9 Day Cruise with a Toddler

[shuebschma01]

I am considered the 9-day Caribbean cruise leaving from Bayonne, NJ in Jan 2011. My DH thinks I am nuts for this b/c we will be taking our DS who will be 15 months at the time. Does anyone have experience with cruising with a toddler? I know RCCL offers some classes parents can do with infants. What to you all think of these?

 

Thanks!

[Langley Cruisers]

Hi there, and welcome. You will love your cruise - Explorer of the Seas, yes? If so, she is phenominal.

 

I would suggest posting this on the Family board, if you haven't visited there already. You might find even more helpful info there than the good stuff you would here. :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

[shuebschma01]

Good idea! I will do that. Yes it is the Explorer. I just have to get my husband on board with the idea (on then on the ship)!

[cb at sea]

Your toddler will be happy if you are...they really don't care WHERE they are!!! It certainly won't be a "romantic" vacation...it's a FAMILY vacation! Doable? Yes!

[Morecruisesplz]

I am considered the 9-day Caribbean cruise leaving from Bayonne, NJ in Jan 2011. My DH thinks I am nuts for this b/c we will be taking our DS who will be 15 months at the time. Does anyone have experience with cruising with a toddler? I know RCCL offers some classes parents can do with infants. What to you all think of these?

 

Thanks!

 

The problem with the Fisher-Price play program is if no one except you and your baby show up. We've taken the grandchildren to them and the staff are really great but it's always more fun for the little ones if other kids show up. You can also sign out a bag of toys for your cabin is nice for keeping them busy there -- especially if the toys are different than they are used to at home.

 

The only thing we ever complain about is having to pay the same rate for the baby when they are not eating any of the ship's food, can't get in the pool (on most ships), and are not enjoying much of the entertainment.

 

I can't think of any cruise we've been on where there were not at least a few children the age you are talking about. So you are not alone in thinking it will make a great vacation.

[klingoncruiser]

Oh boy.... here we go again! Heating up the popcorn.:rolleyes:

[crusinmama06]

Oh boy.... here we go again! Heating up the popcorn.:rolleyes:

 

shuebschma01 got 3 very helpful replies until you jumped on to heat up the popcorn. What's with the sudden animosity toward children on this board? Usually the RCI board is pretty child friendly. Why the need for popcorn? :cool: Please don't create drama where there isn't.

 

shuebschma01 -- I would love to hop on the Explorer for that 9

day cruise. I keep saying that one day I will. It looks like a great itinerary. There are a couple of things that you can use onboard Explorer -- the in cabin sitting, the Royal Tots program, the toy rental program. Even the library has children's books in it -- so check that out for some bedtime stories.

 

Here is the latest children's menu. The kids can order off the adult menu of the kids menu....

 

[Morecruisesplz]

Oh boy.... here we go again! Heating up the popcorn.:rolleyes:

 

What's that about? Why not post something of use to the OP or simply move on? We have mods and don't need "popcorn police."

[KKB]

I have 3 & have vacationed with & without them over the years. Have cruised with & without them.

The cruise we took with them was Disney; 26 family members went. One couple had a 1 year old & a 2 year old...we tried to talk them into leaving them w/ the other grandparents.

Needless to say it was a miserable trip for them. The boys' sleep schedules were all off & one or the other was sick all week.

There are no children's progams for 15 month olds--only paid babysitting.

Just remember--you will be sleeping in the same room for 9 nights.

I'm not saying it can't be done.

Have you cruised before? This couple is totally turned off of cruises...and I don't think they had a fair chance to make a judgement! (many of us offered to relieve them...they choose not to...)

Personally, I wouldn't until they were older, JMO--but no judgement on anyone else's decision!

[Iggipolka]

I second the idea to post this question on the family board. When we went on a 7 day cruise with our then 11 month old, we got lots of good advice there.

 

We had a blast cruising with the baby and will be doing so again in March when she'll be 22 months old. She's happy to be anywhere we are and as long as she got a nap a day and a reasonable bedtime, she was a joy. We had great fun letting her crawl down the long hallways and play in the splash area on the Disney ship we were on.

 

It was a great trip and yes, we all slept in the same room, but it worked out fine. Once kids are asleep, they sleep hard and it wasn't a big deal. We took turns going out at night, so we both had some nights relaxing on the balcony while the baby slept, and other nights going to the shows.

 

Have a fun cruise!

[Grota2]

we just got back a couple weeks ago from a week on the Freedom, with our 18 month old son. Had a good time, but it was much different than our first 2 cruises without him. Hard to see any shows (although he loved the Ice Show, 4 pm). I agree with a previous poster, its definitely more of a FAMILY cruise, not a couples/romatiic one.

 

If you can, bring a stroller, we had one of those small umbrella types. Used it everyday, babies do get heavy and its a big ship.

 

Dinner for us was different, tried the dining room, rarely made it through dinner and usually ended up in the Windjammer. An hour plus is a long time for a toddler to sit quietly. Our head waiter and waiter accommodated us, and even allowed us to get our lobster dinners to go, which we took to the WJ.

