The Main Dining Room and your Kids

[razzzbere]

My kids are 5 and 2 and this will be their 1st cruise with us, and their 1st intro to Camp Carnival. I saw that CC will bring your kids to dinner if you want. Has anyone done this or would you rather they eat with you in the MDR?? My kids are used to dining out, I just wanted some opinions and I know this is the place to get them ! :):)

[amyh1028]

I do both. My daughter loves eating with Camp, but a couple of nights I have to "make her" eat dinner with us as a family;)

[gwe21]

My kids are 5 and 2 and this will be their 1st cruise with us, and their 1st intro to Camp Carnival. I saw that CC will bring your kids to dinner if you want. Has anyone done this or would you rather they eat with you in the MDR?? My kids are used to dining out, I just wanted some opinions and I know this is the place to get them ! :):)

 

 

My 9 year old prefers to eat with CC but we always take my 4 yr old with us. she likes to eat with us.

[jaixrx]

My 8 and 9 yr. olds loved eating in the DR. The wait staff made such a fuss over them and treated them like kings. Needless to say they ate at the MDR every night!

[MrPete]

DD (11) has been cruising AND dining with us since she was 4. She even attended the Supper Club with us at 7.

 

She has yet to step foot in a camp.

[dnj1]

My DD9 loves eating with camp, but I "make" her dine with us at least 3 out of 7 nights. My DD3 ate with camp a few times too. I think it is a nice option but I also like for them to also experince FINE dining every now and then. Switch it up.

[Tggrtoes]

We recently tried Carnival specifically for their kids program. We have a 2 year old and of course he hadn't been allowed before when on Princess and RCI (but thankfully had grandparents with).

 

I had planned for DS to go with us to dinner each night and then take him to camp afterwards. He did go with us the first night... did great. Wait staff was super friendly and attentive and everyone commented on how well behaved he was. We do go out to eat a lot, but usually more casual restaurants that we can get in/out much quicker than cruise MDR.

 

After first night, he chose to go to camp with his friends. He had so much fun with them and I think it was more interesting to have a kids dinner and then he knew he got to play much earlier in Camp than if he came to dinner with us. But, either option would have been fine with us - and if he had gotten ancy at any point during dinner, we could always take him over to camp then. We didn't get any looks from anyone for bringing him and I felt perfectly comfortable with him in the dining room. (Granted, if he had acted out, we probably would have gotten looks... although I would have taken him immediately out of dining room at that point.)

 

Bring a portable DVD player (or for us, we brought our iPod touch that plays movies) or some cool new toys that your kids haven't seen and they'll have a ball. (There is of course a kids menu that they can color, or of course they can order off regular adult menu.)

 

We had other kids at the table with us and all of them except the 10 year old (10 going on 40... it was her 13th cruise) chose to eat at Camp most nights. But, I totally think it's your choice (and your kids) and you'll love it either way.

[docs wife]

We travel with our grandchildren (6 & 9) and our daughter and our other grandchildren (6,6 & 8). The kids go to camp when they want but they all know that dinner time is family time. Usually the last night, we allow them to eat with CC, by then end of the week they are so exhausted that they probably wouldn't make it through dinner in the dining room plus we use it as sort of a bribe...if they are good all week in the dining room, they can eat with CC the last night. We have never had to remind them of it after telling them on day one (so are they really good or just being good to eat with CC?).

[mommyto2kids]

We are doing our first cruise with our kids (ages 5 and turning 3 while on board).

 

I think that I am going to have them eat with us and maybe send them to eat with camp the night we have steak house reservations.

 

I like to know what my kids eat and I know that if they are with me and DH they will probably eat better than if they pick their food out with the camp.

 

I expect there will be lots of late night pizza, room service and 24 hour ice cream so if I can at least keep track of what they are eating during meals.

[Traveler353]

Speaking as a solo cruiser, if they can behave and not create problem for other diners, I say bring them. It may be a good experience for them. If it does not work out they can eat with the other kids the next night. I have seen the groups of kids from Camp Carnival in the buffet and it usually looks like most are having a good time.

[gazingm42]

Our kids always have ate with us in the MDR. After all we are on a family

vacation and we enjoy making memories.

 

Our kids love to be able to order off the menu themselves, etc. Now

that they are older they always look forward toward our dinner

together in the MDR.

[Smithkids5521]

I had planned for DS to go with us to dinner each night and then take him to camp afterwards. He did go with us the first night... did great. Wait staff was super friendly and attentive and everyone commented on how well behaved he was. We do go out to eat a lot, but usually more casual restaurants that we can get in/out much quicker than cruise MDR.

 

This sounds like our plan for our upcoming cruise- DS7 and DD will be 4 at sail date.

My thoughts were to bring them to MDR a night or 2, but for the other nights just feed them from buffet and then afterwards they can go play at camp while DH and I have a grown up meal! ;) But I have a feeling that after the first day, the kids will have made some buddies by the pool and when they find out they're eating with CC, my kids will be begging to also (which is fine with me as long as they have a meal or 2 as a family in the MDR with us old fogeys! LOL!!! :p)

 

We will also have our DVD player and/or a video game- just in case they start to get antsy before the end of the meal. We haven't really done any 5-star dining with the kids, but we do eat at places like OutBack and the like- so I know how long their limit will be...:)

Have a wonderful cruise!!!

[MamaParrotHead]

I'd say if your kids are used to eating dinner at a decent restaurant, then they'll be fine. We had kids 4, 6 and 10 with us and there wasn't a problem. I think dinner is as important, if not more fun, on vacation as at home. Lots of things to discuss about and memories to be made.

