Taking 2.5 year old on NCL ? Thoughts/tips/advice

[jessvee]

I've read through so many posts on here and I am torn. My mom wants to take our family on a cruise next January on the NCL Breakaway. She already put deposits down on rooms for my brothers and I. However, I have a daughter that will be 2.5 at that time. At first I had all intentions of her going with us and it being a great time but then after I started thinking about it more, I'm not sure it's a great idea. I have been on one NCL cruise about 10 years ago and LOVED it! I don't remember there being many children, but I just wonder how anyone handles a toddler on a ship! I don't have anyone to stay home with her/watch her as an option, so I would just not go along which isn't the end of the world to (to my mom, it is). I have no doubt my child won't be potty trained by then, so the on ship pools would be a no go, which I could see her being sad about as she LOVES water. I mostly worry about her behavior and disrupting her normal day to day life that she ends up being miserable. She thrives on a schedule and she's ok missing a nap occasionally, but we've had some rough days when her schedule is completely shaken up. I also don't want to spend a "vacation" sitting in a cramped room with her the whole time. No one else going has young children coming and I have the option to bring a 3/4 guest but I don't have anyone close to us that I'd want to bring. Granted it's a year away, so much can change. I just wanted to get others opinions on their experiences/recommendations. There are only 2 sea days, one in the beginning and one at the end and it is 7 days long overall. 

[mjkacmom]

Personally, I honestly don’t know what I’d do all day with a toddler on a ship. My kids were also structured, at that age were still napping from 1 - 4. I doesn’t sound relaxing, especially getting stuck in the cabin at 8 pm. What about carnival, where kids clubs start at 2? Or one of the RCL ships with splash areas? If it helps, 3 out of my 5 were potty trained at 2 1/2, but my first  2 were 3+, i was a rookie.

[Two Wheels Only]

I've cruised when mine were younger than 2 and it was a great time. The scheduled naps are important but often times, a parent can nap at the same time. We've never sailed without a balcony so naptime for child can be "chill on the balcony with a drink or 2" time for the adult. Grandma can babysit a few times while parent(s) can go out in the evening.

 

As for the pools, no diapers of any kind are allowed on the ship but there will be beaches that she can enjoy since she loves water.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Two Wheels Only

[cathi007]

Jessvee, 

We are sailing on the Escape in 14 days on a 14 night with my DD, S-I-L, 3 y/o grand son and 14 m/o grand daughter. We have connecting mini suites. This will be the youngest I have ever sailed with, as we didn't start cruising until my youngest was about 7. The Escape has a nursery $$$, and the kids club for the 3 y/o. We will use both very little. I think you will be fine, especially since there will be a big ratio of adults to children. As a grandmother, I am so excited about having the little ones on this cruise. I can't wait to see the 3 y/o's face when he first sees the ship. I will report back to you when we get back. I am sure it won't be perfect, but it will all work out. We are also taking my daughter's family on this cruise. My daughter has cancer and we want to celebrate life :). Let your mom treat you, it will be memories for all 🙂 

[Sauer-kraut]

OP go over to the Specialty Cruising section of CC and have a look at Family Cruises.  You will get a lot of helpful information on cruising with toddlers.  I don't think you'd have much problem with your daughter, just keep her to a schedule.  Naptime is naptime and since NCL is Freestyle you dnon't have to worry about assigned dining times so you can always get a meal at your regular time.

[Peachypooh]

We have cruised with a 3 year old but she was potty trained. As she was my granddaughter that I don't get to

see too much I spent a lot of time with her including having her sleep over in our cabin so her parents could

go out in the evening. Talk to your Mom and see if she is thinking she will spend some time with your

child or if you will be the sole caretaker. I realize that it might be an awkward conversation to have but it will be important information for you to have to make your decision. It can be a lot of fun for the family to do a cruise together.

[Shidah]

Many 2 and 1/2 year olds are potty trained, I know not all, but all the kids in our family were.  So don’t assume she won’t be, it can 100% be accomplished.  Make it a goal/game to have it down by the cruise.  

