Keeping kids occupied in dining room

[2910car]

Our extended family including 6 children aged 2-7 are on the Carnival Freedom in June. What do you suggest to keep all these kids happy until food arrives. We have taken many cruises and know the dining room is not a fast food thing!

 

We will probably leave the children in camp for dinner some nights, but want to all eat together most of the time. There are 8 adults.

 

Do they provide crayons and coloring paper or do we have to provide our own? What other ideas have worked well for you?

 

Do they try to speed up the service a little when alot of kids are involved?

 

Also, do young children go to the show at night? We have early seating.

 

Thank you for your help

[cb at sea]

They will bring some "finger foods" to keep the kids occupied, until the meal arrives. Bring a book or crayons or something for them. You will most likely be seated by yourself, and you can tell the waitstaff that you'd like faster service....if you don't have tablemates to worry about, they will go as fast as you like!

I'm betting that the kids will be enthralled with all the "goings on" in the dining room...it's not really like a restaurant that you'd eat in at home!

And, yes, the kids can go to most of the shows...the ones unsuitable will be notated as "Adult".

[aflynn3]

Although we were on RCL, not Carnival I would imagine it is the same procedure. We traveled with 6 adults and 5 kids aged 7-15 months. Every night the waiter brought fruit for the boys without even being asked. They were able to nibble on that while we did appetizers and then their meal was brought with the adults. I have to say, don't be shy ordering off the regular menu, if Carnival is like RCL, they have a kids menu. Don't feel you need to only order for your kids off this. We ordered from the regular nightly menu for the kids most nights.

 

As for shows, we found that the kids preferred to be in the Adventure Center than the shows. They were kid friendly however most nights.

 

Also, check timing for the Carnival kids center. We were able to have one adult run the kids up to the Adventure Center after eating the main course and before dessert. It worked great for us!

[Kat2569]

We just got of the Freedom of the Seas with our almost 3 year old son. So I can only talk about that, not sure if the Carnival Freedom is the same. I also don't know about older children but I would think they can handle sitting still a little longer than the really young once. We requested a table just for the 3 of us so we did not have to wait for other table mates. We were a little unlucky with our waiter though, he was not on the fast side and it pretty much took us almost as long as every other table around us to finish dinner. We brought crayons and stickerbooks with us to the dining room every evening. We also had a special surprise (a small toy etc) that he could open and play with and it would keep his attention for a little while. Every evening he had a bowl of fruit waiting for him and bread was served very fast as well. But since dinner took so long we had to break out the DVD player by the time our main courses arrived. We really did not want go that route but in order for us to finish our meals we either had to leave or play a DVD for him. We asked the two tables near us and they had no problem with it at all. We had the DVD player faced towards a wall so nobody was really bothered by it. At the end of our cruise on the last night, people around us commented on how well our son did for his age every evening. So even though we had reservations about using the DVD I would do it in a heartbeat again. By the way the Kidzgear headset was great, someone on here recommended it and we ordered one. It almost looks like a small Bose headset.

[Nebr.cruiser]

All of the advice above is good. We took four grandkids ages 3-5 on a cruise; they ate at the kids club some nights (preferred to do so), ate with us other nights. After the first night the waiters knew what to bring and had fruit and bread waiting for them so they had something to eat right away.

 

We also found it worked well to have the children's food brought as soon as possible, then when they were done have one or two of the adults take them to the children's club so the adults could finish their dinner in peace. Since they loved Camp Carnival, that worked well.

 

As to shows, it depends on the show and on the child. I usually see some kids at shows, but not a lot. Sometimes they are entranced, sometimes asleep, sometimes disinterested and antsy. I was sure our 4 and 5 year old granddaughters would adore the production shows; one went to sleep and the other begged to go back to camp. I probably wouldn't take them to comedy shows or singers unless you know they are interested.

