Review: Carnival Mediterranean 12-Night Cruise

[sailawaybellaluna]

Wow, this is my dream itinerary! Definitely going to have to plan on taking this trip soon! Thank you so much for your wonderful review. Your writing style and pictures are amazing and I feel like I was there. I can't wait for the rest.

 

You have a beautiful family and your son is PRECIOUS...those eyes!!! Thanks again for taking the time to share your trip with us!

 

Oh, and that picture of you and your son in St. Marks Square is priceless!! LOVE it!

 

So glad you enjoyed it!

 

And thanks for the compliment on my family...My husband is *so* not handy with a camera, but he happened to get that black and white shot in St. Mark's Square, and it's one of my favorites! :)

[texasmelrose2]

My husband is *so* not handy with a camera, but he happened to get that black and white shot in St. Mark's Square, and it's one of my favorites! :)

 

Yes, you lucked out because he NAILED that one! :D

 

Question for you since you travel overseas so much...is there a certain airline or travel site you use to book and is there any tricks to getting good fares? Airfare alone for our family of 4 is almost as much as the cruise, is this normal or am I not doing something right when I search? (We live in DFW)

[sailawaybellaluna]

Fabulous review and pics - I am really enjoying it!

 

Froufie - your review was AMAZING! You captured every detail of the ship with your wonderful pictures! I loved it!

 

I hope to do a TA someday!

 

Thanks for reading along...

[sailawaybellaluna]

Yes, you lucked out because he NAILED that one!

 

Question for you since you travel overseas so much...is there a certain airline or travel site you use to book and is there any tricks to getting good fares? Airfare alone for our family of 4 is almost as much as the cruise, is this normal or am I not doing something right when I search? (We live in DFW)

 

Hey Melissa,

 

We booked the cruise in January 2012, and traveled in September, 2012. I spent a good two months monitoring airline tickets to Barcelona. I'm not sure what exactly the CC rules are, but we used the website I'm sure you'll be familiar with - narrow boat dot com? They have the option for you to put in your email address for an "alert"? Well, it happened that I saw the email as soon as it was sent, and found a roundtrip ticket on British for $800 including all taxes. It had been well over $1000 for prior 8 weeks, and went back to over $1000 later that night. So I caught it at just the right time!

 

I continued monitoring flights and never found one cheaper. I guess some people bid on airfare, but with a 3-year old, we always fly red-eye transatlantic so he can sleep the entire time...

 

Good luck to you!

[texasmelrose2]

Hey Melissa,

 

I continued monitoring flights and never found one cheaper. I guess some people bid on airfare, but with a 3-year old, we always fly red-eye transatlantic so he can sleep the entire time...

 

Good luck to you!

 

Thats great info and I had not heard of that site. Thanks so much, will check it out and sign up. 800 is an awesome deal! Oh and I am not sure the rules either so you can delete that post if you want to be on the safe side. THANKS!!! :)

[sailawaybellaluna]

Day 11 was another Sea Day for us...

 

By this time, the jeans were quite tight, and we were getting anxious to get back to our normal routine at home.

 

Our son on the other hand, would tear up at the mention of leaving "Fun Ship Freddy". :( He wanted to stay on the ship "and eat room service Lucky Charms everyday!!!"

 

Seriously, this kid. He knows we're taking a cruise in February and whenever I ask him if he's excited he says, "I can't wait to get on the big red Fun Ship Freddy cruise and call room service"! :D We were at a hotel over New Year's weekend and it was decorated in an ocean/sea theme. The decor was very similar to the Carnival Breeze. When he walked in he said, "is this a cruise? Are we on a cruise? Can we call room service?" Haha. I'm raising a future cruise junkie!

 

Anyhow, our last sea day was spent doing what we do best...eating and relaxing!

