Fly across the country and cruise with an almost 1 year old and an almost 3 year old?

[Cre8tivCruiser]

Do it or don't do it? Just thinking about it scares the heck out of me. Kids have never flown before. Or cruised. Would use car seats on the plane. Would buy most supplies once arriving in California and could likely borrow a stroller and pack and play for the cruise. Is this really doable or should we skip this? Would be traveling to see family and don't really want to miss out, but everything seems incredibly daunting to me at the moment. Would be on the carnival Splendor. Not sure what sort of cabin could fit us at the least expense.

 

I would appreciate any and all advice. Thank you!

[notentirelynormal]

We did it when my grandkids were that age, including a 5 YO. LAX to MIA. No more hassle then traveling 50 miles with them. Car seats, snack bags, entertainment bags. We brought a DVD player for the kids to watch. Sure they got a little antsy. The ONLY problem we had was when we landed the 1 YO must not have liked the descent because she promptly threw up all over her mother. It was wonderful... ummm, NOT. My advise would be to carry a change of clothes for the the kids and the ones holding them just in case. My DIL had to wear the smelly clothes for the next few hours.

[Kerry's Girls]

People do it every day. With enough planning, it's absolutely doable and I always figure that the worst flight is still worth it to see family or take a vacation - and you'll be getting both out of this trip. The only part of your plan that I would change is borrowing a stroller in California. I did lots of trips with my twins at those ages and the stroller is very necessary at the airport. There are long walks and long waits at airports, and the easiest place to keep little ones is in the stroller. A double tandem or sit n' stand would work best. You take it all the way to the gate and then check it and they give it back to you as you get off the plane. (Check to confirm there is no extra charge for strollers on whichever airline you choose since rules change so frequently, but usually this is free).

 

I found tons of information here that was helpful and I'm sure you will too.

 

Best,

Mia

[fishfriendz]

We have been flying with my kids since my son was 3 weeks old. Once they got to the toddler stage, I would go to the dollar store and get fun (and safe) items to entertain them on the plane and in the airport. We never had an issue traveling with them and it was easy to pull out new stuff when we needed to. Once they got a little older, we tried a portable DVD player that worked well.

 

It can be done...a little bit of planning goes a long way.

 

Good luck.

[Cre8tivCruiser]

Good suggestions, thank you. I know it is possible...I am just a worry wart. Besides all the logistical issues, I am concerned about delays and the kids getting sick and scared on the flights and ship. My son is scared of the elevators at Target! I would feel terrible if they got seasick because they cant understand what's going on. It's breaking my heart and hasn't even happened yet...and might not happen!

[Mom2B&Z]

I would do it in a heartbeat. Yes, you'll need to plan well, pack for pretty much any possible outcome on the plane, and then have a whole lot of patience, but it usually turns out better than we imagine ;)

If you do decide to go, there are many of us who have travelled with children that age and can give you words of wisdom!

[alj1208]

Is there any chance you have the time and money to take a shorter trip just to see how the kids do and get a little experience handling them on the plane? Our DS's first plane ride was just one and a half hours. It was a visit to see family for Easter. It was a good trial run.

 

That said, I love to travel and would take any opportunity to go on a trip, plan well, and just deal with any challenges that arise. For me, the worst thing (even worse than traveling with a young child) is missing out!

[TheCalicoCat]

Do it or don't do it? Just thinking about it scares the heck out of me. Kids have never flown before. Or cruised.

I would appreciate any and all advice. Thank you!

 

Since you are freaked out by the idea & since they haven't cruised before, have you considered cruising out of NY or NJ - to get their feet wet so to speak & to avoid the flight...

[B_Mc]

Do it, you'll love it. No, it isn't easy and you'll probably want to take a vacation alone afterwards but it is worth it! We've done lots of flights with 1 kid and 2 cruises (so far!) with him....always worth the effort.

[carolinesmom]

I agree that taking family trips is great and worth some effort. All four of my children were on a plane by the time they were 3 months old, because my family doesn't live close. However, you are talking about a long flight. I do think it is doable, but you do need to plan well. I would make sure you get a direct flight, too many things can go wrong when connections and it adds more stress. I would also recommend getting the 1 year old their own seat. My youngest just turned 8, so I'm not even sure what the rules are now, but I know you used to be able to hold a child under 2 on your lap. Once my children were mobile, I always got them their own seat. It is better for you and for them, the extra money is worth it. As others have said bring plenty of things to help keep them entertained and plenty of snacks. I also agree with bringing a stroller to the airport. It will make navigating much easier on both ends. Good luck!

