jac1976

Thank you very much for this information! We'll be sure to keep an eye out for that playground.

We leave for our cruise ob board the QV in about 2 weeks and I am starting to think about what to pack. What is the temperature like on board the ship (inside)? Will we need to pack sweaters/wraps to keep warm if we are wearing short sleeves/sleeveless dresses?

Thank you!

I'll be in Bergen in a few week with my 6 year old and 9 year old. We didn't book any excursions because the town looks pretty easy to do ourselves. Are there any sights/activities that you would suggest?

Thanks!

If you go to the cruise personalized and try to schedule it, the price should come up. When I booked for my QV cruise at the end of August, for long hair, a wash cut and style was $81. I believe for short hair it was about $60. I chose just have to have my hair washed and blown out on the formal nights and that alone is $50.

I think as long as one is prepared to cruise on a line that does not cater to children, then it is perfectly fine.

A week before my son's second birthday we did a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2. We went with my in-laws, and we specifically chose a Cunard ship for sentimental purposes on my mother-in-law's part. I think there were 2 other children on board as we were sailing during April when schools were in session. We all had a fantastic time. Our son had fun as well- we spent most of our time exploring the ship. He "played" shuffleboard and basketball. (Since the age of the average cruiser on the ship was quite elderly, we didn't see one person enjoying the athletic courts during our voyage.) The people who worked on the ship doted on my son. Many of the workers have family that they leave for months at a time in order to work on the ship. My little boy brought smiles to a lot of people's faces that trip. Every night at dinner they would bring him his meal first, and then when he would start to fuss, we'd drop him off at the nursery until we were finished.

Next month we are departing on our second Cunard cruise, this time on the Queen Victoria. We are also sailing in the Queens Grill, which is their first class level. My children are now 6 and 9. I'm sure some people will not be thrilled to see my children in the dining room, but as long as my kids are acting respectfully and appropriately, they have every right to be there.

Why don't we choose a more child-centered line? Several reasons- First, my son gets overwhelmed by large groups of kids. We tried a Disney cruise a few years ago- we had to leave a few of the special events because there was too much commotion for my son. He prefers quieter environments. Second, we want a more formal experience while sailing. We don't mind wearing semi-formal attire to dinner every night (that's not a formal night that is, my son is really excited about wearing a tuxedo on those nights.) I want my children to learn how to behave in more formal situations. Third, we don't put our kids in the kids club unless we have a reason to do so, so the kids clubs aren't our priority when choosing which ship we will cruise on. We spend a lot of time with our children- even on vacation, so we don't need a kids club that can entertain our children 24/7. Fourth, this time we are traveling with my father (65 years old) and my father in law (82 years old). They will have a much better time on a non kid friendly cruise.

Hello. My family and I are going on the Queen Victoria next month. We spend a few days in London before embarkation and are staying at the Langham Hotel which was booked through Cunard.

1. When do we find out what time we depart for Southampton? Looking at our tickets, our embarkation time is somewhere around 12:30 if I remember correctly. We are using Cunard transportation from the hotel to the ship, so I am assuming they will put a large group of us on a bus at a set time. Is that correct?

2. Am I allowed to carry a bag with me? I know that I am supposed to put the luggage tags on my luggage and it will be delivered to my stateroom, but I am concerned about getting our luggage before supper and having the appropriate attire. I was going to pack a soft hanging bag with our evening clothes just in case that I was hoping to carry on board with me.

3. Are there places in the embarkation area to sit down? We are traveling with my 82 year old father-in-law and I am concerned about him standing in line for a long period of time. I don't mind standing in line for him, but was hoping he could sit and wait somewhere until it was time to actually check in.

Thank you!

We went on both Disney and Princess in 2011. Disney was a 7 day Caribbean and Princess was a 7 day Alaskan. Lots of kids on Disney, not very many on Princess. At the time my children were 6 and 3. I was worried they would be disappointed with the clubs on Princess after doing Disney, but they said they were just as fun!

The big difference I noticed was that the Princess clubs close for an hour or so around lunch and dinner. The Disney clubs stayed open all day. What I thought was neat on Princess was they had certain programs that were brought in from other companies. My kids did a science/animal program about Alaskan animals that was provided by a science center in Seattle. They also had a music program where they received some music and got to play instruments.

