Advice re 2 year old

[shinney]

HI,

we are new to cruising and trying to plan a cruise for next May in the europe. We are looking at RC as an option but havent got further than that at the moment.

 

Basically what we are wondering is I know there are babysitting services available but would we be able to take our daughter - who will then be almost 2- with us at night to the bars onboard if we were to go for a few drinks after dinner. Also if there was entertainment onboard- music / shows etc- would she be able to come with us to this. We are used to having her with us on holidays and enjoy her company and I would rather have her with us than in the room being babysat every night.

 

Also has anyone any recommendations re Royal caribean - or another company- or even on any of the RC ships. As i said im new to cruising and any information would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance,

Shinney

[6rugrats]

I have no problem with a child in a bar on a ship with their parents if they are well behaved. My kids sat with us and enjoyed the fancy "drinks" the bartender made them. However, this was not late at night and they are a lot older then almost two years old.

 

I honestly don't think the other passengers will appreciate a very young child running around in a bar if it's after dinner and they are trying to enjoy some quiet time. You may enjoy your daughter, and I'm sure she's lovely, but others will not if she disturbs them.

 

As to the shows, many won't be appropriate for your child and I doubt all would even hold her interest.

 

Sometimes as a parent, you just aren't able to do everything you will like. You will probably have to compromise and sometimes have a babysitter for her, or enjoy a drink with her in your room, or while outside on the deck.

[Kerry's Girls]

There are usually many lovely places to sit and have a drink that would not be at or inside one of the bars, but more out in one of the public areas, where you could still hear music and be in the middle of things. Many ships have atriums or central areas where you can sit and listen to the piano or trio, etc. Also, I've always been able to find a lounge where we could sit in the back or in a corner alone with my twins (though people and staff constantly will come up to chat). Starting when my girls were two, we went dancing after dinner (the early seating) - we just stayed off to the side so as not to disturb those who were having a "grown-up" evening.

 

My girls Loved-loved-LOVED the production shows starting at that age. Lots of lights and costumes and music. One of the great things about a cruise for us is that I can take them to the shows, whereas those types of shows are way beyond my budget at home. On a cruise we just sit in the back on an aisle so we can leave if anyone gets restless (though I'm always ready to leave before they are).

 

Have a great time.

 

Best,

Mia

[shinney]

hi guys,

 

Thanks for the replies. I would have her with us in her stroller, I wouldnt appreciate children running around at night either, if she was to get upset we move on anyway so it would just be a in a situation where she was happy to be out.

 

Mia what you mentioned is exactly what we are thinking of. Somewhere that we are welcome and can hear music, as you said maybe at the back and not feel like we are out of place.

 

Thanks a million for the replies.

[Baxter]

Our daughter is currently 20 months. She would love the bars because she loves lights and music. But she would never stay in the stroller quietly because she would want to dance and move around. And while we find it entertaining and endearing, I suspect our fellow cruisemates would not. So we would take her up to the lido deck where they were playing music over the speakers and she could move about without disturbing anyone.

[RadFamily]

We are purposefully taking CCL this summer in the Med, due to the fact that their child program starts at age 2 and they change diapers. We took a Med cruise last summer on RCCL Splendour of the Seas, our sons were 15 months and 5 yrs at the time....we truly enjoyed it. We used the in cabin babysitting service for our little one on several occasions. He was exhausted at night and fell asleep soon after dinner. We put him to sleep and the sitter stayed with him for a few hours while he slept. Several other evenings we took him with us to either the bar or the pool deck. He was very well behaved and colored or played quietly, sometimes he slept in the stroller. Noone ever complained, or looked at us like we were crazy!

This year will be different as he is older (2yrs now) - that is why we opted for CCL. For nights when DH and I want time to ourselves, we will use the kids club. Other nights we will keep him with us and do something fun on deck. It will depend on our day and his.

[sarahsema]

Does anyone know if Carnival has in cabin babysitting?

[magsnden]

i just thought i'd mention this, since we're leaving for our cruise next week with a big group, and i have come to find out that our 2yo will not be allowed in the pool on our ship with a swim (or any) diaper. we're having a hard time figuring out what to do with him while his 4yo sister is swimming.

 

there ARE ships that have different rules (chlorinated pools), or at least splash zones for the diapered guest. i would be sure to check this out as many people say they won't even let him put his TOE in.

 

have fun!

[timmy1958]

i just thought i'd mention this, since we're leaving for our cruise next week with a big group, and i have come to find out that our 2yo will not be allowed in the pool on our ship with a swim (or any) diaper. we're having a hard time figuring out what to do with him while his 4yo sister is swimming.

 

there ARE ships that have different rules (chlorinated pools), or at least splash zones for the diapered guest. i would be sure to check this out as many people say they won't even let him put his TOE in.

 

have fun!

 

you would think with all the families that travel with little ones ALL the cruise ships would have water zones for the ones still in diapers.

[beachchick]

you would think with all the families that travel with little ones ALL the cruise ships would have water zones for the ones still in diapers.