[Jasalth]

The first time my kids flew they were a little older than yours (2 1/2 and 5). It wasn't a long flight, just from Houston to Orlando. It was for a cruise, but they also knew that 2 grandma's were going to be waiting on the other end (with X-mas presents!!).

 

I do agree with get everyone their own seat if they still allow kids to sit on laps. Since you are talking about a cross country flight, do you really think that you littlest one would be willing to sit in your arms for that long of a time? I know mine wouldn't!

 

I can see the pro's and con's for a longer non-stop flight. Airline bathrooms are tiny! You are looking at probably at least one diaper change during the flight. Pro's you get to where you are going faster w/o having to worry about stopping anywhere or time. Con's, you and the kids are stuck in one place for a set time and kids get cranky! It might seem like a lot, but even now with teens I would consider a flight with a longer (4+ hour) layover for that long of a flight vs a direct flight. Anything less than that I probably wouldn't risk, but being able to get out, move, have a snack/meal to me would be worth the longer travel time.

 

Another note, with baggage fee's as they are anymore, another good option is renting the stroller and pack and play when you get to where you are going if you are flying. A quick searched found a company in LA that would rent both to you, AND bring them to the cruise terminal for less than $125 for the week for a double stroller and a pack n play. I know trying to get 2 teenagers on a ship with carry-on's is almost out of my league (esp for Carnival where you have to carry on your own soda if you want to), I couldn't even imagine it with 2 toddlers! When mine were toddlers it was them, and 5 adults, 3 which they rarely saw at that time so grandparents took them almost 90% of the cruise.

 

Even w/o toddlers booking a cruise can be daunting! It's part of the fun of it you will come to find out. Finding the perfect things to do in ports, making sure you have all your packing done, and making sure the kids are happy. I would suggest something like a smallish carry-on with new smallish cheaper toys. That way no matter where or when, you can pull one out of the diaper bag and keep them busy!

 

You can always ask their Dr to see what you can do for seasickness for them. If you think they will be scared, make sure to include them as much as you can in the planning even though they are young. A child who picks out a brand new shovel and bucket they really like to go to the beach with, is going to want to get to that beach even more! You can also find books at your local library to "teach" them not to be scared on the plane or boat. Even playing little games could help if you are really worried. Get some chairs and fly your own plane around the house. Be the stewardess and bring them little snacks and a drink :)

[B_Mc]

I agree that taking family trips is great and worth some effort. All four of my children were on a plane by the time they were 3 months old, because my family doesn't live close. However, you are talking about a long flight. I do think it is doable, but you do need to plan well. I would make sure you get a direct flight, too many things can go wrong when connections and it adds more stress. I would also recommend getting the 1 year old their own seat. My youngest just turned 8, so I'm not even sure what the rules are now, but I know you used to be able to hold a child under 2 on your lap. Once my children were mobile, I always got them their own seat. It is better for you and for them, the extra money is worth it. As others have said bring plenty of things to help keep them entertained and plenty of snacks. I also agree with bringing a stroller to the airport. It will make navigating much easier on both ends. Good luck!

 

This is good advice, if you can afford it. Flying with a 1-2 year old in your lap isn't pleasant.

 

FWIW, you can install a 5-point harness car seat onto the plane seat so your LO could be well restrained, comfy in a familiar seat....and your hands are a little more free!

[Cre8tivCruiser]

We would get seats for both kids and use their car seats.

We would be cruising with my parents and my sister, brother in law, and their three teenagers, so we would potentially have some help although i dont want to bother anyone.

We would also see my brother and his girlfriend before and after the cruise and maybe go to Disney, Sea World and/or Legoland.

Oh, and we would celebrate Christmas together! So there are a lot of pros. It's the cons that worry me still, of course.

My husband thinks that our then one year old will not have any fun at all and that we will not have much of a vacation with two little kids that are out of their routine, and 3 hours off their regular schedule. He is also worried about the then 3 year old being able to get the hall door open in the middle of the night if we are in an adjoining room.

 

I need help changing his mind!

[kayhold]

It really depends on your kids. With my kid? Yes, I would. With my brothers kids? I would rather stab myself in the eyes.

[kayhold]

We would get seats for both kids and use their car seats.

We would be cruising with my parents and my sister, brother in law, and their three teenagers, so we would potentially have some help although i dont want to bother anyone.

We would also see my brother and his girlfriend before and after the cruise and maybe go to Disney, Sea World and/or Legoland.

Oh, and we would celebrate Christmas together! So there are a lot of pros. It's the cons that worry me still, of course.

My husband thinks that our then one year old will not have any fun at all and that we will not have much of a vacation with two little kids that are out of their routine, and 3 hours off their regular schedule. He is also worried about the then 3 year old being able to get the hall door open in the middle of the night if we are in an adjoining room.

