rebeccalouiseagain

Hopefully the mom would be mature enough not to ruin the surprise. Get the letter of consent. I always bring one and it has to be updated every couple of years (stamp expires).

Thanks for jumping in and clarifying the situation. Sounds like you have a good plan and will love Alaska. I've been to Alaska eight times (three with Princess) and it never gets old. Just lovely.

My elderly uncle took his first cruise in 2009 and wished he had taken one sooner. He told me he had been invited time and time again by friends and family members and just didn't think cruises would be fun. Boy was he wrong. He was like a kid in a candy store and enjoyed everything about it- from the sailing aspect, to the food, to the music onboard. It was so fun to see his reaction.

Spending time with family shouldn't seem like a bedside vigil on a cruise. If he is active- I'm sure he wants to live, not be stuck in a claustrophobic cabin. He can nap anywhere and enjoy the lovely classical music, and watch his family have fun.

At 95 he will need a wheelchair because ships are big and this will give him a lease on life. He can be with the whole family- experiencing fun things- not lukewarm room service and boredom. The ship will be comfortable for your father and he can wear sweaters and have a blanket if necessary with his wheelchair.

My 94 year old father in law LOVES being around his family, but he wouldn't want them all crowded around him in a cabin. How depressing.

10 days of parks would break the bank. I've never spent 10 days in Orlando. That's just me. It sounds from what the OP posted that she would like to spend more days in Orlando and I agree with that. I've done the 3- night Disney cruise out of Cape Canaveral and it was fun and worth doing. 3 nights was plenty for me (but I'm not a diehard Disney fan, nor do I love being on a child centric ship- which Disney is). So I think you should plan to spend a few nights in Disney and 3 nights on the cruise. I think it will be a fun time for your family.

The key word is "supervised". On all the cruise lines, by age 13 the youth program is loose. There is no sign in or sign out sheet. The kids come and go as they please. As far as I know, they do not offer to babysit a 13 year old at all. So it depends on the maturity of the child and whether the parent trusts said child to behave responsibly. I never allowed my children to swim without a parent being present. There are no lifeguards and teens can and often do things by the pool that isn't safe- I've seen it and cringe. More than not, IMO, kids play off each other. So if other teens are hanging out with them and there is zero supervision from parents- that's a concern. Again, my two boys were very well-behaved and not risk takers. I have left my teen onboard at age 15 and had no qualms about it.

I would have left my two sons onboard by themselves at age 13 (although I never did). Both were mature for their ages. Even if the kids are in the youth program, at age 13 they don't have to sign in and out of the club. It's probably not even an option. Most of the clubs by age 13 aren't even monitored by an adult. It's free play during the day with some activities here and there. It's a personal decision for the parent.

Depending on what vessel you go on their should be connecting cabins. I'd do that instead. I think you wanted to do a suite because you have 5 people and once you realized that wasn't allowed, you are thinking suite still. Just do two balcony staterooms. Some are connecting cabins and others only have a connecting balcony. As others have said- you will need to book one adult in each cabin. Once onboard- that's a different matter. I would never have allowed my 10 year old to be responsible for the 4 year old. Not a good plan. I wouldn't have anything less than a connecting room.

Keep in mind that you aren't going to Antarctica. In summer- the weather can be quite pleasant in Alaska. I've worn shorts on occasion. If you are going from Seattle to Alaska roundtrip- you aren't going to any cities. Victoria the largest place, where the ship stops briefly is more of a town. All the other locations are very small and remote towns. There is no need to get off the ship however. The beauty of the cruise is that you sail by and are docked in lovely locations. You will love the scenery. I think you will pleasantly surprised by your cruising experience. I'm sure that the wedding is a big event, and you'll be out of the cabin for that- and will see for yourself that there are plenty of places to enjoy onboard.

Since you are a "newbie" to cruising- on the first day be prepared for the lifeboat drill. This occurs at around 4 in the afternoon. All passengers must attend the drill and they don't make an exception for anyone- including your 95 year old father. If his mobility is an issue- make sure to arrange for a wheelchair. The lifeboat drills are not on the open decks. They are held in the lounges onboard.

Transatlantic cruises are going to have mostly retirees. So the singles you will be apt to meet on a TA are not going to be in their 30's period. Extremely doubtful. Most 30 somethings are going to do Europe, but not the TAs. Based on your criteria- I'd do Epic.

You've sailed both ships basically. So go with the ship that you think will be more interesting on the many sea days.

If you are flying all the way to Europe- definitely see some of Europe pre-cruise. Barcelona is a lovely city and I would do some guided tours if you don't like going it alone. Monserrat is a great place to visit outside of Barcelona.

To answer your questions. I bring two carryons (must be able to fit through the security scanner like at the airport) instead of large suitcases. I bring my luggage on the ship myself. If you have to check the bags at the curb- tip $5.00 for two bags.

Yes- you can leave the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. They clean the room twice a day, but won't come in if the Do Not Disturb sign is on. Rooms will be comfortable temperature wise.

Your three year old grandchild will absolutely love the youth program on Princess. So don't limit her to the cabin if you don't have to. Secondly- children will LOVE the ship and exploring it. Princess does a great job of crowd control IMO. Avoid the buffet during peak hours if you hate crowds, but otherwise it's not a crowded ship. Movies under the stars are wonderful (dress warmly). The three year old will like many of those movies.

I really would not avoid exploring the ship during the day- there are lovely lounges and places to hear classical music throughout the day and night. Most children get a great kick out of dancing in the atrium at happy hour. They are often the star of the show in that regard.

