Cruising with twin 18 month olds

[Robinhill]

What are people thinking that say leave the child at the grandparents? I would never take a vacation and not include my daughter. Although, we did not start taking vacations till she was seven. As a future grandparent, I would say no if asked to babysit for a week.

 

To the op, enjoy your vacation with your children.

 

Well I am a grandmother and I took my 3 year old grandson with me on my last cruise and we had a ball! I don't see any reason why people should not take their children with them on their family vacations- and the nerve of people to suggest that they should not is just ridiculous!

[time4u2go]

One other thing I forgot to mention -- We had an interior cabin, and every day, either myself or my husband would spend a couple of hours in our cabins while the kids napped. It was pretty dark in there, and I napped a bit, too -- but I wish we had sprung from a balcony. I would have loved to sit out and enjoy the balcony while the kidlets napped.

:eek:Was it that bad? (Sorry, couldn't resist!);)

[jill5172]

Hey Jill5172, obviously you're not one of those considerate parents. You obviously misunderstood the tone of my post. I didn't suggest anyone leave their kids at home. I merely suggested that if the children are misbehaving, they should be removed from the immediate area until they are acting appropriately. Why should hundreds of other passengers have to tolerate screaming tantrums just because the parent thinks their childrens' behavior will improve eventually? Just like at a movie theatre, leave the room until they calm down....that's all.

 

Y'know, I hear/read people making these statements about kids throwing tantrums and food and not being well-behaved and the fact is, I just don't buy it. I am sure that OCCASIONALLY these things do happen. However, I am far more certain that ADULTS REGULARLY misbehave on cruise ships, and elsewhere, causing distress and annoyance to fellow passengers. There are thousands of complaints on these boards about how adults act - hogging pool chairs, tables in the WJ, pushing in front in lines, being generally loud, public drunkenness (especially if they used the forbidden rum runners to sneak in booze), being an obnoxious American in foreign ports ... the list goes on and on.

 

I suspect that the people who complain about babies should take a good look at themselves before they cast aspersions on the behavior of others.

[bplazo]

Y'know, I hear/read people making these statements about kids throwing tantrums and food and not being well-behaved and the fact is, I just don't buy it. I am sure that OCCASIONALLY these things do happen. However, I am far more certain that ADULTS REGULARLY misbehave on cruise ships, and elsewhere, causing distress and annoyance to fellow passengers. There are thousands of complaints on these boards about how adults act - hogging pool chairs, tables in the WJ, pushing in front in lines, being generally loud, public drunkenness (especially if they used the forbidden rum runners to sneak in booze), being an obnoxious American in foreign ports ... the list goes on and on.

 

I suspect that the people who complain about babies should take a good look at themselves before they cast aspersions on the behavior of others.

 

Actually, I have to disagree. I work in a restraunt and it is nice and quiet until people start bringing children in and then it is almost like a zoo. I never go to the store after school hours or on the weekend. It is just crazy.

[barbgazz]

My worst cruise dining experience was caused by a baby who cried all through dinner every evening at the table next to ours in the main dining room. Nobody ever took that child out of the dining room and it was horrible.

[luvbrady]

I have found, depending on the cruise, it is often times cheaper to get 2 adjoining cabins on a lower deck (say 4) than a single balcony room. You can keep the inside door open at all times, of course, and it takes care of any pshychotic paranoia of a toddler in a balcony room (I know, I'm a nut. Those doors are hard, but I still won't let my 7 year old near a balcony :p). It gives you much more space/storage for the gear than a single room, plus the added bonus of 2 bathrooms when you're getting ready for dinner.

 

On our upcoming cruise the 2 rooms was about $20.00 less than 1 balcony for 4 of us. And since mine are 7 & 11- 2 bathrooms are really, really, REALLY nice!

 

Have fun! Sounds like you're bringing enough reinforcements to make the trip a pleasant one!

[plazamom]

Although 2 adjoining rooms is a great option for families- that's what we've always done when my children were younger- for 18 month olds the second bathroom might not be that important. However, most JS or above have a bathtub- which might be important if the twins don't tolerate a shower. My oldest was 18 months old on her first cruise, she's now 14. We will be on the Allure in August and have a balcony for my husband and myself and an inside across the hall for the kids- but they are old enough now not to need connecting door (14,12,11). The crew loves kids- we were on a cruise when my girls were 3 and 5 (we kept my 1 year old son home with grandma only because of the ports- it was a cruise of Asia) and 3 years later we cruised on a different ship (same cruise line) and there were crew members who remembered my girls!!!

[sutuz]

Really? Children that young on a cruise? I guess I've been pretty lucky. Out of 21 cruises, I have not had the "pleasure" of such young children nearby. For many, the cruise experience could be less enjoyable if there were crying children on the balcony next door, or a child crying/throwing food in the dining room, etc. It sounds like you are one of the more considerate parents, however, by seeking info and advice ahead of time. If they get unruly, please consider removing them from the dining room, or other area, until they calm down.

