Toddlers and Cruising...

[stacyinpa]

I wanted to ask a question about taking toddlers on a cruise. Those of you who have traveld with toddlers - what are some of the things you do/did each day. I know mine will be 2,2 and 3 and they can go in Camp Carnival. I dont plan to stick them there all the time, but I thought they might like some of the activities there.

 

~ I am wondering how secure it is in Camp Carnival so the kids cant sneak out or get out. My boys are climbers. I think once before when my biological children were 9/12 we just walked right in. I would hope toddlers would be better supervised.

 

Can anyone help me out in this area. I have never traveld on a cruise with children this young, although we usually go to Disney every year and have taken these also. They are foster children whom we are in the process of adopting...in case your wondering. We wodl love to do this instead of Disney this year.

 

Thank You -

Stacy

[NanciRDH]

We cruised on Carnival Glory last summer when my youngest was 2. The main door was always open when camp was in session, and the kids were kept in the room by the fence with a locking gate at the entrance. The fence was chest high on me, and the sliding lock was on the outside, the counsellor had to reach over to open the gate, so I don't think it would be an easy escape. There was always someone sitting at the desk for sign in and out so the gate wasn't left unguarded. We were given a beeper that worked on the ship only, but we only got beeped once early in the week when she was getting tired and hungry and very cranky...we were planning on getting her for lunch and naptime just minutes before we got the beep, and were actually walking there anyway, its a big ship!

 

Our typical day at sea (port days varied because of excursions) started with sleeping in a bit later than at home, but she was usually up by 8am, my teens & DH would sleep a bit later. Since our cabin was on the Riviera deck and camp was on deck 12 (I think), we always took a diaper bag with us to save the walk. We'd eat breakfast at the buffet, and by the time she was fed the rest of the family might be ready to eat. The early camp session started at 9am I think, and she usually wanted to go play. I'd sign her in, get my beeper and claim my pool chair. By the time I'd had enough sun, it was time to pick her up for lunch, we'd lunch at the buffet and then return to our cabin for naptime. Camp is usually closed for several hours on seadays at this point, but since she needed a nap anyway, it didn't matter. DH and the teens would take over my pool chair for their time in the sun. After naptime she'd go to camp for a while and get picked up in time to get ready for dinner, which she ate with us every night. Dinner with camp is an option, but we've never used it.

 

Dinner time...the wait staff in the dining room was great in getting us everything the kids could want. They've got the best of both worlds because they can order of either kid or adult menus, mix and match. After the first night the waiter had a fruit plate ready to go as soon as we sat down, so she'd start with that and bread. She hasn't yet met a noodle she doesn't like, so every night she had plain pasta off the adult menu, with grated parm. By the time she was done with that my entree was arriving and so was her dessert, vanilla ice cream. She ate the same thing every night, plus lots of bread. Not something she'd get away with at home for sure, but it made our evenings a pleasant family dinner and she could stay well behaved and sat the entire meal.

 

After dinner we'd see the show and she'd go back to camp. I've never used in-cabin baby sitting because we're usually early birds. On the last night we stayed out late enough to pay the hourly fee, and I assumed she'd fall asleep there. They set out mats and blankets for the kids who want them, even before after hours starts, but she was having too much fun. Even on the last night when it was past 12am she was sitting at a table eating milk and cookies and having a blast.

 

We chose shore excursions to beaches because she wasn't potty trained, and Glory doesn't officially have a toddler pool. There is a small wading pool off to one side, but with no filtration I didn't want to risk getting sick just for a swim.

 

On our first morning back at home she was asking to go to camp again! When she sees tv ads for cruising, she asks to go again, even now almost a year later. She remembers more than we give her credit for sometimes.

[stacyinpa]

Thank You very much for your help.

 

Any tips or suggestions?

 

Thanks a Bunch,

Stacy

[CruizinMom2c]

Thanks Nanci for the info....we hope to sail Glory at the end of next year...so our son will be about 2 1/2.....so your info definitely helped :)

[I&MsMom]

We've also been on the Glory, and several other classes of Carnival ships besides, and the camp is always set up as NancriRDH described. The 2 - 5 age group never leave the actual Camp premises (older groups sometimes have group supervised activities in other parts of the ship - dance lessons from a dancer in the disco, for instance). There is no realistic chance a child could "escape." In addition, they are always very careful in dismissing a child, checking signatures against your sign and sail card, even after you've become a "familiar face."