Toddler Advice - QM2

[IAH]

We are travelling on QM2 in June to New York (7 nights) 6 adults and an 18 month old. Does anyone have experience/tips of cruising with toddlers - where we can’t/can’t go and any general tips?! 
 

TIA

[Lakesregion]

5 hours ago, IAH said:

We are travelling on QM2 in June to New York (7 nights) 6 adults and an 18 month old. Does anyone have experience/tips of cruising with toddlers - where we can’t/can’t go and any general tips?! 
 

TIA

He or she will be the hit of the week with the older set. They love small children. Cunard makes a strong effort to accommodate all ages. However, the early dining time might be better but only you know Jrs.. tolerance for a lot of attention and when it is time to pack it in for the day. Enjoy the trip.

[tacticalbanjo]

I can’t help you with a toddler but I did take my then 11 month old on the QM2 in December and the QV in October when she was 9 months old. She was crawling and cruising on both trips so we were quite aware of making sure she wasn’t a nuisance to other passengers. We found that there always seemed to be one bar open that was quiet enough for little one to explore a bit without annoying any passengers or staff while we tag teamed drinking a coffee and baby wrangling. 
 

The children’s facilities are quite good. There’s a room with all sorts of baby and toddler toys for your little on to let off some steam in but they do need to be supervised by an adult. I can’t remember the exact times this is open but it’s for a few hours in the morning and afternoon. 
 

You can drop them off after 6pm to sleep in the night nursery which is the same room with travel cots put up. You get a pager and if your little one wakes up, you have to go collect them. The staff check on them every 10 minutes. You’ll know if you are likely to make use of it but if you can then I’d recommend it as a way to avoid being trapped in your room all evening in the dark being quiet. The staff are all UK qualified childcare workers and seemed really good at their jobs. 
 

We took our daughter to the main dining room each night and was able to get through 3 courses most nights with some cartoons on an iPad with the sound turned off and a bit of bread roll while we had starters. My daughter takes ages to eat so we could often get dessert down us while she was finishing her food. They were happy to cook her a meal from the menu each night without salt but we found it easier to just ask for a grilled chicken breast and some steamed veggies to be ready for her each night. We made sure she had a bit of variety via a buffet breakfast and lunch. Buffet also meant we could get food to her quickly.

 

If your toddler isn’t ok with a shower yet then you can ask for a baby bath. Our 11 month old had plenty of room to splash around in and play but she is on the smaller side. 
 

One of the biggest problems we had was that our buggy didn’t fit through the cabin door so we had to take our daughter out in the hall and fold it down to get it in the room. On our next cruise we’re taking an umbrella stroller.

[IAH]

2 hours ago, tacticalbanjo said:

I can’t help you with a toddler but I did take my then 11 month old on the QM2 in December and the QV in October when she was 9 months old. She was crawling and cruising on both trips so we were quite aware of making sure she wasn’t a nuisance to other passengers. We found that there always seemed to be one bar open that was quiet enough for little one to explore a bit without annoying any passengers or staff while we tag teamed drinking a coffee and baby wrangling. 
 

The children’s facilities are quite good. There’s a room with all sorts of baby and toddler toys for your little on to let off some steam in but they do need to be supervised by an adult. I can’t remember the exact times this is open but it’s for a few hours in the morning and afternoon. 
 

You can drop them off after 6pm to sleep in the night nursery which is the same room with travel cots put up. You get a pager and if your little one wakes up, you have to go collect them. The staff check on them every 10 minutes. You’ll know if you are likely to make use of it but if you can then I’d recommend it as a way to avoid being trapped in your room all evening in the dark being quiet. The staff are all UK qualified childcare workers and seemed really good at their jobs. 
 

We took our daughter to the main dining room each night and was able to get through 3 courses most nights with some cartoons on an iPad with the sound turned off and a bit of bread roll while we had starters. My daughter takes ages to eat so we could often get dessert down us while she was finishing her food. They were happy to cook her a meal from the menu each night without salt but we found it easier to just ask for a grilled chicken breast and some steamed veggies to be ready for her each night. We made sure she had a bit of variety via a buffet breakfast and lunch. Buffet also meant we could get food to her quickly.

 

If your toddler isn’t ok with a shower yet then you can ask for a baby bath. Our 11 month old had plenty of room to splash around in and play but she is on the smaller side. 
 

One of the biggest problems we had was that our buggy didn’t fit through the cabin door so we had to take our daughter out in the hall and fold it down to get it in the room. On our next cruise we’re taking an umbrella stroller.

