How to convince DH that a cruise will work for us?

[southt00]

Hi:

 

We are a family of three - our dd is 3. My husband and I have travel extensively prior to having our dd, including 8 + cruises. Since she has been born, our trips have been less exotic and more family oriented. (Disney, etc...). DD travels well and is well behaved & polite.

 

I am trying to convince my DH that a cruise might be a good vacation choice. He is concerned about a few things. Tight living quarters, dining room meltdowns, the busyness of a cruise and a change in our cruising habits for the evening.

 

When we have cruised in the past, we really enjoyed the shows, the bars and the casino. When travelling with dd, we won't be able to participate the same way we did in the past.

We don't mind her joining the kids club but prefer to spend out time together since vacations to us are for families. Plus she is usually in bed by 8:30, 9:00 at the latest. (PS: She still naps during the day for 2 hours).

 

How can I convince him that cruising would be a good option for our family.

 

Thanks!

[lucigo]

Hi:

 

We are a family of three - our dd is 3. My husband and I have travel extensively prior to having our dd, including 8 + cruises. Since she has been born, our trips have been less exotic and more family oriented. (Disney, etc...). DD travels well and is well behaved & polite.

 

I am trying to convince my DH that a cruise might be a good vacation choice. He is concerned about a few things. Tight living quarters, dining room meltdowns, the busyness of a cruise and a change in our cruising habits for the evening.

 

When we have cruised in the past, we really enjoyed the shows, the bars and the casino. When travelling with dd, we won't be able to participate the same way we did in the past.

We don't mind her joining the kids club but prefer to spend out time together since vacations to us are for families. Plus she is usually in bed by 8:30, 9:00 at the latest. (PS: She still naps during the day for 2 hours).

 

How can I convince him that cruising would be a good option for our family.

 

Thanks!

 

I have been cruising with my youngest since he was 18 months old (he has been on 9 cruises in 4-1/2 years). Lots of people think that cruising with kids is no fun, but IMO its just different! Its an awesome way to spend 1:1 time with your child without the distractions of everyday life, electronics (email to check, cell phones to answer, etc). Some of our my most memorable moments with my son are on a cruise ship, playing minigolf, playing pingpong, swimming, hopscotch on the deck, cookie-decorating on the lido deck etc. and thats just the little things, how about a trip through the Digs at Atlantis or swimming with dolphins, snorkeling at Half Moon cay, or exploring a cave! A cruise with kids is a completely different vacation than cruising childless, but its still great!

 

Our son likes the music shows so we take him to those. Other nights he likes to go to the Camp carnival parties and thats ok too! On those nights we will go listen to a band or watch a comedian.

 

Meltdowns? My guess is that a Disney meltdown is much worse than a cruise meltdown could ever be LOL As for a 2 hour afternoon nap, maybe you could get a balcony cabin and bring a good book? I love to sit on the deck and read...I never get to read at home!!

 

Dinner.....ok I have a child with autism so I have this down to a science. Its much easier since he found the miracle of GameBoy...but before that we would bring a backpack full of goodies...a DVD player with favorite movies, small table toys like windup trains, hot wheels, puzzle books, magnadoodle etc. I would imagine it would be easier with a girl, if she is anything like mine were, get some fancy markers and colorful paper and you can draw together. Some people think its easier to eat on the lido deck. For us we love the sit down meals. If your child gets overstimulated, ask for a table off to the side somewhere.

 

A couple more things, bring a stroller even if she seems too big for one, you will need it for long walks from the pier to your excursions, and in case she will nap next to you by the pool maybe? Also you can use the stroller to bar your door at night so she doesn't escape to go find that all-u-can-eat ice cream before you wake up. The cabin doors open just with a pull down on the handle, even if locked.

 

I hope this helps!!!

[Kerry's Girls]

I agree with the previous poster - my favorite memories with my twins are also on cruises. The difference in the whine ratio between a cruise and a Disney trip is huge - and on a Disney trip, we don't sit down and enjoy healthy, stress-free meals together much - it's more junk on the go. We do Disney every once in awhile because I think it's legally required, but my girls and I ALL prefer the "big boat". One big difference for me as well is the cost. We went for a weekend to a "family" resort in San Diego and spent as much as I do for a week on a cruise ship - and my girls didn't have the benefit of trying all kinds of new foods in the restaurants because I didn't want to pay $8-$12 each meal to have them try something they wouldn't eat.

 

Unless you're finding family vacations with bars and casinos, missing out on those on a cruise won't be any different than any other vacation you've taken post-child. Except on a cruise, if you don't want to miss any of your child's waking hours, you can leave your child in camp after bed-time (or on some cruises hire an in-cabin babysitter) and enjoy some adult time.

 

I also like the exploring-the-world aspect of a cruise more than the usual family vacation, where we're either at an amusement park or within a resort. On board, my children meet and play with people from all over the world, and in port see places that look nothing like where we live.

 

Best,

Mia

[Florida_cruisers]

Funny, DH is the opposite he is trying to convince me that we should cruise every year (we cruise every other year) at least once because it is so easy to cruise with DS as opposed to land vacations. Now that DS is 3 and potty trained he can participate in the kid's club and if I wanted to I can feed him dinner first at the Windjammer, take him to the kid's club and then have dinner with DH alone in the main dining room or at a specialty restaurant onboard.

