Cruising with a 2 and 4 yr old in 39 days, suggestions please?

[TSoccer5]

We are going on the Carnival Celebration and our ports are Key West and Nassau....

 

should we leave the kids on the ship in one or both ports?

 

suggestions on what we definitely "need" to bring and what we can live without?

 

Thanks in advance!

[serene56]

Your 2-4 year old will be together in the camps.

 

Here is a glance at camp papers and see whats happening . Take a look at port days... to see what is offered and if your kids may like it.

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/299741566PLYKOu

[MLAW]

We have cruised with our two daughters since the oldest was 20 months old (now she is 11). We have always taken them into port with us so I can't comment on your first question. However, things to remember: sippy cups for the dining room, crayons and paper or something to keep kids entertained in the dining room (even when we went on Disney they only gave each kid 1 or 2 crayons and the menu), some small toys to keep kids entertained in the cabin when you are getting ready in the morning or for dinner, sand toys if going to a beach, small reading light or flashlight if you have an inside cabin and your children nap (inside cabins are pitch black even in the day), and swim floats if you want to take them in the pool or the ocean. Have a great time on your cruise. We have really found it to be a great family vacation. My girls have loved every kids program on every ship and cruiseline we have sailed. My husband and I enjoy time alone as well as time with the girls. Enjoy!

[I&MsMom]

We've only taken one cruise so far (leaving for our second in exactly 2 weeks!!!). We took, and are planning to take, our kids (now 2 and 6) with us to each port. But, so far, we're content not doing excursions that they are too young for. Some excursions have minimum age requirements.

 

I would only say that if you do leave them on the ship, be aware that ship time may differ from port time. I don't think that will present a problem with your ports if you are traveling before fall, though.

 

We were in Key West off the Glory. We independently booked the glass bottom boat tour. As we were pulling into port, Carnival announced that all water related excursions were cancelled due to sea conditions. We used our cell phone to call the tour operator, and sure enough, they too had cancelled. So, we checked e-mails at an internet cafe, and had a light lunch at a restaurant with outdoor seating and live music. I had looked into a vintage plane ride for DS, but we ended up deciding it was a little too pricey. We saw the plane as we were having lunch, and have agreed that if we return to Key West we will definitely make that the main event as far as excursions go - but then, DS is a plane/train/ship/motorcycle/car nut. There is also a butterfly farm, the tram tour (which we opted out of as DH and I had spent some time in Key West pre-kids). Check the port of call boards for other ideas.

 

The only other thing I would mention about Key West is: be careful about what stores you wander into. Some have inventory that might require some inventive explanations on your part!!

 

As far as what to bring, I would certainly bring a stroller. Use it during embarkation - strollers and wheelchairs go to the front of the line as you are entering the terminal!! Depending on your excursions, you might want to consider a life vest, at least for the 2 year old. Although the two boat tour operators we are booked with in a couple of weeks have childrens vests, they both said they did not think they had any to fit a toddler.

 

HTH. Happy cruising!!

[Onessa]

In addition to the crayons and papers, I always travel with a bag of small, age appropriate toys - some old favorites, some new and exciting. I then put together a few of them in a small cosmetics pouch, one pouch for each. At dinner or other opportune "waiting times" pull them out and give the whole pouch to each girl.

 

Remembering back to our Mediterranean trip with our DD when she was four - I had some of those small, party-sized play-dough tubs; keychain sized Mr. Potato head and barrel of monkeys; finger puppets, hacky-sack type balls (great because they don't roll real well), some Fischer-Price mini cars that we had gotten as a Toddler toy in some McD Happy meals, and some of the old tiny Polly Pocket toys. Little boxes or other containers to nest or stack are nice.

 

I also always put together a daily scavenger hunt list for my daughter - at 3 or 4 it was with crude colored pictures. Things you know you will see in port that day (for example when we were in Venice, I put a statue of a Winged Lion), things that you'd expect to see anywhere (an orange baseball cap). I'd have some ideas I'd put for each day, but we'd make it a family project over lunch to come up with the list for the day.

 

Have fun!

[ggrizzy]

onessa, i have a question about ur cruise to the meds w ur DD - did she go to all of the ports w u? i will be going w my DS in july (he will be 3yo) and i'm contemplating whether to bring him ashore, or leave him on the boat with the kids camp (grand princess)... our itin will be 12 days, covering barcelona, marseilles, livorno, rome, venice, athens, mykonos, istanbul, kusadasi, naples...

 

:confused: we have booked private tours on all ports except for turkey and istanbul, and for those we will probably do the private van tour...

 

many thanx for any input!

[betonic]

I'm also interested in knowing about how the Med trip went with kids. I have a son who will be almost 6 if I take him this fall. Last year I went and loved every minute except being away from my son. I want to take my Mom this year but she thinks that it's not a good cruise for kids. The days were long with the private tours and I can't imagine how my son would behave in the Vatican! Ouch!