Thank you for this! Really reassuring. Did you happen to use the pools at all? I read somewhere that under 2s aren’t allowed in any swimming pools so just checking this is the case? Our little one loves water!

[tacticalbanjo]

58 minutes ago, IAH said:

Thank you for this! Really reassuring. Did you happen to use the pools at all? I read somewhere that under 2s aren’t allowed in any swimming pools so just checking this is the case? Our little one loves water!

Children in nappies aren’t allowed to use the pools on any cruise ship. There are splash zones on some Disney, MSC and (I think) Royal ships but no access to actual swimming pools. It’s a hygiene/disease spreading thing because swim nappies don’t absorb urine and draining a pool down at sea is so much harder than on land. 
 

I realise I should have said that the night nursery is until 11 not all night. Still long enough to have a few hours to yourself though.

[IB2]

Very brave to even consider it.  The best of luck….

[tacticalbanjo]

2 hours ago, IB2 said:

Very brave to even consider it.  The best of luck….

In the weeks leading up to my baby’s first cruise I was so worried but we enjoyed it so much that we have four cruises booked over the next 2 years.
 

It’s so much less stressful than the airport if you sail from Southampton. You roll up with a car full of baby crap, get on board and it’s waiting for you in your room. You can take as much stuff as you like. You don’t have to worry about needing a car seat at the other end if you stick to walkable ports. 
 

There’s always a big variety of food available so you don’t have to worry about finding something to eat. My baby had chicken and veggies cooked specially for her every night. You don’t have to spend half the day searching for somewhere suitable to eat. 
 

There are toys on board and an evening baby sitting service for sleeping babies run by staff that are properly qualified. 
 

Many of the staff have children of their own and love interacting with kids. Many of the passengers have children and grandchildren and love interacting with kids. My baby soon figured out that she could wave as she was carried about the ship and gets lots of attention.

 

Sure, you might come across some people who disapprove of children being on board but they will be in the minority. As long as you aren’t annoying other passengers - swift exits if little one gets upset at dinner etc - then you are only enjoying something that Cunard themselves are advertising. The whingers can find an adults only line. 

[exlondoner]

13 hours ago, IB2 said:

Very brave to even consider it.  The best of luck….

I’d say wise rather than brave.

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I’d say wise rather than brave.

I agree

 

Brilliant idea. We started much later when our son was six. There were only around half a dozen youngsters onboard and he was the youngest. It helped being 'that cute British kid' and he managed to acquire numerous sets of temporary US grandparents. 🙂

[BigMac1953]

It's not a bad thing to have young children at a dinner table, providing they are also being taught proper table manners and etiquette.

 

My parents and grand parents instilled in me proper behaviour at a table from a very young age. I can still hear my grandmother "no uncooked joints on the table please".

 

We did the same with our two who both would sit at the table in high chairs and eat the same as everybody else. Even before school age, most days, my wife would take them to a local bakery/cafe where they would sit and have their scone and milk.

 

One hotel told us that they were too young to eat dinner with the adults, but when they saw how ours behaved, they made an exception. After the meal finished they were allowed to ask permission to leave the table (under certain conditions).

 

By all means bring the kids along and show them how to enjoy their food the correct way.

 

 

 

 

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

It's not a bad thing to have young children at a dinner table, providing they are also being taught proper table manners and etiquette.

 

My parents and grand parents instilled in me proper behaviour at a table from a very young age. I can still hear my grandmother "no uncooked joints on the table please".

 

We did the same with our two who both would sit at the table in high chairs and eat the same as everybody else. Even before school age, most days, my wife would take them to a local bakery/cafe where they would sit and have their scone and milk.

 

One hotel told us that they were too young to eat dinner with the adults, but when they saw how ours behaved, they made an exception. After the meal finished they were allowed to ask permission to leave the table (under certain conditions).

 

By all means bring the kids along and show them how to enjoy their food the correct way.

 

 

 

 

It may be just luck, but all the children I’ve encountered on Cunard have behaved beautifully, including in the QG restaurant. This may be helped by the way the staff treat them - as equal passengers, not horrid little things. Otherwise, one of my most charming memories is meeting about fifteen seven year old pirates with cutlasses swarming up the stairs outside the Commodore Club.

[Victoria2]

18 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

It's not a bad thing to have young children at a dinner table, providing they are also being taught proper table manners and etiquette.

 

My parents and grand parents instilled in me proper behaviour at a table from a very young age. I can still hear my grandmother "no uncooked joints on the table please".