 

I should mention that there were lots of people looking to purchase photos from prior nights, and the photo gallery was a DISASTER! All the pictures were piled in plastic tubs, and you'd literally have to dig through hundreds, if not thousands, to find yours. They were no longer categorized according to seating/time/etc. I know photos come on sale sometimes towards the end of the cruise, but I don't think you want the hassle of spending your precious vacation time digging. I actually dug for an hour and found nothing for our family. :(

 

We had a great dinner that night in the MDR. In fact, Yvonne (the hostess) had sent a note to our waiter, and they provided our son with quite the special treat - TWO plates of escargot! :D

 

 

 

We ended the evening doing a bit of packing, and taking turns losing money in the casino!

 

Final post - disembarking in Barcelona...

[sailawaybellaluna]

We woke up on day 12 with room service delivered to our cabin. I always find that room service isn't the best (or on time) during the last day of a cruise...

 

And a word on room service: I had read on CC that lots of people order BLTs on their room service hanger that they leave on the door. We tried that a few times during our cruise. The first time, it was delivered along with the coffee and cereal. The other two times, it was not...I was told you need to call that in as a special order. Oh well, worth the try.

 

We always carry our luggage off the ship ourselves, so we got ready and left around 9am. There were huge lines (and all the chairs in the lobby area/atrium were cordoned off so people couldn't just sit there). It wasn't too chaotic and the staff were doing a good job at organizing everyone and getting them off the ship in a timely manner.

 

Before jumping in our taxi to the airport, I got a final couple of shots of the Carnival Breeze:

 

 

 

It was an awesome trip and we all had a great time!

 

Within a few hours we were on our way home!

 

 

...and a few hours after that I was back online researching our next cruise vacation! :D

[nybumpkin]

Seriously, this kid. He knows we're taking a cruise in February and whenever I ask him if he's excited he says, "I can't wait to get on the big red Fun Ship Freddy cruise and call room service"! :D We were at a hotel over New Year's weekend and it was decorated in an ocean/sea theme. The decor was very similar to the Carnival Breeze. When he walked in he said, "is this a cruise? Are we on a cruise? Can we call room service?" Haha. I'm raising a future cruise junkie!

LOL - My youngest son came into work with me one day, got in the elevator, and said "What deck?":p And my oldest son decided he wants to sail for a living; he graduates from the US Merchant Marine Academy in June and has a job as a ship's engineering officer. We're planning our July Baltic cruise in part to celebrate his graduation; we're just hoping he doesn't have to report for his job before we get to take the cruise.

 

And thanks for the tips on booking flights. We have an agent looking for us, but we're looking as well.

[ChrisRN320]

Thank you for the excellent review and pictures! Your family is beautiful.

 

How often did you use the stroller and was it a hassle at any particular port?

In Rome, do you think someone who never visited would be able to do on their own with some research? Also, my son still sleeps in a crib (he's 27 months now), did your son sleep with you or on his own?

 

Our family likes to travel and my son is very easy going and well-behaved. We took a cruise when our little boy was 18 months and it was great, so we know he will love it. I'm a little afraid we will wear him out with sight-seeing though. Do you have any advice?

 

Thank you so much in advance for taking time out to answer my questions. I really appreciate any tips you may have.

 

Christina

[Jasonmom]

Hi Jason'sMom! Thanks so much for your comments - I appreciate it!

 

You know, I don't shoot in RAW. In fact, I've been just trying to teach myself how to use my camera (it took me over a year to feel comfortable with a DSLR and figure out what all the gadgets were!). I did take a 4-night workshop at the local fine arts center and I loved it! The teacher (photographer) doesn't believe in post-shoot editing - nearly all of his work is straight out of the camera and unedited! I've tried to do similar - then it also saves me money on photo editing software! :p If I'm shooting sky with clouds or something where I want more drama, I use a graduated grey density filter #6 (you can buy them online for less than $10). The only editing I typically do is in Picasa online - sometimes editing to Black and White, and oftentimes, increasing the saturation just a notch or two!

