Faeton

If your phone has the e-sim function (the last few gen of iPhones, newer Samsung and Google Pixel phones), you can purchase a cheap e-sim from KeepGo.  Unfortunately the cheapest plan is sold out, but the one available is still only $13/1gig

Our extended family (18 people in all) had a fantastic time on the Oasis of the Sea.  There was something for everyone, but big enough that you weren't forced to spend time with one another 😬

Got a private cabana for everyone on Labadee, well worth the cost

A few meals all together, but more than a few that were just sub-groups together. 

Scott, would you have any recommendations for a family with 2 kids (10 & 7) in Oahu this October?  I'm not really sold on staying at Waikiki. Nightlife and fancy restaurants aren't our jam really.  Not really looking for a resort but rather looking to venture out, hike, snorkel and eat at awesome hole-in-the-walls

Haha, thanks for the update! Great to hear the splash pad is still there

Hi, I've been to Labadee a few years ago and remembered that they had a nice area set aside for the Adventure Ocean including a splash pad.

I read recently that it was all torn down and replaced with volleyball nets? And now they do the Adventure Ocean onboard when at Labadee? Can anyone confirm?

Thanks

I'm posting this as a reminder to my future self

"Shore Excursions can be modified or cancelled up to 48 hours prior to tour port arrival without penalty. Tours involving flights, trains, special events, overnight stays, hotel stays and Private Journeys must be cancelled 30 days prior to sailing to avoid cancellation penalties."

Been on 3 cruises with my 3yo son (when he was 6m, 18m and 27m). Going again in March with him and his new sister (8m).

Depending on the size/type of cabin, skip the pack & play for the younger kid and put either a mattress on the floor or box in a bed w/ furniture (we just rotated the couch to face wall). Space is a premium, so try to reduce clutter.

If you don't have a bathtub in the cabin, get them used to showers at home first, since you don't want them to have their first experience in the claustrophobic cabin heads.

Main dining room for the apps and mains, buffet for the dessert. Either that or order dessert ahead of time, to minimize dead time in MDR.

Deal with not having a child seat when travelling in foreign ports. If you can't, just don't take them around on ports calls. Stay on the boat. Much more relaxed, though many kid programs shut down too.

Picture packages can be worth it. By buying ahead of time, you save money and then goto all the photographers with little stress to get the perfect pic, since you'll average out with some good ones by virtue of a lot of pictures.

Nightclubs, stages and bars can be dead/empty during the day. Great time to explore with kids.

Umbrella stroller.

Waterproof camera

Try to get at least one meal without the kids.

Remember that it's vacation with kids. Keep expectations in line. So don't forget the earplugs.

I managed to snag a Promenade family inside room on the Indy of the Sea for a great deal. A spectacular room, especially because there was only my 18m son , wife and I. So much room for my son to play, and he got the bunkbed all to himself. The walk in closet was so big that it could have also been his bedroom! The Promenade view was good, as we could catch the parades without leaving the room.

Unfortunately I've spoiled my family.... They're expecting this kind of room for all future cruises!

We went on the Indy of the Sea Jan 2014 w my then 18 month old son. He had a blast. The staff were awesome and the facilities top notch. RCI reserves the teen disco and puts down toys and mats for unsupervised play every day, so we had a "goto" spot if he WS bored. The ship library had a surprising amount of children's books, so that help supplement the few we brought along. The toy library came in handy for occupying my son while my wife and I dressed/packe/etc. We did the dining room every night, and the waiters were kind enough to bring everything on the dessert menu right after the main so we didn't have to wait. We did still skip dessert in the MDR for 2 nights and went to get it at the buffet instead, as they had a lot of fruit which my son loves. For sleeping you may want to forgo the crib/packnplay and use the couch instead, for the sake of space.

One thing in would recommend is doing the photo package. Its hard to get the whole family together in pics (selfies don't count!), and with the package we could get a lot of photos (we got 150+) and not worry about carrying my heavy SLR. The cost is reasonable and if you plan a little, you can easily get a lot of pictures n

I would also recommend picking up a waterproof/shockproof digital camera for the beach and everything else. The new ones are tough enough to withstand toddlers and great to take videos with.

We've also been on a Disney cruise when my son was 6 months, but we found RCI much better for the baby/toddler range since there was a lot more for him to do on RCI than Disney.

Something I just recently learned, is that the RCI's Freedom class has more than a few family cabins that are ~300sf, and is meant to hold 5-6 people (has a sofa bed and a bunk bed).

They can't be booked online normally, but the unsold ones often are released to the general public about 1 month before the cruise date. You can get some great deals on those rooms (more like suites), but there is a large element of risk.

If you're feeling lucky, you could maybe entertain that option instead of getting 2 rooms.

Would one say that Time 'n Place be adequate/safe for a toddler? I'm looking for a short beach stop for the morning, as my DS nap is ~1pm.

I'm just looking for a place where he can splash around and play in the sand without being trampled by the crowds.

What is the resolution (and compression) of the digital pictures you receive on the CD? I'll probably get the digital package if the resolution/quality is reasonable.

One major plus for Disney is that their cabins are very family friendly, and larger than the standard ones on other lines. Most of them also come with tubs, so bathing the little one won't be an issue. So one can skimp and go with an interior w/ Disney when they would need to upgrade to a larger room on another cruise.

Other pluses: Castaway Cay is the best private island in the cruise business. Try to get it on your itinerary if you go w/ Disney

- They know kids. All the staff there are excellent with kids, and know how to create big smiles on kids

- the shows are top notch Disney originals

Minuses:

-$$$ Any way you cut it, it's not cheap

- Food wasn't as good as other cruises I've been on, and hard to find food after 10pm

- Still have the problem of early sleeping kids (not Disney's fault)

How was your sleeping arrangement in the cabin? Did you get the pack'n'play or do something else? Thanks for all the info! It'll help sell this to my wife!