 

We did the same with our two who both would sit at the table in high chairs and eat the same as everybody else. Even before school age, most days, my wife would take them to a local bakery/cafe where they would sit and have their scone and milk.

 

One hotel told us that they were too young to eat dinner with the adults, but when they saw how ours behaved, they made an exception. After the meal finished they were allowed to ask permission to leave the table (under certain conditions).

 

By all means bring the kids along and show them how to enjoy their food the correct way.

 

 

 

 

Ours was also used to dining out and travelling. His greatest love at lunch and children’s tea, was the pudding trolley.

We found bread sticks with a butter pat as a dip was the key to a contented toddler when waiting for any meal.

[NE John]

9 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

We found bread sticks with a butter pat as a dip was the key to a contented toddler when waiting for any meal.

iPads have now replaced analog bread sticks and butter!

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, NE John said:

iPads have now replaced analog bread sticks and butter!

I should have thought one of the first stages of training in dining etiquette was ‘leave your device somewhere else’ - for adults too.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, NE John said:

iPads have now replaced analog bread sticks and butter!

Not on my watch!!!

 

My bag was full of colouring books/Jnr Puzzler and tricks of the trade to keep children 'busy' if they got restless. Technology may have taken over for many, but table manners are still paramount in our family and technology has no place at our dining table, children or adults.

[exlondoner]

19 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Not on my watch!!!

 

My bag was full of colouring books/Jnr Puzzler and tricks of the trade to keep children 'busy' if they got restless. Technology may have taken over for many, but table manners are still paramount in our family and technology has no place at our dining table, children or adults.

Though of course there are eating places in London, and no doubt elsewhere, where you have to use your phone to order. So far I have eschewed such venues.

[Victoria2]

15 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Though of course there are eating places in London, and no doubt elsewhere, where you have to use your phone to order. So far I have eschewed such venues.

Thankfully, we haven't come across this. I'm sure when we eventually do, we'll cope and then put the technology away.

 

One of the celebrity guest speakers who dined with us for the duration of the cruise, kept his iPhone on the table all the time. He was involved in ultra high level humanitarian negotiations and was in 24/7 contact. That, I completely understand.

 

Pac-Man [the only computer game I know apart from Tetris] et al, can wait. 🙂

[tacticalbanjo]

7 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Not on my watch!!!

 

My bag was full of colouring books/Jnr Puzzler and tricks of the trade to keep children 'busy' if they got restless. Technology may have taken over for many, but table manners are still paramount in our family and technology has no place at our dining table, children or adults.

Believe me, I tried all the toys I could think of but my daughter likes to be moving and doing instead of sitting and they just ended up being flung on the floor which was disturbing for other guests. She wasn't a big eater at the time so food didn't distract her for long. The iPad ended up being the best tool for the job at that time (9 months old) but I expect to phase it out as she gets older and able to sit still for longer and take part in conversation more. We don't have technology at the table at home but we don't have three courses at home either.

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, tacticalbanjo said:

Believe me, I tried all the toys I could think of but my daughter likes to be moving and doing instead of sitting and they just ended up being flung on the floor which was disturbing for other guests. She wasn't a big eater at the time so food didn't distract her for long. The iPad ended up being the best tool for the job at that time (9 months old) but I expect to phase it out as she gets older and able to sit still for longer and take part in conversation more. We don't have technology at the table at home but we don't have three courses at home either.

Technology wasn't available 'in our time' and so under those circumstances, we wouldn't have had our son sitting there for three courses but then drip feeding food worked for us, with the promise of 'The Pudding Trolley'!

 

The next generation are pretty similar but if any get 'lively', they get taken out so appropriate venues are chosen.

It works for our lot. How long for, we'll see. 🙂

[tacticalbanjo]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Technology wasn't available 'in our time' and so under those circumstances, we wouldn't have had our son sitting there for three courses but then drip feeding food worked for us, with the promise of 'The Pudding Trolley'!

 

The next generation are pretty similar but if any get 'lively', they get taken out so appropriate venues are chosen.

It works for our lot. How long for, we'll see. 🙂

It's the promise of the pudding trolley that makes me get the iPad out! I simply have to do my best to get to those delicious desserts 😄

[space oddity]

I'm late to this discussion (sorry I missed it!), but thought I'd chime in in case it is helpful.  

 

Our first trip on QM2, pre-Covid, was with our then-toddler and his somewhat-older sister.  We absolutely loved it.  (Of course we liked it even better, a few years later, when the toddler was old enough to go to the kids' club!) You will have a great time.  

