clairebearinaus

My kids are 10 and 12.

Based on Mr 10's fidgets on the 2 night cruise we did together last year, we're going to alternate on our upcoming cruise.

So we've booked the late sitting, and every second night or so they can join us, subject to their behaving respectably. On the other nights it'll be buffet or pizza or whatever, and off to kids club while we eat in peace.

I honestly doubt that pickiness will be a problem in the MDR. For me, it's more about enjoying at last some of my meals without having to hiss 'close your mouth while you chew! Use your fork!' etc a dozen times.

Our first overseas holiday, 35 years ago, was to Noumea. We had two boys, the elder was 4 and the younger not yet two. We made sure the younger was toilet trained before we left. It seems to be these days that kids are trained later and later or is that just my perception?

Unless a child is developmentally delayed I don't see the problem.

Are you offering to toilet train the OP's child by the end of this month?

Hi, I found this in the Carnival cruise contract (note the last sentence):

16. CHILDREN CENTRES

Centre Attendance Requirements:

Carnival Cruise Lines Youth programs provide highly engaging age-appropriate activities for children and teenagers between the ages of 2 and 17 years old. Carnival’s policy is to group children together according to their age. Youth Program age policies are in place so that we can provide participants with age appropriate activities and so they can mingle with children their own age. The age of the child on the day they board the cruise is the age we use for the entire holiday.

Read more at http://www.carnival.com/au-legal-notice/ticket-contract.aspx#1GKv1dr8MixuQyhy.99

My turn in a month today! I'd love to read reviews and tips from anyone who was on board.

Whoa, EB and CC collide :)

I haven't seen anything close to $100 per day for the holiday period. My next cruise is under that for an inside - or at least it has been during various sales - but that's over Easter.

I think a last minute deal would be your best bet, if you can depart from and return to your home port that'd be ideal.

I bought a lanyard at the gift shop and DS wore his around. I think I'd hang onto the card for a little one in kid's club, and I can't imagine he'd need it.

My son turned 10 on a cruise, does that count? :)

Or cabin door was decorated and there was a birthday card on his pillow along with a voucher to give to the head waiter at dinner. When we did that, he was brought a special chocolate cake while staff and neighbouring diners sang to him. It was pretty sweet.

This was with Princess.

I can't recommend it because we haven't stayed yet, but I've booked Be in Fremantle ahead of our cruise. The location is beautiful and will put us in the holiday mood, and the reviews are good.

As Obilix said, prices are extortionate, I've stayed in decent apartments in London and Paris for less!

Lucky bunnies.

Looking forward to sailing on her myself in a few weeks! My folks will be glad they can get a decent picture wherever we are.

Yes it is. Sun Princess Fremantle to Singapore, so I was surprised to see anything come up in USD.

I have no idea how to post a picture of it, but I just checked the Travel Summary for my cruise next month and it says US$60. There are four of us, so ouch!

o.k. - I'm going to struggle to get Wella shampoo out my head every time I see the sea witch logo now....:D

 

you can tell a wella woman by the way she wears her hair.....la de da de da...

Sorry!

I don't mind it. The first cruise ship I ever laid eyes on, as a kid in the 70s, was a Princess ship docked at Circular Quay. I remember seeing that logo and wondering if the ship was owned by Wella shampoo... :D

It's stuck with me ever since, and I think in a subliminal way drew me to Princess when I recently decided to start cruising.

I also like that they'll be more easily recognised from a distance.

We've booked a private market tour and Thai cooking class through Easy Day. I haven't used them before, but am impressed with their communication so far and with their TA reviews.

However, we're returning to Phuket for a week post-cruise and will be doing the bulk of our sightseeing then. Having been many years ago, I'm keen to see Phang Nga Bay again by boat, and maybe some snorkelling around Phi Phi Island. Both can get very crowded though, and the latter is a very long day, so choose your operator carefully.

On Phuket itself there isn't a great deal to do during the day other than shop or hang at the beach. Or if you're a foodie, Blue Elephant restaurant is pretty amazing, would be great for lunch.

So sorry Elisef, I know how much you were looking forward to this cruise, such a shame it had been so stressful for you. I hope you manage to find some relaxation and enjoyment in the days left.

I can stop a loud, rambunctious group of children with a single look (but then I have been teaching for 25 years and it just comes naturally :) )

On our last cruise on New Year's Eve every passenger was given a horn to toot. Now let me just say tooting horns are one of my least favourite things :eek:

At dinner many children and adults began tooting, so much so that I had had enough, stood up and said in my most teacherish voice "That is enough!"

Well that stopped the tooting. :)

My own children were amazed at my power (and secretly pleased it wasn't directed at them :rolleyes: )

I hope you're on my next cruise! :D

My parents gave me plenty of freedom to explore the world around me, but they also taught me to respect other people and their property.

Of course they did - and I bet you still mucked up occasionally, regardless. The difference between 'then' and 'now' for me anyway, is that if I decided to muck up as soon as my parents turned their backs, some other random adult would have pulled me into line! Everyone seems reluctant to do that these days.

Hi, there's a thread about it in the Australia/New Zealand forum.

As an Aussie, you'll need a tourist visa to enter Indonesia. There is some talk of Indonesia dropping that requirement, but no firm decision for us to work with.

I'm travelling there with a different cruise line (Princess) but am being charged quite a bit more than the actual cost of the visa as a 'processing fee' and this is charged regardless of whether you disembark or not. I even read a thread about citizens of countries who do not require a visa being charged!

It will cost around AUD$50pp depending on exchange rate. I believe this can be avoided if you seek a visa yourself through the embassy, but that's a hassle vs cost decision for you to make!

What scares me most is the attitude parents have that their children are totally safe onboard....are they really so naive to think that " UNDESIREABLES" don't cruise !!!!!!!!!

I don't think they're any more or less safe on a ship than they are, say, walking themselves to school or any other age-appropriate things they're allowed to do on their own on land.

Most parents aren't stupid, they teach their kids protective behaviours and weigh up the marginal risk of something bad happening against the important benefits of developing independence. They have coached their kids on all the 'what-ifs' and have put checks and balances in place that you may not see.

Note, I say *most* parents, I acknowledge there are plenty of kids out there who could do with some more boundaries!

The food you've described sounds absolutely delicious!

I think I'll miss Share, it's slated for April for Sun Princess and I'm disembarking on the 5th. I would have given it a try otherwise, based on your review, even though my experience of Stone's food in the Golden's MDR wasn't a positive one.

Some time in the next 50 days would be good, thanks Indonesia!

Sometimes even good kids from good homes, who've earned trust and some modest privileges from their parents, will disappoint everyone and stuff up.

I wouldn't hesitate in telling annoying children to wind their heads in. I hope anyone would channel MrsGut and do the same to mine!

Kids learn how to be real people by going through the 'get a bit of rope => misbehave => consequence' cycle a few hundred times (possibly a few billion, in the case of my two). It's unfortunate for those of us inconvenienced at the time, but the alternative is that we keep them tied to the apron strings until they're 18 then set them free in the world, having never learned how to think or act without Mummy around to tell them.

**disclaimer, I'm not talking about kids running amok all day, and my plea for tolerance does not extend to hall runners at 1am :)

Thanks, that's really helpful!

Sorry, *Sea* Princess.

Thanks for your reviews. I was especially interested to read your Sun Princess review and that you had your children in their own, inside cabin. How did that go, were they ok and did Princess object at all? My kids are similar ages.