cruisegirl06

But do check rates on getting 2 rooms. Last cruise it was cheaper for us to do two (connecting) ocean views for the four of us vs. a four-person room. I have NOT been impressed with many of the "kids sale free" gimmicks, especially If I can get two connecting rooms for a similar rate

I would love to see the 2-5 year old camp carnival schedule if someone gets it. thanks!

We took our older daughter on NCL when she was 16 months old. The kids clubs are 3 and up, so she will not be able to use those. They did have some playgroup type activities (arts and crafts, music) for under-3s, pretty informal and parents had to stay, but a nice diversion.

As you mentioned, all the pools require the kids to be fully potty trained. We took a small blow-up pool to use on the verandah, which might be a good option if she isn't all the way there yet (it was a very long process at our house...)

I think our ship (Star) also had a few playground type features outside the she would play on. Otherwise, sea days were lots of walking around, eating, taking in bits of shows, playing in the room, etc.

We eat at restaurants fairly frequently at home, so our kids are used to that environment, but before cruises I pick up a bunch of small toys (happy meal/dollar store type toys) and will stash a few in my purse each night for dinner along with some snacks, it's helped mitigate quite a few potential meltdowns. We don't usually allow electronics at dinner, but I have also seen that employed quite successfully as a tactic for keeping kids entertained and quiet during a long meal.

Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses. I had no idea that there were even kids clubs on the ports- off the ship.

 

It's definitely something to consider, but I am still not sure. It's hard to know till you meet the people who will be watching your kids, you know? And I am pretty sure that RCI only lets you do it if you do a RCI-sanctioned activity on the port.

 

@notentirelynormal- did you see people bring babies/toddlers on excursions often and the kiddos would just not participate? I had no idea that was an option.

As of last November we were able to leave our girls in the nursery/kids club and go ashore not on a RCI tour. We were doing a foodie walking tour in Jamaica that we knew they would not enjoy and didn't involve going far from the ship. We were very pleased with the kids club and nursery staff.

We've also taken them on excursions. Our older daughter did Atun Ha with us in Belize and a island tour of Roatan. We were planning on the Turtle Farm in cayman but couldn't dock due to winds. In Cozumel we usually do a beach club and the kiddos enjoy that.

We cruised with ODD at 16 months and 25 months and more recently with both our girls (at 10 months and 3 years). Every trip was a nice vacation, but the normal parenting/grandparenting challenges are still there, if you go into it knowing that you will be fine.

The first cruise was on NCL. They do not have drop-off facilities for under 3's or pools for kids in diapers (we knew this going in and were fine with it). It was just our family, some didn't have any "babysitters"; hence, we made sure to get a balcony so DH and I could relax out there and we brought a blow up pool for DD to splash around in. Port days were primarily enjoyed at the beach and we didn't make it to any shows. We did make it through 5-course dinners every night (the perks of having kiddos who love their food) and had a really enjoyable week!

When ODD was two we did DCL. It was SO nice to have the nursery and activities catering to the younger set! We went to a dance party with the characters and DD loved the restaurants and the shows that she could stay awak for. Port days were beach days (Nassau and CC) and DH and I were excited to have date time while DD was in the nursery. Great cruise!

Most recently we did Royal when the girls were three and almost-one. The 3-year old loved the kids club, and we were very impressed with the nursery facilities and amenities for under 3's (playroom full of toys on sea days, toy borrowing program, playgroup activities). We got to spend family time, adult time, and some one-on-one time with each kid, which was great. I would do this again and recommend it to friends with kids of similar ages.

In short, I'd you pick a ship that has infant/toddler facilities it is a great way to travel and to us seems easier/more relaxing than a land-based vacation. If you go on a "3-and-up" ship, it's still a great way to go it will just be a different type of vacation than one sans kids or where you can use the kids club (more time in the room, limited recreational activities, etc.)

DD3 brought her Bitty Twin "Nicki" on our cruise. I got nautical outfits for the two of them to wear on embarkation day on an AG sale, and it was adorable. Everyone was making a big fuss over them - the embarkation photographer got a kick out of the matching outfits :)

DD loves to bring her places and pack Nicki's things in her backpack. We make it clear that she is in charge of carrying the backpack and the doll and tell her when "Nicki" has to stay in the room/car (on the cruise she was mostly relegated to the room, but got plenty of play when we were in the room).

