MrsT3030

2 weeks before I got married, my DH and I, along with my sister and her (now) husband went on what was my sisters and my hubby's first cruise. They were both extremely reluctant. I will never forget being up by the pool as we sailed away, music playing, people dancing, lying in the sun with a bucket of beers when my DH looked at me, almost with tears in his eyes and said 'seriously, this is the best thing I've ever done in my life'.

That said, we then did the Norwegian Dawn which was special because it was our honeymoon.

Then we did Liberty of the Seas and the boat was spectacular.

Then the Disney Dream which was for my 30th birthday. We had a concierge suite and it was the first cruise for my youngest sister and my toddler.

Our next cruise is going to be really special...

Booked to go some months back with my youngest sister and her boyfriend on the Norwegian Escape. Had a call from my other sister yesterday to surprise us with the fact that her and her DH have just booked to come too!

The three of us haven't holidayed together since we were kids. Super excited!!

The BA doesn't have a pool area for kids in diapers, but I did notice some very young kids in the "water park" area who were so young I would be surprised if they were completely toilet trained.

Had to smile at this. I've just finished potty training my two year old who is teeny teeny tiny and I wondered if I might get some questions/looks from people at the pool on our next cruise! :)

I have this same problem. My 2 year old is long potty trained and a will be weeks off of 3 when we sail. She is a real little 'grown-up' too so would be more than ok with the 3 year olds.

Not at all. There is a good chance this is a typical case of customer service regurgitating their published info about the guppies program, which relates to all the other ships in the fleet except Escape.

I hope this is true. The only reason I have doubts about that is that I emailed them several times, directing them to the Escape website etc, when they kept repeating the same thing. They absolutely explicitly said there would be no under 3 club on any ship. Even after me replying several times referencing the website etc...

I work full time so my time with my daughter is a luxury AND she is impeccably behaved at dinner etc....so this isn't a 'trip is ruined' kind of disaster.

Nonetheless, even for me this is STILL a disappointment. The option would've been nice for all us travelling with under 3s, especially as that was what was advertised. A grown-up dinner, dip in the pool, spa treatment...just to have the option would've still been nice.

Thank you for all the answers. Makes total sense to me that they wouldn't (and shouldn't!) make concessions on the age range. Tooooo many liability issues! That said, reassuring to know she'll be catered for and not bored.

Then again - NCL have told me 3 times today that (despite what their website says!) there is no kids club for under 3s on the Escape. That a whole 'nuther issue though...

The gentleman who will do me the honor of marrying me in six hours (today!) proposed to me in LeBistro on our last cruise last October 1. We're rather private people, and he's not one to celebrate something like this in front of a large group of people, but if he had, I'd've been crying so much I wouldn't have been able to answer.

 

 

 

We're getting married sixteen years to the day of our first date. Society forced a very long courtship; changes in society allowed this to finally happen.

 

 

 

--Michael

Oops, quoted the wrong post. Congratulations to you both :) x x

Congratulations!! This story madre me tear up.

This is lovely. Congratulations to you guys x x

Just absolutely my own view but I would suggest getting engaged right at the start of the cruise so you have the whole rest of the trip to celebrate :) whatever you do, hope it goes wonderfully!

Ah ok, fair enough then!

Thanks! We booked in June 2015 so not sure where that leaves us in this context?

Not sure if I'd misunderstood but I have seen reference to the increase in DSC being waived if you pre-pay your gratuities.

Having looked at the correspondence I've seen from Norwegian for my Jan 2016 cruise, it says no such thing. It simply states the new price and the £ price to pre-pay, which is equivalent to that new price.

Have I just misunderstood what I've read here or should this be a reduced rate?

Just had a third email reply from them with the same message :( parents have to be with their children at the nursery. Absolutely false advertising so I'm quite annoyed!

I think NCL may have changed their minds on this being a nursery service with a drop-off option.

I emailed them today as was concerned it would be unsuitable for my DD who will be just days off of her 3rd birthday and would find it too babyish.

