Travel with a 5-year-old

[wanderingnsw]

Hi was wondering if anyone has ever traveled Silverseas with a younger kid. I've never been on a cruise before and I'm considering booking an Alaskan cruise and I like that this company has smaller ships. I will however be traveling with my (then) 5-year-old daughter. I've gone lots of places with her and we don't do typical 'kid' things when we travel, but I just wanted to see if she (or I) would feel out of place. I'm also looking into a cruise on RSSC, so I'm going to ask the same question on that forum. Any insight would be amazing. 

 

Thanks!

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, wanderingnsw said:

Hi was wondering if anyone has ever traveled Silverseas with a younger kid. I've never been on a cruise before and I'm considering booking an Alaskan cruise and I like that this company has smaller ships. I will however be traveling with my (then) 5-year-old daughter. I've gone lots of places with her and we don't do typical 'kid' things when we travel, but I just wanted to see if she (or I) would feel out of place. I'm also looking into a cruise on RSSC, so I'm going to ask the same question on that forum. Any insight would be amazing. 

 

Thanks!

You should be aware that there is nothing for a 5 year old to do on a Silversea ship, there are no specialist staff or facilities. SS also attracts an older generation of clients who generally travel on up market cruise ships without children.

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, Silver Spectre said:

You should be aware that there is nothing for a 5 year old to do on a Silversea ship, there are no specialist staff or facilities. SS also attracts an older generation of clients who generally travel on up market cruise ships without children.

Posted in error.

 

However, I can’t see a problem with taking a 5 year old.  You are off the ship most days, but it will mean early nights for you in the cabin.

 

2 hours ago, wanderingnsw said:

Edited January 30, 2023 by Port Power

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, Silver Spectre said:

You should be aware that there is nothing for a 5 year old to do on a Silversea ship, there are no specialist staff or facilities.

Do they have high chairs or booster chairs for a 5-year old?  I can’t remember.

 

Silver Princess didn’t sail on SS until she was 11.  It was easy at that age because she loved to read, play cards and board games, and readily conversed with adults who engaged her (Duct Tape, JollyJones, Rojann, etc.).  And, even though she was quite independent and well behaved at 5, I couldn’t imagine taking her on SS at that age.

[Stumblefoot]

3 minutes ago, Port Power said:

There might be safety regulations regarding children, whether Antarctica regulations…

Alaska is radically different than Antarctica.  Plus, tons of kids are on Alaskan voyages.

[Silver Spectre]

5 minutes ago, Port Power said:

Then again, she might get spoilt rotten by passengers missing their grandchildren!

 

I would contact Silversea directly.  There might be safety regulations regarding children, whether Antarctica regulations or perhaps even due to height and weight.

 

 

The OP didn’t mention Antarctica.

[Port Power]

Just now, Silver Spectre said:

The OP didn’t mention Antarctica.

That’s why I removed my comments.  I misread.

[Silver Spectre]

3 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Do they have high chairs or booster chairs for a 5-year old?  I can’t remember.

Screaming Nico had a high chair.

[wanderingnsw]

Ok. Thank you all for the opinions. She doesn't use a high chair or a booster. In general, I planned on just having early nights in (post dinner). I'm not really a 'cruise' person, and I'm really just considering one to Alaska because it seems to be the most efficient way to see things there. 

 

SS does allow children, so no problem there. For me the point of the trip is to see Alaska, not necessarily to cruise. 

[Post it]

For Alaska, I think Regent may be a better choice.  We took our grade school daughter on RSSC during the summer when they offer children's activities for ages 5 and up.  She enjoyed the crafts and meeting other children her age.

[wanderingnsw]

2 hours ago, Post it said:

For Alaska, I think Regent may be a better choice.  We took our grade school daughter on RSSC during the summer when they offer children's activities for ages 5 and up.  She enjoyed the crafts and meeting other children her age.

Oh. This is good to know. I think the more I research the more it seems like Regent would be a better cruise line for us than SS. I just loved the size of the rooms on the SS cruises! haha. 

[geekgirl23]

Our 7-year-old has been on a number of SS cruises (starting at lot earlier than age 5) and has had a wonderful time on each of them. We've never felt out of place traveling with him (and we take him everywhere we can and as often as we can!), even on Silversea. The crew has always spoiled him absolutely rotten. And though there are not typically any organized activities for him, they almost always find something special (a board game, stuffed animal, etc) for him while onboard.

