Mardi Gras w/Toddlers

[Tennant]

Has anyone cruised Mardi Gras with toddlers or little kids (mine are 2 and 4.5)? I know non-vaxxed kid capacity is limited so there might not be a lot of information.  

 

Anyways, we are considering a Mardi Gras cruise or a Celebration cruise with our young kids and I am looking for feedback from someone that has done it. Was there enough for the littles to do and did you find activities the whole family could do together? Our kids likely won't go to the kids club even when they can so our focus is on things we can do together as a family.  Thanks!

[cruisingguy007]

To be perfectly honest, the kids club is the main reason our kids choose cruising over the likes of Disneyland, Sea World, San Diego etc etc. I't may be more of the fact that it's an organized social opportunity, rather than the actual activities per sey, as they do spend a lot of time outside of the kids club but it's always socializing with kids they've met at the kids club. They say that it feels like they get a "real" vacation as well and get to enjoy some freedom (away from us) and have their own focused activities with similar peer groups.

 

I doubt they'd pick cruising above all else if they had to hang out with mom and dad all day or do some of the fun activities with only the old heads or by themselves. The social aspect is big for them. It reminds me of science camp. A lot of kids get off the bus crying after being away from their families for a week because they felt such a strong social/emotional connection and have a lot of organized opportunities for teamwork, socialization, group participation, fraternization and activities. The kids clubs provide many of those same opportunities to make it a extra memorable experience.        

[MistyRo76]

I haven't been on the Mardi Gras, but did take my daughter on cruises when she was 14 months and 3 years old. You should know that kids have to be potty trained and out of training diapers to be able to use the pools or splash pad areas. They monitored this pretty closely when we cruised. Once she was 3, it was fine cause she was potty trained, but that really limited our daytime options when she was littler. 

 

I would consider letting them stay in kids camp at least once or twice. You may be surprised at how much they enjoy it! But if not, I would say there is plenty to do for the kids. All of the Seuss activities are amazing! We did the Seuss breakfast, parade and storytime (not sure if they still do these activities after the restart??). Additionally, there were other play areas where our kiddo was kept plenty entertained. The arcade was one of her favorite places to hang out! 

 

I would say go for it! The Mardi Gras as the largest ship in the fleet, is going to have plenty of other options that the ships we sailed on didn't. 

[famof4togo]

I had the same theory before our first cruise with our son....but now I too say give Kids club a try...the first time taking my son I dragged him there and had to bribe him with arcade money to walk in the door....we came back 10 minutes early to pick him up and he told us to come back later he was having too much fun to leave then....after that initial night, all he ever wanted to do was go to kids club.....every night....for our family we spent the days together as a family, ate dinner together but then did allow him to go to Kids club in the evenings and we'd hit a show or the casino and do things we wouldn't have done with him.  I suggest going the first day and if it's not for your kids then you got the rest of the cruise to not go back.....

Edited December 2, 2021 by famof4togo

[DB2VA]

When any of the kids clubs open , it will only be for vaccinated kids.