 

RCCL also has a new dining feature called "My Family Time Dining" where the staff from the kid's club takes your child after 40 minutes in the dining room (enough time for you to feed the baby) and takes her/him to the kid's club and you can finish your meal in peace.

 

Cruises are very convenient with children. I just don't like to cruise so often because I don't cruise to be on a boat, I cruise to explore and sample different places I have never been to. DH on the other hand, likes to be on the ship even if it did not go anywhere.

[cb at sea]

No vacation will be the same with little kids, be it a cruise or a land vacation! In room baby-sitting could be a good option if you two want a "night out"...

[NanciRDH]

We love cruises because it means a true vacation for all of us...you don't get that at Disney until the kids are old enough for the Neverland Club, and you still have to pay for that! Yes, the cabins are smaller than your typical hotel room, but we are balcony snobs, and that helps...the grownups don't have to go to bed at toddler time, you can retreat outdoors and enjoy that for a bit til she falls asleep, same with naptime if you don't want to join her! You could try a short 3 or 4 day cruise to see how it works for your family. We didn't, we just jumped right in with 7 days, and our oldest was fine...she was just like your dd sounds, pretty easy going. The staff really caters to the little ones, they miss their own kids so much they tend to spoil ours. :)

[Conrycol]

Definitely go for the cruise. I have 3 sons (4,6, 10) and the youngest has been on 3 cruises. It's definitely not the same as cruising with your wife but who wants it to be, it's a family vacation. We take our kids to the main dining room with us evey night and we do late seating. If the kids need a nap (not really anymore, even the 4 year old) one of us would come back and stay in the cabin before dinner (definitely helps to have a balcony) and read a book while the child sleeps. Cruises are great for the kids to learn about other cultures and to learn how to behave at a formal dinner time. We also take the kids to the shows, they love them. And if they fall asleep during the show we just carry them home. Like I said it's not the same as going on a cruise with your wife, but to see their faces when they experience something new is priceless. Go for it!!!

[mark39]

Hi,

We traveled with our first child on a cruise when he was three and we had a great time. It is defiently is going to be a much more active vacation as my son did not stop as he was so excited. I had a blast spending quality time with him and it is a vacation we still talk about and my son is a young adult and we go on a cruise very year.

Have a nice vacation.

[CanadianTwosome]

I started cruising when I was a kid myself, but with my family we've only been on NCL. I find that their Freestyle is perfect for our family, especially the 'eat when you want' part. Mind you, the "My Family Time Dining" thing Florida_Cruisers described sounds pretty good too - assuming being pulled away from you at dinner wouldn't actually cause the meltdown you're trying to avoid.

 

If you're already going on family vacations, have meltdowns been an issue? I wouldn't think so with your description of her as a well behaved traveller. So why would she have one on a cruise ship? If your husband is worried that the more formal dining experience will be a different situation than what she's used to, take her out at home and see how she fares. If you book a cruise and take her for 'practice' between now and sailaway, I'm sure she'll have the hang of it by the time you get on board.

 

As for leaving her in the kid's program while you attend a show, why not? If you're worried about her bedtime, go to an early show while she plays after supper and gets nice and tired, then pick her up and take her to your cabin to put her down. I'm not sure how this would work on a traditional line, but I know it can be done on NCL, since you can go to dinner when the dining room opens at 5:30 and be out before 7 if you let them know. (I've done this myself more than once) There's also the option of taking turns at the show... it's not as fun to go alone, but it can work.

 

What do you usually do on your family vacations? Maybe all you want to do is relax, play in the pools, and enjoy time together. If there's a show you really don't want to miss, I'm sure you can find a way to make it work. There's always the buffet! :)

[Kat2569]

We have cruised twice on RCI before our now almost 3 year old son was born. We just got off the Freedom of the seas , 7 day cruise, junior suite with our not old enough for kids club - almost 3 year old son. We had such a great time as a family together. I guess we were prepared for more meltdowns etc. which just did not happen We just booked again for December. I honestly can not wait to go again.

 

Of course a cruise with children is different than without - like everything else in life. Our son also still naps for 2 hours a day, which was a nice break for us as well (we usually took turns to stay with him in the cabin) and he was in bed by 9pm (usually 8pm but we streched it a little). It was nice to actually have some us time to spend on the balcony, reading, talking and just relaxing. I don't think we missed for one minute that we were not able to go out. Next time we may get a babysitter for one or two nights but overall is was a very nice relaxing memorable family vacation! Also the dining room was not a problem - of course they can not sit through almost 2 hours of dinner, so you have to be a little creative with things that can entertain them for awhile. But even with that , we did not miss one dinner in the dining room and had no meltdowns.

 

All I can say is go for it - you won't regret it!

[Cruisin' Chick]

My hubby was also reluctant to take our girl on her first cruise (she actually had been on a cruise, but at minus four months:D so I guess that doesn't account).

