Please Help Answer My Family Cruise ???'s

[craigandjessica]

My husband and I took our first cruise last year and now are thinking of taking our 3 kids (boys ages 5, 8 and 11 when we cruise) on a family cruise in lieu of Christmas presents next Christmas. We sailed on the inspiration last year and had a great time but would like to try a newer ship for more activities for the kids. We have looked into booking a family cabin on the dream since it will sleep 5 and have the separate shower bathroom. I am a worrier and am seeking advise and tips about cruising safely with young kids. So here are some of my questions I am hoping you can help me out with:

 

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe?

 

Do the kids have to have a passport to cruise?

What are the most kid friendly ports?

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)?

 

Will the kids be in the same room in camp carnival even if they are in separate groups?

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival?

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties?

 

My oldest gets car sick on long trips, he has never been on a plane(or ship) is car sickness mean he will more likely get sea sick or motion sick on a plane?

 

Will my 5 year old get really bored in camp carnival since the age group is 2-5? Will the activities be too babyish?

 

If my son is 5 years 5 months old, if the activities are too boring for him (since he has 2 older brothers, he is used to playing with older kids) would they allow him to go to the 6-8 yo age group or is that pretty strict?

 

For my husband and my 5 night cruise or S&S bill at the end of the cruise was $300 (We paid for gratuity and excursions prior to cruise) and spent close to the same amount on shore, if we prepay gratuity and excursions how much more $$ do you think a 7 night cruise with 3 kids will cost? Are we fooling ourselves thinking we can get by with $1000 cash? We only had 2 ports on our cruise and the one we are looking at booking has 3 ports. I know spending is an individual thing but just wondering what your experience is with spending when you travel with your kids.

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it?

 

We don't use credit cards and on our last cruise secured our S&S account with cash. Will we have to have $200 cash for each of the kids' cards too?

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card?

 

We live in Minnesota and with the weather we plan on flying in the day before we cruise to be safe. Since we are looking to cruise out of port Canaveral what are some options to save money. We fly into Orlando and would need to stay at a hotel. Would it be better if we get a hotel near airport, book one with free airport shuttle then hire out shuttle to take us to the port the next day OR stay in a hotel near the port. We could rent a car but don't know if that would be cheaper or just taking shuttle taxi. Which one do you think would make the most sense both economically and logically?

 

I know this is a lot of questions but we have never taken a big family vacation. My kids have never been on an airplane so this is a big deal for us and them. I just don't want to spend all of the money and make stupid little mistakes that could screw it all up. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

[firefly333]

Supposedly you can put a certain amount of cash on the kids cards. I just turn off spending prvileges so they cannot charge period. That way I know they wouldnt go over and I have to go to the purser's desk to cover the extra. Its up to you how you set up the kids cards .. same as on your other cruise. When you do the fun pass.

 

If you turn off spending priviledges then their tips will be charged to whichever account you say will be responsible for their charges .. so you will need more than $200 on your account probably..its all up to you and the $200 pp is a guideline, not a absolute.

[giannasage]

We are leaving out of Port Canaveral with six people. We were able to get a suite that sleeps six with free transfers to the port and park and sail for 160.00 I think that is a great price.

[hlb76]

My husband and I took our first cruise last year and now are thinking of taking our 3 kids (boys ages 5, 8 and 11 when we cruise) on a family cruise in lieu of Christmas presents next Christmas. We sailed on the inspiration last year and had a great time but would like to try a newer ship for more activities for the kids. We have looked into booking a family cabin on the dream since it will sleep 5 and have the separate shower bathroom. I am a worrier and am seeking advise and tips about cruising safely with young kids. So here are some of my questions I am hoping you can help me out with:

 

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe? You will ahve to have some talks w/ your kids about safety of course. It's just like taking them anywhere else. We went on your first cruise 5 years ago my oldest was 10ish. He was not allowed to be alone we where traveling w/ another family that had kids as well. He was allowed to go ahead to some activities but never up on outside decks alone. YES I was a freak on my first cruise now w/ 4 under my belt I feel better.

 

Do the kids have to have a passport to cruise? mine do so i dont know the rules on this.

What are the most kid friendly ports? We love HMC we ahve gotten a cabanana and enjoyed the day. Grand Turk was nice as we just headed to the beach as well no need for cabs walk off the ship and there is the beach. Grand Cayman was a lot of fun. I guess I have enjoyed all of our ports.

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)? Camp is free! There are late night parties and babysitting that you will be charged to attend. There are a few other things like build a bear and such that have a fee. We have paid for the late night parties (kids love them) but other than that never paid for camp.

