Best tips for cruising with kids

[Mommyshark]

My kids don't have passports. Trip is only about 6 weeks away. Do they need more than their birth certificates? Should I get them a couple of state issued photo id's, or are birth certificates alone alright?

[Mommyshark]

Best tip for cruising with kids......don't. Not until they are of the age that they will remember it. A 1 year old won't care or remember anything and it will diminish your cruise experience as well. I waited until my kids with 8 and 10 (almost 9 and 11) before I took them on their first cruise. They still remember it to this day. A 1 year old will not and a 4 year old will probably not remember anything later on in life.

 

Welp - good for you for waiting. We're already booked. We both work full time and (due to moving) haven't had a vacation in two years... we rarely get to do fun things together as a family so we are looking forward to the time with the kids.

[GradUT]

My kids don't have passports. Trip is only about 6 weeks away. Do they need more than their birth certificates? Should I get them a couple of state issued photo id's, or are birth certificates alone alright?

 

Children under the age of 16 do not need photo ID’s. So all you need is state-issued birth certificates for the children. (With emphasis on “state-issued”).

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

Next time hopefully. A couple of grandparents would be awesome!! To a degree..... lol

I have 20 grandkids and 10 great grandchildren. I am happy to volunteer my services.

[Sweetone30]

Hahaha, when is your next cruise?!

 

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[suzbcruiser]

We took our son on his first cruise at the age of 2 and he loved it. The kids club was a no go as he didn’t like it. Try to maintain as much of the normal routine as possible and go with the flow.

 

Pack more diapers than you think you’ll need. I added up what we used in a day, added 4 additional to that number and then multiplied by the number of cruising days. You never know if the ship might be delayed or your little one gets sick.

 

Pack infant/children’s Tylenol and any other meds you might need.

 

We packed a small back pack with miniature play doh, a blank pad of paper with new crayons and some fun little new toys.

 

A portable DVD player and some favorite movies. We even downloaded a few movies to our cell phones.

 

Our son has been exposed to dining in restaurants from a very early age and did quite well in the dining room. The Maitre d’ was able to get us our own table. I didn’t want to ruin anyone else’s dining experience.

 

I brought snacks from home to have in the cabin. Shelf stable carton milk. I don’t trust the little “coolers” in the room to keep the milk cartons from lido at the right temperature.

 

Find an empty lounge during the day and let your Littles run around and have fun!

 

All in all, just go into it with no expectations and just enjoy the time with your family!

 

 

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[Mommyshark]

We took our son on his first cruise at the age of 2 and he loved it. The kids club was a no go as he didn’t like it. Try to maintain as much of the normal routine as possible and go with the flow.

 

Pack more diapers than you think you’ll need. I added up what we used in a day, added 4 additional to that number and then multiplied by the number of cruising days. You never know if the ship might be delayed or your little one gets sick.

 

Pack infant/children’s Tylenol and any other meds you might need.

 

We packed a small back pack with miniature play doh, a blank pad of paper with new crayons and some fun little new toys.

 

A portable DVD player and some favorite movies. We even downloaded a few movies to our cell phones.

 

Our son has been exposed to dining in restaurants from a very early age and did quite well in the dining room. The Maitre d’ was able to get us our own table. I didn’t want to ruin anyone else’s dining experience.

 

I brought snacks from home to have in the cabin. Shelf stable carton milk. I don’t trust the little “coolers” in the room to keep the milk cartons from lido at the right temperature.

 

Find an empty lounge during the day and let your Littles run around and have fun!

 

All in all, just go into it with no expectations and just enjoy the time with your family!

 

 

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Thanks for the advice! GREAT tip about finding an empty lounge. I hadn't heard or thought of that, so thank you! Expectations are low, but excitement is still high :D

[momof3cruisers]

Best tip for cruising with kids......don't. Not until they are of the age that they will remember it. A 1 year old won't care or remember anything and it will diminish your cruise experience as well. I waited until my kids with 8 and 10 (almost 9 and 11) before I took them on their first cruise. They still remember it to this day. A 1 year old will not and a 4 year old will probably not remember anything later on in life.