[emelvee]

We typically have our daughter (now 9) dine with us. She's been cruising now since she was 4, having been on all 5 (soon to be 6) cruises with us.

[kenrod]

Our DS (6) typically eats with us in the MDR. He especially loves the Cruise Elegant nights in the MDR because he gets to dress up.

 

The last two cruises we took, however he ate with the Camp Carnival kids twice on each cruise. So our son does get the best of both worlds!

[Sandpiper10]

We cruised on the Destiny this month, and our daughters age 6 and 3 loved eating in the MDR. They enjoyed getting dressed up. We had the 6pm dining and saw alot of children in the MDR as well. Our girls are used to eating in restaurants, and they will give them a childrens menu if they don't want to order what is on the regular menu. I didn't see 1 kid throw a fit at all, as they were all behaved!

1 night we were eating dinner in the Lido deck dining room and CC was set up for the children to eat there. We saw several people dropping their kids off that the kids didn't want to stay and eat with CC and it was very sad that the parents were begging the children to stay, instead of taking them with them to the dining room. I felt bad for the kids. 1 little boy went over and sat all by himself by the window and ate dinner and didn't talk to anyone. I'd say offer CC to your children, and if they like it, then great, if not, then have them eat with you. Our 3 yo refused any kind of CC activities, however, the 6 yo did go to a few activities and loved it, but they both always ate all meals with us :)

[kyrisong1]

DD (11) has been cruising AND dining with us since she was 4. She even attended the Supper Club with us at 7.

 

She has yet to step foot in a camp.

You are awesome Pete!!! What a gift you are giving that child, she's got memories and social skills some adults don't even have!!!! WTG

[kyrisong1]

I think you should try both and see what is the best comfort zone for you and your kids.

[chipmaster]

Dining out and cruise dinner dining could be very different depending on where you "dine out."

 

My children as a rule have always eating with us most of the time. My daughter has enjoyed the kids club experience, my boys less so. That is kid and activity dependent, YMMV.

 

We actually like the whole cruise experience as it gets us even the can't sit still kids to do the 5 course meal with us, call it family time on vacation! Depending on age we did bring entertainment; books, coloring books, DVD, gameboy. Everyone has a different view about the entertainment. I can also appreciate how some may just let the ship babysit so the parents can have a nice peaceful meal. YMMV here too :D

 

Carnival is no different than any mainstream cruiseline, kids are allowed in the main dining room as far as I know, and many have clubs that take care too. Its all about which you want for your cruise vacation.

 

My kids are 5 and 2 and this will be their 1st cruise with us, and their 1st intro to Camp Carnival. I saw that CC will bring your kids to dinner if you want. Has anyone done this or would you rather they eat with you in the MDR?? My kids are used to dining out, I just wanted some opinions and I know this is the place to get them ! :):)

[ACSoCarCruiser]

My 5 yo DD will dine with me in the MDR if I force her. Even being forced she is very well behaved and loves the attention she gets from the staff. I generally take her to the MDR the first night and one of the elegant nights. But she prefers eating with CC. And will make that plainly understood. In a polite way, of course!:D

[trailercruiser]

You are awesome Pete!!! What a gift you are giving that child, she's got memories and social skills some adults don't even have!!!! WTG

 

Not always true. growing up having to sit at the dinner table always was not always the best situation. Learning social skills (social skills are subjective by the way) means learning how to get along with peers, and sitting at the table with 50 year olds when your 10 isn't learning. To each there own but a family vacation doesn't mean my wife and kids are together 24/7. She may take 1 kid who prefers a certain excursion and I take another on a different excursion that more suits there personality. Forcing them to be like you were is not good parenting to me. Teaching them manners is.;)

[MrPete]

sitting at the table with 50 year olds when your 10 isn't learning.

 

When you enjoy each others company, it isn't even an issue.

[Tbay-eh]

Kids are treated like royalty, I think a lot of the wait staff miss their own families. Like another poster said - if they are well behaved and can handle the length of time it takes then for sure take them and see how they do. Some kids prefer to Camp and eat with kids their own ages. It is all up to you as a parent and what you are comfortable with. One poster mentioned that they want to keep tabs on what the kids eat and I can understand that also some kids have allergies and have to be monitored but also there comes a time when they make choices on their own and maybe this is a good time, it won't kill them. It is only for a week and you can monitor the other 2 meals a day. See how you feel once you are on the ship.

[razzzbere]

Thanks everyone, I love reading all of your tips!:)

[kyrisong1]

Not always true. growing up having to sit at the dinner table always was not always the best situation. Learning social skills (social skills are subjective by the way) means learning how to get along with peers, and sitting at the table with 50 year olds when your 10 isn't learning. To each there own but a family vacation doesn't mean my wife and kids are together 24/7. She may take 1 kid who prefers a certain excursion and I take another on a different excursion that more suits there personality. Forcing them to be like you were is not good parenting to me. Teaching them manners is.;)

kids learn many of their social skills from watching their parents, and you cannot teach a child proper table manners and which fork to use if they are in the kids club. To me it's segregation. However I think every parent has the right to enjoy their children at dinner if they wish, and if you don't wish too then you have that right too.

And BTW I have a 10 year old granddaughter that would much rather spend her time with the adults than to be sent to the kids table, all kids differ in maturity and likes.

However I was praising Mr Pete because in the time I've had to read his posts, he sincerely wants to spend time with his family and I think it's awesome. He has never backpedalled or stated anything different, he wants his family with him. Wow family values !!! Oh wait those aren't very PC at this time in our society are they?:rolleyes: