The biggest difference..?

[wcurry66]

..from kid-free cruising and kid cruising?

 

long winded background: My DH and I consider ourselves experienced cruisers. It was our couple time. We've been married for 25 years; cruising was our way to stay connected. To be honest, I was one of those grumbling about the kids hogging "our" hot tubs and running around the nice quiet pool.

 

We were just getting in the habit of booking biannual cruises and had picked out the next 4 trips, when the universe threw us a curve. We met, fell in love, and ended up adopting a wonderful 5 year old girl (now 6).

 

We had to cancel our next 2 bookings (one we were waiting to take custody on short notice, and 2 when she was still our foster kid, we couldn't take her out of the country).

 

One year later, we're planning our first family cruise. While I feel like an expert on "all things adult cruising" (which rooms to get, when to eat, what not to pack, what size ship "fit", rum runners, booking trips, etc), I never even considered cruising with a kid.

 

If you cruised BK (before kids) and AK, what was the biggest difference?

[cb at sea]

It will be no different than any other "family" vacation or outing. You'll pack the same things for yourselves, and whatever you need for your daughter!

At 6, she'll love the kid's clubs...that's a perfect age!!!...and you'll still get some "adult" time, but you'll enjoy the cruise as a family!

 

Once you have kids, life changes....it will be different---not necessarily better or worse, just "different"!

[B_Mc]

I can't offer much but I'll be curious to see what others have to say as DH and I have cruised "BK" and will be doing our first trip "AK" in a few weeks!

 

I'm assuming the biggest change for us will be the early nights, early mornings and busier days. No more lounging the day away by the pool.....

[Mack2]

It's great that you both are seasoned cruisers.

 

Like anything, spending time together as a family is different that spending time together as a couple. What I loved about cruising for the first time with my kid(s) was showing them what I love about cruise vacations.

 

The shows, the people, the service.

 

I taught them to be polite and cordial to our fellow passengers and the staff... to experience the beauty and history of the ports of call.

It's a lot of fun.

 

For me, one of the most important things for me is to make sure the kids have a good time. I don't want them having fun at other people's expense (Yes, the hot tub is for sitting, not splashing!), but to make the most out of the family vacation time as possible. I love sharing experiences that I enjoy and experiencing new things with them as a family.

 

We do try to make time for ourselves as a couple, and thankfully, the kids really enjoy the kid's clubs on board... but for me, it's for them.

 

 

edit:

BK - We did some pretty adventurous excursions. Waiting for them to get big enough so we can do those again. Next cruise, we'll be able to do horseback riding as a family, probably... I want to see if I can get my eldest interested in Scuba Diving... I think @ 12 they start offering Junior certification courses.

[lucyjlou]

We are cruising in a month with our 2yr DD. This is our first cruise AK, I have cruised several times BK and it will be a change.

 

We have taken DD on lots of trips, so she is used to travel and schedule changes. This is her 6th airplane trip and I am hoping she will be as good as she was 5 mths ago on the plane! As they get older, it gets harder to predict their behavior, especially the Terrible 2's!!

 

We know that there will be some adjustments. We are not taking any chartered boat tours to snorkel this time. We are not going to be able to lay all day by the pool. However, we are taking a very port intestive cruise, as we usually do, so we only have 1 sea day (didn't have any when it was booked)

 

We are also taking DHs parents, my in-laws with us. They will be great to help keep DD occupied and give us some alone time. She does daycare at home, but worried she may be scared at Camp Carnival without us. So, we are not counting on Camp Carnival for alone-time ,but if she does like it, it will be a bonus!

 

We are doing more beach days on our own, where we can leave on our time if she gets fussy, we are planning to eat in MDR, but we know that some nights she may not be up for it.

 

I think it is key to not plan too much when taking kids, as they can change moods, etc so quickly. Just go with the flow!:)

[constansl]

I just returned from my first AK cruise with my 15 month old daughter. You will likely have a little more time to relax than I did. This was a big difference, but I loved it anyway. I can't wait to go again. the biggest difference is that the cruise was no where near as relaxing as BK. BK you do what you want, when you want because someone else does the dishes, someone else cleans your room. AK, you have a little person to take care of with their needs and desires. So, I wasn't able to leave all my chores at home. The world wasn't about me. I did; however, get to leave a lot of chores at home and because of that, I was able to really connect with my daughter. We had more quality, enjoyable time together. She saw the beach for the first time, she was fascinated by the ship. I thought cruising was a fabulous time with my family. I expect things will only be more fun as she gets older. Welcome to the kids club.

