My 4 year old is a cruise freak

[kaylaw25]

So I think I've turned my son into a cruise freak. But he's never actually been on a cruise before! The only thing he ever talks about lately is when he will go on his 1st cruise. I asked what he wanted to do for his 5th bday in December he says; "Mom I want to go on the big ship" maybe he hears his dad & I discuss our cruises & it makes him want to go.

 

So the question is: Is a cruise for a 5th birthday going "overboard"?

[Softtop67]

We cruise with our kids, currently 5 and 6. They both love it and we find it an easy way to see many places. Sometime schelping kids from city to city otherwise can be a pain. Enjoy

[cb at sea]

I would make it a family vacation....not a 5th birthday present! He'll expect more and more each birthday!!!

[powelweb]

We timed our vacation when our DD turned 6 so that we were on a Disney cruise, and we didn't tell her about it until the day we were leaving.

 

It wasn't her first cruise, and most definitely not her last, but we also learned that she does not do well with surprises.

 

We love cruising as a family, so if you decide now is a good time to include your son, maybe some new toys for his first cruise would be good birthday presents and then book as your vacation.

 

as the PP noted, you don't want to have to outdo yourself next year.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I don't blame your son for being curious about a big ship. That seems perfectly normal- especially since you (his parents) have cruised on one. You are so lucky to live in Florida where you can sail out of Tampa, Port Canaveral or Ft. Lauderdale.

 

I don't think it is going overboard by taking him on a family cruise for his birthday. He will have an absolute ball! There are so many 3 night-7night options and deals. Plus- at his age, even if he had to miss school it really wouldn't matter too much.

 

I am so onboard with this idea!!!

[kaylaw25]

I would make it a family vacation....not a 5th birthday present! He'll expect more and more each birthday!!!

 

That was my fear! But I just thought about it my husbands bday is exactly one week before my sons so it would be nice to make it a family trip. I've seen some quick trips for 129 pp

[kaylaw25]

We timed our vacation when our DD turned 6 so that we were on a Disney cruise, and we didn't tell her about it until the day we were leaving.

 

It wasn't her first cruise, and most definitely not her last, but we also learned that she does not do well with surprises.

 

We love cruising as a family, so if you decide now is a good time to include your son, maybe some new toys for his first cruise wo

uld be good birthday presents and then book as your vacation.

 

as the PP noted, you don't want to have to outdo yourself next year.

 

 

Thank you Very good advice.

[Softtop67]

When we took our little kids on their first cruise my son asked me to buy him the "big boat" so he can play on it when we got home...thought it would be better just to rent a part of it a few weeks at a time :-) cheapo dad that i am

[sparkysj]

My daughter will be 4 soon & next month we will be going on her 3rd cruise (not counting the one I was preggo with her LOL) and she LOVES cruising. I think it's a great way for families to vacation since there is something for everyone to do regardless of age. We can only afford 1 a year but we love to joke how she just may end up being the most travelled kindergartener when she goes 2 years from now:)

[Mom2B&Z]

Well my 13th birthday present was a 17 day trip to Italy and Egypt and I never got anything that topped that lol!

I think it's great that your little guy has caught the travel bug! Since the concept of money is still a bit foreign at that age, especially when it comes to $100 vs $1000, I think you're safe for awhile.

[crusinmama06]

Going overboard? What's taken so long? ;)

 

Yes, my girls started cruising when they were infants and we did celebrate a 3rd birthday on Freedom of the Seas, 5th birthday on Disney Magic and a 10th birthday on Independence. :D They actually still have the door decorations from those cruises on their bedroom doors.

 

If your little one has the cruise bug and he has never been on a ship - just wait until he has cruised. You will never be allowed to cruise without him again ;)

[092306]

I like the idea of making it a family vacation and it's so cute that he's already so excited about cruising. We started our son on cruises as a baby so we're hoping he'll enjoy them as he grows up.

[#1TravelMom]

Cruises re the best family vacations - IMHO. Just a warning - you will all become addicted. My DD 8 - is constantly asking - "When is our next cruise?" At school they had to write questions and "interview". He teacher thought it was hilarious - One of my DD's questions was - "What is your favorite cruiseship?"

[Kerry's Girls]

My girls have celebrated most of their birthdays on a ship. We have a family adventure instead of throwing birthday parties - works for us. Though I agree with the others, it does create a travel monster - all I have to do when they ask for something during the year is say, "Do you want this or to put the money toward a trip?"

 

All the best,

Mia

[charlies_mom]

I agree with everyone else.

 

1) My kids LOVE cruising and have been cruising since they were each toddlers.

2) Be careful with birthdays. We were in Disney for my baby's 3rd and we will be on NCL Jewel for his 4th. He has big expectations. We didn't do this on purpose, it just keeps working out that way.

3) It is making regular birthday plans a PITA. I am not planning anymore trips over a kid's birthday.

 

my 2 cents. Go book a cruise though. Such a fun fun family trip!

[kaylaw25]

Going overboard? What's taken so long? ;)

 

Yes, my girls started cruising when they were infants and we did celebrate a 3rd birthday on Freedom of the Seas, 5th birthday on Disney Magic and a 10th birthday on Independence. :D They actually still have the door decorations from those cruises on their bedroom doors.

 

If your little one has the cruise bug and he has never been on a ship - just wait until he has cruised. You will never be allowed to cruise without him again ;)

 

What's taken so long?! I am a newbie to this cruise thing myself. I was always afraid after the whole titanic movie but my friends strapped me down & forced me to go so now I'm addicted. LOL I have been planning to take a short inexpensive cruise with the kids to see how they enjoy it. I have to test their sea legs before our big vacation in May on the Oasis.

