Ecstasy Family cruise with an 18 month old! Help! :)

[Nuttycruisegirl]

We are taking a family cruise in October on Carnival Ecstasy. 4 Adults, 4 Teens and my 18 month old niece. :) I will be keeping her quite a bit so my Brother and his wife can enjoy some adult time while on board. I would greatly appreciate any tips anyone has....She is very good at the table and will have no problems with the long dining room experience...I am more concerned about out and about, on lido etc....anything or areas I should avoid? The rails of course scare me...:o I am an experienced cruiser but all my cruises have been with adults on a different kind of fun mission... :) Thanks in advance for any tips!

[A&Jfamily]

We are taking a family cruise in October on Carnival Ecstasy. 4 Adults, 4 Teens and my 18 month old niece. :) I will be keeping her quite a bit so my Brother and his wife can enjoy some adult time while on board. I would greatly appreciate any tips anyone has....She is very good at the table and will have no problems with the long dining room experience...I am more concerned about out and about, on lido etc....anything or areas I should avoid? The rails of course scare me...:o I am an experienced cruiser but all my cruises have been with adults on a different kind of fun mission... :) Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

Take her a blow up pool - good for everything from pool time to the bath. I think she will be fine with the rails - it's all that plexiglass. I am sure she will enjoy just walking the ship. If they have putt-putt that will be fun for her too to try to play.

[cb at sea]

You would have to drop her overboard....at 18 mos., she won't be able to climb over! And, of course, someone will be within arm's reach all the time. No worries! There's usually so much going on, that very young ones are fasinated!

[Nuttycruisegirl]

Thank you both! I feel so silly! I forgot about the plexi glass...it's everywhere isn't it? Even on the open decks by the water slide etc? Jeesh....I am losing my marbles! I am excited but a bit nervous...the plexi glass helps tons!

[jam82]

Last time I was on the Ecstasy (December), there was no plexiglass on the rails in the aft by the waterworks. The rails back there are the ladder type, not a solid wall rail.

[Nuttycruisegirl]

Last time I was on the Ecstasy (December), there was no plexiglass on the rails in the aft by the waterworks. The rails back there are the ladder type, not a solid wall rail.

 

Thank you so much! I will plan for that...Of course if she saw that area, she would want to check it out! :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

If there's an area you feel nervous about, strap her into an umbrella stroller.

 

Not to scare you, but on our last cruise, one mother was going off the ship on the gangway onto the pier in last port. She was trying to hold her toddler, but was also futzing with IDs or something. And probably dealing with her other kids (she also had the toddler's stroller too). Somehow her lost her grip on the kid and it fell into the Ensenada water. The toddler was rescued. It was the talk of dinner that night (and on our roll call after the cruise as a few of my roll callers saw it happened) and actually made the cruisejunkies site of mishaps, etc.

 

Not too many people were too sympathetic (except to be glad the child was all right) as that whole extended family was causing problems right and left on that cruise, including the parents who left the kids unsupervised just about the whole time (spent lots of time in the casino). That was the only cruise we've ever been on that had misbehaving kids -- all from this family -- prob. because they were bored.

[Kerry's Girls]

Not to scare you' date=' but on our last cruise, one mother was going off the ship on the gangway onto the pier in last port. She was trying to hold her toddler, but was also futzing with IDs or something. And probably dealing with her other kids (she also had the toddler's stroller too). Somehow her lost her grip on the kid and it fell into the Ensenada water. The toddler was rescued. [/quote']

 

Wow - this has always been one thing I fear about cruising with my little girls, especially getting in and out of tenders. I always bring life jackets if we have a tender port so they can wear them. How scary - especially the Pacific coast where the water is so dark, it's lucky they were able to grab that toddler.

[Nuttycruisegirl]

Also...I forgot about this....Are highchairs readily available??

[jam82]

Yes, we've never had a problem getting one in the MDR or on the lido. If you have traditional dining the waiter will have it set up for you every night after the first night. If you have anytime, then you need to request it when you check in. On the lido they are usually in the back by the pizza bar. When I needed one, I would just grab it myself, but they will bring them to you if requested.

 

When my son was little, we would pack a chair booster so we could buckle him in when he ate in the room. With a limited amount of floor space, it was great to have a secure place for him.