 

That would be great for parents and toddlers, but it's unlikely to happen on most of the ships that are smaller and/or 5 years or older because it can be a very expensive retrofit into older designs and smaller ships. On ships that are small enough to only have space for one pool, it's unreasonable to expect the cruise lines to turn that into a swim-diaper-allowable splash zone with no place for an actual pool for all pax. Some pool decks are pretty small as it is. Many of the older and smaller ships do not have huge children's facilities either and some are designed for itineraries or styles that aren't particularly kid oriented. They sometimes do not attract families with very young children because of it. IMO, there's nothing wrong with that at all. There should be choices for all the types of people who love to cruise. Sometimes, those who prefer to cruise with fewer children will intentionally choose the smaller or older ships of cruise lines they love. It doesn't mean they "hate" children or families (well, once in a while it does seem to, but usually it doesn't); it means that they look for options that are best for their preferences, just as parents with young children do. I'm not saying families shouldn't cruise on those smaller or older ships. Not at all. But, I do think that not every ship or cruise line needs to cater strongly to every demographic.

 

There are many infants and toddlers onboard, but as a percentage of overall pax, I don't know that non-potty trained youngsters are a huge number. (I say I don't know because, well, I don't know; however, the sheer number of adults, teens, and older kids makes it unlikely that toddlers are a large percentage.) I know that having a pool or splash zone for infants and toddlers in diapers is almost a make-or-break issue for some parents and that's certainly a fair position. But for the cruise lines, it doesn't seem to be. The larger ships do seem to have splash areas and/or baby pools built in to the design or concept. The CDC rules are very strict in this regard, as we all know, and the requirements for separate filtration and other safety features are stringent.

 

This issue is one reason I urge everyone (not just parents) to research facilities, age restrictions, and other feature of each ship they consider. For example, someone who wants to cruise with fewer kids onboard should not book a cruise on Freedom of the Seas or any other larger, newer ship that's designed to handle larger numbers of children, and especially not during the summer, spring break, or holidays. Or if they do, then they've got no cause to complain about the number of children onboard. (As an aside: IMO, they would have a valid complaint if many children were allowed to run wild, cause trouble, or otherwise detract from other pax enjoyment--but I feel that way about all ages. A screaming child throwing a tantrum, destroying things, or disrupting others is no more or less inappropriate than a loud, obnoxious, rude drunk who disrupts others. I truly do not discriminate when it comes to behavior. The only thing that's different for me is that adults are responsible for their own behavior, whereas parents shoulder the responsibility for their kids' behavior. I am a parent and am not so old or curmugeonly that I don't remember how much a challenge it is to raise a child. I also think cruises are a wonderful family vacation and wish we'd had the options when our DD was young.)

 

 

shinney:

 

As long as you are considerate parents and as long as you don't take your little one into venues are specifically listed as for adults only (such as the casino, Solarium, and spa), you shouldn't have any problems at all. Do remember that strollers can be hard to navigate in the smaller spaces onboard. That's one reason it can be a good idea to find a spot in the "outer" areas of the lounges/bars/theaters. It's not only hard for you to move around, it can be difficult for others to get by as well. Ditto for the passageways because they are not all that wide and are often partially blocked by the service carts. If you have a smaller or umbrella style stroller that your DD is comfortable in, that's the one I suggest you bring.

 

I'm sure you'll have a lovely family vacation with memories for years to come. Don't listen to anyone who says that a child that young "won't remember a cruise anyway" or other nonsense. Even if she doesn't remember that much specifically, she will remember and later treasure the overall experience, and you will treasure the memories too.

 

beachchick

[rebeccalouise]

Carnival does not have incabin sitting. They have group babysitting for 2 and under from 10PM-3AM in Camp Carnival.

 

As for a two year old in Europe. This planned trip is one year away and you child's behavior is going to drastically change by then. It is very hard to determine now if your child will cry with sitters, etc.

 

A trip to Europe is a really expensive proposition. I seriously doubt you are going to get your money's worth on the cruise or enjoy sightseeing with a toddler in Europe.

 

Putting that aside, you can find quiet lounges on any ship to have drinks and your daughter would be welcome. The disco has children's parties and things like that where your child would be welcome.

 

As for the shows, my experience with toddlers (not my own but other guests) is that they don't like the shows. The music is too loud.

[Julienatul]

My DD 2, has been on 5 cruises already and she does remember them! Our last cruise was January and to this day she still talks about the "dancing show" and asks when we can go on the boat again. She thoroughly loved the shows with the girls in the costumes, music and bright colors. She has never been disruptive on any cruise. We are consciencous parents and we do our best to keep to her schedule, naps, bedtime etc. so that she is well-rested and behaves. We have always sat to the back of lounges so that if she is ever disruptive we can leave immediately. It has never happened yet. She is always so captivated by the new environment that she is quiet. We have never had a problem with the stroller even when she was younger. Most of the ship is wheelchair accessible so its also stroller accesible. We have gone into lounges and listened to music along the promenade decks with her. If her mood is bad or she seems tired we just leave. We have used group babysitting a few times and we have tried the kids camp on Carnival but she cried so she wasnt ready yet to separate. If you are flexible with your plans and accomodate your child's moods, it can be a very enjoyable vacation. You may have to sacrifice a few shows or lounge music here or there but hey, your child will not be a child for long, enjoy this family time together.