 

We decided to go ahead and pick a three-day cruise (within driving distance) and then after the cruise, drive down to San Diego and stay in a hotel for a few days and explore the Tall Ships event there.

 

The girl was 23 months, one month too young for Camp Carnival, so she was with us the whole time. She had a blast and we enjoyed watching her explore the ship. She was great during the cruise and the hotel stay. We took her to the production show (sat near the back just in case) and she loved it. The month before she had gone to her first stage show: Blue's Clues Live...since then, she's usually goes to at least one production show on each cruise (as well as a Diana Krull and a Leon Russell concert).

 

One more thing, expect crew members to dote on your kids. Many have small kids back home that they could only see on rare trips back home once or twice a year. And don't forget to keep on tips in your kids' names. Some people will take them off.

 

It does take some planning -- to decide what to bring (I recommend a car seat and stroller). Make sure you bring anything you may need as you can't depend on the ship's store having the right size diaper or baby snacks.

[lucigo]

The girl was 23 months' date=' one month too young for Camp Carnival, so she was with us the whole time. She had a blast and we enjoyed watching her explore the ship. She was great during the cruise and the hotel stay. We took her to the production show (sat near the back just in case) and she loved it. The month before she had gone to her first stage show: Blue's Clues Live...since then, she's usually goes to at least one production show on each cruise (as well as a Diana Krull and a Leon Russell concert).

 

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I just wanted to point out in case its pertinent to anyone, you can take a child under 2 into camp carnival to play at certain times when it is open to kids under 2, but you have to stay with them. They don't have a huge array of toys but it is a chance for the child to get down and play and run a little. I still recommend bringing a suitcase full of favorite goodies from home. :)

[crusinmama06]

I can't find a better way to vacation as a family than on a cruise. There is just so much to do that often we don't get a chance to do it all.

 

My kids started cruising as infants. We also do many land based vacations/year. But the memories that we have made on cruises have been phenomenal. Just can't be matched by a land based vacation.

 

I put all of our adventures here on my blog...you can see the things that we have done as a family. http://www.cruisingwithchildren.blogspot.com/

[Sunseafunfv]

We were on a cruise last March with our 1 and 3 year old kids, and it was simply FANTASTIC!! It was a great experience for them and for us, and it was a great experience for all of us as a family. The cruise line and the crew were great with the kids, they made them feel special.

[YayGirlsTrip]

We are cruising the Conquest on 5/31 with our 5 yr old DD and I CAN'T WAIT!! I just know we will all have a blast. We will enjoy quality family time together, and I'm sure we'll get plenty of adult time too because I think she'll really enjoy Camp Carnival.

 

Not to mention the fun we'll have in Jamaica and Grand Cayman (unfortunately Cozumel is being skipped!). This is her first real vacation, other than family trips to the lake.

[southt00]

Thank you for the advice!

[Sunnflwr]

My husband wasn't sure either- Later, I told him that I was going on a cruise this summer and asked if he would like to come too. He said yes quickly. If he had not, we would have gone with a friend and her son for a mom and kids cruise, which would have been fun too. The prices were so reasonable that I could have paid the fee on my own. (we have little accounts for hobbies, etc., so that we each have a little money to spend without consensus. It is possible to over think these things sometimes.:)

[bbcruiser]

We recently came back from our third cruise with kids (3 y.o. and 6 y.o.). We have cruised only NCL as another poster had talked about. Freestyle dining is a wonderful option since we eat only when the kids are hungry, not when we're scheduled to. If you have a 3 y.o., you know how hard it is to get them to eat when they're not hungry. Our experience has been the staff in the dining rooms really love kids and will do anything to entertain them if they start to get fussy. We've never had a meltdown in the dining rooms, mostly in our cabin. I think Princess has Anytime dining that would offer the same flexibility.

 

It is nice to have the option for our kids to go to Kids Crew if they're bored with what Mommy and Daddy are doing. We had plenty of family time together at meals and in the ports. At some point, they just want to go play with other kids and the Kids Crew area provided what they wanted. We went to Alaska and the kids favorite in-port activities was Children's Story Time at the Ketchikan Library and the Mollie Walsh Playground in Skagway (never mind that we paid $$$$ for the White Pass Train excursion). It's easy to keep them entertained on and off the ship.

 

On our previous cruises (one with both, and one with only the older one who was just 19 months at the time), we always had one child with us and had not problems. But, it's nice to know that if DH and I wanted some time alone, we could on this last cruise.

[Tmrlovesjr]

We took our son then 20 months on his first cruise. He was not able to stay at kids club and threw a fit because he wanted to play with kids. He does not get much kid to kid time since his brother is 20 and his sister is 18(hubbies previous mariage) and does not go to day care since I am at home. He lives with 4 adults( my parents live with us) and he is very adult for a 2 year old. We are going on our next cruise later this month and I know he will have a ball. Since my dad is disabled (only leaves the cabin for meals and maybe a show a couple of nights or to sit on deck) and wont be able to leave the ship, he can be there as a 911 contact while we are off the ship, so we will be able to go off and walk around. For us we don't do excursions we just wing its, but we will be in Costa Maya 1 day and the whole family (even dad) are going for a beach day(sand castles anyone)