Cruising with 2 year old....Help!

[ck53]

We have cruised many times before but this August, our grandson, Shayne, is joining us. I know he is not old enough for Princess kids center, but any tips would be greatly appreciated. :rolleyes:

[dosi]

It really isn't any big deal. It is just like being at home only you are somewhere else. Bring diapers....a lot of them. And if he is never travelled his folks will most likely want to take him to a couple of hotels overnight so he can get used to the idea of sleeping somewhere else. But other than that, just pack the stuff he uses daily, pack some old favorite toys, and some new, quiet, small toys for the table at dinner and have a great time. Our son cruised at 2,3,4,5 and 6 and we never had any problems. I doubt you will have to roll your eyes even once. Bon Voyage.

[purplefrogs]

I read this tip on another thread to use the theater when it's not in use as a place to let the little ones run around.

[ck53]

Thanks for the info and I certainly will let him run around!

 

LOL, w/ the rolling the eyes!

[MariTenor1]

Diapers are the biggie! If you thought they were expensive here...wait until you see the prices on the islands. Even K-Mart on St. Thomas was unbelievable. And there wasn't a huge choice of brands or sizes.

 

At 2, he should handle dinner fairly well. As previously posted, bring a few quiet toys for the table. He'll have the children's menu (placemat) and crayons to start with, but he may get bored with those.

 

We have also gone to the empty lounges during the day and let our DS run when we was younger. They have a blast and burn off that energy!

 

Have a great time!

[miksilver]

You also might want to think about taking a portable DVD player for the room (we only keep ours in the room or use it when we are waiting around for debarkation). The rooms are small, but my DD is fine when sitting down and watching her movies or shows. It also kept her more to her "schedule" since she watches tv and movies a lot at home and she likes that part of her routine -- it's her "down time". There's a lot that is unfamiliar when travelling, so the DVD is a familiar part of "home" brought out when we travel.

 

It also makes it a little easier to get ready in the morning and dinner when she is occupied. :)

 

Good luck!

[PattyW]

We have cruised many times before but this August, our grandson, Shayne, is joining us. I know he is not old enough for Princess kids center, but any tips would be greatly appreciated. :rolleyes:

 

My tip: If he's a snacker, make sure to go to the buffet at breakfast, you can grab fruit and/or small boxes of cereal to take to the room and have those handy throughout the day (but you can't bring fruit off the ship, only packaged food).

[Kerry's Girls]

Blow up pool to use as a bath tub and on deck as a splash pool.

 

I brought little toys, "doodle pros" (they let them draw and erase), etc for the dining room.

 

Princess will let one of you go with him to play in the kids club - which is fun for him. Lots of toys and kids to play with. You can bring a book or play with him, or just talk to the other parents doing the same thing.

 

Have a great time.

 

Best,

Mia

[purplefrogs]

More ideas...We're getting ready to cruise (27 days!!) with my girl who will turn 20 months on the ship. I've bought her some new books, crayola mess free travel pack, a travel magnadoodle, a small shovel and sand pail ($.99 at Target) and a couple of small toys. I'm not giving her any of this until we get to the ship (we're driving to port so she can play with her normal assortment that's already in the car) so the stuff will be new and more entertaining.

 

We are taking our stroller to use while in each port but on the ship I bought a toddler tether to use. That way she can walk around but still be attached. The tether is not one of the backpack harness things, it's the wrist strap for parent and child. It was $2.50 on ebay. I know some people might give me mean mommy looks but I'd rather be safe than sorry!

 

Since we are driving to Galveston we decided to bring her own pack and play to sleep in. I know that you can get one from the cruise line but this way it's ours, I've used it before, etc. I am having her "practice" sleeping in it at naptimes. This way (hopefully) she won't freak out at nap or bedtime because she's got new sleeping digs. I am bringing her stuffed dog and babydoll that she sleeps with so there will be something comforting from home also. If your grandson is used to sleeping away from home or in a portable crib though you shouldn't have any problems in this regard.

 

She currently takes a bath in a small inflatable tub so I hadn't even thought about bringing that. It's a very good idea and I might do it, of course that's one more thing to bring.

 

Lastly, I'm bringing sippy cups and a small bottle of dishwashing soap.

[ck53]

Great ideas!

 

We have sticker books, crayons and other small toys but the sand toys are a good idea for the beach.

 

I thought about the wrist strap and I think it might be a good idea especially out on the decks. This way he can move a bit and no one has to hover over him.

 

He is in a bed now so that will be one less thing to worry about.

 

He is very used to going out to eat, we take him out one night a week but never too late, so we have anytime dining, and it will depend on his schedule. Do they have booster seats in the dining rooms? I can't remember!