 

Will the kids be in the same room in camp carnival even if they are in separate groups? I do think some of the smaller kids are in the same room but devided. I do remember by friends 2 and 5 yr old son's being in the same room.

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival? Almost all day long. Check your capers once on board

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties? My kids wear shirts and ties. non formal nights button up or polo type shirts. They can also eat at camp if they want no dress code req.

 

My oldest gets car sick on long trips, he has never been on a plane(or ship) is car sickness mean he will more likely get sea sick or motion sick on a plane? Maybe talk to your doctor. My son gets car sick from time to time but flies and saild just fine.

 

Will my 5 year old get really bored in camp carnival since the age group is 2-5? Will the activities be too babyish? My friends sons had a great time. They do different activites that are age apporiate. They begged to go to camp

 

If my son is 5 years 5 months old, if the activities are too boring for him (since he has 2 older brothers, he is used to playing with older kids) would they allow him to go to the 6-8 yo age group or is that pretty strict? I have read varing reports on this. I have never tried to move my kids up. My youngest did move down to spend sometime w/ a friend once.

 

For my husband and my 5 night cruise or S&S bill at the end of the cruise was $300 (We paid for gratuity and excursions prior to cruise) and spent close to the same amount on shore, if we prepay gratuity and excursions how much more $$ do you think a 7 night cruise with 3 kids will cost? Are we fooling ourselves thinking we can get by with $1000 cash? We only had 2 ports on our cruise and the one we are looking at booking has 3 ports. I know spending is an individual thing but just wondering what your experience is with spending when you travel with your kids. Each cruise is different. There are days where we spent little money and days where we spent alot. Book excursions aside from the ship will save you lots of money and control spending cash and you should be fine.

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it? We always turn the kids S&S cards off. If they want something they find us.

 

We don't use credit cards and on our last cruise secured our S&S account with cash. Will we have to have $200 cash for each of the kids' cards too? N/A to me

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card? my kids have never lost a card. My oldest keeps his in his wallet. I normally dont let them carry them unless they need them for something.

 

We live in Minnesota and with the weather we plan on flying in the day before we cruise to be safe. Since we are looking to cruise out of port Canaveral what are some options to save money. We fly into Orlando and would need to stay at a hotel. Would it be better if we get a hotel near airport, book one with free airport shuttle then hire out shuttle to take us to the port the next day OR stay in a hotel near the port. We could rent a car but don't know if that would be cheaper or just taking shuttle taxi. Which one do you think would make the most sense both economically and logically? Aren't you loving this MN weather. I am ready to move right now. We have flown in prior 3/4 cruises and after last weekends storm I know why. I have only been to Miami. I ahve read that Port Canaveral is a long jaunt from the airport. I have no real knowledge though.

 

I know this is a lot of questions but we have never taken a big family vacation. My kids have never been on an airplane so this is a big deal for us and them. I just don't want to spend all of the money and make stupid little mistakes that could screw it all up. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

 

See my answers above. We have taken our kids on a big vacation for the last 5 years. We love them! If you have more question feel free to ask!

[Sauer-kraut]

Passports for Children: Are you going on a closed loop cruise (embark and disembark from the same location)? No, they do not need a passport but will need a CERTIFIED copy of their birth certificates (not the hospital copy but one from the county with a raised seal). However, I'm a passport advocate and encourage people to get them as you never know when something might occur and you can leave the country quickly. I personally have had a passport since I was a baby. If you plan to travel as a family internationally you can have the children on one of your passports. My brother and I were on my father's when we were younger, the thing is that the group listed must travel together.

 

Kid Friendly Ports: It depends on what you are looking for, beach days, sight-seeing, history, seeing other cultures. The ports are bascially what you make of them. Activities can be addressed on the ports of call boards or Family Cruise boards where you can get more information.

 

Sea Sickness: Might not even be an issue for the son that gets car sick. Just have some ginger ale/ginger candy/green apples for an upset tummy. I used to get car sick but have never really had a problem on a ship. If I start to feel queasy I just go outside top decks and get into the fresh air and look at the horizon, it helps a great deal and no medication needed.

 

Can't address the club questions. The port is about a LONG way from the MCO airport so shop around for shuttle options/prices and have a look at the homeports board for suggestions there. Also for sightseeing on your first day the boys might get a kick out of going to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canavaral. Look at possibilities of lodging in Cocoa Beach as well.

 

Hope you have a great time on whatever you choose. :)

[Cruise Envy]

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe?

 

Never go into anyone else's cabin. EVER. Stay with a buddy.

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)?