Oh piffle. By this logic, one shouldn't ever do anything fun with toddlers or preschoolers. A one year old WILL care that they are having fun spending time with mommy and daddy, seeing new things, playing in the ocean, etc.

 

For the OP, we took our daughter on her first cruise at age two and then all three of our kids at 7, 3 and 2. I can't advise on diapers or pools because ours were all potty trained before the cruises. But we found meal times to be very easy to manage due to the staff and how lovely they are with little ones.

 

We used the empty lounge idea too. Bubbles were a big hit and easy to carry and transport. For our daughter, we brought bubbles, her favorite books, stickers and crayons and paper. We took lots and lots of evening walks around the ship. With our boys along too, we brought bubbles and books again and hot wheels cars as well as a couple of small balls. Oh, and stuffed animals. They both had a couple of favorites. Neither of my boys have ever liked the kids clubs.

 

For the ocean, bring plastic diaper covers. They keep stuff in that would be gross and keep sand out better than other options. You might want to use pull ups at the beach too. They are easier to take off and put on.

 

On Carnival, there are family friendly comedy shows at 7 some evenings. The four year old will probably get some of the humor and most one year olds seem to be entertained when others around them are laughing.

[Mommyshark]

Oh piffle. By this logic, one shouldn't ever do anything fun with toddlers or preschoolers. A one year old WILL care that they are having fun spending time with mommy and daddy, seeing new things, playing in the ocean, etc.

 

For the OP, we took our daughter on her first cruise at age two and then all three of our kids at 7, 3 and 2. I can't advise on diapers or pools because ours were all potty trained before the cruises. But we found meal times to be very easy to manage due to the staff and how lovely they are with little ones.

 

We used the empty lounge idea too. Bubbles were a big hit and easy to carry and transport. For our daughter, we brought bubbles, her favorite books, stickers and crayons and paper. We took lots and lots of evening walks around the ship. With our boys along too, we brought bubbles and books again and hot wheels cars as well as a couple of small balls. Oh, and stuffed animals. They both had a couple of favorites. Neither of my boys have ever liked the kids clubs.

 

For the ocean, bring plastic diaper covers. They keep stuff in that would be gross and keep sand out better than other options. You might want to use pull ups at the beach too. They are easier to take off and put on.

 

On Carnival, there are family friendly comedy shows at 7 some evenings. The four year old will probably get some of the humor and most one year olds seem to be entertained when others around them are laughing.

 

I totally agree and am very much looking forward to their first cruise! Love the bubbles tip too. Thanks!

[BNBR]

My tip would be to stay home or do something else until your youngest is 2 years old. Then sail Carnival as they are the only line that has full camp activities starting at 2 years old and no potty training requirement. (other lines start at 3 and must be potty trained). Or, pay for grandparents to come along so they can watch the little ones :)

[TXPyroMom]

Recently got back from our very first cruise. My son is 3 1/2. Lots of good tips here, but my two favorite are:

 

1) Ordering his food as soon as we sat down in the MDR, it comes out in 10 minutes, he eats and then goes to the kids club. We still have dinner together, but he doesn't have to sit through a 2 hour meal. This may not work with the age of your kids.

 

2) Even though I hadn't used it in over a year, I brought my Ergo 360 and baby wore my 32lb preschooler. This was a huge help after port excursions when he would fall asleep and we still had to make our way back onto the ship. I also wore him when we debarked. Hubby, myself and our 12 y/o were able to easily self assist off the ship with 5 pieces of luggage and backpack.

[Mommyshark]

Recently got back from our very first cruise. My son is 3 1/2. Lots of good tips here, but my two favorite are:

 

1) Ordering his food as soon as we sat down in the MDR, it comes out in 10 minutes, he eats and then goes to the kids club. We still have dinner together, but he doesn't have to sit through a 2 hour meal. This may not work with the age of your kids.

