Specialty restaurants with a 3 year old

[awhcruiser]

I hope you both have a great time! Too bad some people jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts.

I originally refrained from commenting on any of the negative posts. I was

taken aback at how rude some of the comments were. Since I'm the original poster I will add my two cents. I wasn't looking for anyone's opinion as to if I should take my daughter, I just wanted to know what the policy was on the cruise line. For the record, I am a single mother and I travel and dine with my daughter often. She IS my date! I give her my full attention during dinner. I am working very hard to teach her about how to behave in many different settings, especially at restaurants. I also like to expose her to many different cuisines. She can recognize more herbs than most adults.

I actually feel bad for those people who don't understand the joy a child, especially of her age, can bring to any experience. My daughter, like most children, is full of joy and wonder and notices things that I am no longer sensitive to. She enhances every part of my life.

I specifically was curious about Q'sine because I thought it would be fun for her but I wanted to make sure it wasn't akin to Alinea in Chicago(although I really didn't think it could be). This is a cruise ship and a vacation. It's should be fun.

Thank you to those who came to my defense, I appreciate it.

[Luvcrusn]

On our last cruise on Eclipse in December, DH and I dined in Murano one evening. We sat near a family of 5, grandparents, adult son and his two children approximately 10 and 7. The children were quiet and respectful. At one point the grandfather said something to his 7 year old grandson at which point the adult son 40ish stood up and yelled to his father and stormed noisily out of the restaurant. The grandmother was embarrassed to the point of tears and the grandfather was angry. The 40ish son returned and continued the scene. All the while, the children were behaving quietly. OP, you are the judge of your daughter's behavior and patience. Enjoy your cruise, you sound like a lovely, responsible parent.

[ShakeDaddy]

The little girl has very limited appreciation of fine dining.

 

If you really care about your child, why go NOT go on a child cruise line like Carnival, Disney, RCCL, NCL etc ? There are just too many Other Better cruise lines for the "younger travelers".

 

Sorry but HELLO, you're little angel is missing mommies boat. :D

Edited May 9, 2017 by ShakeDaddy

[missthesea]

I originally refrained from commenting on any of the negative posts. I was taken aback at how rude some of the comments were. Since I'm the original poster I will add my two cents. I wasn't looking for anyone's opinion as to if I should take my daughter, I just wanted to know what the policy was on the cruise line. For the record, I am a single mother and I travel and dine with my daughter often. She IS my date! I give her my full attention during dinner. I am working very hard to teach her about how to behave in many different settings, especially at restaurants. I also like to expose her to many different cuisines. She can recognize more herbs than most adults.

I actually feel bad for those people who don't understand the joy a child, especially of her age, can bring to any experience. My daughter, like most children, is full of joy and wonder and notices things that I am no longer sensitive to. She enhances every part of my life.

I specifically was curious about Q'sine because I thought it would be fun for her but I wanted to make sure it wasn't akin to Alinea in Chicago(although I really didn't think it could be). This is a cruise ship and a vacation. It's should be fun.

Thank you to those who came to my defense, I appreciate it.

 

 

Lovely reply from a lovely mom. I hope my earlier post seemed supportive. I took my daughter on a solo cruise when she was three and she was a wonderful dinner date every night. Except for the night she stepped on the edge my strapless gown in front of the whole dining room! But that's for another thread. Enjoy your cruise and get lots of photos made!

 

 

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[queenofcruise]

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[Lisacfletcher2009]

Please dine where and when is good for you and your daughter. Those who do not like it can dine elsewhere!

 

Way too many people on this board who think Celebrity is an assisted living complex for the sedate and elderly

Brilliant!

[johnritt]

I'll gladly share a dining room with you and yours. It will be one less grumpy table with the odor of rose water and slightly used Depends wafting around.

[anniebea]

I'll gladly share a dining room with you and yours. It will be one less grumpy table with the odor of rose water and slightly used Depends wafting around.

 

I'm happy to dine with people of all ages, as long as they are well behaved ! :D

[oskarNZ]

Littlebella, I can't offer any advice about Q'sine, but I do hope you and your daughter have a wonderful cruise.

 

Do try to ignore the negative comments that prevail on some of these threads. A few years back, I nearly cancelled a Celebrity cruise after reading so much anti-child sentiment on these boards. Ironically, for that particular cruise, my husband and I weren't even taking my son - I just felt put off by the negative, entitled attitude of many fellow posters.

While I agree that it's nicer to be around children who have been taught basic manners, I also think it's nicer to be around adults who are relaxed and happy and not quick to judge.

 

I'm pleased I didn't cancel as we had a wonderful time and are now booked to sail Celebrity again - this time taking our son.

 

 

Littlebella, I'm sure both of our kids will have a wonderful time. :-)

[crusinthrough]

 

So I am going to go to a specialty restaurant, pay anywhere between $75 to $100 premium, and share the experience with a toddler who may, or most importantly may not, behave.

 

 

 

And people want to tout Celebrity as "an upscale experience."

