1st time with kids

[megann831]

we booked a cruise for April, we'll be going with DD, who will be 4 in March and DS who will be 2 in May. They said the kids don't need passports, only birth certificates, just wanted to make sure that's true.

Any other kids for cruising with kids I'd appreciate. You have to be 2 for the kid's club, DS's birthday is May 16, we're cruising April 20, so anywhere they ask for his birthday I'm putting April 16 and hopefully they don't notice. I'm sure on the birth certificate they're checking for where, not when he's born. I doubt he'll want to go to the kid's club anyway but it would be nice to have a peaceful dinner or two. We're cruising to Florida and the Bahamas on the Carnival Pride. We're doing a Disney excursion in Florida. I'm debating doing excursions in the Bahamas or take a taxi to the beach. I'm sure the taxi would be cheaper, but it might be less hassle with the kids just taking the excursion. We also booked a suite, so I'm hoping having a little extra space and a bath tub will help

[giselleacttwo]

Fibbing about the birthdate is a road to nowhere. They are sure to check your immigration documentation and if it doesn't match the information you put on file you are up a creek. :eek:

 

Passports may not be required for the itinerary, but I would never travel outside of the country without one, even for my kids. Just my 2 cents.

[Kerry's Girls]

You can delay or be even denied boarding if your documents don't match. They do check - they know people want to lie about ages for the kids club and their insurance is based on no one under two being allowed.

[gerif]

You might find yourself sitting on the dock waiving goodbye to your ship if the cruise documents do not match the identification papers EXACTLY. Insurance will not reimburse you.

[katiedidthat]

They will definitely check the age on the BC. They don't care where your kid was born, they want the BC as proof that he is an American citizen of the age you claim and that he is your child. If you lie about the age you're bound to be denied boarding. When we cruised on the Pride as adults the check in officials checked our BCs, drivers licenses and our carnival information and almost wouldn't let us board because the PVP had mistakenly entered my DH's age as 1888 instead of 1988 when we called to book, so I wouldn't want to risk it at all.

[megann831]

Do you think if I bring them to the kids club they can double check his birthday in the system and give me a hard time about the 3 weeks? I know I can pay for sitting, but that looks like it's only after 10, I was hoping for kid-free dinner, although I really doubt he'll go anyway.

[Kerry's Girls]

They will already have a master list of every child qualified for the program. Even if a child turns of age DURING the cruise, they're usually not allowed in until the actual birthday.

[lovebelle]

Do you think if I bring them to the kids club they can double check his birthday in the system and give me a hard time about the 3 weeks? I know I can pay for sitting, but that looks like it's only after 10, I was hoping for kid-free dinner, although I really doubt he'll go anyway.

 

Yes they will know he is not the correct age and have read several occasions where a child who was 1yr 11mo 23days was not permitted in Camp for being a week shy of the required age. So unfortunately you will have to readjusted expectations a bit and have your child at dinner with you. Is any other family going with you? If so, perhaps they can entertain your son one evening while you have a nice kid-free meal in the steakhouse or something. But I know that not always an option (I'm traveling alone with my 1yr old).

[Onessa]

The lines tend to be very strict about the minimum age for the kids clubs. Their liability insurers do not give any leeway on the minimum age and will not only not pay out on any claims for an underage patron; but would also not pay a claim for any other child if there was an underage patron present when an incident occurred, they may not pay out and the line's premiums would definitely go up after any incident where there was an under-aged patron in the kids' program.

[powelweb]

Since you're probably able to cancel without penalty at this point, is that something you'd consider and look at rebooking for a month later when DS would meet the 2 yr requirement for the cruise line?

 

Then no fuss, no muss and a happy cruise for all?

[megann831]

Since you're probably able to cancel without penalty at this point, is that something you'd consider and look at rebooking for a month later when DS would meet the 2 yr requirement for the cruise line?

 

Then no fuss, no muss and a happy cruise for all?

 

I'm a teacher so my vacation time is predetermined. I think I'll stay with what we booked, I fear if we go in the summer the ship will really be over run with tons of kids and I doubt DS would be into the kids club anyway. I'm hoping we'll be able to have some nice family dinners. I guess we can always go out for dinner when we get home.

[Cruisin' Chick]

My girl was 23 months of age for her first cruise so we knew (and understood) that she was going to be with us the whole time. It's never a good idea to lie about such things (something to remember when wanting to sign your kid up for school as you undoubtedly understand as you're a teacher). The cruiselines go by the birth certificate.

 

When your child is old enough to be in the kids' program, I hope you'll understand if your kid wants to be there the whole time. I often read here many parents insisting that their kids will be with them the whole time on a cruise. Our girl would wake up while on the ship and ask if "ship's school" was open yet. We certainly didn't begrudge her being able to have fun with the other kids.

[huneymoonerz]

Gave this a quick glace Are you cruising Disney? Can you just go in May?

 

Only Carnival takes 2 yos.

 

We did pay for Disney's babysitting and it was great but hard to plan and expensive.

[detroitlions]

we booked a cruise for April, we'll be going with DD, who will be 4 in March and DS who will be 2 in May. They said the kids don't need passports, only birth certificates, just wanted to make sure that's true.

Any other kids for cruising with kids I'd appreciate. You have to be 2 for the kid's club, DS's birthday is May 16, we're cruising April 20, so anywhere they ask for his birthday I'm putting April 16 and hopefully they don't notice. I'm sure on the birth certificate they're checking for where, not when he's born. I doubt he'll want to go to the kid's club anyway but it would be nice to have a peaceful dinner or two. We're cruising to Florida and the Bahamas on the Carnival Pride. We're doing a Disney excursion in Florida. I'm debating doing excursions in the Bahamas or take a taxi to the beach. I'm sure the taxi would be cheaper, but it might be less hassle with the kids just taking the excursion. We also booked a suite, so I'm hoping having a little extra space and a bath tub will help

Bring a relative like a mother in law or sister and pay their way that way you can get a room for 5 and cut her a deal on watching the kids a few times or help out. I told my DW this and she never would but I think its a good Idea. I wanted her mom to go and watch my DS when he was younger he loves her to death so she would have went. But then there is always that person you brings signifigant other they would have to be cool with it. They do go with us every other year on a cruise we go more often.