NCL Dawn with almost 2 year old??

[denmanja]

We have the western Caribbean booked for early December. With 2 weeks to go before final payment, my husband is getting cold feet about traveling with our son. My husband and I have cruised RCCL several times in the past. But we've had no real vacations since baby. He'll turn 23 months on the cruise if we go, so it's about time! :)

 

Can anyone provide pros / cons (even the obvious) to help me plead my case with him?? I think he's most afraid of lack of sleep (for my son and then for us) and boredom. We've booked a balcony room, and my parents have booked the adjoining room (and are more than willing to babysit as needed!) How did your sleeping arrangements work out? Are there enough activities for the under 2 crowd? Did you only eat at the buffet (my husband would love this)?

 

Thanks in advance!

[OzCanuck]

Have cruised three times with our under 2-year old on NCL. Mind you, we've always booked the 2-bdrm suite so sleeping arrangements were ideal for us. (baby monitor in bdrm 2, with us relaxing in living/dining room). Sleep was not an issue for him in a perfectly dark room that was gently rocking...

 

There is one, sometimes two, daily activities for under 3's. They generally last 15-45 minutes. Simple things like painting, colouring, dancing, story time, etc. Really depends on who shows up. It's a good time to meet and socialize with other parents, let the kids run, play, run off some steam. As suite guests we generally ate breakfast/lunch in Cagney's, and we did just fine with our little boy. On our last trip (Jewel to Alaska), we made a concerted effort to not dine at the buffet - we always tried to use one of the MDRs.

 

Often our strategy would be to go early-ish (5:45). Depending on his mood, we would order our food and ask that it all be delivered at once. Maybe a bit rushed, but with enough variety and action he was generally quite good (the odd exception, of course). Then - we would always try and hit the shows, sitting in one of the wings near the side (boxing him in). Depending on the act he was quite entertained / mesmerized. If not, we just left so as not to disturb others.

 

The staff on NCL are awesome with kids. Just fantastic. Can't imagine not taking this trips without him; the memories he's given us are so precious - even if he won't remember. (Though he does scream BOAT! BOAT! when he sees the ship fridge magnets.).

[Gardeneroflove]

NCL sucks, but cruises with little ones is great! DD was 14 months on her first cruise. At no point was she bored. She had a blast just walking, riding the elevator, moving chairs, open house at the club, playing in the splash pad, whatever!

 

She slept MORE than at home, she was on one nap, but took 2 or at least quiet time. This worked well for us. We had a balcony. During nap, dh went out and ran/watched a movie/whatever. I napped or read or just hung out on the balcony (In ALL honesty, I would have done exactly this without a kid, oh, wait, I have!) Bedtime was a tad tricky as Daddy means fun. The first night she wouldn't settle, after that she either passed out or dh was in the other part behind the curtain. She still won't fall asleep with Daddy. Then, we hung out, dh left for a movie once or twice, I attempted a movie, we ate mickey bars and chocolate chip cookies. We hung on the balcony listening to music and trying to stay awake passed 10 (lame, I know).

 

For dinner-We always get early dining. After we ordered, she's walk around with me or dh, then eat, then go off and play with Daddy while I enjoyed coffee and desserts. She did great in mdr for breakfast and lunch. I don't think we ever hit the buffet, maybe one port day? I know I grabbed some food by the pool for lunch, after refusing to eat inside yet again (dh is into the mdr, I'd skip it all together, and eat outside).

 

We didn't go to any shows. I think I watched part of one while dh was playing with dd. but I wasn't interested. We did catch a guy with a guitar that dd LOVED dancing and watching.

 

I didn't have a kid on ncl, so I have no idea about activities, but really, toddler's aren't hard to entertain. You can easily do up a bag of his favorite stuff, new crayons/books for any down time. DD had a blast with my shoes and the balcony...

 

Take him. You'll create wonderful memories! If you have your parents, you can even get a night 'off' once he's sleeping (assuming yours sleeps, mine doesn't sleep, so it really doesn't matter where I am, lol).

[Lerin]

Haven't been on that ship, but have traveled several times with an infant and toddler. It's great fun, especially if you have a few extra hands to help!

 

Some things we did to make things go smooth:

-find out what activities there are for under 2s and go to them

-arranged ahead of time who would watch our child and when

-took turns in the MDR, sometimes we'd all eat together, sometimes 1 of us would go to the buffet/get room service/order to go. We also took the stroller to the MDR which he sometimes fell asleep in. Even easier if you request a booth table.

-We always sat in the balcony back corner for shows with him in the stroller. That way we could stand and rock him and he'd usually fall asleep.

-If he's potty trained he can use the pools, if he's not. You still have 4 months-start now-you won't regret it.

