Dining with toddlers

[Yellowlily]

Oops - I accidentally put this on the main RCI board! Hope I'm not gonna get bashed!!:eek:

 

Ok, just wondering if anyone has ever taken their toddler to the dining room?? We've never done this for fear that it wouldn't work until our DD is much older, thus we make alternate plans for dining. I'm curious if anyone out there has ever tried taking their toddlers to the dining room rather than the Windjammer and how were your experiences??

[FionaMG]

Our DD was 4 when we did our first cruise and she ate with us in the dining room every night. I know that's a bit older than toddler but if you've got early seating and are on a cruise where there are likely to be lots of other children, then why not give it a go? If it doesn't work out, you've still got the Windjammer to fall back on.

[sas80]

Oops - I accidentally put this on the main RCI board! Hope I'm not gonna get bashed!!:eek:

 

Ok, just wondering if anyone has ever taken their toddler to the dining room?? We've never done this for fear that it wouldn't work until our DD is much older, thus we make alternate plans for dining. I'm curious if anyone out there has ever tried taking their toddlers to the dining room rather than the Windjammer and how were your experiences??

 

We have not. We always get a babysitter for DS because we do late seating (8:30) and his bedtime is 7:30.

 

However, if we had early seating for dinner (6:30) considering how well behaved he is when we go out to dinner, I think he would actually do okay in the main dining room.

 

Let me caveat that with, I just think that there is no way he is going to sit still and be agreeable for 1.5 hours...No amount of food or toys could accomplish that. he's just going to get antsy (usually after 45 minutes).

 

Good luck tho!

 

If you are going on RCCL, consider hiring a babysitter.

[PattyW]

Yes. Regularly. We don't eat in the dining room every night, but I would say we eat there 5 out of 7 nights. I've been on cruises with:

 

1) one 11 month old;

2) one 23 month old;

3) one 4 year old and one 23 month old;

4) in Jan. I will go with one 5 year old and one 2.5 year old.

 

We definitely eat early and for all of the cruises we were seated with only the people we were cruising with (whether family, friends or just our family at a table for 4). I think this is important to mention because we weren't in a position to have to make small talk with people we didn't know. If one of the kids needed more attention on night or we got a bit silly at the table, there was no one to worry about offending.

 

Our 4 (soon to be 5) year old was not and probably never will be a problem. She's just got a very easy going, calm personality. Our younger child is completely different and much more of a challenge. On our last cruise, he was a month shy of 2 and would generally become impatient towards the end of the meal. We simply skipped dessert in the dining room (this will literally knock 20 - 25 minutes off your meal), walked the older child up to Adventure Ocean for evening activities and then made our way down to the buffet and took advantage of the nightly ice cream sundae bar. After just 10 -15 minutes away from the table, our little guy was ready to sit for a few minutes and east dessert.

 

I would never post this on a main board, but I consider eating in the dining room with all it's fancy tablewear to be a learning experience for kids (when else are they going to experience that at such a young age?) and that is one of the main reasons I would never skip it entirely.

[crusinmama06]

Yep, EVERY time. :D That's the one rule that I try to have on the ship, I want my kids together for family dinner in the dining room.

 

A few tips

--book MAIN (Early) seating, the Late Seating is just too late for little tots

--bring a SIPPY cup. A glass goblet filled with milk/juice will not last long with any toddler. Yes I have learned from experience...lol.

--request a high chair or bring your own booster with a SEAT BELT. It seems like when kids are belted in, they are more inclined to stayed seated through the whole dinner

--Servers WILL rush the dinner for you. Our dinners in the dining room never last more than an hour. We don't take time to memorize the menu ;) As soon as the server comes over we put our entire order in.

--Request items off the adult menu like the fruit plate (or salad) that your child can eat while waiting for the main dish.

 

After the first night, the servers will be intune with your toddler. They might do extra little things to amuse the child. (Servers have made the straw papers into hearts for our kids)

 

If your child does well in a normal restaurant, then they will be fine in the dining room.