 

And yes I agree - I LOVE traveling with a toddler! I have a collage of photos framed in his room with the Dr. Seuss quote, "Oh, the places you'll go"... :)

 

He's a good little traveler - probably because he never knew life any other way! Haha.

 

 

 

I wish there was some workshop like that around my area, but alas, none. I will look into a graduated grey filter. Your colors and depth of field are so amazing. Sense I got my camera I've only been able to shoot inside and haven't been happy with my results. I'm hoping some better light might help. It's just too cold for me outside.

 

Don't you just love Formal night with a little man. He looks so cute. I'm sure everyone made a big fuss over him. When my son was 3 we borrowed a tux for him for the cruise. You should have seen him strut and then dance every time we passed any music. Took him to the disco with the light up floor & he brake-danced.

 

 

Thank you so much for the Dobrovnic post and pictures. We will be stopping there and are also planning to do it on our own. My companion on this cruise will be my 71yo mom. Will be my first cruise without my son. Two weeks without him ........ hope I make it.

[sailawaybellaluna]

LOL - My youngest son came into work with me one day, got in the elevator, and said "What deck?" And my oldest son decided he wants to sail for a living; he graduates from the US Merchant Marine Academy in June and has a job as a ship's engineering officer. We're planning our July Baltic cruise in part to celebrate his graduation; we're just hoping he doesn't have to report for his job before we get to take the cruise.

 

And thanks for the tips on booking flights. We have an agent looking for us, but we're looking as well.

 

That's so funny!

 

Congrats on your son's upcoming graduation! Hope it won't interfere with your cruise and you guys have a wonderful trip!

[sailawaybellaluna]

Thank you for the excellent review and pictures! Your family is beautiful.

 

How often did you use the stroller and was it a hassle at any particular port?

In Rome, do you think someone who never visited would be able to do on their own with some research? Also, my son still sleeps in a crib (he's 27 months now), did your son sleep with you or on his own?

 

Our family likes to travel and my son is very easy going and well-behaved. We took a cruise when our little boy was 18 months and it was great, so we know he will love it. I'm a little afraid we will wear him out with sight-seeing though. Do you have any advice?

 

Thank you so much in advance for taking time out to answer my questions. I really appreciate any tips you may have.

 

Christina

 

Hi Christina! Thanks so much for reading along!

 

You know, we have a quasi-jogger so it works great on cobblestones but doesn't have the huge wheels and can still fold up pretty easily. I am so glad we took it. It gave our son a place to sit and rest, have snacks, and the basket underneath was so valuable for souvenir purchases, bottled water, etc. etc.

 

To keep him entertained, we took lots of little books and animals (he's really into animals! We bought a pack of all the tropical animals/birds/lizards from the Rainforest Cafe and introduced him to a new one every day or two!). We also allowed him to have juice once a day as a special treat (he doesn't get that at home) and gelato here and there. I think he had a lot of fun and stayed pretty well entertained...

 

Our son STILL sleeps in a crib! He loves his crib! No complaints from me. There aren't any developmental reasons a toddler bed would be more beneficial vs. a crib at this point! We took a cruise just 4 months prior to this, and he slept in the ships' crib. I've found that Carnival uses the old fashioned metal cribs that seem a bit larger and spacious than a pack n' play (therefore making it a bit easier for older kids).

 

However, on the Breeze, he slept on the couch. It was perfect actually - we propped the heavy back pillows up next to the coffee table and he was very secure sleeping in his "big boy bed". We plan to do the same thing on our cruise next month!

 

Just be careful though because I find that most ships have 3rd and 4th pull-downs and many of the sofas don't actually convert to a bed...I don't feel comfortable putting him in a pulldown. And, Carnival doesn't provide any safety rails (I've called twice and asked)...