[Barb Nahoumi]

You may be pleasantly surprised, and your daughter will be potty-trained when she is two.  All of my granddaughters were.

 

Anyway, she will have plenty of opportunity to go to a beach while in port, and your family can help to entertain her.  The ship can provide a pack & play for her to sleep in.

[schipke13]

I just got off the Breakaway this morning with my almost 2.5 year old son, Parker. It was overall a great trip. He did have some meltdowns but there were 4 adults to take turns with him, when needed. My parents were in a connecting balcony with us and that helped having the extra space to run around in. He really enjoyed being out on the balcony a lot, too. My parents weren’t big on going to shows or staying out late so they would watch him so hubby and I could have a few date nights, New Years Eve being one of them. 

 

We had no expectations on this cruise but to chill. We did not book any excursions. But we went into all the ports for shopping. We were back by lunch/nap time with the exception of Harvest Caye. That was a beach day and that boy LOVED the sand. One evening my mom and I took Parker for a stroll on the Waterfront. He just liked walking around. A lot of time was spent going to eat, whether it was buffet, sit down meals, or getting ice cream at random times of the day. 

 

Also, NCL has a guppies program for 6 month old up to 3 years. They have a playroom with toys for them, but you will have to stay with them. Most evenings at 5:00 there were activities with the crew for about half an hour. One was balloon painting, another was storytime with games. Again, you stay with them the whole time during the activities, but it gives them a chance to burn off excess energy in a safe space. 

 

I hope that helps. 

[kitkat343]

When I was on my honeymoon before I had kids, I met  a family at Angkor Watt with 2 kids, aged 7 and 9.  They were traveling around the world for 6 months.  I was really impressed and figured I'd never be able to do that.  And now I have kids, and know for an absolute fact that I cannot do that.  So there are some families who can tell you the truth that they had a wonderful time taking an infant/toddler on a cruise, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be the same for you.  A lot depends upon your energy level and your child's temperament.  My SIL has 4 girls under the age of 9, but they're all calm girls who can sit down for long periods and play board games.   My oldest two are boys who never stop moving, so its a completely different experience.  Since your child struggles with changes to her routine it could be a bit more challenging.

 

What I have done is recognize my limitations and stayed home until my children were two and able to use drop off kids club.   My kids stay with me all day on tours, and spend sea days in the kids club where they are happy and I have a chance to rest because it is exhausting chasing after a toddler through Europe.  Cunard and Carnival start drop off care at the age of 2, and Disney and most Royal Caribbean ships and the NCL escape have nurseries you can pay per hour for ages 6 months - 3 years.  

 

Since your mom wants to go on this vacation, its time for a very frank discussion with her of how that can happen. Is your mom actually capable of watching your child for part of the time?  Is she willing to do so?  We've travelled with the grandparents, and they have quite reasonably chosen to spend their free time doing ship activities instead of babysitting.  Which is completely fine since we controlled the itinerary and chose trips that had daycare available so we didn't need help.  So the discussion needs to be about what your mother would like most - to be on the Breakaway by herself, to switch to a Cunard or Carnival ship or ship with a nursery, or to go on the Breakaway with you and spend part of each day watching her grandchild.  Give her some options and see what she'd prefer.  Normally your mom, like my parents and in-laws, aren't responsible for helping, but if she strongly wants this trip to happen then she needs to either be flexible with the planning or with the child care on the ship.  

 

My signature line has reviews of my trips with kids (I was pregnant with my first in Alaska; the rest of the reviews are with kids ages 2-6) but they're a little more helpful if you are going to tour cities, as opposed to visiting beaches.  Best of luck to you.

