bearette

Maybe it was my card I swiped....

Are they allowing the blended drinks for Diamond and above as others have reported?

My kids have gotten soda and water before as Diamond, in the lounge and I am 90% sure I got them a bottle of water with the swipe too.

My son said.goodbye in Italian for a month after our Mediterranean cruise. They don't need to speak the language to play. They find a way to.make it  work. As long as you keep their interest in mind, they will do fine. Stop at a park for them ( I have visited almost every zoo or aquarium in every country I have visitd, too). Have fun.

I suspected we would lose Bahrain after all the previous cruises did.  Doha for two days is a nice substitute.

I just booked a similar trip for November, so you made me think I picked right.  Thanks for taking the time!

We have a suite in Fantastica, we are from the US.  So we can get tap or bottled water at dinner? Mediterranean cruise. Also can someone give me an average drink price for coffee, rum and coke, and daiquiri?Thanks

As the other stated, if you open it up it will fit.

I have heard of people getting there that early, but you may end up sitting there if they are not ready.  I would aim for 10 more then 9:30.  I have read it gets crowded between 11- 12ish (probably because it is hotel check out time.). I aim for getting there right before departing so I can see more of the city, which is my preference.

I asked for a status match on January 6 and by 9:30 am on January 7th K was given status.  Rccl diamond and they have me gold. May book a cruise with them now...

Check the family boards, lots of info there. 

The biggie is your 2.5 year old cannot use the kids club as they have to be three.  I think the Indy has babysitting, but not sure and if you want it book it in advance. The five year old can be dropped off to play, your mileage may vary depending on the kids and your child, mine love it and get to go.  They have closing hours during lunch and dinner to make sure you feed your kids so you may want to plan around these hours (usually they are open from 9-12, 2-5, 7-10pm).

My biggest advice is nap/bed them when they are tired and feed them when they are hungry.  Nothing is worse than a tired or hungry child.  I have been known to take a cereal box with me from the buffet or room service to make sure my son always had food available, he is always "starving! "

Have realistic expectations, you will do half of what you think you can and it will take you find as long to get out of the room in the morning then it did without the kids.

Never pass up an opportunity to pee, for the little one in port.

You will have a great time, but it will be different. For every tantrum, you will have an equally sweet moment that will make it worth it.  

I have 7 year old twins who have sailed 8 times since 9 months so I have experienced all the baby ages.  At 2.5 my kids loved the stairs and we spent a lot of time just walking up and down the main atrium.  You never know what they will love...

Thank we are doing the same itinerary soon and I was hoping more people would post about their experiences and tours. Thanks again!

I wasn't the original poster, but while the kids don't remember the cruise you will.  If you don't want to put in the work, and yes they are work, then skip it.  If you want a memorable experience with your kids go. It isn't the relaxing vacation you I envisioned as you have to mind them in a new environemnt, but once they go to the kids club it is like the scene in Hotel Transylvania 3 with the wolf- you want my kids? Then you get to relax.   I really enjoyed seeing them in new places, but if you are the type to stress out then wait a year or two.

I have personal experience as I have twins.  They do fit, but it is so hard to walk around the room when they are set up.  NCL Spirit is what we sailed as our kids were 18 months old (in an ocean view).  They used a non-collapsible crib so you couldn't take it down like I did on Celebrity during the day (22 months old and still in crib at the time). If price is a problem, it can be done, but not the most ideal situation.  The biggest problem I had was getting them to bring me the second one as they said it wouldn't fit.  I threw the biggest momma bear fit, but it took 3 hr for them to bring it to me.  After 4 months they couldn't share the crib as they would roll and wake the other. 

The mini suites are a little bigger so it should fit better, but quit frankly you would be better having the older kid sleeping on the couch and then the baby in the one cot to save the money.  Around the same age I had a similar problem in an old hotel in Catalina Island where only one crib was available at 21 months.  My daughter did fine on the couch. Try a trial run at your house on the couch and if she does well then just use the couch.

Carnival has ships year round in So. Cal as well as most of the time NCL and Holland America, though you have to check if they do 2 year old baby sitting. Unless price is no object I would stay away from Disney as it will be double or triple the price of the others.  You could fly to Florida to do another line for the cost of Disney.  Though I did a Disney cruise before and they are wonderful.  Excellent food too, as good of not better than Celebrity.

They do this because the demand is great for 3rd/4th to your sailing.  You also want a suite which is a more expensive room so the 3rd /4th rate will be higher.  It is not like a hotel where kids stay free.  They not only make money by the booking, but by the money you spend on board (or don't spend on board in the case of the infant).  You need to keep that in mind when booking a cruise.  I used to love to sail Princess, but I haven't since I had my kids because their 3rd/4th passenger rates are too high.  Celebrity is known as an older folks cruise line and not geared toward families.  Try other lines or other weeks as the demand for each sailing will be different.

This is one of the most popular complaints for families so know you are not alone, but it has been their policies for years.

There is usually a steak/lobster dish that is extra charge, but it will clearly marked in the MDR. Too get an idea of what a cruise is like read some of the reviews for Carnival in the message boards for Carnival (doesn't need to be your ship) and In the review section for your personal ship. Remember there will be 10 bad reviews for every good one so managing your expectations from the beginning will help you have  a great cruise.

They do, but it is in dispensers in the shower.  No more cute bottles anymore.  I use it for my kids and as body wash, but my husband isn't fussy and uses it.  Anyone with long hair or who cares about their hair should bring their own.

I have done 25ish cruises, I have seen whales once and dolphins once, so by my math 2/25 chance of seeing anything. It will also depend on what time of year and your itinerary.We saw them both on cruises in the Mexican Riviera.

Around 1pm-3pm I have arrived and 90℅ of the time I have no line and walk right on.It  was cutting it to close, but twice we arrived 30 minutes before sailaway.  We walked right in took about 2 minutes, but I wouldn't recommend that because I was so worried we weren't going to make it!

Connecting rooms are hard to come by because families want them, like you said I want to leave my kids with Grandma. If you want one you have to pay extra and book them from the start.

Guarantee (RCL) picks the room, you can get anything.  I have been in the next door (never connecting to my family member, but ironically I have been in a connecting room) , two rooms away, and I have been on different floors from my family going this route, even if booked on the same reservation. The $  may be enough to make your family walk to your new deck, or you might want to spend  $ and book that next door room.  The choice is yours.

For me price wins out and Embarkation port, because flight prices can make a huge difference when you are paying for 4 people.  Unless you are on a newer ship with all the bells and whistles it doesn't matter much which ship you are on.  I did the Vision like the other poster and my kids were fine.  We did an NCL one recently with all the bells and whistles and my complaint was you needed reservations for everything which is not conducive to kids.  I say go for the seven day though I wouldn't discount Carnival as my kids, at nine months, did their first ever cruise on Carnival.  

FYI- the three year old needs to be potty trained to enjoy any of the kids club and pools, so make sure he/she is before the trip.  Also, just look through the family boards on cruise critic to get ideas and tips for cruising with kids.  The biggest tip I'll give you is it is different than cruising as a couple since you need to cater to the kids more, if they are tired or hungry and you don't take care of that, you will have a tantrum story to tell later... But watching them enjoy themselves will be the best memories you ever have.

You can always feed them at the buffet and then just you and your husband attend dinner at late seating (or anytime). My kids love the kids club and have no interest in sitting down to dinner for 90-120 minutes. If you go as soon as they open, you get seated faster which may solve your anytime dinning problem.  

Our cruise doesn't stop in Oman, but I have heard a lot of good things about the port. It looks like a cab to the race track will be our plan.

Thanks the map is helpful!