 

In terms of sightseeing Rome on your own: I DO think you can do it on your own, especially with a good map and research done in advance. I'd just suggest you decide what's important for you and your family to see (maybe two or three sights tops), and then make time to just linger over a long lunch or a market or something. I'd say you've really got to choose between ancient Rome/Piazza Navona/Market and Vatican Museums. To me, doing them together (with young children on your own) is just too much. I'm sure you COULD do it, but I don't think I'd want to. It'd be a postcard tour of Rome, and that wouldn't allow you the time to just enjoy the magic of the city.

 

Let me know if you have any additional questions!

 

p.s. I'd definitely take some sippy cups and/or straws with you for drinks on the road! I also packed lots of the fruit Squeeze's you can find at Trader Joe's for healthy snacks that didn't require refrigeration!

[sailawaybellaluna]

I wish there was some workshop like that around my area, but alas, none. I will look into a graduated grey filter. Your colors and depth of field are so amazing. Sense I got my camera I've only been able to shoot inside and haven't been happy with my results. I'm hoping some better light might help. It's just too cold for me outside.

 

Don't you just love Formal night with a little man. He looks so cute. I'm sure everyone made a big fuss over him. When my son was 3 we borrowed a tux for him for the cruise. You should have seen him strut and then dance every time we passed any music. Took him to the disco with the light up floor & he brake-danced.

 

 

Thank you so much for the Dobrovnic post and pictures. We will be stopping there and are also planning to do it on our own. My companion on this cruise will be my 71yo mom. Will be my first cruise without my son. Two weeks without him ........ hope I make it.

__________________

 

Hi Jason'sMom! Good luck practicing with your camera! Are you on Pinterest by chance? I've seen lots of great photography tutorials and tips pinned on there that might be helpful for you! If you're unhappy with your lighting indoors, it may just be a metering issue - once you figure it out (grey scale), I'm sure you'll see a huge improvement! :)

 

I agree, it's so fun to see the kiddos dressed up! My little guy loves dancing too and did some of his best moves out on the Lido deck!

 

Have a great time in Dubrovnik with your mom. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. It's a magical city!

 

Thanks for reading along...

[lillymycat]

I so enjoyed reading this in depth review. And, the photos are amazing. As you may know, the Breeze has "cove balconies". You can see them in the ship' s photos. I highly recommend these cabins.

[sailawaybellaluna]

I so enjoyed reading this in depth review. And, the photos are amazing. As you may know, the Breeze has "cove balconies". You can see them in the ship' s photos. I highly recommend these cabins.

 

Thanks so much for reading along! I agree,the cove balconies seem like a great option (and affordable too)! We just got such a great deal on our porthole...next time we might upgrade! ;)

[WendyJo]

To be honest, we almost didn't walk the walls in Dubrovnik because it was getting warm and we felt like we had seen a lot. What a HUGE mistake that would have been!

 

Walking the walls was one of our all time favorite things we did during our 12-night cruise. The views are AMAZING!

 

I almost booked a walking tour through Viator, but decided I didn't want to be bound to a set time, so we did it on our own.

 

We bought tickets (you can use your credit card - there is a separate line for cash). I believe they were 70 Kuna each (around $12.50). We left the stroller at the bottom and our little guy walked with us. He did awesome!

 

If you stop frequently to take pictures like we did, you can probably walk them all in around 2 - 2.5 hours. There are various exit points along the wall where you can enter into the neighborhoods below, if you've had enough.

 

We walked for about 90 minutes, past the marina, before ending. Our little boy was getting a bit worn out, so we decided that was enough...

 

The views are breathtaking - don't go to Dubrovnik and skip this!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure you take plenty of bottled water! There are a couple of spots along the top of the wall to buy water or have an ice cream break, but they'll be at a premium. We stopped at one of the small grocery stores below for water and snacks before walking up...

 

To me, I didn't think it was worth paying for an excursion in Dubrovnik. It's so easy to do on your own! It's a small place so you can't really get lost, and part of the fun is just wandering...