 

Not.

 

 

Celebrity is not an upscale experience. It is marketed as modern luxury, which is different from upscale. However, you can find other cruise lines that are upscale.

 

If you go to a speciality restaurant and see a toddler adjust your plans and go another night or another time. After all you are on the same ship for several days. It's really that simple. You control when and where you dine. You cannot control who dines in the same place.

 

 

The little girl has very limited appreciation of fine dining.

 

If you really care about your child, why go NOT go on a child cruise line like Carnival, Disney, RCCL, NCL etc ? There are just too many Other Better cruise lines for the "younger travelers".

 

Sorry but HELLO, you're little angel is missing mommies boat. :D

 

 

How do you know which cruise line is better for every person? Some "younger travelers" may like Carnival, NCL or RCCL some may not. Some may dislike Disney characters some may not. There is no one size fits all, which is why there are choices in cruise lines. The OP chose Celebrity.

[leehal]

Sorry to say it, but my initial reaction was 'oh no, I'm on that cruise!'. We choose Celebrity as there are generally fewer children on board than other cruise lines, that said it isn't an adult only cruise line so welcome aboard.

 

I have nothing against children (I used to be a one), it is just a rarity to see children on Celebrity. I am sure your daughter is much better behaved than some adults, I hope you both have a wonderful cruise. Say hello if you see me!

[champagne123]

OP: I am not directing this towards you. It is just a general statement. I do not care if your child/children are there or not....so long as they are able to sit for 2 to 3 hours. (difficult in my opinion). It is the parents I blame when a child has become unruly. You cannot control what a baby or toddler does. They get cranky. They get tired. They become bored. Once a child is running amok or crying/screaming.....the PARENT should remove the child from the situation. Period.

 

I do not think it is fair to expect a young child/baby to endure the torture of a long event. It is torture to them. It is also unfair to your fellow passengers that pay good money and expect a peaceful experience. We all have seen many parents (no matter where it is)....that just ignore the disturbance and continue on with no consideration to other people.

 

On the Explorer, we had MDR, late dining. Young couple with a baby (under age 1) sitting in a high chair screaming. Parents ignored it, enjoying their dinner and wine. The rest of the dining room upset. Where is the fairness to the baby and other pax? There is none. Just selfish, selfish parents.

Edited May 9, 2017 by champagne123
1111

[hcat]

Perhaps the Specialty lunch offered on sea days would be good for younger children and families Then menu is abbrevaiated so a shorter time to sit..and staff is less busy so they can cater to family groups,....take photos etc,

 

We had a nice lunch upstairs at Tuscan on Connie..,very nice menu, very relaxed. A good number of toddlers, chidren and babies there., Yes they fidgeted a bit and cried...but overall seemed to enjoy their grown up dining out experience. All were dressed for going out to lunch...so cute,

 

We did not mind..it was just lunch...but one couple complained and grumped throughtout the meal...guess they expected more of the evening ambiance.

[chemmo]

Littlebella,

 

Just a final point...Are you aware of Cruise Critic roll calls? They are a way of contacting fellow cruisers prior to cruising to arrange social events, trips....

 

Whilst I know a real focus on your cruise is enjoying your little one the roll call could enable you to connect with others who also have a child (children) similar age...

[ECCruise]

I happily remain the pariah.

 

I do not think it is unreasonable that there should be one or two places on a ship, one of which is a specialty dining venue, that remain young child free. I do not think it is my responsibility to find another dining venue if a toddler is in the restaurant for which I am paying $100. If said toddler is perfectly behaved, then I have no problem, but honestly, that is by no means the certainty that so many simply assume here.

 

And yes, my opinion is a bit tainted by the 8 (at least) nights out of 15 on Constellation last month that we shared the MDR with a darling toddler who made a mockery of the whole experience, running into diner's legs, charging full bore into waiter's carrying trays of 8-10 entrees, screaming at the height of his delightful little voice to the smiles (not) of the 40 or 50 tables he affected.

 

Thankfully the next 15 nights were brat-free in Luminae.

[herbanrenewal]

I hope you have a wonderful experience with your child.

My only advice would be to try to stick as close as possible to normal routines. At any age disruption of routine can cause disruption in normal behaviors. Dining early may also help avoid more negative people. A talk with your wait staff can facilitate the time schedule to shorten dining time which may also make the experience more child friendly.

Enjoy!

[Softball20]

I originally refrained from commenting on any of the negative posts. I was taken aback at how rude some of the comments were. Since I'm the original poster I will add my two cents. I wasn't looking for anyone's opinion as to if I should take my daughter, I just wanted to know what the policy was on the cruise line. For the record, I am a single mother and I travel and dine with my daughter often. She IS my date! I give her my full attention during dinner. I am working very hard to teach her about how to behave in many different settings, especially at restaurants. I also like to expose her to many different cuisines. She can recognize more herbs than most adults.

I actually feel bad for those people who don't understand the joy a child, especially of her age, can bring to any experience. My daughter, like most children, is full of joy and wonder and notices things that I am no longer sensitive to. She enhances every part of my life.