 

I need help changing his mind!

 

Bring a splash pool. They're cheap, blow up and you can trash it when you're done. You can set it right on the deck where you sit. Your baby will have a blast. At that age my son would play on the beaches too with a bunch of $1 store toys.

 

Kids are resilient. They will adjust once you're home. And your door will likely have a top lock so your child can't get out.

[carolinesmom]

Traveling with children is not easy. You have to go into it with the right expectations. As my husband says "you know everyone is going to be unhappy part of the time, including yourself". But it is worth it if everyone also has some fun and you are making family memories. It doesn't even matter whether your children will remember them later on. Spending quality family time together is what matters. If your husband can get into the right frame of mind it will work.

 

I wouldn't worry about your 3 year old wondering out into the hall at night. There must be a lock on the door and if you are really concerned put something else in front of the door at night (a suitcase maybe). There are many people with children taking cruises, so I'm sure they have encountered this before.

 

Good Luck!

[alj1208]

Your husband is right to be concerned about the three-year-old being able to open the cabin door and get out of the cabin. The cabin doors have no dead-bolts for shipboard safety reasons. There was an old thread on this board about a toddler who got out into the hall. BUT, that's not a reason to stay home. It IS a reason to consider having an adult sleep in each room if you have adjoining cabins. Also, there are inexpensive door alarms you can buy (google door alarms). You could "barricade" the door at night with luggage. There are things you can do to minimize the risk.

 

Bottom line......... this won't be a vacation; it's traveling with children. But, it sounds like fun, and hey, you have to take care of the kids no matter where you are, so why not be somewhere fun? This is totally doable.

[ozcruisiegirl]

Hi, In my experience kids (babies to 5 yr old) tend to travel well if you feed them well and make sure that get enough sleep. Give them a low GI breakfast and stay away from snacks full of sugar. Plenty of water (more than normal) if they are in an air-conditioned or very hot/humid environment, like the plane or on the boat. Get up and travel early or do short tours (if you want to) early, then swim, lunch on board and then a sleep. Another member said in a post that an inside cabin is excellent for young children as it is darker for a day-time nap. It is also cheaper. I have cruised with my nephew since he was 2 and a half (now 12) and found that the kids clubs onboard the ships are excellent. Get the kids activity newspaper and work out what your children like to do. Even if they are to young to attend by themselves, you can take them to the activities. Go you will have a ball.

 

Regards

Ozcruisiegirl :p

[circuitrider]

Ok, so your husband is going too? Makes it much easier. I've done the AK-TN and back with kids about that age. It's doable, but much easier with backup.

 

Do you have a two-seater stroller? Some airlines won't let you gate-check those anymore (you can gate-check small strollers, just not the larger ones). So you have to lug your kids (and carry-on) from check-in, through security, and to the terminal...and back again. Even worse if you have layovers.

 

If you have an airline-approved car seat, you could try booking your infant as a lap child. If there's a seat available, they'll (probably) let you use it. But if it's a full flight, then you have no choice but to hold your infant. Up to you.

 

Stock up at the dollar store. Cranky kid, break out a new toy. Not something I'd do on a daily basis...but this is a vacation, so what the hey. And candy. When the plane starts to descend, give them a sucker.

 

For the time change, what I try to do (if possible) is slowly get them used to the new time BEFORE the trip. So if your destination is three hours behind, a week or two ahead of time I'll move their bedtimes up by 30 minutes every few days or so. You can even do it as a treat...if they were extra good that day, let them know they get an extra 30 minutes of TV time before bed, or whatever. You don't have to get them adjusted to the entire 3 hour difference...save the last 30-60 minutes for when you arrive. I've done this for small (3 hours) to large (7 hours) time differences, and it seems to work well.

[scarlett81]

I think it really depends on your kids and your parenting style. Travel with kids is what you make it. You need to be flexible, be prepared, and have a sense of humor.

If you think they will calmly walk on the plane, sit through it perfectly, there will be no delays, and no turbulence, no tears...thats not realistic. There will be some hang ups along the way. You'll have to take them in stride. If you are freaked out, then the kids probably will feed off that too. If you are positive and excited they'll feed off that.

We've flown with our kids many times-over 60. There have been great times, and times I've been near tears, (or killing DH!)

At this point, its easy and routine. We have our bag of tricks. DD does walk in, sit down, and there are no tears. But its taken experience.

Once you are there, and see their faces, and enjoy that glass of wine of after the kids are asleep-its all worth it!