I think it's a good learning experience. The other day she insisted on pushing her doll around the neighborhood when we went for a walk, about 3 minutes in she was begging us to push the strolłer and we had to remind her that it was her idea and we had told her she'd have to push it the whole time. She was a little trooper, but I doubt the strolłer will be coming on anklet her long walk anytime soon ;)

Do you know if they ran out of toys to lend?

 

 

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I am not sure if they ran out. I know they mentioned there were lots of nursery-aged kids on board (which I expected, being thanksgiving week). We didn't go back and try to swap as our girls were happy with the bag we borrowed all week. I'd just read on here to go early (plus I had a few specific nursery hours I wanted to secure).

They also had lots of under-3 type toys in the teen disco on sea days that you could just go play with whenever. Our girls liked this as it gave them a chance to play together and play with new toys.

Ratio is different from having a maximum allowed in the room. Additional staff can be hired and usually it's adjusted for the number of kids booked. The cruise line may put a maximum of number of kids that are booked' date=' but again, that's different from shutting the door during a cruise and turning away kids on any specific day.[/quote']

 

Agreed. And I was actually glad to see ratios listed, it was nice to see the ratio was similar to what we are used to with daycare. Seeing as nobody has actually reported being turned away, it seems they are staffed (or floating staff, as needed) appropriately.

 

We also had no trouble getting any of our desired times for the nursery (1:4 ratio), and this was on a holiday sailing. I was very pleased with how kids clubs were managed on a busy week!

We just did Western with 2 little ones in tow. We did a great walking/culinary tour in Jamaica that might be a good non-beach option (we left the kids on the ship so we could have a date, but the tour was relaxed and they could have come along). We had been planning in the Turtle Farm and Seven-mile beach in Cayman but didn't get to go ashore due to waves/wind (no compensation from Royal, we just took it as a bonus sea day...sadly this was the port DH had been most excited about). Cozumel we did a relaxing beach day, but I think there are lots of other options too.

As someone else mentioned, if you are set on Eastern, maybe see if they will let you change ships? That might be easier said than done though as Freedom is out of PC so you would likely have to change departure ports.

We did a few days in Tampa this spring - stayed in St. Petersburg and enjoyed walking around/exploring, Clearwater beach and a dolphin cruise (which was great fun for us, including the 2-year-old), sunken gardens, etc. We also tried to go to the Manatee viewing center, but it was out-of-season. After Tampa we went to Orlando and did "non-park-Disney" - resort time, a few favorite restaurants, spring training baseball game, and downtown disney - DD got a little fix and it wasn't overly expensive/busy.

We did toy lending on Navigator last week. I'd read in here to go to the nursery when it opens as the bags go fast, so that is what we did (plus I needed to reserve nursery time). They had a big "catalog" of toy packs that DH looked through while I figured out the nursery hours. The bag they leant us had lots of toys in it (train set, blocks, piano, maybe a few other things?) and was great for keeping our 1yo and 3yo happy while we were in the room. Great feature!

We sailed Navigator over Thanksgiving. The Adventure Ocean into packet alluded to maximum ratios of kids to staff. 3-5 year olds were 15 kids per staff member and I think 6-8 and 9-11 were 25 kids. There were usually 2 staff members in the 3-5s, meaning they would have theoretically capped at 30 (not sure if they would have moved staff between rooms). That said, our DD was in the clubs A LOT. They were frequently busy (lines at opening/closing times, sometimes I think activities were adjusted to accommodate there being so many kids in the clubs), but we were never turned away.

We did RCI when my son was not quite 2.5. He had a wonderful time and there was plenty for him to do. They had toddler play time every day with crafts and toys and books so he could play with other little ones.

 

 

We did Disney when he was 5. Disney lets kids in the kids room age 3 (and potty trained) up to 12 I think. Even at 5 and a super outgoing kid it was a lot of kids in there running around, I don't think I'd send a 3yr old without an older sibling to look out for them.

