Tendering with a toddler

[trvl_fanatic]

I know I'm probably being paranoid and antsy about bringing my daughter aboard a tender, but couldn't quite recall seeing other parents with babies or toddlers on the tenders.

 

Our last cruise with DD (age 20mo at that time), was to Bermuda, so we didn't have to tender. Now she'll be a lil over 3.5yrs old, but was wondering how the tendering experience w/ lil ones were for other parents. This time around we're taking the Port Canaveral, Nassau, GSC itinerary on the Gem.

 

2 cruises ago we were aboard the Splendor of the Seas in Europe & was pregnant ~ didn't have fun tendering, but then again, my balance was off with my 22wk bump lol

[Kerry's Girls]

I've been pretty fearless with my girls, but I was nervous about tenders with my twins as well. Not so much the actual ride, but the transfer between the ship and the tender was what made me have nightmares of one of them ending up in the water when they can't swim. I actually put their swim vests on them for tender rides. The swim vests aren't lifejackets, but I figured they would keep a kid afloat long enough to fish her out if necessary. Of course, the handlers at the tenders are very good at what they do and there was never an issue, but it made me feel better :).

 

Best,

Mia

[pseudoscot]

I know I'm probably being paranoid and antsy about bringing my daughter aboard a tender, but couldn't quite recall seeing other parents with babies or toddlers on the tenders.

 

Our last cruise with DD (age 20mo at that time), was to Bermuda, so we didn't have to tender. Now she'll be a lil over 3.5yrs old, but was wondering how the tendering experience w/ lil ones were for other parents. This time around we're taking the Port Canaveral, Nassau, GSC itinerary on the Gem.

 

2 cruises ago we were aboard the Splendor of the Seas in Europe & was pregnant ~ didn't have fun tendering, but then again, my balance was off with my 22wk bump lol

 

No experience with tendering with toddler but will be doing it in just over 3 weeks time with my grandson who is almost 4. I imagine it will be pretty straight forward the crew are really experienced and they will help you get on and off. Once on and sat down (super glue and 6 inch nails help) it should be much like a bus ride or maybe a fairground ride depending on how choppy the sea is. Seriously though don't stress you will be fine!

[trvl_fanatic]

thanks for the reassurances. we do have a life vest for her that we got, as we learned on our last cruise that the smallest ones were still pretty big, so i guess she'll have that "just in case"

[Marinewife05]

We tendered with my son when he was 22 months. I didn't think anything of it. He even feel asleep on the way back. I carried him and DH carried the stroller.

[Keith1010]

You need to be very careful getting in and out of the tender with your child.

 

Just use caution if the seas are rough and ask for as much assistance as you need.

 

Keith

[travelhound]

We did it in GSC and Grand Cayman on our last cruise and our dd had just turned 22 months. The first was GSC and I was kind of nervous. We had her life vest with us, but not on her (obviously doesn't help if she feel overboard). The cruise is so helpful that I didn't even worry about it by Grand Cayman. As long as you can only hang on to your child and have help with everything else, you'll be fine. Ours fell asleep on the GC one too.

[5waldos]

Never tendered with a cruise ship but had my son on and off of small boats from the time he was about 3 months old. Once had to get him up the side of a cargo ship with rope ladders- like in pirate movies. First rule: Put the life jacket ON the child. Usually you will hand your child over to someone on the boat until they are a bit older, or unless the sea is glasslike. And if your child is the nervous sort- tell him or her all about what is going to happen step by step. What you don't need is a child who suddenly balks when a stranger reaches out to put them onboard. It is a quick and easy thing and you will be right there.

[IttaBit]

My oldest daughter, who's almost 14 now, was 3.5 on her first cruise and we had a tendered port. The way we did it, was to have my husband go first, then he helped her. One of us were always holding on to her at all times though. It wasn't an issue at all.

[cruzinlisa]

We tendered last cruise in Grand Cayman with DD (15 months at the time) and it was absolutely fine. Seas were very calm though. We took her stroller on. I was not the least bit nervous. I am a little more nervous now that she is 2 and more mobile. But we are bringing a life jacket to Belize, so I will probably just put it on before the tender.

[Mom2B&Z]

The tender at GSC on the Jewel was fairly straightforward: you literally walk off the ship and onto the tender. We did a tender in Belize where we had to walk down a set of stairs onto a platform that folded out from the ship with the boys, that had me concerned!

ITA that talking the child through what will happen and what behaviour is expected is a good start. We even watched a few people before going ourselves. We have the luxury of one child per adult, but if we didn't I would have out the boys in life jackets. Both my boys can float and tread water (they are 8&5), which changes things a bit too.

If it makes you feel better, have the child wear the life jacket. They won't be the only person wearing a life jacket and you will enjoy the ride! The trip into GSC is no more than 10 minutes, with much of it in a sheltered area.

Enjoy the trip!

[nothriver]

We had a very rough ride in a tender getting back to our ship in England. I was surprised the doors were left open, the sea was quite rough and everyone near the door was drenched. So sit away from the door if possible! We follow the same rule for tenders as we would any public transportation, "keep your tush glued to the seat at all times". I do stay alert, again as with any situation, know where the exits are and where and how to access the life vests in an emergency. Getting on and off, even in rough seas, has not worried me.

 

I'm very confident in the staff, I'm a (very independent) single mother and I'm always surprised, but touched, to have others looking out for me and my children. My mother is a non-swimmer and always very anxious about tendering, perhaps I've been so worried about her being worried, that I've never been concerned about my daughter.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We've tendered with a grandson who had just turned 3. Between the adults we had in the party and the help of the crew, it was no problem. It wasn't rough, though, and he is pretty fearless in general.

 

We had the kids (we also had a 4 & two 5's along) wear their swim vests too. They were very used to wearing them as we live on a lake and they had to wear them at that age at home when near the lake. Note: they were swim vest, not life vests, but like the above poster, they would keep them up.

 

The crew is really very good at helping with the transfer from ship to tender, which is the hardest part if it is a little rough. The kids all loved the tender ride.