Have fun- don't limit yourself. I don't like crowds (as in festivals, concerts and the like), but I LOVE cruise ships. Perhaps your last experience was on a different, more crowded line. One of the great things about Princess ships are the many intimate areas where you can sit. Taking in the scenery on one of the outside decks is a highlight for me. Dress appropriately of course.

Alaska is gorgeous and the best viewing is from out on the deck.

It's usually much cheaper for a party of three to do their own thing (taxi), and there normally is an age minimum for tours.

Ships carry Bonine. I've used it and it works great. It's immediate- no need to take in advance. There is a children's formula as well (but not available on the ship).

Call Carnival and look into room decorations. My son LOVED them at age 4. Our cabin was decorated with balloons and streamers and so forth on the day of embarkation and he enjoyed them the entire cruise. Other things you can order are stuffed animals and other novelty items. Some are on the website, but I'd call, because there are some items not available on the website. These things aren't free of course- but they make the trip special. One year my parents ordered a cake for the room, which was too much cake to eat (and sort of a waste), but your child might like chocolate covered strawberries and the drink package or something like that. Have fun.

I've been to Alaska 8 times. It's addictive.

I did an inside cabin in Grand Princess a couple of years ago. It was on Lido deck and it was great. Loved it. Just got up in the AM and walked out to the pool area. There is pizza, hamburgers and fries and the buffet beyond that. This was a great location. Easy access to Movies Under the Stars (which was awesome in Alaska).

I don't think you have to have a balcony in Alaska. Even when I have had one- I've sat in other locations to take in the view.

I've had balcony cabins both times I sailed into Venice and was NOT on my balcony for either sail-in. The best views are from the top open decks or the crows nest lounge at the front of the ship. Do the inside- save the money.

I have cruised to Bermuda three times now and there wasn't any motion. It was fine. A front facing cabin will be windy and will have a lot of motion, in comparison to the rest of the ship.

In Bermuda- definitely go to the zoo/ aquarium. You can get there by taxi or by ferry across to Hamilton and then taxi from there. It was wonderful. Also, within walking distance of the pier, is Dolphin Quest. You can go inside there for a fee ($10 per person I believe) and watch the dolphins interact with humans. I think kids would enjoy that. Bermuda is a lovely island, and the people there are friendly.

Not sure if they will let a 16 year do an excursion without an adult being present. I do know that no minor can get off the ship without an adult traveling with her. Their ID card beeps each time they try to get off the ship and must be with a legal guardian or person traveling with them over the age of 18.

In the Caribbean or warm climate cruises- I highly recommend a nap for the whole family- not just the kids. Call it "rest" time. Close the drapes and everyone rests for a couple hours. The kids do need it.

I'd probably do whale watching in Juneau and the Musher's Camp in Skagway. The train ride is interesting for about 10 minutes.

I've cruised with kids for years and I agree with your DH. It's a lot of work and I didn't enjoy the cruise we took when my son was 13 months old. My son was a great traveler, not fussy at all- but I never relaxed. We did have parents along and incabin babysitting at night, but my husband went to the shows, lounged in the hot tubs and did the things I wanted to do but couldn't. I was constantly watching our son. By the pool all he wanted to do was climb the metal stairs. He loved exploring the ship (and running mainly). We ended up staying at a hotel for two nights in Bermuda (we were docked there for two nights) and that was the best part because we had a huge suite and they offered babysitting at night. He was allowed in the pool in swim diapers. My advice would be go to a resort instead that allows diapers in the pool and has babysitting or leave the youngest home with grandparents or friends. I did leave same child home when he was 19 months with my sister. I took my older son to Europe for 10 days. While I missed my younger son, it gave my older son a chance to do things that we wouldn't have enjoyed with a toddler.

Most cruise ships only carry diapers in the infirmary and they are for sick babies. Always bring your own supplies. I like that there is all that extra room in the suitcases at the end of the trip.

I've yet to sail on Koningsdam, but there was no baby play areas on any of the Holland America cruises I've been on. The whole ship will feel like a giant play area for the little ones. Don't worry. I sailed with an eight month old once and he was crawling and was more interested in holding on to the furniture and exploring. A 15 month old is going to be really busy. That Mom will never sit for long. I know when I traveled with my then 13 month he was constantly moving. We went from room to room on the cruise ship and I never sat down the entire trip. Except at nap time. My advice to you is to get the largest cabin you can and bring new toys with you that the child has never seen. They have DVD's in the cabins- so bring some age appropriate DVD's with you to keep them entertained. At meal time- do it in shifts- one couple can watch the bambinos while the other's dine. This is SO much more relaxing than trying to shovel food in two antsy kids.

I was on Regal and the mattress was fine- no problem.

I would sail on Holland, Princess or Celebrity if you need more structure. These cruise lines tend to have fewer children onboard. However, Caribbean and Bermuda cruises always have a lot of kids during school breaks. So you may want to do an Alaska cruise or New England/ Canada or take them out of school for the cruise.

I know that crowds make me nervous, but so does the shipboard stimulation. I think Celebrity, Princess and Holland are much more low key than some of the other lines. Carnival, NCL and Royal will have more announcements and are louder ships.

I've been on both and they were very similar to me. I think you would have a nice time on either. I'd give an edge to Grand. I really like the indoor pool area and I've sailed her more recently so, I guess she sticks more in my mind. I did have a good time on Caribbean Princess. I'd go with either.