 

We have cruised many times but never w/ our grandson. I am a little out of practice

Thanks for all the help! :o

[myraid]

You will have a great time! We took our little guy to the Skywalkers lounge after dinner before it really gets going. He loved it up there!

[purplefrogs]

I don't know about booster seats but when we get on the ship we are going to the maitre d to request that a highchair be at our table each night. You might want to do the same with the booster seat.

[sandy toes]

I have never seen a booster chair onj ship but you can bring along your own folded one. If you want a high chair, call Princess before you sail and ask for one. It will be at the table your first night. Someone already said no food taken off ship except packaged items. If he likes Cheerios, grab a box at breakfast for snack time on island or around ship durning the day. I don't know how you feel about colors and dyes but they also offer Fruit Loops. You will have a great time. I took my GD for her first cruise at just 10 mo. Mommy could not even think of leaving her behind...I don't think I could either ;) She sailed this past Sept and at 4 will be going again in Nov. Children (well behaved for us meant daily nap time) give us the most fantastic memories. Enjoy your cruise.

[ck53]

Thanks again all and I will request a high chair or a booster seat!

[CT New Cruiser]

Hi - from the UK and travelling on P&O (a UK line - part of Princess or Carnival I think) for the first time this June with my 2 year old son (plus his grandparents - who have cruised lots before but not with a child). This thread has been really useful and reassuring reading - thank you. Question which is worrying me is this: we have balcony cabins (booked this months and months ago when he was hardly crawling) - he loves to climb and I am having nightmares about him diving overboard! Am I being silly and worrying needlessly (the balcony rails are possibly pretty high but I can't really tell from the cabin pictures) or how do others handle this? Have taken note about the wrist strap when walking on deck but was hoping not to be so careful in the cabin... will we just have to make sure one of us is always out there with him (shouldn't be a problem I guess)? Any thoughts on this would probably help me sleep better at nights!

 

Ooh - another thing I would love help on. P&O (I don't know if other lines do this) have the option of putting my son in a "Night Nursery" for the evening which is staffed but he has to be settled to sleep before we leave. Sounds good but two problems with this: Settling excited two year old to sleep is not always straight forward. He is a good boy in his bed but does not always go straight to sleep, so I guess they may get us to take him out if he's not actually asleep. Also, the lifting him up and carrying him back to the cabin at midnight or whatever may mean none of us gets back to sleep till 2 or 3am. The other option is in cabin listening - have heard doors on ships are heavy and he won't be able to get out, but what do others think of this option for such a young child? Is it safe??

[sandy toes]

Hi - from the UK and travelling on P&O (a UK line - part of Princess or Carnival I think) for the first time this June with my 2 year old son (plus his grandparents - who have cruised lots before but not with a child). This thread has been really useful and reassuring reading - thank you. Question which is worrying me is this: we have balcony cabins (booked this months and months ago when he was hardly crawling) - he loves to climb and I am having nightmares about him diving overboard! Am I being silly and worrying needlessly (the balcony rails are possibly pretty high but I can't really tell from the cabin pictures) or how do others handle this? Have taken note about the wrist strap when walking on deck but was hoping not to be so careful in the cabin... will we just have to make sure one of us is always out there with him (shouldn't be a problem I guess)? Any thoughts on this would probably help me sleep better at nights!

 

Ooh - another thing I would love help on. P&O (I don't know if other lines do this) have the option of putting my son in a "Night Nursery" for the evening which is staffed but he has to be settled to sleep before we leave. Sounds good but two problems with this: Settling excited two year old to sleep is not always straight forward. He is a good boy in his bed but does not always go straight to sleep, so I guess they may get us to take him out if he's not actually asleep. Also, the lifting him up and carrying him back to the cabin at midnight or whatever may mean none of us gets back to sleep till 2 or 3am. The other option is in cabin listening - have heard doors on ships are heavy and he won't be able to get out, but what do others think of this option for such a young child? Is it safe??

What is "Cabin listening"? Is it having the 2 yr old alone in the cabin and someone walking the halls to check on a crying child? A 2 yr old can get into alot of trouble without an adult to keep watch. Working in a Pedi ER I see children that have fallen into toilets, climbed onto high objects in the home and fallen, drank Daddy's after shave, shoked themselves at the electrial outlet, and on and on. I do not think a 2yr old should be left alone at any time...IMHO On many ships there is the in cabin sitter option. It is a bit more costly but worth the safety feature it provides. Hope you find a workable answer and do have a great sailing.

[CT New Cruiser]

Thanks for that - I think you're right. Like I'm going to be able to relax at dinner without running back to the cabin after every mouthful to check he's OK, I would be worried sick when I think it through. Just to say in-cabin listening is listening in via the phone system and also the people walking the corridors but I totally take your point about how quietly he could get up and climb onto the desk and fall off (or a million other things) without anyone picking it up. He doesn't get out of his bed at home but I have no idea how he could react to the excitement of the new environment. So I now have a plan which is...

