victoriasmommy

It was at the spa. They all had a blast. They got mani/pedis and picked their fav ice cream flavour for the lotion flavour and were served the ice cream. I think it was $45. Took 45 mins. Another mom and I asked and they let us come in an see them.

Embarkation around noonish - not too bad - once through the check in it was quick. Our rooms were ready right away which was nice. (adjoining balcony) We went to the Garden Cafe - it had alot of options and we did eat from there often for lunch.

We threw the kids out at kids club and saw the Welcome Aboard Show. I was disappointed there were no magic or comedy sneak peeks. I was thinking we'd see the comedians and then decide which one to see. Burn the Floor was pretty cool but after the Legally Blonde part - we decided not to see it. Hard to hear clearly/understand the dialogue.

We did Illusionairum the next time - it was great. And we did see a comedian at 9pm the night before last. Could have seen more shows but were tired out from all day. BUT if Blue Man Group or Legends had been there like on Epic we would have made the effort.

MDR for breakfasts and a few dinners was nice. The servers were very nice but as I had previously read sometimes service wasn't fast. not slow. but not fast. and we werent in a rush so it was ok.

Moderno - amazing.

waterslides and ropes and minigolf bowling etc - loved it. Carlo's Bake Shop and the Gelato were good. Also the kids club teaches them circus tricks and has a performance which DD loved. there was a kids ice cream spa party. pedi and mani and they rubbed their feet in chocolate lotion. A real treat.

A library - which was an area Epic lacked in.

As with Epic - Osheehans was our go to. Prime rib special and regular menu was great.

Frozen in 3d - kids loved that too. so many indoor and outdoor things to do. they had a family night at garden cafe with face painting and cupcake decorating contest. free crafts to do on other days. slime time live at the pool.

really sweet room steward- on past cruises i hadnt seen them much. but she was present and saying hi and even left my kid a sweet treat!

Oct is a great time to cruise IMO - not too many kids/people, not too hot, good prices. sometimes no lines at the slides. but still enough kids in kids club so they have fun.

sorry im all over the place!

With 52 free and natural beaches around Nassau, you don't have to pay to sunbathe in Atlantis. Junkanoo Beach is the closest to the cruise terminal.

Best for Active Types: Visit Paradise Island, where you can find all manner of water-sports rentals and eateries. Some say the most beautiful spot there is Cabbage Beach, on the north shore. Another good choice, closer to downtown, is Cable Beach, with all the usual beach amenities and dazzling resorts along baby-powder-soft sand. For great snorkeling, try Love Beach near Gambier Village, about 12 miles west of downtown Nassau, but be advised: Love Beach is the only officially designated nude beach on the island.

Best for Peace and Quiet: South Ocean Beach, close to Adelaide Village, is where it's at if you want an option that's a bit less-visited. Caves Beach in Rock Point (close to the airport turnoff on Blake Road) is another good out-of-the-way choice. The name is derived from the bat caves located directly across the street.

We went on the Epic. basically an unsupervised playroom (even though the paper says hosted by staff) where you take the little ones. We were the only ones except for maybe one other family that stopped by. (Feb sailing)

waterslides, mini golf, zipline/ropes course, rock wall, - FREE

walk the plank - FREE - but you have to purchase the photo if you'd like it.

Comedy and Howl at the Moon - FREE

not sure if there is a shoe rental free for bowling also

There are many free activities on the Getaway.

But the bowling isnt free FYI

but im not complaining.

Thanks!

Ditto

jokes about race gender weight - whatever. for ADULTS.

children - just not funny.

good question.

following...

Is it at a school break time in April?

basically if its not off season I would book - Atlantis can can full pretty quick

esp the Dolphin options.

We sailed Epic her first year at thanksgiving for $2100 for balcony. (me, dh and dd)

we are sailing on Getaway Oct for the same price.

Friends had suggested Oasis or Allure for $3400 oceanview balcony. (you can get an "interior balcony" for $3000. but I said no way - love NCL and love the price and this is a brand new ship!

DD was 3 and extremely clingy. (now we know she has a social anxiety disorder)

she wants to go and I explained that shed be too shy to ask for the bathroom but if they could show it to her and ask her now and again. and i explained if she cried please please buzz me. and they are really well trained and love kids. she took a complete strangers hand and skipped off. I stopped by twice to check on her and they would ask her if she was ready to go with mom and shed shake her head no.

I saw parents leave their kids there crying (or screaming) and you could tell that the staff werent thrilled. they would say if we cant calm them we will have to call you but I think the usually distracted them and everything went well.

