flyfan Posted March 11, 2007 #1 Share Posted March 11, 2007 We will be sailing on Carnival Legend in less then two weeks. While my husband and I are experienced cruisers, we've never taken our son on a cruise before. He is three-years old, non-verbal, not potty trained and autistic. He attends pre-school for 2.5 hours a day, rides a bus back & forth to school and has therapy at home for 5 hours a day. He is also, happy, loving, flexible and generally good natured. We will have a cabin very near to the kid's club and we've switched our dinner seating to late seating so we can feed him in the cabin or on the Lido deck then drop him off at Camp Carnival while we go to dinner. He is on a limited dairy diet but I have not informed Carnival of this yet. He also only drinks rice milk. Not sure if Carnival can provide that or not. Maybe we can have some shipped to the ship before we go? Or take some with us. Anyway, just looking for input from others who have done this before. Does anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, tips or advice for us? thanks!!! ~angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted March 11, 2007 #2 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Ihave booked clients with disabilities but never with an autistic child. It does seem he is pretty well adjusted. As for the potty training, I beleive you can take him to child care if you feel comfortable with this, but will need to be on call to change him when necessary. He will not be able to use any of the ships pools; you can bring a small inflatable pool for him. THe staff will help fill it and empty it. That was he can enjoy splashing in the water. I hope others can give better suggestions than me. At least this is a start. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelOfDistress Posted March 12, 2007 #3 Share Posted March 12, 2007 They change diapers at Camp Carnival. As a matter of fact, Carnival is the only cruise line where diapers are changed by the counselors ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfan Posted March 12, 2007 Author #4 Share Posted March 12, 2007 They change diapers at Camp Carnival. As a matter of fact, Carnival is the only cruise line where diapers are changed by the counselors ;) Yup, that's a big part of why we went with Carnival. I need a vacation, and a vacation from all the diaper changes is part of that too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfan Posted March 12, 2007 Author #5 Share Posted March 12, 2007 He will not be able to use any of the ships pools; you can bring a small inflatable pool for him. THe staff will help fill it and empty it. That was he can enjoy splashing in the water. I hope others can give better suggestions than me. At least this is a start. NMNita Thanks NMNita! My husband says that's the only thing that he is unhappy about it. Our son LOVES the water and loves to swim and we are sorry he won't be able to play in the pools. Tell me, if we take an inflatable pool, where would it be set up so he could enjoy it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracey1212 Posted March 12, 2007 #6 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I also have a daughter who is five and is autistic. We will be traveling with her in Dec on our cruise. This is our first cruise with her and we was worried about traveling with her but once I spoke with someone at Carnival they told me that they will put her with her own age group which she is not on a five year old level. We only booked a three day cruise just in case something goes wrong and she's not doing well on the cruise. Let me know how is goes for you during your cruise....Have FUN!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 12, 2007 #7 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Yup, that's a big part of why we went with Carnival. I need a vacation, and a vacation from all the diaper changes is part of that too! Yes, exactly. I am glad you knew that. :D That's the wonderful thing about Camp Carnival. So with the pager, you can be alerted if your son needs you for anything else. He sounds wonderfully integrated. In my mom's group we have 3 different children who are autistic and 1 who has aspergers. I have traveled with all 4. And I have seen the different ways that each child responds to the chaos of being away from home in a new area on vacation. It sounds like you have thought of everything so far. You will have to email Carnival (special needs division) and ask about his diet restrictions. I am willing to bet that they don't have rice milk. So =, like you said, you may have to have some shipped to meet you there. Also, I know there are companies that deliver certain items to cruise ships. So you may be able to find one to deliver your rice milk if you don't think you'll have time to stop and get some on the way to the port. Carnival is closed at lunch and dinner time so you won't have to worry about him getting food from the counselors at those times...BUT...during the slumber parties, after 10pm, they DO deliver milk and cookies to the camp. So that is something you will need to be aware of and to warn the counselors not to give him the milk if he is there at that time. I wish you the best and hope you have a wonderful cruise! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 12, 2007 #8 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Thanks NMNita! My husband says that's the only thing that he is unhappy about it. Our son LOVES the water and loves to swim and we are sorry he won't be able to play in the pools. Tell me, if we take an inflatable pool, where would it be set up so he could enjoy it? Does Carnival legend have a kid's pool area? I know on Elation and Sensation, there is a children's pool area on it's own deck that is pretty much empty. There is lots of space there. If you could set it up there, I bet he would get lots of company in his pool. ;) This is the kid's pool area on Sensation...see how much space there is? I am hoping there is one like it for you on Legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamsmom Posted March 12, 2007 #9 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Tracey1212--If I remember correctly, the youngest age group on Carnival ships is 2-5, so your daughter will likely be with younger kids too that she may play better with. My daughter is 7, and not autistic, but she plays better with kids who are a year or two younger, because her vocal skills just aren't quite up to speed. My 11yo son has mild Aspergers, and he has never had an issue on cruises. He has sailed several times since he was 7, and he has become used to the type of structured schedules we hold, even on vacation. That would be my advice--keep a structured schedule to keep those austistic kiddos happy.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarrieBl Posted March 12, 2007 #10 Share Posted March 12, 2007 My 7 year old is an Aspie too. Do you warn the Camp Carnival staff or not? I always worry they'll pigeonhole him, when most of the time he doesn't have a problem. How do they react if you tell them? Another question - my non-Autistic 4 year old has already declared he's terrified of Friendship Freddy. If you tell the counselors that your child is scared, will they keep him away or keep your kid occupied elsewhere should he come around? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arubalisa Posted March 13, 2007 #11 Share Posted March 13, 2007 My 7 year old is an Aspie too. Do you warn the Camp Carnival staff or not? I always worry they'll pigeonhole him, when most of the time he doesn't have a problem. How do they react if you tell them? I think this generally depends on your own child. Our dd is also mild AS and and we do not tell any of the kid's club staff that she is Autistic. Do tell them though what quirks your child might have, what might trigger a melt down etc. I know in our specific case, dd sometimes needs to "get away from the crowd" but does not want to leave "the club". Without our prompting, in our case Celebrity, the staff has always allowed dd to step aside and regroup, play a video game for awhile or watch a video, until she is ready to rejoin the activity. Also like adamsmom said, schedule is of utmost importance. Naturally it will never be the same as home, but following the same routine each day has been extremely helpful while aboard a cruise has become 2nd nature for us. Before the cruise I type (and decorate with clip art) a calender for dd with the sea days and port days and where we will be as well as the times. Dd knows what to expect during days at sea and while in port as well as our planned activities/excursions. She always eats with us, including dinner. She knows prior to cruising that we will be having the late seating for dinner and though now 10 years old, for the privledge of staying up late with the adults dh and I require her to take a nap late afternoon after the kid's club closes at 5 pm for dinner. She knows it in advance and accepts it and things have always gone smoothly. Have a terrific cruise and let us know how you make out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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