[Yellowlily]

Wow, great tips everybody. Maybe we'll give it a try. We do have early dining, although DH and I prefer to eat late. Originally, we were hoping she could go to the DR, but we've had second thoughts. So, we planned on taking her to WJ then a babysitter in the evenings and we would could do Chops a couple of times throughout the week and just skip the DR. I guess if we just try the first night and mention that she is squirmy (cuz she gets bored rather easily, although she is a good eater, it's hard for her to sit too long), maybe they will hurry things along?? About a high chair, when do we request this? I'm also going to request a table for 2, I guess (or 4) so it's just us. We usually have dined this way in the past (table for 2). Besides a sippy cup, anything else I should bring and when do I request a high chair? I guess we could just attempt it one night and see how it goes. Thanks!:)

[dolphinwyo]

We plan on eating with our DD and DS (6, 3) just one night in the dining room and the other nights we will feed them early and have them go to Camp Carnival, so we can have relaxing meals as a couple (date nights). We don't get to do this at home very often (don't live near family or have reliable babysitters), so it will be a treat for us. That being said, my children do eat at restaurants regularly at home, and I order a salad/carrot sticks, etc. right away to keep them occupied until the main course. Plus coloring books, etc. help too.

Sidenote- it is sooo unfortunate that parents on CC have to fear being bashed by other posters in the main forums, I understand this has been discussed at length on other threads, and you just have to ignore it and stick to the family forum for supportive answers, but it is still unfortunate.

[flagger]

We have had early seating only on one cruise with our toddler and hated it. We just felt so rushed to get to dinner. She was never into the shows that much and we eat late anyway.

 

She has cruised at

 

15 months

19 months - early seating

2.5 years

3.5 years

 

And is about to again next week at 4.5 years.

 

This past cruise and this upcoming cruise she was old enough for the kids club. However, we always have her experience at least three nights eating with us including one formal night. We figure the only way she is ever going to learn about finer dining (meaning a place without a drive through) is to sit through it.

 

My parents came from an era of "children were to be seen and not heard" during a meal and that is mostly the way I have raised my daughter. We have had food packed up and left when she has acted up while dining. We never let her sit on her chair, run around a restaurant or play at the table other than crayons which even some of the nicer places provide. She has been known to leave her seat to snuggle/cuddle with mom or dad before though.

 

One thing we like about Celebrity and Royal Caribbean is that they offer in-cabin babysitting. Until she was old enough for the kids club, we did do that for several meals. We would order in room service before we left OR we would feed her in the Windjammer or get pizza on Celebrity before we ate and she would come back to the room and watch some TV and crash out. Ms. Flagger and I would then have a wonderful dinner alone.

 

One thing we liked was making friends with the asst maitre'd or head waiter for our section and he always made sure that a plate of fruit was waiting for our daughter the moment we sat down.

[notentirelynormal]

We had our GS with us - he was just turned 1 and 2 on the cruises. We ordered chicken nuggets and fruit (strawberries) the minutes we sat down. He liked the bread sticks too. After the first time the waiters had it ready for us. He started eating while we ordered. When he got cranky it was out to the hall way for a short walk. There were enough in our group that everyone took turns which helped but the short breaks always helped. Next cruise he'll turn 3 the first day. Hopefully he'll take a few hours in the kid's center so DD and SIL can eat, but we'll now have a 6 month old GD with us. Hopefully she'll sleep through most of it. Otherwise, out of the restaurant they go.

[Kerry's Girls]

Having dinner each night with my toddlers has been one of the joys of cruising. We tried the buffet once and it was MUCH more work than going to the dining room where the waiters take care of everything - plus they are all ready for us with high chair, drink and snack that the twins like. I cruise alone with my twins and they have been: 13 months, 21 months, and 2 years on our three cruises. We left dinner once in all those week-long cruises. Granted, we didn't always make it to dessert, but mommy sure enjoyed being waiting on for a change.