[williamsk]

Less ballroom dancing (or having to split dh with my daughter)

Less relaxing by the pool

No more scuba diving

No more sleeping in (rare unless she is tired too!)

More visits to the icecream station

More towel animals and oragami from the crew

A renewed appreciation for wildlife, waves, evening dance/acrobatic shows, carribean music, chocholate buffet, 'big' ships, shells, pretty evening wear (it is a bit like Christmas- gets old with just the two of you, but when seen through the eyes of a child)...

 

All in all, a different experience, but one we enjoy. Can't fathom it when other cruisers suggest leaving kids at home- they are young for too short a time. Someday you'll be cruising again as a couple anyway, and you might actually miss the third person sweet talking you out of the rest of your dessert at dinner.

 

Also- Use the cruise as a way to practice good manners- the staff can't resist a polite cruiser with the face of a cherub. You know she has it down when the ice cream lady/man remembers her name, ice cream preference, and favorite toppings.

[RoadTripFanatic]

- You can still have quiet dinners together. The children's centers are fabulous for giving you a break. You might even be surprised when you child looks at you and says I don't want to go to the island I want to go play with the kids. :)

- You will be amazed at the people who don't have kids and how they hog the only chairs next to the pool. You will need that chair to hold all of your kids stuff! LOL!

-It's different but it's still great. You learn to adjust to having a child with you. I think the thing I love most about cruising with DD is get family time, couple time and alone time. (Yes, DH goes to the Casino at days at sea and I sit up on deck reading while DD plays in the kids center!)

-A big difference is excursions. You tend to pick excursions that are age appropriate and you do a lot of tag team sight seeing. For example we love to snorkel. When DD was little we used to take turns playing with her on the beach while the other snorkeled. In all honesty we still do most of the stuff we want to do but be sure to incorporate a few things she would like!

-2nd pack some disposable cups. They make great emergency sandcastle tools.

[alj1208]

We are an over-40 couple with a young child (4 years old), and we are excited about our upcoming cruise-- our first real vacation with our child. I have heard parents refer to it as "travelling with children" instead of a "vacation." It sounds like most of the posters on this thread would indeed call their cruise with kids a "vacation," so that gives me hope.

 

OP mentioned they are an older couple with a young child. I don't want to speak for the OP, but for us, I think our age does play a role. Since we had lots of adult and couple time before our DS, I would say that we are less flexible. For example, we put off significant travel until DS was out of diapers and generally not in need of any extra equipment. We just weren't up for lugging all that stuff and dealing with the hassles involved. That's just us.

 

The bottom line is, your child is not a baby, but she is still a little kid. Same for us. We are trying to stay loose and keep expectations in check. I would consider it a success if we all had a good time, even if we didn't get a lot of rest/relaxation.

[wcurry66]

OP mentioned they are an older couple with a young child. I don't want to speak for the OP, but for us, I think our age does play a role. Since we had lots of adult and couple time before our DS, I would say that we are less flexible. For example, we put off significant travel until DS was out of diapers and generally not in need of any extra equipment. We just weren't up for lugging all that stuff and dealing with the hassles involved. That's just us.

 

I would say we're less flexible in some ways, as in we know what we "don't like" and wno't repeat prior mistakes. On the other hand, we have an 8 foot trampoline permanently set up in our livingroom.. having a life prior to kids helps us not sweat some of the smaller things

 

But yes, I think our age plays a factor. I don't see me going down the water slide ;)

 

Thank you all so much for your insights. Thus far, i see a week with less alcohol, less quiet mornings on a balcony, less romance. But more beach combing, more enjoyment in the dining hall (that might seem odd, but DD is great in restaurants. I've alwas found it awkard sitting with strangers. If DD is there, I have an excuse if I'm not engaged with their story of that day's adventure).

 

i can't wait. Now to look up whether bonine is acceptable for 6 year olds :D

[rjm11]

After kids, there are

 

Fewer:

* hangovers

* spa treatments

* lost $ at casino

 

More:

* desserts

* lost $ at arcade

* fun!

