Is there a cruiseline & ship that has all of the following?

[cbowler]

Hi everyone - First, let me preface with a statement that I have been reading this family cruising forum extensively and am thrilled with the wealth of information here. We are not new to cruising but are considering taking our kids on a cruise for the 1st time. At the time of sailing our kids will be 4 (potty trained) and 2.5 (not potty trained).

 

I have been reading so many posts about the various kids programs, babysitting, pools, etc but am getting really frustrated at trying to put all of that information together. So I ask you, is there a cruise line and ship that has all of the following:

 

1) A drop-off kids-only program for ages 2 and up that is not limited in the number of hours and does not charge a fee.

2) In-room babysitting. (for a fee of course)

3) Allow the kids to be in the kids program on port days while the parents are on an excursion.

4) A kids pool for non-potty trained kids.

 

I also want to say that it is NOT our intention to dump the kids off all week even though it might sound like it from my question. :) I can just see us using the above mentioned aspects once in a while during the course of a week.

 

My thought is that NCL is the closest fit to the 4 points above? But am also thinking about Carnival and Disney. But, it seems like all 3 are missing at least one of the aspects above, no?

 

We really can cruise any time of the year and don't particularly care where we cruise. We just want to go. ;)

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[Lisou]

Bonjour,

 

You should check Royal Carribean. I am not sure about the pool access for non-potty trained children but they will address your first three points.

 

Good luck with your travel plans...

[cb at sea]

Sorry... RCI's kid's club doesn't take kids under 3, and they must be potty-trained (except on Oasis)...they do have in-room babysitting.

Disney is probably the best bet for the pool issue and kid's program for the littlest one.

[chipmaster]

I don't have kids that young, but from what I've read probably you want the most kid friendly cruise line and that would be Disney. But my experiences on Carnival and Princess has been pretty good. All the mainstream lines have program. The disney was the neatest when I left my kids, very young at the time in the kids area for a slumber with a Disney movie, only on Disney for those little things and boy does the mouse take it out of your pocketbook for those perks

 

IMHO even if there was a line that allowed no potty trained kids in a pool, would you really want your kid in their whether trained or not. If not old enough to hold it you think old enough not to drink it :eek:

 

Almost all cruise lines I've been on do have their kids club open in port days for those that prefer to leave the kids on the boat.

 

I say get that kid trained!

 

 

Hi everyone - First, let me preface with a statement that I have been reading this family cruising forum extensively and am thrilled with the wealth of information here. We are not new to cruising but are considering taking our kids on a cruise for the 1st time. At the time of sailing our kids will be 4 (potty trained) and 2.5 (not potty trained).

 

I have been reading so many posts about the various kids programs, babysitting, pools, etc but am getting really frustrated at trying to put all of that information together. So I ask you, is there a cruise line and ship that has all of the following:

 

1) A drop-off kids-only program for ages 2 and up that is not limited in the number of hours and does not charge a fee.

2) In-room babysitting. (for a fee of course)

3) Allow the kids to be in the kids program on port days while the parents are on an excursion.

4) A kids pool for non-potty trained kids.

 

I also want to say that it is NOT our intention to dump the kids off all week even though it might sound like it from my question. :) I can just see us using the above mentioned aspects once in a while during the course of a week.

 

My thought is that NCL is the closest fit to the 4 points above? But am also thinking about Carnival and Disney. But, it seems like all 3 are missing at least one of the aspects above, no?

 

We really can cruise any time of the year and don't particularly care where we cruise. We just want to go. ;)

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[jerin]

Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have most, if not all of these.

The kids' programs aren't open ALL day (but children are welcome to be there any time they are open, there's not a limit to the hours for any one child other than the program hours), and may only be open on certain port days, but they do have a nursery for the littlest ones (6-36 mo), a kids' pool for diapered children, and in-room for-fee babysitting. If you're looking for next summer (2011) and beyond, apparently Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas will be retrofitted with under-3 facilities. They already have a filtered area for diapered children, in-room sitting, etc.

[sailinglisa]

I'll try and answer these one by one......someone please correct me if I make an honest mistake.

 

1) A drop-off kids-only program for ages 2 and up that is not limited in the number of hours and does not charge a fee. Carnival and NCL and Disney........Disney will charge a fee for the under 2's (I think)...all other cruise lines are 3 and older for the drop off children's programs.

 

 

2) In-room babysitting. (for a fee of course) RCCL and Celebrity (not sure about HAL).

 

 

3) Allow the kids to be in the kids program on port days while the parents are on an excursion. Most all of the cruise line's kid's programs allow these but the do follow the age restrictions. I think Carnival might take ones under 2 for a fee during port days...not totally certain of that......and there might be a charge for that.)

 

 

4) A kids pool for non-potty trained kids. Disney (both ships) and RCCL Oasis and Allure plus the Freedom class ships (Freedom, Independence and Liberty) But these are small special areas that have a seperate filtration from the rest of the pools and waterworks areas and the only ones allowed in the water in these special areas are the non potty trained kids.

[cbowler]

Wow, I really appreciate the quick responses.

 

So, it looks like only RCCL Oasis and Allure really meet the above 4, noting that there is a fee for the kids club for the 2.5 year old.

 

The in-room babysitting is important to us because we really try and have the kids stick to their normal bedtimes and don't want to have to call it a night at 8pm EVERY night.

 

And, the kids club for BOTH kids is important because I don't want them to have to be with a sitter in the room (and bored) if we want to do an adult dinner or excursion now and then.

 

And, the kids splash area for the non-potty trained set is sooo important to my little guy who simply loves the water.

 

It's been crazy sorting through all of the kids program info but definitely worth the effort.

 

If only Disney offered in-room babysitting I think I'd go with them. But it looks like it will be the Oasis/Allure or nothing! ;)

[sailinglisa]

Oasis and Allure and the Disney ships. But on the Oasis and Allure, your 2.5 year old won't be in the kid's club, they will be in the nursery which is pay by the hour. The 2.5 year old won't be able to go in the kid's club during the evening while you are at dinner, but you can give permission to the baby sitters to take them out and about the ship.

[Wavesprite]

I know that when we were on NCL last year they didn't have the kids program in port. It was charged babysitting. We are going on Carnival this year and I guess the kids club does run in port.