Did you have fun? Please help me address my SIL's concerns!

[Maryscooking]

My family is trying to plan a trip on the Allure of the Seas for next June. Different families will have an 8 month old, a 20 month old, and a two year old, and they are all leary of going on a cruise with a baby. Here is what my SIL wrote:

 

I checked out all of your links, and it looks really nice. I am just not sure how Dave and I are going to it pull off with Jackson. I know they have a nursery and stuff, but it took him over a month to get used to his daycare, and I don't see him doing well being left with people he doesn't know. I can't figure out how we would be able to take advantage of what a cruise has to offer, and enjoy ourselves with a 1 1/2 year old.

Can people who have cruised with the two and under set, especially on Allure or Oasis (but any ship is ok), please share your experience? I'd love to be able to just show her this thread and put her mind at ease.

[Wavesprite]

We cruise with our almost 2 year old son to Alaska. We had a great time. He was too young to go to the nursery/child care, but it didn't matter. We were on vacation, and just did everyting we wanted to do. If you are with a big group, and your sister wants to go out one night, other people can watch him......

 

I hope your family all decides to go. Our son is 10 now, but we always love talking about the cruise he took when he was 1!

[Marie51]

My family is trying to plan a trip on the Allure of the Seas for next June. Different families will have an 8 month old, a 20 month old, and a two year old, and they are all leary of going on a cruise with a baby. Here is what my SIL wrote:

 

I checked out all of your links, and it looks really nice. I am just not sure how Dave and I are going to it pull off with Jackson. I know they have a nursery and stuff, but it took him over a month to get used to his daycare, and I don't see him doing well being left with people he doesn't know. I can't figure out how we would be able to take advantage of what a cruise has to offer, and enjoy ourselves with a 1 1/2 year old.

Can people who have cruised with the two and under set, especially on Allure or Oasis (but any ship is ok), please share your experience? I'd love to be able to just show her this thread and put her mind at ease.

 

Under these conditions I don't really think it is such a good idea to try to convince your SIL to go on a cruise. It looks like she has it all figured out that cruising with a small child is not their cup of tea.

 

The last time I convinced someone to go on a cruise who really did not want to go it turned into a disaster.

[cb at sea]

I'd find out what she expects to do with the baby in a beach house without daycare....it will be probably the same thing, but without the cooking and cleaning on a ship!

 

Allure and Oasis have child care for the under 3 age groups, so she could utilize that at times.

[Kerry's Girls]

I can't figure out how we would be able to take advantage of what a cruise has to offer, and enjoy ourselves with a 1 1/2 year old.

 

.

 

Cruising with a toddler is not for everyone. I absolutely loved cruising with my girls and we did lots of trips before they were old enough for the kid program, but not everyone wants to be with their child 24/7 on vacation. Also, from her comment about it taking a month for the child to get used to daycare, this may not be a toddler who is easy-going enough to enjoy being out of his element, which would also make for unhappy parents. If it were me, I'd take her word for it that this isn't the trip for their family right now.

 

Best,

Mia

[Maryscooking]

Hmmm....interesting comments. I think the biggest issue is that my SIL has no idea what to expect from a cruise ship, much less a ship like Oasis of the Seas. They are also first time parents, so more cautious in that regard as well.

 

I guess I should also make it clear that this trip will be COMPLETELY FREE to my Bro and SIL, flight, pre-cruise hotel, and all so I am not trying to convince anyone to spend their money on something they don't want to do. Shoot, it even includes an ocean facing balcony cabin. They don't even have to give up vacation time for it, because it is purposely scheduled for when they will already be off work (they are teachers). My mom and dad are planning this trip for their six children, and their spouses and children, and we looked long and hard for the kind of trip that would have something for everyone. Allure of the Seas won by a long shot. But people who don't spend time on these boards (ie, the rest of the family) really don't know what to expect.

 

I would just like them to have an idea of what is available to them so they can be excited about the trip. I would hate to see them turn down the trip without even having a realistic picture of what the trip will be.

 

It is a huge adjustment to go from vacationing as a couple to vacationing with a baby or toddler, been there done that. It can be a harsh reality that you don't really ever get a vacation from being a parent. Whether we are at land or sea - any vacation is going to require more work and planning and is not going to be as restful.

 

As for the nursery - if they want to utilize it or not is up to them, but at least on Allure they will have the option if they want. And a baby at 10 months (when he started daycare) is very different from the 20 month old toddler he will be on the cruise.

