Antarctica with a 2 y/o?

[MariahJ]

Would I be crazy to take a 2 y/o to Antarctica? My DH gets a sabbatical from work every 7 years, which is an extra 8 weeks of vacation. We want to do something really special and we've been wanting to see Antarctica forever. I'm guess we're just going to have to wait another 7 years but we'd really love to go next December. I suppose most of the smaller ships don't have a childcare option either, so there would be no putting her in there for mom and dad to have dinner in peace. Any thoughts?

[dileep]

There is nothing for a 2 year to do. The zodiac ride for landings are probably too dangerous to take a 2 year old. The seas can be rough too. Who will watch the child when you go ashore? Check if the cruise lines even allow 2 year olds. Can you leave your child with grandparents?

 

BTW, I used to work for one of those once every 7 years sabbatical companies!

[MariahJ]

Grandma would be happy to watch her but I'm not ready to leave her behind for 2 weeks. I guess we'll have to wait until she's 9 and leave her with Grandma. :(

[donaldsc]

Grandma would be happy to watch her but I'm not ready to leave her behind for 2 weeks. I guess we'll have to wait until she's 9 and leave her with Grandma. :(

 

Is it that Grandma can not handle her or you do not feel comfortable leaving her. If it is the latter, I would just go. After all, it is only 2 weeks.

 

DON

[MariahJ]

Is it that Grandma can not handle her or you do not feel comfortable leaving her. If it is the latter, I would just go. After all, it is only 2 weeks.

 

DON

 

Grandma could handle her, but I think I would miss her too much. Then again, that's a year away so maybe I'll be ready for a break. I think we can postpone the sabbatical for a year and go when she's 3. We're strongly considering that because we can't think of any vacation that's particularly exciting to us that would be fun for a 2 y/o.

[PerfectlyPerth]

Grandma could handle her, but I think I would miss her too much. Then again, that's a year away so maybe I'll be ready for a break. I think we can postpone the sabbatical for a year and go when she's 3. We're strongly considering that because we can't think of any vacation that's particularly exciting to us that would be fun for a 2 y/o.

 

2 year olds seriously do not have a clue whether you take them to the back yard or to the jungle - they are not going to know the difference and are not going to have any future appreciation of the fact that you took them somewhere amazing prior to the development of their memory. They will also have utterly no memory of being left with a family member for a couple of weeks.

 

Of more importance - the rule on the ships in the Drake passage is "one hand on the ship" due to the serious rocking. I witnessed and experienced plenty of people slamming across floors straight into walls. I do not want to picture a toddler flying out of your arms because you have had to let go to hold a railing.

 

Donate bub to the grandparents and let them have some time with her and you go and have a holiday ! Its two weeks - not a permanent adoption !!

[dileep]

What company does Casey work for? might it be Intel?

[digitl]

2 year olds seriously do not have a clue whether you take them to the back yard or to the jungle - they are not going to know the difference and are not going to have any future appreciation of the fact that you took them somewhere amazing prior to the development of their memory. They will also have utterly no memory of being left with a family member for a couple of weeks.

True. It would be a pity if they were to go to Antarctica at such an early age and have no lasting memory. Better to wait the seven years and take them then. Even better to wait a little longer than seven years so they truly appreciate it.

 

Having children means that priorities have to change and parents may have to delay satisfying long held desires and plans, including having dinner in peace!

 

However, I'm not the OP and it's not my child so I'll but out now.

[MariahJ]

What company does Casey work for? might it be Intel?

 

Yes it is!

[MariahJ]

True. It would be a pity if they were to go to Antarctica at such an early age and have no lasting memory. Better to wait the seven years and take them then. Even better to wait a little longer than seven years so they truly appreciate it.

 

Having children means that priorities have to change and parents may have to delay satisfying long held desires and plans, including having dinner in peace!

 

However, I'm not the OP and it's not my child so I'll but out now.

 

You make it sound like a death sentence! LOL. The purpose of the trip would not be for the child's entertainment but for the parents', and we'd be bringing her just so we don't have to be separated from her for so long at such a young age. It sounds like Antartica is not the place for this, so I will continue to search for a more exotic itinerary where my DD can be happy and safe as well.

[Keith1010]

I would wait until your child is older.

 

Keith

[greatam]

If you are going on a "drive by" cruise (I think Celebrity is still doing them), you may be OK. But otherwise, any child under about 12 will be bored to tears. And could be a VERY dangerous situation, especially if you are anticipating a cruise with landings. How in the hell are you going to get a 2-3 yo on a zodiac and get the kid to sit still until you land? ONE big episode and you could tip everyone into freezing water.

 

I spent 31 days on a icebreaker going from South American to New Zealand. NO WAY, NO HOW would a 2 or 3 year old have been tolerated. The first few days would have been "cute". T. The rest of the time-a royal pain in the bu***. I sure would NOT have wanted a 2 YO on the helicopter flight to the "Dry Valleys". It was NOT a particularly pleasant flight as flights go-dipping here and there, ears popping all the time. A average very small child would have had a horrible time and I can just hear the screaming/crying. There were only 2 kids on my expedition cruise and they were 12 and 14 in one family and they actually participated in everything. But we are NOT talking about 2-3 yo.