 

The Build a Bear session is extra, and the 10pm - 3am party is extra.

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival?

 

Roughly 10am - 10 pm. They close for lunch on sea days.

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties?

I brought both. One wore a polo, the other a shirt & tie.

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it?

I gave my kids NO signing privileges. They were 10 & 14. As soon as I realized they could charge arcade on their S&S, I knew that wast he best way.

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card?

We used lanyards.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Oompaland]

 

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe? Respect others and use the buddy system.

Do the kids have to have a passport to cruise? I would - better be safe than sorry.

What are the most kid friendly ports? Each port has activities for children. Do you want them to learn something? Appreciate something? We usually do some type of community service/donation to poor countries. i.e. visit an orphanage with a donation. Of course we plan fun stuff...dolphins, stingrays, etc.

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)? Minimal, if any. Build-a-bear, babysitting.

 

Will the kids be in the same room in camp carnival even if they are in separate groups? Various areas, younger ones maybe.

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival? 9 am - 10 pm???

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties? dress shirt, please. Now is the time to teach and experience a meal different than Applebees.

 

My oldest gets car sick on long trips, he has never been on a plane(or ship) is car sickness mean he will more likely get sea sick or motion sick on a plane?

 

Will my 5 year old get really bored in camp carnival since the age group is 2-5? Will the activities be too babyish? Nope! You decide what activities he can attend.

 

If my son is 5 years 5 months old, if the activities are too boring for him (since he has 2 older brothers, he is used to playing with older kids) would they allow him to go to the 6-8 yo age group or is that pretty strict? No.

 

For my husband and my 5 night cruise or S&S bill at the end of the cruise was $300 (We paid for gratuity and excursions prior to cruise) and spent close to the same amount on shore, if we prepay gratuity and excursions how much more $$ do you think a 7 night cruise with 3 kids will cost? Are we fooling ourselves thinking we can get by with $1000 cash? We only had 2 ports on our cruise and the one we are looking at booking has 3 ports. I know spending is an individual thing but just wondering what your experience is with spending when you travel with your kids. Varies. You can decide on your budget. Sometimes it is nice to just get off the ship and look around.

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it? You can allow it. We never do. We usually are with them for a purchase.

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card? we use the lanyard.

 

We live in Minnesota and with the weather we plan on flying in the day before we cruise to be safe. Since we are looking to cruise out of port Canaveral what are some options to save money. We fly into Orlando and would need to stay at a hotel. Would it be better if we get a hotel near airport, book one with free airport shuttle then hire out shuttle to take us to the port the next day OR stay in a hotel near the port. We could rent a car but don't know if that would be cheaper or just taking shuttle taxi. Which one do you think would make the most sense both economically and logically? only done Miami and FLL but totally agree on flying in early.

 

I know this is a lot of questions but we have never taken a big family vacation. My kids have never been on an airplane so this is a big deal for us and them. I just don't want to spend all of the money and make stupid little mistakes that could screw it all up. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Relax and enjoy! The one thing we make our children do ( 8 and 13 who have been cruising the last 5 years) is try a food item they never had before. Something they will not get at home. Go figure... they love calamari!

[AdobeRN]

Don't have answers to all of your questions & I have only been on 1 cruise. But this is what we did - I have 2 girls ages 12 & 14.

 

Rules: They had to eat all meals with us. We had a place to meet in buffet area and gave them a time each day when we would eat breakfast, lunch & dinner. If they didn't eat with us, they needed to at least check-in with us. Rarely did we go longer than 2 hours without seeing them either in buffett, swimming or in passing. Our other big rule was that they were not allowed in the cabin or their new friends cabins without us. If they were participating in night Circle C activities - we had to know what it was, the time & time expected back to cabin or meeting place - some of the activities went until 1am.

 

Passport: We factored this into our budget and got everyone a passport.

 

Extra fees for activities: My girls did Circle C activities - none of the activities they participated in cost extra.

 

Hours: Circle C had something going on all day until 1am.

 

Formal Nights: The girls just wore "nice" dresses. You will see people dressed in everything from jeans to tuxs.

 

Seasick: My oldest was sick the 1st day(actually vomited) and nauseated for day 2. Not sure if she ate something bad or if it was seasickness. I brought Benadryl and Bonine to help.

 

Money for S&S card: We put down $800 cash & ended up Charging some to the credit card for our family of 5. I set up the girls account to allow them to have a $50 spending limit. After that they had to come to me for extra. They purchased candy, played in the arcade, bought a few items from the gift shop and bought the flavored coffee drinks from the cafe. My 12 year old had her money spent by Day 3, the 14 year olds money lasted until day 5. I also purchased the "soda card" for both of them - although I found that to be a waste of money-next cruise I will carry soda onboard.

