Grandeur with kids

[CruisingLover]

Hi

 

We have booked the Grandeur for the April 29th 2006 7 night sailing from New Orleans to San Juan (it's a one way). We are taking our 3 kids on their first cruise :) They will be 11 (boy), 9 (boy) and 6 (girl). We have connecting oceanview rooms #'s 2596 & 2598. I really wanted to take them on their first cruise with Disney (we have been to Disneyworld MANY times and LOVE it!!) but they were a lot more expensive so we went with Royal Caribbean because my husband and I have been on 5 cruises and have stuck with them because we have had NO problems yet. Will my kids have things to keep them not bored (we have 3 at sea days)? What do you suggest for the kids and for us to do as a family? If we put them into the Ocean Adventure Club (I THINK that's what it is called......correct me if I'm wrong :) ) will they have to be split up?

 

I just never thought I would be taking my kids on a cruise much less a non-Disney one and am worried they will not have fun. They really want to go because they want to see the different islands and I know we'll make the most out of whatever we decide to do. If anyone has any suggestions, experiences etc thay can share I would really appreciate it!

 

Thanks,

Tracy

[sherin65]

Our family was on the Grandeur back in March. I think your kids will have lots of fun. I'm pretty sure they will be in different age levels as far as planned activities go. But everyone that worked the programs were great with my kids. Although my oldest found kids to hang out with outside of those activities. My kids(11 & 15) had a great time.

 

Sher

[akananook]

We were just on the Grandeur last month with three kids 4, 6, & 8, and they loved the Adventure Ocean programs. Your youngest two would be in a group together, I think that group is 6-9 year olds. We had 2 sea days, and they kids were begging to go to the AO program as soon as it opened. The staff was EXCELLENT, and we felt very secure leaving our children in their care. They are still talking about 'Party Patrick' and the activities they did.

 

Be sure to let them participate in 'Pirate Night'. We had late seating for dinner and our kids missed it, and after seeing the other pirates and their antics, we really regretted not letting them go. The Grandeur AO staff was truly exceptional.

[CruisingLover]

Thanks for the responses :)

 

Is the Adventure Ocean an extra fee? If so, how much?

 

Do they only do the Pirate Night during early seating? I'm thinking we'll do early seating anyway because of the kids.

 

Any other suggestions or tips for cruising with kids would be really appreciated :D

 

Thanks again!!

 

Tracy

[Onessa]

No extra cost for AO programming. After 10pm AO offers group babysitting that is an hourly charge per child.

 

Pirate night typically starts when the evening programming begins (they color in their bandanas and do face painting) and then are off maurading. With our DD (now 10), we've done early seating in the dining room. She eats and then between courses one of us will take her up and check her in, that way she "misses" very little of the evening programming. I know of a lot of other folks who do the same thing.

 

Other things that are "don't miss" with our daughter (varies a bit by ship) are skating (ice/roller Voager class only), rock climbing, water slide (not all ships), mini-golf.

 

I put together a daily scavenger hunt for the kids (we often travel with her cousins) to keep them more engaged - days when we are on-board it is mainly "people" watching (spot someone with an orange baseball cap, an athletic jersy with a number containing a 4, etc.). Port days include details gleaned from tour books (spot a british union jack flag, a basketball hoop - on land not the ship, statue of a winged lion - pretty easy in Venice, but DD was only 4!).

 

Think of something inexpensive to collect from each port and stick to your guns, otherwise they will nickle and dime you to death. Post cards are good (you can even come up with a "theme"). Those small enamaled pins are generally 4 or 5 bucks each.

 

Have fun