Single Mom with 3 year old

[Luvsdaislands]

Hello All,

 

I will be crusing solo with my 3 year old daughter next April, I am leaning towards the Carnival Valor. Is the Valor a good ship for a 3 year old's first cruise? Are there discounts for single parents? Any advice, tips, packing lists? Basically just tell me any and everything I might need to know :) :)

 

She has a passport and has flown and travelled outside of the U.S. before. This is not MY first cruise but it is for her.

 

Thank you!!!

[springs741]

No discounts for children or single parents.

At 3 years of age I don't know that the ship will make a great deal of difference.

Get her accustom to taking a showers as tubs are only in a very few staterooms.

Be sure to take OTC meds as they are crazy expensive onboard.

You have a step up on most as your daughter has traveled and you have cruised.

Many of the rules have changed since you have cruised. You may want to spend a few minutes on Carnival's FAQ site to review things like Camp Carnival and prohibited items.

I can tell you that you will make some wonderful memories.

[MistyRo76]

Invest in a sturdy umbrella stroller (if you don't already have one). We got the Summer Infant 3D Stroller for when we took our daughter (then 14 months) on a cruise last year. It folded up nicely and was easy to keep out of the way in the cabin. But it was small enough to be able to navigate through the sometimes crowded corridors of the ship. And there is alot of walking to be done on a cruise...so the stroller will come in handy even for a three year old!

 

On Carnival, children in swim diapers cannot go in pool or in the splash park areas. So if she's not potty trained yet...I'd strive for that by cruise time. Not being able to take our daughter in the pools really limited what we could do during the day.

 

If you can afford it, book a balcony. We found it very useful for when the baby was napping or sleeping at night. We could hang out there and not disturb her.

 

I read alot of people who took inflatable tubs for baths. We took one...but never used it. I just took my daughter in the shower with me.

 

Have a great time!

[bnorris10]

Hello All,

 

I will be crusing solo with my 3 year old daughter next April, I am leaning towards the Carnival Valor. Is the Valor a good ship for a 3 year old's first cruise? Are there discounts for single parents? Any advice, tips, packing lists? Basically just tell me any and everything I might need to know :) :)

 

She has a passport and has flown and travelled outside of the U.S. before. This is not MY first cruise but it is for her.

 

Thank you!!!

 

For a child that more than likely won't remember the cruise I don't think it will much matter what ship you are on - With that being said any of the carnival ship's are good for 3 year old's as they can swim and play

 

Please don't take this as rude but why should a single parent get a discount? Either way since there is only going to be 2 of you then you are going to pay full fare for her - Children tickets sometimes get discounted if you have 2 adults in the room but when only one adult is in the room the first child still has to pay full fare

 

Packing lists will be different for everyone - But with children you want to be careful as you can easily over or under pack :

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1002180&highlight=packing+list

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=854060&highlight=packing+list

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=700340&highlight=packing+list

 

 

and for yourself here is a general list

http://www.carnival.com/Funville/forums/t/109045.aspx

 

I suggest putting all the items from each list into word - edit the list by cutting out the things you know won't apply to you for example if your baby is not on formula it does not need to be added --- Add anything you can think of that you will need to bring for example i have a yellow bag I bring with me on every cruise -- Save it and this way each time you cruise you can pull up the list - When it is time for you to cruise print out the list and cross off the items you won't need for example you might have jacket on your list but depending on the time of the year you may not need one. Once you have your list for your current trip pack your bag and then put the list in your bag so that when your packing to go home you remember everything

 

A few essentials I have to have is camera, either extension cord or multi plug, my little fan (9 inch) and my noise machine, and my yellow bag which has: phase 10, deck of cards, dice, notepad and pen, highlighter, sharpie, printed out copy of my passport, and my motion sickness bands (IF YOU THINK YOU WILL GET MOTION SICK GET THEM ON AMAZON FOR $9 before you get on the boat because last I checked they were $22)

[Luvsdaislands]

Thank you all...i am taking notes.

 

Regarding the single parent discount question...some resorts will discount your room if you are traveling as a single person or a single parent with a child under 12. Instead of paying the full price for a double room the resort will charge you for one person and half or 75%. I was just wondering if Carnival did the same. Thank you all for your responses.

 

I do have a sturdy umbrella stroller...but I just took a look at the Summer Infant 3D and I LIKES!! Carry strap, recliner looks easy and the fold up looks easy too!!!

[jlc22043]

I took my son so when I was a single mom when he was about 3. I highly recommend long sleeve sun protection shirts (not short sleeves). Also plenty of sunscreen. I also learned to not expect much out of him. He was a very social child but refused to go to the camp carnival. He also would be so exhausted from the days events that he on more then one occasion would fall asleep during the early seating of dinner. He was also toilet trained but peed all down the front of me when I was carrying him back to the room after falling asleep. Also be prepared for strangers wanting to chit chat with you about cruising alone. After a couple days people seemed to notice it was just him and I. It can at time be a little tough but you will definitely have some great memories. As for the ship I'm sure she will be in awwww if the big boat and flashy lights no matter which on you choose.