 

I like both, but I gotta say I was blown away by how much fun EVERYONE had on our first family cruise to Alaska last year. The kids are still asking when we are going back....

 

we booked onboard in August for Family Cruise #2- the 9 night Southern Caribbean on the NCL Dawn in two months. You'll love it!

[cantw8togo]

I would say we're less flexible in some ways, as in we know what we "don't like" and wno't repeat prior mistakes. On the other hand, we have an 8 foot trampoline permanently set up in our livingroom.. having a life prior to kids helps us not sweat some of the smaller things

 

But yes, I think our age plays a factor. I don't see me going down the water slide ;)

 

Thank you all so much for your insights. Thus far, i see a week with less alcohol, less quiet mornings on a balcony, less romance. But more beach combing, more enjoyment in the dining hall (that might seem odd, but DD is great in restaurants. I've alwas found it awkard sitting with strangers. If DD is there, I have an excuse if I'm not engaged with their story of that day's adventure).

 

i can't wait. Now to look up whether bonine is acceptable for 6 year olds :D

 

On sea days, we often spend at least an hour or two in the cabin having some quiet time. We have spent many a morning (or was it the afternoon?) leisurely lounging on the balcony. If morning time on the balcony is important to you, then try ordering a room service breakfast for a more leisurely start to the day.

 

One of the things that we do when we arrive at the departure port the day before embarking is to go to a dept. store to pick up some last minute supplies, snacks and to let the boys pick out a new lego set for the trip. They can spend hours playing in the cabin giving us time to hang out on the balcony reading or to have a brief rest. My 2 DS's aren't huge kids club fans, which surprised me at first since "all kids LOVE the kids club". They tend to be a bit on the introverted side, but we encourage them to check it out for a little bit, but in the end, they usually want to hang out with us.

 

We rarely take ship excursions, but prefer the flexibility of the doing our own thing. Independent taxis can take you to various attractions. If your child gets cranky then you can go back to the ship when you want, and like wise, if you stumble across a wonderful place, you can stay there longer. As others have said, the key is to be flexible and to go with the flow.

 

It's fun to see the trip through the eyes of a child. Sharing with them what you love about travelling and showing them that the world is different than it is at home. I love taking them into grocery and hardware stores when we go into various ports to see what is different and what is the same. Trying new treats and local foods are also part of what makes travelling so interesting.

 

I'm sure you'll have a great trip.

 

N.

[rpclmc]

I would say we're less flexible in some ways, as in we know what we "don't like" and wno't repeat prior mistakes. On the other hand, we have an 8 foot trampoline permanently set up in our livingroom.. having a life prior to kids helps us not sweat some of the smaller things

 

But yes, I think our age plays a factor. I don't see me going down the water slide ;)

 

Thank you all so much for your insights. Thus far, i see a week with less alcohol, less quiet mornings on a balcony, less romance. But more beach combing, more enjoyment in the dining hall (that might seem odd, but DD is great in restaurants. I've alwas found it awkard sitting with strangers. If DD is there, I have an excuse if I'm not engaged with their story of that day's adventure).

 

i can't wait. Now to look up whether bonine is acceptable for 6 year olds :D

 

There IS Bonine for kids and depending on their weight, at 6 years of age, she may be old enough to have a smaller adult dose. Check with the pharmacist - they will know better than a doctor.

 

We started taking our daughter on trips - flights, camping, roadtrips at 11 weeks of age. Her first cruise (as ours), was when she turned 8 years old. We went on 2 cruises with her, then were told how great cruises were without children - went on a cruise without her and didn't like it much. We LOVE traveling with her. I only cruise without her on my annual girl's cruise and that is more just a get away trip from everything, not just her.

 

Our DD is not big on the kid's club; the rule is, she needs to spend some time in there and give us and her a break. But she does great at dinners (the early one's, we tried late and she was always falling asleep at the table) and loves that the server's treat children (all children) so special.

 

The rooms have movies and she gets the bunk that pulls out of the ceiling; she can hang out up there - in her own space and watch a movie for down time. There is a ton of time lounging by the pool, all she wants to do is swim.

 

Oh, by the way, we were married 13 years before having her, so I would say, we are older parents. We love it though, absolutely no regrets - we know this time goes fast and are enjoying that she is enjoying us right now.

