Need tips and tricks for parents of small children

[Janieee]

Hi there! My husband and I took our twins on the NCL Dawn when they were about 9 months old. By the time we go on our cruise in a couple months, they will be around 18 months. Looking and not looking forward to the fact they will be mobile (I'll probably be the parent with the leash backpacks that everyone is glaring at!). Any tips and tricks from someone who has been on a cruise with babies in this age range or better yet, tips from parents of toddler twins? Fun activities on and off board that will keep them entertained? Dining tips? Cabin tips? ANY tips?

 

Thanks!

[che5904]

Sorry, I can't help much. Am a grandma and haven't taken my grandkids on a cruise.

 

As for the leash, don't worry about who stares if that's how you feel comfortable keeping your kids safe. Only you know what your little ones are capable of (maybe they are climbers and you are afraid of them climbing the railing). Or they are runners and you are afraid of them getting away from you.

 

If you want a bathtub and not just a shower, then you may want to look at a mini-suite. It's just a larger balcony cabin but it has a tub.

 

You also may want to check out the family board. It's generic for all cruises but some tips and tricks can be used for all cruises and there are posters there from the NCL board or ones who can answer to questions you have specifically for NCL cruises.

 

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

 

Oh BTW in case you don't already know. I'm assuming your little ones at that age aren't potty trained. No non-potty trained children are allowed in NCL pools.

Edited March 19, 2014 by che5904

[bamagrad92]

No worries! We have a 3 and 6 year old. We leave Sunday on cruise #5. Pack an activity bag to take with you. Coloring book and crayons, we love to blow bubbles off the top of the ship, portable dvd player or ipad with movies (dinners can sometimes go long), a blow up beach ball to kick around up top, oh, and patience!

 

NCL is wonderful with young ones. If you don't see something on the menu the kids want, just ask. My sons "go to" is a plain flour tortilla folded over with melted mozz cheese. Presto!

 

If you are in a room without a bathtub you may want to consider a very small blow up type "pool" to put in the bottom of the shower for baths. at the end of the cruise you can throw it away. My youngest does NOT like showers...

 

Pack a few of their favorite snacks to keep handy. This is not the time to be too concerned about making sure they eat their bananas. However, they have plenty of fruit you can take back to their cabin. Grab a box or two of cereal at the buffet, cheerios or fruit loops to keep handy.

 

Pack a small thing of dish soap to wash sippy cups out in your room. A night light is always good too.

 

Feel free to ask if you have specific questions. Have a great time!

[mizLORInj]

Hi there! My husband and I took our twins on the NCL Dawn when they were about 9 months old. By the time we go on our cruise in a couple months, they will be around 18 months. Looking and not looking forward to the fact they will be mobile (I'll probably be the parent with the leash backpacks that everyone is glaring at!). . .

 

Thanks!

 

We used one of those harnesses on my nephew's first cruise which was the day he turned one! While I agree it's for the safety of the child, I think it's also for the safety of others because we all know how kids just love to run. I didn't care what anyone thought and wouldn't judge you either for using a harness!! :)

My bro and SIL brought along an inflatable pool/tub thingie which served as his own little pool by the pool area when he wasn't allowed in the pools (pre-potty training days). Enjoyed this family time a lot, and nephew has come to really love and look forward to all cruises with the family!

have a great cruise.

Edited March 19, 2014 by mizlorinj

[bean24]

Just a tip, get powdered Pedialyte. They travel easily and can be very helpful if stomach problems hit.

 

 

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[Jenjer]

We have always traveled with our kids but they never started cruising until 4. What I have found that has worked great for vacations ie home on the road.

 

I pack each outfit including accessories in a zip lock bag so there is no searching for the matching headband or the top that goes with these shorts. Grab a bag and dress them

 

Always apply sunblock in the room because once you get out they want to go and see and not sit still...well a still as little ones sit.

 

pack a new toy or book so its special.

 

get extra cheerio boxes at breakfast great for snacks and easy to carry. We take these off ship I know its a no no but its a great easy thing to come with.

 

Defiantly need a night light in the cabin.

 

At dinner it might be easier for one person to sit at the table while someone else walks the kids around instead of waiting for the food at the table.

[rjm11]

bring ziploc bags- the gallon size- they are great for putting dirty diapers in so they don't stink up everything before the garbage gets emptied, and great for bringing some food back to the room from the buffet or dining room for later....