 

I would appreciate anyone who wants to share their experience!

[sandytoes03]

Hmmm....interesting comments. I think the biggest issue is that my SIL has no idea what to expect from a cruise ship, much less a ship like Oasis of the Seas. They are also first time parents, so more cautious in that regard as well.

 

I guess I should also make it clear that this trip will be COMPLETELY FREE to my Bro and SIL, flight, pre-cruise hotel, and all so I am not trying to convince anyone to spend their money on something they don't want to do. Shoot, it even includes an ocean facing balcony cabin. They don't even have to give up vacation time for it, because it is purposely scheduled for when they will already be off work (they are teachers). My mom and dad are planning this trip for their six children, and their spouses and children, and we looked long and hard for the kind of trip that would have something for everyone. Allure of the Seas won by a long shot. But people who don't spend time on these boards (ie, the rest of the family) really don't know what to expect.

 

I would just like them to have an idea of what is available to them so they can be excited about the trip. I would hate to see them turn down the trip without even having a realistic picture of what the trip will be.

 

It is a huge adjustment to go from vacationing as a couple to vacationing with a baby or toddler, been there done that. It can be a harsh reality that you don't really ever get a vacation from being a parent. Whether we are at land or sea - any vacation is going to require more work and planning and is not going to be as restful.

 

As for the nursery - if they want to utilize it or not is up to them, but at least on Allure they will have the option if they want. And a baby at 10 months (when he started daycare) is very different from the 20 month old toddler he will be on the cruise.

 

I would appreciate anyone who wants to share their experience!

 

If they are getting a FREE cruise on Allure I can't possibly understand why they wouldn't go??:confused:

 

Even if they can't do as much as they want (lets face it, most parents are in this position) they can still do a lot!

 

It's FREE and a CRUISE!

 

But, your SIL already knows that and is still worried. Are there other issues at play?

[Maryscooking]

But, your SIL already knows that and is still worried. Are there other issues at play?

 

You know, I didn't think about that, but still as far as I know, there are no other issues...no family drama to speak of. In fact, we all get along pretty well. Half the kids are literally across the country, and my mom really wants everyone to have a vacation together so cousins can know each other and play together.

 

The only vibe I've gotten from her and my brother is that they don't think they'll have fun with a 1 1/2 yr old on a cruise ship. My SIL has never cruised, and my brother has only been on the Majesty of the Seas back in 2005 (our last family cruise).

 

I posted some more info today on our facebook event page and she seems to be warming up to it the more she reads/sees, which is what I thought would happen.

 

I can't imagine them outright refusing to go if only because they know it would hurt my parents. But I want them to be excited about it, not reluctant. That's just my desire for everyone to be happy I guess :)

[Onessa]

I think cb-at-sea has the right tack on this one. A cruise with extended family is the ideal situation with an infant/toddler. A land vacation at a rented beach house, or a Disney, or similar stuff would all be hard work with a little one. And if you opted for an "all inclusive" would they feel that they would be able to take "advantage" of all it had to offer? What are SILs ideas of what WOULD work?

 

The ship is ideal because people can get together when and where it suits them. It also works well for all age groups. Even if their little one does not want to use the nursery, there are still many play opportunities for him and opportunities for folks up into their 80's.

 

PS we had a similar situation with my sister a few years back - she once got sea sick on a fishing boat on Lake Michigan so refused to take a Panama Canal cruise with our parents and my family - at mom and dad's expense and instead forced us to do a land trip, then refused to stay at the same hotel as we did and pretty much made the entire trip an ordeal for us. So six months later DH, DD, my mom and my dad and I took the Panama Canal cruise and did not even invite her!:eek: We had a GREAT time! Her loss!

[Wavesprite]

Ummm, a free cruise? Even if she sat in the cabin with the baby all week, it's a free cruise! haha!

[Tggrtoes]

Haven't cruised on Allure, so can't comment on that. But we did take DS (now 4) on his very first cruise when he was 16 months on the Sapphire Princess. It definitely was not geared for kids and we didn't have any child care options (even if he had been comfortable with going) although did go with the grandparents and they did watch him for a couple of hours one day so we had a little time to ourselves.

 

We had a GREAT time. Yes, it was not an especially relaxing vacation but we made some really great memories. Your SIL can take her kids into an empty nightclub during the day and they can run around... I think even ALlure has some time in the kids club that they can go in and play with family time. (We did this every day on princess... limited hours but it was fun.) The 1 1/2 year old will enjoy just walking around deck, looking at things and exploring. The fact that she will have a balcony is a huge plus - this what saved our sanity in that we had some time to relax during nap time.

