Stupid Question: Do kids have to order items off of Kid Menu???

[momofmn00]

Stupid Question: :eek: DO kids have to order items off of the Kid Menu???:confused:

Me and DD were looking at the Kids Capers and saw the menu, but most of it was pretty boring like grilled cheese, cup of fruit, etc... My kids like steak, pork and chicken, and they will prefer to eat off of the regular adult menu. (DS orders steak EVERY time we eat out...most servers are like "OK! A steak just for him???")

Can I just ask for a smaller ammount? :confused:

Thanks for any answers! :D

[Ivy86]

My kids always order from the adults menu....no need to order from the kids menu just ask the waiter for the regular menu 4 your kid.

[Kerry's Girls]

Not only can kids order off the adult menu (mine aren't even offered the child menu at dinner - just at lunch) - but adults can order off the kids menu!

 

Best,

 

Mia

[crusinmama06]

Your kids can order whatever their little hearts desire. :D That's the beauty of cruising. It's nice to let someone else be the short order cook for all of their demanding tastes for once. :)

 

On Carnival 3 weeks ago, my friend's son ordered 3 shrimp cocktails and a steak for dinner. He's only 7....lol.

[Terpnut]

Not only can your kids order off the regular menu, but my wife orders off the kids menu! :D Despite all the fancy desserts, sometimes she likes the chocolate chip cookies from the kids menu best! Also, you can even order stuff NOT on the menu at all. We are Tiramisu nuts and always order it on the first night (on the menu or not). While the wait staff usually can't get your special requests that same night, they'll usually get it for you by the next night. The bottom line is, on a cruise, you can ask for anything and as much as your heart desires and they will do their darndest to please! Just take care of your wait staff! :)

[eh2zed]

Stupid Question: :eek: DO kids have to order items off of the Kid Menu???:confused:

 

Me and DD were looking at the Kids Capers and saw the menu, but most of it was pretty boring like grilled cheese, cup of fruit, etc... My kids like steak, pork and chicken, and they will prefer to eat off of the regular adult menu. (DS orders steak EVERY time we eat out...most servers are like "OK! A steak just for him???")

 

Can I just ask for a smaller ammount? :confused:

 

Thanks for any answers! :D

As others have posted they can certainly use the main menu. You also asked if you can ask for a smaller portion. This is unlikely. As good as the meals are they are prepared pretty much on an assembly line basis. Other than degree of doneness for steak or beef, the plates are all the same. A particular waiter might cut it down for you but he will have gotten the full plate.

[momofmn00]

Thanks for the info!!!! I guess I was just a little concerned, knowing my DS LOVES steak. LOL!!!:)

ALSO,:confused:

Do you all bring coloring book/crayons into the Dining Room for the kids to entertain themselves? LOL! I know it's kind of cheezy! :rolleyes: :o But I just don't see [DS espically] sittng throught the whole 1.5 hour dinner...:eek:

[DavidO]

Thanks for the info!!!! I guess I was just a little concerned, knowing my DS LOVES steak. LOL!!!:)

ALSO,:confused:

Do you all bring coloring book/crayons into the Dining Room for the kids to entertain themselves? LOL! I know it's kind of cheezy! :rolleyes: :o But I just don't see [DS espically] sittng throught the whole 1.5 hour dinner...:eek:

 

A big YES. I have two sons and we have taken them on several cruises. We learned quickly that if they were entertained they are fine in the dining room. We have brought coloring books, mp3 players with head phones, and even game boys with head phones. As long as they are being quiet I do not see how it should bother other passengers or interfere with their meal.

 

Here is another trick we learned. Bring the kids to the dining room fairly early (around 5:30 pm say) and eat dinner. My kids love the kids programs on the ships and always want to go. So when 7 pm was getting close (which was often after meal and before dessert) my wife or I would take turns taking the kids up to the kids program and then come down and eat dessert or finish where we were at in the meal. It helps cut down a little on how long the kids have to be quiet and patient in the dining room.

 

David

[Baxter]

We just sailed on the Elation and it seemed that for tables with kids, the servers hurried the dinner along, knowing that kids will only sit still for so long. Not much lingering between courses.

[seattle2000]

Another dining trick with kids, if you are stuck with the late seating for dinner-- feed them early from room service or the buffet, and drop them off at kids club. Then have one parent go get them after you have finished the main course, so they can join you for dessert.

[momofmn00]

Another dining trick with kids, if you are stuck with the late seating for dinner-- feed them early from room service or the buffet, and drop them off at kids club. Then have one parent go get them after you have finished the main course, so they can join you for dessert.

