3 year old, 4th cruise I am starting to worry now!

[cruisejunkie4ever]

Hi All,

 

I will be on the Radiance this January, This will be my son's 4th cruise with us and he will be about 33 months when we go, I always bring our sitter to help us out at night so we can get out. Anyway the last few cruises he was in his stoller most of the time so it was pretty good, and easy.

 

I am starting to worry about the freedom that he has and that he is not going to want to stay in the stroller as long! I already told my wife that I will have them take all the chairs off the BL we are staying in a GS for more room, and that he is not allowed on the top deck decks (he will be with someone with at all times) because he is to fast and it only takes a second.

 

I feel like I am drivng myself crazy! anybody that has cruised with childern this age how was it? like I said be for it was easy when he was a baby and were I put him he stayed, but I feel like this is going to be a bit different this time around.

 

Thanks Cruisejunkie4ever

[KerCar]

No worries:) By the time January rolls around your little guy will be older, more mature, and a lot easier to deal with than he is at age 2. It is AMAZING the transformation a child goes through between the 2nd and 3rd year. By 33 months, your son will have a better understanding of verbal instructions as well as the concept of rules and boundaries. Typical 3 yo's are better listeners than 2 yo's because they understand what is being asked of them and they know what the consequence will be if they don't listen. IMO traveling with a 3 yo old is so much easier than traveling with toddler. We just got back from a cruise with our extremely mobile 14 month old. She was quite a handful, but we still had a great time!!!! My 4 yo son, on the other hand, was extremely easy to cruise with.

 

You'll find yourself needing to use the stroller less and less as your son gets older. You'll still need it for long walks out on deck and shore excursions, but for other times when you are just hanging out enjoying yourselves a watchful eye should be sufficient. Find contained areas in the ship that are good for letting him run around and enjoy himself without risk of getting hurt. 3 yo's are also VERY curious and love to 'go exploring'. Just make sure he knows that he is to stay with a grown-up at all times. On our recent cruise, all my 4 yo son could talk about was looking for secret passage ways!!!!

 

Good luck:):):)

[rebeccalouise]

I just got off Radiance in April and you will be happy to know that there is no way your child could fall off the ship! I agree that you shouldn't leave your child unattended on the balcony but a nearly three year old will understand that he can not stand on the chairs and look over the balcony. You just need to explain this to him.

 

Secondly on the top decks, where the kiddie pool is, it is all glass above the railing. The glass is about six feet higher than the railing- making it impossible for anyone to jump or fall overboard. So no worried there.

 

I have sailed with my little boy and the only time he tried to see over the railing on a balcony- was on Disney. I had one of the few balcony cabins that had a solid wall under the railing. The only way he could see out was to stand on the built in bench. I corrected him. But on Radiance the balcony isn't solid- your son will be able to see out and not need to look out over the railing.

 

Radiance was great with kids, by the way.

[Cheryl H]

No worries:) By the time January rolls around your little guy will be older, more mature, and a lot easier to deal with than he is at age 2. It is AMAZING the transformation a child goes through between the 2nd and 3rd year. By 33 months, your son will have a better understanding of verbal instructions as well as the concept of rules and boundaries. Typical 3 yo's are better listeners than 2 yo's because they understand what is being asked of them and they know what the consequence will be if they don't listen. IMO traveling with a 3 yo old is so much easier than traveling with toddler. We just got back from a cruise with our extremely mobile 14 month old. She was quite a handful, but we still had a great time!!!! My 4 yo son, on the other hand, was extremely easy to cruise with.

 

You'll find yourself needing to use the stroller less and less as your son gets older. You'll still need it for long walks out on deck and shore excursions, but for other times when you are just hanging out enjoying yourselves a watchful eye should be sufficient. Find contained areas in the ship that are good for letting him run around and enjoy himself without risk of getting hurt. 3 yo's are also VERY curious and love to 'go exploring'. Just make sure he knows that he is to stay with a grown-up at all times. On our recent cruise, all my 4 yo son could talk about was looking for secret passage ways!!!!

 

Good luck:):):)

 

I am so relieved to hear this. We just took our 2 year old to Niagara Falls a couple weeks ago. He was good, but glad to hear it will be easier when he turns 3. We are booked for a cruise next year when he is 3 1/2. Ours is 5 nights on the Jewel.

[EmmaJean]

I just took my one and two years olds and one thing I say that helped a bunch, especially with two is

 

BACKPACK HARNESS !!!!

 

My boys got these cute monkey and puppy backpacks that are also a harness and I get to hold the tail. It gives them the freedom of movement without always holding my hands, but keeps them close so they don't run off. Gives me piece of mind and they love to wear their backpacks.

 

I know I've seen them at Walmart and Target for about $10

[larronry]

My son has the monkey one and absolutely loves it. He'll be 26 months for our cruise in Dec and I plan on using it a lot. :) He gets really excited when he sees me pull it out because it means we are going out. He loves going out which is why I think he'll love the cruise. He'll be going out all the time.

[crusinmama06]

My monkey was 36 months old when we were on the Freedom last month (we celebrated her 3rd birthday ON the cruise). And she doesn't like to be strapped in a stroller either (we only used it for excursions)

 

But, all was fine. She didn't try to climb up the balcony (we had the GS on Freedom) and a matter of fact, she was wayyyy too short to even try without the help of a chair. And we NEVER allowed her out there without one of us.

 

See...here is the 3 year old and you can see how tall the railings are...

 

[EmmaJean]

My monkey was 36 months old when we were on the Freedom last month (we celebrated her 3rd birthday ON the cruise). And she doesn't like to be strapped in a stroller either (we only used it for excursions)

 

But, all was fine. She didn't try to climb up the balcony (we had the GS on Freedom) and a matter of fact, she was wayyyy too short to even try without the help of a chair. And we NEVER allowed her out there without one of us.

 

See...here is the 3 year old and you can see how tall the railings are...

 

 

Cute picture. Do you bring the chairs inside then?