Single Mom with toddler twins has questions

[ShannonSto]

Hi everyone!

 

 

 

I'm planning a cruise for December or after, when my girls will be two years old and can attend Camp Carnival. It's possible my mom will come along, but I have to assume I'll be travelling alone with the twins. Since I'm only 1.5 hours drive form Port Canaveral, I'm looking at the Carnival Dream. I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but here's a few for the BTDTs...

 

 

1. Should I consider a shorter cruise first to "test" the kids?

 

2. Would two pack n' plays or cribs fit in a standard Carnival balcony room? Or do I have to find the money for a suite?

 

3. Do I need a stateroom that offically accomodates 3rd passengers? Or will a two passenger one do, since I don't need an upper bunk or convertible sofa? I realize I'll pay full price for one child and the 3rd passenger fare for the other regardless of cabin choice, and that's appropriate since my kids will be eating meals and using amenities. It's merely a cabin selection question.

 

4. In the past, I've always enoyed dining at large tables and been assigned wonderful tablemates. Can I request to be seated with another family with young children, or am I better off trying for a small table?

 

5. Is there room on a standard balcony for a small inflatable pool?

 

Thanks in advance for all the help.

[6rugrats]

Can't answer all your questions, but you will need a room that officially accomodates three passengers; that's how many you are bringing. You should be assigned a table with another family.

[RoadTripFanatic]

Hi everyone!

 

 

 

I'm planning a cruise for December or after, when my girls will be two years old and can attend Camp Carnival. It's possible my mom will come along, but I have to assume I'll be travelling alone with the twins. Since I'm only 1.5 hours drive form Port Canaveral, I'm looking at the Carnival Dream. I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but here's a few for the BTDTs...

 

 

1. Should I consider a shorter cruise first to "test" the kids? No. I say go for the 7 day cruise! :)

 

2. Would two pack n' plays or cribs fit in a standard Carnival balcony room? Or do I have to find the money for a suite? In all honesty it might be easier to let the kids have the bed made up into a queen and let them sleep there. You can sit with them while they go to sleep to help them go to sleep. I wouldn't mess with the pack n plays. You can either sleep in the bunk or with them.

 

3. Do I need a stateroom that offically accomodates 3rd passengers? Or will a two passenger one do, since I don't need an upper bunk or convertible sofa? I realize I'll pay full price for one child and the 3rd passenger fare for the other regardless of cabin choice, and that's appropriate since my kids will be eating meals and using amenities. It's merely a cabin selection question. Yes. You have to have a 3rd passenger cabin. That is the rule. It doesn't matter the age of the child you are required to have a cabin that can hold 3 people.

 

4. In the past, I've always enoyed dining at large tables and been assigned wonderful tablemates. Can I request to be seated with another family with young children, or am I better off trying for a small table? I don't know.

 

5. Is there room on a standard balcony for a small inflatable pool? I don't know.

 

Thanks in advance for all the help.

I hope that helps.

[Kerry's Girls]

Hi everyone!

 

 

 

I'm planning a cruise for December or after, when my girls will be two years old and can attend Camp Carnival. It's possible my mom will come along, but I have to assume I'll be travelling alone with the twins. Since I'm only 1.5 hours drive form Port Canaveral, I'm looking at the Carnival Dream. I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but here's a few for the BTDTs...

 

 

1. Should I consider a shorter cruise first to "test" the kids?

 

2. Would two pack n' plays or cribs fit in a standard Carnival balcony room? Or do I have to find the money for a suite?

 

3. Do I need a stateroom that offically accomodates 3rd passengers? Or will a two passenger one do, since I don't need an upper bunk or convertible sofa? I realize I'll pay full price for one child and the 3rd passenger fare for the other regardless of cabin choice, and that's appropriate since my kids will be eating meals and using amenities. It's merely a cabin selection question.

 

4. In the past, I've always enoyed dining at large tables and been assigned wonderful tablemates. Can I request to be seated with another family with young children, or am I better off trying for a small table?

 

5. Is there room on a standard balcony for a small inflatable pool?

 

Thanks in advance for all the help.

 

 

I'm also a single mom who cruises alone with my twins - so far 8 cruises from the ages 13 months to 5 years.

 

1. I think that with all the packing and planning, anything shorter than a week isn't worth it, but that may just be me. My girls took a 2 week cruise at 3 years old and we could have done another week. We did a week-long Carnival cruise the week after they turned two, and none of us were ready to leave at the end.

 

2. & 3. I've always just had the room made up with a queen bed and we all sleep in it. Some parents bring bed rails for the beds for their toddlers, or put the mattresses on the floor. I don't know how it would work to have 2 year olds in pack n' plays... You will be required to take a cabin that sleeps 3, no matter how many beds you are going to use - believe me I tried.

 

4. We always sit at a table by ourselves by choice (I enjoy having the alone time with my kids since we don't get enough when I'm working), but you can request a larger table with young children. They do try to match families up at dinners. For breakfast and lunch, I usually asked for a table just for us in the dining room so we wouldn't be seated at a table with adults who may not want to share a meal with toddlers.