 

A few random thoughts/tips:

 

For dinner, we had been assigned a table quite close to the aft exit of the Brittania restaurant (upper deck), early sitting; I don't know whether this was foresight on someone's part, or (maybe more likely) just because we booked quite late and were new to Cunard.  Anyway, it turned out to be perfect for us.  We had a 4-top, so it wouldn't bother anyone else if we chose not to show up on a given evening.  We took both kids to dinner most evenings, but between courses, if the younger one was being at all rambunctious, we could quietly take him outside the restaurant to avoid disturbing anyone else.  We did bring little books, coloring, etc., for the kids to play with during dinner.  I would definitely not have wanted the late sitting with the kids -- it finishes quite late.  

 

Our older daughter really loved the kids' club, so a few times we fed her early (at the Chef's Galley, which at the time opened early, 5ish, for a kid-friendly menu with pizzas, burgers, pasta, etc) and dropped her off at the club before coming to dinner with the toddler.  

 

The night nursery was a godsend for us, too. After he'd had dinner, we would put the little one to sleep in the nursery; the staff give you a pager in case there are any issues, but ours slept like a rock.  Then my wife and I would go out for drinks, a show, whatever -- basically we had a babysitter, included, every night!  Magical.  On a couple of occasions we fed the little one and put him to bed a bit early, then went for an adults-only dinner (at the later sitting, or at a pop-up).  

 

We generally did room service breakfast (for all of us) and a buffet lunch, though we also dined in the main restaurant for those meals (and/or had pub lunch at the Golden Lion) a few times.  

 

Misc. other stuff: I'd echo the advice about bringing a small foldable stroller.  It was great for going around the promenade deck with the little one.  As mentioned, the pools are unfortunately off-limits if your little one is still in a nappy.  My wife and I sometimes took turns to have "adult time" alone during the day; i.e., one of us would entertain the little one (or sit in the room while he napped) while the other went out to explore the ship, go to a talk, have a drink, etc.  

 

One thing I was really struck by, on that first trip, was just how welcoming everyone was to the children -- from staff to other passengers.  They were little celebrities by the end of the trip!  It also felt like the staff really kicked up their service a notch when we walked in with the kids.  E.g., one day at lunch (in Brittania) I remember a waiter noticed that our daughter had been eating the strawberries off my wife's salad; he came back a few minutes later, unprompted, with a bowl of cut-up strawberries for her, arranged beautifully.  

 

Also, we got to know a few of the other parents reasonably well; you do tend to see each other a lot (particularly if you are pushing a toddler around the deck at the same time!).  On that crossing I think there was only one other family with an under-2 child, and there are typically <50 or so children on board of all ages.  

 

Bottom line, I hope you have a great time!  Enjoy.  

[exlondoner]

As has been said elsewhere, quite a lot of the crew are probably missing their own children, and are pleased to indulge the ones who are passengers.

[Gretchendz]

You'll do great!

Not on Cunard, but took my oldest on his first cruise on Sitmar (quite awhile ago) when he was about 8 months old. He was the star of the ship. No child care on board but between parents and grandma we managed just fine.

 

Some tips. If you think they are too frazzled or cranky for a long dinner remember you have options--the buffet and room service. I would bring a portable travel playpen too.

 

When the kids were a bit older (maybe 4 and 6?) we explained to them that this was a great time to try  new foods as if they didn't like it the waitstaff would bring something else.  My daughter still loves duck that she first tried as a 4 year old.  As others have noted, the crew will go out of their way to bring them berries, ice cream, whatever the kids like. They will come back spoiled, in a good way.

 

Our kids were always good at meals on cruises and restaurants because at the first sign of misbehavior, one of the parents would haul them out of the meal and take them to the room. We only had to do abruptly end the meal once or twice before they got the idea.  Was never one to let my kid disturb others at dinner.

 

And I want to echo this: from Space Oddity:

For dinner, we had been assigned a table quite close to the aft exit of the Brittania restaurant (upper deck), early sitting; I don't know whether this was foresight on someone's part, or (maybe more likely) just because we booked quite late and were new to Cunard.  Anyway, it turned out to be perfect for us.  We had a 4-top, so it wouldn't bother anyone else if we chose not to show up on a given evening.  We took both kids to dinner most evenings, but between courses, if the younger one was being at all rambunctious, we could quietly take him outside the restaurant to avoid disturbing anyone else.  We did bring little books, coloring, etc., for the kids to play with during dinner.  I would definitely not have wanted the late sitting with the kids -- it finishes quite late.