Ant tips for my Ventura trip with my 4 year old twins !

[billsat]

Hi Everyone

 

Although I have been on 6 or so cruises in the past they were in the days of just me and my wife !!!

 

Now we are about to take our first cruise with our 4 year old twin girls !!!

On the Ventura in May for 14 nights...We have a super deluxe balcony so the girls have sofa bed rather than bunk beds ( things that may go bump in the night !! )

 

Does anyone have any tips regarding cruising with little children please ?

 

example ... how the Nurseries work on board ...if the ship provide juices for them to drink during the daytime.

 

Basically anything that you may feel is worth knowing so the 4 of us have a great cruise !!

 

Thanks in advance

[tillybilly321]

Hi, sorry can't help with the nursery situation, but I think your girls would be too old for the night nursery anyway. My kids are older so not used it for quite a while. If I were you I would make sure you go to the kids club meeting which is usually late afternoon on embarkation day.

The clubs are fantastic and well worth signing up for, even if you only intend to use them on an " as and when " basis. You will have an information pack about the clubs in your cabin when you board.

 

Juice is only provided free of charge at breakfast time, all drinks have to be paid for after then. I usually pack a small bottle of squash and a couple of sports bottles for drinks in the cabin, handy for going ashore too :) Don't forget the kids tea provided in the buffet between 5 & 6p.m. This is ideal if your girls can't wait for dinner or you & your partner fancy a meal on your own.

 

If your girls are anything like my kids, you will have to drag them away from the club just so you can spend some time with them. I pretty much have to book an appointment with my 12 year old when we are onboard !!;)

Edited April 18, 2015 by tillybilly321

[Wiz201]

if you look on the website there's loads of information about the kids clubs. Most reviews I've seen of the Ventura is that although kids are on board, the adults don't see much of them so I presume this must be due to the kids clubs on board.

[john watson]

Hi Everyone

 

 

Does anyone have any tips regarding cruising with little children please ?

 

example ... how the Nurseries work on board ...if the ship provide juices for them to drink during the daytime.

 

Basically anything that you may feel is worth knowing so the 4 of us have a great cruise !!

 

Thanks in advance

 

The kids club is subdivided into separate age groups in the different club rooms. They have age appropriate organised activities through the day, these will tend to fade out towards later evening and a suitable dvd is often shown on the big TV screen. Often age group amalgamation happens for this part of the evening depending on numbers attending in each age range. The kids and staff watch this from an impromptu grandstand they fashion out of whatever chairs and beanbags they have to hand. The lights are low and a certain number in the audience drop off to sleep. This set up sort of eventually becomes a "Night Nursery" for under 5 year olds until 2am I think? They bring out a load out cots on a first come first served basis and floor mattresses for the younger ones to bed down. If you take youngsters into this they should be asleep, brought in pram or you wait until they are asleep or nearly asleep. The whole organisation make electronic pagers available to you in case you as a parent are needed to come back immediately and resolve a situation.

 

Signing in and out has changed mainly relating to 9 - 12 year olds who are no longer permitted to self sign in/out. So all the younger children must be signed in and out of the facility by an approved appropriate adult. This will be either parent plus any nominated adult the parent/s specify on initial registration to officially joining the club. So this could include grandmas and any friends travelling with the party provided that the parents have approved that person. It will not include a brother or sister who are under 18 I think. The person collecting children will be checked by using a scan of cruise card showing their photo in a similar way to the machine at the embarkation gangway. I believe this has been introduced but you certainly need a cruise card some cruise lines use photo id driving licence or passport but I am pretty sure I heard P&O have gone over to this scanner system.

 

Regards John

Edited April 18, 2015 by john watson

[SuzyPaulB]

Hi, one of my tips would be although there is a children's tea around 5pm each night, use room service if too much of a run around. My two loved the pasta.

Also, if you dine with your children, don't be afraid of asking for anything off of the adults menu for them, if you know they would like it.

They will love the kids club, make sure you goto the meeting on the first night, after drill and sailaway, they will explain opening and closing times, and the general overview.

It will be great, Ventura is an amazing ship and adults and children will have a ball!!

Happy Cruising,

Suzy

[freddie1974]

We're taking our four year old twin boys on Britannia in May - also taking my mother in law, not sure who will be harder work but at least we have a baby sitter on tap!

[billsat]

Thank you for your replies..

 

My wife and I really appreciate your help