Edited January 7, 2019 by kitkat343

[newmexicoNita]

I have seen and talked with many families cruising with toddlers: it is a mixed bag: I would say 1/2 have had a great time but they admit,there are many things you have to give up: it is hard to enjoy a specialty meal in a specialty dining room as little ones do not have the ability to sit quietly for a couple of hours and parents worry about the kids bothering others. or they sould anyway. The shows are often a no/no for the same reasons. On the positive side, the crew loves the little ones. Many 2 1/2 year olds are completely potty trained. I know my kids were as were our 5 great grandkids. So this may not be an issue at all. There is no way to judge what will work. Only you know your child and you are talking about a year from now. Make sure if you decide to go you plan for others in the family helping with your little one, so everyone can have a great time. 

[kerryincork]

I have travelled with a 2 1/2 y.o. She loved it and spoke about it for ages afterwards. There was 3 adults mum & 2 aunties we took it in turns during nap times and the evenings. Mum let her stay up later than normal. None of us are particular night owls.

 

She loved all the shows, she was mesmerised by them and wanted to be on stage too 😊

She was potty trained and loved the kids slide, there was a paddling pool too, the pools were too deep for her.

 

I agree with others about talking to your mum, in regards to helping out with child care, but I don't think you will need that much.

 

We also took her to the beach, which she loved.

 

We ate in the buffet and dinning room. We would take her first to the buffet and give her, her dinner and then we would all go to the MDR with a coloring book and order ice-cream for her and ask the wait staff to bring it straight away. She was a very slow eater, so it would occupy her for a good portion of the meal.

[GetMeOutOfMN]

As others have said, this is more dependent on you, your kid and your expectations... We took my daughter on a Disney cruise when she was almost 3.  They did have a nursery but the hours never really coincided with anything (like the hours available were from 4-7, but the shows started at 6 and 9), so if you decide to explore other lines, check that.  She does enjoy eating and thought dressing up and sitting at the big main dining tables was very cool.  She also enjoyed the shows (being Disney, most were age-appropriate).  Beach days were super fun and we enjoyed walking around the shops in Nassau.  She did lose her pacifier on the cruise, and that was a little cause for worry as it was part of her bedtime routine, but with all the excitement of the days she got by fine after the first night or two.  We did eventually find it jammed into the pull-down bed but we just tossed it and that was the end of that!  If your child relies on structure you'll want to try your best to stick to that structure or start to acclimate her to minor schedule disruptions.  Definitely a balcony so if you do spend some time in the room, you can at least enjoy the view and sun!  Good luck!

[cdnsteelman]

You know your child best and I strongly suggest you trust your instincts. This coming from someone who has gleefully and successfully cruised with two children on a regular basis since they passed the 6-month minimum threshold. That said there were two of us and in the early days we could afford suites so we had more space. There are planned parent-and-tot activities for those not old enough (3 years old) for the Splash Academy.

 

I've also read the comments on here from others about potty training. In my experience this only successfully happened when the child is ready. So you may find success in potty training before your cruise and you may not and nobody can tell you otherwise regardless of what their personal experience may have been.

 

It is reasonably easy to keep your child on schedule on the ship but that means you will be sequestered to your cabin at bed-time and if you are to be the sole or primary care-giver you need to be prepared for that. Here's one tip if you do go that worked for us. When our eldest was splash-eligible and her little brother wasn't we took a good quality collapsable stroller (our was a Maclaren XT) with a lay-flat setting and full shade cover. We were fortunate that our younger guy LOVED falling asleep in his stroller. So - at bed time (~7pm for him) he'd fall asleep in his stroller and his sister would go to Splash. We then went to specialty restaurants while he slept in his stroller table-side while we dined.

 

We also learned early on that a really good "diaper" backpack was essential (invaluable even if you have moved beyond diapers). There are lots out there but we used one made by Okkatots that was an absolute life saver.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

We started cruising with DS when he was over 3 and potty trained (finally potty trained at 3 years and 4 months), but he still napped. He is also very routine oriented and does not do kid's club due to stranger and separation anxiety.

 

I let my DH explore the ship on his own or go chill elsewhere while DS napped and I either read a book or listened to one on an mp3 player. DH would then stay with DS at 9 pm for his night sleep, while I went to see the shows. Other than the nap/sleep times, we enjoyed ourselves as a family on the ship and off the ship as well. If you are only going to have 2 sea days - it's not too bad if the kid can't use the pool. 

