SheriNtexas Posted March 24, 2008 #1 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I am Sheri and I just booked Carnival Ecstasy for May 3rd, 2008, and I am taking my almost 4 year old grandson Zach. It will be his first cruise, and we are driving to Galveston, which normally takes ME about 9 hours. I do plan on arriving the day before the cruise and will leave while it is still dark, etc. Got all that worked out. Here are my questions: I'm not sure how much time he will spend in camp carnival. He does go to daycare, but since he is cruising with his "Gigi" (me):D , he may want to spend all his time with me, which is fine, of course! Ok, so what kind of things should I take to help keep him entertained while on the ship? I DO have a portable dvd player which i'm pretty sure will hook up to the tv in the room, and i can take some of his favorite dvd's. We will probably be staying on the ship during the Progreso stop, and there is only SO much time that can be spent at the pool. What else do y'all do or bring to pass the time? Still not sure about going to formal nite. Do they seat families with preschoolers with OTHER families? Do they have a special section for people with kids? He is a good kid, but he IS all boy, kwim?:D ;) We will be in a Cat 12 suite, so of course he will NEVER be anywhere near the balcony without me hovering right over him!!:eek: My daughter is nervous because sometimes he doesn't like to mind her, but i assured her he would never be out of my site and i would never allow him anywhere NEAR the edge, anywhere on the ship!! Does anyone else have any tricks, etc. for cruising with kids of this age? Anything I definitely need to bring? Thanks for any help! I am SO excited to be taking him!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 24, 2008 #2 Share Posted March 24, 2008 If he is like all of the other kids around here he won't want to spend ANY time with Gigi. ;) You won't have to take anything to entertain him. There is enough on the ship to do that. The Cat 12 balcony doors are tough to get open, so unless you open it for him....it will be tough for him to get out there, no worries. And I wasn't on Ectasy, but if it's anything like the Fantasy class ships, even the new TV's have no DVD hookups. At least not that I noticed. Have a great time!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriNtexas Posted March 24, 2008 Author #3 Share Posted March 24, 2008 If he is like all of the other kids around here he won't want to spend ANY time with Gigi. ;) You won't have to take anything to entertain him. There is enough on the ship to do that. The Cat 12 balcony doors are tough to get open, so unless you open it for him....it will be tough for him to get out there, no worries. And I wasn't on Ectasy, but if it's anything like the Fantasy class ships, even the new TV's have no DVD hookups. At least not that I noticed. Have a great time!!!! Well, he may surprise me and want to spend a LOT of time in Camp Carnival!:D The Ecstasy IS a Fantasy class ship, I believe. My son and I were on the Ecstasy last September, and he hooked up the dvd player to the tv, somehow!:o I remember those doors are hard to open, so no worries there! Thanks for all the advice!:) I think when it comes down to the cruise, we will have plenty to do!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runnerandme Posted March 24, 2008 #4 Share Posted March 24, 2008 My daughter feeds her two from room service before going to dinner. Then they can order an appetizer or dessert if they want. They are happier not being so hungry going to dinner. A lot of times, by the time the food would come, they weren't hungry anymore, just tired. This took care of the problem. Late afternoon snacks helped some, but she found it easier to just feed them early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 24, 2008 #5 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I have a picture of their new TV's but not of where the hookups would be, maybe on the side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillyfish Posted March 25, 2008 #6 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We have been stuck on the ship for 10 days with only getting off once due to a hurricane and hurricane damage to our ports. The ships have a lot to do on them but after this amount of time we ran out of stuff to do. Therefore, I always pack extra "stuff" to do. Some that I can think of right now: Cards, small games or travel games. Those invisible ink coloring books. Paper and cool markers or crayons. Hot wheels, can't go without them!! And, of course, for the cruise that does go as planned, sand toys for the beach!! Some of these items are nice to have to keep them occupied in the cabin while you are getting ready for dinner. Or for quiet time before bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriNtexas Posted March 25, 2008 Author #7 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Therefore, I always pack extra "stuff" to do. Some that I can think of right now: Cards, small games or travel games. Those invisible ink coloring books. Paper and cool markers or crayons. Hot wheels, can't go without them!! And, of course, for the cruise that does go as planned, sand toys for the beach!! Some of these items are nice to have to keep them occupied in the cabin while you are getting ready for dinner. Or for quiet time before bed. GREAT ideas!!! Thank you SO much! I am saving your post so I can remember to pack these things! Zachary would just HATE to cruise without some of his MANY hotwheels!:rolleyes: :D Thanks again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcfam5 Posted March 25, 2008 #8 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We cruised with our preschool-aged son last fall. I packed him a small pirate "treasure box" with his pirate action figures (with a few new ones for even added interest), a pirate notebook and crayons, pirate stickers, a few pirate tatoos, pirate bandana, an eye patch, an inflatable pirate sword, and a pirate themed lanyard. He ABSOLUTELY loved it ~ he talked about how we were on his big pirate ship all week. The box was smaller than a shoe box and he kept it tucked away on his bed all week. Sometimes for down time, he would crawl in his bed and just play pirate. Hope this helps! Enjoy him, that is such a fun age with boys!