Also bc DD is shy (sometimes she says she happy but she still looks sad she has trouble expressing and with eye contact)

she always came home with lots of prizes I think they were trying to bribe her into happiness. But one night she said shes skip her ice cream bc she was in such a rush to get there!

Of course this does not guarantee you'll have the perfect experience but they are def good with kids!

it is pretty inclusive to me.

and thats the way I like it.

If I wanted to have spa/massages/free alcohol/shows/extra dining I would go to Breezes or Sandals and I know I would pay more!

Also if I had unlimited massages Id be way too busy try to go to the spa, go on excursions, drink and eat way too much to "get my moneys worth"

this way Im cheap I wont order a soda with my meal bc I dont at home and its extra. But DH will. BUT most of it is included - all the things I need/want for the most part. if i want extra I will choose to pay for it!

going along with Sea Sharks train of thought...

but we allow any aged child into PG13 movies theaters to watch things rife with sexual words and actions such as Austin Powers?

But yes I'm sure she will be allowed entry after a token "warning"

NCL Getaway has 5 waterslides, plus ropes course and mini golf etc.

The kids sail free promotion is a great deal!

So my 2 year old is pretty spoiled. There is a big age gap between her and her brother...so even he spoils her. She is the only "baby" we have in the family right now, as her cousin turned 10 today. We dote on her and are very aware that she thinks she is a princess. She is a sweet child but thinks she is the center of the world. We have a fairly large home with open hallways and areas, so she is also used to running and playing.

 

Knowing this, and knowing that we were staying in the Haven, we went to great lengths to keep her occupied, engaged and generally as well behaved as a 2 year old can be. We wanted to make sure that everyone else who was in the Haven didn't have their experience ruined by our 2 year old. I probably shouldn't have been so worried about it...it is obvious that NCL built this boat and the Haven area knowing that it was going to be occupied by families. I would venture that 75% of the rooms in the Haven are 2 Bedroom Family Villas. Please correct me if I am wrong. So it would seem that Families are the target audience in the Haven??

 

I took our 2 year old into the Haven pool 2 times. She was well behaved...but she was laughing and having fun in the pool. There were several 8 to 10 year old kids in the Haven pool many times jumping and yelling....didn't bother me at all. I was getting dirty looks from a few people every time I took my daughter near the pool. Not many people...just a couple of them. What am I missing? What do you expect on a family line, during summer time, in a family targeted area? If you don't want kids around, shouldn't you book on Celebrity, Crystal or Silversea?

 

We went to the Haven restaurant loaded with things to occupy my daughter out of respect for other people's experience....Ipad with movies, DVD player for more movies, kindle with games...all sound turned off. One older gentleman had the audacity to state during breakfast loudly enough for my mother and sister to hear..."look what a spoiled brat", "she is too young to be in here". They didn't tell me until later...good thing as I don't know that I could have held my tongue. That really upset me, as I felt we were going out of our way to try and keep her occupied so that everyone else could have a good experience. She doesn't normally sit at the table with an Ipad or kindle, but she was out of her element and we were trying to be good neighbors. That being said, the staff really went above and beyond in catering to the kids...and it really seemed genuine.

 

I really would like some input from people here. Am I wrong?

if you bring technology to the table folks will often say "rotting their brains" and "giving children $100. computers is crazy" but they dont know (in our case) DD is not allowed screen time everyday and its a special treat.

you cant please some people - if you entertain with crayons and books they say "look at them cluttering up the table"

and if you brought nothing to the table and your little one started to hum they'd go "so rude to be making noise"

if your child sat too quietly with hands folded theyd probably whisper wonder if shes abused lol!

some people also can not understand why one would choose to "burden" oneself with the "trouble" of a child on a vacation - so they wonder why you didnt leave them home.

once your child isnt being loud or annoying. and is sat up as quiet as an adult (and more calm than some tables of college aged partiers) try not to let it ruin your day. everyone is different and you cant please them all.

Thank you so much for the review. We are taking our 6 yr old and 2 yr old in 19 days and your review has been very helpful!

 

I am worried about that Splash Pad with the big kids running through. Since it will be the only water spot we can take our 2 yr old, I planned on spending a fair amount of time there.

 

Do you think my 2 yr old (he's 2.5) and over 30 lbs can actually go on the trampoline? I really didn't expect he would meet any requirements for that?

theres my baby on it.

did not end well

When we went on the NCL I didn't see any signs about diapered kids but id read it on here.

I'm usually a rule keeper.

However DD was potty trained and we only put her in pull ups bc we were travelling and I really didn't think she would have a #2 accident.

Also the kids pool was so small that any kids above the age of 4/5 (not in diapers) I think would have preferred the main pool!