 

We enjoyed cruising with DS, even though we went on a cruise without him twice (he was 9 months and 2.5 yo at the time). Our lifesaver is a tablet with cartoons and games, especially during MDR dinners.

[Traveling Fools]

Took out youngest granddaughter on her first cruise when she was 2 1/2.  We all had fun.  She adjusted well and being one of only two infants on the San Diego to Miami cruise she was one of the most popular passengers aboard.  She just turned 9 and has 6-cruises under her belt and a 7th one scheduled for this March.  Her younger brother who just turned 6 started cruising at about the same age and has been a stellar shipmate.  We get them involved with the planning and that has seemed to help bridge a lot of concerns regarding how they would adapt to shore excursions.  We also tend to book private excursions which also helps eliminate a lot of potential nuisance  issues with other passengers and provides a better nap environment. 

[got2havefun]

Disney does great for kids that age.

[TrpngBilly]

Cruised when our daughter was 18 months and it was fabulous.  NCL crew always went out of their way to engage her and we had no trouble keeping her occupied on the ship as well as finding time to get her naps in.  It was such a success we have cruised with our kids each year since 2011 including when our son was 13 months and just like previously, crew was engaging and welcoming to all of us.

 

Our kids are 9 & 7 now and they enjoy cruising, usually getting new pen pals from their friendships made in Splash Academy.  When our kids were younger and we sailed there was no Guppies program but now there is so even the little ones have some things they can do.

 

We had no issues cruising with our kids when they were under 2.

[BNBR]

I wouldn't sail NCL with a 2.5 year old.

 

Carnival has full camp for 2 year olds with diaper changes and everything.  Lots of fun activities.  NCL and Royal is 3+ and they have to be potty trained.

 

The other option I would go with is Royal Caribbean, one of their ships that has the new H2O zone like Harmony of the Seas which has a play area for children still in swim diapers.  Plus play rooms, movie theater, boardwalk with carousel, etc. etc.

 

I personally would not enjoy vacation one bit if I had my 2 year old with me every waking moment.  I'd rather just stay home where we can swim and play with their normal stuff.  Which is why I'd do Carnival.

Edited January 8, 2019 by BNBR

[cathi007]

1 hour ago, BNBR said:

I wouldn't sail NCL with a 2.5 year old.

 

Carnival has full camp for 2 year olds with diaper changes and everything.  Lots of fun activities.  NCL and Royal is 3+ and they have to be potty trained.

 

The other option I would go with is Royal Caribbean, one of their ships that has the new H2O zone like Harmony of the Seas which has a play area for children still in swim diapers.  Plus play rooms, movie theater, boardwalk with carousel, etc. etc.

 

I personally would not enjoy vacation one bit if I had my 2 year old with me every waking moment.  I'd rather just stay home where we can swim and play with their normal stuff.  Which is why I'd do Carnival.

The Escape has a nursery for children up to 3. We are sailing with a 3 y/o and 14 m/o, but we are the grand parents. Mom and dad will be on the cruise too. We have connecting minis, so we can help out and give my DD and her hubby "date" nights :). It's going to be awesome for us (grand-parents) ❤️

[BNBR]

48 minutes ago, cathi007 said:

The Escape has a nursery for children up to 3. We are sailing with a 3 y/o and 14 m/o, but we are the grand parents. Mom and dad will be on the cruise too. We have connecting minis, so we can help out and give my DD and her hubby "date" nights :). It's going to be awesome for us (grand-parents) ❤️

 

I should have clarified better.  Yes, Escape has a nursery, as do the Royal Caribbean ships for children under 3 and non-potty trained children.  The NCL nursery is an extra charge and it's just a nursery, not camp.  On Carnival, it's fully included, it's available virtually all day/evening, and it's a full camp with 2 - 5 year olds - all sorts of activities and camp stuff accordingly.  They will also change diapers and not just call the parent.  If you have a child that is 2 years old (or even 3+ and not potty trained) - then Carnival is by far the best for day care/camp.

