Jenig0013

We ended up deciding to do some other excursions but I appreciate the input here!

On 2/16/2023 at 3:19 PM, pdmlynek said:

Wow!  That is so weird!  Given how incredibly safety concious anything about a cruise is, I am pretty shocked that they let people do that.

 

The reason that I write the above is that I am pretty comfortable being under water, but when I started kayaking, and was given instructions on how to get out of a flipped over kayak (head forward, hands front to pop the skirt, hands back to push off the kayak, do a forward somersault out, pulling your legs out), it was still pretty scary getting out for real the first time. It was nothing that I've ever experienced before -- being trapped upside down, with head hanging down, leg immobolized, flailing hands doing nothing, is pretty panic-worthy.  And that was under controlled conditions, in warm water, and I was all mentally ready for it.  Now, after kayaking for several years, I could get out of a rolled kayak in my sleep (I never did manage to learn how to upright, despite many weeks of lessons and attempts over the years).  

 

I cannot imagine how a person who has never been kayaking, flips over unexpectedly due to own carelessness, while wearing bulky clothes, in 4 C water, is expected to self recover. I would think that relatively few novice kayakers would be able to self rescue, and would drown very easily.  And even if they do get out of the kayak, then what?  Swim ashore?  Wait for a rescue boat?  If a person survives the shock and does not drown while exiting the sea kayak, surely he'll be dead within 10 min of hypothermia. 

 

But I suspect that I am wrong, and that these kayak trips are indeed safe.  I just can't figure where I am wrong.  

I think you’re completely misunderstanding the nature of these kayaking trips - no one is doing rapids.

That said, dad and I are both dry suit divers, have dove Iceland extensively, and are very comfortable in 34 degree water. We met in the lifeguard Olympics (decades ago tho).

@pdmlynekthats more for rapids, this looks like a slow paddle around. 

Hi all - majestic Princess to Alaska in May with our 4yo. Very excited. Has anyone does a kayaking trip with a kid? Have been kayaking with him before. We will probably leave him on ship for Tracey Arm excursion but would like to not leave him for all of them. Open to other family friendly suggestions.

Thanks everyone! We booked the Majestic Princess. I’m pretty excited and will report back!

Ya sorry this is your fault - when we looking into cruising with my infant (now toddler) this was abundantly obvious. And Tenerife is not a remote island in Africa.

@oyme yes just worried about getting mattress wet - turned out to not be an issue as housekeeping put two mattress pads on the bed. We didn’t do a bed rail, he fell out once but it wasn’t a huge deal, hard to get hurt from that height. And he’s been showering since he was a newborn so I’m not dragging a baby tub (highly recommend showering infants asap, they do much better with water in the face).

We do not room share (we have a 3yo … literally have never room shared). So yes, I’d get a connecting room at that age. I find it miserable if everyone isn’t having good sleep.

On 9/2/2022 at 10:07 AM, qek585 said:

I know the getaway had a daycare for kids 3 to 5. They called it the guppies program. They must be potty trained or fairly potty trained. They will call you to change any diapers if accidents arise.

Do you know when that was? I can find nothing online about anything under 5. He’s fully toilet trained.

Re shower, just starting bringing baby in the shower. Set her in the floor while you wash yourself. We’ve done showers since first bath as a newborn - it’s a ton easier than wasting all the time and water bathing.

Hi all - what’s a recommended Alaskan cruise line? We are a couple in our late 30s/early 40s with a 4yo boy. He did his first rccl cruise this year. We enjoy fine dining and beautiful views. I had heard that princess and Norwegian have the best Alaskan access/itineraries … is that accurate? NCL doesn’t appear to have a kids club for the under 5 crowd. Not a deal breaker but not ideal. Anyone brought kids on princess before? Is Disney worth nearly double the price for Alaska? We also strongly prefer extra space for the kiddo, and could get a much bigger room on a non Disney ship I think … open to all suggestions!

Together we’ve done two princess, one rccl, and one carnival … I’ve done few more over the years but never NCL holland celebrity or Disney.

Hi, just wanted to clarify that there’s no kids club for kids under 5 on ncl, right? Looking at Alaska options and will have a 4yo. Trying to figure out our best option. It’s not a deal breaker but would be nice to have the option.

Sorry for the gross question but 3yo still wears a diaper at night - usually we have had him sleep in a hiccapop inflatable bed when traveling but we’re considering having him in the twin bed for the cruise (2 room cabin). But I’d want to bring a water proof mattress pad just in case of an accident. Tho I have no idea what I’d do in case of an accident since we don’t have access to laundry on rccl. Would you guys just keep him in the inflatable mattress on the floor?

We arrive to cozumel on RCCL Liberty august 20… trying to find something find for my mother in law to so. She’s obsessed with mariachi and shopping and that’s probably it. I saw this excursion on carnival called mariachis, tequila, and shopping. Wonder if anyone knows the vendor or is able to recommend it. Thanks so much! Otherwise we will drag her to the beach but she doesn’t swim and doesn’t tolerate a lot of sun exposure.

Hello all, husband and I (and toddler and MIL) will be on be on Liberty of the Seas Aug 14th. We are both AOW divers. We’d love to dive Mary’s Place while we are in Roatan. I guess my question is, is it possible to ever negotiate this with the official shore excursion group in advance? No, right? Ideally I’d like the assurance that we will get back to the boat in time if we are going to leave the toddler and grandma on the boat. There’s an AOW shore excursion for certification but not sure which company and which dives they’re doing.

This is so helpful! Bringing my 3yo this August on Liberty. And thanks for the reality check that the 3yo may not necessarily be able to go places bc of his vax status 😭😭.

Are you able to leave the ship with the kiddo at the kids club on port days? How did the 3yo like the kids club?

Hi all, first time cruising on rccl since … 2013. Have done a few princess ones in the meantime. I’m on the Liberty in August, and bringing my 3yo, and I’m very curious to how childcare works post-covid. He is potty trained, so he can be left in the daycare as far as I can tell. Can he do either the aqua it’s or the royal tots and babies depending on what’s a better fit? Can he spend any time at the daycare during port days? Any insight is helpful, and we’d love to here what people thought about the childcare if they used it. It’s not a deal breaker either way, but it would give us some flexibility if he can spend a little time there during the cruise.