 

Lanyards: I bought some cute/fun lanyards online. Worked fine for us. The kids did not have any trouble keeping up with them. They didn't think it was "cool" to wear them at first, but saw alot of others wearing them and were OK with them after some convincing.

 

We are also planning a Xmas cruise instead of gifts for Dec 2012. We can hardly wait. My kids tell me I am obsessed with this now :)

[Havingfun2010]

My husband and I took our first cruise last year and now are thinking of taking our 3 kids (boys ages 5, 8 and 11 when we cruise) on a family cruise in lieu of Christmas presents next Christmas. We sailed on the inspiration last year and had a great time but would like to try a newer ship for more activities for the kids. We have looked into booking a family cabin on the dream since it will sleep 5 and have the separate shower bathroom. I am a worrier and am seeking advise and tips about cruising safely with young kids. So here are some of my questions I am hoping you can help me out with:

 

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe?

 

When my kids were younger the rules were the same as at home. If they were not with me, they were signed into Camp. Occasionally, when they were 11, they were limited sometimes to do specific things such as make a ice cream run or pizza run.

 

Do the kids have to have a passport to cruise?

For closed loop cruised, no. Make sure you have the birth certificate, and make sure it has a raised seal! DO not forget them!

What are the most kid friendly ports?

All the ports we went to have always had family items to do. Just know that sometimes the beach is cheap, and fun to a preteen!

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)?

Tips, for each. A soda card if you want to buy them it (this is optional, but I recommend it for 8yo and 11yo.) Everything else is covered.

 

Will the kids be in the same room in camp carnival even if they are in separate groups?

 

Age groups are broken down even smaller, so a 5 year old would not be doing the same as a 2 year old. Sometimes they are in the same room, but most likely for only the older kids. All the rooms are clumped together

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival?

 

Varies in port, but on sea days, just about all day. Hours will be posted daily.

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties?

Sounds like you have boys. Mine are always dressed as I am.

 

My oldest gets car sick on long trips, he has never been on a plane(or ship) is car sickness mean he will more likely get sea sick or motion sick on a plane?

 

Motion sickness is caused by different factors, so maybe the answer is no. Check with the kid's DR for a solution. Over the counter medicine is available.

 

Will my 5 year old get really bored in camp carnival since the age group is 2-5? Will the activities be too babyish?

 

He will be doing activities with the other 5 year olds, not with the 2 year olds. Each group has "sub" groups.

 

If my son is 5 years 5 months old, if the activities are too boring for him (since he has 2 older brothers, he is used to playing with older kids) would they allow him to go to the 6-8 yo age group or is that pretty strict?

 

Usually no, but you can ask.

 

For my husband and my 5 night cruise or S&S bill at the end of the cruise was $300 (We paid for gratuity and excursions prior to cruise) and spent close to the same amount on shore, if we prepay gratuity and excursions how much more $$ do you think a 7 night cruise with 3 kids will cost? Are we fooling ourselves thinking we can get by with $1000 cash? We only had 2 ports on our cruise and the one we are looking at booking has 3 ports. I know spending is an individual thing but just wondering what your experience is with spending when you travel with your kids.

 

If you pay for things prior to the cruise, than yes. I did a 7 night, with one kid for $450.00 with most items prepaid. Kids a cheaper than adults, since they do not "drink" or "gamble".

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it?

 

You have to give them permission when you sign in so the answer is no. The only money they need is in the gift shop, and I believe you will be with them!

 

We don't use credit cards and on our last cruise secured our S&S account with cash. Will we have to have $200 cash for each of the kids' cards too?

 

Everything would be linked to one portfolio. So no.

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card?

 

Pocket (8 cruises times 2 boys and they never lost one)

 

We live in Minnesota and with the weather we plan on flying in the day before we cruise to be safe. Since we are looking to cruise out of port Canaveral what are some options to save money. We fly into Orlando and would need to stay at a hotel. Would it be better if we get a hotel near airport, book one with free airport shuttle then hire out shuttle to take us to the port the next day OR stay in a hotel near the port. We could rent a car but don't know if that would be cheaper or just taking shuttle taxi. Which one do you think would make the most sense both economically and logically?

 

Simple. Logically, if you stay in Orlando, you will spend more money than if you stayed near the port from all the things you can do!!! Which would take away any savings you had from transportion.

