Sailing with a toddler

[CelebCruizer]

Hi all, I am hoping someone might be able to give me some tips on sailing with a toddler. I am sailing on Celebrity Solstice in a few weeks, this is the first time taking my toddler with us. Does anyone know if there a toddler under 2 needs to pay cover fees for specialty dining? I know that excursions for under 2 typically have no charge.

 

Please share any suggestions you may have.

 

thanks

[cruise kitty]

Hi, there are age restrictions in the specialty restaurants, many are age 12 and up, you might want to check the website ahead of time so you're not disappointed. :)

 

 

There's a family cruise board that would probably be more helpful to you

[dkjretired]

Murano is the only Specialty with an age limit, believe its 12, they used to be on the web site but now they tell you to see Customer Service.

Edited July 24, 2015 by dkjretired

[cruisead]

Unfortunately, your child is too young for the kid's club. Murano has an age limit of 12. The other venues have no limit, but I've never seen a child's menu in Tuscan or Silk Road, and I can't think of anything that an under 2 would eat in those restaurants.

 

Have you considered in cabin sitting, rather than taking a toddler to a specialty restaurant? Celebrity does provide in cabin sitting, which could provide you with a break for a nice, quiet and uninterrupted dinner. The cost is $19 per hour for the child. Many parents use this in cabin sitting at night so that they can enjoy the nightlife.

[cynbar]

I'm pretty sure there are times when toddlers and their parents can go into the kids' club and play with the toys there, it's just that they are too young to attend and give their parents a break. Have you checked out the Family Cruising message boards here?

 

We have eaten in multiple specialty restaurants on Celebrity over the years, and I can't say I have ever seen a toddler there. Not sure that the leisurely pace would be too enjoyable for a small child, but you know your child best.

Edited July 24, 2015 by cynbar

[donaldsc]

Hi all, I am hoping someone might be able to give me some tips on sailing with a toddler. I am sailing on Celebrity Solstice in a few weeks, this is the first time taking my toddler with us. Does anyone know if there a toddler under 2 needs to pay cover fees for specialty dining? I know that excursions for under 2 typically have no charge.

 

Please share any suggestions you may have.

 

thanks

 

What are you planning to do when you take your <2 year old child does what all normal less than 2 year olds do - makes a fuss and starts crying? You as well as the rest of the people in the specialty dining venue have paid extra for a pleasant dining experience and they do not want to share it with a crying child. You will not want to have paid extra to dine there and have to hopefully leave with your crying child and miss the dining experience.

 

Get a baby sitter if you can and if you can not - eat in the buffet. Do no eat in the MDR because nobody there also wants to hear your crying fussy child.

 

The ship restaurants are not Denny's type restaurants where crying children are expected.

 

I note that you are also apparently planning to bring your toddler on ship excursions. My same comment applies. Nobody wants to share a ship excursion with a crying fussy toddler.

 

DON

Edited July 24, 2015 by donaldsc

[cb at sea]

Don't listen to the above fuss-budget...kids are MORE than welcome in the dining room! Jeez...the staff will dote on tots!!!

[BunnyLebowski]

 

Get a baby sitter if you can and if you can not - eat in the buffet. Do no eat in the MDR because nobody there also wants to hear your crying fussy child.

 

 

DON

 

I respectfully disagree. The OP should obviously bring her child to the MDR (and anywhere else on the ship without age restrictions) if she chooses. My children are in elementary school now but their toddler years are still fresh in my memory. If OP's little one starts to make a fuss, surely she will pick him up and immediately remove him from the situation until he calms down.

 

Most parents detest the thought of their children disturbing others. We all need to be respectful of one another- young and old alike, and there is no indication that the OP wouldn't handle a meltdown situation appropriately.

[Algebralovr]

I believe I saw a high chair in the Tuscan, but I'm not positive. I recommend you visit with the Matre'D Specialty once you board to ask. They may waive the fee, they may not.

 

I would probably hire a sitter for in room sitting for a special dinner, but that's me.

 

No worries about the little one in the MDR. They are welcomed by the staff.

 

I would call and ask about the excursions. I've seen many where a minimum age of 4 or 7 was listed. I would ask ahead of time, then ask again at the ShorEX desk once you board. Get the answer in writing.

[Constance331]

I recently had a two-year old on the Summit. On two nights when we dined Specialty, we hired sitters. For $19/hr. you will get 2 sitters - in both our instances, it was the head of the Kid's Club and one other crew member (usually from housekeeping). You are given a beeper so they can page you if anything comes up. Worth every penny.... It's charged to your ship account.

 

Yes, while your 2-year old is too young to leave alone at the Kid's Club, you can stop by with the child to spend time utilizing the facilities. Just so long as you are there as well.

 

The rest of the evenings we either ate dinner in-suite, went to MDR, or ate at the buffet. It's true that everywhere we went onboard, the crew were amazing in their treatment of our little one. Ours loved everything about being on the ship - from watching the water to dancing to the live music to haming it up for the photographer, who got such a kick from her striking hilarious and delightful poses for him!

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[bEwAbG]

No worries about the little one in the MDR. They are welcomed by the staff.

 

I would kindly suggest that the OP check with her tablemates as well, though, or at least try to secure a table for just her party. As evidenced by one reply already, not everyone is fond of kids. I would never be a jerk about it, but I don't want to eat with a toddler. Beyond the noise and interruption to adult conversation, they are usually pretty gross at that age.

[CelebCruizer]

Thank you all for your input most of you were very helpful addressing my inquiry. We are always respectful of those around us when dining out with our child and this will not change while sailing.