 

 

Given the choice, I would do RCI now, and wait until they are bit older for Disney, when they can appreciate the experience more and enjoy the activities more.

Thanks for mentioning the age brackets, I totally forgot about that. I really liked that my 3yo was only with 3-5s on Royal Caribbean. The idea of her being mixed with kids up to 11 (not sure of the exact cut off, but I think it's something in that area) makes me a bit nervous. The 3-5 range allows for good attention/age appropriate activities

Ok we are back... I'll attempt to compare concisely

Disney - we sailed when our older daughter was 2 (Dream). We didn't use the kids clubs, but did use the nursery - very nice facility, friendly staff and I like pre-booking hours. We also did a few family activities (kids club open house activities) that were fun. Rotational dining is a nice perk and the waiters seemed to go out of their way to keep the kids happy (we were seated with a family with a 4-year-old - they did magic tricks for the girls, cut meat, etc.). Shows are great for kids and adults-only areas are classy and fun. Castaway cay is great and the Dream is a very nice ship. Dd loved seeing the characters walking around.

Royal - sailed with a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old (Navigator).

Nursery was smaller than on Disney and less "themed" but had plenty of toys/things for the kids and the staff was great. I went as soon as they opened and was able to sign up for 20 hours and you could get more hours later in the week. They also had a few plAygroup type things and toys out for open play on seas days (a fun perk as our girls could play together).

Kids club - also smaller than Disney and less "exciting" of a room, but the counselors were very nice and always greeted our daughter by name. It was a holiday sailing, so there were lots of kids, but they seemed to handle it well (ratio was capped at 1:15 for the 3-5year olds which is similar to daycare ratios around here). Our 3yo had fun and would always ask to go back, so I take that as a good sign :). Hours are a bit more limited than on Disney but were adequate, we just made sure to schedule nursery time when the club was open.

Shows were somewhat entertaining for the 3yo, but the Disney shows were definitely more her thing. She did love the Circus parade on royal and I think she would have enjoyed the ice show (but she begged to go to kids club instead).

Dining - our waiters were very attentive and sweet with the girls. No magic tricks and they didn't cut up their food, but milk and fruit cups were at the table waiting and they always made the girls feel special. Both lines have good kids menus (including healthy options). DH and I both agree disney specialty restaurants are more upscale and seem to have better service than Royal's

Note - there is no splash park/pool for diapered babies (our little one doesn't know the difference, so it wasn't an issue for us, but with an older tot it could be an issue) on Navigator, some of huge larger ships have them and Disney has them.

DH and I compared the two lines a bit. Disney is great, but Royal has a pretty nice product for families too. If pricing were equivalent (or no object) or it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip I'd give Disney the nod, but for overall vacation value Royal won this time. Two connecting oceanview cabins over Thanksgiving for well over a thousand dollars LESS than one cabin on a non-holiday Disney cruise (next November, same itinerary). That price difference plus the ability to leverage holidays is substantial for us plus both lines provide a good product :)

Now once both girls are kids-club eligible we look forward to going back to Holland America or trying Celebrity/Princess, but with an under-3 in tow, I think Royal and Disney are likely your best bets

We just did mr. Sanchos in Cozumel with a 1yo and a 3yo and had a great time. The beach was calm enough to play on with them and our older daughter enjoyed running around on the sand and exploring. Kids that age are free too, which is nice. Our older DD isn't into waterpark stuff or else we might have looked at playa Mia, but mr. Sanchos was great! We'd go back there. We've also done Chankanab in the past (very nice, but didn't love the beach) and paradise beach (also nice, but activities seemed geared at older kids and it was super crowded when we went).

We did Belize when our older daughter was 16 months and booked a tour to the ruins through a tour company (not on the ship). We had to walk a few blocks out of the port to the meeting place (their directions were very good) and the tour was really nice. DD was free and we just brought along snacks and toys for the ride time (I don't recall how far it was, but I'm guessing something around an hour each way?)

We also did Roatan when ODD was 16 months and again booked a non-cruise tour. I think it was island highlights, a visit to "monkey business" to see the monkeys, birds, etc. then a good bit of beach time. That tour they met us right near the pier and it wound up being just us and one other couple. It seemed reasonably priced and was a nice overview and plenty of beach time.