Do people usually get dressed up in theme for the theme nights? We are cruising the Norwegian Fjords this coming summer and have 3 formal nights- Black and White, Masquerade, and Victoriana. The Victoriana Ball just happens to fall on my birthday and I think it would be so much fun to dress up in the Victorian theme. Would I be out of place? Also, we are in the Queens Grill- will we miss out on the "feel" of the theme nights because we are in a smaller dining room?

Thanks!

We did Alaska when my kids were 6 and 3. In Ketchikan we did the tour of the Saxman Native Village and the Lumberjack Show. The kids loved the lumberjack show. They were pretty neutral about the Native Village and Totem Poles.

In Juneau we went to the Mendenhall Glacier and then did the Salmon bake for dinner. The glacier was neat. There were nice paths that were easy for the kids to walk. We even saw 2 black bears! (This sounds scary and dangerous, but it really wasn't. The kids thought it was so cool!) They also enjoyed the visitors' center where they got to touch a bear skin and a piece of the glacier. The salmon bake was just a fun dining experience.

In Skagway we did the train ride and then arranged for a private tour with Becky from Beyond Skagway Tours. We really enjoyed the train, although DD (3 years old) napped most of the time. I will say that DH and DS love trains though, so it kept their attention the entire time. After the train ride, Becky met us with her SUV, complete with boosters for the kids. We drove up into the Yukon, making several sightseeing stops along the way. We stopped at the Carcross Desert and Emerald Lake. Becky knew of a geocache at the lake- the kids really enjoyed their "treasure hunt". She arranged for us to have a picnic lunch on the side of a lake and even brought pans so DS could take a try at panning some gold. We stopped along the side of the road so the kids could build inukshuks (stone statues) and we also stopped for the obligatory border crossing pictures where we got to see another black bear!

We were on the Sapphire Princess in 2011 when my children were 6 and almost 4. They LOVED the kids club. I was worried because 6 months prior we had been on a Disney cruise and I was afraid the kids club on Princess wouldn't compare, but my kids said it was just as fun as the one on Disney. There weren't a lot of kids on board (it was an Alaskan cruise, hence why the outdoor area was not in use), so one day when mine were the only ones in the club they let me take some pictures of the space.

Hello! My family and I are taking a trip on the Queen Victoria next summer. My father as well as my father in law are coming along as well. This will be my dad's first trip with Cunard and he is very excited for the whole ballroom experience. It will be nice for me as well since my husband is not a big dancer. I thought for a holiday gift I would sign my dad and I up for a few dancing lessons so we can dance together on the ship and at least look like we know what we're doing. :-) Does anyone know the specific types of dances I should request we learn?

Thank you!

Just wondering what those of you who said you would be cruising with kids in Sept thought of your respective ships. We'll be booking something soon, and are still debating between NCL, Princess and Disney (SOOOO much more expensive). Kids will range in age from 5-9 when we sail. Thanks!

We have sailed both Disney (in the Caribbean) and Princess (Alaska). My kids liked the different ships equally. I asked if they preferred one kids club over another and they said no, that they were both great.

I have been trying to get my kids (DD8 & DS10) to go on an Alaska cruise but they dont want to go because they think they will not be able to swim. What has been your experience with that? Are some lines better than others? I thought some had covered pools but I wasnt able to find them on the ones we were looking at for last summer.

We sailed on the Sapphire Princess in August and my kids swam in the indoor pool. There was one day when it was being used for a putt putt tournament so was closed to any swimmers. If it isn't allowed, no one said anything to us (granted, not that many people were using the pool anyway.) I was happy I ended up bringing their suits (I almost didn't, figuring we wouldn't need them) because DS swam every day we weren't in port. Just be aware that on at sea days when you are out in the ocean, the pool can be VERY choppy. The water sloshed back and forth, changing the level by a good 2 feet or so. Granted, my son thought it made it more fun- he called it the roller coaster.

We're sailing on the Sapphire Princess at the end of August with our 6 year old son and our 3 year old daughter. We sailed on the Disney Magic in March. I will be glad to compare the two when we get back.