[TomTN]

What are you planning to do when you take your <2 year old child does what all normal less than 2 year olds do - makes a fuss and starts crying? You as well as the rest of the people in the specialty dining venue have paid extra for a pleasant dining experience and they do not want to share it with a crying child. You will not want to have paid extra to dine there and have to hopefully leave with your crying child and miss the dining experience.

 

Get a baby sitter if you can and if you can not - eat in the buffet. Do no eat in the MDR because nobody there also wants to hear your crying fussy child.

 

The ship restaurants are not Denny's type restaurants where crying children are expected.

 

I note that you are also apparently planning to bring your toddler on ship excursions. My same comment applies. Nobody wants to share a ship excursion with a crying fussy toddler.

 

DON

WOW

Disturbing post. We have taken our DGD to restaurants since she was one. She is a people watcher. If she threw a fit we would remove her to calm her and leave before letting her cry through a meal. Most people do remove a disruptive child.

You must not be around many children if you think all they do is cry all the time.

[doberwoman]

I've seen far worse behaviour in the MDR from rude adults than I've ever seen from a toddler. Enjoy your cruise with your family!

[Algebralovr]

OP,

This year may be a little trying with a 2 year old, but you'll still have a nice break from the real world and get to focus on your family rather than the everyday life of cooking, cleaning and all that goes with a small child. Your little person will enjoy the extra attention.

 

Please don't let the haters ruin your vacation.

 

Once the little one reaches 3 years of age, they will love the kids club and all the attention and activities.

 

We saw the most darling little people on our last cruise. There were only 6 children on board, all between 3 and 6. They had a great time!

[lahlah57]

I would rather have a toddler at my table than an unruly and drunk adult:rolleyes:

[lahlah57]

A sweaty....red faced drunk adult is enough to have me sit with a table full of toddlers......now that is entertainment:D

[jasm8449]

In almost 20 years on Celebrity, I have never been disturbed by a toddler. I will not, however, forget the family of 2 parents and 2 teens who were obnoxious and rude and became infamous for such behaviour by the entire ship. Another time, when my husband broke his foot at Dunn's Falls in Jamaica and had to be in a wheelchair for the rest of the cruise, it was adults, not toddlers, who would rush in front of him to fill the elevators so that he couldn't get on.

 

Having said that, and having been a mom of toddlers myself, I would suggest that specialty restaurants would not be the place to bring a toddler due to some reasons mentioned by polite posters.....dinner is long, and people have paid around $100 extra per couple for an adult experience. I see no issue at all in the MDR - a responsible parent would remove a fussy toddler.

[Lady Chew]

We love seeing young children (including toddlers!) on cruises ... we have many days on HAL, and believe me - we much prefer mixed ages.

 

I don't like being right next to a fussy child in a restaurant, but always hope that the parents would remove said child in a timely fashion.

 

MDRs on ships are great places to take children. The staff love them, and so do most of the other adults!

[cruisead]

To be honest, I find tweens and teenagers to be more of a pain in the behind than the babies and toddlers. The younger set are almost always with a parent, but those tweens and teens always seem to be out on their own, getting into all kinds of stuff, and we've encountered more problems with those kids than younger kids.

[spookwife]

I If OP's little one starts to make a fuss, surely she will pick him up and immediately remove him from the situation until he calms down.

 

Most parents detest the thought of their children disturbing others. We all need to be respectful of one another- young and old alike, and there is no indication that the OP wouldn't handle a meltdown situation appropriately.

 

 

except they DON'T far more often than they do.

especially if they paid extra for their meal and are unwilling to miss out/get stuck with cold food

 

while I am not fond of being subjected to toddlers( well behaved or otherwise, well behaved ones like to screech in happiness which causes physical pain in my husband due an ear issue he has) they are more appropriate in the MDR than in any specialty

 

Until a child can sit through a 2 plus hour FORMAL Meal, without a meltdown, or being bored, they do not belong in a specialty restaurant.

[SC_Floaters]

Posted in the Wikipedia description of Toddler

 

"If I want it, it’s mine.

If I give it to you and change my mind later, it’s mine.

If I can take it away from you, it's mine.

If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

If it's mine it will never belong to anyone else, no matter what.

If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.

If it looks like mine, it's mine."

 

From Burton L. White in his Raising a Happy, Unspoiled Child

[SC_Floaters]

Posted in the Wikipedia description of Toddler

 

"If I want it, it’s mine.

If I give it to you and change my mind later, it’s mine.

If I can take it away from you, it's mine.

If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

If it's mine it will never belong to anyone else, no matter what.

If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.

If it looks like mine, it's mine."

 

From Burton L. White in his Raising a Happy, Unspoiled Child

 

Sounds Like A Lot Of Folks I Know...

[jhans24]

Have dinner specific toys that you only bring out during dinner. Dinners are long. You dont want your tot to already be bored with the toys.

[hcat]

We went to the specialty lunch at Tuscan on Connie...a very nice treat.

 

Two couples had children...one family was a pleasure with lively well behaved children, good manners , etc. The toddler was good as gold b/c the parents made it a special outing,

 

Another couple had an infant that fussed, dropped toys and bottle, spoons etc, and cried loudly all the way through, Baby was never quieted by the oblivious parents or taken out for a bit, Staff is put in a difficult position b/c they have to field other diner's complaints about the disruption yet keep the fussy baby family happy too.

 

OP gets it, so I suggest they might want to try a specialty for lunch rather than dinner...or even a dinner at Bistro now that menu is being expanded there. Just a thought.

 

.