I love RCCL cruises but its gonna be a while before we can go again

[JAMESCC]

My wife and I love RCCL cruises out of NJ[where we live] on Explorer but its gonna be a while before we can go again. We are pregnant with our first child, and of course we are ECSTATIC but we obviously won't be able to cruise for a long while. NO FIGHTS, but what would you say is the earliest you would suggest cruising with a child? My thinking is 5 years old, but I guess its subjective as to what you would do. When did you feel comfortable leaving your child for an extended period of time [5-7 days] with your parents or in-laws? Again subjective but would like cruisers opinions on this. Thanks for any advice or help you may have.

[shaggyofwv]

I would agree that I wouldn't take a child until they were at least 5. We like to cruise alone and leave the kids with their grandparents. I wouldn't have a problem leaving a 1 or 2 year old with my parents.

Cruising is "mommy and daddy time" around our house. :)

[martikus]

We left DS at 6 months (I wasn't BF) for 5 days. It was SOOOO nice to catch up on sleep! But of course we could only do that b/c we left him with someone we trusted.

 

We have left him once a year since for a parent only cruise. Took DS on his first cruise this year (turned 6). He loved but it is definiteley a different experience with a child. We hope to do both - some years without DS and some years with DS.

[macleay]

I'm with Shaggy--I didn't take my kids on cruises until they were adults. But I also didn't leave my infants or toddlers for over a week unless it was work-related.

 

I think a lot depends on the closeness of the child to their grandparents/babysitters. I am close to my 8-month-old grandson who is still nursing, and my daughter doesn't leave him even overnight yet. But after he is done nursing, I think he would be fine with me for a couple of days and once he's 2 or 3, I think a week would be fine also.

 

Depends a lot on the comfort level of you as the parent with the sitter. I don't think a week's vacation for parents after a couple of years is a bad thing at all!

[camptiggergirl]

I can't speak as a parent but I can tell you when I was 3 or 4 my parents left my siblings and I with grandpa for 2 weeks. All I can say is BEST 2 WEEKS EVER. I have no idea where they went or why but it was great. Time with grandpa with out mom and dad, those weeks are some of my best memories of him.

[nyyhoneybee]

We are taking our first (I'm pregnant now) on a cruise when baby will be 8/9 months. My Grandmother, Mom & sister (and her man) are coming with us so we will be able to have some alone time one or two nights while still having baby sitters that we trust and can leave baby alone with for a few hours while enjoying a nice dinner and a show.

[SMASHROX]

We sailed with DD when she was 6 and a half months old once I had stopped nursing. We had a great time. We left her with Grandma for 3 days when she was 10 weeks old for the first time. We love to travel and just find ways to make it a family affair every time.

[brooke_bs]

Our kids were 4 1/2 years and 2 years old on their (& our) first cruise last year. They had so much fun, as did my husband & I.

We started leaving my son for long weekend when he was 6 months old. We have left both kids with grandparents for 5 days. And will leave them for a week this Nov when we go on our 1st kid-free cruise.

[CruisingCamper]

My kids are 18 months and 6 years. They have been cruising with us since they were 6 months old. Of course, they do stay with the grandparents at least once a year for us to have an adult vacation... But more for business travel. You can use kids clubs on most lines at 3 years, Carnival is two years and some ships have nurseries for 6 months to 36 months. So, it's really your preference. We have had a wonderful time with our kids cruising, the 6 year old begs to go on ships for our vacations. And we take him, we have plenty of time to ourselves while he's at the kids clubs. Next month, we are going on the Mariner and taking both kids, they have a nursery for the little one to use while we have dinner and go to a show to two.

[Booking It]

I can't speak as a parent but I can tell you when I was 3 or 4 my parents left my siblings and I with grandpa for 2 weeks. All I can say is BEST 2 WEEKS EVER. I have no idea where they went or why but it was great. Time with grandpa with out mom and dad, those weeks are some of my best memories of him.

I hear ya! Whenever we got to spend time at grandma and grandpa's, we were like, "Hey mom and dad, don't let the door hit you on the way out!" My grandparents always met us with nothing but pure joy at getting to spend time with us. My grandpa is now dead and my grandma is dying right now. I'd give anything to get a "vacation" at their house again.

 

I think that parents leaving their kids actually is harder for the parents than it is the kids. ;)

[Chicky2181]

We took our daughter on her first cruise when she was 7 months old. We all had a blast. She has also been to Mexico, as that is our home away from home. And several road trips in the US. My hubby and I have traveled a lot and it's always been a big part of our lives. We knew from day one that when we had kids they would also travel with us. It great to experience things as a family.

 

I personally know a lot of people that would never travel with their kids because they find it stressful. They think we are nuts for bringing our daughter everywhere. I guess it just doesn't work for everyone, but it works just fine for us. I'd recommend giving it a try. :)

[JAMESCC]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it. How are the kids clubs or nurseries on these ships, particularly RCCL/Explorer? Were you 100% comfortable leaving your kids and felt the people in charge really cared? Thanks again for the help.

[Starry Eyes]

Visiting the grandparents is one of the highlights of my childhood. wonderful grandparents are a tremendous blessing. if your child is lucky enough to have one or more sets of wonderful, loving, trustworthy grandparents who can and who WANT to care for the child for an agreed upon length of time, do it as early as you are all comfortable. If it starts while the child is young, it will seem normal and happy to the youngster. probably select itineraries you could realistically return if something unexpected happened (for example you could fly home from the Caribbean fairly easily but can't do so easily off a transocean cruise...of course have passport and travel insurance) while the child is young. Take the child once baby is old enough to meet cruiseline's guidelines and when traveling with baby sounds like a vacation rather than labor. and when you can afford the extra fare. If you have a colicky crybaby, let him or her outgrow major crying jags before going for everybody's sanity.

