Steakhouse and an almost 2yo

[TravelerMK]

I really do think the cruiseline should offer some kind of camp at dinner time so that parents can have a nice evening together.

 

That would be so nice, might have had us consider bringing our son, or maybe not this time :D but we plan to next year! Or even an in-cabin babysitting service as some hotels and resorts have.

 

Mindy

[dave_k63]

telling me you think I have the "I think I can bring my child anywhere syndrome" isn't telling me about your experience or even your opinion on whether or not you think she should go. It's just being rude. I don't care if you all tell me all day you think she shouldn't go. it's your opinion and that's y I started the thread in the first place was to get your opinion because I really didn't have a clue on whether or not we should go. but I was asking for your opinion on the subject at hand and I just don't understand y it always seems like people on these threads are just downright rude and hateful. when I signed up for cruise critic in 08 this site was so helpful to me and it still is.... sometimes. but now it seems the negative ones are no longer the minority on here anymore

I think those comments were directed at Mr. Pete

[TravelerMK]

I think those comments were directed at Mr. Pete

 

I thought so too...

 

Mindy

[wrdupuy]

Fine dining establishment? Give me a break! You are paying $35 for a full course meal! Go to Ruth's Chris and the steak alone is minimum $49-no sides, salads, appetizers, deserts, etc... If Carnival wanted to exclude families, they would price them out.

 

OP, your ideas sound great, and you know your child. I have one daughter who, at age 2, could have easily sat through the meal... the other two, probably not. All of my children, by age 6, were sitting through 2+ hour meals at Ruth's Chris. THEY weren't the ones making the noise or the problem. The loud mouth adults yelling on their cell phones, the drunks, etc...those were the problems. My kids have also flown first class since a very young age. Again, THEY weren't the problems... They knew what we expected, and we always received tons of compliments on their manners. Again, you know your toddlers limits.

 

Agree with you on the hateful nature of so many posters on this site. You didn't ask for a lesson in parenting, or to be told how to spend your evenings.

 

Enjoy! And fwiw, I never mind sitting by a family. I think it's a great thing to see. We love vacations, especially cruises, with our children. Our children are now older, and we have just a few more years where we know we can take summer vacations together, then, they are off to college. So enjoy, and cherish these memories. They grow up so quickly!

[elenaW]

Fine dining establishment? Give me a break! You are paying $35 for a full course meal!

 

 

Actually you are paying $35 on top of whatever charge they already consider the "dinner" part of your cruise fare. And I would consider the MDR to be an ok dining establishment, probably a $35 or more dinner in and of itself. So you really are looking at a $70 pp meal in the steakhouse, imo.

 

Have a nice cruise!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

telling me you think I have the "I think I can bring my child anywhere syndrome" isn't telling me about your experience or even your opinion on whether or not you think she should go. It's just being rude. I don't care if you all tell me all day you think she shouldn't go. it's your opinion and that's y I started the thread in the first place was to get your opinion because I really didn't have a clue on whether or not we should go. but I was asking for your opinion on the subject at hand and I just don't understand y it always seems like people on these threads are just downright rude and hateful. when I signed up for cruise critic in 08 this site was so helpful to me and it still is.... sometimes. but now it seems the negative ones are no longer the minority on here anymore

 

 

I'm sorry for how rude some have been. I agree that CC used to be a much more pleasant and helpful place. Many of the boards still are--I have an NCL cruise booked and have been spending time over on that board and there are far fewer bullying posters on that board. Happily, I found that my cruises haven't mirrored the experience. :p I hope you and your family have a wonderful cruise. And, again, only you can make the decision about how your child would do as you know your child.

[Almost Packed]

It isn't.

 

And as far as a 2 year old "enjoying it"? Irrelevant. When I wanted my kid with me, it was my choice. We cruise as a family, and eat as a family. Move the good food out of the MDR, we will choose if we want to follow it.

 

Children are more than welcome in the steakhouse. It's been a while since even Carnival dropped the "supper club" schtick.

 

I completely agree with you!

[Almost Packed]

As far as being relevant, I think it is. Who would want to take a 2 year old to something that she would not enjoy.

 

i have to go to funerals. i don't enjoy it...but i still have to go. sometimes my child(ren) have to go too.

[TMWTim]

Long story short....each and every Carnival ship has a plethera of eating places for kids and family. The Steak House isn't one of them regardless of the 'rules'. Carnival will always take the high road and not enforce any code, which is fine.

 

 

Seriously, kids in the Steak House? Ipads, coloring books? Get some pizza....I would bet anything the kids would enjoy that much more. No brainer but then again taking toddlers into the steak house makes me wonder.....

[legion3]

i have to go to funerals. i don't enjoy it...but i still have to go. sometimes my child(ren) have to go too.

 

Ridiculous analogy.

[Tapi]

Or even an in-cabin babysitting service as some hotels and resorts have.