It seemed to be "made" for tots (in diapers) by the size of it.

and there were a few conversations of "of well they just went so I know they won't go again" but you really do never know. Theres always an exception and even bigger kids can have a sick tummy and have an accident.

So.... I can see where ppl look around (sign or not) - see a small pool with all diapered kids in it, would say well what the heck. and the staff should really monitor it I guess - its a wonder kids dont have accidents more often Id think!

I'm sorry Im sure this has been answered before and I did search but didnt see it.

I know that Savor and Taste have the same menu with additional specials each night. Does the Tropicana Room have the same menu as well?

thanks,

We would never allow our dd's to check themselves out of the kids club. Our girls have traveled for years and are comfortable in strange places, but it still is not something we allow. I think of the long hallways and all the doors with "who knows who behind them." Someone could open the door, pull them in, and it could be awhile before we realized something was up. Not a chance we are willing to take. I'm amazed at the amount of parents who board a ship, get drunk(sorry) and forget they are parents. We've seen little kids, five and up, on the pool deck, buffet lines, and wondering the ship alone. One reason we don't love some of the buffets. Too many little fingers in the food, and no adults around, I guess that's for a totally different thread!!! Cruising with kids is a totally different experience and parents should plan accordingly. Allowing them to roam a ship in the middle of a huge ocean, with thousands of strangers, alone, it not responsible parenting. Sorry.

Im sure most of the time kids are fine. maybe sometimes they get lost momentarily (I sure do) or fall and skin a knee and wipe their tears and find mom. No biggie but I def would think about it.

But very true on the someone behind them pulling them into a room. also I think about drowning. chances maybe be supppper slim but its just not a risk I need to take.

Its never much for me to be somewhere constantly thinking "dd would love this" - we took DD on an anniversary trip and my mom says we need to leave her home for another trip - BUT will def pick something more adult so I dont miss her and feel bad the whole time.

and also on a cruise you cant just call and talk to them very cheaply every day and night!

We were on NCL and have used Atlantis Kids Club and I'd think most others all kind of work the same?

DD is diagnosed Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety and also very clingy.

You are right talking and letting them know exactly whats going to happen is really helpful.

Usually the first day you can do a tour and meet the counselors. And they show you all the fun stuff they have to do.

I did let her know ahead of time (get the schedule the first day or even from this site) that one night would be pirate parade and one night face painting and spy/magic stuff. They have such fun themes. And said perhaps maybe one day she could go see how it was. and there would be other kids there. she wouldnt have to speak. and I made sure and told her we would find out where the bathroom was and I would sit outside for 10 mins and then if she wanted to go just walk down the hall. And i let them know she might not want to play every game right away just ask her if she wants too bc she might want to watch.

And then some super cool lady named "Pepsi" took her hand and she skipped off to my surprise. I watched through an observation window for a bit and then I took the phone they gave me and called after an hour and asked them if she was ready for mom to come and she shook her head no. Alot of the games are team or everyone wins games.

The next night after dinner she didnt even want dessert she wanted to go. So they def are trained and gifted with knowing how to communicate with kids usually if this is the career theyve chosen. I did see parents leaving crying kids there and I def wouldnt have been into that.

Good Luck!

You have to take a ferry http://www.xcaret.com/kids-activities-xcaret.php

and then a bus

- we went was DD was 4 but I think she would have even more to do now.

we booked through the NCL but could have easily done it ourselves now we know where to go.

Have had this 2 years. works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-PlaySport-Waterproof-Pocket-Camera/dp/B0030MITDK

this really made me smile.

I got in with my nephew that was 4 and my DD that was 3.

I could stand they couldnt so I had one on each hip.

My parents and nephews parents didnt want to get in bc it was Feb and a little chilly.

Some sweet other passengers in line would hold a kid while the other had their turn. you can see im holding onto the kids and they are holding onto my back.

Also you have to tell the kids - and the instructor will too. do not get excited and poke them in the eyes or mouth!

But we made a memory!

But Atlantis def does the best job in the Carb - beautiful water - more time - dolphins seem happier - so if you had the chance try it there.

We did babywear alot - but sometimes it tiring.

the Maclaren umbrellas are great. We're tall so the cheap short Walmart ones dont work. DD can sleep through alot so she could drink til she passed out in there without us being stuck in the room. If you LO is only 1 I think it would be a great investment that you would def use for a few years. We were using our maclaren til DD was 5.

and yes ppl do give you dirty looks if you take a behemoth stroller(even though its not nice of them)

- DH says at least if I ran over someones toes with the umbrella it wouldnt hurt as bad.