If you are taking young kids on Carnival.....

[crusinmama06]

Take a sippy cup WITH YOU! Luckily I had packed some sippy cups for my 2 year old....but Carnival (unlike Disney) serves everyones drinks (inlcuding the toddlers) in a big wine glass.

 

Also, we had a tough time getting a highchair on Carnival Elation, so I wished I had brought our child seat for the table.

 

And another thing...on Elation although it says there is a "Children's Pool", the kids pool was 4 foot 9 inches DEEP....and with me at 5'4 it went to my nose. There is NO kid's pool. And the kids have to be 48" tall to use the slide. AND it was FREEZING.

 

Just wanted to warn future family cruisers. It was a wonderful cruise...but I wished I had a seat with us.

[Aidansmommy2]

Thanks for the heads-up Michelle. I always carry a sippy cup or the kind with the built in straw for my 2 year old, but sometimes I just plain forget. I will be sure his cups are on the top of my packing list, along with our portable booster seat just in case! :)

Barb

[Cruisin' Chick]

Yes, it pays to be sure and not assume that all your toddler's needs will be met by the cruiseline. Take along extra diapers, pullups, Cheerios and whatever else your child may need. If you're flying to your embarkation port, go a day ahead and plan a shopping trip. We even carried a shopping bag with juice boxes, along with wine, onto a ship.

[CWNNP]

OMG, I am 4 ft 10 inches tall (!!), wonder if i'll be able to hold my own nose out of the water if i stand on my tippy toes in the "children's pool"???????LOL

 

When we cruised on the Inspiration in april 2005 I was so surprised and disappointed disappointed about the pools being so small/deep/COLD !! For our upcoming cruise on the elation i guess i was sort of expecting it to be the same, so was planning our pre and post cruise hotels around places with nice heated pools...and for shore excursions, we plan on basically swimming and beaches that are good for kids.... not expecting to swim on the boat at all ! :(

 

Thanks for the sippy cup advice, just one of those things that i would plan to bring then probably forget!

 

Were they really short on high chairs??? Darn! i had hoped it would be no problem to get one, i'd rather not pack the booster seat, but i will if finding a high chair will be an issue each night!! Michele, specifically, was the high chair shortage in the dining room or the buffet? or both? were there any times at dinner in the dining room that you had to do without one? (we'll be eating mainly in the dining room with our 2 1/2 yr old daughter since she has a severe nut allergy)

 

Thanks for posting this info, how did you enjoy the itinerary on the elation?

 

Eden

[crusinmama06]

OMG, I am 4 ft 10 inches tall (!!), wonder if i'll be able to hold my own nose out of the water if i stand on my tippy toes in the "children's pool"???????LOL

 

When we cruised on the Inspiration in april 2005 I was so surprised and disappointed disappointed about the pools being so small/deep/COLD !! For our upcoming cruise on the elation i guess i was sort of expecting it to be the same, so was planning our pre and post cruise hotels around places with nice heated pools...and for shore excursions, we plan on basically swimming and beaches that are good for kids.... not expecting to swim on the boat at all ! :(

 

Thanks for the sippy cup advice, just one of those things that i would plan to bring then probably forget!

 

Were they really short on high chairs??? Darn! i had hoped it would be no problem to get one, i'd rather not pack the booster seat, but i will if finding a high chair will be an issue each night!! Michele, specifically, was the high chair shortage in the dining room or the buffet? or both? were there any times at dinner in the dining room that you had to do without one? (we'll be eating mainly in the dining room with our 2 1/2 yr old daughter since she has a severe nut allergy)

 

Thanks for posting this info, how did you enjoy the itinerary on the elation?

 

Eden

 

Yes, I wasn't prepared for the depth of the kid's pool.

 

And to answer your questions about the high chair. The first night we went to the dining room...no high chair...my 2 year old (and every other toddler in the room as far as I could see) sat in a normal adult chair.

 

At breakfast on the Lido Deck...the 2nd and 3rd morning....I had to walk around and around to find a high chair...but I did find one. ON the last morning I couldn't find one AT ALL.

 

Lunch - no high chairs in the dining rooms (*Imagination OR Inspiration)

 

I asked for a high chair at dinner on the last night...she said she would have to go find one....20 minutes later she returns with one from the Lido deck.

 

So I guess you can see that unless we were on the Lido deck, there were no highchairs to be found.

 

As far as the itinerary...we went to Freeport and Nassau. In Freeport we did the Dolphin Close Encounter with Unexo...2 year olds are allowed and FREE. My kids LOVED this.

 

In Nassau I booked a room at Atlantis. I booked it through Expedia, not Carnival. We had access to the room all day and night. We were treated like hotel guests and had access to ALL of Atlantis including the water slides. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen and would do it again in a heartbeat. LOVED IT! I was even able to get our Christmas card photo done (see picture) :D

[bambam2972]

Thanks for the info, Michele. We're going on Elation in 11 days, and these are things I wouldn't have thought about. My aunt will have her 3 year-old twins, so I need to let her know... thanks again!

[CWNNP]

Great christmas pic Michele!!!

 

thanks for the info, sounds like i should just pack the booster seat!!

 

:D