 

If their child is club-reluctant, perhaps a group of family members can offer to baby-sit for a special activity that the parents want to do or maybe they could work with the other parents of the group and switch off so that each parent got 1 chunk of "sea day" to relax by the pool, read or whatever (sleep! lol)

[keyarra]

If she is up for it she can always leave the baby with her mom or trusted friend and go on the cruise. We are leaving our now 10 month old who will be 16 months when our cruise happens. To me having a baby on a cruise sounds like no fun. I love that my older kids will love the kids club. I also love that they are old enough to hang out with and play around.

[B_Mc]

We did it, just the 2 of us with a 10 month old. It wasn't the drinking all the time and laying in the sun cruise we did pre-kids, but it was still fun. Different fun. Fun with our son splashing out on the balcony. Fun exploring the port and seeing it through his eyes. Fun having someone else cook/serve dinner and clean up after us!!!!

 

No, she probably won't be able to take advantage of everything the cruise has to offer (unless you have a super grandma who will take the kid off her hands?!?!) but it is still a worth while, enjoyable experience.

 

The one thing I really missed was the night life and the shows. DS was up soooo early every morning I was too exhausted by 8pm to even think about a show. That was my only downside to traveling with a baby!

[alj1208]

I am a SAHM, and I remember those toddler years. They were tough. My guy was so active; I'm not sure how I made it through. However, my feeling was, being the mom of a toddler is hard no matter where you are, so why not at least have a change of scenery.... and someone to do the cooking and cleaning???!!! I would have gone anywhere with DS and just made whatever adjustments I needed to make. DH, on the other hand, couldn't handle the stress of serious travel or cruising with DS as a toddler. We waited until DS was 4 to take him on a cruise. I would have taken DS at any age, because that's just me. It's really a personal decision and depends a lot on your comfort with travel in general and how willing you are to take on the extra burden of caring for a child in an unfamiliar environment in exchange for the adventure of it all. Me? I'll take the adventure every time.

[Carolin]

Just one little comment to mull over. It's very nice that your parents want to purchase their cabin, airfare etc. We all know that there are extras that add up to a significant sum. They are a young family with a little one. I don't know what thier income is but they may be living on a tight budget every month. To drop a significant amount of money may not be in thier budget. Just saying... Tips, excursions, photos, paying for the nursery, babysitting.... Family pressures.. If I didn't have the money so my family could have a great "free" vacation then I'd act the same way.

[scubababy]

In my opinion, going on a "family cruise" with kids is the best possible way to vacation. We have been cruising with my husband's parents for years now. The past 3 years, we have all gone on extended European cruises and it has been wonderful having them with us because they keep Annie several nights during our cruise to give us a much needed night of peace!

 

When we travel with friends and their kiddos, we trade off giving one couple a break by having the kiddo go with us and giving the parents a few hours to free time, and then they do the same for us. We trade off a night or two also. A huge sleepover that the kids loves.

 

Tell her she will love this, and that everyone will help them out with the kiddo. And, use the babysitting service a night or two also. Get the baby to sleep, have the sitters come after she's asleep, and escape for a couple of hours to the casino or a show.

[Maryscooking]

Thanks for the replies! I appreciate all the different points of view!

[Maryscooking]

Just one little comment to mull over. It's very nice that your parents want to purchase their cabin, airfare etc. We all know that there are extras that add up to a significant sum. They are a young family with a little one. I don't know what thier income is but they may be living on a tight budget every month. To drop a significant amount of money may not be in thier budget. Just saying... Tips, excursions, photos, paying for the nursery, babysitting.... Family pressures.. If I didn't have the money so my family could have a great "free" vacation then I'd act the same way.

 

I know some families don't talk about money. Mine is not one of them though! If it was a money issue, my brother would flat out say that...he has before.

 

Anyway though, my parents really are paying everything. They understand that most of us do not have the budget for this vacation. We have pre-paid gratuities (from the TA) for all but four people, and my parents are covering those. Each cabin also already has a $100 OBC and specialty restaurant dinner for two from the TA.

 

On our last family trip in 2005, same scenario, plus our parents gave us $200 each (so $400 per couple) in spending money. We (the kids) did book an excursion together using some of this money. And we also bought my parents a bottle of wine and massages on ship as a thank you present with some of it. In addition, the night before the cruise when we all went to dinner in Ft. Lauderdale, they paid the entire bill including drinks. So my brother has experience with how this works.