 

On Princess, the first cruise, we had Anytime Dining because I'd planned to only use the buffet (until a head waiter insisted that mommies belong in the dining room where they can be taken care of). So we ended up with a standing reservation at 5:30 each night. The next two cruises we did the early dining time. Since so many children cruise now, I think the waiters have it down that if it's a table for children, the meal moves along a bit more quickly than the adults who can linger.

 

If I were cruising with my husband, I'm sure I would like to have a night or two alone with him, but please at give the dining room a try for family dinners. We go to the dining room for breakfast and lunch as well - so much easier than juggling trays and getting up and down every time you need something.

 

Best,

Mia

[Onessa]

We're just off a Med cruise. We were seated at a table with two other families with kids and there were kids of a variety of ages at tables adjancent to ours. They all did very well and most were there for just about every meal. Parents, waitstaff and other diners were all very accommodating.

[crusinmama06]

I guess if we just try the first night and mention that she is squirmy (cuz she gets bored rather easily, although she is a good eater, it's hard for her to sit too long), maybe they will hurry things along?? About a high chair, when do we request this? I'm also going to request a table for 2, I guess (or 4) so it's just us. We usually have dined this way in the past (table for 2). Besides a sippy cup, anything else I should bring and when do I request a high chair? I guess we could just attempt it one night and see how it goes. Thanks!:)

 

They will hurry things along. No doubt. ;)

 

The highchair, you don't have to request it in advanced. Just ask for one the first night you take her. They will make sure there is one seating in her spot every night after that.

 

You can visit the Maitre D when you board to ask for a table for 4.

[Kerry's Girls]

Besides a sippy cup, anything else I should bring and when do I request a high chair? I guess we could just attempt it one night and see how it goes. Thanks!:)

 

I brought disposable bibs and at the high chair age, I brought the kinds of toys that would clip to the high chair (there are all sorts of things that go on links that can then be attached to the chair to save having to keep go under the table for dropped toys). A few little books, small, silent toys, etc.

 

Enjoy!

 

- Mia

[larronry]

My son's two and we will be attempting the dining room every night. Of course there is no true buffet back up on Celebrity. I am doing what a lot of people hate and bringing that dreaded DVD but I get taken out to dinner once a week and that's to Sweet Tomatoes (aka Souplantation which is a buffet) all other meals are homemade. I need to be catered to so if that's what it takes that's what I'll do. I'm bringing toys as well and have gotten some new, cheap, and quiet toys to bring for the dining room.

[sms30519]

I did not start cruising until my kids were 4 and 7 but I have taken them to many restaurants with real napkins and silverware since they were infants....some trips not so successful in the early stages and others very successful. I always make a point to praise the kids when they have behaved very well and of course discipline when they have not.

 

My experience with my children as toddlers has been if my DH and I engage them in conversation as we would with any adults at the table then they are much more inclined to act appropriately. On the other hand other family members tend to not pay attention to their kids at all during dinners out and they end up running around the restaurant and acting inappropriately or they have their nose stuck in a video game and what is the point of having a family dinner if they are going to do that (may as well get a babysitter and go to dinner alone). I no longer go out to eat with them as a result.

 

On cruises we always try to sit at a large table with other families (after all we see each other every day!) and I make a point to include all the kids in conversation....sometimes much to the surprise of the other kids parents! It is amazing the info you can get even out of very young kids if they believe you are truly interested.

 

This is not to say that I have not at times provided other entertainment such a coloring page and a couple of crayons when they were very young but I make sure to bring that into the conversation as well.

 

My kids are 12 and 15 now and on our last cruise I can honestly say it was a joy to go to the dining room with them and they looked forward to it almost every night....one night nothing on the menu "wowed" us so we went to the Windjammer buffet.

 

So I say go for it! Take your child to dinner and have a wonderful time!

[larronry]

That is a very good point about the conversation. My son does behave better at restaurants when he is part of the conversation. Even if it's adult conversation if you look at him while talking he's happy.