 

I know this is a lot of questions but we have never taken a big family vacation. My kids have never been on an airplane so this is a big deal for us and them. I just don't want to spend all of the money and make stupid little mistakes that could screw it all up. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

Stick to you budget, say no, and remember that preteens are not always knowledgable of what they are missing, if you don't tell them. They will have fun on cheap excursions, and beaches, and you don't need to break your wallet.

[KenMo]

Don't forget the extra expense for the tips for the children.

 

7 day cruise x 5 people x 10 per day = $350.00

 

(Unless you prepaid the tips.)

[Lake Erie Sailor]

Good questions. One thing to check is the price to fly into Melbourne. It is just a few miles from Port Canaveral. Also, often you can get really cheap rental cars in FL, so don't rule out that possiblity. We flew into Jacksonville and drove down the coast for less than Carnival's transfer from Orlando.

 

My kid gets car sick too, but has never had a problem sailing. We did get her ginger root pills for the car and that seems to be working. (She's in college now and it is a 3.5 hour drive home.) She loved Camp Carnival, but she was a little older (13) when she started cruising.

 

I second getting the passports. I wouldn't want to deal with a foreign government, if there was an issue, without one.

 

I think your biggest concern will be that the kids will love it so much, that they will be wanting to know when the next cruise is.:D

[pcrum]

Rules to keep kids safe: I may be over protective, but I only let my kids wander around alone when they were 14. Younger than that, they were with us at all times. They didn't do the kids' clubs, but if they had, I would have escorted them there and back. Every parent knows their comfort zone...but for us, this is what worked.

 

Passports: Kids under 16 can cruise without a passport with a birth certificate (must be the official birth certificate with the seal).

 

Kid Friendly Ports: I'd say Grand Turk is very kid friendly because it is almost like a private island, with a big pool right at the port and the beach right there.

 

Costa Maya is the same setup on a somewhat smaller scale.

 

In Cozumel, I'd recommend taking a taxi to Paradise Beach, a very nice beach with toys for the kids such as icebergs to climb on in the water, slides, etc. Note: Your youngest may be a bit young to enjoy these water toys as you have to swim out to reach them, but the 8 and 11 year old would love it. However, it's still a beautiful beach. Chair rental is $2 per chair and the wrist band to enjoy the water toys is $12 each.

 

Grand Cayman: You can take a taxi to 7 mile beach for a beach day or do one of the tours to stingray city. We like nativeways Reefs, Rays and Rumpointe Tour. It is a snorkeling tour, stingray tour and ends with a visit to Rumpointe, a beautiful beach.

 

The only thing you might want to avoid with young kids is the nude beach on the French side of St. Martin.

 

Other charges: Camp Carnival is free. As others have said, a soda card is good if your kids drink a lot of soda. Lemonade is free. The kids are charged the $10 a person per day for tips.

 

Camp Carnival has separate rooms for the different age groups. I'm not sure the designation for younger kids or at what age the split occurs. The 8 and 11 year old might be in the same group, but the youngest will most likely be in a separate group.

 

Hours of Camp Carnival: not sure exactly, but I have read they have a pj party one night where the kids can stay quite late. I know the kids can also eat dinner at the camp if they like.

 

Formal night attire: I've seen kids in dress pants and polo shirts or dress pants and a dress shirt and tie. Do what is most comfortable for you and the kids!

 

I'm sorry, I can't speak as to the motion sickness as we have never experienced it. I'd check with the pediatrician.

 

As for the camp carnival for the 5 year old, I'm sorry, but I have no experience with the camps for younger kids.

 

Spending rights on S & S cards: you can choose whether or not to give your kids charge privileges or not. We only gave our kids charge privileges when they were 14 (yes, overprotective), but they were with us until then, so we could get anything they needed. If you do give them charge privileges, you can also specify the amount. We usually do $100 for a 7 week cruise. That lets them get milkshakes at the coffee shop and pick and eat candy from the formalities shop and a soda card.

 

Lanyards: We don't use them. At the age your kids are, I kept track of their sail and sign cards. I used a passport holder that went around my neck.

 

Enjoy your vacation.

[cantwait2cruize]

Here is another suggestion.....your kids are still young, and Christmas cruises are very expensive. Have you thought about talking them out of school for a week in early December when cruise prices, and air tickets are half the price?:)

[MamaParrotHead]

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe?

 

"Listen to me, like at home. Act appropriately. Behave yourself." Period. Just about covers it all.

 

Do the kids have to have a passport to cruise?

 

I invested in passports for all of us. I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

What are the most kid friendly ports?

