DebFromCanada

Thank you for taking the time to write your review.  My question is in regard to the Camp at Sea program.  We have 3 boys (10, 10, & 12) that LOVED the Disney kids club and HATED Norwegian's.  I don't know if you and your kids have experience with either of those lines, but my impression is that Disney is unstructured (kind of a free-for-all) while NCL is heavily programmed and divided into 2-year age groups.  Based on your experience, where do you feel the kid's program on the Edge falls?  Also, while in the club, do they have opportunity to play video/computer games?  We would be travelling over spring break, so likely to also have a good number of children on board.

I hear ya'!! We are also a family of 5 and I've spent countless hours looking for the best way for us to cruise. We've done a 'family suite' on NCL (perks were nice, room was huge but one open area), Disney regular balcony (surprisingly good size, kids loved that there were 3 single beds, and Disney was all-around amazing), and recently we did two connecting balconies on NCL (two bathrooms a plus, privacy with being able to close the door between if we wished, but they wouldn't open the divider between balconies so we ended up just using one). We are past having nap times but it is still nice to have some sort of division at bedtime so my husband and I aren't sitting silently in the dark waiting for kids to fall asleep!

If you are planning on your kids spending some time at kid's club, research that before deciding on a cruise line. Some are more structured than others, and will appeal to different kids. We have had 2 kids that hated the NCL clubs (the 3rd was indifferent), but all 3 loved the Disney clubs. Others have had different reactions - all depends on your kids.

We were on the Gem last week. Yes, they had it but clothes weren’t to be returned until the last night of the cruise. $19.99.

We were on the Gem last week (out of NYC). My kids (11, 8, 8) loved the basketball court & hitting golf balls ... but your guys may be a bit young for that. They also enjoyed Wii on the big screen, but that was only offered twice during the week. The little kids splash area is sheltered, so I would assume warmer, and even the main pool is reasonably protected from the wind. You can borrow games from the library (and I always take cards / Uno / Yahtzee to entertain them in the cabin (not much on TV for kids). For what it’s worth, my kids hated Splash Academy. We cruised on Disney last year and it was in a completely different league from the kid’s perspective (and the adult’s too!).

You have brought back a lovely memory for me. In Vancouver on the Jewel (traveling alone) I sat with a coffee and my suitcase on an upper deck watching the sea planes take off and land while the masses jockeyed to disembark. When the lines had all but disappeared, I grabbed my stuff and off I went.

If there were tags for self walk-off, I don't recall. But since your belongings are never out of your possession, it doesn't really matter.

I was going to say Amazon as well. Bigger baby stores probably carry them too, but I would check kijiji and mom-to-mom sales / online groups for 'gently used'.

Nice to see another Canadian Mother Of Multiples traveling with her kids. (y)

I say find a way to take your own seats ....

When my twins were younger we took their backless boosters by looping the arms through the straps of their backpacks (I considered that their "personal item" for the flights and no one at the airline said anything:D). That would solve the 5 year old. As for the little ones, you can buy wheeled trolleys that you attach the car seat to ... and put the kids in ... solving a whole lot of problems navigating the airport. That way you have your seats that you know are up to standards and clean.

I've attached photos ... sorry, I don't know how to just insert a pic.

We were on the transatlantic last May with a nine-year-old, and seven year old twins. I had the same concerns, but there was no need to worry! We had a fantastic time and I don't think the kids were ever bored. I brought UNO cards (which they did play a couple times while waiting for us to get ready), and they had homework that they did spend a bit of time on, but during the small amount of time they were awake in the cabin they were fascinated by the old Mickey cartoons on TV.

We were blessed with excellent weather and were able to spend considerable time by the pool every day that first week. My kids also enjoyed going to the theatre, which my husband was happy to take them to. However, the big hit was the Kids Academy. I wasn't sure if they would be keen, but they LOVED it! I found myself saying 'you can't spend all your time there'!! My husband and I were able to have some alone time every day which was nice. There was always something going on, but I found one of the best things about having such a long cruise was that there was no pressure to do everything. Many things were repeated, so if I felt like sitting on the balcony with a book (or taking a nap), I did.

Other miscellaneous advice .... book the early dinner. We had late, which meant the kids were getting to bed at 10:30/11 every night. With the constant time changes we were having a hard time getting them up and going in the mornings. It wasn't a big deal at sea, but when we had port days, it became an issue. Take autograph books for the kids and keep them with you - there are tons of formal opportunities to meet characters, but you will also run into them by the pool, in the elevator, etc. Have your kids order from the adult menu (you have already paid for it!) - much better food (and variety). If you're using the fold-down Murphey bed don't keep the kid's clothes in the cabinet opposite. I always forgot to get the next day's clothes out before dinner and the bed would be in the way. Take a few laundry pods and do a couple loads on sea days.