[manmachine]

Hello All,

 

I will be crusing solo with my 3 year old daughter next April, I am leaning towards the Carnival Valor. Is the Valor a good ship for a 3 year old's first cruise? Are there discounts for single parents? Any advice, tips, packing lists? Basically just tell me any and everything I might need to know :) :)

 

She has a passport and has flown and travelled outside of the U.S. before. This is not MY first cruise but it is for her.

 

Thank you!!!

Camp Carnival dinner is your FRIEND.

Use it.

Use it every day.

She will love it.

But for you it will be transformational.

[stevefrisco]

I've never heard of single mother discounts other than mechanics and lawyers are they common? I can't see there being one directly from carnival but there could be one booking through a dating or lifestyle (swinger) group. Sometimes they have discounts for single women, not just moms. We found with our three year old that bringing individual laundry stuff would have been nice because even though we didn't want to do it, we wound up washing some of our kid's stuff. Good luck!

Edited June 10, 2016 by stevefrisco

[wampuscat7]

I completely disagree that the ship doesn't matter.

 

DH and I took our 20 month old on her first cruise in December, and she'll be almost 3 for our next cruise.

 

We looked specifically for things that would interest toddlers. For example, several Carnival ships have Waterworks with small slides that toddlers can use (if potty trained, of course). That's much more appealing for my kiddo than just pools full of people.

 

I think Seuss at Sea has rolled out to all the Carnival ships, but not all of them have Bookville.

 

We also looked for ships where there are more public areas that I think my daughter would enjoy. Giving her a little bit of space to runaround away from the crowds was really great on our previous cruise. (That one was on Oasis of the Seas, mostly because they have a splash area for diapered kids, a nursery, a dedicated baby/toddler playroom for kids and parents, the carousel, and toddler-friendly shows. We always found one of the slow areas of the ship and let the kiddo walk around without getting in people's way.)

 

We also found that we wouldn't cruise with a kiddo unless we have a balcony. Sitting outside while she napped was really nice.

 

Take a look at the family board. There are some good reviews, packing lists, tips for dining, etc. over there.

[JinxyB]

I've been traveling with my son as a single parent since he was a toddler. The ship DOES matter as someone else mentioned and I wouldn't even take my son on a Conquest-class shop now at almost 6 (only one slide, no waterworks, etc). My son has been on 10+cruises and I look for activities he will enjoy. For Carnival, the Dream class ships with waterworks and the mini water slides are awesome. Some of the older Fantasy- class ships have them, too. Mini- golf is a must for us. Kids clubs were hit or miss for him at that age. Our favorite ships for kids activities have been the Breeze/Dream, Royal Caribbean Oasis/Allure, NCL Getaway, and Disney Dream.

 

My kid never naps so I book an inside room usually... Balcony if I get a good deal. I cruise a lot so the more money I can save, the more trips I can go on! Can you share what resorts give a discount for one adult and a child? Thanks!

[MistyRo76]

Thank you all...i am taking notes.

 

Regarding the single parent discount question...some resorts will discount your room if you are traveling as a single person or a single parent with a child under 12. Instead of paying the full price for a double room the resort will charge you for one person and half or 75%. I was just wondering if Carnival did the same. Thank you all for your responses.

 

I do have a sturdy umbrella stroller...but I just took a look at the Summer Infant 3D and I LIKES!! Carry strap, recliner looks easy and the fold up looks easy too!!!

 

The Summer Infant 3D is awesome. So easy to collapse and fold. And yes, the strap comes in handy! Another thing to mention, is that when we had the baby in the stroller and had to wait for elevators it could be a long wait to find one to fit us and the stroller. Often if we were just going up/down a couple decks, we'd take her out and I'd carry the baby and my husband would carry the stroller. But if I had to, I could've carried both the stroller and the baby because of that strap! And the storage basket underneath it was great, too. Perfect size for a small beach bag. And the cup holder!

 

Also, another thing I did was only packed enough diapers for the first couple of days. Then when we arrived Miami, I went to CVS and bought enough diapers for the cruise. We taped the packages of diapers together and put a luggage tag on them and then just checked them in at the port with the rest of our luggage to be delivered to our cabin. Saved alot of luggage space and hassle!

[Luvsdaislands]

I completely disagree that the ship doesn't matter.

 

DH and I took our 20 month old on her first cruise in December, and she'll be almost 3 for our next cruise.

 

We looked specifically for things that would interest toddlers. For example, several Carnival ships have Waterworks with small slides that toddlers can use (if potty trained, of course). That's much more appealing for my kiddo than just pools full of people.

 

I think Seuss at Sea has rolled out to all the Carnival ships, but not all of them have Bookville.