 

Wow - that's really rude. I am an "older" cruiser myself (mid-50's), and when it is just my husband and myself we do pick weeks when we know most kids would be in school. However, there are always children onboard, and I have yet to see a child behave as badly as a drunken adult.

[Onessa]

However you choose to go, have a great time! Your girls will only be this age once 18M is a terrific age. You had some great questions - it shows you've been thinking this out

 

 

A suite would probably work out best with two PnPs.

Pricing for for children under 2, is generally the same as it is for any other 2nd and 3rd person, some times some lines will have specials for kids. Tips, etc are generally the same.

There are high chairs available in all the dining areas, the wait staff will help

Childcare options are limited particularly at 18M. Rates and policies vary by line. If you are looking at two cabins, you may want to see if a grandparent, or other relative may want to join you so that you can split up some of the childcare responsibilities -- if you pay (or at least are generous in your contribution) it may be a win/win.

Passports are required even at 18M for many destinations. Birth Certificates are allowable for certain Caribbean cruises.

[elephant98]

I also recommend going on a Freedom or Oasis class ship to take advantage of the nursery onboard. I recently did a review of the nursery and the Royal Babies and Tots program on the Liberty on this board (and I copied the link in the family forum) if you would like to read it. A quick search should find it.

 

I also like the idea that someone posted of getting adjoining inside staterooms. But, if you can't afford to do that or go for a junior suite, then I happen to know of a particular balcony cabin on the Liberty which can accomodate 2 pack n plays, if need be: Cabin #6648. It is located midship, near the elevators and stairs. Because of the ships design, there happens to be ample space to put the pack n' play next to the sliding door that leads to the balcony. You can actually close the blackout curtain and you wouldn't even know that the pack n play was in the room. (We have stayed in cabin #6650 and the room layout did not allow for this). It worked for us at night, no problem. During the day we moved the pack n play in front of the sofa for naptime so that our little one could sleep in the dark. But, now that I think of it, instead of moving the pack n play back and forth all the time, we could have simply wedged the blackout curtain behind the pack n play if we had wanted to as well. In this particular room, as well as rooms #6348 on the other side of the ship (and probably the same rooms on upper decks), you could easily put a pack n play against the sliding glass wall and in front of the couch. And, even with the pack n play in front of the couch, you still have room to walk by to get to the bathroom. And, you can still easily enter/exit the balcony even with the pack n play next to the sliding glass window. When your little ones are not sleeping, I would suggest breaking down the one in front of the couch so that you have more use of the room.

 

Balcony cabins don't have a tub. But, you can bring a blow up bath and put it on the balcony. Our little one loved bath time. Just be sure not to dump the bath water overboard! :-)

 

One final thought. The main reason we liked cabin #6648 is that our baby monitor handset (sight and sound) had good enough range for us to sit in the comfy chairs at the business center while our little one slept. It was very nice to be able to read a book, play a game, etc. and listen to music from the promenade and not be stuck in a dark room (It works from cabin #6650 too.)

[RoyalDiamond]

Gee, for those who think that expressing an opinion is rude, get a grip! There is NO reason why anyone should have their vacation experience diminished or ruined by a screaming child, a parent who doesn't control their child (or remove them from the situation), or even by another adult who doesn't act appropriately. But, some of these issues ARE controllable.....such as simply taking the child out of the room until the child calms down or behaves again. I realize children have tantrums....but that's why the parents should be the ones in control, not the child. Some people go to restaurants, or on vacations, etc, to enjoy an escape from the chaos of everyday life. Being placed next to a unruly child, a poorly acting adult, etc, is not very enjoyable. But, we control what we can, and deal with what we cannot. Removing a child from the room is easily controllable, and not a lot to ask. If the child is acting up outside, in the pool, or elsewhere, no big deal. But in the restaurant? If someone in the restaurant had a "boom box" and sat down with it blasting, wouldn't that be detrimental to the experience? What's the difference between that and a loud child? The ADULT should know better.....just as the parent should!

[CI66774]

RoyalDiamond - the point is the OP didn't ask for your opinion on "etiquette"- period. This thread isn't about what you think is appropriate, etc. It's about options for a family with twins - people who stick their opinions in a thread when none are asked - are just plain rude and intrusive.

[Kim4]

:eek:Was it that bad? (Sorry, couldn't resist!);)

 

Ha ha, good one! I didn't even notice I typed that! :)

[demodawn]

Another thought. The last room aft on the liberty deck 8 has a balcony connects to an inside. One of the very few!

[jt1120]

Maybe Grandma and Grandpa would like to spend a week with their beloved granddaughters and you and your wife could have a wonderful, relaxing cruise together?

