Kids pages/Coloring books in MDR?

[Lady_Jag]

Back to the topic at hand, OP, as others have said, they offer crayons and coloring pages in the MDR for kids, but I wanted to add that my DD also looks forward to the dancing and singing in the MDR each night.

 

Most of the wait staff We've had on our cruises tend to dote on little ones as well, so she stays pretty well entertained. On our Legend cruise last year, one of our team would make a little bunny rabbit out of DDs napkin. Our entire table (8 adults and DD) had fun playing with that little bunny and trying to replicate it.

[dznymom]

OP, bring your son to dinner and have a wonderful time! My boys came to dinner with us in the MDR from the time they were very young. I always had small pads of paper and a couple of crayons in my purse, and if the boys got fidgety, we would play Squiggle. Dad would make a scribble on their paper and they would turn it into something. I still have some of their drawings (sailboats, houses, animals, anything you can think of) and they bring back great memories. My boys are AMAZING creative TOLERANT young men of 25 & 20 now, and although that was only a small part of their upbringing it was a really good part.

 

We are talking about a dining room on a cruise ship with hustle & bustle, conga lines, napkin waving and singing waiters. I have to laugh at the intolerant judgemental nitwits here that have convinced themselves they are in some sort of uber-classy establishment. I guess they spent their formative years eating at buffets!

[Jimi123]

OP, enjoy the main dining room. I go on vacation to spend quality time with my wife and kids. We eat at the MDR every night. We bring along whatever we want to keep them occupied (game system, iPod, coloring book etc). The kids love the dining room experience.

 

Oh and btw, kids are entitled to make as much noise as any adult would make in the MDR. They don't have to sit and be quiet as some posts have suggested.

 

Anyone that's offended by coloring books and crayons should go sit in their room in timeout and just order room service. Your on a cruise. It's not the Waldorf Astoria and your not somebody.

[lrowe70]

We took our 6 month old into the dining room on our cruise. There were TONS of other kids there(like, all the other kids who were sailing on the ship).

The mdr was not only not formal, but it was not quiet by any stretch of the imagination(hello, the waiters dance to hip-hop on the tables).

I would have no problem bringing crayons, games or whatever you need to the mdr.

Enjoy your cruise and I hope you and your family have a wonderful time.

[bplazo]

OP, enjoy the main dining room. I go on vacation to spend quality time with my wife and kids. We eat at the MDR every night. We bring along whatever we want to keep them occupied (game system, iPod, coloring book etc). The kids love the dining room experience.

 

Oh and btw, kids are entitled to make as much noise as any adult would make in the MDR. They don't have to sit and be quiet as some posts have suggested.

 

Anyone that's offended by coloring books and crayons should go sit in their room in timeout and just order room service. Your on a cruise. It's not the Waldorf Astoria and your not somebody.

 

As an adult, I do not make any noise in the MDR and I do not expect noisy children either.

 

I did see coloring books and crayons on our last cruise and I do think that those hand held games are great for the children to play with as long as the sound is not turned on.

[Unknotted]

My kids are all grown, but my grandkids range in age from3 years old to almost 18, so I have seen kids in every stage of good and bad behavior. OP, take your little one to the MDR and whatever you need to keep him happy and comfortable...if anyone does NOT belong there it is the intolerant people who have nothing better to do than criticize how or where other people chose to spend their time on a cruise. I'd be just as happy to see all of THEM either eat at the buffet or even better (they complain in the buffet too) maybe they could just get room service so the rest of us are not bothered by their stink eye and rude comments.

 

 

Sorry for venting...but I can't believe how some people apparently feel they are more entitled to use the MDR than others. GRRR!

[Jimi123]

As an adult, I do not make any noise in the MDR and I do not expect noisy children either.

 

Sorry to hear that. We're not the old fashioned type that eat in silence. We communicate at our table.

 

Hand held games are fine with the sound off or ON. It's possible to turn the sound on so ONLY the player hears it w/o disturbing others.

[Prinycesa07]

Thanks for asking this OP. It never even occurred to me to bring coloring books and crayons. We're cruising in September with, wait for it... THREE kids. My 1 and 2 year old babies and my 4 year old niece. And will be taking them to the MDR. Oh the horror, THE HORROR!

[crewsnews]

Most of the times we have sailed, we have been seated with similar family groups. So there is a decent chance, if you are at a large table, that you wil be seated with other families with similarly aged children. I don't know how Carnival assigns seats, but its happened too often for me to count it as coincidence.

 

We always bring the kids to the cruise and always eat in the MDR. Don't sweat the snobs. The lack of enforced dress code, dancing waiters, horrible maitre de jokes, and the conga lines cancel out any arguments for a "sophisticated silver service meal". Please! :rolleyes: It's just a restaurant like any other.

