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Cruise with a 3year old--balcony vital??


kandjrolls2

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Hey. I am thinking about booking a 7 day of Disney Fantasy next Sep. My daughter will be 3. I was thinking of booking a balcony so that when she is asleep, my husband and I could sit out on the balcony and talk and have wine. But now that I am seconds from booking, I am wondering if I should just save the extra money. I have only sailed twice before both on Carnival and both in inside cabins. Already, this cruise is just so much more expensive than my others I wonder if the balcony is really vital.

Opinions ????

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We were on the Disney Magic this past Jan and our daughter was one month shy of turning 3. I have to say it was the first time we paid for a balcony but I am very glad we did. It was almost everyday she was exhausted by 2:00 (and she never naps at home) so she would fall asleep on the couch and I would sit on the balcony and read. It really was great! It made me feel like I was still on vacation by not having to let all the great views go by without me. For us, it turned out great to have it. Either way you go- have a great cruise!! I am jealous, we havent cruised the Fantasy yet. With the KSF that just came out for this winter, we are back on the Magic again. ;)

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I was on the Magic last month in New York and Canada with my 2 y/o. I almost bought a balcony but the deal they had ran out at the last minute and we ended up getting an ocean view with 214 sq ft. My husband and I agreed that we were glad we saved the $. We relaxed on the couch and looked out our oceanview window during nap times. I think the key was that we had a spacious cabin.

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We were on the Disney Magic this past Jan and our daughter was one month shy of turning 3. I have to say it was the first time we paid for a balcony but I am very glad we did. It was almost everyday she was exhausted by 2:00 (and she never naps at home) so she would fall asleep on the couch and I would sit on the balcony and read. It really was great! It made me feel like I was still on vacation by not having to let all the great views go by without me. For us, it turned out great to have it. Either way you go- have a great cruise!! I am jealous, we havent cruised the Fantasy yet. With the KSF that just came out for this winter, we are back on the Magic again. ;)

 

We started to do the kids sail free but the dates really didn't work for us. But I am glad you got a great deal. I'm telling all my mom friends about it.

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I was on the Magic last month in New York and Canada with my 2 y/o. I almost bought a balcony but the deal they had ran out at the last minute and we ended up getting an ocean view with 214 sq ft. My husband and I agreed that we were glad we saved the $. We relaxed on the couch and looked out our oceanview window during nap times. I think the key was that we had a spacious cabin.

 

Thanks for your reply. My DD is Juliana too and they are close to the same age.

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While a balcony will give you a place "to be"...perhaps you and hubby could take turns while she's napping....that way, no one is "stuck" sitting in a cabin should they want to do something else.

 

Does your daughter still use a stroller? Many kids will simply nap in a comfy stroller, out on a quiet part of the deck...you and hubby could still be "out and about" while your child naps!

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While a balcony will give you a place "to be"...perhaps you and hubby could take turns while she's napping....that way, no one is "stuck" sitting in a cabin should they want to do something else.

 

Does your daughter still use a stroller? Many kids will simply nap in a comfy stroller, out on a quiet part of the deck...you and hubby could still be "out and about" while your child naps!

 

No, my kid has never ever been an on the go sleeper. I think we are better off to get the cheapest balcony we can.

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I just got back from a cruise last week with my 1 and almost 3 year old. We got a balcony for the first time (we sailed 4 times before in inside rooms) and while it was nice, i dont think it was that important. If i were to do it again i'd probably save the money. ESPECIALLY if i only had a 3 year old. My 3 year old only napped 2 of the days and on those days i didnt go on the balcony,i napped with them lol. My 1 year old, obviously, naps more often so it helped while he was napping but next time i'll save the money. We were just as tired and when they finally napped we either napped with them or the other one went out to walk around the ship if he didnt want to nap.

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Vital? No. Convenient? Yes.

 

Given that the Disney cruise is already a splurge in cost, it might be tough on your budget to get a balcony, and if that is the case, you can go and still have lots of fun without a balcony. Luckily the rooms on Disney tend toward the larger side, and most have a curtain so that you can have an "adult side" while your child naps or sleeps.

 

Make sure to check and see if they have any *gt rates for your cruise (IGT, OGT, or VGT) - that might be a way to get the balcony at a cheaper rate.

 

Good luck and have a great time!

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Vital? No. Convenient? Yes.

 

Given that the Disney cruise is already a splurge in cost, it might be tough on your budget to get a balcony, and if that is the case, you can go and still have lots of fun without a balcony. Luckily the rooms on Disney tend toward the larger side, and most have a curtain so that you can have an "adult side" while your child naps or sleeps.

 

Make sure to check and see if they have any *gt rates for your cruise (IGT, OGT, or VGT) - that might be a way to get the balcony at a cheaper rate.

 

Good luck and have a great time![/quote

 

What is a gt rate? And what are those other rates?

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Guarantee Rate. IGT must be Inside Guarantee, OGT OceanView Guarantee. VGT Balcony(?) Guarantee

 

You do not pick which cabin you want, the cruiseline picks it for you. Guarantees are usually cheaper than choosing your cabin BUT you have to to prepared to accept the worst cabin in your lowest guaranteed category.

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I'm lucky that my son doesn't take naps at 3 but even if he did we worked around the nap issue when he was 18 mos - we tag teamed which parent would stay in the room and who would be off having fun and sometimes husband and I both stayed in there and played videogames while the kiddo napped... I don't think a balcony is ever vital.

