Seraphine

We are a family of four that travel in quad inside cabins - we make it work.

This photo was taken on a Carnival ship about 4 years ago, but we still use the same premise:

- put the bottom twins together into a queen and push them towards the wall (preferably the wall closer to the television)

- put the nightstands next to them

- pull the top bunk down for one child

- use a pack-n-play for a toddler, or use the mattress from the other bunk for the second child. Have it on the floor, under the bunk bed, and slide it under the Queen bed when not in use. If you ask your cabin steward, they might have a smaller mattress you can use for the second child.

We will be doing this next month, and our kids will be 8 and 4. I don't know how long we'll be able to get away with it (when they are 11 and 14, I don't know if we'll all fit... but we'll try!)

Sure it can be a bit crowded, but this way you can still have a queen bed and you won't hit your head if you sit up. I take the side next to the kids, and my husband likes the side next to the wall - he finds it cooler. We aren't in the cabin all that much, so it works for us! Princess has some good wardrobe space too, so you can get lots of your stuff away from the bed area - get some organisation systems in place, and you can make due with a small space.

Good luck! :D

I can't address how busy it will be in Monte Carlo during Grand Prix (I am guessing it will be total and utter madness, but I digress... if you're race fans, I'm sure it will be very exciting!)

However, I have been to Monte Carlo during the "off" season, and it's extremely hilly - if there is any way you can avoid using the stroller, I would do so. Take a stroller for the cruise itself, but if you are travelling in port or on land I'd look at getting something like an Ergo Carrier for your 2 year old. Mine was a lifesaver and I used it until my daughter was 4 - it keeps them close, it's extremely comfortable and safe on your back and hips, and it will be much easier to navigate through crowds and hills without the stroller (the website's photos mostly show it as a front carrier, but I had my kids on my back at that age :) )

No, you aren't crazy. (there are kids in Europe, and they seem to manage quite nicely :)

As said above, a cruise is a nice way to introduce kids to Europe. Do lots of research with them in advance so they know what to expect, and what they'd like to see. It means more to them if they are involved too, rather than just saying "okay, tomorrow we're in Italy, and the next day we're in France" (or wherever). We had a week long trip to Germany last October, and the kids learned a few German phrases and numbers, learned about the food in advance, and we looked at things that we might like to see together. It was fantastic :)

Your kids are also older - mine were 7 and 3 when we took them on a Med cruise, and while the cruise itself wasn't great (Costa... oh dear...) the itinerary was great and we really enjoyed our excursions together. There's no reason why you shouldn't take your kids at the ages they are.

Naysayers are probably just jealous.

How about checking to find a salon in one of your ports? You could book a much longer session on land for the two of you for the money you'd spend onboard.

Alaska has nail salons too! :)

We've loved our Carnival cruises and hope to sail with them again one day. You'll have a fantastic time! We've enjoyed the food and our kids loved their kids program.

We sailed with RCI once, and one of the most off-putting things was constantly being told "oh, you'll love us so much more than Carnival!". Well, no, not really... It was nice, but it didn't bowl me over - I thought the food and the kids program was better on our Carnival sailings.

Have fun!

Hi,

 

I'm taking my kids on their first cruise next October, they will be 7 and 8 by then.

 

Looking at doing the in cabin baby sitting so that they can sleep, rather than be up late in the group setting.

 

Does any one know if you can book this in advance? Or does it have to be when you board the ship?

 

Thanks in advance

Most kids clubs we've experienced have "quiet time" during their late night sessions - the kids get to lay out on mats with blankets and pillows, with a movie playing. Keep in mind that they'll have been on the go ALL DAY and will be tired - chances are they'll fall asleep even if it's a group setting. Also, unless you've got an early morning excursion planned, you're all on holiday so you don't need to be getting up as early as you might on a school day.

The other poster above me is right about the availability of in-cabin babysitting. Some cruiselines don't do it at all, and some have extremely limited staff. The staff that did it on RCI for us in 2010 were actually housekeeping staff - they worked in teams of 2, and while they watched our kids until midnight, they needed to be up at 4am to go back to their shift the next morning; they did the babysitting as extra money. Since then, the hourly rate has almost doubled (around $20/hour?) and it's not really feasible. I'd prefer to use the kids club, myself.

Count me in as one who loves it... I had a Chicken Tikka Masala on the Carnival Glory last year that was amonst the best I've ever had. To die for!!

If you don't like it, don't eat it :p

(then there's more for us!)

I looked online but couldn't find anything.

You've just gotten on board - go have some lunch, unpack, and I'm sure by mid afternoon there will be someone there at the gym to fill you in on the hours and let you in. Have a lovely holiday!