[Cuizer2]

My wife and I love RCCL cruises out of NJ[where we live] on Explorer but its gonna be a while before we can go again. We are pregnant with our first child, and of course we are ECSTATIC but we obviously won't be able to cruise for a long while. NO FIGHTS, but what would you say is the earliest you would suggest cruising with a child? My thinking is 5 years old, but I guess its subjective as to what you would do. When did you feel comfortable leaving your child for an extended period of time [5-7 days] with your parents or in-laws? Again subjective but would like cruisers opinions on this. Thanks for any advice or help you may have.

 

After they are potty trained. It reduces the amount of luggage you have to take with you.

[Chicky2181]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it. How are the kids clubs or nurseries on these ships, particularly RCCL/Explorer? Were you 100% comfortable leaving your kids and felt the people in charge really cared? Thanks again for the help.

 

We used the nursery on board allure for a few hours during the week. They were so loving and caring. She was always clean and happy when we picked her up. If you visit the family board on cruise critic you can get lots more info and feed back.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

[lady_cruiser]

I just had to drop in say and congratulations on your upcoming birth of your first born.

[JAMESCC]

After they are potty trained. It reduces the amount of luggage you have to take with you.

 

Yeah I wouldn't dare go before potty training. I was checking RCCL's website and they have some great programs for kids, and they have something called "Royal babies"[which ironically describes some of the adult passengers I have met on board], and it looks like a nice program. The programs after that from 3-11 YO, and then 12-17 YO look fantastic also. I'm quite surprised these programs are included in the price of the cruise itself. Then they have an after hours program for 8 bucks an hour, which I think is beyond reasonable. Thanks for the advice.

[JAMESCC]

I just had to drop in say and congratulations on your upcoming birth of your first born.

 

Thank you very much! We were both sooooooo surprised. We were both told we had issues plumbing wise and somehow it happened anyway. Funny how that works sometimes, dreading having to go through all the procedures to get pregnant and then it happens on its own when it wasn't supposed to happen. Crazy huh?

[DrD]

You may not believe it now but in a year or 2 you will want to go by yourselves without junior.

 

Trust me on this one.

 

In the unlikely event you can't bear to be parted from baby you can certainly bring her/him, there are plenty of threads here about the pros and cons of that approach.

 

We brought a 2-year old once, with Grandma, it was ok but he of course doesn't remember any of it and he had to pay full price. He was too young for kid's club. So basically paid for 4 instead of 2 and it was not twice as good.

 

But don't think you can't cruise for years! If you want to make it work you can.

[JAMESCC]

We used the nursery on board allure for a few hours during the week. They were so loving and caring. She was always clean and happy when we picked her up. If you visit the family board on cruise critic you can get lots more info and feed back.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

 

Excellent, thank you. That program looks fantastic to be honest. After looking at and reading about it I would have zero issues using it.

[nyyhoneybee]

Thank you very much! We were both sooooooo surprised. We were both told we had issues plumbing wise and somehow it happened anyway. Funny how that works sometimes, dreading having to go through all the procedures to get pregnant and then it happens on its own when it wasn't supposed to happen. Crazy huh?

 

Things work out how they are supposed to! Congrats :)

 

(BTW, I'm curious where in NJ you are, as DH and I are moving into NJ next month...cheaper and still close enough to family/work/our doctors in NYC)

[JAMESCC]

Things work out how they are supposed to! Congrats :)

 

(BTW, I'm curious where in NJ you are, as DH and I are moving into NJ next month...cheaper and still close enough to family/work/our doctors in NYC)

 

We live in Monmouth county. Its a very nice county. We are about 30 minutes from Cape Liberty, only 20 minutes from Staten Island and oh about 40 minutes from NYC depending of course on traffic.

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

My wife and I love RCCL cruises out of NJ[where we live] on Explorer but its gonna be a while before we can go again. We are pregnant with our first child, and of course we are ECSTATIC but we obviously won't be able to cruise for a long while. NO FIGHTS, but what would you say is the earliest you would suggest cruising with a child? My thinking is 5 years old, but I guess its subjective as to what you would do. When did you feel comfortable leaving your child for an extended period of time [5-7 days] with your parents or in-laws? Again subjective but would like cruisers opinions on this. Thanks for any advice or help you may have.

 

My daughter went on her first cruise when she was 4 months old. She was in rome at 9 months and Hawaii at 11 months. She was platinum by 5. I should say she is a bonus baby her next oldest sibiling is 19 and she is 8 now. She knows how to check a subway schedule, where the good resturants are in airports, and loves walking the streets of NYC. Kids do what you expect of them. All of my kids have traveled more than most. Your child will fly free until they are two. Take advantage of that time. Get your child a passport as soon as they are born.

[nyyhoneybee]

We live in Monmouth county. Its a very nice county. We are about 30 minutes from Cape Liberty, only 20 minutes from Staten Island and oh about 40 minutes from NYC depending of course on traffic.

 

We are going to Edgewater. Had to go to a bigger apt with baby on the way and I don't want to do a huge out of state move (we were talking about going down to the DC area or FL) while pregnant.

[JAMESCC]

We are going to Edgewater. Had to go to a bigger apt with baby on the way and I don't want to do a huge out of state move (we were talking about going down to the DC area or FL) while pregnant.

 

Oh you are very close to NYC, 40 minutes or so from my town of Matawan. Good luck on the move, its a big pain in the butt.