 

I think its just the unknown of vacationing with a toddler, and being on a ship on top of that. Let's face it, when most people who've never cruised before imagine what it will be like, they aren't thinking Allure of the Seas!

 

I sent all three couples with the under-two's a compilation of feedback from people here and from reviews I found. I also found some good pics of toddlers enjoying the ship and sent those as well. AND sent a link to the info with the Royal Tots and Babies programming information. It sounds like they are all warming up to the idea.

[Carolin]

I know some families don't talk about money. Mine is not one of them though! If it was a money issue, my brother would flat out say that...he has before.

 

Anyway though, my parents really are paying everything. They understand that most of us do not have the budget for this vacation. We have pre-paid gratuities (from the TA) for all but four people, and my parents are covering those. Each cabin also already has a $100 OBC and specialty restaurant dinner for two from the TA.

 

On our last family trip in 2005, same scenario, plus our parents gave us $200 each (so $400 per couple) in spending money. We (the kids) did book an excursion together using some of this money. And we also bought my parents a bottle of wine and massages on ship as a thank you present with some of it. In addition, the night before the cruise when we all went to dinner in Ft. Lauderdale, they paid the entire bill including drinks. So my brother has experience with how this works.

 

I think its just the unknown of vacationing with a toddler, and being on a ship on top of that. Let's face it, when most people who've never cruised before imagine what it will be like, they aren't thinking Allure of the Seas!

 

I sent all three couples with the under-two's a compilation of feedback from people here and from reviews I found. I also found some good pics of toddlers enjoying the ship and sent those as well. AND sent a link to the info with the Royal Tots and Babies programming information. It sounds like they are all warming up to the idea.

 

Very generous of your parents. Can I be adopted? *grin* joking. I agree with the others who have posted. It is a wonderful family vacation. You might want to give the extra incentive... Hey a week where you don't have to cook OR clean. Sit back and get waited on. :)

[lrowe70]

If she doesn't want to go, my family would love to take her free spot! :D

 

But seriously, you can't force someone to take a vacation. Just because you like to cruise doesn't mean everyone will. Travel, going through airports, being out of their element...some people don't like that at all. And add an active 20 month old into the mix...I don't blame them.

 

Maybe she can't swim and is scared of water, maybe the idea of being squished in a tiny cabin makes her clausterphobic, maybe being on a boat with 2000 people is her idea of chaos, perhaps she dosn't like the ideas of formal nights, maybe she's worried about her son in close proximity to drunk partiers, could be a health concern...or maybe she just doesn't want to go. Especially as a teacher, she may want to spend her time off relaxing at home.

 

I totally understand not really wanting to go.

We're scheduled for a Carnival cruise in a few months and honestly I'm not nearly as excited as I have been for smaller cruises we've taken pre-baby. Packing for our son is already been a lot of work and I am stressed about how the whole ordeal is going to work(the reason I'm at this board to begin with). Working out details such as the airplane, food and packing for our baby, pre-hotel, and taxis has been a bit of a headache as well.

We too have other family coming, but don't want to burden them with having to watch our son the whole time. On top of that the largest cruise we've been on had 300 people and quite frankly being somewhere with 3000 doesn't sound like a good time to me at all. I'm not a big crowd sort of person. I'd much prefer a cabin in the woods to New York City. While I'm getting somewhat excited about the cruise, a Carnival cruise has never been something I've wanted to do. Hopefully this cruise goes well because if not then we will probably stop cruising for a good 10 years while we wait for our kids to age enough to enjoy the small cruise lines.

 

Maybe ask her what sort of family vacation she does want to take. A cruise is a big trip, perhaps there is something closer to home and lower key that she would rather participate in.

[Mack2]

I took my daughter on a Disney Cruise when she was around 18 months old... My daughter is the youngest of 3, so we kinda knew what we were getting into.

 

Sure, Disney at the time had a nursery area for parents and child to play (no actual leave-alone nursery)... and we took my sister and my mom with us (because Disney didn't have regular balcony staterooms that could accommodate 5 people)

 

So it was me and my wife, the 3 kids, their paternal aunt, and paternal grandma. Seven of us... two balcony staterooms.

 

 

We took powdered formula with us, my wife carried a couple of jars of baby food and a box of baby rice gruel (whatever that stuff is), and we had a WONDERFUL time.