 

...call P&O today, check they do babysitting services (sure they do), try him with the night nursery the first night or two (after a couple of busy sea days where we'll do lots of swimming, running around etc to hopefully tire him right out) but if it doesn't work then go for the in-cabin sitter.

 

Thanks for the advice,

 

CT

[merela]

Not sure which Princess itinerary you will be going on, I'm assuming the Alaska itinerary. Others have given great advice, I have more to add:

 

1. The most important thing is HAND SANITIZER. I doubt the room steward shampoo the carpet in the cabin every week...and 2YOs like to touch the floor (and door knobs, elevator buttons, raillings, etc....) often, I have a small bottle of Hand sanitizer with me in my pocket so I can wipe the 2YOs hands every chance I get. Also, bring Lysol wipes or any kind of anti-bacterial wipes with you to wipe down the sides and tray of the high chair they bring you before you sit your child in the highchair. I've seen kids throw up on highchairs and the poor waiters have to wipe them down. Even when I was so careful, my son managed to come down with a bad case of 24-hour diarrhea. So I just think the hand sanitizers and wipes are good precautionary steps to prevent the child from getting sick.

 

2. Bring children medicine on board. Spray-on BandAid is great to have, but don't pack that in your carryon luggage (if you are going on a plane) since it's liquid and over 3 oz. I bring regular Band Aid too because the kids like them. Anti-biotics cream (for cuts) and bug bite cream (Benedryl creme) are good to have. Kids' Tylenol and cough medicine (the thin strips are easy to pack) are a must. Then don't forget your child's regular medicines if they are on some type of medication, like diaper rash creme if they are still in diapers.

 

3. For Alaska, dress your 2YO in layers and remember to bring a small raincoat, in case it rains. A good hat and mittens will be necessary if it's cold. We did our own excursions and did not join any organized tour groups. A good stroller would be the key to doing excursions to Alaska. We went to Alaska at the end of August and the weather was around 60F, except of Ketchikan when it rained and the temp hovered around 50F. But weather is hard to predict, you still have to pack warmer clothes, just in case.

 

4. Princess lets kids under 3 to use their Kids' Club facility provided that an adult stays with the child at all times. So you can take your 2YO child to paint T-shirts, do Legos, coloring, play in the basketball yard, as well as play in the ball pit if one of the adults can supervise the child at the Kids' Club. Other cruiselines have stricter rules regarding the use of Kids Clubs for kids under 3.

 

5. If your 2YO likes Cheerios, you'll have to bring those. Princess only offers Kellogg cereals (one-serving box sizes). I usually take my children's favorite cereals, yogurt, and milk at the buffet area during breakfast hours and store them in my room/fridge. Since 2YOs snack at various times, it's difficult to find cereals and yogurt on the ship, short of bothering the people at room service.

 

6. For juices (some parents dilute them with water), I bring extra sippy cups and get apple juice either at the main dining room during dining hours or ask the chefs behind the counter at the buffet area to get some (but that takes a long time). I store the surplus of apple juices in sippy cups in the fridge. Because you are bringing extra sippy cups, I would bring a tiny bottle of dishwashing detergent and a small sponge (in a sandwich Ziploc)

 

7. Princess is great for people with small children because it has coin-operated washer and dryer ($1 for washer and $0.75 for dryer, but it usually takes 2 turns at the dryer for the stuff to get dried completed), so you don't have to pack so much clothes. Pack your child's powder laundry detergent in a Ziploc bag and some quarters and you are set. I bring children's hangers (plastic ones from Target) to hang up kids' clothes in the cabins. The room steward will provide as many hangers as you like, but they are wooden and large, so it's not really good if you have wet bathing suits. Hang your wet bathing suits in the bathroom (there is usually a line over the shower area) and turn up your room's heat while you are at dinner. Your bathing suits will dry the next day.

 

8. Don't forget a stroller. Umbrella strollers with a hood is good to have, but we brought our regular, reclinable Combi stroller with a large basket underneath and it's perfect to use down the narrow corridors between Princess' cabins. Actually, these corridors are not that narrow, but during the day, there are many service carts parked along the sides of the corridors when the room stewards are cleaning up the rooms, so it's more difficult to manuver a large stroller (like a Peg Perego) down the corridors during the day. When we get out on deck, I usually strap my child in the stroller. Even though the sides of the deck looks safe, I still feels more secure when my toddler can't run around the deck. The child can run around all they want once we get to a port.

