mdjohn5

In my experience, you just need to ask for a tray and they can produce one pretty quickly. That is easy enough in the MDR...a little tougher at the buffet.

We asked for a tray the second night in the MDR and after that, it was always waiting for us when we got there.

We use Zip Lock bags for packing ...you can sqeeze the air out nice and reduce the size..plus keep outfits together.

Then we re-use the bags as poopy diaper containers.

Our kids are 5 and 3 and have been on several cuises.

We actually find the main dining room easier than the buffet. At the buffet, you are constantly running back and forth to get food for them, for you, etc. Frankly, it is a lot of work. At least in the MDR someone is bringing you food and you can concentrate on entertaining the kids. Most wait staff are pretty good about getting food in front of kids ASAP so they have something to do.

Last year when the boy was two, he and I had a blast playing "explore". I would set him down in the hallway outside the cabin and tell him to lead the way... I would just follow behind him to make sure he didnt get into anything dangerous...he lead me all over the ship. We found places I would never have found on my own...lol.

Cruising with kids is more work and diffenetly differnet than pre-kids...but in a lot of ways it is a lot more fun. At the end of the day, I am going to remember the time I spent on the cruise ships / vacation with the kids.

In the excitement of getting on the ship, I doubt she will notice the color of the seapass. However, when they hand over the passes at check in, just grab them both and move along. Then hand them both to the security person as you board and say it is for both of you. I do this with the kids all the time, so it is not that unusual for security to be handed two or three cards at a time when people get on/off the ship.

You can always get luggage tags at the port. Maybe make up a story for your wife that they moved you to a balcony on a higher deck at the last second so you don't have the correct luggage tags like you normaly do....and act "mad" about it!

If you get routed to the suite line at check in, tell her your TA or however you booked the cruise was offering free priority boarding as an incitive...I don't think that actually exists, but she probably doesnt know that if you normaly do al the paperwork.

One giveaway before you get into the room is the hallway. She might notice that the doors are spaced much further appart than on the lower decks. Be ready with a story that you looked online and the room they "moved" you to is a balacony room tucked between two suites.

Good Luck!

I have not been on a Princess ship in a long time, but the Holland America Eurodam had the fire bet when I was on her two years ago.

Holland America Eurodam had the fire bet when I was on her in Jan.