[jam82]

We are an over-40 couple with a young child (4 years old), and we are excited about our upcoming cruise-- our first real vacation with our child. I have heard parents refer to it as "travelling with children" instead of a "vacation." It sounds like most of the posters on this thread would indeed call their cruise with kids a "vacation," so that gives me hope.

 

OP mentioned they are an older couple with a young child. I don't want to speak for the OP, but for us, I think our age does play a role. Since we had lots of adult and couple time before our DS, I would say that we are less flexible. For example, we put off significant travel until DS was out of diapers and generally not in need of any extra equipment. We just weren't up for lugging all that stuff and dealing with the hassles involved. That's just us.

 

The bottom line is, your child is not a baby, but she is still a little kid. Same for us. We are trying to stay loose and keep expectations in check. I would consider it a success if we all had a good time, even if we didn't get a lot of rest/relaxation.

 

We are also 40 something with a 4 year old. From the very beginning, we have taken the attitude that the baby will adjust to our life. Although we had many trips hauling the crib, diapers, wipes, car seats and strollers, it just makes me appreciate the fact that we don't have to lug all of it anymore. DS has been on 14 cruises and has turned out to be a very social little guy. When we're stuck in the elevator with others or seated at a table with strangers, he'll start up the conversation by asking, "So where you all been from?" or "Having a good cruise?". Monkey see and monkey do.

 

To the OP - Congrats on your adoption. If your child enjoys cruising half as much as mine does, she will LOVE it. The biggest difference for us has been trying to build in some down time to our cruise schedule as things just take longer with a child in tow. We really have to try to do this as our son has inherited our mentality of "Go go go on vacation, sleep at home.". Our first cruise with him taught us a lot, but by the second time, we knew what to expect and we've just tweaked it from there. As long as you're expecting things to be different, you will be fine. After all, things might end up being more the same than you think they might be.

[Lulubelle6805]

We went on 3 cruises BK, and have gone on 2 AK, with a third coming up in a few weeks. Biggest differences for us include:

 

-no pool/hot tub (my husband and I don't like to do separate activities, and with a toddler who's not potty trained, you can't go in the water)

-have to book balcony cabin because we now spend MUCH more time in the room than BK and we need a retreat after his bedtime

-low-key shore excursions (e.g., more beach days/less adventurous excursions)

-fewer evening shows (comedy and magic don't impress a 2-year old much, though he loves the musical shows)

-packing is much, much more involved: gone are the days when we traveled with only a carry-on each!

-mealtimes are sometimes tense because instead of enjoying a leisurely 2-hour dinner, we're we tend to choose buffets or plan our meals at less crowded times when service is bound to be most efficient so we can avoid toddler crankiness

 

But there are tons of advantages to cruising AK, and we do take every opportunity to relax (e.g., we always book a massage each, we often nap when our son naps during the day, and we always wind down the evening with drinks on our balcony after he's in bed). We have loved our cruise vacations with our son and he's enabled us to slow down and appreciate the reduced pace of being on vacation instead of trying to cram in a million activities during the week.

[constansl]

I would say we're less flexible in some ways, as in we know what we "don't like" and wno't repeat prior mistakes. On the other hand, we have an 8 foot trampoline permanently set up in our livingroom.. having a life prior to kids helps us not sweat some of the smaller things

 

But yes, I think our age plays a factor. I don't see me going down the water slide ;)

 

Thank you all so much for your insights. Thus far, i see a week with less alcohol, less quiet mornings on a balcony, less romance. But more beach combing, more enjoyment in the dining hall (that might seem odd, but DD is great in restaurants. I've alwas found it awkard sitting with strangers. If DD is there, I have an excuse if I'm not engaged with their story of that day's adventure).

 

i can't wait. Now to look up whether bonine is acceptable for 6 year olds :D

 

We too have a trampoline in our living room. I don't know why age keeps you off the water slide. My husband and I had a blast taking turns and there were much older people than us on that slide.

[McDebbie]

Thanks for starting this thread. We are taking our 7 year old grandson on his first cruise late February and are trying to 'plan' for the differences.