 

also if you happen to have a suite booked, it's really great with young kids because you can feed them and put them to bed, then have dinner for 2 delivered to the room by your butler from any restaurant on the ship. I highly recommend the 2 bedroom family suites for this purpose... my kids slept like logs in that small second bedroom because there were no windows in there.... and there's a separate living area with table and chairs for dining.

[wasiii]

.....learn the old "Pull the coin out of the ear trick" that will keep them amused for hours.

 

;)

 

wasiii

[bliss_fully_happy]

What ship are you going on? I have cruised since my youngest was 6mo. She is booked on her 7th and 8th. My son is booked on his 5th and 6th.

 

At 18mo there are a few things we love. Taking them to the disco during the dAy (almost always empty) and letting them run wild usually only 1 door out.

Watch the daily paper. They have family Lego time and other family stuff that are kid friendly even if they don't like Legos there are kids there and a family friendly atmosphere. . There is a 3 and under room toddler room. That is fun to burn off steam and play with new toys every day and some scheduled activities too. Get a paper from the kids club.

 

 

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[LegallyBlonder]

I agree with most of the advice above: I think a blow up pool for baths is absolutely essential if you don't have a tub. Also, you can put it on your balcony so they can have a little outdoor water play. I usually don't bring a ton of toys from home (maybe one or two) and then let them pick some cheap stuff out at the shops- they love having "cruise" theme toys for the week.

 

Also, we prefer to bring individual umbrella style strollers (we love Maclarens, since they are more substantial than the typical "umbrella" stroller) as opposed to a double stroller, or even a full sized single stroller (we don't have twins, but we have three boys age 6 and under). It is just soooo much easier for maneuvering around the ship, on and off, into taxis, etc.

 

I agree that it is awesome to have a suite with little ones, but if not, I think at least having a balcony is essential so that your night doesn't have to end when theirs does. Hubs and I love to have some wine and cheese or dessert after the kids go to sleep. For suites, we bring a baby monitor which has always worked well on the ship.

 

We only eat dinners at Specialty restaurants on NCL, and they have always been exceptional with our children. We go on the early side, typically around 6pm.

 

Enjoy- I think it's one of the best vacations for small children. We will be on the Dawn at the end of June!

 

 

 

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[jaasb0808]

Like others have said if you can do a suite it is wonderful not only for the bath tub but for the butler who will keep your fridge stocked with milk and whatever other snacks like fruit and cookies that the kiddos love and the DVD list if you need them to lay down and watch a movie to get them to rest a little.

 

On Dawn kids under 3 can't go to the kids club but they do have a separate room with toddler toys you can take them into play as long as a parent stays with them and they also do some fun activities.

 

The kids T-Rex pool on the Dawn is great too. There is a small pool with a small slide that is great for the little ones.

 

They also have the Kid's Cafe inside the Garden Cafe Buffet, our 20 month old and our 4 and 7 year old really liked it. It is a small buffet stocked with kid-friendly food and small tables and chairs just their size. It works great to go there, get them set with their food and then Mom and Dad can take turns hitting the regular buffet while the other one supervises.

 

Umbrella strollers are great because they are light and fold small, and the ship is big and by the end of the day they are pretty tired of walking.

 

The staff on the Dawn when we went in January was wonderful with the kids, they all loved our 20 month old and she had so many staff friends by the time we left, they all knew her name and stopped to say hi every time they saw her.

 

We loved cruising on the Dawn with our kids. Hope you have a great time.

[ImaKrazyKruizer]

PLEASE take this in the light it is intended. My tip is to be very diligent in your supervision of you children. I am in no way questioning you parenting abilities or choice of parenting stye. I am merely saying three things. 1) While a cruise can be and most often is a very fun and great time for families, it can be very dangerous for children left improperly supervised. No need to be afraid of anything, just be very watchful of your children. 2) Do not hisitate to take your children anywhere they are allowed to go, including the specialty dining areas. NCL and its cruisers are open to and welcoming to families with children of all ages. At the same time, try to remember other passengers are on a vacation as well and if a young child is not doing so well at any given time, the best thing is for a parent to take them aside to soothe them. 3) Do NOT let what others think about you and you choice of a backpack, leash, etc worry you. It is your choice on how to take care of your children and as long as you are doing so and they are not running wild, it is no one else's concern how you choose to do that.

 

Again I do not at all intend any of this to be lecturing or anything else negative. I sincerely hope that up and your entire family have a fantastic cruise with memories that will last forever...