 

Leave the child at home with grandma. YOU will have a great time and your child will relish the time with Grandma (spoiled rotten). You just have to get over yourself. IF YOU want to go to Antarctica on an expedition ship, leave the kid at home-just too darn dangerous and too boring. What 2-3 yo wants to watch icebergs and a few birds for hours on end??? Your fellow passengers will thank you. If a drive by, completely different story.

 

I just flew back from New York City to PHX last Monday. There were 7 babies (really little babies) and another 12 kids under 4. The babies never made a peep-Dads and Moms got up and walked them when they woke up and they went back to sleep. The 2-4 year olds disrupted the ENTIRE flight. Screaming, wanted more cokes, water, bathroom, etc. etc. The plane left Newark at 6:40PM. Arrived PHX after 10:30PM. I was sitting in first class. It was a true disaster. If I could have bailed out of the plane, I would have. It was THAT disruptive. JMHO, but 2 year olds DO NOT belong on an Antarctica cruise. Leave the kid home with Grandma and enjoy yourselves!!!

[PerfectlyPerth]

There is also the issue of insurance - I cant see many companies covering a toddler on an "adventure expedition".

 

And the majority of the expedition companies do actually have an age limit in place for safety and insurance reasons. A toddler certainly couldnt be scooting around the corridors and decks in 15 foot waves - they could risk being fallen on by a stumbling passenger - or worse a passenger could trip over them and injure themselves - thereby ruining their own multi thousand dollar holiday.

A toddler would definitely not be permitted on the zodiacs or shore landings as they are not of an age to understand the actual rules regarding distances from the animals etc. I could just see one excitedly tearing off to pat a seal and getting bitten and killed.

 

I think the big ocean liner cruise where you "drive by" Antarctica and see some of the continent and the wildlife and bergs would be more suitable and child friendly - but then I still go back to my original statement of it being a total waste of money to take a child somewhere so astounding before their memories have developed.

 

I certainly dont believe that anyones life has to come to a grinding halt simply because they have started a family. You are more than entitled to still be getting out and about around the world. By the time the bub is 18 years old you are going to be dying for time away from them !!! ;)

 

So I would vote that you either leave bub with the grandparents and do a proper expedition - or take bub and do a drive by cruise ship trip.

[dileep]

Yes it is!

 

 

Cool! I worked there for 12 years and left 2 years short of my 2nd sabbatical in 2007!

[donaldsc]

Grandma could handle her, but I think I would miss her too much. Then again, that's a year away so maybe I'll be ready for a break. I think we can postpone the sabbatical for a year and go when she's 3. We're strongly considering that because we can't think of any vacation that's particularly exciting to us that would be fun for a 2 y/o.

 

There will equally be nothing for her to do when she is 3. Also, she would be a total drag on you guys doing what you are going to Antarctica to do.

 

Leave her with Grandma.

 

DON

[donaldsc]

You make it sound like a death sentence! LOL. The purpose of the trip would not be for the child's entertainment but for the parents', and we'd be bringing her just so we don't have to be separated from her for so long at such a young age. It sounds like Antartica is not the place for this, so I will continue to search for a more exotic itinerary where my DD can be happy and safe as well.

 

At 2 years old, do you really think that she can not stand to be separated from you for 2 weeks. Being separated from her for 2 weeks is not the end of the world.

 

DON

[pke-atlanta]

Either leave her at home, or hold off on Antarctica until she's old enough to go with you - like when she's 15 and can actually appreciate what she's seeing. Personally, if my parents had done a "once in a lifetime" trip when I was 2 years old and didn't wait until I was old enough to join them and enjoy it, I'd be pretty mad!

[dileep]

At 2 years old, do you really think that she can not stand to be separated from you for 2 weeks. Being separated from her for 2 weeks is not the end of the world.

 

DON

 

It is Mom who is having trouble with the 2 week separation :D.

 

I agree with the comment about waiting until the child is old enough to appreciate and remember this once in a lifetime experience. We had a 10 and 12 year old on our cruise.

[donaldsc]

It is Mom who is having trouble with the 2 week separation :D.

 

I agree with the comment about waiting until the child is old enough to appreciate and remember this once in a lifetime experience. We had a 10 and 12 year old on our cruise.

 

Even worse. The kid is just a kid; the mom is supposedly but obviously not an intelligent adult.

 

DON

[Harley57]

While I do not disagree with your comments..is it really necessary to insult the OP? I've been lurking on CC since 2005 however I only recently joined and rarely post due to the in the incivility on many of the threads. Perhaps we all can find a way to express our opinions in a polite manner.

 

We all seem to share a love of travel and cruising and have much to gain from each others experiences and knowledge. :)

[dileep]

Even worse. The kid is just a kid; the mom is supposedly but obviously not an intelligent adult.

 

DON

 

no need to criticize (insult) someone who thinks different than you!

 

Don: think about your own intelligence!