Booking a balcony with small children? Am i too paranoid?

[B_Mc]

You've already got lots of great advice but I wanted to reassure you that we've enjoyed having a balcony with DS and had no close calls or near misses or any concerns. Our rule is chairs/tables stay against the wall, DS is NEVER out there alone and when the door is closed, it is locked.

[Prinycesa07]

Thank you everyone! We booked yesterday and went with the balcony. It will be our first time, we've always stayed in an interior. Even on our wedding cruise. I'm looking forward to it :D

[dforeigner]

Thank you everyone! We booked yesterday and went with the balcony. It will be our first time, we've always stayed in an interior. Even on our wedding cruise. I'm looking forward to it :D

 

Although we sailed before as a couple, last year for the first time, we sailed with our little ones. The youngest one was barely 1 y/o and Celebrity gave us a play pen as a crib. When using the balcony, we would simply place the play pen on the balcony and the older child would sit on a chair near the door.

Not sure if this is doable on board Carnival ships.

We were on board the Summit and luckily were able to book a sweet sixteen (double the size) balcony.

 

We are taking the little ones on a cruise again next year. And yes, we will have a balcony. The little ones can sleep while we are outside on the balcony enjoying the view.

[Prinycesa07]

I think mine may be too big for the crib. I'm not sure what Carnival uses though. We went on Norwegian when my daugther was 10 months and they used a mini crib, it was quite small. My son will be 18 months in October, when we are sailing, and if its the same size he will be too big. But that sounds like a great set up! I'm thinking by the time we are in our room at night and want to sit on the balcony that both kids will be so exhausted from the day that they will fall asleep very quickly. Or at least i'm hoping ;) I'm also hoping that they will sleep together okay on the sofa bed.

[dforeigner]

I think mine may be too big for the crib. I'm not sure what Carnival uses though. We went on Norwegian when my daugther was 10 months and they used a mini crib, it was quite small. My son will be 18 months in October, when we are sailing, and if its the same size he will be too big. But that sounds like a great set up! I'm thinking by the time we are in our room at night and want to sit on the balcony that both kids will be so exhausted from the day that they will fall asleep very quickly. Or at least i'm hoping ;) I'm also hoping that they will sleep together okay on the sofa bed.

 

We did not get a crib, but rather a portable play pen. And our little one is not on the short side.

 

Another thing we did was after dinner; we would go to the room and change the little on into her PJs. Then go down to the theater or a bar. We would have her sit on her stroller and would eventually fall asleep. The older one would tell us that she was tired and would lie down and fall asleep. Once back in the room, we would set them up for bed. I would go downstairs and grab some finger food type snacks and some drinks and enjoy the balcony.

To this day, we cannot get the little one to get use to sleeping on a regular bed (or a sofa turned against the wall). We just bought a peapod from Kidco (for traveling only) and she loves it. It is very portable and light weight.

[scrap4girls]

I think its natural just to worry about our kids and their safety. A lot of families get balcony rooms. I don't hear stories of children going over board. Mostly their adults that been drinking to much and start acting stupid. Get the balcony, its so relaxing to hear and watch the ocean. We got to see dolphins and whales from our last balcony. Enjoy

[tkportersat]

This is why I booked an Inside cabin for our next trip....My son thinks he is spidey(he started climbing out of the crib around 17 months, had to buy a crib tent) and while I would be watching him I just don't want the extra worry. I want the room to be a place to relax. I would have preferred to have an OV but on the Carnival Magic those rooms are way too low on the ship, I want to be near the lido and kids' club. The inside cabin was not an ideal solution, quite possibly I will now be sleeping on a bunk bed all week because I don't think that will work well for my toddler. Not very romantic but it is what it is. I will just figure it out once we get on board and see what works.

 

The first time around as a parent I never thought of all the horrible things that could go wrong, but now as an older parent I worry about EVERYTHING.

 

Good luck with your choice, do what feels right to you.

[Prinycesa07]

I just looked up that peapod, it looks pretty cool! I ordered a nap mat thing (kinda like a sleeping bag, with attached blanket and pillow) from walmart yesterday. I never even considered bringing that along. I think I may now!

[dforeigner]

I just looked up that peapod, it looks pretty cool! I ordered a nap mat thing (kinda like a sleeping bag, with attached blanket and pillow) from walmart yesterday. I never even considered bringing that along. I think I may now!

 

We received our peapod last week. The little one loved it. Although she has yet to sleep inside, we tested the pod. She loved it and did not want to come out.

[scarlett81]

I don't view the balcony on a cruise as much different from a balcony room at any hotel. A small child could in theory be in danger with that also, if you're not paying attention. When we travel, we're always in balcony type hotel rooms-some way up on a high rise building.

The door stays locked at all times. Typically, the times we're out there, the kids are asleep anyway. But the rule is they stay on our lap, or they're not out there at all.

I have used the peapod for travel before. I love it, but I'd suggest having your LO sleep in it a few nights at home or napping, before using it away from home. Some kids just don't like it. Its more like a cute tent. We love it at the beach or poolside. But my DD did not like sleeping in it, except for outside naps.

For our cruise this spring I've invested in a Bjorn travel crib for my DS, aged 9 months. Its much smaller and much lighter than a big packnplay. I know he'll sleep in it too. We're still a couple months away from our trip but he already likes it.

For DD aged almost 5, we never leave home without the pillow pet! She can sleep anywhere, even the floor, if she has it.

[Prinycesa07]

Thanks for all the tips girls! I'll be bringing along their blankets and seahorses, that should feel a bit more like home too :) I dont know why, i'm just so anxious about it all. I just hope everyone has a good time. Our last cruise was at the end of 2010 and I really just didnt enjoy it or have a good time. I'm thinking it was because DD was 10 months old and I was 4 months pregnant and hoping its not just because i had a kid with me. I totally know its not going to be the same as it was before we had kids and it was just DH & I but i know it can be fun in a different way with kids :)

 

Sorry this went off topic ;)