 

Thanks in advance

[Onessa]

She does everything with us. She was 4 then 9 now - still remembers large portions of that trip (pigeons in Venice, Leaning tower in Pisa, "the lady in the clam shell" painting in Florence, are some that have come up recently - her third grade class is studying Italy and she just finished the latest Magic Tree house book which is set in Venice)

 

We scaled back some of our excusions, paid extra to make priority reservations for more specific times whenever available, and worked extra hard to keep her engaged. It helped that she still LOVED her umbrella stroller and still napped for 1.5 to 2 hours after her lunch each day (in the stroller) - if she had had to walk it and miss her nap, it would have been impossible. We always had lots of snacks available and water too. She has always been a great little traveler.

 

I've found that the challenges of traveling with a kid to be more than outweighed by the rewards. I really do get a new perspective on things when looking at them through her eyes - but it definately is a different experience than traveling pre-child!

[MNfamilycruiser]

We are going on the Carnival Celebration and our ports are Key West and Nassau....

 

should we leave the kids on the ship in one or both ports?

 

suggestions on what we definitely "need" to bring and what we can live without?

 

Thanks in advance!

One of the things I brought when my two were that young is good flotation devices. We had the rings that are attached to a "suit" that they step into and goes over their shoulders. That way if they were pulled out or off their feet by the waves I didn't worry that whatever they were using would fall off.

Buy beach toys - bucket and shovel - bring with or buy there.

My kids loved the beach - weren't crazy about any kind of "scenic" tours. Maybe you could bring them to the beach one port and leave them back on the other so you could enjoy something different.

My kids loved the ships programs and certainly didn't miss shopping or just walking around on some of the islands. Being able to leave them at one or more ports certainly made it more of a vacation for ME! But then, I am a SAH, homeschooling mom - so it's not like I never get a chance to be with them.

[MNfamilycruiser]

We are going on the Carnival Celebration and our ports are Key West and Nassau....

 

should we leave the kids on the ship in one or both ports?

 

suggestions on what we definitely "need" to bring and what we can live without?

 

Thanks in advance!

Pack night lights - even if you are not in an inside room - just much easier if anyone needs to get up at night. Not that any of my kids ever wake up at night :D !

We also brought a little insulated lunch bag type thing to bring juice/water or snacks with on tours. If the liquid starts out cold - it stays pretty good. A hungry kid is not a happy kid!

[Kapsgirl]

posted some ideas on carnival board under "pride 4/17 & traveling with 23 month old" hope it helps. we took our daughter out on all ports with us and had a blast! bring sand toys and a spf sunblock shirt for extra protection. you are going to have a great trip!!! take a camcorder and lots of pics. also consider a portable bed rail.

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

I agree, SANDTOYS! We cruised with our 4 yo and almost 2 yo and they came in very handy. I had a mesh bag to put them in. I was worried about the space they would take up but I just sort of packed them here and there, where ever they would fit. They are cheap enough that I could leave them behind on the ship when we left. Also, we used a TON of sunblock, more than I expected, glad I brought enough as it is EXPENSIVE in the ports and on the ship. I also thought it helped to have a plain white t shirt for beach days. My kids are both very fair and even though I practically bathed them in sunblock, they were still getting a little pink. It was nice to have a plain white undershirt to throw on them for a little extra protection. Water shoes are a must. Stroller was a must. Sunglasses. HATS for sure. Disposable sippy cups or juiceboxes for when you go on shore help too. I also liked to grab boxes of dry cereal on lido during breakfast for a snack for the kids while we were on shore.

 

 

Have a great cruise! My kids had a blast and are still talking about it!:)

[TSoccer5]

Stroller question - double (we have one called the sit n stand) or just the umbrella...

basically can my 4 year old handle the walking? He is too big for an umbrella stroller or we would just bring 2... he turns 4 in 2 weeks but is very big for his age

[MNfamilycruiser]

Stroller question - double (we have one called the sit n stand) or just the umbrella...

basically can my 4 year old handle the walking? He is too big for an umbrella stroller or we would just bring 2... he turns 4 in 2 weeks but is very big for his age

Hmmm.... Depends. How much walking are you planning to do? The 4 yo. could easily handle walking around on the ship - or somebody could carry him for a short distance if necessary. How easy does it fold? How heavy is it? You usually have to make transfers on shuttles or taxis from the airport to the ship. Can you use it to pile some carry-on luggage while you are transferring your stuff and getting on the ship? Going to and from shore excursions you frequently need to get into a taxi or if you book through the ship another tour vehicle - and they usually aren't like US taxis. The most common I remember is like an open sided van - lots of rows of seats, no trunk. You usually have whatever stuff you bring in the seat with you.

 

My "gut" tells me you would be better off with the lighter, smaller umbrella stroller. But I never had a sit-n-stand only a double stroller!

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

We brought a Combi travel stroller (savvy soho). It is like a nicer umbrella stroller. Cost about $60-70. It reclines, has a shade and a basket. Very lightweight and folds up small BUT if necessary it could hold my 4 yo. My 4 yo was good about walking around the ship with us but some of the time he was in Camp so not like we were making him walk and walk all day. While in port he napped on lounge chairs at the beach. I was worried about only taking a single stroller too, but it all worked out fine. Those sit and stands are okay, but they are heavy. But on the other hand, I wouldn't even bother to bring a plain old umbrella that had no shade or didn't recline. Also consider that with the upper bunk down and the stroller parked it there it gets a little crowded in the cabin.