 

Yeah, we've thought about that. I have asked others opinions before about dining times, and truthfully, I am un-decided...LOL! Luckily, I have 13 months to cruise (OK, WELL, really thats NOT Lucky!!!:rolleyes: ) DH & I cruise in Feb without kids and with a couple of family friends. We had the 8 p.m. seating time. We rely enjoyed that time because we could still go on excursions on port days and not feel rushed an be able to watch the ship leave port, clean up, and even take some sunset pics and make it to dinner @ 8. My kids are pretty used to eating late [maybe not this kate...but you know...kids stay up on vacation anyway!!!) but not really sure what time we will want. We will be traveling as an family but probably with the same family friends as before and they would probably prefer the 8 oclock time over others...But over all, we will do what is good for our kids! I just wanted to ask about the food and if anyone evr brings things for them to do. My kids dont really have gameboys or anything (we have a dvd/tv in the car, but not personal one) so we'd prbably just stick to crayons and paper (as thye like to draw anyway!!!):)

[merela]

My kids are pretty used to eating late [maybe not this kate...but you know...kids stay up on vacation anyway!!!) but not really sure what time we will want.

 

I see you are from the midwest, so you need to figure in what your child's normal dinner hours are before you decide on 1st seating or 2nd seating. Unless you are traveling from the west coast to the east coast, it's never a good idea to have 2nd seating for dinner when you have kids under 10 because it'll be close to 10pm when the last course is served. The kids get hungry earlier than adults because young children don't know how to gorge themselves for breakfast and lunch. So, if your child is anything like my children, they get hungry promptly between 6pm-7pm.

 

Crayons and coloring books are great if your child likes drawing and coloring. My kids don't like to do that. The most effective way is to get them involved in the "reading" of menus and the decision making for what to order. Then once the appetizers and main dishes are served, feed the kids, then send them off to the kids' club which usually opens at 7pm. Once our dinners are over, then we pick up the kids for shows or take them to the buffet areas for desserts and more snacks.

 

Rarely can children stand the 2+hours involved in eating dinner, so we usually bring a portable DVD player with us. If kids do not want to go up to the kids' club at 7pm, they can stay and watch a movie while the adults finish up their dinners.

 

I find 1st seating is the way to go when younger children are involved. The only time we had 2nd seating was when we were on the Caribbean cruise and 6pm dinner time was like a 3pm snack time and the kids couldn't really eat much. But we were on a Princess cruise, so we selected anytime dining and we usually dined around 7:30pm-8pm for that cruise.

[obx_fintoo]

Thanks for the info!!!! I guess I was just a little concerned, knowing my DS LOVES steak. LOL!!!:)

 

ALSO,:confused:

Do you all bring coloring book/crayons into the Dining Room for the kids to entertain themselves? LOL! I know it's kind of cheezy! :rolleyes: :o But I just don't see [DS espically] sittng throught the whole 1.5 hour dinner...:eek:

 

 

Just got back from our 1st family cruise (14th for DH and me)! Our DD is 3 1/2 and ordered from the adults menu. The wait staff was great in getting her whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.

 

As to your coloring book question, the Kid's Menu has activities in the front that your kids can still do with out having to order from that menu. Just make sure to bring a pen or pencil for them to use.

[Onessa]

Thanks for the info!!!! I guess I was just a little concerned, knowing my DS LOVES steak. LOL!!!:)

 

ALSO,:confused:

Do you all bring coloring book/crayons into the Dining Room for the kids to entertain themselves? LOL! I know it's kind of cheezy! :rolleyes: :o But I just don't see [DS espically] sittng throught the whole 1.5 hour dinner...:eek:

 

My DD is still a very "selective" eater - the wait staff will be very accommodating (I have warm memories of Subhash taking her by the hand to go to the pasta 'bar' so she could pick out her own pasta shape.

 

No need to apologize for bringing in distractions for the kids. Most (and I underline most) of your fellow diners will appreciate an occupied child! DD has always been a "read at the table" kind of girl. Polly Pocket sets, the small inexpensive handheld video games (just be sure you can turn off the sound), small containers of play-dough are among the toys we've used over the years. It's really up to you however if your children stay through the whole meal -- it is very do-able to run them to (or from) the kids program for just the beginning (or end) of the meal.

 

Have fun!

[MississippiMom]

Our children can definitely be squirmy, but they have become accustomed to eating at sit-down restaurants, so we didn't have any problems with them when we cruised on NCL's Sun. However, the freestyle concept was great for us, because we could eat as early as we were ready, and we didn't have to worry with a specific seating time.

 

The girls didn't always take things with them to the dining room, because, to be honest, we didn't always remember. The servers were great at entertaining our children with magic tricks and origami birds, and they always brought their food out quickly, so it really wasn't too bad.

 

Remember that if your child orders off of the adult menu and doesn't like the item, you can send it back and order something else. We had to to do that at a (non-pay) specialty restaurant, when our older DD didn't like the adult-menu chicken that we ordered for her. They quickly brought her a cheese pizza and my mother and I ate the delicious chicken, along with our own meals.

[momofmn00]

My kids are quite accustomed to dining at sit down dinners. We go out with another couple at least one or two times a month and a always choose a nice (quiter) resteraunt. Hence-they don't have kids, and we normally don't hire a sitter, so our two kiddos have gotten pretty good about dining quitely. My DS will occassionally get antsy (he's fidgity anyway and has an EXTREMELY SHORT attention span!!!:rolleyes: ) LOL!