The boys are 2 & 4

 

Cruises re the best family vacations - IMHO. Just a warning - you will all become addicted. My DD 8 - is constantly asking - "When is our next cruise?" At school they had to write questions and "interview". He teacher thought it was hilarious - One of my DD's questions was - "What is your favorite cruiseship?"

 

That's funny. Kids are hilarious.

 

My girls have celebrated most of their birthdays on a ship. We have a family adventure instead of throwing birthday parties - works for us. Though I agree with the others' date=' it does create a travel monster - all I have to do when they ask for something during the year is say, "Do you want this or to put the money toward a trip?"

 

All the best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Love that photo in your signature.

[gincase]

I think the trip is a trip, and then you do a birthday meal on the boat. Fun times! Do it!

[NanciRDH]

My youngest is 7, and has been on 8 cruises, she will tell you the ins and outs of all the RCI ships she can remember, and what she thought of DCL. You can never start too soon, lol. We started cruising when our oldest was 2, and now she's 20, and hoping to become a performer on a ship some day. I'm hoping all those dance classes I paid for will someday be repaid with a family discount cruise!

[kaseykahnefan]

My nephew is five and I want to take him on a cruise so bad. I just know he would love it.

[Keith1010]

Oh, five is great time to start cruising.

 

Keith

[Julienatul]

Mine are too! They are 6 & 3 and total cruise freaks! Randomly at least a few times a month they will talk about a cruise or ask when we are going on the next one. They love it but they have cruised twice a year since infancy so its what they know, lol.

[mitsugirly]

I can say our now 4 year old IS a cruise freak. She went on her first cruise with us last Sept when she was 3 and she was hooked. It's all she talked about non-stop. We took her again 6 months later (at age 3) and still, it's all she talks about. She remembers every little detail (including a lot that even I don't remember until she reminds me).

 

She has done it all. She has been snorkeling (and came face to face with a huge fish looking at her-yes, I caught the picture), zip lining by herself in the rain forest, cave tubing, swim with the dolphins, swim with the stingrays, held the monkeys...the list goes on.

 

She is impatiently awaiting our next cruise in 3 months. It's really hard to tell a 4 year "you have to wait 3 months". She just doesn't understand time yet. But, she still doesn't stop talking about it and everything she's going to do. :D

[Cruisin' Chick]

Our girl was 23 months of age on her first cruise (well, if you don't count when I was four months pregnant;)). Hubby was hesitant about taking her on a cruise that young (that she would bother neighboring passengers by crying, etc.), but it was all good. She was quiet in the cabin, and enjoyed the pampering by the crew members. She went on her 7th cruise when 13 and were trying to get a cruise for one of her upcoming vacations (very rare when she won't have activities for school even during breaks).

 

For a young kid, you just have to do a lot of planning as to what items to take (really little, diapers and pullups, all kids, any child-strength medication -- you can't count on the ship's stores to have these items). Think about activities they can do -- reading, watching movies, etc., but also let them try out the kids' program (there are some parents who feel the kids should always be with them, but the programs exist for a good reason).

[NanciRDH]

I can say our now 4 year old IS a cruise freak. She went on her first cruise with us last Sept when she was 3 and she was hooked. It's all she talked about non-stop. We took her again 6 months later (at age 3) and still, it's all she talks about. She remembers every little detail (including a lot that even I don't remember until she reminds me).

 

She has done it all. She has been snorkeling (and came face to face with a huge fish looking at her-yes, I caught the picture), zip lining by herself in the rain forest, cave tubing, swim with the dolphins, swim with the stingrays, held the monkeys...the list goes on.

 

She is impatiently awaiting our next cruise in 3 months. It's really hard to tell a 4 year "you have to wait 3 months". She just doesn't understand time yet. But, she still doesn't stop talking about it and everything she's going to do. :D

 

Where did you go zip lining? It's an excursion we want to go on, but all the ones I keep seeing have height and weigh minimums. My DD will be 8 when we cruise again, but needs to grow another 5-6 inches to reach the height requirement and I don't see that happening. One place last year she was tall enough, but didn't weigh enough, lol!

 

Mine didn't understand time either at that age, we would make a paper chain and rip off a link everyday until we got to sail away time. It at least gave her something concrete to look at, and somethig fun to,do when getting ready for bed.

[mitsugirly]

Where did you go zip lining? It's an excursion we want to go on, but all the ones I keep seeing have height and weigh minimums. My DD will be 8 when we cruise again, but needs to grow another 5-6 inches to reach the height requirement and I don't see that happening. One place last year she was tall enough, but didn't weigh enough, lol!

 

Mine didn't understand time either at that age, we would make a paper chain and rip off a link everyday until we got to sail away time. It at least gave her something concrete to look at, and somethig fun to,do when getting ready for bed.

 

We did the zip and dip with Victor Bodden in Roatan. They state on their website that a child has to be such-and-such and must tandem ride with an adult. However, when we got up to the first landing to go, she watched everyone going and wanted to go herself...and they let her. Now, I do have to say that we ran in to a few issues that day with the ziplining and the monkeys. Here is my full review of that portion if you are interested in looking over it to form your own opinion: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30662590&postcount=23

 

Now this place comes highly recommended by tons of people on here. We just had a few issues with them. If we ever zip line again, we will go with another company just because of this. However, I have never seen anyone else have this problem or mention anything like this on the board before. So, it's up to you. :)