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I have never cruised without a balcony, both with and without kids. I find that since having kids the balcony has become a really useful thing. My kids (5 & 3 on our last cruise, will be 7 & 5 when we cruise next month) go out there in morning to eat. We usually order them room service for an early breakfast. My husband and I can go out there in the evenings after they go to bed. And it just gives us some extra space when we're all getting ready for the day.

 

We've seen turtles, fish and all kinds of things in the water, and the kids love watching our approach/departure at the different ports.

 

As other posters, said it's not absolutely vital, but it's become standard for us. And I highly recommend it. Enjoy your cruise!!

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We just wont pay extra for a window or balcony, cruises cost so much and saving more would be too aggravating. We cruise with our dd, she is 8. On our last cruise, we have our daughter keep the same bedtime she has at home 8/8:30. Normally after a day running around in port, we all are so pooped , Mom, Dad and dd. One of us usually turns in with her while the other goes out to play. 90% of the time, I stay in and read with a booklight. The wife is more of a night owl.

 

Booking a balcony, just wouldn't help much, atleast for us. TRapped inside with a book, I'll take a soft bed over a windy balcony.

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When my girls were younger - the balcony was more vital to us. I know it's a huge expense - but I don't like to "nap when my kids nap". And I certainly don't like going to bed early and tiptoeing around a cabin.

 

As the girls get older - we are able to mix it up and throw in an "ocean view" as a last minute getaway that fits into the budget. But even though they are now 8 and 12 - nothing beats those balconies. It is my own personal escape. I like going to bed late and waking up early. When the kids want to sleep - I am "outside"

 

On my last cruise I was stuck watching TV inside until they woke up - yuck. I prefer to watch the waves ;)

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We have a balcony on our upcoming family cruise and my husband is already worried about if our 3y/o will be able to get out on there and potentially fall in. He is strong and persistent. I thought that you could get the sliders with a locking mechanism so that they would only open part the way.

 

If you can make him feel better about the balcony that would be great too.

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Last year we cruised with my DD who was 3 1/2. We got a balcony room thinking that we could use it at night, at naptime, or just for some "I need some separation" time. We went out and snapped a few pics from time-to-time, but otherwise hardly ever used it. Turns out, my DD NEVER napped on the trip. Between the ports, the pools, and the kid's club she was always active and happy. During the course of the week, she slipped into a later schedule, so we all wound up going to sleep at the same time as well. This year, we've booked an OV, and are putting the cost savings into some excursions.

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  • 1 month later...

We just booked on RCI Independence and we always get a balcony room but this is the first time with our 2 year old so we decided on booking 2 connecting inside cabins so he could sleep in peace and not have to put up with us, and vice versa. It was pretty much the same price as a balcony cabin and I am hoping it will work out ok. We will probably prop the door open a bit with a shoe or something but he will have lots of space to play, another bathroom and total privacy when he goes to bed at 7:30.

 

I have not heard of anyone doing this but maybe any of you have?

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For Lidolovers: People with children get connecting cabins frequently, and sometimes it is cheaper to get 2 lower priced cabins than one higher priced cabin. However, age 2 is kind of young. Yes, it is nice to have the extra space and bathroom, as well as the privacy, but for me, I'd be a little anxious about my young child in there alone, even with the door propped. And unlike a hotel room, when the door between the rooms is propped, the door is moving (even if only a little) and flopping against whatever is propping it up. A two year old is mobile, and can get into trouble or get scared. Usually people get connecting rooms with children who are a bit older, but children and families are different, and have different comfort levels, so hopefully this will be a good fit for you.

 

And as far as the question about the GT rates - yes, those are IGT (inside guarantee), OGT (outside guarantee) and VGT (veranda guarantee). They tend to be offered on Disney cruises that are not selling well, so tend to come out a little later, maybe 90 days in advance of the cruise, sometimes after final payment. As another poster noted, you can't choose your room with these rates, and must be willing to accept the lowest level within the category. You can't make any changes once assigned, either, so there is some element of risk.

 

Given that the OP is looking at the Fantasy, you might also want to check out the category 8A cabins. They are an interesting shape, and some of them have somewhat separated cabins. It's not the same as having a separate room, but might be nice for nap times. Some of the rooms have a wall between the bed and living area, and some have a pole, so you can check that out. However, often these rooms are more expensive than the lowest level balcony...still, worth checking out. Just be careful if you go this route because some of the cabins are over the theater and might be noisy. There are only a few that have the wall separation (instead of the pole) and don't have noise. Definitely check out room reviews (I can't name the site, but Google stateroom reviews for Disney Fantasy and see what you find) if you choose one of these cabins.

 

Disney does offer a nice curtain between the main sleeping area and living room area, so that could also help make some separation when a child is sleeping or napping. Again, a balcony is nice, but you need to think about what the extra cost will mean for your family in order to determine whether or not it is worth it.

 

Have a great cruise!

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We have a balcony on our upcoming family cruise and my husband is already worried about if our 3y/o will be able to get out on there and potentially fall in. He is strong and persistent. I thought that you could get the sliders with a locking mechanism so that they would only open part the way.

We are considering a balcony for Disney Magic cruise next June with granddaughters (3,6 and 8 y/o). Safety is an issue. We had an inside cabin on our previous cruise, but then it was just my husband and I.

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