 

All of the major lines have "options" and if a single time block or two is all that's needed, the nursery might be fine.  But I know my 2.5 year old massively enjoyed Camp Carnival and when we sailed Royal a few months later, we had to use the nursery and he hated it because it wasn't camp, it was just baby sitting, basically - with babies trying to sleep.  NCL would be similar.

[TrpngBilly]

2 hours ago, BNBR said:

I wouldn't sail NCL with a 2.5 year old.

 

Carnival has full camp for 2 year olds with diaper changes and everything.  Lots of fun activities.  NCL and Royal is 3+ and they have to be potty trained.

 

The other option I would go with is Royal Caribbean, one of their ships that has the new H2O zone like Harmony of the Seas which has a play area for children still in swim diapers.  Plus play rooms, movie theater, boardwalk with carousel, etc. etc.

 

I personally would not enjoy vacation one bit if I had my 2 year old with me every waking moment.  I'd rather just stay home where we can swim and play with their normal stuff.  Which is why I'd do Carnival.

NCL now offers the Guppies program for children under 3.  It is not identical to the other age groups in Splash Academy but it is an option not previously available to families.  Programs vary by ship so I would research the Splash Academy info for any NCL ship you're considering.

[Gampy1967]

Drop your little one off in the Guppies shortly after Embarkation and pick them back up just before Disembarkation a week later.  They will have a blast.

Edited January 8, 2019 by Gampy1967

[jessvee]

On 1/5/2019 at 2:08 PM, cathi007 said:

Jessvee, 

We are sailing on the Escape in 14 days on a 14 night with my DD, S-I-L, 3 y/o grand son and 14 m/o grand daughter. We have connecting mini suites. This will be the youngest I have ever sailed with, as we didn't start cruising until my youngest was about 7. The Escape has a nursery $$$, and the kids club for the 3 y/o. We will use both very little. I think you will be fine, especially since there will be a big ratio of adults to children. As a grandmother, I am so excited about having the little ones on this cruise. I can't wait to see the 3 y/o's face when he first sees the ship. I will report back to you when we get back. I am sure it won't be perfect, but it will all work out. We are also taking my daughter's family on this cruise. My daughter has cancer and we want to celebrate life :). Let your mom treat you, it will be memories for all 🙂 

Thank you :) hope you enjoy your cruise!! 

[jessvee]

On 1/7/2019 at 10:53 AM, cdnsteelman said:

You know your child best and I strongly suggest you trust your instincts. This coming from someone who has gleefully and successfully cruised with two children on a regular basis since they passed the 6-month minimum threshold. That said there were two of us and in the early days we could afford suites so we had more space. There are planned parent-and-tot activities for those not old enough (3 years old) for the Splash Academy.

 

I've also read the comments on here from others about potty training. In my experience this only successfully happened when the child is ready. So you may find success in potty training before your cruise and you may not and nobody can tell you otherwise regardless of what their personal experience may have been.

 

It is reasonably easy to keep your child on schedule on the ship but that means you will be sequestered to your cabin at bed-time and if you are to be the sole or primary care-giver you need to be prepared for that. Here's one tip if you do go that worked for us. When our eldest was splash-eligible and her little brother wasn't we took a good quality collapsable stroller (our was a Maclaren XT) with a lay-flat setting and full shade cover. We were fortunate that our younger guy LOVED falling asleep in his stroller. So - at bed time (~7pm for him) he'd fall asleep in his stroller and his sister would go to Splash. We then went to specialty restaurants while he slept in his stroller table-side while we dined.

 

We also learned early on that a really good "diaper" backpack was essential (invaluable even if you have moved beyond diapers). There are lots out there but we used one made by Okkatots that was an absolute life saver.

 

Thank you for the tips and advice!! I will look into those items if we decide to tag along :)