Taking little kids on first cruise? RC brilliance of the seas

[jetmecmommy]

We have been invited to go on a Spring Break cruise , on RCL brilliance of the seas with 2 port stops. We have a 2 and 4 year old, the younger is still in diapers. I know its crazy enough to go on a cruise spring break with little ones, but I am having a hard time finding out what there really is to do with little ones on the ship. We have NEVER cruised and I am freaked out already about the trip, since we really don't know what to expect. The party that is going, is a young couple getting married in Key west on the stop, they have a 13 yr. old, who is not interested in the little boys at all. There will be others in the group but no one with small kids. As of right now I don't feel the cruise would be any fun for the boys, and that we will just be a drag to the rest of the group. :eek:

I am already unclear on the included food and drinks and what it more, I have been working with a travel agent, but it seems that she doesn't understand that I HAVE no IDEA what to expect, please help, I know you all are a well of information.

[packedandready]

Sorry can't help with any questions, but there is a family forum that probably has lots of information. Good luck.

[reallyitsmema]

Planning a first cruise can be overwhelming, but there is lots for your little kids. Brilliance has gone through a revitalization so it has a nursery that your 2 yr old can attend (for a fee). Your 4 yr old can go to the Adventure Ocean program, as long as he is potty trained. Here is a link to the cruise lines website with lots of information about your ship.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/ship/home.do?shipClassCode=RD&shipCode=BR&br=R

 

It is a good starting point to see what is actually available.

[jetmecmommy]

One thing I have heard but cant seem to find in writing is that the kids cannot eat at any of the 'up charge' restaurants ? Thanks for the link, their own webpage is hard to navigate.

[setsail]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experiencetypes/home.do?cS=NAVBAR&pnav=2&snav=6

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=336&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=3233

 

Your children will love their time onboard

Edited January 11, 2014 by setsail

[Ourusualbeach]

One thing I have heard but cant seem to find in writing is that the kids cannot eat at any of the 'up charge' restaurants ? Thanks for the link, their own webpage is hard to navigate.

 

At the risk of starting yet another debate, children are welcome anytime at any of the specialty restaurants onboard Brilliance of the Seas.

 

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Food & Beverage

 

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Q: Are children allowed to dine in our Specialty Restaurants?

 

A: Children with a parent or guardian are welcome in our specialty restaurants throughout serving hours. The only exceptions are Chef's Table which requires all guests to be 21 years of age or older, and 150 Central Park which requires families with children under 13 years of age to dine before 7 p.m. Reservations can be made online or onboard at the restaurant based on availability.

 

You may also want to know:

 

How can I make a specialty restaurant reservation?

Edited January 11, 2014 by Ourusualbeach

[TheCalicoCat]

My son, 5, is about to go on his 5th cruise. There is plenty for youngsters to do.

Caveat, this will be his first Royal cruise. (I know you are not the decision maker, but on Carnival they will change a diaper - I have read that they won't on Royal.)

 

Many Adults will steer you towards only eating the Windjammer - this is your choice, you & your children can eat in the main dining room & the specialty dining areas. (The 4 year old can also eat with the Adventure Ocean group.)

Edited January 11, 2014 by TheCalicoCat

[spookwife]

We have been invited to go on a Spring Break cruise , on RCL brilliance of the seas with 2 port stops. We have a 2 and 4 year old, the younger is still in diapers. I know its crazy enough to go on a cruise spring break with little ones, but I am having a hard time finding out what there really is to do with little ones on the ship. We have NEVER cruised and I am freaked out already about the trip, since we really don't know what to expect. The party that is going, is a young couple getting married in Key west on the stop, they have a 13 yr. old, who is not interested in the little boys at all. There will be others in the group but no one with small kids. As of right now I don't feel the cruise would be any fun for the boys, and that we will just be a drag to the rest of the group. :eek:

I am already unclear on the included food and drinks and what it more, I have been working with a travel agent, but it seems that she doesn't understand that I HAVE no IDEA what to expect, please help, I know you all are a well of information.

 

the 2 YO will not be allowed to do anything at all( to include going into any pool). if there is a nursery on board you can pay to be able to enjoy a meal in a specialty restaurant. if there is a splash zone on board, the swim diaper will be permitted there. the older one can(might) enjoy the kids club but it may also be overrun with kids that week which means it may be too overwhelming for him.