 

Plus they have a kids' menu, so they full expect and welcome kids there.

[sarafinadh]

Let's see... it's been a few years but I remember having;

 

Crayons and notepad

"15" puzzle

sippy cup to avoid spills

tiny stuffy or doll

board books or picture books when older

little etchasketch

[cruisinquestions]

Some people must have had the most unruly nasty hard to deal with children in the world. Got to be why they are so quick to say go to the buffet with them. I have always seen children of all ages in the main dining room. The MDR has always had the noise level of a typical restaurant on land on a Friday night (in other words its sounds more like Outback than Tavern on the Green)

 

OP- another thing- while many have said their dinner dragged- my table of 2 or 3 never waited a long time for anything. (maybe this is what happens to large parties?!) We've sailed 3 different lines over the years and the only problems we've seen in regards to the dining room- be it wait times, how people dress, behave or any other gripe ---has--- wait for it--- only been found on these message boards.

 

If you were to go by these boards youd assume there are a lot more busy-bodies and up tight folks cruising than there really are.

 

Go- kids included- and enjoy!

 

PS -Ive done 2 Spring Break Cruises- so yes Ive seen a LOT of kids on board.

[cruisinquestions]

Sorry to hear that. We're not the old fashioned type that eat in silence. We communicate at our table.

 

Hand held games are fine with the sound off or ON. It's possible to turn the sound on so ONLY the player hears it w/o disturbing others.

 

The person you quoted has to be posturing for the boards- the MDR on every ship reminds me more of Outback (noise, and pseudo-fanciness) than a white cloth, fine china establishment. Lets get over ourselves already and actually try to be truthful and helpful to posters asking questions. :rolleyes:

(again not aimed at you- but who you quoted)

[bplazo]

The person you quoted has to be posturing for the boards- the MDR on every ship reminds me more of Outback (noise, and pseudo-fanciness) than a white cloth, fine china establishment. Lets get over ourselves already and actually try to be truthful and helpful to posters asking questions. :rolleyes:

(again not aimed at you- but who you quoted)

 

Well, I do believe that person quoted me and my comment about not being noisy was not that we did not talk at all it but talk in low normal voices.

[jsjjkelly]

I am one of the few people who also think MDR meals just take FOREVER. I always grab "electronics" for my kids to use when it's really long and boring for them. That could be another option. They weren't offered for my kids on the Legend...

 

Shawn

[kayhold]

I am one of the few people who also think MDR meals just take FOREVER. I always grab "electronics" for my kids to use when it's really long and boring for them. That could be another option. They weren't offered for my kids on the Legend...

 

Shawn

 

Yeah, I think I decided to bring his 3DS since we will be bringing it anyway, for the drive to Jax.

 

Thanks everyone!

[govgurl]

Well, I do believe that person quoted me and my comment about not being noisy was not that we did not talk at all it but talk in low normal voices.

 

I think the point is that, of course you're not as noisy. You're an adult! But kids are kids, and expecting them to behave like perfect adults for two and a half hours is being pretty unreasonable. Of course, you can expect them to be polite, to use indoor voices, to sit while eating and not be running around the dining room, and in general to be well-behaved. But part of growing up is practicing these skills, and practicing inherently means that you aren't going to get it perfect all the time. A little patience with little ones goes a long way.

[Cruisin' Chick]

How sad.

 

Actually, it's none of your business why someone is an only child. My father was one and my daughter is one (and she's an only grandchild too). I certainly wouldn't tell someone it's sad that their child is an only one, nor would I say it's sad that someone doesn't have a child. A bit of a ridiculous comment to make.

 

So MRD dinning is just a food hall on Carnival?

 

All the cruises I have been on MRD is silver service dinning, and most wouldnt want to make their very young kids sit through a four course meal!

 

I would imagine most people dont want to see children colouring in and playing with toys in a silver service restaurant land or sea.

 

But if MRD is just a food hall then I guess its ok

 

Den

 

Wondering what is "silver service dinning"? Does the head waiter turn down the lights in the MDR on the ships you've been on?

 

And I'm still wondering what is so wrong about a child coloring at the table. Years ago, when we took our daughter (at 23 months, 3 years, 4 years of age) on Carnival, the waiter always offered the children's menu, with its pictures to color and the various puzzles, along with crayons. Often, my hubby would join in with the coloring. Our girl was always doted on by the waitstaff, and often when the waiters did their little dances, one of them would pick her up and carry her or hold her hand while dancing. It was cute and she had fun. And from the look of things, the waiters seemed to enjoy marching around with her.

