Queen Mary 2 for an 18 month old?

[chandon]

Has anyone experience the QM2 and had a favorable experience with a toddler? We are looking at a December 11 day cruise from NY to the Caribbean and back. We would want to utilize the nannies so we would be able to enjoy some time by ouselves. It looks as though the only option is in a group setting for childcare. Would love to hear any feedback that could be provided.

[cruisincarly]

Has anyone experience the QM2 and had a favorable experience with a toddler? We are looking at a December 11 day cruise from NY to the Caribbean and back. We would want to utilize the nannies so we would be able to enjoy some time by ouselves. It looks as though the only option is in a group setting for childcare. Would love to hear any feedback that could be provided.

 

I can't give you any feedback now, but we're going with our 18 month old (on a Transatlantic) in July -- will certainly come back with my experiences then!

[jerin]

No personal experience, but a few friends have sailed Cunard with toddlers and had wonderful experiences. There were other passengers who looked down their noses, but for the most part, the passengers enjoyed having the little one around, and the crew were excellent with babies.

[Havingfun2010]

I have no personnal experience, but if I was the kid, I would surely be mad when I'm old enough to know, that I can't remember the trip!!!!

 

Have fun.

[Essiesmom]

You might get a few more responses if you post on the Cunard board. My brochure says 'We provide supervised activities for children aged one to 17 years throughout the day, and also offer free group kidsitting in the evening.' EM

[uncanny_annie]

Just returned from a QM2 trip with my 3 year old and 20 month old. Absolutely fabulous. For starters, all childcare is free. They are open from 9am-12, 2-5pm, and 6-midnight. All group care, no in-cabin babysitting. (the evening hours are shorter on embarkation and disembarkation days) They change diapers and handle crying toddlers no problem. You'll get a pager so they can contact you with any problems. They give snacks, but no meals. If your baby naps, he/she will have to do it in the cabin, they don't let them nap there during the day. However in the evening, they are encouraged to come in their jammies and they have an area set up with pillows and blankets on mats where all the babies and toddlers watch movies and can drift off to sleep. They also have 3 cribs in the infant room. There is also an outdoor play area near the kid zone on the back of deck 6 where they can run around. Some Little Tikes cars and play/slide stuff, nothing fancy. also a wading pool and a kids pool. Great to have a place where they can run around and be noisy, as the rest of the ship is pretty formal. Any other questions? happy to oblige.

[cruisincarly]

Just wanted to echo uncanny_annie as we've just come back from our QM2 transatlantic with our 18 month old. The childcare was fantastic. The nannies really know what they're doing, the facilities are nice and best of all our Roman LOVED it. He could play with toys, do some simple crafts and just run around (as he'd gladly do 12 hours a day). As far as I could tell from talking to other parents, everyone else was satisfied as well. The older kids we saw around the ship, btw, were without exception very well behaved, and seemed to be busy with fun of their own.

 

As far as having Roman in other areas of the ship -- the crew were always happy to see him, and the other passengers 9 times out of 10 were as well. A lot of people talked to him (and us), and were happy and smiling when they saw him. We fed him in King's Court (the buffet) every evening and then took him to the night nursery, where he happily drifted off to sleep while we enjoyed our late seating dinner in the MDR. He made a bit of a mess every night in the buffet, as an 18 month old would, and no one batted an eye. It helped that we took him right at 5:30, when the place was mostly filled with families. We didn't try the children's tea ever.

 

All in all -- would HIGHLY recommend Cunard for families with kids under 2!