Enjoy! You have made a great choice for your first cruise ... Except that after, nothing else will be as good :)

There was shrimp on the lunch buffet every day of our 15 day transatlantic .... and it was yummy! Enjoy :)

Are your boys big enough for the booster style car seats? We took those for our twin boys on our last cruise to use both in the Florida rental to the port and for an excursion we had planned. We have the ones that are just a seat with little arm rests. Those arm rests looped through the straps of their backpacks (our kids are older and I make them each carry their own bag with their stuffed animals & change of clothes). The seats hung down over their behinds, between the backpacks and their backs ... If you can picture that. It worked beautifully - we just stuffed the seats in the overhead on the plane and under a bed on the ship ... But we had them when we needed them, because I personally can't forget everything I know about car safety just because we're in a place without strict laws. Enjoy your vacation!

We were just in Ponta Delgada and I can highly recommend a private tour with André Philip -

www.andrephilip.com

He picked the 5 of us up at the port and took us all over. We hiked down to a lake in a crater, swam in the thermal pools, saw the boiling mud in Furnas, ate the traditional stew cooked in the ground, and saw the stunning Fire Lake. Amazing place. Andre was very accommodating and he speaks excellent English.

We were there last week. Lovely area. We had free shuttles into Weymouth (Disney Cruise Line) and enjoyed walking through the town and along the boardwalk. The beach looked great but it was a bit cool that day. Lots of interesting shops to wander through. Several people recommend that we visit Nothe Fort - we were travelling with our 3 sons (ages 7-10). We did, and it was great. Very interesting and informative, for all ages. It was an easy walk from the shuttle drop off / pick up.

Enjoy your trip!

When the kids were younger I made a puzzle and had them reveal their surprise by putting it together. For our last cruise I put together memory / autograph books (Disney cruise ;)) with a page outlining the itinerary. There were also journal pages for each port and I added photographs when we got home. For Easter each child received a new backpack and inside was their book.

I think the planning is half the fun! Enjoy.

I haven't been yet, so I can't speak to the accuracy ... however, there is a detailed list of instructions on another blog you may find helpful. Google "10 Steps to Conserve Wi-Fi Onboard Your Disney Cruise" and you should have it.

We took our boys to Bermuda on NCL when they were toddlers and it was great - very family oriented. Burmuda was a wonderful destination for children. Very clean and safe. My suggestion would be to find room in your suitcase for a baby life jacket and some sand toys so you can enjoy the fantastic beaches. Enjoy your vacation.

I second the stickers idea. Go to the dollar store and load up. Your little one can stick them all over - as long as you take them off before you deplane. Keeps them busy for hours! Also at the dollar store, pick up little toys to introduce one at a time over the duration of the flight - there is nothing like a new toy to capture interest. Even going through photos on your phone will often provide entertainment in a pinch.

As for snacks, take lots of little items that can be enjoyed slowly, one at time. Think Cheerios, raisins, small pieces of dried fruit, fish crackers, etc. Hand them out individually and drag it out as long as you can! Bananas are easy to cut up on the plane and cheese strings will keep for several hours. Maybe the flight attendants could place perishables in a refrigerator for you?

We will be joining you on the Magic! I have never been to Copenhagen, however I looked into an early disembarkation. We have since been able to switch flights to avoid changing planes, but we originally had tickets for an 8am flight. Because we dock in Copenhagen the day before, I confirmed with Disney that we could disembark at any time. I was told that I would have to notify Guest Services on board at least 48 hours in advance. Obviously, you would have to take your own luggage off. So, you may want to call or email Disney yourself, just to have it on the record, but I don't think you should have any problems at all. :)

Take the Skytrain from YVR to downtown!! It's easy, clean, and the kids will think it's cool! Oh, and it is the least expensive option, there are no issues with traffic and no concerns about car seats :)

Thanks everyone! Yes, laundry will definitely have to happen during our crossing ... I don't think the kids have 15 days worth of underwear :)

First, I would like to thank all those that respond to these questions and share your knowledge. It is a great help and very much appreciated.

We have the late dinner seating and I think the dine and play option will be great for my boys. My question is, is it only items off the children's menu that can be expedited, or can they order whatever they want and get it quick enough to be able to leave with the councillors?

Also, do they remove shoes in the Oceaneers area and have a socks requirement? Maybe it's a Canadian thing, but it is socks only at our gym daycare and indoor playgrounds around here. I will be packing for 5 people for 15 days, so don't want to bring anything we won't need!

And finally, does anyone have experience doing the transatlantic with kids? Our boys are 9 and 7 year old twins. We took them on one cruise before (NCL) and they weren't into the kids club. I'm hoping that won't be the case this time! They were much younger then (twins were 3) and hadn't been to school or daycare at that time, resulting in some serious separation issues.

My family of Lego fanatics would love this! Awesome job!

Call Cunard. I've sailed with them before (wonderful experience!) but their website isn't the best. I found they prefer to speak with travellers over the phone and it was much easier to do so ... just be clear with the call center staff that you are dealing with Canadian dollars. I had a mix up with the advertised price being in CAD and what was charged wasn't an accurate exchange. They fixed it right away as soon as I noticed and called. I just don't think they have a lot of Canadians that travel with them.