When we sailed out of NOLA we got up, had a leisurely mini-breakfast at the hotel,,walked over to the Julia street port "mall" (river center?) and went to the cafe du Monde there for coffee/beignets. The children's museum opened around 11 or noon, so we popped over there briefly (DD wound up falling asleep) before going to the pier. We were probably at the pier around 12:30 or 1:00, it was busy but manageable (this was NCL, so Royal my be different).

We did Disney with our older daughter when she was 2 and are doing Royal with our almost 1-year-old and 3-year old this coming week. I'll try to report back.

Because DD was 2 we only did the nursery and not the clubs on Disney. We did of to some family activities in the club which she loved (playtime with some characters) and we utilized the nursery - LOVED that you could pre-book online, made it much easier to plan specialty restaurants/excursions (slightly nervous about getting the times we need to accommodate things on Royal).

Has anyone been having issues with the new no-corkage-fee policy? We sail next week, just want to make sure it's been going smoothly and nobody's being charged.

I'm curious to see if anyone has booked one. We're currently booked for the AI side (cruising thanksgiving week) and I'm toying with getting one. We have a toddler and a preschooler, so I think it would be good for naps and to have guaranteed space, but not sure if we "need it". Also, does anyone know if one person can use both massages (one hour massage instead of two 30-min)?

Flights might also be and option, I'm thinking southwest, but they fly from Hobby, I believe and not IAH?

The pack n play shows under the documents that Royal emailed us after making our reservation.

 

She may try to climb out. Hoping she doesn't but not a big deal if she does.

 

 

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Thanks! I'll check those

I am wondering if I found a typo on Royal's website. It says that in order for a child to use a provided play yard that the child needs to be 24 inches or shorter?

 

Play Yard's specifics:

For use by children unable to climb out, less than 24" tall, and less than 30 lbs. Mesh on four sides Sets up in less than one minute Strong and stable, yet lightweight Approx. dimensions 28"W x 38 7/8"L x 31-1/4"H Mattress/pad is 1" thick Sheets are provided Folds for storage and includes carrying bag with handle

 

Seems strange...most children by their 1st birthday are at least a few inches taller than 24 inches! We will be traveling next week with our 2 year old and Royal automatically put a play yard on our reservation. We are hoping she will sleep in it as she still sleeps in a crib at home.

Does the pack and play show up online or on your invoice? DH Mae our reservation (direct with Royal) and says the agent put one on for our almost-1-year-old, but I don't see it documented anywhere. I might call them to check, just in case...

Our last cruise ODD was just over 2. She'd moved to a toddler bed at home, so we let her sleep on the pull-out couch, but up until a few months earlier we still had her in pack-and-plays at hotels without issues. She is pretty petite, so it may vary depending on the kids size (and how likely they are to climb...which is why ours was in a bed before she turned two...)

Thanks again all for the tips! I think we'll try a few of these!

Another option to try is three rooms, an adult and child per room. Sadly the last few cruises I have priced have been cheaper this way. They seem to be upping the first two cruise fares or charging more for the third and forth passengers. I feel like it is a bad game the cruise line is playing, but if so I will be happy to take up more space for less money. Make sure at least two are adjoining and redistribute kids once onboard. The third you can book as a guarantee if grandma does not mind a little distance. Lately on royal and holland it has been cheaper to book this way. Wanted to add I wound up paying less for two balcony rooms than for one ocean view. Doubled my square footage and number of bathrooms.

This is what I was going to suggest. We saved several hundred by splitting into two rooms when we booked our thanksgiving cruise. Makes no sense to me, but I will take it! Also, we found a stellar last minute deal about a month before thanksgiving, no guarantees, but if you are willing to wait it out you might get lucky (of course, the prices could also go up or the ship could sell out...)

We are in TX too and I'm already dreading when our kiddos are school-aged and we have to comply with attendance policies. Back in the day my parents took us out frequently for family vacation and I'm pretty sure I usually learned more on vacation then in school in the early years. Good luck!