 

ITA. It's not like the children will get anything out of the trip, so why not ask the grandparents for a favor and go and enjoy the cruise? Believe me, I'm not being insensitive, I'm being realistic. We didn't take our kids on a cruise until they were 6 years old.

[Robinhill]

ITA. It's not like the children will get anything out of the trip, so why not ask the grandparents for a favor and go and enjoy the cruise? Believe me, I'm not being insensitive, I'm being realistic. We didn't take our kids on a cruise until they were 6 years old.

 

we took my then 2 1/2 year old grandson a family cruise and he had an absolute ball! Then I took him myself on a cruise when he was 3 1/2 and he still remembered the cruise the year before and knew how everything worked as far as eating in the MDR, the windjammer, going on shore excursions, etc. and the play area and he could not wait to go. Some children do well with trips and some do not i suppose. It has been nothing but a very positive experience for us and we are helping to build some very fun memories for my grandson to look back on.

[ChicagoBound]

ITA. It's not like the children will get anything out of the trip, so why not ask the grandparents for a favor and go and enjoy the cruise? Believe me, I'm not being insensitive, I'm being realistic. We didn't take our kids on a cruise until they were 6 years old.

 

Indeed, you are being insensitive. What if the grandparents are ill or not physically able to take care of the twins or are not in the parents' lives or are dead? There is a reason why the parents are taking the twins on the cruise (as we've done three times already and will be again in a week). My father is dead. My mom, who's 73 and had hip-replacement surgery, can't take care of 7 year-old twins and a three year-old. My in-laws are also not able to take care of three kids for a 8 or 9 days due to work issues at their small business.

 

The OP wanted tips on traveling with twins--not family advice.

 

As for the tips, mine are these: Don't worry too much. It will be great. Even a small room will have enough space for two pack-n-plays. We've done it before. This time, we're going with a standard balcony with a pull-out couch for one of the twins and the three-year old and a ceiling-lowering pullman bed for the other twin. It will be tight, but how much time do you spend in the room anyway. Try to get a balcony room. That way, when the kids are having their midday nap, you can hang out on the balcony and read a magazine or a book or something. The folks at the restaurants were really nice and always helped us get high chairs. Everything went extremely smoothly. Just remember to pack a lot of extra clothes for the kids and pack their favorite toys and some new ones to keep their interest.

 

And I agree with the one poster who was getting flamed that if the kids act up in the dining room, give them about 20 seconds to try to calm them down. If that doesn't work, take them out until they've relaxed. It will end up making your dining experience less stressful and make the dining experience of those around you better too.

 

Have fun and don't worry. It will be even better than you think. And you'll get some great pictures. One of the best things is that you can do photo sittings for free with the kids and you don't have to buy any of the pictures if they don't turn out well.

[lilrere]

I took my 14 month old on a 8 day cruise with my hubby's family and we had a wonderful time! My son still loves to look at the pictures! He loved the ice show and the parades. We tried to keep him on his schedule and he napped in his stroller when we doing excursions. I would definitely recommend a ship with the baby splash pool. They are very strict on this and would not even let us carry my son through the sprinklers in the splash zone. I do understand as they will close pool down if there is a 'accident" and my son loved the splash pool for babies with diapers! The older ships do not have this area.

We dined in MDR (highchair was set up the first night) and our waiter was great! After the first night they had my son's food on the table when we got to the dining room and they brought his milk on a silver platter. After he finished eating we took turns and would go put him to bed. All the tables around us loved my son so I never felt we were disturbing anyone!We did have grandparents with us and since we only see my hubby's family once a year we had a great time with family! Have fun!!!:D

[ChicagoBound]

One other tip: If you can, you might consider getting in-room babysitters each night. We've done that in the past and felt absolutely comfortable with the women who were babysitters. Often, they had children of their own back home. There's an extra charge and now RCCL provides two babysitters per room, meaning a decrease in supply. But if you get an in-room babysitter, you can take the kids to Windjammer for an early dinner for them, go back to the room, get changed for the late dining at the MDR, and have the babysitters come and take care of the kids and put them to sleep while you are enjoying dinner and an evening "out."

[mark290]

Deck 10 corner aft cabins on Voyager and Freedom class is the way to go. The room is very big and more of a square. Should be able to handle two PNPs no problem. You get a JS size room for the price of a D1 and the balcony is huge. You could really enjoy yourself on the balcony with 10 of your friends while the kids are napping or sleeping at night. Plenty of room for a little inflatable pool on the balcony.

[Onessa]

ITA. It's not like the children will get anything out of the trip . . . We didn't take our kids on a cruise until they were 6 years old.