[RoadTripFanatic]

I would say we're less flexible in some ways, as in we know what we "don't like" and wno't repeat prior mistakes. On the other hand, we have an 8 foot trampoline permanently set up in our livingroom.. having a life prior to kids helps us not sweat some of the smaller things

 

But yes, I think our age plays a factor. I don't see me going down the water slide ;)

 

Thank you all so much for your insights. Thus far, i see a week with less alcohol, less quiet mornings on a balcony, less romance. But more beach combing, more enjoyment in the dining hall (that might seem odd, but DD is great in restaurants. I've alwas found it awkard sitting with strangers. If DD is there, I have an excuse if I'm not engaged with their story of that day's adventure).

 

i can't wait. Now to look up whether bonine is acceptable for 6 year olds :D

 

Bonine is for children 12 and up. They do make a children's version of it. :)

 

Also make sure you tag team nap time. :) There is no reason for both of you to stay in the cabin while your son is sleeping unless you all want to take a nap.

[SusieV]

I wrote a review here about our experience with our 14 month old. We're not going t ocruise with him again until he's older. He had a great time, but we missed our relaxation. You just can't sit and enjoy yourself when you're chasing around a little one.

 

We also liked to stay out all evening and then sleep late in the morning. Yeah... that doesn't happen with kids!

 

You can't have a long relaxing meal in the MDR- I have yet to see a young child happy to sit through a 2 hour dinner. And forget the specialty restaurants- children either aren't allowed or would be very unhappy in the environment.

 

Oh and if age matters... we may be younger (late twenties) but as you can see from my signature we are extensively travelled for our ages, and we were married 6 years before having our son.

 

Cruising is just not a great family vacation in our opinion. I know lots of people love it but this is an experience we really enjoy as a couple. There are lots of other places we can take our son.

[cantw8togo]

We went on 3 cruises BK, and have gone on 2 AK, with a third coming up in a few weeks. Biggest differences for us include:

 

-packing is much, much more involved: gone are the days when we traveled with only a carry-on each!

 

.

 

There is hope for the future! We have finally learned to pack light and all four of us now only take carry ons. Our 2 DS's started pulling their own luggage when they were 5 & 8. They know that they can only take as many toys as will fit in the smaller carry on and it helps them to prioritize what they really want to take.

 

N.

[Julienatul]

The biggest difference is doing what you want when you want. Once you have kids it all changes. Life is now focused on them and not yourself. You have to plan well, be flexible and always keep them in mind. You are responsible for them 24/7. You may have to scale back on what you normally would do as adults and take "famly friendly" excursions. You have to keep in mind meal times, bed times, nap times, sunscreen, safety, walking distances, bathrooms etc. things you never used to think about or worry about.

On our last cruise on sea days DD would go to the kids camp in the mornings, I would pick her up for lunch and then we did putt putt golf and the water slide in the afternoon. I would have prefered to sit in a lounge chair with a drink in hand enjoying the calypso band but Im a mom now and things have changed. Kids dont sit for long so now our cruises are busier! On port days we went to the beach as a family. My parents and in laws (the adults) wanted to take a 5 hour island tour. As a mom, I know my 5 year-old would not do well on a 5 hour tour, its just too long so we scaled back and just hit the beach for a few hours. Things you would never bat an eye at before you now have to consider. Life just changes because they are the most important thing in it, so their needs come before your own. In a short time my kids will be grown and then Ill have plenty of time to go back to doing "adult" things on cruises.

[Onessa]

We cruised AK in 1990 (PreK) and then three times PostK (when DD was 7, 9 and 12YO). We've also cruised Canadian Maritime, HI (2x), Med (3x) and Baltic post-K. I was in my late 30s, DH in his late 40s when we had her. DD is now nearly 16YO.

 

Cruising PostK is a bit different but IMO much more fun. There are so many things that are so much more interesting when seen through the eyes of a kid.

 

In AK, we tend to hike a bit more (shop a bit less). We've done the dog sled trips on the glaciers (her cousin works at one of the camps). We've done a few wildlife watching trips. In Skagway and Sitka, we've gone to the National Park and DD did the Jr Ranger program. The community's totum museum in Ketchikan was nice for a little kid (accessible walk, affortdable fee, smallish but still very complete)

 

DD has always been rather social, so she's always enjoyed the kids clubs so there has been more than enough time to DH and I to have some adult time.

 

With only minor adjustments in your expectations, you'll probably find post-kid cruising better than pre-kid. Now that DD is getting to that age where she'll be cutting loose from us, I'm wondering what kiddless cruising will be like!