To those who cruise with children....what age to start??

[JENANDGENE]

We have a DD who is 19 mo old and we are thinking about planning a cruise for all of us next year.... is 3 too young to bring her? Will we still enjoy it as much chasing after her? Will she enjoy it?

 

Thanks

 

Jen~~

 

going Platinum may 7 on Adventure!

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Jen, we started cruising with our children at 9 months of age. That was easy though because it was easy to contain them. I think 3 should be good. The big thing is that they must be toilet trained to go to Adventure Ocean. Your child will have a great time in there. They take great care of the kids.

 

If you are not the type to put your child in the Adventure Ocean program then, depending on your child, it could be crazy trying to keep track of them.

 

We could have handled our either way but our weren't the types who put everything in their mouth and they weren't big climbers either.

 

I think you will be fine. Go and enjoy!

[AKKKMILLER4]

We first took our children when they were 3 and 4 and they loved it.

[LisaGoeke]

I've taken ours as young as 14 weeks. I can say that so far the best was when our youngest were 4 1/2, they were old enough to utilize the kids club which meant mom and dad got some relaxing time together. We did a Disney cruise when they were 2 1/2 and it was a really hard age and we never got to relax as we were constantly chasing after them (plus they couldn't swim in the pool since they weren't potty trained).

 

I think 3 is a good age.

[kelbell]

I can honestly say I wished we started earlier. They where 10 and 12 on thier first cruise. I can't say I would at age 3 but around 5 or 6. I think school age is a good starting point. That way they are use to other people besides you setting the rules. And able to communicate any problems. I have seen younger than 3 having a great time. So I guess any age would have fun:D

[BarbaraM]

Depends on how you view your vacation -- it it is to spend some quality time as a couple -- a few hours a day, and your child separates easily and is sociable, -- take them as early as they are toilet trained. If you plan on not using the child program -- I would wait -- cabins are small, there are not too many decks that you would feel comfortable letting your little one run free -- In this case a land vacation might be more fun for you and them. Sure you can take them, but restraining a toddler, forcing them to sit in a highchair for hours for dining, being concerned about safety and the little one's habit of sometimes being cranky -- well, seems like its more trouble than its worth.

 

I think the kids get the most out of cruises around school age -- mine loved the kids programs. They begin to think they are too cool to use them around 11 -- so definitely get a few in before then!

[amarco]

My son was 8 months old the first time he cruised. He will be 19 tomorrow and has been on about 25 cruises. He goes again in May.

[cb at sea]

I have to agree with BarbaraM. If the cruise is for you and you must go and you want to bring them, fine. But they will not remember it or appreciate it at this age. I think 8-10 is probably a good time to start. I've seen so many parents at places like Disney World with crying tots, saying things like," Don't you know how much we spent for you to have fun?" Or, "We're doing this for you!" Kids like routine and these vacations really take them out of their routine. That said, you know your kids ( and yourselves) best!

[crusinmama06]

We started at 7 months. My kids will be 3 and 7 when we embark on the next one.

 

I am one of those who believe that you can take a child at any age. Three is a nice age on RCCL though because of the kids club starting at that age.

 

On some other cruiselines, kids programs start as young as 2. And on DCL, they even have nurseries for toddlers.

 

My kids know what is expected of them in situations like a cruise ship because they are being taught young.

[FIRELT5]

Our son's 1st cruise was when he was 8 months old. He is 2 1/2 now and will be completing his 6th cruise on the NCL Dawn this Thursday 3-16.

[viking30]

I think 3 years old is a great age, we took our daughter on an 11 day cruise when she had just turned 3, it was a great vacation. She LOVED the kids club, whenever we gave her the option of spending time with us or going to the kids club she always picked the kids club! So it was the perfect mix of alone time with my husband and me and family time.

[BrenGina]

Mine were 1 and 4 when they started and have been on 4 cruises so far including the 2 week Med. cruise. They will be on an Alaska cruise next year and will be 11 and 14. I have never regretted bringing them. I think cruising is the best way to see the world as a family and give them an education that cannot be learned in school. Take yours as young as possible:) .

[time4u2go]

Wait until 18. Years, that is. ;)

 

Actually, the earlier you start them, the better (for them).

[shirleygr]

I agree, three is a great age but only if your child is used to going to preschool or daycare. My Jessica was overwhelmed by the kids program her first cruise, especially since her older sister was at WDW with the grandparents. Once she started preschool, the next cruise went much better with her participating and giving dh and I some grown-up time as well as family quality time. We found it's very important to make sure our kids get some rest time everyday too. Otherwise the crankies can get pretty bad. We also didn't use the extended child care hours as that was just way too late for them. 10:00 was pushing it, but they were having such a great time with their new friends.

As others have said, you know your child best. I think cruising is a wonderful family vacation, offering the best of both worlds--adult time and kid time.

Enjoy.

[The Grumpus]

I have to agree the other post. My brother-in-law and his wife brought their three yr old on Jewel last January and she just had a blast the entire cruise. She even made it through first seating every night except one. That night she went to Adventure Ocean and we all went to chops. We were never interrupted during the meal and she loved being at AO. Our waitress in the main dining room loved having her there and entertained her all the time. The only time she got cranky was the morning she had to leave the ship. I think we created another cruise-addict that week.

[Bigerr19]

We have a DD who is 19 mo old and we are thinking about planning a cruise for all of us next year.... is 3 too young to bring her? Will we still enjoy it as much chasing after her? Will she enjoy it?

 

Thanks

 

Jen~~

 

going Platinum may 7 on Adventure!

 

Our son will be 6 months old on our next cruise, which happens to be the same May 7 Adventure cruise you're on! I know it will be different than our past cruises, but I plan on enjoying it just as much. Fortunately he won't quite be at the age where I'll have to chase him around. :D

[Bruin Steve]

We took our daughters on their first cruise when they were 3 and 5 (to be exact, 3 years, 2 and a half months for the younger one...and the older ones 5th Birthday was on the ship!)...It was one of the old Disney Big Red Boat cruise/DisneyWorld cruise vacations...

 

Everything was perfectly appropriate for the kids that age...

 

But, here's my one big caveat:

I have never been one who cared much about cabin location on a ship...

BUT, that is the one cruise where I really wished we had a better located cabin...

Our Cabin was in the very front of the ship...

The kids' area was at the very rear of the ship...

Every night, we entrusted our kids to the kids' program...and by the time we came to get them, they were fast asleep...

Which meant that every night, we carried a three year old and a five year old THE LENGTH OF THE SHIP!!!

Oh, how we wished we had chosen a cabin near the kids' program!!!

 

Good luck...

[rncruiser]

I think it really depends on your child. When DS was 1 we would take him to restaurants and by the end of the meal say "Why do we put ourselves thru this torture." He would just never stay seated. He ran around the restaurant and more food ended up on the floor than in his mouth. We cruised without him when he was 2 1/2 and couldn't imagine how our week would have been if we had to spend 21 meals with him in the dining room. The first time he cruised with us he was 12 and we had a wonderful time. We probably could have taken him several years earlier, but definitely not before he was 7. His sister was 7 at the time of that first cruise but we could have taken her when she was 1. She has always been well behaved and we have never had to have a second thought about taking her anywhere.