Their response (as well as being pretty uninformative) stated TWICE that the programme required parents to stay with their children. I asked them to double check and they came back with the same answer.

Also disappointed by this as it was one of the reasons we chose the cruise.

Can't work the CC app very well! Double post.

We are sailing on the Norwegian Escape in Jan 2016. My daughter will be a month away from her 3rd birthday. The Escape will be the first Norwegian ship with a nursery for the under 3s.

I am a bit concerned about this as I can't imagine my DD being occupied and stimulated in a nursery for kids from 6 months old. She is potty trained, speaks as well as a 4 year old and is really not a 'baby'.

How do cruise lines tend to deal with kids at the upper range of the kids club age group? How do they ensure they are catered for in terms of entertainment etc?

My assumption is that no concessions will be made to allow her into the 3+ group, although I will be contacting them to find out.

The chocolate melting cake on Carnival - fantastic. Actually we were so impressed with the food on our Carnival cruise, more so than Disney or RCL. Trying Norwegian next time so looking forward to the specialty restaurants.

If this comes up and you've already booked, are you somehow able to amend your booking and get the difference back? I know Carnival offer that

We did this exact cruise for our honeymoon 4 years ago. It was wonderful. Loved the ship, the food as being docked in Bermuda for 3 days able to come and go as we pleased. I would highly recommend it.

So happy to stumble on this thread. We are choosing between the Eclipse and the Norwegian Eacape so this has more or less made our minds up :)

My parents are joining us on holiday in January and we usually cruise. They have never cruised (although they travel a lot) and are very reluctant - I think they think cruising is a bit beneath them to be honest! They don't believe us that it really is a luxury way to travel. They tend to stay in 5 star hotels. To me, cruising is better than a five star hotel!

The Eclipse looks like a good start for a 'luxury' cruise, for them to join us.

Of course, they have the option to stay at home :p but if they choose not to, I would like it to be a good experience for them.

Excited to find this! I was hoping for a non-sunbathing type activity but nothing took my fancy so far so this looks wonderful! We have a 2 year old but hopefully she can still accommodate us.

We are going on the Valor in May also which sailing date is yours? We normally take dad also, he is a widow of many years and doesn't drive so we get him away with us. He has gone on most of our cruises with us since 06, he loves his balcony cabin and take your in laws why not!

 

You mention that this is your first time on Carnival, honestly its going to be lets say different than cruising on RC, Princess and such but we never have a bad cruise. just expect things to be different.

 

I think you need to take the step and get them to go. Sometimes we have to be "pushed" into doing things then realize how wonderful it is.

Thank you for your lovely response! We are on the May 8th sailing, are you?

What would you say are the difference between Carnival and say, RC? It's be interesting to know what to expect. We have done a couple of RC sailings, the Norweigan Dawn and most recently the Disney Dream.

Hi there. Me and my husband, along with our toddler, are taking the Carnival Valor Southern Caribbean sailing in May. We are experienced cruisers but this is our first Carnival cruise.

We are thinking of asking my in-laws along. They are first time cruisers, totally new to the concept and also, hardly travel at all (we are from the UK). They have never been to the Caribbean or anywhere similar.

What are your thoughts on this as a first cruise? I'd have been inclined to choose a cruise line we were familiar with for their first time but now there is potential for us to ask them to join us on the Valor.

Would be great to get people's thoughts.

They are in their late 60s, kind of reluctant travelers, and as I say, totally new to cruising - they know nothing about it at all.

DH and I are hoping to get them hooked on cruising so that they have the confidence to go out and explore the world that way :)

camps have dinner for 11 and under EVERY night at 5:45

you take them to the lido buffet and drop them there.

Its a set menu and they do not get to go to the buffet by themselves

 

What happens at camp today might not be what happens in March..Counselors switch out every 6 weeks.

 

(they just move around within the program

 

Camps are opened on sea days at 10 closed at 12:45

open at 2 and closes at 5 opens at 7 and becomes paid at 10

 

My 9 year old LOVES formal night in the main dining room-- then will go off to the camp after dinner

Wow! What age does it start?