-Often there are bars or clubs that aren't being used during the daytime. these are great places to let him run about without disturbing others.

 

Just curious:

Exactly what do you plan to do with your son if he doesn't go on the cruise? :confused: Every family is different I guess, but I could never leave my child while I left on a vacation. I'd need a vacation just to deal with that stress! :eek:

 

 

While cruises pre and post baby are different, they are all enjoyable for different reasons. Go and have fun, and buy the formal night photos. What a lovely family memory and Holiday card they make. :)

[denmanja]

Thanks for all the responses so far!

 

@OzCanuck, it would be wonderful to have the 2 room suite! If we could afford it, that would make this a no-brainer! It's nice to know that there are some planned activities and that the shows can be enjoyable. Our son loves music so I'm hopeful that it would work for him too. And I agree about making memories :)

 

@GardenerofLove, why does "NCL suck"? Just curious since we've never cruised it before - we booked only because of the departure port and kids sail free promotion. Thanks for the other tips.

 

@Lerin, there is no way I could leave him at home. If we decide to cancel, then no one is going and we'll rebook for next year possibly. But what a great idea about the holiday card... :D

[cb at sea]

You're a family, so a family vacation is what you do! You may find that EVERYONE sleeps great on the ship...movement, sea air.....I don't know, but sleep is easy to come by.

 

And, with parents nearby....this will be a breeze! Think of the memories you'll make! Your child won't remember this, but you will...forever!

 

Tell hubby to grow up! He's a dad...act like one!

[Twelvevman]

Its all worth it when you see the amazement and excitement in your child's eyes.

[OzCanuck]

Its all worth it when you see the amazement and excitement in your child's eyes.

 

So true!!!!!

 

Seriously - we found NCL great for kids - though our cruising experience is somewhat limited. The freestyle dining was the clincher for us. And of course, the two bedroom cabin.

 

If you're interested here are the travelog/reviews from our Euro trip and our Alaska trip:

 

Europe on the Jade:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1807621

 

Alaska on the Jewel:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1856012

 

Unfortunately mom has just broken her ankle which means no November cruise this year. Have to put things off until the spring. :(

[Gardeneroflove]

 

@GardenerofLove, why does "NCL suck"? Just curious since we've never cruised it before - we booked only because of the departure port and kids sail free promotion. Thanks for the other tips.

 

 

We experienced poor service and food. We did 'anytime' dinning and ended up waiting in line for dinner, which meant dh and sil were complaining. Then found out we had to sign up for different restaurants for the other nights, so unless you wanted to wait in line, it wasn't really 'anytime'. This was a few years ago. I don't remember the ship or the port.

 

Carnival is great. Disney is wonderful in terms of service and quality. We found ncl lacking, and we didn't even pay for the trip! We adjusted tips to zero.

 

But again, we didn't have kids with us on that trip. I know my dn's did enjoy carnival's kids' club, the older one anyway.

 

Disney didn't have many activities for toddlers, other than toddler time on sea days and open house hours. DD didn't miss anything, she had tons of fun.

 

We skipped shows because Disney's shows aren't my style and we had better things to do than sit and watch a show (that replays on tv).

 

At 23 months, potty trained, 1 day, sttn (assuming, lol, mine wakes to potty, so that'll be fun), eating more, trying new foods, it'll be great! just make sure lo has downtime.

[NCM3381]

I took DD11 and DD21mths on the NCL Epic last year in an inside cabin and we all absolutely loved it!! We had a travel cot provided by NCL so whilst it did take up a bit of floor space we had no real problems. The staff were amazing and most remember her named and would talk to her on the ship and in port when we saw them!! We generally went for dinner early just to save her getting too tired but regularly watched a show and she would either watch and be totally engrossed or else would curl up on my knee and go to sleep which she never does at home! She did this whilst watching the Blue Man Group and anyone who has seen it will know just how loud it is but the sea air and running round a huge ship had her fast asleep in no time! Go and have an amazing time!!! We're sailing on RCCL's Indy later this year but would have booked the Epic again if it had any new ports on the itinerary!!

[travelhound]

Go and have a fantastic time! We were on NCL Pearl over New Years last December when our dd turned 22 months. She had a great time and even though it was our 28th cruise, it was our first with her. It was so much fun to see everything through her eyes, especially the beach and ocean. She wasn't potty trained at the time so going in the water at the beach was her only opportunity for a "pool."

 

We had probably the worst accommodations for sleeping (an inside cabin) and we were fine. I had a horrible cough and dd never woke up during the night. Now, if your ds is a bad sleeper at home he may not be better on the ship, but they are so worn out for running around all day that the gentle sway of the ship is like a rocker. If you have a balcony room you'll have much better mobility to get out of the room while he sleeps too.