People have said to us, 'why travel with a 1 yr old? He's not remembering it...its no fun for him' Well, fun for a 1 yo consists of being with mom and dad and family, regardless of where you are. Its the joy of seeing his little face light up when he sees fireworks the first time, or wakes up in his pjs and gets to see grandma first thing, or gets his first ice cream cone with the whole family there...Get the picture?

Its worth it for some to put up with those inconveniences. But for others it sounds like a nightmare. You and DH need to decide if its your idea of fun or not. Maybe a compromise-skip the cruise and meet up with family on land?

Would I do it?-Yes. But this is coming from someone who's taking a 5 yo and 1 yo on a 2 wk Mediterranean cruise this year. We know our kids and our family's style. With my sister in laws kids and family style, this would be a nightmare. Nothing wrong with it, just different.

Best wishes!

[scarlett81]

[quote name=circuitrider;32980665

 

Do you have a two-seater stroller? Some airlines won't let you gate-check those anymore (you can gate-check small strollers' date=' just not the larger ones). So you have to lug your kids (and carry-on) from check-in, through security, and to the terminal...and back again. Even worse if you have layovers.

 

[/quote]

 

For what its worth, I've flown with my huge double bumbleride stroller 13 times and no flight personnel even batted an eye. Perhaps on a small hopper flight you couldn't bring a big stroller, but I have never seen any airline reject a double.

[circuitrider]

For what its worth, I've flown with my huge double bumbleride stroller 13 times and no flight personnel even batted an eye. Perhaps on a small hopper flight you couldn't bring a big stroller, but I have never seen any airline reject a double.

 

American Airlines, December 31st 2011. Nashville to Los Angeles. Definitely not a small hopper. Was told this was a recent change, and strollers over a certain weight were not allowed to be gate checked. They did offer to just check it through to LAX while the rest of our luggage went to Beijing, told them to just keep everything together (and then later the Air China people at LAX were able to work some magic and push everything straight through to Melbourne, but sadly that meant no stroller in Beijing).

 

Just a heads-up. I'm not sure what we would have done differently had we known (maybe brought a single umbrella stroller instead?), but it did put a damper on things.

[Cre8tivCruiser]

Really appreciating all of this information, thank you. I keep attempting to "like" posts as though I'm on Facebook!

Good to know about the double stroller. Was considering buying one for this trip so it would be awful if I spent the money and then couldn't use it in the airport.

[cantw8togo]

I would go for it. There have been a lot of good ideas already suggested but I will add my two cents worth too. As for the stroller issue, I would wait until you have booked your flight and check the airlines requirements before purchasing a stroller specifically for this trip, but I would certainly want one to use to go through the airport. When going through security, have one parent go through with the toddler first, followed by the older child and then the second adult making sure that nothing is left behind. Kids don't have to remove their shoes for screening anymore, but it is helpful if the grownups wear easier shoes too.

 

You can bring some child safety products from home to make the cabin (and wherever you are staying pre and post cruise for that matter) safer. Items like door knob covers, outlet covers, night lights and cabinet locks might all come in handy. If the cabin doesn't have knob style door knobs, you can put a chair in front of the door.

 

You can try wrapping a couple of the small toys to make them even more of a special treat. Pack along a couple of books too. Robert Munsch stories come in small versions (3" x 3") which are great for travelling. If the kids start to get a bit antsy, take them for a short walk to stretch their legs. Kids can be quite adaptable and will generally have a good time exploring the plane and the ship; however, if your kids are higher maintenance with short attention spans, then I would take more toys, snacks, dvd's or other downloadable diversions and stuffies than I otherwise might. Don't forget their small blankie. Also bring along more diapers and changes of clothes in your carryon incase your luggage doesn't arrive when you do and be sure to cross pack. (Put a bit of everyone's clothes in each suitcase so that if one suitcase doesn't make it, one person isn't totally out of luck.)

 

Kids rarely get seasick, (it's an inner ear thing,) but they certainly pick up other bugs. Speak to your Dr. or phamacist about what they recommend for your kids. Also ask if your kids need any vaccinations (hep A and B) before you go. I generally take kids versions of Tylenol, Gravol, powdered Pedialite, Imodium, Benedryl, a thermometre and my go to book of kids illnesses. There have been several threads on here about what to take in a kids first aid kit. Pack this in your carryon incase something comes up midflight.

 

Despite all of the planning and worrying that is involved, it really is worth it. Our eldest first travelled when he was 6 months old (in my lap for a 5 hour flight! I didn't know Aruba was so far away!) and our youngest learned to walk on his first cruise at age 15 months. It's not about what the kids will remember about the trip, it's about travelling and exploring as a family and making family memories; for all family members, grandparents, aunts and uncles too.

 

Hope you decide to go, especially since it would mean spending Christmas with your family. Keep us posted.