 

Mindy

 

Even though Carnival touts itself as a "family cruise line" they really neglect the age group of those 2 and under. There's no Camp Carnival, there's no daytime babysitting, no in-cabin babysitting, no structured activities, there are no pools for kids in diapers, etc, etc.

 

Other cruise lines are light years ahead of Carnival, even though they may not be perceived as being as "family friendly". For example, Celebrity offers in cabin baby-sitting for kids 12 months and older.

 

Royal Caribbean and Disney offer kids programs beginning at 6 months of age. We experienced the Royal Babies and Tots program on Royal Caribbean and it was absolutely WONDERFUL. It allowed us to enjoy a few nights at the specialty restaurants while our 17 month-old son (at the time) enjoyed a fun few hours at daycare (and he LOVED it. He was having so much fun!) The Baby H2O Zone is another wonderful addition on some Royal Caribbean ships where toddlers in diapers can actually go in the pool.

 

NCL is also revamping their kids program with activities now starting at 6 months of age as well (Guppies). No babysitting yet though.

 

Disney has been offering programs for kids 6 months of age (as well as a nursery with all day babysitting) since they started operations and it's been wildly popular.

 

In other words Carnival is NOT the family cruise line of choice for families with kids under the age of 2. The reason why they have chosen to ignore this important part of the market still eludes me, but it's reason enough for us to ignore them for our upcoming cruises (at least until our infant daughter turns 2 years old)...

[Tapi]

i have to go to funerals. i don't enjoy it...but i still have to go. sometimes my child(ren) have to go too.

 

I wouldn't pay $35pp to attend a funeral....

[legion3]

Even though Carnival touts itself as a "family cruise line" they really neglect the age group of those 2 and under. There's no Camp Carnival, there's no daytime babysitting, no in-cabin babysitting, no structured activities, there are no pools for kids in diapers, etc, et

In other words Carnival is NOT the family cruise line of choice for families with kids under the age of 2. The reason why they have chosen to ignore this important part of the market still eludes me, but it's reason enough for us to ignore them for our upcoming cruises (at least until our infant daughter turns 2 years old)...

 

We initially picked carnival because they allowed children age 2 in the kids program who were not potty trained. We did not take our children on cruises until they were 2 but it does seem they lack stuff for infants.

 

I have tried to find another cruise line to try but I can never find a cruise, even on rccl, that is close in price and have never been able to pull the trigger.

 

Rccl 5 day cruise are just a little cheaper than a carnival 7 day from my home port. And the carnival 5 day is way cheaper. But the ships do not compare favorably in the 5 day catagory so the rccl is worth something more. Is it $300+?

 

BTW I cruised on the Cunard Countess back in the 70's like you did. A different world back then.

[MrPete]

Long story short....each and every Carnival ship has a plethera of eating places for kids and family. The Steak House isn't one of them regardless of the 'rules'. Carnival will always take the high road and not enforce any code, which is fine.

 

 

Seriously, kids in the Steak House? Ipads, coloring books? Get some pizza....I would bet anything the kids would enjoy that much more. No brainer but then again taking toddlers into the steak house makes me wonder.....

 

When you see something about a published age limit, come back and tell us all about it!

[cv322]

No, there's no published age limit...it's just common sense. A 2 year old toddler simply doesn't have the self control, or the will, or the ability to remain calm, to not scream loudly when upset, or fidget on & off a chair...or to not run around!

 

I fail to understand the rising tide of inconsiderate adults who have little or no regard for those around them ... those who may be trying to have a quiet, intimate, romantic evening!

 

JMHO, I think toddlers do not belong in the steakhouse.

[nbsjcruiser]

I'm a grandfather who loves children and in my humble opinion, I just don't think the 2 year old would enjoy the experience. I would even have serious doubts about young teens having a good time. I know the waiters would bend over backwards to make sure you had an enjoyable experience and I doubt that you would get the "evil eye" from other adult diners. That said, I don't think most couples celebrating a special occasion in a beautiful steakhouse would be overjoyed to be seated at a table adjacent to a 2yo coloring or playing with an i-pad or coloring. I would also hate to be next to a boorish, drunken adult, for that matter.

 

If the 2 year old was well behaved then you are right, they'll get no evil eye. But if the kid is restless and causing a scene as many 2 year olds like to do especially at the end of a likely busy day, then they'll definitely get the hairy eyeball.

 

When I pay extra to go to a steakhouse I would have no issue sitting beside a child that small but if the child began to cry, run around, start whining to go home and so on, I'd have an issue. I tried to avoid situations where that ruckus can cause an issue when my kids were small. I remember one time we sat down to eat at Friendly's and my oldest boy (probably 3 at the time) was really tired and cranky after a long day travelling in the car. After about 5 minutes we realized this wasn't going to work. We left with the thought that a pizza at the hotel would be better for us and our fellow diners. We eventually stumbled on to Chuckee Cheese and the kids had a ball running around making as much noise as they liked.