 

if you are okay with having the younger with you pretty much 24/7, then you can look for things to do together in port( beach days are popular as they can get into the water in the swim diaper)

[spookwife]

One thing I have heard but cant seem to find in writing is that the kids cannot eat at any of the 'up charge' restaurants ? Thanks for the link, their own webpage is hard to navigate.

 

if they do allow it, you will pay the same full price for them and they must be seated before 7. only a couple have a 12 and up age limit at any time. they also tend to take 2-3 hours so may not be a good idea to bring them anyway.

[Ourusualbeach]

if they do allow it, you will pay the same full price for them and they must be seated before 7. only a couple have a 12 and up age limit at any time. they also tend to take 2-3 hours so may not be a good idea to bring them anyway.

 

Yes the children paying full price is correct however the rest of your statement is not correct.

 

In case you missed it in an earlier post here is he policy again.

 

 

*<* Back to*Food & Beverage

 

Food & Beverage

 

Print This Page

 

*

Q:* Are children allowed to dine in our Specialty Restaurants?

 

A:* Children with a parent or guardian are welcome in our specialty restaurants throughout serving hours. The only exceptions are Chef's Table which requires all guests to be 21 years of age or older, and 150 Central Park which requires families with children under 13 years of age to dine before 7 p.m. Reservations can be made online or onboard at the restaurant based on availability.

 

You may also want to know:

 

How can I make a specialty restaurant reservation?

[cb at sea]

Cruising is really not much different than being in a resort hotel, albeit, with MUCH smaller rooms! What is it you'd do on a land vacation? Well, you'll do that on the ship! The older child will be able to participate in the kid's club....most kids love that!

 

There are no more people onboard during spring break than any other time....ship's sail full almost every sailing, and they are designed for max. passengers!

 

Be aware that standard cabins have showers, not tubs, so kids who don't use showers at home may have an issue with this.

 

It's true that non-potty trained kids (or adults!) are not allowed in the pools. Not even with "swimmies".

 

The staff loves kids....yes, even in the MDR! It's much easier to be served while tending to a little one, than dealing with a buffet!

[itsmecarrie]

We travelled with our 2.5 year old son in December on the Explorer of the Seas. It was his first cruise and he had an amazing time. Your kids will have a great time.

[hansolosmom]

Is your child 2 now & will be 3 when you sail? When they're 3 they can go to the kids clubs, but at Spring break they'll be strict & they have to be 36 months not 35. In all honesty some kids love the rooms & some don't so you end to be prepared for that.

 

My one concern is you're the only couple in your group with little kids. So there may be times when you can't do stuff with the group because of that. (Assuming your group is planning activities together) like the kids rooms are closed and everyone wants to go to the Solarium. So just kind of keep that in mind.

[cebl]

I think you need to decide how badly you want to attend the wedding. If it's important to go, then you can make it work. But it would be much easier and more fun for you to cruise with your kids in a couple of years. I have only been on one cruise (on the Liberty,) so I am no expert. Your four year old would be fine, but I wouldn't recommend doing it with a two year old. I don't even know what I'd do with a two year old, unless they have a splash zone where diapers are allowed.

 

As mentioned before, plan beach days for your ports. Excursions cost extra, but depending on the port, you can take a taxi to a beach and it shouldn't be too expensive. But that depends on the port. Do your research!

 

All the food is free except for the specialty restaurants and alcohol. My kids are older, but they loved ordering hot cocoa for room service every night. It's just hot water and packets of instant (and we ordered milk to add to it) but they just loved it. Where else can you get free room service? (We did tip, but that's next to nothing.)

[Jtd724]

They have Royal Babies & Tots Nursery for your 2 year old. They will look after kids 6 months to 3 years old. You can drop your child off there for a few hours each day and give yourself some free time. If the 4 year old is potty trained they can join the royal tots program and again give you free time. Boarding day is just an open house to checkout the nursery and what they do and reserve your times. They give you a few hours, lets say 20 hours to start with. Then by day 3 or so whatever time is left is open to everyone to reserve so then you can reserve more time if need be. (if time is available). Just make sure you get to the nursery ASAP to reserve.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Jtd724

[BekkaW]

To answer your question about included food and drinks, there is a buffet called the windjammer and also the main dining room (usually referred to on these boards as MDR) that are included in your cruise fare. You can have breakfast, lunch or dinner in either of these for no extra charge. The MDR is sometimes closed for lunch on port days.