 

After the walls, we boarded the bus back to the ship. The line was huge, but moved very quickly since there were several coaches coming and going constantly. Our little guy was fast asleep, and we headed back to the ship to get freshened up for dinner in the MDR!

 

It was a wonderful day!

 

We were in Dubronik in the Fall of 2011 and they wouldn't let us pay for our wall tickets by credit card. So my husband had to hustle over to the nearest atm and get local money and then of course we had to spend what was left so we weren't left with money we couldn't use for the rest of the trip. Having said that though, the walk on the wall was wonderful except--we somehow started walking it the wrong direction which caused us several inconvenient moments, lol.

[sailawaybellaluna]

We were in Dubronik in the Fall of 2011 and they wouldn't let us pay for our wall tickets by credit card. So my husband had to hustle over to the nearest atm and get local money and then of course we had to spend what was left so we weren't left with money we couldn't use for the rest of the trip. Having said that though, the walk on the wall was wonderful except--we somehow started walking it the wrong direction which caused us several inconvenient moments, lol.

 

Oh no! Well, I'm glad you guys were at least able to do it!

 

We started walking the wrong direction by accident too and quickly learned to turn around! :)

[Breezy72]

Great review and again, fabulous pictures! So glad you decided to do the review (recall on another thread you debated on doing this review since the Breeze was in the Caribbean now.) :) Well done!

[sailawaybellaluna]

Great review and again, fabulous pictures! So glad you decided to do the review (recall on another thread you debated on doing this review since the Breeze was in the Caribbean now.) Well done!

 

Thanks so much Breezy72! I'm so glad I did it too - it was fun to re-live each day and go through all the hundreds (thousands!) of photos I took!:)

[ChrisRN320]

Hi Christina! Thanks so much for reading along!

 

You know, we have a quasi-jogger so it works great on cobblestones but doesn't have the huge wheels and can still fold up pretty easily. I am so glad we took it. It gave our son a place to sit and rest, have snacks, and the basket underneath was so valuable for souvenir purchases, bottled water, etc. etc.

 

To keep him entertained, we took lots of little books and animals (he's really into animals! We bought a pack of all the tropical animals/birds/lizards from the Rainforest Cafe and introduced him to a new one every day or two!). We also allowed him to have juice once a day as a special treat (he doesn't get that at home) and gelato here and there. I think he had a lot of fun and stayed pretty well entertained...

 

Our son STILL sleeps in a crib! He loves his crib! No complaints from me. There aren't any developmental reasons a toddler bed would be more beneficial vs. a crib at this point! We took a cruise just 4 months prior to this, and he slept in the ships' crib. I've found that Carnival uses the old fashioned metal cribs that seem a bit larger and spacious than a pack n' play (therefore making it a bit easier for older kids).

 

However, on the Breeze, he slept on the couch. It was perfect actually - we propped the heavy back pillows up next to the coffee table and he was very secure sleeping in his "big boy bed". We plan to do the same thing on our cruise next month!

 

Just be careful though because I find that most ships have 3rd and 4th pull-downs and many of the sofas don't actually convert to a bed...I don't feel comfortable putting him in a pulldown. And, Carnival doesn't provide any safety rails (I've called twice and asked)...

 

In terms of sightseeing Rome on your own: I DO think you can do it on your own, especially with a good map and research done in advance. I'd just suggest you decide what's important for you and your family to see (maybe two or three sights tops), and then make time to just linger over a long lunch or a market or something. I'd say you've really got to choose between ancient Rome/Piazza Navona/Market and Vatican Museums. To me, doing them together (with young children on your own) is just too much. I'm sure you COULD do it, but I don't think I'd want to. It'd be a postcard tour of Rome, and that wouldn't allow you the time to just enjoy the magic of the city.

 

Let me know if you have any additional questions!