 

It's not the kinda fun we had pre-kids with the drinking, gambling, and debauchery...err... okay no debauchery (it was wishful thinking), but it was as a few others have said.

 

Seeing the world in their eyes.

 

She doesn't necessarily remember attending the High Tea with the Disney Princesses, or Coral World in St Thomas in 2005... but WE have the pictures to prove it... and it's one of her favorite photo albums. Who wouldn't want to see a picture of themselves as a baby at the Chicken Little Premiere at Sea?

 

 

Some things to expect when cruising with a little one.

 

1) We spent a lot of time with our kids on the cruise. Even the older ones... as much as they like the kid's programs, we still liked hanging out with them on the ship... It's fun exploring the ship with them, swimming with them or watching a contest at the pool... subjecting them to our joy of BINGO. It's a great time to hang out with them.

 

2) My kids got used to falling asleep in the stroller... After a day of touring around kid friendly places in the islands, we'd feed them and get ready for dinner... walk the littlest around in a stroller, and she'd promptly pass out in the stroller. So it wasn't too bad parking her next to us in the Main Dining Room asleep while we ate...

This strategy also worked with the shows... The kids enjoy the shows (we're lucky), but I wasn't averse to sitting in the back with the stroller in case of a meltdown... but for an 18-month old... the movement, music, and lights can be fascinating (if they are awake)... if a meltdown occurs - Hey, the room is a short ride down the elevator and a brisk walk.

 

3) Thank your family for coming with you and putting up with your kids! They love your kids almost as much as you do! Hanging out with them can be a joy! Teaching or showing them new experiences! Especially on a ship like the Allure... Going on the carousel with them, walking up and down the Royal Promenade or Central Park.... catching performers doing, whatever they do. It's not all day, it's for the couple of hours that you and the spouse are getting a couples massage @ the spa.... or the fine dining at one of the specialty restaurants... it's reciprocal, and it's family.

Family is GREAT.

 

4) Shore excursions are still thrilling. It's not the Jet skiing adventure or the Booze Cruise Catamaran ride... but it's weird, but fun family stuff that the kids might never experience at home. Feeding a parrot, standing next to a pink flamingo, holding a baby sea turtle, swimming with a dolphin (yes, infants can go for free, but you have to book it direct). The memories you can make for yourself (the baby might not remember) are awesome.

 

I love these memories.

 

I never got the Disney pictures uploaded to Facebook, since it preceded my entry into social networking... but you can imagine it's more of the same, but with Disney characters.

[ehough]

I'd be happy to offer words of encouragement! We cruised last year with 2.5 year old DD and 11 month old DS. It went so well we're doing it again in a few weeks.

 

I actually prefer a cruise ship to a vacation in a hotel. There is always somewhere to go - toddlers love to just wander cool looking night clubs (during the day, I mean!) or lounges, and they're often empty during the day. There's always food to eat - room service, Lido, dining room. There's always something to do - shows (DD would sit through a fun singing and dancing show at that age), fun contests to watch, etc. There is a lot less sitting in your room while the bored toddler gets into things, and that's a good thing! You can do as much or as little as you want. We went to the beach every day - that in itself was enough of an adventure with 2 kids, but we all had a blast without being worn out.

 

She won't know until she tries and I'm not sure what's the worst that could happen. She can take it at her own speed- get off the ship or don't. Try the dining room or don't. It is what you make of it!

[B_Mc]

 

When we travel with friends and their kiddos, we trade off giving one couple a break by having the kiddo go with us and giving the parents a few hours to free time, and then they do the same for us. We trade off a night or two also. A huge sleepover that the kids loves.

 

 

I love this idea! I need cruising friends!

[Manatee Mom]

Here is my families experience if it helps....we started sailing with my oldest son when he was 6 months old. The 1st cruise was on an old RCI ship with grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. My son was the youngest. It was so much fun exploring the ship thru his eyes. Like others there were times someone else would watch hime so we could enjoy the son for a little bit or get a late night snack. Some ships even will make baby food from scratch. or you can pre-request exactly what jars you want. (call customer care and ask). As for show they were usually when he was sleeping and we would just carry him in asleep and he would sleep right thru in our arms.

 

My sons are now 10 and 12 and platinum on 2 different cruise lines. They love to sail and are always asking when is the trip!

 

Good luck

[notentirelynormal]

My son was the youngest. It was so much fun exploring the ship thru his eyes.

 

Yup - that is a very neat part. I always smile when I think how fascinated my DGS was when he discovered steps that you could see through. He loved the glass elevators too.