[JackieH]

Thanks for the info!!!! I guess I was just a little concerned, knowing my DS LOVES steak. LOL!!!:)

 

ALSO,:confused:

Do you all bring coloring book/crayons into the Dining Room for the kids to entertain themselves? LOL! I know it's kind of cheezy! :rolleyes: :o But I just don't see [DS espically] sittng throught the whole 1.5 hour dinner...:eek:

 

On Carnival Valor last yr, the waiter brought the kids coloring pages and crayons. My youngest was 2 last August. We brought a protable dvd player to watch movies and headphones. She was able to watch Disney movies while she waited. She was quiet, and dinner was more enjoyable for everybody involved LOL

[momofmn00]

On Carnival Valor last yr, the waiter brought the kids coloring pages and crayons. My youngest was 2 last August. We brought a protable dvd player to watch movies and headphones. She was able to watch Disney movies while she waited. She was quiet, and dinner was more enjoyable for everybody involved LOL

 

 

I guess I will have to be looking into a couple of Personal dvd players for the trip too..:rolleyes: ..I am sure they work wonders!!!!:cool:

[seattle2000]

Are your kids into reading at all? You may want to get them hooked on some long-running series of stories, then buy them the whole set. :rolleyes:

[momofmn00]

Are your kids into reading at all? You may want to get them hooked on some long-running series of stories, then buy them the whole set. :rolleyes:

 

Yes, DD is in second grade and reads quite well and DS is in kindergarten so he is doing the beginner readers this year. Reading definately a better thing for them to do versus the dvd players...LOL~I know DH will have a fit if I bought them both personal dvd players since we have a dvd player in our car already, so really why will we need than pther than on the cruise...:confused:

[JackieH]

I agree. I think reading is much better then watching a dvd movie...Last yr old my 8 yr old did suduko(Sorry spelled wrong, that puzzle thing involving numbers).

But, my youngest was only newly 2 on the cruise. She does not read yet :rolleyes: ...so DIsney movies with a small dvd player worked wonders for her to sit while we ate dinner on the cruise.We liked to eat dinner as a family, so it was important to have everybody there, and not be too antsy LOL

[mom2tcdx2]

On both of my last cruises, my kids also ordered from the adult menu (they were 9 and 11). It was actually a great chance for them to try things they might normally not order - my son ordered the swordfish and loved it - and he is an unbelievably picky eater. We also allowed him to order two dishes in case he didn't like something. In the case of the swordfish, he had also ordered chicken tenders off the kids menu as a backup. The night we had lobster he said he didn't want it, we all ordered and so did my daughter, when he saw what we all had he asked the waiter if he could order that now too and he got that also. Worst problem was when we got home and he went out to eat he still seemed to think he could order two dinner items. We adults also ordered one dinner of something we normally wouldn't just to try it and we would all sort of share.

[momofmn00]

...We liked to eat dinner as a family, so it was important to have everybody there, and not be too antsy LOL

LOL! I almost think that it my DS although he is much older (will be 7 when we cruise...)

 

On both of my last cruises, my kids also ordered from the adult menu (they were 9 and 11). It was actually a great chance for them to try things they might normally not order - my son ordered the swordfish and loved it - and he is an unbelievably picky eater. We also allowed him to order two dishes in case he didn't like something. In the case of the swordfish, he had also ordered chicken tenders off the kids menu as a backup. The night we had lobster he said he didn't want it, we all ordered and so did my daughter, when he saw what we all had he asked the waiter if he could order that now too and he got that also. Worst problem was when we got home and he went out to eat he still seemed to think he could order two dinner items. We adults also ordered one dinner of something we normally wouldn't just to try it and we would all sort of share.

 

This will be me ad DH 2nd cruise and the kids' 1st. I know there were a few occasions when we ordered something diefferent when we didn't like what we had. I felt bad, becasue it was like wasting...but my server INSISTED!!!! Being on a cruise is SO much different than eating out, espically at resteraunts around here...I mean you tell them you don't like someting and they are like 'SO? What am I supposed to do about it???"' or at least that is how most of our local resturaunts are.

I guess I just didn't want my kids to look like they were ordering off the adult medu and then everyone think that they were wasting it...You know??? My kids are pretty good eaters, but I would definately like for them to try new things...

i do like the idea you said about odering something you all would like to try...

[Kerry's Girls]

I usually order two appetizers and two entrees that the three of us share - then if there is something one of the girls is crazy about, we can get more (one of my 2 year olds once ate 3 shrimp cocktails). One of the great things about cruising is that I can afford for them to try all kinds of new things.

 

Best,

Mia

[Terpnut]

I usually order two appetizers and two entrees that the three of us share - then if there is something one of the girls is crazy about' date=' we can get more (one of my 2 year olds once ate 3 shrimp cocktails). One of the great things about cruising is that I can afford for them to try all kinds of new things.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']Sheesh, I order two appetizers and two entrees just for ME! :D