Cunard & kids over Oct half term - nervous

I am booked on the 24 Oct - 2 Nov cruise on Queen Victoria from Rome - Southampton with my 7 year old daughter. We have cruised before, on Royal Caribbean and P&O and she loved it. I was nervous about being away as a single mum but it was really fine.

My mum was originally going to come with us - well we were going on the cruise for her - but she's having a bout of ill health and is highly unlikely to be well enough to go. Now she's told us to go anyway, but we really only booked with Cunard because it was my mum's choice.

Queen Victoria has a kids club but I am worried that it may be a bit austere and stuffy in general for me to feel comfortable and relax and enjoy my holiday, with the travelling as a lone adult with a child etc. I'm wondering whether to cancel and accept the £300 I will lose on my insurance excess, or to go anyway.

Anyone with any experience got any advice to share?

Many thanks.

I have sailed Cunard since I was a small child. I always loved the dedicated spaces for children and the attentive staff. I am sure my parents did too. As I got older, I took my own kids on QE2 many times. They always made friends and enjoyed their "away time" as much as I did. Recent Cunard trips we have been childless but there are always children on board but, so far, we have never been bothered by them as, imho, Cunard provides for children better than just about anyone. The worst child voyage we ever had was on highly rated, all inclusive, expensive SeaDream Yacht Club where there were 30 kids on board out of a full complement of 108 passengers. You will both be fine on Cunard.:D

I think it will be special for you and your daughter to be in a different environment, enjoying time together --- away from all the work and responsibilities of your normal routine.

If there are other children onboard your daughter can meet and enjoy that will be good, but if the two of you can relax together, that will be good, too.

Go and have a wonderful time! Create lovely memories together. (Hope your mom feels better soon).

Jimmybean

What a coincidence, we are on the same cruise as you! My husband, Mum and I are going along with my two children aged 14 and 17. Your daughter will love it, we took my daughter on her own when she was 12. There were 45 children amongst the passenger's and the kids had a wonderful Christmas.

The kids clubs are really great and the staff make sure that the kids are occupied. My daughter loved dressing up and loved watching everyone dance on the dance floor. One nice gentleman even offered to take her for a waltz just so she could say she had danced in the Queens ballroom.

You will have plenty that you can do either together or on your own, I would not hesitate to go on the cruise, I will look out for you in the kids club!

Many thanks for your replies so far. Leaving aside the 'feeling guilty' aspect of leaving my mum at home not so well whilst we go on holiday, I guess I am just nervous about the unknown. If I was just booking for myself and my daughter I would have booked a P&O or RCI cruise. Cunard was my mum's choice! :p:cool:

We would have liked to be on this cruise, with my daughter's family. When we tried to book a few months back there were no places for the 7 year old; the 10 year old could have been accommodated. My grandchildren just love Cunard and this was a big disappointment as it would have made a good half term break.

What makes the kids club so good, is as we have found to our detriment this time, is that the numbers are very strictly monitored, and in each age group. I hope you both have a wonderful time, the QV is a very endearing ship! A very special chance for your daughter to dress up, and what little girl of that age does not enjoy doing that? and especially with her mother.

I am sure you will have a great time.Victoria is a beautiful ship and no,it won't feel stuffy for you..

Besides that,I am sorry to hear that your mum is not well enough to travel.What a terrible shame for her too.I hope she recovers soon,so you can tell her to rebook another week with you both once you have recovered from your fantastic trip.

thanks again, appreciate your feedback and good wishes. I wouldn't go on holiday obviously if my mum was at death's door or anything, but she's not well enough to fly to Rome and risk being ill at sea. But I think me and my daughter will go and enjoy our trip with her blessing.

Look forward to meeting one or two of you there.

bon voyage!:p

What a shame about your Mum having to miss the trip. I hope you both have a great time, please come back and let us know.

I am booked on the 24 Oct - 2 Nov cruise on Queen Victoria from Rome - Southampton with my 7 year old daughter. We have cruised before, on Royal Caribbean and P&O and she loved it. I was nervous about being away as a single mum but it was really fine. Anyone with any experience got any advice to share? Many thanks.

We've all but "raised" our kids on QM2. Our daughter was first aboard when she was 6 y.o. and she was far from the youngest her first time. The "nannies" are overwhelmingly wonderful and, in fact, as our kids have grown it has been a thrill for them to go back and see the "nannies". There's always a lot of "Oh, lovely! You're back!" So, there's something special there.

The schedule is well-adjusted to the social schedule of the day. So you will have a lot of flexibility. You'll find your own "mix" of how often she goes to the "Zones" and how often the two/three of you spend time around the ship.

We've always found that other guests were very kind and welcoming to our kids. And, of course, the kids have made friends from all-over with whom they've been in-touch since.

So, all-around good. Enjoy!