 

9. I've heard it's 2 diapers per every hour you are on the road. So if you are on a 5-hour plane ride, bring 10 diapers. I would allocate 8 diapers a day plus the extra diapers for shore excursions. You can easily bring a case of diapers on board by slapping a luggage tag on the box. So see if you can get your hands on a case of diapers at the embarkation city. Don't forget the diaper wipes. I use diaper wipes on their hands too. Bring some grocery store plastic bags with you so you can tie up the dirty diapers and leave them in your room before your room steward has a chance to empty it. The garbage cans in the rooms are often not lined with plastic bags, so it's easier if you pack some yourself so the room doesn't smell so bad. Extra ziploc bags are good to have too. I store crayons and puzzle pieces in Ziploc bags.

 

10. I have no problem bringing my 2YO to stage shows at 8pm. I usually dress them in PJs and sit near the back by the aisles so I can make a quick exit if the child acts up. Sometimes my 2YO would fall asleep in my arms. But if they make any sounds, I take them out of the room immediately. Most of the time, my husband an I would take turns going to see the shows, so someone will be in the room with the kids.

 

11. I also have no problem bringing my 2YOs to eat in the main dining room. We use mostly PC dining, but we make reservation ahead of time for 6pm. There is only 1 table for 10 in each of the 4 PC dining rooms, so if you have a large group, you will need to reserve that large table ahead of time. There is a good 15-30 minutes wait while the adults read the menu, order, and the then the presentation of the first dish, so the child will be bored. That's when crayons and small toys come in handy. I bring out a new toy or small coloring book at each dinner so the child will be occupied. I usually save toys from McDonald's Happy Meal to use for our cruises. Princess offers a great children's menu, so ask for it. Also, children usually finish eating before the adults finish their entree and that's when we take out the Portable DVD player and play a DVD that they have never seen. That should hold their attention until the adults finish desserts.

 

12. Princess do not offer private babysitting service. The kids' club closes at 10pm and you are basically on your own after that. Since kids' club is for kids over 3, if you have a 2YO, you'll have to babysit your own child.

 

That's all I can think of so far.

 

HTH.

[Nebr.cruiser]

The balcony railings are high, above the waist for me at 5'4" and solid--some are metal, some plexiglass. They don't have true rails that can be climbed on, but do have places at the bottom a kid could step up on.

 

However, I'd never leave a child on the balcony alone--ever. Our 3-year-old grandson would try to climb up to see over the rail. Also, the furniture on the balcony could be used to climb on.

 

That said, the balcony is very safe, as long as an adult is with the child and watching them carefully.

 

Some balcony doors slide, others swing. Most are heavy and hard to move, but some kids as young as three can move them. They do have a sliding lock high on the door that kids can't reach.

[CT New Cruiser]

More very good advice - and thanks for coming back on the balconies. There was another very good thread on this topic of safety/balconies (Child Safety in Ask a Cruise Question) and they said the promenade deck on some ships can have larger gaps in the rails so we are going to try our son in a "rein" (don't use them much at home and some people aren't keen on them but I think in this environment it might be sensible) so he can't scoot off too quickly without us.

[Cuizer2]

We have cruised many times before but this August, our grandson, Shayne, is joining us. I know he is not old enough for Princess kids center, but any tips would be greatly appreciated. :rolleyes:

 

Carnival (which owns Princess) will take two year olds. Why not give Carnival a try?

[scoutdog]

The 2nd poster said "It is just like being at home only you are somewhere else". Which actually leads me to believe that maybe cruises aren't the best option for toddlers? Maybe an all-inclusive resort would be better for now? Our sons is 2. Then cruise once both kids are over 3 and potty trained?

 

Seems wierd to spend time and money on somewhere they'll deem "just like being at home". No offense meant to the 2nd poster-- just my thoughts.

[larronry]

My husband and I have looked into the all inclusives and well unless you are into sitting at the beach one can get a bid borring seeing the same thing everyday. It's like home only it's not like home. Your scenery changes every day. I really don't want to sit at the beach and play in the sand every day. that is perfect for some. I think it depends on what your family likes to do do as part of your vacation. My husband likes to go and do and see different sites everyday. That's what we did before we had a child. And when our son is older we will take him up the east coast to show him the history he is studying in school, but right not gotta keep everyone happy. My husbands idea of a vacation exhaust me.

[Cuizer2]

And when our son is older we will take him up the east coast to show him the history he is studying in school ...

 

You are going to take your son to see the fountain of youth? :)

[larronry]

You are going to take your son to see the fountain of youth? :)

LOL

I grew up in the Suburbs of DC so I got go to places like Williamsburg, and Gettysburg, and the Smithsonian, and Philadelphia, and so many other places. And my parents took me to Boston. We now live in Florida but I remember being able to see and feel and touch just makes what I learned in school make more sense so I just want to be able to give that to my son.

 

The European cruises can do the same thing and it's something I need to consider in the future but only with knowing that things can go wrong and ports can be missed and definetly good cruise insurance.