two toddlers on 11 Day Denali Explorer cruisetour

[Mommypig]

I have traveled extensively with children, and this cruisetour not something I would have done with small children. The long days of traveling where there is no way to stop and take a break, take a nap, or play, may spell disaster for not only your family, but all the other travelers on the cruise tour. For many travelers this would be a once in a lifetime bucket list trip, and they might not be tolerant of a toddler tantrum in the confines of a bus or rail car. I know I used to be really upset when I had paid for a sitter for my kids to enjoy a meal at an upscale restaurant, and had the meal disrupted by overtired children. (Foremost in my mind was the meltdown of four children at Teppan Edo at Epcot where all four children wanted to sit by mom and Mac and cheese was not on the menu.)

 

I have done multiple driving trips all over Europe with my kids when they were as young as 3 months and 18 months, up to 5 years old. There were times on the driving days where things just got rancid. At least we could stop and find a place for them to play or change plans and find a hotel. There will not be options for that on the cruisetour. As for an experience for the kids, none of my kids remember anything from these trips, other than my oldest daughter having a sense of déjà vu when she revisited St Marcos square in Venice as a teenager.

 

It does take a little more planning to do a self drive tour, but at least that way you could plan something around the needs of the children. Or just stay in Anchorage or Fairbanks for a week.

 

 

 

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[alsalfalu3]

thanks everyone! i am now considering just to arrive a couple days early before the cruise to enjoy anchorage and drive around a bit, and then join the rest of my family (sister's family and grandparents!) as they will be arriving from the land tour onto the same cruise. Perfect! we'll still be able to have our big family vacation.

 

cruisetoscrap and bearette - great advice, will take those tips and implement them on the day excursions on the tour. Yes, I did take my now 3.5 year old, then 17 month old to europe, and she actually did do pretty well on the day long hopping on and off our private minivan tour. but at least I had the escape of being on a vehicle with just our family and the tour driver, not with 40 other people in case a meltdown happens.

[Cruisin' Chick]

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Always carry food on you as well, crackers, fruit etc. A feed kid is a happy kid.

 

You can see any place with the right planning. Just do your research and make sure you always plan play/run time and rest time. Have fun.

 

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One thing I would strongly suggest is be careful with the type of food you bring into a country or even a state (some like California are very strict for good reason, even if you're coming from a neighboring state). Fruit can be very problematic. You wouldn't want to pack some food and then have it taken away. Many places will allow you to take factory-sealed food, but double check the laws of the land.