[che5904]

I agree that it is awesome to have a suite with little ones, but if not, I think at least having a balcony is essential so that your night doesn't have to end when theirs does.

 

I'll second this advice.

 

I just had a friend with a 3 yr old, come back from a Disney cruise and she was very disappointed that they didn't get a balcony.

 

Her little one turns in relatively early and she said it made for a long night sitting quietly on the other side of the curtain for the whole evening.

 

She said at least with a balcony they could have enjoyed the ocean.

[jimsig]

Bring an iPad or a portable DVD player with their fav movies and shows. It can be nice to watch their own shows during quiet time or before bed.

 

Don't forget to take clues from them about getting tired etc. Being on vacation and a change of scenery and pace for them can alter typical nap/rest times. The salt air can wipe them out a lot quicker then when at home. Heck it wipes me out :)

[Pacclady]

We found having a sound machine to be necessary. Because you're in the room earlier than most people, the hallway noise can get pretty loud. The sound machine helped our 18 month old sleep soundly. We also brought a ton of Goldfish crackers and thank goodness. Our usually "open to eat anything" son suddenly refused to eat. Seriously, he didn't eat a single meal the whole trip. All he would eat was the goldfish and bananas and they eventually ran out of bananas. So glad we brought those.

[Jenjer]

PLEASE take this in the light it is intended. My tip is to be very diligent in your supervision of you children. I am in no way questioning you parenting abilities or choice of parenting stye. I am merely saying three things. 1) While a cruise can be and most often is a very fun and great time for families, it can be very dangerous for children left improperly supervised. No need to be afraid of anything, just be very watchful of your children. 2) Do not hisitate to take your children anywhere they are allowed to go, including the specialty dining areas. NCL and its cruisers are open to and welcoming to families with children of all ages. At the same time, try to remember other passengers are on a vacation as well and if a young child is not doing so well at any given time, the best thing is for a parent to take them aside to soothe them. 3) Do NOT let what others think about you and you choice of a backpack, leash, etc worry you. It is your choice on how to take care of your children and as long as you are doing so and they are not running wild, it is no one else's concern how you choose to do that.

 

Again I do not at all intend any of this to be lecturing or anything else negative. I sincerely hope that up and your entire family have a fantastic cruise with memories that will last forever...

 

Thats great advice.

 

Most people who will look at you for a leash/backpack have never had kids and really never had twins.

 

Before I became a parent I never understood the leash but once you have a runner you get it.

 

 

Enjoy your vacation and don't worry about what other people think.

[luddite]

The Family boards on CC would be a good resource.

I would also want to vet the ship's pediatrician.

[sassyredhat]

What great ideas. Thanks to all of you. :)

 

We are leaving in 24 days with a big family group, including our 11 month old granddaughter.

I thought I had the list down, but that Pedialyte is a great idea. We have a penthouse, so she will be bathed there, but the blow up pool is a great idea.

Thank you for the balcony tip on Disney too. I will make sure they upgrade next year.

 

Pat

[mjkacmom]

The kids T-Rex pool on the Dawn is great too. There is a small pool with a small slide that is great for the little ones.

 

There are no pools or splash areas on NCL ships (or most lines) for diapered children. It might be a great size for a toddler, but for toddlers that are potty trained.

[Va. Plumber]

We have sailed twice with our granddaughters.

 

The first time on the Dawn we had two year old. The staff was absolutely marvelous. I think every waiter on the ship knew her name. We thought we were going to have to buy another suitcase to carry all the origami creations the staff in the Oriental gave her.

 

The second cruise on the Star was in a suite with five and 18 month. We had lunch the first day in Cagneys. The staff practically devoured them.

The next morning I went to breakfast by myself. When I walked in I was

asked where Claire and Madeleine were. How do they remember when they meet so many?

 

The younger one had pottly trained herself, so as she told her mother, "I can swim with Granddaddy."

Edited March 20, 2014 by Va. Plumber

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We found that a lightweight stroller that reclines was a must for us with our baby. We went on our first cruise with our daughter when she was 4 months old and bought a Baby Cargo 200 series stroller. It is lightweight, folds easily, and reclines almost fully. Therefore, our baby was able to take her naps while we enjoyed strolling around the deck or lounging by the pool. We didn't have to take her back to the room each time.

 

Most umbrella strollers do not recline, so it makes it difficult for the kids to sleep.

 

She will be two when we go on our next cruise, and we plan to take that stroller with us again.