 

Included drinks are coffee, tea, juices at breakfast (not fresh squeezed), lemonade, ice tea and flavored waters. Alcohol, soda and specialty coffees are an up charge.

[jetmecmommy]

I am so glad I found this group, you all are so informative. I cannot wait to share all this with my husband. We are so undecided and it is coming up fast. Thanks again you all.

[reallyitsmema]

I am so glad I found this group, you all are so informative. I cannot wait to share all this with my husband. We are so undecided and it is coming up fast. Thanks again you all.

Have you even booked this cruise yet? If you haven't, it might be a non-issue at this point because the closer you get to sailing date, the harder it will be to get a cabin for 4.

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

My 9 year old daughter will turn diamond on her own this spring break cruise. Up until she turned 8 she loved the kids club, especially late night when we had to pay. The wait staff we have had have always paid special attenion to my daughter from her first cruise at 4 months (before they changed the rule to 6 months).

[drarill]

My children started cruising when they were three and four and now they are D+ on their own rights. Do your research, cruise critics is a wonderful forum but you have to learn to navigate it. The first important decision will be choosing a cabin. Let us know your options so we can help you!!:):)

[Wilda]

the 2 YO will not be allowed to do anything at all( to include going into any pool). if there is a nursery on board you can pay to be able to enjoy a meal in a specialty restaurant. if there is a splash zone on board, the swim diaper will be permitted there. the older one can(might) enjoy the kids club but it may also be overrun with kids that week which means it may be too overwhelming for him.

 

if you are okay with having the younger with you pretty much 24/7, then you can look for things to do together in port( beach days are popular as they can get into the water in the swim diaper)

 

A different perspective....

 

Mom and Dad will not have laundry, cooking, bed making, dishes, driving, vacuuming, work, bill paying, or other tasks to distract them during this time.

 

Mom and Dad will have someone cooking all of their meals, cleaning up after them, making the beds, bringing them a cold beverage, cooking for them, doing the driving, occupying the kids, providing the pool, gym, and spa whenever they want it.

 

In my opinion this equals a rested and relaxed couple that has a chance to reconnect as a family in the best possible way. Do it, you will have a blast and your kids will too! There is plenty for the little ones to do...check out the family boards and you will find some seasoned experts over there as well:D

[Jtd724]

A different perspective....

 

Mom and Dad will not have laundry, cooking, bed making, dishes, driving, vacuuming, work, bill paying, or other tasks to distract them during this time.

 

Mom and Dad will have someone cooking all of their meals, cleaning up after them, making the beds, bringing them a cold beverage, cooking for them, doing the driving, occupying the kids, providing the pool, gym, and spa whenever they want it.

 

In my opinion this equals a rested and relaxed couple that has a chance to reconnect as a family in the best possible way. Do it, you will have a blast and your kids will too! There is plenty for the little ones to do...check out the family boards and you will find some seasoned experts over there as well:D

 

I wholeheartedly agree! JetmeCMommy. If it brings you any comfort I will be bringing my baby who will be 8 months old on our cruise in August. My wife is a travel freak and essentially mandated that we have to go to Europe this summer. I could not convince her to do a caribbean cruise. After all our research, a Royal Caribbean cruise was best because they have a nursery that will give me and my wife a few hours each day/night to have a quiet meal or a glass of wine, etc. I cannot wait till my boy is 2 or 3 because we will be taking him on cruises alot and I can't wait to watch and hear how amazed he is at these ships.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Jtd724

[UPGrandma]

As a grandmother, may I ask if you have family who would LOVE to spoil the kids for a week while you are gone? This may be an easier choice. Knowing if and how much you would be charged for the kids might affect your decision also. Hope this all works out for you.

[RSLeesburg]

My son, 5, is about to go on his 5th cruise. There is plenty for youngsters to do.

Caveat, this will be his first Royal cruise. (I know you are not the decision maker, but on Carnival they will change a diaper - I have read that they won't on Royal.)

 

Many Adults will steer you towards only eating the Windjammer - this is your choice, you & your children can eat in the main dining room & the specialty dining areas. (The 4 year old can also eat with the Adventure Ocean group.)

 

Actually, they will change diapers in the nursery. Here is a good threat on the nursery from the family forum...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1837837&highlight=change+diapers

[TheCalicoCat]

Since my son is 5, I did not read about the under 3, but:

"All children participating in Adventure Ocean activities are required to be 3 years of age, 100% toilet trained and diaper and pull-up free."