GRAND PRINCESS (4/21) can anyone help?

Hello wonderful cruisers!!! We are taking our 4 year old on his first cruise...the Grand Princess....on (4/21-4/28). I have so many questions about which excursions to take him on....and if others plan to use the kid area onboard while sailing...have you heard good things about it? Would anyone like to meet up with their kids for meals OR book the same excursions with us??....etc.

We live in Houston and would love any advice or plans of action! We can't wait for our vacation and hope to meet as many of you out there! Thanks for your time and response.

-Olivia

livandnath@hotmail.com

*please privately email if you prefer....or respond on here! :)

We've been on the Grand Princess with our two girls who loved the kids area. There were playhouses, a craft center with playdoh and finger painting, toy boxes full of dump trucks, stuffed animals, etc. But my kids loved the organized play time like when they made necklaces out of fruit loops or when they made pirate hats with matching eye patches.:) Your little one will love it and fuss when you come to pick him up, they all do.

They don't allow adults past the front desk in the play area and you have to show ID to pick up your child. And the caregivers there are required to have some sort of degree in a child related field. Most of them have teaching degrees. I felt very safe leaving my child there because they not only played but they learned.;)

In Costa Maya we rented a golf cart (pretty cheap) and drove to the beach, went shopping, went sightseeing and then returned it to the pier. My kids loved it and kept waving at everyone we passed.

In Belize our time was a little short so we walked around sightseeing for awhile and then shopped before getting back on the ship.

In Jamaica we went to Sunset Beach Resort and used the cruisers daypass. It costs $30 for adults and $12 for kids. Once you enter everything is paid for including food, alcohol, watertoys, etc. They have paddle boats, kayaks, snorkel gear, several nice pools, and a nice new water park with a wave pool. It's all included in the price.:D At the snack bar my kids filled up on chicken nuggets, fries, and coke. All we paid was the all inclusive day pass and that was it for all of the above mentioned. The only thing that would cost extra is if you wanted to rent a jet ski or something like that. They are very close to port, the taxi only cost $5 for all of us. There are no reservations, you just show up and ask for the daypass for cruisers. If you need more info. ask at the Jamaica boards, there's lots of info. about this place there.

In Cozumel we always go to our favorite spot, Paradise beach. It's free to enter, the food is excellent, and for $8 pp you can get a wrist band that entitles you to unlimited play on the water trampolines, floating iceberg, snorkel gear, and floatie mats. The lounge chairs and umbrelllas are free. The bathrooms are new and very nice with freshwater showers.

I hope this helps, I've heard that the itinerary for the Grand Princess changed this year, so some of my advice may not be helpful if it's a port the Grand is no longer visiting. Sorry.