Triumph over Spring Break with 3 Kids

[totallyobsessed]

We will be on the same cruise (with our 4 year old and 10 year old). We are Disney fanatics and usually do Disney for spring break and go somewhere else in the Fall, but decided to swap b/c Disney has been so crazy the last few times we have gone. This will be our kids' first time cruising (first time on the triumph for my husband I), so I hope it's not too crazy!

[cruise pup]

I did not take it that way at all. Actually though, he would have been fine with his grandparents. They already told him they might go somewhere and take him. Mom & I just put our foot down and told him to deal with it. He is going with us.

 

I know that once we are out and going he will have a great time.

 

Though, if I was honest, him staying on land with his grandparents would probably mean fewer fights with his brother and sister -- LOL! But we are going as a family, like it or not!

 

I wish my folks took me on cruises as punishment. Just remember that you are going to have to come up with this kind of discipline from now on, like buying him a Porsche. ;) I think that once he's been to the omelette station he'll be hooked on cruises.

[loxley]

We had to drag my niece on the ship crying because she didn't want to go, then we had to drag her off the ship crying because she didn't want to leave.

[vamaern]

I'm new on here. Only cruised on Disney once. Trying out Carnival Elation during our spring break with 17 yo & 14 yo boys. Is there lots to do for them on this ship?

 

 

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[KmomChicago]

Good question. He is convinced that the ship is going to sink. Crazy, I know. But he is serious.

 

Would this be an opportunity for a fun project on ship safety? You can find muster drill videos on youtube, and pictures of lifeboats with all the provisions and life vests. A lot of people seem to be pretty disengaged during the muster briefing but this could be one of the highlights for this special young man. You might deputize your son as the family's Safety Officer for the trip. He is to pay close attention, perhaps even bring a notebook and take down instructions during the drill. He might also study the deck plans now, to determine the closest route to deck 3 from your room, Camp Ocean and the pools. It could even spark a lifelong interest in Safety as a profession.

 

You could have some slightly naughty fun with it as well, by pointing out to him that it will be easy for your clear headed family to get to your lifeboat well ahead of the staggering, drunken college students, who also didn't pay any attention at the muster drill, so you won't have to worry about securing your place on the lifeboat in the extremely unlikely event of an incident.

[nc.cruzers16]

I'm new on here. Only cruised on Disney once. Trying out Carnival Elation during our spring break with 17 yo & 14 yo boys. Is there lots to do for them on this ship?

 

 

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My friend and I took our 16 year old daughters on the Elation to celebrate their Sweet 16s in November. We were all first time cruisers. All of us had a blast. The girls went to the teen club and had a ball. They were out later than us each night. There were lots of teenagers on the ship and they all seemed to hang out together. They had a late night dance party for them on the lido deck, scavenger hunt, tee-shirt signing... they loved it! Lots of teens could always be found playing volleyball and basketball as well. Have fun!

[RoadTripFanatic]

We have done a few cruises over Spring Break. One of them was with Carnival. It wasn't bad at all. The hardest days are the days at sea with everyone trying to find a spot to sun themselves. :) The kids club on Carnival are usually great. They have lots of activities planned. The 11 year old might still like it. DD enjoyed them up until we started cruising overseas and there was a serious language barrier. When DD was 12 she didn't want to participate in a lot of activities. We had hit the horrible 6th grade middle school attitude. If she chose to stay in the cabin...we let her. Thankfully she was a big book reader and she just stayed in the cabin and read her books. (no free wifi so that was a culture adjustment for that cruise) We learned it was easier to let her stay in than force her to be with us. We did however insist she go on shore with us every day. Now at 16 she is upset with us once again if we don't take her on a cruise when we go while she has school!

[isaiahsnana]

I have cruised twice with my grandsons (3, 5, 12) most recently on the Triumph. They all love to cruise - we have done Alaska and the Cozumel route - my oldest grandson loves to play ping pong and could always find a table and another kid (or one of us) to play with him. I also got him a soda card so he could go to any bar and get a coke whenever he wanted. As someone else said, unlimited pizza and ice cream is a plus. the Triumph is a really smooth ride - we did the dolphin encounter in Cozumel and everyone enjoyed it - even the three year old.

[alallison06]

We'll be on the Triumph in April (I'm a teacher, so my spring break) for our honeymoon.

 

I've done a college spring break trip before, while in college. I had a great time and am definitely not a partier.

[Roukie1]

We are also going on Spring Break, but ours is early March. Like you, I'm a little nervous this time because we are also not partiers and will have our 5, 7 and 17 year old. This is our 11th cruise but usually go during Thanksgiving Break. I imagine it will be similar to Thanksgiving where you have a good mix, and most party's happen when I'm in bed with my kids.

 

My 17 year old is not outgoing at all, and will probably not be doing of the scheduled activities. My 5 and 7 year olds will be at all of them. The first night will have a sort of an orientation where they will give you a schedule for every age group that you have with you. They can go to as many or as little as you (or they) choose. I think for your 11 year old, you may be able to choose if they can sign themselves out. The first cruise I did this, I was a nervous wreck the entire time, but afterwards I realized how much easier it made it.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Roukie1