 

5. I brought the duck pool that many people here use. We didn't end up using it on the balcony, but we easily could have. We just used it for baths and saved water play for ports.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions. I've found cruises to be by far the most relaxing and enjoyable times I spend with my twins. You didn't ask, but I brought my full size Graco Duoglider (tandem) on seven cruises and it was wonderful. I choose a cabin as close to the elevators as possible to avoid having to navigate the narrow corridors, and the rest of the ship is very stroller friendly. I find it's helpful to have a place to put both kids when necessary and all our stuff.

 

You will need proof that you are allowed to take your children out of the country (notarized permission from the other parent, certified birth certificates showing you are the only parent, death certificate...)

 

Best,

Mia

[imsulin]

You'll definitely need a cabin designated as a "triple". If your Mom comes along, you'll need a cabin designated as a "quad". If you do get a triple, your Mom would not be able to be added in after you book it. You'd have to change to a quad. There are far more doubles than triples or quads, so that's something to consider. Also, you can reserve cribs ahead of time from Carnival, so you don't need to bring your own Pack&Plays unless you want to. Two cribs in a standard balcony cabin will be tight! Definitely bring a stroller/s, though. There have been a number of posts here about the inflatable pool. There probably would be room on your balcony to use it, but the problem would be filling and emptying it within your cabin, unless you use the "bucket brigade" thing. Many parents have suggested keeping it in the shower for bathing and playing...easier to fill and empty. Or, use it on the pool deck, and fill it with pool water (think Carnival has salt-water pools on some ships) using a plastic pail, and empty it in the outside pool shower drain. Enjoy your cruise!

[MrsZee]

We have never been lucky enough to book a balcony stateroom. But, I know that some balcony staterooms have couches and I know some couches fold out into beds. So, if you get one that has a fold out couch, you get get two travel rails and use the couch for the kids and you can have the other bed to yourself. Also, I found these when I googled travel rails and thought they were neat.

 

http://www.gobedbug.com/

[ShannonSto]

Thanks for all the advice. Sounds like it would be easiest to get the girls used to sleeping somehwere other than a crib occasionally. I don't want the space in the room to be so tight that the girls have no room to play a little. It's been 10 years (:eek:) since my last cruise and that was back in my childless days when I didn't look at the stateroom with cribs in mind.

 

Thanks again,

Shannon

[Julienatul]

You may want to consider a shorter cruise to "test" them. Camp Carnival is not a "guarantee" If your twins are upset and crying they will call you immediately to pick them up. My DD would not go in to camp carnival at age 2, we tried over and over until she was 3.5yrs old. She would cry each time and they would call us to come get her. She goes to daycare everyday too, so she was used to being away from us. Just be prepared that you might end up "entertaining" them for the entire week with no break. If that is doable, go for the 7 day, if not try a shorter one to see how they do in camp. Its not a babysitting service but more of an activity service. If they are happy and want to participate they will accept them. If not, they wont keep them there. In my opinion, they are not very accomodating for 2 yr olds. You are not allowed into the camp so basically you hand them over at the half door and must leave. I would not even make it back to the room and they would be on the phone calling me to get her and when I got there, there was no one comforting her or trying to engage her. She was sitting alone in the back of the room crying (multiple ships,multiple sailings). We all know 2 yr olds can be unpredictable and fussy at times and may need a few minutes to warm up. They are wonderful with the older kids though. When DD was 3.5yrs she LOVED it and now I cant keep her out of it!!

[MrsZee]

You may want to consider a shorter cruise to "test" them. Camp Carnival is not a "guarantee" If your twins are upset and crying they will call you immediately to pick them up. My DD would not go in to camp carnival at age 2, we tried over and over until she was 3.5yrs old. She would cry each time and they would call us to come get her. She goes to daycare everyday too, so she was used to being away from us. Just be prepared that you might end up "entertaining" them for the entire week with no break. If that is doable, go for the 7 day, if not try a shorter one to see how they do in camp. Its not a babysitting service but more of an activity service. If they are happy and want to participate they will accept them. If not, they wont keep them there. In my opinion, they are not very accomodating for 2 yr olds. You are not allowed into the camp so basically you hand them over at the half door and must leave. I would not even make it back to the room and they would be on the phone calling me to get her and when I got there, there was no one comforting her or trying to engage her. She was sitting alone in the back of the room crying (multiple ships,multiple sailings). We all know 2 yr olds can be unpredictable and fussy at times and may need a few minutes to warm up. They are wonderful with the older kids though. When DD was 3.5yrs she LOVED it and now I cant keep her out of it!!

 

 

I am almost positive that if I saw my son sitting in the back of the room without anyone trying to engage him, I would point it out and have a a few words with the counselor. There is no excuse for them not to at least TRY. Look at me, I haven't even used Camp Carnival yet and I am getting fired up about it. When it comes to most things, I just let it go. But, when it comes to my baby, I become the hulk.