 

We also looked for ships where there are more public areas that I think my daughter would enjoy. Giving her a little bit of space to runaround away from the crowds was really great on our previous cruise. (That one was on Oasis of the Seas, mostly because they have a splash area for diapered kids, a nursery, a dedicated baby/toddler playroom for kids and parents, the carousel, and toddler-friendly shows. We always found one of the slow areas of the ship and let the kiddo walk around without getting in people's way.)

 

We also found that we wouldn't cruise with a kiddo unless we have a balcony. Sitting outside while she napped was really nice.

 

Take a look at the family board. There are some good reviews, packing lists, tips for dining, etc. over there.

 

I never considered the waterslides, thank you!! and Oasis... that's on RC correct? I will check them out also.

[SuiteTraveler]

Just a suggestion, but you may want to look at sailing on an MSC cruise because kids 12 and under sail for free on select cruises if there are 2 adults in the cabin.

[seventhwardhustler]

Camp Carnival dinner is your FRIEND.

Use it.

Use it every day.

She will love it.

But for you it will be transformational.

 

lol!!! my daughter was 2 for her first cruise and she ate with the camp. she ate REALLY GOOD according to them and didn't want to eat with us. it comes in handy because service in the MDR takes FOREVER. she'd have never sat that long.

 

use the camp a lot (they have fun and the people are phenomenal) but stick to her current schedule, meaning she should take naps at the same time as at home. our daughter had a ball. she wore us out instead of vice versa because she loved to take a stroll around the ship every night (her face would be painted and people would oohh and ahhh) and listen to the live band. she slept well and on schedule so she was never really cranky.

[seventhwardhustler]

I've been traveling with my son as a single parent since he was a toddler. The ship DOES matter as someone else mentioned and I wouldn't even take my son on a Conquest-class shop now at almost 6 (only one slide, no waterworks, etc). My son has been on 10+cruises and I look for activities he will enjoy. For Carnival, the Dream class ships with waterworks and the mini water slides are awesome. Some of the older Fantasy- class ships have them, too. Mini- golf is a must for us. Kids clubs were hit or miss for him at that age. Our favorite ships for kids activities have been the Breeze/Dream, Royal Caribbean Oasis/Allure, NCL Getaway, and Disney Dream.

 

My kid never naps so I book an inside room usually... Balcony if I get a good deal. I cruise a lot so the more money I can save, the more trips I can go on! Can you share what resorts give a discount for one adult and a child? Thanks!

 

a 6 year old is a bit different because they have had more experiences. we were on a smaller ship. the camp had plenty of activities for her (parades, crafts, and other play stuff) and that was the center of her experience. she did like to sit out at the pool and watch folk pass by but she begged for it once and never did so after since it was full of grown folks and not other kids. now that my child is 5, she has lots of water park experience so that same ship would be kinda boring for her but at a young age, i can see why ship size would not be such a big deal, especially if you're on a budget.

[A&Jfamily]

Hello All,

 

I will be crusing solo with my 3 year old daughter next April, I am leaning towards the Carnival Valor. Is the Valor a good ship for a 3 year old's first cruise? Are there discounts for single parents? Any advice, tips, packing lists? Basically just tell me any and everything I might need to know :) :)

 

She has a passport and has flown and travelled outside of the U.S. before. This is not MY first cruise but it is for her.

 

Thank you!!!

 

I would consider a ship like the Sunshine that has the huge waterworks. The pools are small, and even if she is potty trained, they are deep and harder for the little ones to play in. I would recommend spending the money for the balcony. She may be needing naps or want to go to bed early and it gives you a place to go and relax.

 

Packing list is easy (assuming a week long cruise) and is the same for both of you:

 

7 t-shirt and shorts for day wear

1-2 pair pants with 2-4 matching tops for night

4 dresses (2 nicer, 2 casual)

1 flip flip flops

1 pair dressy sandals

bathing suits

1-2 coverups

tennis shoes

1-2 hoodies/sweatshirt/sweater (I get cool after a day in the sun)

exercise clothes (if parent goes to gym)

socks and underwear

toiletires, sunscreen, hat

 

It helps a ton if you use a base color like black for the pants and shoes - that way everything coordinates. Keep packing to a minimum. You just don't need it. For $15 they will do a good size bag of laundry for you.; or you can spend your time and about $6 and wash a load on board.

 

We have some small miscellaneous things we take: travel clock, clothes pins (hang up swimsuits in shower), command hooks and lanyards for ID for example. My kids always carried a small back pack with a lovie, books, electronics, headphones, coloring materials and various small toys for downtime in the room.

 

Its so nice to travel simple.

 

Oh - and I disagree about dinner. We have always had family dinner. The kids get so much time in camp (9-12 and 1-4 and 7-10 on sea days) that we enjoyed having the time to talk about the day. And one on one is even better. If you do anytime dining and go before 6, you will be done and ready for camp by 7.

 

And as others have said, some of the newer ships are going to be your child friendlies!

Edited June 10, 2016 by A&Jfamily