Alaskan Cruise with 2 yr old

[redway]

Hi We're planning an Alaskan Cruise from Seattle with 2 adults with a 2 yr old and the grandparents (it's possible that others may go but until we figure this out we won't know) We're very confused as to what cruise line would be best for the 2 yr old who will just be 2.

 

Is this cruise a good idea, which cruiseline? Can't seem to find the right info.

 

Thank you

[boulders]

I didn't vote since I haven't been to Alaska with a 2 year old. I've been to Alaska with a 4 year old and I've cruised the Caribbean with a 2 year old, so here's my 2 cents: After having cruised RCCL with the 2 year old, I would only go with Carnival. We made liberal use of the babysitting on RCCL, but there was very little to do with ds2. He loved Alaska on RCCL when he was 4 though. Lots of stuff to do.

 

My caveat though is that I'm a widow, and I didn't have grandparents or anyone else to help. I would imagine that it would make a huge difference if there are others willing to take turns.

[redway]

Thanks Boulders, that's just the kind of info we're looking for. Anyone else?

[luv2travell]

i took my 2 year old on alaskan cruise serenade of the sea 2 years ago and it was just me and him i did everything i wanted to do and see.they have check out toys for them and they also have 45 mins to 1 hour that they bring out toys from fisher price you have to read the sheet they gave you everynight he went whale watching with me in hoonah

[jam82]

Our two year old has been on 7 cruises. (4 as a two year old and 3 before that) He has never done Alaska, but I have on Celebrity. I think it would be fun to take him there. There would be some things I wouldn't get to do like rafting, float plane and hiking the glacier, but there would be enough to do with him that it would still be fun. I know he'd like the lumberjacks and the log rolling. Even though Celebrity is my favorite, if I was taking my two year old, I would cruise Carnival.

[Ula]

The Potty trained thing on this poll is kind of funny, three trips to Alaksa only one time could you really enjoy the pools. Hot tubs were popular.

This is actually a hard question. All of our Alaska cruises have had very young children and no one acted concerned. It is a different type cruise. Kids and adults are exhausted at the end of the day.

If you could only ever go once, I would wait till the children are older. If it is a cruise that can be repeated than go. Everytime we visit Alaska it is different. We saw Baby Orca this time from the windows of the buffet. These are not late night party cruises even though it stays light out till very late. There is just always something to see and do. That is if you are into nature.

I swear our last cruise in port, every stream we walked over was wall to wall salmon swimming. The weather was perfect.

[luv2travell]

this is actually true when u look on the lake u will see alot of salmon u can practically grab one no need for fishing pool.

[cantw8togo]

We went to Alaska with our 2 DS's (5 & 8), MIL and SIL this past June. We have also cruised the Caribean when the kids were 15 mos and 4 1/2. While a trip to Alaska with a 2 yr old is certainly doable, it will be a different trip than travelling when they are older. I had always wanted to show my kids Alaska and would have preferred to go when they were older, however I couldn't pass up the opportunity to travel with their Grandma. If you are realistic in your expectations, then you can still have a wonderful time.

We sailed with HAL to Alaska and while their kids program is good, we prefer Celebrity's kids program. I feel that their ships would also appeal to the grandparents. It is finding the balance between what would appeal to both the kids and the grandparents.

The wildlife viewing is highly dependant on the time of year that you travel. Here is site with info on what you can look for at various times of year. To see the salmon spawning, you need to travel later in the summer and fall. http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/viewing/southeast.pdf

 

Hope this helps,

N.