a thousand shipboard Disney cruise line pics, and one of your questions would be, "Where are all of the chldren?" And as I have answered that question, a hundred times is, "They just dissapear." Disney offers a most differant environment shipboard for children. You know where they are,.....kinda? You know they are safe, and busy, you just can't see them. The counselars, and staff who work with the children are wonderful. They know mom and dad are on vacation also. The Eastern cruise is really nice, if you like your days at sea, to relax{PINA COLaDA}. For us, it's been an EXTREMELY rare occasion, to see an unhappy child or parent on 5 prior cruises. Chances are your children will Love the Experiance, and you'll have a few drinks, and want to do it again. Metrowon

Thanks everyone. The list of things I should be is a little daunting but that's one of the hazards of traveling with kids.

We're still undecided as to what we're going to do. Now we're thinking we might try a 9-11 day cruise to the southern caribbean. I'm trying to find a cruise line that would work for us with all those kids. If we do that, we'll do the Disney cruise in 09 with more friends so there'll be a bigger group of us.

So many choices!! :D