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriNtexas Posted March 25, 2008 Author #9 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We cruised with our preschool-aged son last fall. I packed him a small pirate "treasure box" with his pirate action figures (with a few new ones for even added interest), a pirate notebook and crayons, pirate stickers, a few pirate tatoos, pirate bandana, an eye patch, an inflatable pirate sword, and a pirate themed lanyard. He ABSOLUTELY loved it ~ he talked about how we were on his big pirate ship all week. The box was smaller than a shoe box and he kept it tucked away on his bed all week. Sometimes for down time, he would crawl in his bed and just play pirate. Hope this helps! Enjoy him, that is such a fun age with boys!:) What a great idea! A pirate theme! We can make a "treasure box" out of a nike shoebox and load it up with pirate stuff! Thankyouthankyouthankyou for the wonderful idea!:) :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woostercruise Posted March 25, 2008 #10 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We just got back from a cruise on Royan Caribbean with our 4 & 7 year old. We did bring our little DVD player and did use it once, but there were kid shows on TV in the afternoon when we went to the cabin for some quiet time. I went to Michael's (craft type store) and found dinner entertainment. I had 4 small flat wooden pirate ornaments that came with markers for them to decorate (with the paper placemat/menu to keep the marker off the tablecloth!). I also found the coolest dinosaur puzzle/model. It came with 6 plastic credit card sized cards that you then punched out the pieces and it made a 3-D dinosaur. The boys loved these, the 4 year old did have one of his "eat" the butter from his bread plate once before I saw him :rolleyes: . We were by ourselves at a table and they were really good about moving dinner along and bringing out the boys' entree early. Hope this helps! He will love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriNtexas Posted March 25, 2008 Author #11 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We just got back from a cruise on Royan Caribbean with our 4 & 7 year old. We did bring our little DVD player and did use it once, but there were kid shows on TV in the afternoon when we went to the cabin for some quiet time. I went to Michael's (craft type store) and found dinner entertainment. I had 4 small flat wooden pirate ornaments that came with markers for them to decorate (with the paper placemat/menu to keep the marker off the tablecloth!). I also found the coolest dinosaur puzzle/model. It came with 6 plastic credit card sized cards that you then punched out the pieces and it made a 3-D dinosaur. The boys loved these, the 4 year old did have one of his "eat" the butter from his bread plate once before I saw him :rolleyes: . We were by ourselves at a table and they were really good about moving dinner along and bringing out the boys' entree early. Hope this helps! He will love it! Another great idea!! Thank you SO much!! Thanks to all the great ideas my grandson will be WELL entertained!:D :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GORDONCHICK Posted March 25, 2008 #12 Share Posted March 25, 2008 My DS has cruised since he was 3 1/2 (not almost 7), and we also have a 9 hour drive to Galveston. We usually split it into two days, because we stop along the way (DH loves outlet malls, and no, I'm not joking...). We usually spend the night halfway down (for us, that's Centerville) and drive the rest, getting into Galveston about hotel check-in time. DS sleeps with a bear, so we always pack that. He also loves his Leapster, so we pack that, extra batteries, and game cartridges. But honestly, he loves the kids' programs on all the lines we've been on so he didn't spend much time with us during the day, though we always picked him up for lunch (the usually close noon - 2pm on seadays) and then he has the option of going back to the program or going to the pool (on Carnival, he loved the water slide). He always ate dinner with us in the dining room, and would head back to the program after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheriNtexas Posted March 25, 2008 Author #13 Share Posted March 25, 2008 My DS has cruised since he was 3 1/2 (not almost 7), and we also have a 9 hour drive to Galveston. We usually split it into two days, because we stop along the way (DH loves outlet malls, and no, I'm not joking...). We usually spend the night halfway down (for us, that's Centerville) and drive the rest, getting into Galveston about hotel check-in time. DS sleeps with a bear, so we always pack that. He also loves his Leapster, so we pack that, extra batteries, and game cartridges. But honestly, he loves the kids' programs on all the lines we've been on so he didn't spend much time with us during the day, though we always picked him up for lunch (the usually close noon - 2pm on seadays) and then he has the option of going back to the program or going to the pool (on Carnival, he loved the water slide). He always ate dinner with us in the dining room, and would head back to the program after that. Thanks for all the advice! I had thought about going 1/2 way the first day and the rest of the way the next, but I just don't want to be away any longer than i have to! Zachary may surprise me and WANT to stay at Camp Carnival a lot, i guess we will have to see! Thanks again!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitsybella Posted March 25, 2008 #14 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I travel with a 2 and 4 year old and they love the magna-doddle pads, keeps them busy for hours, the other thing they love is stickers, keeps them busy for hours and the leapster that someone else suggested is great especially if they have the back pack to carry it. I always take coloring books and pens to dinner, that way when they are done eating they have something to occupy their time until you are done with dinner. The only other thing we take is our portable DVD with their favorite movies, mostly they just love walking/running around the walking deck and watching everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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