[TropicalSnowflake]

Our oldest son has always been very good. At 9 months old and at 20 months old. He's now 3.5 years old and I have no doubt he will be good--like a pp said, if you make them a part of your conversation they are entertained.

 

My 1 y/o, however, I am worried about. First of all his dinner routine at home generally starts about 5:30 and he's in bed by 8pm. We're on Princess traditional dining, but I think we'll give it a go and if it does not work our, opt out and go to anytime dining for the rest of the cruise.

[mmcruise]

On our two cruises (DS was 2.5 the first time, 5 the second time), except for the first night when "services" weren't available, we would feed our son beforehand (WJ, room service, varied places) then do late seating ourselves. When he was little, we reserved a babysitter every night because we were with a big group that had late seating and she put him to bed at his normal time. The last time, when he was old enough, we did AO every night, including the 3 Johnny Rockets kid dinner nights. He had a blast and we had quiet adult dinners. We'd pick him up at 10 when the club was over and he'd join us for dessert.

 

BUT to continue that thought...the "adult" dinners are interminable! After 2-2.5 hours at a table, even I get antsy! And I am most certainly not a toddler. A long, leisurely dinner like that is fine once in a while, but every night for 7 days is a lot. It's tough waiting 20 minutes between courses. Hearing that the waiters provide faster service for people with kids makes me happy that next time, the first time we're traveling without a big group, we're planning to do early seating and have him with us for dinner, then do AO afterwards. He's enjoyed the special experience of being in the dining room on the first night during both cruises so hoping for the best.

 

Good luck, you'll have a great time.

[sms30519]

BUT to continue that thought...the "adult" dinners are interminable! After 2-2.5 hours at a table, even I get antsy!

 

WOW! 2-2.5 hours:eek: I have never had a dinner last that long!

[Conrycol]

We had our three sons 7,2, and 10 months with us and they ate dinner with us every night in the main dining room. Wouldn't go on vacation if we weren't going to eat dinner with our family all together every night.

[crusinmama06]

WOW! 2-2.5 hours:eek: I have never had a dinner last that long!

 

In some of the adult dining venues on the ships, the meals last 2-2.5 hours. (On RCCL they would be Portofino & Chops, on Disney it's Palo and on Carnival they are called the "Supper Clubs")

 

We did Portofino without the kids (of course...lol) and OMG I wanted to rip my hair out. :o I just don't like to sit at dinner that long. I like the tempo of the dining room. I know that I am in the minority. Others LOVE to sit at dinner for that long. I am just not one of those people...lol. I've got places to go and people to see...lol :p

[larronry]

WOW! 2-2.5 hours:eek: I have never had a dinner last that long!

 

Thanks for saying that. We enter the dining room at 8:15 and the late show (on the other side of the ship and usually on a different floor) begins at 10. Now the Captains dinner formal night could push the 2 hour mark and the show that night is usually before dinner, but that depends on the cruise line.

 

We had our three sons 7,2, and 10 months with us and they ate dinner with us every night in the main dining room. Wouldn't go on vacation if we weren't going to eat dinner with our family all together every night.

This is my goal. I can understand wanting one or two nights without the kids but I wouldn't go on a cruise with my son and not eat dinner with him every night. My intention is to eat dinner with him every night.

[Baxter]

At 11 months we took our daughter to the dining room every night, and next week we sail on a 10-day (she's now 14 months) and we intend to go to the dining room each night. Of course, we'll remove her if need be, but we have never had issues in a restaurant before.

 

I can't imagine eating without her, and I don't assume I have to eat in the buffet because of her. We want her to learn good restaurant manners.

[mmcruise]

Yeah, all of our dinners lasted at least 2 hours, formal nights longer. I always found myself wanting to chew on the tablecloth by about mid-meal.

 

Maybe we just had crummy waiters...

[larronry]

For those of you whose dinner lasted 2 hours or longer in the regular dining room what cruise line were you on? I think I want to avoid it. Not just the time issue but also the show issue.