 

p.s. I'd definitely take some sippy cups and/or straws with you for drinks on the road! I also packed lots of the fruit Squeeze's you can find at Trader Joe's for healthy snacks that didn't require refrigeration!

 

Thank you so much again! I am slowly figuring out all the ways to go about this trip and your answers are helping so much.

 

When reading your answer on your son sleeping in the crib, your answer sounds exactly what you will hear me say! I think we have many of the same thoughts on growth, development, and safety. I am so glad I stumbled upon your review!

 

We are sailing on RCCL Serenade of the Seas and out room has a queen and a sleeper sofa, no pull downs. We were specific when looking for a cabin because their pack n plays are small. Glad to hear the couch worked for your son.

 

My stroller is a lightweight Mcclaren, which is not good over tough terrain. I think I will rent a Bob or City mini for the trip.

 

I think we will shoot to do Rome on our own because most tours are full days. You are right with easily over-doing it in Rome with so much to see.

 

My son loves the fruit and veggie squeezes! I will definitely pack them, thanks.

 

I am sure I will think of more questions, thank you again for your time. I like to be prepared so we all can enjoy the trip!

 

Christina

[sailawaybellaluna]

Thank you so much again! I am slowly figuring out all the ways to go about this trip and your answers are helping so much.

 

When reading your answer on your son sleeping in the crib, your answer sounds exactly what you will hear me say! I think we have many of the same thoughts on growth, development, and safety. I am so glad I stumbled upon your review!

 

We are sailing on RCCL Serenade of the Seas and out room has a queen and a sleeper sofa, no pull downs. We were specific when looking for a cabin because their pack n plays are small. Glad to hear the couch worked for your son.

 

My stroller is a lightweight Mcclaren, which is not good over tough terrain. I think I will rent a Bob or City mini for the trip.

 

I think we will shoot to do Rome on our own because most tours are full days. You are right with easily over-doing it in Rome with so much to see.

 

My son loves the fruit and veggie squeezes! I will definitely pack them, thanks.

 

I am sure I will think of more questions, thank you again for your time. I like to be prepared so we all can enjoy the trip!

 

Christina, I hope you'll have time to do a review on the Serenade of the Seas - I've looked at that itinerary and am really interested! :) The reviews are always nearly perfect it seems for that ship! Then again, I'm interested in most ships and itineraries...

 

Back to the stroller issue...our stroller is so beat up now from traveling a lot with it (before our son turned two we did lots of big trips and took advantage of the fact that he could fly for free!). So, it's not much to look at. In fact, we just left it up on the street when we fought our way through the crowds to get to the Trevi Fountain, etc. We left it on the streets of Lucca when we ate in that little tiny pizza place that was a hole in the wall. All of this to say - I'm pretty sure no one would be interested in stealing it! :D It's just a Graco (not a nice brand like Maclaren)...I wonder - could you find a used stroller on Craigslist to take on the trip and potentially even leave it there? Might be a thought vs. renting one? The airline beat ours up SO bad. In fact, it was lost during our connection in London and showed up four days later, and I am unable to collapse it anymore...! :rolleyes:

 

I also took lots of disinfectant hand wipes (like 4 packs) because I worry about our son using the liquid gel the ships have outside the dining areas (especially if he were to accidentally touch his eyes or something)...

 

Definitely let me know if you have any additional questions! I love talking about cruising and traveling with kids. :)

[heatherbelle]

Thanks for sharing your trip. I've really enjoyed reading all about it and fantastic photos too.

 

I'm sailing on the Sunshine in July.

[sailawaybellaluna]

Thanks for sharing your trip. I've really enjoyed reading all about it and fantastic photos too.

 

I'm sailing on the Sunshine in July.

 

Thanks for reading along heatherbelle!

 

Have a wonderful trip on the Sunshine!!!

[ChrisRN320]

Christina, I hope you'll have time to do a review on the Serenade of the Seas - I've looked at that itinerary and am really interested! :) The reviews are always nearly perfect it seems for that ship! Then again, I'm interested in most ships and itineraries...