[LAdad]

And I'm still wondering what is so wrong about a child coloring at the table. Years ago' date=' when we took our daughter (at 23 months, 3 years, 4 years of age) on Carnival, the waiter always offered the children's menu, with its pictures to color and the various puzzles, along with crayons. [/quote']

 

Just got off the Inspiration yesterday and my well-behaved DD4 was given a menu with coloring pictures and puzzles, a crayon, and plenty of smiles at the MDR every night (except for the first)! Then again, we were glad my DS7 never made it to the MDR and enjoyed eating every night (except for the first) with the Camp Carnival group! On the first day, I took both of the kids to eat at the buffet since Camp Carnival was not up and running yet. To the OP, just go with your instincts as you probably already know what would be best for your family. Enjoy YOUR vacation!

[NewSalt]

So MRD dinning is just a food hall on Carnival?

 

All the cruises I have been on MRD is silver service dinning, and most wouldnt want to make their very young kids sit through a four course meal!

 

I would imagine most people dont want to see children colouring in and playing with toys in a silver service restaurant land or sea.

 

But if MRD is just a food hall then I guess its ok

 

Den

 

Re the bolded, I would have to say I agree. I once saw a child open a coloring book in a restaurant and had to run from the room screaming, "My eyes! My eyes!"

 

Really! How would anyone even notice what quiet activity a small child is engaged in? Normally, we're so engrossed in conversation with our dining companions that we seldom notice what is going on at adjoining tables unless they are loud or something is pointed out to us. But I suppose it is possible if one is intent on finding something to criticize.

 

We eat out at least once a week with our DGS2 and his parents. Meals generally last 1.5-2 hours, and although he is a very active toddler, I cannot remember any occasion when he became unruly. He loves to watch videos of himself on our smart phones, and they can occupy him for a very long time. I have to admit that I find them equally captivating. :)

[kroberts0525]

I will admit I did not read through the many pages of comments, so perhaps this is of little help. When my son was 5 we went on a week long all inclusive with 20 family members. The only mandatory activity my parents expected was that we all be at dinner (long, often lovely dinners) every night. Somes nights my son participated in the conversation but other nights he put on his headphones and pulled out his TAG (made by leapfrog; less than $40) and read interactive books. Honestly, I cannot say enough wonderful things about the tag. It is the size of a marker and you can bring the books along or just listen to recorded books. Right or wrong, older diners smile at my son with his books rather than an electronic device. He is seven now and we still bring it on most flights.

[bplazo]

I do not care if the child has a coloring book, a book, a quiet electronic toy as long as they are quiet and not screaming. Sames goes for adults.

[sarafinadh]

I spotted "4 crayon" boxes at the maître d's station, but no colouring books. Or paper place mats ; -)

[BallFour4]

I'd rather sit next to a kid with a coloring book in the dining room versus a pretentious snob judging others by their attire, shoes, or any other mannerism.

 

If your first response to the OP question involved suggesting the buffet the perhaps you should get a 24 pack of crayons and color a little before dinner to let some of your petty frustrations pass.

 

If you cannot do that may I suggest the buffet or room service.

 

Pass me the umber...

[FlipFlopCruiser]

As an adult, I do not make any noise in the MDR and I do not expect noisy children either.

 

I did see coloring books and crayons on our last cruise and I do think that those hand held games are great for the children to play with as long as the sound is not turned on.

 

 

Seriously?

You don't make ANY noise at dinner?

Wow you must be a whole boat load of fun! :p

 

And it's usually so noisy in the MDR that the kids could sing campfire songs and probably wouldn't be heard over all of the adult conversations, singing waiters, bar servers hawking after dinner cordials, magicians doing tricks, stuffy maitre'd's trying to remember unfunny jokes, etc.

A little sound from a handheld game would be the least of the noise.

 

I would rather sit with a table full of kids than with all of the judgemental posters on this thread.

[Silent Penguin]

Kids with crayons, ipads, etch-a-sketch, sticker books, no problem. I have to admit I found myself gawking when we shared a table with another family whose preschool daughter kept herself quiet and busy fingerpainting with the big puddle of ketchup her mother poured onto the girl's plate.

 

 

I used to be one of those people who gave the evil side eye to parents whose babies were screaming until I had one.

 

 

Ditto. I cringe thinking about this, but one bleak winter afternoon while I was in college, my roommate and I were standing in a long, slow-moving line at the grocery store. The lady in front of us was holding a shreaking baby, probably about 18 months old. Now, I know better, that probably the baby was overheated in his snowsuit, hungry for his dinner and maybe, tired. Then, all I could think of was how the screaming baby was putting my teeth on edge. I muttered to my roommate, "Can't she shut that kid up?" Nice, huh? I am only thankful there's no way the mother could have heard my callous remark over the din of her child's wailing.