crusing with kids

[drekee99]

My husband and I are thinking of going on a 7 night cruise on the Caribbean Princess ship next October with our children. Our oldest will be just about a month shy of age 5, our second will be almost 3.5 and our youngest will be 18 months. Would you recommend this cruise for our family? We may also take my sister along to help with the kids as well as give us a few evenings "out" alone. My In-laws will also be on the same cruise. This will be my 3rd cruise and my DHs 4th cruise, but the 1st with kids! (We've only cruised on the Royal Caribbean line). TIA!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I always suggest a short cruise for a tryout. We took our little one at 23 months on a weekend cruise. She loved it so she's gone with us ever since. Next December will be her 6th (she'll be 8) and it's a 15-day cruise. The youngest one won't be able to go to the kids' program but there is babysitting for only $5/hr after 10pm (basically movies).

[rjg41]

We took our whole family on a 7 day on RC's Navigator of the Seas last year. Kids were 13, 8, 7, 6, 3 1/2(2), 2, and 18 months. First cruise for all of them. Everyone had a ball. They still talk about it today. Just a reminder that the 18 month old cannot go in the children's program and the 3 1/2 year old must be fully potty trained. Also, no diapers or swimmies in the pools.

 

Some post cruise stories I love to share:

 

Some funny things transpired over the next few days. Our 2 year old granddaughter was told by her mother as the boarded the plane that she would be in her own bed tonight. She said, “No mommy I want to sleep in our room on the ship.” That went on for several days for naps and bedtime. One of our 3 ½ year grandsons told his mother they had to go to Home Depot to get some white wood because “I want to build a ship just like Grandma’s and Grandpa’s”. Our assistant waiter, Richard, had made quite a connection with the kids. After they got home the 2 year old went around the house looking for Richard and kept asking her mother, “Where did Richard go?” All the younger ones insisted on wearing their cruise t-shirts to school and bring in pictures to show where they had been. One of our daughters called Monday after getting home and complained when she threw towels on the floor they were still there later and she had to make herself breakfast the last 2 days.

 

You'll have a great time.

[atlcple2]

That is too funny! lol I have 2 step-children who went on a cruise with their mother and her entire family 2 years in a row and the kids loved it! They are 10 and 12 now but were 8 and 10 the first cruise (year before last). They got adjoining rooms for some privacy. Their mom just had quadruplets so the kids are waiting for us to take them now! lol

[cruisinqt]

I don't think 7 days will be difficult at all. The kids center is free and is open all day long until 10 pm and then after 10 you have to start paying for babysitting. They do close briefly for both lunch and dinner. I like the kids centers because the people who watch your children have a degree in some child related field and most of them are teachers. The big trend in child care centers is making it both educational and fun. The day before we docked in Belize they learned about native americans and made native american "wind catchers." Before going to Cozumel they taught the children about the Mayan indians and had the children make their own mayan ruins out of paper mache. Several cruise lines are now instituting reading programs in their kids centers where there is a special reading time set aside every day. I really like that my kids are both having fun and learning at the same time.;)

 

My children had their first cruise at the ages of 3 and 5 which is very close to your kids ages. The cruise was a 7 day cruise and they loved it! The kids center is full of young ones their age and there are always lots of fun things scheduled for the kids to do. My kids have been on a number of cruises now and they always get very close to one of the counselors in the kids area. The last day at sea when they have to say good bye to the counselors is very hard on them and there are usually tears. But I am happy because I know they had a good time or they wouldn't cry at having to go.:) All of our cruises since then have been 7 day cruises and we always have a blast.