 

If Regent has organized kids activities, I agree that would be a bonus, but truly, my child doesn't know the difference and still has a blast. I've heard onboard previously that there tend to be more kids on the summer Alaska cruises and that the larger ships may actually have kids activities if there are enough around. We've never done that sailing, so I can't confirm.   

 

And to respond to previous posts, yes, they do have high chairs (though I'm not sure about boosters; they used to always prop him up on a bunch pillows when he was in that size range). I think we only ever went once when he was still in the high chair phase and there may have only been one, so it seemed to follow us around to whichever venue we were dining in. 

[suesilton]

I have attached a page from the Chronicle.  Our 7 year old Granddaughter had the time of her life.  We were concerned about taking her with the rest of the family on the cruise,  but wouldn’t think of not taking her. There were quite a few children and teenagers on the cruise. Go for it!

[gcornell]

We’ve taken our kids on SS cruises and they always had a great time.  Do it. However, i will warn you.  Once you set the bar that high… 😜  Now my kids think it’s normal to have milk and cooking delivered to their room. 

[ak1004]

How much you pay for children that age on SS?

 

 

 

 

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

How much you pay for children that age on SS?

Depends on the voyage, but during Silver Princess's pre-teen and teen years her fare was typically around 30% of our adult fare, as she was the third passenger in the same suite.  In Antarctica, when celebrating her 21st birthday, her fare was 80% of ours in the same suite.

[gcornell]

2 hours ago, ak1004 said:

How much you pay for children that age on SS?

 

 

 

 

 

“Kids in between 2 and 17 years old (at the time they embark) are eligible for a 50% extra saving; children below 2 years old are eligible for 75% extra saving. To benefit from the promotion children must be booked as 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th pax in suite. Guests 1st and 2nd are not eligible, regardless of age. Date of birth to be provided at time of reservation to validate eligibility. The age that will apply will be the age of the child at the time of sailing”

[drron29]

Go for it. We have had grandchildren with us on an Expedition cruise up the west coast of Africa. They were spoilt rotten by the crew and other guests. There were a few other guests that obviously disliked their presence but overwhelmingly accepted by other guests. A few expressed the wish that they should have brought their grandkids along.

 

Should be a marvellous experience for your daughter.

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, gcornell said:

Kids in between 2 and 17 years old (at the time they embark) are eligible for a 50% extra saving…

Looks like they raised the price on kids post-Covid!

 

Could not imagine 6 passengers (2 adults + 4 kids) in a Vista or Verandah suite, regardless of age.

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

Looks like they raised the price on kids post-Covid!

 

Could not imagine 6 passengers (2 adults + 4 kids) in a Vista or Verandah suite, regardless of age.

 

I tried to do mock booking (this is for my friends who want to travel with their 7 years old son) and the minimum category available for 2 adults and 1 child is superior veranda. Strange because Vista is the same size, so why wouldn't they allow a third passenger in Vista?

[MrsWaldo]

Depends on the ship

 

There are suites designated for 3 pax.  Fold down sofa bed.   Possibly either no 3 on that cruise or that ship….

 

most likely the cruise though 

Edited January 31, 2023 by MrsWaldo

[ak1004]

7 hours ago, MrsWaldo said:

Depends on the ship

 

There are suites designated for 3 pax.  Fold down sofa bed.   Possibly either no 3 on that cruise or that ship….

 

most likely the cruise though 

 

Dawn. They can always put a fold down sofa bed in any cabin I assume?

[Mr Luxury]

11 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

I tried to do mock booking (this is for my friends who want to travel with their 7 years old son) and the minimum category available for 2 adults and 1 child is superior veranda. Strange because Vista is the same size, so why wouldn't they allow a third passenger in Vista?

That's in case you want to put the kid on the balcony.

[ak1004]

7 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

That's in case you want to put the kid on the balcony.

 

Some people might prefer to put the spouse on the balcony..

[Stumblefoot]

12 hours ago, ak1004 said:

Strange because Vista is the same size, so why wouldn't they allow a third passenger in Vista?

I’m not sure. Even on the Cloud in Antarctica, they allowed three of us in a Vista. SS just rolled in a bed right next to the couch.

 

56 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

Some people might prefer to put the spouse on the balcony..

Let’s not give Silver Queen any ideas.