 

We ate in the dining room a couple of times but mostly ate in the buffet. She was getting to the point where she didn't like a high chair and she would only stay in it for a few courses. DH gave up and just wanted the buffet and dd loved the ice cream, so I caved in. I brought little disposable spoons and that made eating a little easier. In the mornings we ate breakfast outside on the back of the ship and that was great. She liked sitting on a chair and seeing the ocean.

 

The staff is amazing and most of them miss their own children so they are really attentive and friendly. She got to know several of them and recognized them as they approached her. No matter where we went on the ship, she got a lot of attention and I think it made her feel special.

 

There is something called "Under 2 Zoo" and they have activities but we only went to the painting class once. The activities in the afternoon were during her nap. What does ds like to do at home? He'll probably like similar things on the ship. There usually is a little playroom with toys in it for the under 2 kids, but really the ship is a huge playroom. At that age our dd liked to run everywhere and the ship has plenty of opportunities for that. Go to a bar/lounge that isn't being used during the day. He can run, climb on he chairs and couches, etc. Once you're in port the days go fast. We went to the beach in each port, came back to the ship for lunch, had a nap, got up to get ready for dinner, ran around the ship a bit and it was already time for bed.

 

I brought a few things for her to play with in the cabin - stickers, magnets (they work on the walls of the cabin), books, etc. I brought a DVD player and tons of videos but except for the plane and the hotel in FL we didn't use them much. There were just too many other things to do. DD loves music so every time we heard music she had to stop and dance. We took her to one of the production shows with singing and dancing and she sat on my lap the entire time. We went to the variety show at the end of the cruise and we had to leave at the magician. Obviously she didn't get that part.

 

I also brought a few snacks for the cabin, mostly yogurt that doesn't need refrig, applesauce packs, and fruit snacks. It's pretty easy to get food so you may not need it, but it was helpful. At that time, dd was still drinking milk from a sippy cup every morning when she first got up and every night before bed. We just brought a bunch of it back from the morning buffet every day and put it in the fridge in the room. It's available later, but not as easy to get yourself.

 

This is getting too long, but ask any questions if you have them. In short - pros: memories that you'll cherish forever. cons: bringing everything you need as far as diapers, wipes, etc since there is no store nearby. It's a lot like your life at home, but more fun since you can spend all of your time with your family. At home I have to cook, clean, do laundry etc and that take time away from your child. On the ship, that's all done for you. Loved it!

 

Finally, NCL does not suck! Everyone has their favorite ships and some people have had bad experience here and their. For us the worst was Carnival and I may never choose them again, but never say never. We've been on NCL nine times with our next two already booked on NCL. We've been on the Dawn twice. No one does anytime dining better than NCL. In addition to the buffet and outdoor grills, there are two main dining rooms for no extra charge. There are monitors in the halls to show you capacity. There is usually a spike in seating around 7:30-8:00 but when we've had just two or three people we've almost always gotten right in. If there is a wait they give you a pager. There is also a 24 hour restaurant for quick serve food called the Blue Lagoon.

 

If you make a plan, pack what you need, and then go with the flow...you'll have a great time! It will be especially awesome that you are able to have grandparent there too.

[cruisegirl06]

We did NCL with our daughter when she was 16 months. We got a balcony, which is the way to go if you'll be in the room a lot for naps and early bedtimes. We also paid corkage on several bottles of wine so we could enjoy them in the balcony after she went to bed without having to run out for drinks. They had a few baby/toddler activities that we would go to, and parents have to stay for these (no drop-off). She loved walking around the ship and visiting the beaches in port. She was a trooper through dinner most nights (we do all the courses and don't rush, but would put in her kids meal order as soon as we were seated - we also take her out to eat a lot at home, so she is used to this). We did this cruise just the three of us with nobody to babysit and still had a great time, if you'll have parents around to help, even better!

 

We just got back from a DCL cruise with her (she has just turned 2) and they have a drop-off nursery. Being able to take her there for a few hours a day was HEAVENLY! (And DCL got more money, because that is when we went to the up charge restaurants, bars, etc.). There is a nominal fee for their nursery, but we were very willing to pay it for some adult time. They also had more "family activities" in the clubs for parents to go to with kids of any age - she loved these!

 

Vacation is vacation. Now that we are travelling with a toddler we have low expectations for each day and they are usually exceeded. We pick one or two things we want to do and anything else is a bonus. I also remind myself that its a week of no work, no commuting, no laundry, no cooking, etc. which is great.

 

Since NCL does have somewhat limited toddler options we planned for this - inflatable pool for the balcony, several cheap toys that I could rotate during dinners, videos on my iPad for her, etc.

 

Go and have fun!