Australia/NZ with 3.5 y/o?

[MariahJ]

My DH and I are contemplating taking an Australia and NZ cruise in early 2014 when our DD will be about 3 1/2. We've been postponing it for what seems like forever but we want to do it before she starts preschool and only has our summers/their winters off. Are we crazy to do this? Are any cruise lines or itineraries better than others? Any particular tours we should make sure to take or avoid? TIA!

[daiquiri]

You and your little one will have fun. All the cruise lines in the area have good children's clubs from 3 years upwards. She should be dry during the day by then so taking her in the pools or on the water slides will be fine. We have cruised the region with 3 children, teh yourgest 2 and 1/2. The staff are marvellous. We used the main dining-room at 6.30 p.m. and the children all enjoyed the food. There is a children's menu as well as the main one. The waiters are great and will do your little one's bidding! If you want an evening alone with your OH the Club has early evening slumber gatherings with mats and blankets for the little one in their PJs. (Free) In cabin baby-sitting has a charge.

 

At Port Vila in Vanuatu we took them all on a guided walk up through the forest Ending with slipping and sliding in a waterfall. Again the guides were terrific. We also sailed on an old sailboat in the Bay, stopping to swim. On the smaller islands it's just beaches and markets. In NZ all the towns are easily accessible from the port.

 

Go for it and have fun.

[MariahJ]

You and your little one will have fun. All the cruise lines in the area have good children's clubs from 3 years upwards. She should be dry during the day by then so taking her in the pools or on the water slides will be fine. We have cruised the region with 3 children, teh yourgest 2 and 1/2. The staff are marvellous. We used the main dining-room at 6.30 p.m. and the children all enjoyed the food. There is a children's menu as well as the main one. The waiters are great and will do your little one's bidding! If you want an evening alone with your OH the Club has early evening slumber gatherings with mats and blankets for the little one in their PJs. (Free) In cabin baby-sitting has a charge.

 

At Port Vila in Vanuatu we took them all on a guided walk up through the forest Ending with slipping and sliding in a waterfall. Again the guides were terrific. We also sailed on an old sailboat in the Bay, stopping to swim. On the smaller islands it's just beaches and markets. In NZ all the towns are easily accessible from the port.

 

Go for it and have fun.

 

Thank you! That is extremely helpful! I really appreciate the feedback. :p

[The_Big_M]

I think it's a great time to do it as you have way more flexibility than now, and it is a good age for travelling (though of course, she won't 'gain' so much from the experience herself, that will come later).

 

Also, when you mention travelling during our Winter if travelling later, if you're set on a cruise, operations are much more limited here as most of the main international lines don't operate here then.

 

There are significant differences between the lines but I'd be loathe to suggest one without other preferences/requirements. As starting points, RCL, Carnival and P&O have greater choices and are generally stronger in their children's programs, but some of the others may be better suited depending on preferences.

 

It also depends how much time you want to spend, and what you prefer to see. Broadly for cruises around Australia, there are three types: the around-Australia (circumference) ones, the Pacific Island ones and the Australia-NZ ones. The second and third don't usually visit Australia much so if you wanted one of them and wanted to see Australia, you'd be best adding time before and/or after the trip (and many AU-NZ ones cater for this by being one way).

[poppetts]

We did a cruise around Aust in 2010 on Sun Princess and out little girl was only 20 months, she loved it and so did we!! Seeing as yours will be over 3 the kids club will come into its own for you as it will for us in Jan next year when we all hit the Voyager of the seas for 14 nights to NZ and bac.