 

We hit Cozumel (spent the day at Chankanaab and LOVED it), Roatan (LOVED Tabayana Beach), Belize (was a dump) and Grand Cayman (just so-so). This next cruise here in a few weeks we're hitting St. Thomas (been there before, we're hitting Coki for snorkeling on a private tour), HMC (beach day), San Juan (forts and trolleys), Grand Turk (beach day).

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)?

 

Camp is free, after hours (10 p.m. and after) is $6/first kid, $4/kid after that.

 

Will the kids be in the same room in camp carnival even if they are in separate groups?

 

Depends, not usually during normal camp hours but at night (after hours group sitting) they are.

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival?

 

Closed 12-2 and 4-6 on sea days, open the rest of the time starting around 8, I believe. Port days I'm not sure of since we're in port until the last minute.

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties?

 

I picked up a suit for my 6 YO at a kids' consignment shop and they have dress shirt/tie combos everywhere for kids for reasonable (also try eBay). Polos and khakis are for the other nights in the MDR for him.

 

My oldest gets car sick on long trips, he has never been on a plane(or ship) is car sickness mean he will more likely get sea sick or motion sick on a plane?

 

No. I get carsick and have never gotten sea sick (3 cruises and counting) including the ship and smaller excursion boats. Just incase, though, I pack ginger altoids and sea bands.

 

Will my 5 year old get really bored in camp carnival since the age group is 2-5? Will the activities be too babyish?

 

No. My 5 YO nephew LOVED it.

 

If my son is 5 years 5 months old, if the activities are too boring for him (since he has 2 older brothers, he is used to playing with older kids) would they allow him to go to the 6-8 yo age group or is that pretty strict?

 

They're normally pretty strict, especially about moving up a group (versus down a group) for borderline kids.

 

For my husband and my 5 night cruise or S&S bill at the end of the cruise was $300 (We paid for gratuity and excursions prior to cruise) and spent close to the same amount on shore, if we prepay gratuity and excursions how much more $$ do you think a 7 night cruise with 3 kids will cost? Are we fooling ourselves thinking we can get by with $1000 cash? We only had 2 ports on our cruise and the one we are looking at booking has 3 ports. I know spending is an individual thing but just wondering what your experience is with spending when you travel with your kids.

 

I'm planning on our S&S coming in around $1100 for us and our two kids for a week. BUT that's also including a night for two in the supper club, the fact that I spend a decent chunk on pictures and the fact we're paying $20 per person for Luggage Express. I'd say that's reasonable, provided you don't purchase many alcoholic drinks, big ticket items in the gift shop or hit the casino.

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it?

 

I don't give my kids any spending privileges. They're either with me or in Camp, no need for them to ever be carrying their S&S.

 

We don't use credit cards and on our last cruise secured our S&S account with cash. Will we have to have $200 cash for each of the kids' cards too?

 

Nope, only for adults. And it's $250 pp on a 7 day sailing, I believe.

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card?

 

Yup. Don't give it to them. ;)

 

We live in Minnesota and with the weather we plan on flying in the day before we cruise to be safe. Since we are looking to cruise out of port Canaveral what are some options to save money. We fly into Orlando and would need to stay at a hotel. Would it be better if we get a hotel near airport, book one with free airport shuttle then hire out shuttle to take us to the port the next day OR stay in a hotel near the port. We could rent a car but don't know if that would be cheaper or just taking shuttle taxi. Which one do you think would make the most sense both economically and logically?

 

No help here, I've only cruised out of Miami.

 

I know this is a lot of questions but we have never taken a big family vacation. My kids have never been on an airplane so this is a big deal for us and them. I just don't want to spend all of the money and make stupid little mistakes that could screw it all up. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Go in with clear expectations. It will not be like cruising without kids, but it will be enjoyable in different ways. Don't schedule every minute of every port day and allow for times to just let them be kids goofing around on the beach. Make sure to schedule some adult time as well as the awesome family time, that's one of the best parts of cruising as a family, IMO. We've done bigger land-based trips and then tried bringing the kids along on the last cruise. It's SO MUCH less stressful cruising with kids than renting a condo and a car, and having to plan and pay for meals and snacks and entertainment, and picking up after everyone. BLECH.

Have fun and savor all the little moments that will happen throughout the week...take mental snapshots (as well as bringing your camera). Those memories will last you ALL a lifetime.

[nybumpkin]

OP, you mentioned "three ports" in your post, so I assume you're looking at Dream's Eastern itinerary of Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. We did this itinerary in 2009 aboard Carnival Glory with our three sons, then 18, 13 and 9. We first cruised with our kids when they were 13, 8 and 4.