[Kim4]

We just got of the Freedom of the Seas with our almost 3 year old son. So I can only talk about that, not sure if the Carnival Freedom is the same. I also don't know about older children but I would think they can handle sitting still a little longer than the really young once. We requested a table just for the 3 of us so we did not have to wait for other table mates. We were a little unlucky with our waiter though, he was not on the fast side and it pretty much took us almost as long as every other table around us to finish dinner. We brought crayons and stickerbooks with us to the dining room every evening. We also had a special surprise (a small toy etc) that he could open and play with and it would keep his attention for a little while. Every evening he had a bowl of fruit waiting for him and bread was served very fast as well. But since dinner took so long we had to break out the DVD player by the time our main courses arrived. We really did not want go that route but in order for us to finish our meals we either had to leave or play a DVD for him. We asked the two tables near us and they had no problem with it at all. We had the DVD player faced towards a wall so nobody was really bothered by it. At the end of our cruise on the last night, people around us commented on how well our son did for his age every evening. So even though we had reservations about using the DVD I would do it in a heartbeat again. By the way the Kidzgear headset was great, someone on here recommended it and we ordered one. It almost looks like a small Bose headset.

 

That is a really good idea. I hate to use the DVD player, or the DSs, but I probably will near the end of the meal. I will be sure to ask the tables next to us if the DVD/DSs are bothering them. That is a considerate gesture. Thanks for the idea.

[eellsinoc]

We just got off the Carnival Freedom with our group of 4 adults and kids aged 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 & 17 months....

 

I was a little nervous about the dining room with my youngest daughter, but it ended up being fabulous...each night our Head Server had her high chair ready to go - and he always brought out her meal and milk right away...YES they did provide some crayons and an activity paper.

 

 

We noticed that our entire table was served very quickly - we were often eating our dessert as other tables were just getting their entrees.

 

My daughter loves music so I did bring her headphones and small MP3 player which she loved. I also brought with us small snacks, stickers, and some "mess free" markers. She didn't always use the toys/activities as the entire experience entertained her. She stayed in her high chair no problem and was a delight during the meal.

 

We had the 6:00 seating and we were usually headed out of the dining room by 7:00.

 

it was a wonderful experience for our family.

[lamolesky]

Our two little ones had much more fun in the kids club (ate at the buffet before) than in the dining rooms. We did want to eat with them some nights so we were just prepared. We had brand new toys that were not seen before the cruise. We took one out a day (whenever it was needed the most) and they were very excited, some were just matchbox cars, or a small book. It didn't matter much, it was new and that is what intrigued them. One thing that is great are those Crayola coloring packs, they come in small or large (small is better) and they have a spiral coloring pad with special mess free markers. Usually they are a Disney theme, like princesses, tinkerbelle, toy story, cars, etc. They are compact and kept my boys happy. We also brought the DVD player with a headset, and didn't give them an option to use it. It was only brought out as a last resort. Snacks are also good to have, even a small bag of cheerios helps. We usually ordered their dinner first and asked to have it brought out when it was ready, not with our dinner.

 

Have fun!

[flsunnymommy]

In our group my son and I compromised. He was always about a course ahead of me on food. He ended up eating dessert while we were eating our main course. Then I would order dessert, run over to adventure ocean and drop him off and then have dinner and relax with the adults. This worked well for us as he wanted to eat with everyone, but did not want to sit for so long.

[Julienatul]

We hjave sailed many times with DD and have alwsy eaten in the dining room. When she was 2, we would bring small toys, stickers, dollar store toys, small coloring books and crayons. Its also great if you can get a table with a window. We would put DD there and let her find the passing ships. We also brought the DVD player and used it as a last resort, after asking the tables around us of couse. We would also bring small books and I would read her a story before the meal arrived to buy some time. We have only had to leave the dining room once out of the 6 cruises she has been on.

[monkeyinthemiddle]

On a visit to the Big Island of Hawaii, my daughter was given Wikki Sticks rather than crayons at a restaurant in Volcano. They are flexible string sticks that have been dipped in wax. They can be shaped, reshaped, stuck together. Endless, creative, clean fun. I like to play with them too. You can make puppets out of soup spoons, pictures on placemats. Just google Wikki Sticks. And they are not expensive either. Easy to pack, reuseable. What's not to love?

[RENMama]

my sons were 5yo and 15m at the time and they had no problem sitting thru dinner. only one night did our little one fuss and my husband chose to leave part way thru the dinner with him.

but my boys were used to being in a restaurant from back at home. it was just an added bonus to be able to get whatever they wanted. our servers really catered to them and entertained the boys to keep them happy too.

