Is NCL Dawn young kid friendly?

[BubMunkeyBles]

Do you think the Dawn is kid friendly (our kids will be 3 and 4 when we cruise next year)?

 

We were planning to take them on Carnival (only line that changed diapers in kids program and I'm worried our 3 year old won't be potty trained) but all the Carnival issues have me worried. I'm booked on this boat a few weeks before our family cruise but it's a girls only cruise so I wasn't worried.

[Julienatul]

We are sailing next weekend with our kids aged 7 and 4 so I will let you know when we get back. It looks kid-friendly with the children's pool area T-rex. We have sailed on Epic last year and it was great, super kid-friendly! DS was 3 at the time and I thought they did a much better job than Carnival does.

[BubMunkeyBles]

Thanks, pretty sure we're going to switch, just have to run it by everyone else in our group.

[Twelvevman]

We took our son on the Dawn for his 3rd birthday. He had a great time. He loved the T-Rex kids pool and the kids club was very good. He was potty trained so there were no issues there.

 

I would no hesitate to do an NCL cruise with him.

[rjm11]

My two were 4 and 3 when we went on the Dawn and they LOVED it. That kids pool at the aft is perfect for that age- there's a pool there that's only about 1.5 feet deep, and another that goes up to about 3 feet. And three different slide options, and even a kids hottub (not as hot). The Dawn also has a kids buffet area with smaller tables and chairs, and kid-friendly food at all times (lots of chix fingers, fries, pizza, baby carrots, celery, cut up fruit, chocolate chip cookies, etc.) The kids menu in the restaurants is very good, and they were great about bringing us anything we needed.

 

This might have changed, but I thought the kids club DID allow kids in diapers? I thought they gave a pager for changes (they won't change them for you). My youngest was in pullups at the time and he went there fine, but I swore there was a mechanism for diapered kids as well. We have sailed that class twice (Dawn and Star) and are going back on the Dawn in a week (kids are now 5 and 7). I think it's ideal.... and the flexible dining with NCL can't be beat for families.

[BubMunkeyBles]

They do give beepers (Carnival changes them). Not a huge deal I don't think in the grand scheme but not super convenient for romantic dinners alone, lol.

 

Now just to figure out how the family suites sleep 6 people, lol.

[rjm11]

They do give beepers (Carnival changes them). Not a huge deal I don't think in the grand scheme but not super convenient for romantic dinners alone, lol.

 

Now just to figure out how the family suites sleep 6 people, lol.

 

If you're talking about the 2 bedroom SC suites, I can help... those are the ones on deck 11. I can't help with the new ones on deck 12 though- they're completely different (but lots of info on here about them).

 

The SCs on deck 11 (2 bedroom family suite) have a master bedroom with queen bed (cannot be separated), a twin bed in the living room (sofa turns over into a twin- actually very comfy), and then a "kids bedroom" that sleeps three- two in a double bed futon like thing, and one in an upper bunk. There are also 2 bathrooms, and a nice balcony. We have stayed in them 3 times- they are great.

[canadianjovigirl]

They do give beepers (Carnival changes them). Not a huge deal I don't think in the grand scheme but not super convenient for romantic dinners alone, lol.

 

Now just to figure out how the family suites sleep 6 people, lol.

 

We are booked in a family suite on the Dawn (no balcony) and it has a queen bed, a sofa bed and a wall bed that pulls down is what we have seen and been told. There are also curtains you can pull to separate the sleeping areas.

[Arzeena]

Do you think the Dawn is kid friendly (our kids will be 3 and 4 when we cruise next year)?

 

We were planning to take them on Carnival (only line that changed diapers in kids program and I'm worried our 3 year old won't be potty trained) but all the Carnival issues have me worried. I'm booked on this boat a few weeks before our family cruise but it's a girls only cruise so I wasn't worried.

 

Yes, the Dawn is very kid friendly, like most NCL ships. They will love it!

You cannot take the non potty trained in the pool, and I am not sure of what age restrictions they have for kids in the kids program, but otherwise it is a great ship for kids.

[BubMunkeyBles]

Thanks. I think everyone is on board for an SJ suite. :) I'm excited about it. It's 4 adults and 2 kids, but I'm sure we can make it work. I did read on NCL that our 3 year old will be able to be in the kids club and they'll page us when he needs to be changed. Hopefully he'll be potty trained by then and it won't be an issue, but every kid is different.

[cruiser1955a]

We are booked in a family suite on the Dawn (no balcony) and it has a queen bed, a sofa bed and a wall bed that pulls down is what we have seen and been told. There are also curtains you can pull to separate the sleeping areas.

 

The bed in the SJ is a king. It actually seemed like an oversized king.