 

2) Even though I hadn't used it in over a year, I brought my Ergo 360 and baby wore my 32lb preschooler. This was a huge help after port excursions when he would fall asleep and we still had to make our way back onto the ship. I also wore him when we debarked. Hubby, myself and our 12 y/o were able to easily self assist off the ship with 5 pieces of luggage and backpack.

 

Yes! I am totally planning on bringing my Ergo.

[welove2cruise2014]

My tip would be to stay home or do something else until your youngest is 2 years old. Then sail Carnival as they are the only line that has full camp activities starting at 2 years old and no potty training requirement. (other lines start at 3 and must be potty trained). Or, pay for grandparents to come along so they can watch the little ones :)

Or go and enjoy your cruise as a family, regardless of your children's age? I dunno, just a thought.

 

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[Mommyshark]

Or go and enjoy your cruise as a family, regardless of your children's age? I dunno, just a thought.

 

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Yaaaaaas!!!

[jetta8300]

We are used to cruising as a couple, but this will be our 6th cruise and our first with our 5 year old son. We are also going with my sister's family, with kids 5 and 7. I am currently looking into one of those projectors that you can plug into an ipad or laptop and project a movie onto the ceiling. I think you can get them for like $50. I thought it would be a fun activity for them to relax and watch a movie while us adults hang out on the balcony or something. Just a thought for your 4 year old because there isn't much TV whatsoever for kids if that's something they're used to.

 

We plan on making use of the kids club (even though that's something my son typically hates) but just plan on going with the flow and expect not to get to do our usual nightly drinking, comedy shows, and gambling. It will be a different kind of cruise for sure, but I'm sure we will enjoy ourselves and i'm sure you will as well.

[HawkIVette]

Leave them at home.

 

(Didn't have time to read all the posts, or even the first. Frankly, don't care either. It's just that you will enjoy the cruise better, and the rest of us will enjoy the cruise better too.)

[Mommyshark]

Leave them at home.

 

(Didn't have time to read all the posts, or even the first. Frankly, don't care either. It's just that you will enjoy the cruise better, and the rest of us will enjoy the cruise better too.)

 

You know what... I like your style! :')But the kids are still coming.

[Mommyshark]

We are used to cruising as a couple, but this will be our 6th cruise and our first with our 5 year old son. We are also going with my sister's family, with kids 5 and 7. I am currently looking into one of those projectors that you can plug into an ipad or laptop and project a movie onto the ceiling. I think you can get them for like $50. I thought it would be a fun activity for them to relax and watch a movie while us adults hang out on the balcony or something.

 

That would be sweet!!

[welove2cruise2014]

Leave them at home.

 

(Didn't have time to read all the posts, or even the first. Frankly, don't care either. It's just that you will enjoy the cruise better, and the rest of us will enjoy the cruise better too.)

Wow. It's pretty cruel to tell someone you'll enjoy your cruise better if they leave their kids at home. They aren't pets to be boarded for a week... they are human beings, part of ones family... and deserve to be treated as such. Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp???

 

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[Doggielover68]

Wow. It's pretty cruel to tell someone you'll enjoy your cruise better if they leave their kids at home. They aren't pets to be boarded for a week... they are human beings, part of ones family... and deserve to be treated as such. Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp???

 

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There's no law that people have to like kids, or animals for that matter. I lean towards not liking kids, but what I really hate are bad parents. You know, the ones who let a child have a complete meltdown in a busy restaurant and just let it go on and on without taking the child to an area for a few minutes to calm down (or leaving entirely if the child will not calm down).

 

Yes, I get it. Kids cry and have tempers. Doesn't mean I have to listen to it for extended periods of time. One time I was at a restaurant where a child sat at the table behind me. It let out a shriek so loud that I actually lost my hearing for a few hours. But anyway, OP seems to want to do their best to not annoy other passengers.

 

But anyway, my tip, like others have mentioned, is to find some empty venues/areas during the day and let the kids run around. There are so many areas of the ship that are practically a ghost town even on sea days. Part of the fun is finding them :)

 

Also, don't forget about the 24/7 ice cream. Reward good behavior with ice cream :-p

 

 

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