Potty trained but...

[mitsugirly]

I was just wondering (and wasn't sure whether I should post this here in the family section, or in the actual different ports that I'll be visiting)...

 

My daughter will be 3 1/2 when we sail in September. She has been potty trained since about 2 1/2. However, she's still young and when she has to go, she has to go. She is pretty good about holding it for awhile, but I'm worried about when we take an excursion/tour on one of the islands that if she has to go, what happens? Will the drivers stop for her to use the restroom? Or will she be forced to hold it until we arrive where we are going?

 

I was just wondering what other parents have experienced with children this age.

 

If it helps, we are doing the Victor Bodden zip and dip in Roatan and the cave tubbing in Belize-both we will be on a bus for a certain amount of time. The other ports we will just be catching a short cab ride to where we are going.

[Kerry's Girls]

We travel with the Potette travel potty. It folds up and fits in my backpack and has been wonderful because we don't have to worry about looking for a restroom or using icky restrooms. We have used it in moving vehicles - it's a bit awkward, but possible, and, as you say, when they have to go, they have to go. I also always have a change of undies and shorts in my backpack so it's not as much of a disaster if there's an accident. I did used to have my girls wear pull ups during long flights or bus rides at that age, but probably since yours has been potty trained for a year already, that's not an option for you.

 

Best,

Mia

[mitsugirly]

So I guess my question is, how exactly do you go about using that when there are a bunch of strangers on the bus with you that would watch her potty? That would be awkward plus she doesn't like for people to "look" at her when she goes.

 

I do plan on taking a change of undies and shorts with us...just in case.

 

As for the pull ups, she would wear them, however, she would still not go in them. I've tried it before when we were going to places I knew that there might not be a place convenient for her to go. She will scream and cry before she'll go potty in them. :(

[jac1976]

I took my DD on a cruise in March (she was 3 years 4 months old) and just made sure that whenever we were near a potty I took her to use it, whether she said she had to go or not. I also limited her liquids if I thought we would be away from a bathroom for a while.

[6rugrats]

That's a good question, because if you are on an excursion and traveling by bus with a lot of people, I don't think the driver will stop because your child has to go. I think Kerry's Girls, books private excursions, which would make the "going" in a moving vehicle a little easier. I know my DD would never have gone in front of a bunch of strangers on a bus! That's also kind of gross for the other passengers.

 

The only suggestion I have it to make sure she goes right before you leave, that she doesn't drink lots and lots of liquids before then, and then hope for the best.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Obviously accidents happen and by 3 1/2 they are usually fine to hold it and just make sure that they got to the bathroom often when the opportunity is there. If you are super worried then pull ups would be a good solution for long rides but then she may revert to diapers and that would be bad! The bus drivers will stop if they can but they can't always stop on a dime. So just make sure that she knows in advance that she has to go to the bathroom before you leave the ship and before you go on your cave tubing adventure.

[mitsugirly]

Yea, I definitely will enforce her going potty before actually getting off the ship. However, since you end up leaving so early in the mornings (well for us it is), we will just be finishing breakfast (with drinks) and it usually takes awhile to "work on her" before she has to go. That's the part I'm worried about. Plus if it's really hot out (which it usually is in September) I don't want her to get dehydrated.

 

Hopefully things will go well. If they don't, I'll just have to have back up.

 

I was just wondering if the tour buses ever do stop in this case or if anyone has ever had this happen if so. I think the longest time for the tour is about 1 hr to get there (and the hr back after doing what we are going to be doing).

[imsulin]

Yea, I definitely will enforce her going potty before actually getting off the ship. However, since you end up leaving so early in the mornings (well for us it is), we will just be finishing breakfast (with drinks) and it usually takes awhile to "work on her" before she has to go. That's the part I'm worried about. Plus if it's really hot out (which it usually is in September) I don't want her to get dehydrated.

 

Hopefully things will go well. If they don't, I'll just have to have back up.

 

I was just wondering if the tour buses ever do stop in this case or if anyone has ever had this happen if so. I think the longest time for the tour is about 1 hr to get there (and the hr back after doing what we are going to be doing).

 

I think your daughter will surprise you by being just fine...but bring a change of "bottom clothes" and some wipes, just in case. And, no...those buses don't stop because they're on a time schedule, and often have to do more than one tour.

 

BTW - your picture of the NCL Seaward looks NOTHING like the NCL Seaward I cruised on in 1990 to the Western Carib!! Where did you get that picture?