 

Back to the stroller issue...our stroller is so beat up now from traveling a lot with it (before our son turned two we did lots of big trips and took advantage of the fact that he could fly for free!). So, it's not much to look at. In fact, we just left it up on the street when we fought our way through the crowds to get to the Trevi Fountain, etc. We left it on the streets of Lucca when we ate in that little tiny pizza place that was a hole in the wall. All of this to say - I'm pretty sure no one would be interested in stealing it! :D It's just a Graco (not a nice brand like Maclaren)...I wonder - could you find a used stroller on Craigslist to take on the trip and potentially even leave it there? Might be a thought vs. renting one? The airline beat ours up SO bad. In fact, it was lost during our connection in London and showed up four days later, and I am unable to collapse it anymore...! :rolleyes:

 

I also took lots of disinfectant hand wipes (like 4 packs) because I worry about our son using the liquid gel the ships have outside the dining areas (especially if he were to accidentally touch his eyes or something)...

 

Definitely let me know if you have any additional questions! I love talking about cruising and traveling with kids. :)

 

I did not even think of looking on craig's list!! What an excellent idea!! Then I did not have to care what happens to it. That is a much better and economical solution, thank you!

 

I will post a review afterwards mostly because I will just want to re-live it lol. This has been my dream cruise for quite a while but timing just has not worked out till now.

 

Good idea with the wipes, actually a good amount of liquid gels have alcohol in them and children can get alcohol poisoning if with contact too much. I am a surgical nurse so I have a little OCD with cleansliness :eek:

 

I did think of another question, Did your son go to any of the children's groups on the sea days? If so, did he like them? My son goes to a day care three days a week part-time and loves it. I think he may really like going to the children's groups and that would give us a nice little break too :D

 

I think you said you traveled in September? Were the evenings cool? Did you need any warm clothes for your trip?

 

Thanks again, Christina

[sailawaybellaluna]

I did not even think of looking on craig's list!! What an excellent idea!! Then I did not have to care what happens to it. That is a much better and economical solution, thank you!

 

I will post a review afterwards mostly because I will just want to re-live it lol. This has been my dream cruise for quite a while but timing just has not worked out till now.

 

Good idea with the wipes, actually a good amount of liquid gels have alcohol in them and children can get alcohol poisoning if with contact too much. I am a surgical nurse so I have a little OCD with cleansliness

 

I did think of another question, Did your son go to any of the children's groups on the sea days? If so, did he like them? My son goes to a day care three days a week part-time and loves it. I think he may really like going to the children's groups and that would give us a nice little break too

 

I think you said you traveled in September? Were the evenings cool? Did you need any warm clothes for your trip?

 

Thanks again, Christina

 

Hey Christina,

 

I didn't realize that kids can get alcohol poisoning from that liquid gel! Oh my! As a surgical nurse, I should probably be getting tips from you on antibacterial products! :) I guess I'll stick with my wipes for now then!

 

I had registered our son in the Camp Carnival, but in the end, he didn't go and we kept him with us...Our days at port were so busy, and during the Sea Days one of us (or grandma) was quite happy to take a nap with him in the cabin for a little down-time. If he were just a bit older, I would've sent him. But, I wasn't sure how they manage taking the 3 year olds to the bathroom, so I was concerned. He potty trained at 2.5, and at the time of the cruise he still needed some prompting from me now and again to ensure there weren't accidents. So just to keep our progress alive, that was another reason I didn't send him. But, I've only heard great things about it! We're thinking we'll let him go on our cruise next month!

 

The weather in September was nearly perfect! We did take some light cardigans and sweaters, but no coats. To be honest, we usually needed them at night in the MDR when I felt like the AC was cranked way too high! They also came in handy during the dive-in movie...

 

I'm glad you'll be doing a review on your trip - I'll look forward to it!