I specifically was curious about Q'sine because I thought it would be fun for her but I wanted to make sure it wasn't akin to Alinea in Chicago(although I really didn't think it could be). This is a cruise ship and a vacation. It's should be fun.

Thank you to those who came to my defense, I appreciate it.

 

Enjoy and have a great time! It's trips and experiences like this that will teach your daughter so many invaluable life skills and so much more than just about the food she is eating. My girls, thankfully, always did well in restaurants when they were little, and we didn't refrain from taking them places, on cruise ships or otherwise. It's because of that that they learned how to behave in various settings, carry on conversations and do well in social settings, as well as many other life lessons that have served them well as they grew up. They also never ordered from kids' menus and have grown up eating and appreciating all kinds of different foods and cultures.

[TRadle]

We mostly dine in the specialty restaurants on Celebrity. I'd much rather be around a 3 year than a loud obnoxious adult any day.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[NLH Arizona]

Perhaps the Specialty lunch offered on sea days would be good for younger children and families Then menu is abbrevaiated so a shorter time to sit..and staff is less busy so they can cater to family groups,....take photos etc,

 

We had a nice lunch upstairs at Tuscan on Connie..,very nice menu, very relaxed. A good number of toddlers, chidren and babies there., Yes they fidgeted a bit and cried...but overall seemed to enjoy their grown up dining out experience. All were dressed for going out to lunch...so cute,

 

littlebella777, what a great idea. If they have this on your ship, you could do this as well as taking your daughter to Q'sine.

 

I think it is great that you are letting your daughter experience "better" dining at her age. If more parents did this, there wouldn't be those children that don't know how to act when dining out. Props to you.

[orchestrapal]

For all those who do not want to dine with a 3 year old Celebrity may not be the cruise line for you. It's a mass market cruise line and not adult only. You should expect to find kids in any venue including a speciality restaurant.

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You are so right. Mass market is hard to return to after premium and luxury lines with no small children and very very few children of any age. Note to self, cancel Celebrity!

[bEwAbG]

I happily remain the pariah.

 

I do not think it is unreasonable that there should be one or two places on a ship, one of which is a specialty dining venue, that remain young child free. I do not think it is my responsibility to find another dining venue if a toddler is in the restaurant for which I am paying $100. If said toddler is perfectly behaved, then I have no problem, but honestly, that is by no means the certainty that so many simply assume here.

 

I happen to agree but unfortunately Celebrity doesn't. They are the ones who changed the rules to remove the age restriction. They even encourage it to the extent that kids under a certain age eat free and the others get to pay less than full price. They'd rather have butts in seats and risk alienating the adults who are there for a special occasion.

 

The reality of the situation for the OP is that she should be prepared to be met with varying attitudes when showing up with a toddler to any of the restaurants. An immediate tension will fill the room because there are so many bad experiences that everyone has been subjected to by thoughtless parents.** OP cannot control that, and she is allowed by the cruiseline to dine there.

 

**My new favorite (recently witnessed) when someone gives a dirty look to a screaming child who isn't being taken out of the situation is "Well, what do you expect?!? He's just a child! That's what babies do!!" :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[ShawRuff]

I am one of those people who think that generally there is a time and place for everything. When I go to a 5-star restaurant at 8pm, I do not expect children. When I go to a family friendly place, I expect kids. With that being said, I would think of the specialty restaurants, the one most appealing for a child and adult where you can get in and out pretty quick would be the Lawn Club Grill. Dinner in Murano and Tuscon are very long and slow. Also, the ambiance is not really child-friendly.

[Fouremco]

Littlebella777, Celebrity has decided that your daughter is welcome in its specialty restaurants, which is all you need to know. I hope that you enjoy yourselves and have a wonderful cruise.

[Mr. Click]

If you want to try it, consider bringing a tablet with headphone and pre-loaded videos...It is indeed a long, slow, enjoyable experience. My child is 39 now and we did not have that luxury when he was young, his daughter is 2 1/2 and pretty well behaved and a great eater BUT there is no way we can make it through a real restaurant dinner without Booba and Peppa Pig. Now if we could just find a solution to those larger, super noisy groups of 16 who love to come to the specialty restaurants and ruin the mood for the rest of us.

[Fish Lover]

For all those who do not want to dine with a 3 year old Celebrity may not be the cruise line for you. It's a mass market cruise line and not adult only. You should expect to find kids in any venue including a speciality restaurant.

 

 

 

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Now everyone knows that simply isn't true. There are children on Celebrity, however, especially considering the time of year, itinerary, and trip length, there are far fewer children than on other value cruise lines. Same with the average age of passengers. It skews older than the family oriented cruise lines. Also, those that cruise Celebrity tend to have children which for many reasons (including being experienced travelers at an early age) seem to be better behaved. So it simply is not correct to say that one can expect to find kids in every venue including specialty restaurants. I have never seen children in any of the specialty restaurants or in Blu.