[mitsugirly]

I got it online and it looked just like the picture that was on the cover of the brochure that I had back then. Do I have the wrong ship? LOL I know I sailed the Seward, but it's been so many years ago. :confused:

[mitsugirly]

I just did a search...here's where I got it from:

 

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/NCLPCs2.html#anchor477420

[imsulin]

I got it online and it looked just like the picture that was on the cover of the brochure that I had back then. Do I have the wrong ship? LOL I know I sailed the Seward, but it's been so many years ago. :confused:

 

 

I looked at the pictures on-line, too (just now). I think the one you chose was photographed from a more "positive" perspective. ?? I'm pretty sure it's the same ship...just didn't recognize that particular picture. Yeah, it was decades ago, and my third cruise. I thought the ship was HUGE, compared to the old Pacific Princess (the original Love Boat) back in 1977 and 1978. In subsequent cruises, though, the Seaward was tiny, comparatively speaking! Thanks for clarifying, and I appreciate your post. Enjoy your cruise, and I'm sure your daughter will do just fine!!

[Maryscooking]

the cave tubbing in Belize

 

We did cave tubing in Belize back in 2004, and unless something has changed, there won't be anywhere that you'd even want the driver to stop on the way there.

 

And on a side note, how are you going to do the cave tubing with a 3 1/2 yr old? (I thought there was an age limit for that?) Will she ride with you? I'd be worried since the cave are pitch black at different points.

 

I sympathize with your potty concerns though. My DD is four and that still worries me sometimes. As others have said, bring a clothes change and a plastic bag.

[frogs127]

Good question. I wouldn't know about stopping mid travel, if she really had to go bad, I would ask the driver. The worst that would happen is she would have an accident. I'm bringing an almost 4 year old - and am right there with ya. GL :)

 

Maryscooking- I would take a 3 1/2 year old on the cave tubing- my daughter would have a blast doing that. Age permitting I say go for it.

[bus man]

We did cave tubing in Belize back in 2004, and unless something has changed, there won't be anywhere that you'd even want the driver to stop on the way there.

 

I don't know where, exactly, the cave tubing is; but if it's anywhere north of Belize City along or near the Northern Highway, I agree that there's no place along that route that you're going to want to stop -- unless you're comfortable being a "wealthy" tourist in a Third World, non-touristy area.

 

Some tour buses have bathrooms onboard, so I would suggest asking ahead of time to see if this applies to your tour. Otherwise, all I can suggest is to use the bathroom on the ship; then, after the tender ride to the port, use the bathroom again while at the port waiting for your bus. (Ignore the inevitable "But I don't have to go potty!" protest.) Then . . . hope for the best, I guess.

[klauer]

If you are talking about a van, the driver might be able to stop somewhere, but on a 40-45 passenger bus, I don't think so. The drivers seem to discourage use of a restroom on board, stating that it is for "emergency" use only. Hopefully you can get some useful information in the "ports of call" section.

[bus man]

The drivers seem to discourage use of a restroom on board, stating that it is for "emergency" use only.

 

If soiling one's pants and seat does not qualify as a bathroom-related "emergency," I don't know what does.

[mitsugirly]

I really doubt that the vans they are going to put us in for the trip will have bathrooms. I've never heard anyone mention it before. I'll check with some of the port forums for the exact tour I will be doing and see what they say.

[DALSAL]

We did cave tubing in Belize with Yhony. I would never take a child that young unless it was with a great staff like his. From what I saw, I would NEVER take a ship tour for myself, much less a little one. Even the walk might be a little too much for that age to keep up with. I doubt a bus will stop for you, and where would you stop? Nothing along the way that I saw...

[DALSAL]

I really doubt that the vans they are going to put us in for the trip will have bathrooms. I've never heard anyone mention it before. I'll check with some of the port forums for the exact tour I will be doing and see what they say.

 

My best suggestion would be to contact the tour directly and ask them. They will be able to tell you what they can do for you.

[mitsugirly]

The company we are going with is .bz. Everything that I've read on here said they put safety ahead of everything and take children all the time. I spoke to them in depth about it and I feel comfortable with them. They have all the updated equipment, tubes, safety, must wear life jackets, life jackets for little ones, led lights on helmets and make sure that everyone is connected instead of floating by themselves. She will be on our lap, not by herself.

 

She also can out walk us any day. She is non-stop go, go, go. She refuses to be put in a stroller since age 2 and walks everywhere we go. We take her all kinds of places, like the fair and exhibits and she will walk from beginning to the end and still come home and run circles around us when we want to rest. So her walking or wearing out is the least of my concerns. :)