 

I would say that as long as the OP is willing to get up mid meal and leave because the 2 year old is disturbing everyone else's good time then sure, no problem. Otherwise I would consider a babysitter from Carnival and then go and enjoy the evening. The steakhouse is not a large venue and you have to remember that it is meant for everyone to enjoy a quiet upper echelon atmosphere. It really is not the place for a small child who may be having a typical late night for a 2 year old. Kids will be kids and as long as the OP knows that and is prepared to leave mid meal, then I'd be ok with it.

[Tapi]

I have tried to find another cruise line to try but I can never find a cruise, even on rccl, that is close in price and have never been able to pull the trigger.

 

...but the ships do not compare favorably in the 5 day catagory so the rccl is worth something more. Is it $300+?

 

BTW I cruised on the Cunard Countess back in the 70's like you did. A different world back then.

 

To be perfectly honesty, when we priced out our Royal cruise last year, it made me a bit nauseous. It would cost almost twice as much as a comparable Carnival cruise. However, the experience was worth every single extra penny!

 

For us, it made sense since we were traveling with a small child. The much more comprehensive infant and toddler program, along with the added activities and entertainment options (not only for our son but for the adults as well) truly made our vacation much more enjoyable.

 

The experience made us realize that sometimes you do need to spend more to truly get the vacation you really want. We've burnt ourselves before by trying to be cheap.

 

About the 70's Cunard sailings: Yes, those were DEFINITELY other times! I was introduced to cruising on those ships so they will always hold a special place for me. Did you know that the Countess is STILL sailing?

[dave_k63]

When you see something about a published age limit, come back and tell us all about it!

Common sense doesn't have to published or written down. That's why it's called "common" - it's not codified.

[kyrisong1]

I have a question too....I have an 18 year old who does not eat meat. We are a group of 12 who plan on going to the steakhouse on our first night aboard the Miracle (Panama Canal March 2013). Of course my daughter wants to join us and join in the fun, but she will not eat the food served there. My question is, will they charge us for her sitting with us to enjoy the company? Could she order a salad from them and not be charged, or should I just look forward to paying the $35 fee and her not eating anything. It is not an option to exclude her of course, but just wonder about how the payment would work.

Does she eat fish or shellfish??? I'd be perfectly happy to eat the Lobster Bisque or French Onion soup with salad and their bread, also the wasabi yukon mash with the creamed spinach is YUMMY!!! Maybe she can order a lobster and give it to someone that does eat it if she doesn't.

I would still go, the food and ambience is lovely.

JMO, Carole

[MrPete]

No, there's no published age limit...it's just common sense. A 2 year old toddler simply doesn't have the self control, or the will, or the ability to remain calm, to not scream loudly when upset, or fidget on & off a chair...or to not run around!

 

I fail to understand the rising tide of inconsiderate adults who have little or no regard for those around them ... those who may be trying to have a quiet, intimate, romantic evening!

 

JMHO, I think toddlers do not belong in the steakhouse.

 

I wonder what excuse people come up with on ships that don't have steakhouses, or before they were even created as an attempt as a money maker.

 

But to paint a picture like ALL 2 year olds act like that, perhaps that's just your circle. It certainly is not in mine.

 

And I certainly don't turn to a steakhouse for a romantic setting, pushing the fat out of my mouth from my Ribeye, and hiding it under my baked potato shell, while trying to emulate something on an afternoon soap opera.

 

But most importantly, it doesn't matter who you think belongs in there. Carnival invites all ages, and all common senses.

[kyrisong1]

I just couldn't read through all the posts.

Bottom line is this, you are allowed to bring your 2 year old, should you? Only you can answer that, I would take colors and coloring book and take my Granddaughter at 2, she was a foodie and she was a very quiet, settled child, she would have been fine, I wouldn't have taken my 2 year old son in a million years, he was happy, active, curious and food was NOT a priority in his little life, he wanted to ROCK AND ROLL , lol

I think it boils down to you and your child, one thing I will add is that I love seeing a child sitting and enjoying the family and meal, however I would HATE to have a fussy child next to me while I'm trying to enjoy my meal.

JMO, Carole

[MrPete]

Common sense doesn't have to published or written down. That's why it's called "common" - it's not codified.

 

You couldn't find it either.

[Gailerina]

All I know is if a kid or adult ruin my meal they would be paying for it :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ~ sign the awesome Gailerina!

[RuthlessBoss]

You couldn't find it either.

Do you even know what it is? I see you are at it again today:)

[MrPete]

Do you even know what it is? I see you are at it again today:)

 

 

 

Yes. It is that there is no age limit in the steakhouse.

 

Please don't make me pull any Zelda Rubenstein clips off of You Tube.