 

If your kids aren't going to "get anything out of" your attention, why not just put them in a plastic box until they turn 6? :D All experiences that a child has throughout their infancy and toddlerhood (and beyond) add to who that child will become. Just because the child may not "remember" the ship or the ports, the child will benefit from the care and attention of its mom and/or dad.

 

Does my DD have specific memories of vacations we took when she was 4MO, 8MO, 1YO, 2YO, 3YO . . . ? Maybe yes, maybe no -- she claims to remember some stuff, but I don't know if that is her 1st hand memories or her memories via photos/family stories. I do know that she is a terrific kid - a well rounded traveler who really notices everything around her.

 

I know I have specific memories of some really great experiences that I was able to share with my child. Memories of needing my husband to keep me on my feet as my 8MO careened wildly in the backpack to follow the sea turtle at the Monteray Aquarium, of my 2.5YO excitedly pointing to a rock formation that looked like the letter "O", of my 3YO "talking" to an Italian girl her age in a part in Milano. I have a print of the first picture she took (this is back in the day of film cameras) - of Florence from a top a wall back across the Arno - the duomo and Ponte Veccio nicely in the frame.

 

If the OP feels that he wants to spend his vacation time with his kids, I applaud him (or her). A vacation with little ones may not be the same vacation as an adults only vacation - but can be a rewarding experience for both adults and kids.

[cjankowski]

Y'know, I hear/read people making these statements about kids throwing tantrums and food and not being well-behaved and the fact is, I just don't buy it. I am sure that OCCASIONALLY these things do happen. However, I am far more certain that ADULTS REGULARLY misbehave on cruise ships, and elsewhere, causing distress and annoyance to fellow passengers. There are thousands of complaints on these boards about how adults act - hogging pool chairs, tables in the WJ, pushing in front in lines, being generally loud, public drunkenness (especially if they used the forbidden rum runners to sneak in booze), being an obnoxious American in foreign ports ... the list goes on and on.

 

I suspect that the people who complain about babies should take a good look at themselves before they cast aspersions on the behavior of others.

 

I agree 100% with you. Adults are much worse than the kids. I have cruised both with & without our son. I enjoyed it both ways. But for sure would take him again as there is nothing like watching his face when he got to the ship seen how big it was and to see him react to all the special things that come with a cruise.

 

I am a twin also and would say take the babies and have a vacation of a lifetime!

[SusanC67]

When I was on the Carnival Fantasy in 2008, I remember the daycare area being a very secure place. Parents had to have their Seapass card or whatever it was called and I think photo id too. Children had to be signed in/out. Only the person that dropped off the child could pick up the child. Very safe, very secure.

 

As for the person that commented about children on a cruise, for the most part, it's not a big deal for those of us (adults without children).

The only problem I've noticed is when children misbehave and the parents do absolutely nothing about it. (but then again, that can be found anywhere)

[wrich427]

Gee, for those who think that expressing an opinion is rude, get a grip! There is NO reason why anyone should have their vacation experience diminished or ruined by a screaming child, a parent who doesn't control their child (or remove them from the situation), or even by another adult who doesn't act appropriately. But, some of these issues ARE controllable.....such as simply taking the child out of the room until the child calms down or behaves again. I realize children have tantrums....but that's why the parents should be the ones in control, not the child. Some people go to restaurants, or on vacations, etc, to enjoy an escape from the chaos of everyday life. Being placed next to a unruly child, a poorly acting adult, etc, is not very enjoyable. But, we control what we can, and deal with what we cannot. Removing a child from the room is easily controllable, and not a lot to ask. If the child is acting up outside, in the pool, or elsewhere, no big deal. But in the restaurant? If someone in the restaurant had a "boom box" and sat down with it blasting, wouldn't that be detrimental to the experience? What's the difference between that and a loud child? The ADULT should know better.....just as the parent should!

 

 

RoyalDiamond - I understand your feelings and I respect them. We tool our 2 and 3 year old boys on Liberty about a month ago and it started off as a nightmare because of boarding Miami tool over 2 hours. I am sure people around us were dreading seeing us and my wife and I were doing our best to keep them from crying as they were bored and tired and missing their nap becdause we could not get on board because of the issues with embarkation. I can say we tried to be aware and would remove our children from the dining area if they acted up. I think the worse part was the mess the 2 boys left on the floor and I tried to clean up but was constantly being told not to worry about it. There was double the normal tips in our envelopes for our waiter and assistant waiter because of the mess.

 

I can honestly say that my kids were not the issue on our cruise but it was all of the unattended pre-teens and teens running around the ship at all times of the day and night. It was just unbelievanle that parents would let their kids run around without supervision - it was packs of teenagers.

[bplazo]

I have seen the mess that toddlers and young children make at a restraunt. Why do parents allow their children to make such a mess? It has to be the parenting style because not all children do it. Again, it is not the adults that are loud and make messes.