 

If you enjoy beaches, one of the best things we did was bring on of those swimway rafts, made for toddlers to sit in. He loved being out in the ocean.

[Greghouseo]

Why would it be a problem taking a toddler?

 

Taking things down to the basics, a cruise is basically a holiday, no more, no less.

 

Would you take your toddler on holiday for 9 days? If the answer is yes, then a floating hotel is just as good as one on land. If the answer is no, then you've answered your own question.

 

I know I am simplifying things, but it really isn't much more complicated than that.

 

Go...........and enjoy!!!!!

[sharonlacey]

We were on that Cruise in May and had my 2 1/2 year old grandson. He had a blast. The one thing I would bring is a portable DVD player for dinner. He ate his dinner while he watched his favorite DVD's. It was a God Sent! We ate in the dinning room every night! He also loved the kids pool. We opted not to bring him to the kids club. Just seem to young.

 

Sharon

[dalitos]

I am considered the 9-day Caribbean cruise leaving from Bayonne, NJ in Jan 2011. My DH thinks I am nuts for this b/c we will be taking our DS who will be 15 months at the time. Does anyone have experience with cruising with a toddler? I know RCCL offers some classes parents can do with infants. What to you all think of these?

 

Thanks!

 

We had an amazing 8 night cruise with our 23 month old (at the time) toddler.

As others have mentioned of course it will not be a romantic vacation, but it will be a family vacation and it can be great.

You know your DS better than anyone so I think you can predict how manageable he will be.. if he's easy to take places and eat at restaurants at home, then he will do very well on the cruise. If he's usually fussy and hard to adapt, then you will have a harder time, but it's still doable.

Our son is very laid back and easy to take along and care for, so we had a very good (and relatively easy) time with him.

He enjoyed the beaches, running around the ship, even the dance floor while the band played in the afternoon. He took naps every day (either on the ship or at port), ate well, etc. And this with a 7 hour difference between home and the ship.

If you have any questions I'll be happy to answer if I can.

[Jeff A]

I say go for it......We are taking the 9 night out of NJ in about 6 weeks over Thanksgiving. We will have our 15 month old daughter with us. I did alot of research on the subject before deciding to book back in May. Check out the Family section of these boards and do a search. We have been on 6 previous cruises together without our daughter through our late 20's early 30's. We know this one will be different. Look at this way...you can take care of your son at home like you have been doing for over a year or you can take care of him on a luxury cruise ship with someone else making your food and beds each day for 9 days....Ill try and report back after we return.

[crusinmama06]

So my kids just completed their 10th cruise - I think I can help you make it less miserable. ;)

 

The best way to make it a more enjoyable cruise is to book a balcony cabin to give yourself a place to go while the baby naps/sleeps. Its always my favorite place at night. My kids go to sleep at 10pm and I head outside with my hubby for some alone couple time under the stars. :D The Aft cabins have loungers and tables. It's a great place to hang out.

 

Keep the schedule light. Don't over-schedule yourself and your family. Believe me, all of those deep sea excursions will still be there when your child is old enough to enjoy them. Don't try to pack your schedule with one tour after another. You will still need a car seat in these foreign countries (the laws of physics still apply) -- so you will have to do your research about which excurson uses a bus (no car seat) and if you will simply take a taxi to an excursion (you'll need a car seat)

 

When our kids were that age, many times we just stayed close to the port and simply walked around. That way we could get back onboard when the babies were tired. It worked. And they were never miserable.

 

The dining room staff will want to please you so just ask if you need anything! If you see a steamed veggie on the menu and you want a whole bowl of it for the child, then just ask! Or mashed potatoes -- just ask! If you see it as a side on the menu -- just ask and they will make it a main course for your child. And they will be happy to cut up things for you too.

 

And yes, your life changes when you have a baby. The cruise is not the same as pre-baby. Just as your life will never be the same. But if I tried to cruise without my kids then I would spend the entire cruise worried about my kids. And there is no way I would enjoy myself. The joy that I have on my cruises is making the memories with my kids. I know they won't remember it, but I will.

[wishtdream]

We took our 8 year old DD on Explorer out of Miami when she was 17 months old. We had a great time. It was our first cruise and we are departing on our 4th this Sunday.

 

Vacationing with children is an art no matter where that vacation might be. You need to be flexible, take each day as it comes and roll with it as they say.

 

The pictures of that cruise are some of our favorite family pictures. My DD was a rock star on that ship. The staff greeted her by name with a smile everywhere we went, they were there to please her in ways we could never have imagined before we had kids. We took her everywhere, we ate in the main dining room and took in all the shows.

 

You will have a great time.

[debandbill]

Our granddaughter is a Royal Baby for sure. We cruised with her and her parents (son and DIL) on the Oasis...Haley's second cruise as she was conceived on the Liberty the year before ;)!

 

Will the cruise feel like one without kids...NO! But the memories you make are priceless. I will say that taking the extended family helps as we could spell one another so we all got to do things we wanted to do. Haley did fine and we have tons of pictures to prove it:

 

[shuebschma01]

Thanks everyone for your great advice. I think it is a go! We have been on 3 other cruises BB (before baby). Thanks to you I have the confidence we will have a great time!