 

Passports - We have had passports for our sons from before the time we started cruising. It's just more convenient for us - aside from cruising, our oldest son has had opportunities to travel overseas independently from us, which he wouldn't have been able to do without a passport. In addition, if you need to book air flights from a foreign port, you will need passports for everyone. However, you do not need them for general closed-loop cruises - all you need is a birth certificate and photo ID for those 16 and over.

 

Port activities - in Nassau, we have toured the Pirates of Nassau museum and done a stingray swim at Blackbeard's Cay. Your port time in Nassau is very limited, and Blackbeard's may not work for your port time. In St. Thomas, the first time we did an island and beach tour with Godfrey. Good price, good tour. We went to Coral World for our beach portion of the tour. The second time, we did Carnival's "Barefoot Catamaran Sail and Snorkel" tour. A lot of fun. In St. Maarten, we booked a snorkel and beach tour through Island Marketing. It was a good tour, but with kids your age I would recommend taking the water taxi over to Phillipsburg and going to the beach there.

 

Dining room wear for kids - Our sons wear polos and khakis on non-elegant nights and tuxes on elegant nights. That's just us, though. Most kids wear slacks and button-down shirts - you really don't even need the tie, but it looks nice for the photos.

 

Camp Carnival - With the exception of one cruise out of 13, our kids have had great experiences with Camp Carnival. The extra costs are late-night babysitting, late-night parties (our 10 YO LOVES these parties:)), and things like build-a-bear and Funship Freddy souvenirs. One thing to keep in mind is that your 11 YO will be able to sign in and out of Camp Carnival without you. You can sign a form to prohibit your child from doing so, but he/she will not be able to participate in activities like scavenger hunts. Our compromise is that DS can sign himself in and out, but we will meet him at the Cam Carnival location when he signs out.

 

Spending privileges - Youngest does not get spending privileges on his sail and sign card - and by and large, he hasn't needed them. We did start giving middle son (the one who is now 14) spending privileges, with the understanding that if he abuses the privilege we will take away spending. We did the same thing with his older brother when he sailed with us. Neither abused the privilege - about the most they spent was an occasional $5 in the arcade and some candy in the ship's store.

 

Flying into Orlando - We booked the Radisson Port Canaveral for the five of us. The rate was good and the hotel had a shuttle to the port. If you're coming in the day before, I think I'd rather spend the night in Port Canaveral than in Orlando.

[k2excursion]

A second vote for the Radisson by Port Canaveral. Since we drove it, I'm not sure what the cost is for getting from the airport to there. But the Radisson runs a free shuttle from the hotel to the port before the cruise and back (if needed) after the cruise. This hotel is extremely popular with Port Canaveral cruisers, so you're likely to run into plenty going with you on the cruise, including people from your roll call, at the hotel. This Radisson, unlike those in many other cities, actually does have competitive rates. We got a $99 rate last time, and next time will be around $101-$129, unless a better rate pops up. Some say that the rooms aren't the best (mainly in the non-renovated buildings), but the pool area is spectacular!!!!!!

[craigandjessica]

Good questions. One thing to check is the price to fly into Melbourne. It is just a few miles from Port Canaveral. Also, often you can get really cheap rental cars in FL, so don't rule out that possiblity. We flew into Jacksonville and drove down the coast for less than Carnival's transfer from Orlando.

 

There are no direct flights that I could find from Mn to Melbourne. Traveling with 3 kids I don't know if i want to hassle with layovers. I am not a frequent flyer by any means so I was wondering how you can tell when you search for a flight the difference between a layover that you have to get off the plane and board another plane or is there a such thing as just a stop (i think of it like a bus stop where you just stop and some people get off and others get on) where you stay on the plane.

[craigandjessica]

Here is another suggestion.....your kids are still young, and Christmas cruises are very expensive. Have you thought about talking them out of school for a week in early December when cruise prices, and air tickets are half the price?:)

 

We are not planning on being on the ship during christmas just give it to them as a gift FOR christmas. We are looking into a mid January cruise and taking them out of school

[MamaParrotHead]

Good questions. One thing to check is the price to fly into Melbourne. It is just a few miles from Port Canaveral. Also, often you can get really cheap rental cars in FL, so don't rule out that possiblity. We flew into Jacksonville and drove down the coast for less than Carnival's transfer from Orlando.

 

There are no direct flights that I could find from Mn to Melbourne. Traveling with 3 kids I don't know if i want to hassle with layovers. I am not a frequent flyer by any means so I was wondering how you can tell when you search for a flight the difference between a layover that you have to get off the plane and board another plane or is there a such thing as just a stop (i think of it like a bus stop where you just stop and some people get off and others get on) where you stay on the plane.

 

I fly usually atleast once a year, so I'm not expert either, but I've never been on a flight that you can stay on rather than changing planes. One way to see is notice what kind of plane/s the flights you're looking at are actually on (757, CRJ700, 737-800, CRJ 100, etc.). If you're on a CRJ700 and then a 757, you know you obviously have to change planes.

[ShedQueen77]

My husband and I took our first cruise last year and now are thinking of taking our 3 kids (boys ages 5, 8 and 11 when we cruise) on a family cruise in lieu of Christmas presents next Christmas. We sailed on the inspiration last year and had a great time but would like to try a newer ship for more activities for the kids. We have looked into booking a family cabin on the dream since it will sleep 5 and have the separate shower bathroom. I am a worrier and am seeking advise and tips about cruising safely with young kids. So here are some of my questions I am hoping you can help me out with:

 

What are rules you set up with your kids prior to cruising to keep everyone safe?

No one goes anywhere alone but the bathroom in the cabin. No leaning on rails.

 

Do the kids have to have a passport to cruise?

No but my three kids (14, 8, and 7) do.

 

What are the most kid friendly ports?

Any ports that you can get to a nice beach! :D

 

What are extra costs incurred on the cruise with kids? (like in camp carnival)?

Just the tips for the staff and the Build-A-Bear we paid to do in Camp.

 

Will the kids be in the same room in camp carnival even if they are in separate groups?

If I recall correctly, no.

 

What are the basic hours of camp carnival?

Yoicks, it's been a while...I don't remember... I think open until 8 or 10pm.

 

What do you bring for formal night for your kids? polo’s or dress shirt & ties?

My son wore a polo and khakis...the girls wore pretty sundresses

 

My oldest gets car sick on long trips, he has never been on a plane(or ship) is car sickness mean he will more likely get sea sick or motion sick on a plane?

My son gets terribly, terribly car sick and had no problems on the plane or the ship. I brought plenty of Bonine just in case though.

 

Will my 5 year old get really bored in camp carnival since the age group is 2-5? Will the activities be too babyish?

My daughter was 5 when we last cruised and she did fine...no complaints. :)

 

If my son is 5 years 5 months old, if the activities are too boring for him (since he has 2 older brothers, he is used to playing with older kids) would they allow him to go to the 6-8 yo age group or is that pretty strict?

I don't know for sure...we didn't try it.

 

For my husband and my 5 night cruise or S&S bill at the end of the cruise was $300 (We paid for gratuity and excursions prior to cruise) and spent close to the same amount on shore, if we prepay gratuity and excursions how much more $$ do you think a 7 night cruise with 3 kids will cost? Are we fooling ourselves thinking we can get by with $1000 cash? We only had 2 ports on our cruise and the one we are looking at booking has 3 ports. I know spending is an individual thing but just wondering what your experience is with spending when you travel with your kids.

We spent more on souvenirs and stuff with the kids along and on the non-alcoholic drinks they loved too. :D

 

Do the kids have spending rights on their s&s cards or just my husband and I?if so, can you limit it?

I'm a mean mom, I just revoked all charging privileges from my kids' cards. :D

 

We don't use credit cards and on our last cruise secured our S&S account with cash. Will we have to have $200 cash for each of the kids' cards too?

I used a CC...sorry. :(

 

Is there a better way besides a lanyard to keep the kids from losing their S&S card?

I held on to theirs for them.

 

We live in Minnesota and with the weather we plan on flying in the day before we cruise to be safe. Since we are looking to cruise out of port Canaveral what are some options to save money. We fly into Orlando and would need to stay at a hotel. Would it be better if we get a hotel near airport, book one with free airport shuttle then hire out shuttle to take us to the port the next day OR stay in a hotel near the port. We could rent a car but don't know if that would be cheaper or just taking shuttle taxi. Which one do you think would make the most sense both economically and logically?

We usually stay near the port. Taxis usually aren't too expensive to get a short distance to the pier....not sure about Canaveral though, never been there.

 

I know this is a lot of questions but we have never taken a big family vacation. My kids have never been on an airplane so this is a big deal for us and them. I just don't want to spend all of the money and make stupid little mistakes that could screw it all up. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

 

My kids so love to cruise and it's a great family vacation....there are things to do that make everyone happy! Hope this helps some.

[JRock59]

We are not planning on being on the ship during christmas just give it to them as a gift FOR christmas. We are looking into a mid January cruise and taking them out of school

 

 

Well why not make it Christmas, got a good group going on the Magic out of Galveston, TX. The Cruise during Christmas is 8 nights with 4 ports of call.