 

we did take our boys to the shows and just sat in the back in the event our toddler acted up and we could leave.

[griffy]

My Grandson is 15, and has been cruising since age 4. We always chose main dining time and he always enjoyed the meal. He ordered off adult and kids menu. He loved the shows. Usually while his parents went to the casino, he and I went to see the shows. It's been a wonderful memory we've shared over the years. He and an older cousin will share their own cabin now, and they will do their own activities after dinner. I think it's important that they learn how to order and how to socialize. During a family cruise, it's a fun time and we too, over the years have been stopped by other guests in the dining room who have complimented my Grandson on his manners. We've only had one bad experience with children in the dining room. A couple of years ago, there were 2 children at the table near us, who arrived with "roller shoes" and wrecked havoc each evening. I would have been embarrassed, but they weren't.

[Lady_Jag]

Our extended family including 6 children aged 2-7 are on the Carnival Freedom in June. What do you suggest to keep all these kids happy until food arrives. We have taken many cruises and know the dining room is not a fast food thing!

 

We will probably leave the children in camp for dinner some nights, but want to all eat together most of the time. There are 8 adults.

 

Do they provide crayons and coloring paper or do we have to provide our own? What other ideas have worked well for you?

 

Do they try to speed up the service a little when alot of kids are involved?

 

Also, do young children go to the show at night? We have early seating.

 

Thank you for your help

 

We just got off the Glory a few days ago after a 7-night Eastern itinerary. My 3-year-old had a travel AquaDoodle and a travel Dora The Explorer magnetic story book. (It was like Colorforms, but magnetic.)

 

All the servers and the people at the tables around us doted on her, which sort of kept her entertained, and sort of kept her too excited to eat her dinner. She kept trying to go from her own chair to her grandmother's lap on the other side of the table, despite our best threats, pleas, and wawrnings. On the second night, she accidentally walked into a knife that the head waiter at the table next to us was holding. :eek: Fortunately, it wasn't sharp or serrated, so it didn't break the skin, but it did leave a little mark on her shoulder.

 

After that incident, she was pretty good and stayed out of the aisles during dinner. Our waiter danced with her each night during the post-dinner "shhhhhhowtime." One night, she was so worn out, she fell asleep at the table before the food arrived. (That was the easiest night we ever had as far as dinner went. LOL!)

 

We did not take her to the shows, because she enjoyed Camp Carnival so much more. The one exception was the last night, when the show didn't start until after 10:00. That night, DD fell asleep in hubby's lap and she didn't even budge when we carried her out of the showroom, put her in her PJs, and tucked her into bed!

[HK Fan]

We just got off the Norwegian Spirit with our 8 and 3 year old. The 8 year old had a DS player with the sound turned off and the 3 year old had a DVD player with headphones at the main dining room dinners. I felt a little bad parent guilt but this was the only way that we could enjoy the main dining room dinners and the kids loved to go and refused to go to the buffet for dinners (probably because they're never allowed to play games or watch t.v. during dinner at home).

[geegee1]

For every vacation, whether on a cruise or on land, we bring our portable dvd player for our 3.5 yr old daughter. The volume is always low enough only for her to hear. You never know when or how fast a kid is going to get tired from being outside all day. For us, the dvd has been the way to go.

[mjmalino]

I hate to use the DVD player, or the DSs.

 

I am actually with you on this, and I also have to add MP3 players as well (which is hard for me because I am the one who loves to be plugged into that). On both of our cruises, my 2DS have been able to bring a book to read during dinner if they chose. The amount of time that they chose to read at the table would "buy" them play time on their DS later that evening or the next day. Then again, my kids were 8 and 9 the first time that they sailed, so asking them to read was a logical choice for us. But, we are very strict with when and where they are allowed to have "screen time" (long airplane and car rides are a couple of the very few exceptions to that rule), so this policy just carried over from home.

[unklez]

We just got off the Carnival Freedom with our group of 4 adults and kids aged 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 & 17 months............

We noticed that our entire table was served very quickly - we were often eating our dessert as other tables were just getting their entrees....

 

Yea they wanted you out of the dining room soon :D

Sorry could not resist that. Our experience was similar by the way once we made our needs known to the waiter.