Cruising with Grandchildren

[Kittybork]

ON the Conquest in December, I met two different sets of grandparents who had all of their children and grandchildren on board. They were in heaven!

 

One lady, whom I met in the laundry room, had a ton of them. If I remember correctly, I think she said that they were a group of 18; the youngest was about 3.

 

In both cases, I think the grandparents had bought the tickets for Christmas gifts. I can't imagine anything much better. The laundry room grandma said that her children lived all over the country, so this was also serving as a family reunion for all of them. So, not only was it a blessing for the grandparents, but all of the siblings got to see each other, and the cousins were able to bond as well.

 

It just seems like a win-win situation all the way around.

[LRene]

TexasGreenEyes - I can hear the excitement in your post. On my 43rd birthday, my son and DIL gave me a nice card that said "Happy Birthday Grandma". I was shocked and as excited as you are now. Today, we have two precious granddaughters who are the first girls in the family in 38 years. Spoiled, absolutely!

 

Normally we cruise without kids although we've been known to take them at 18 or older. A couple of years ago, an opportunity came up and we took the oldest granddaughter at 3 years old (with her parents). She didn't like Camp Carnival so we took turns babysitting. I'll never forget her big eyes at the first Las Vegas type show and the fact that she sat PERFECTLY still on my lap for the whole time. From then on, she wanted to go see the singing and the dancing and she was a perfect angel at every show. We could bribe her into anything (naps, baths, eating dinner etc.) with the understanding she could go to the show.

 

Last December, both girls got to cruise with the other grandparents. The youngest celebrated her 1st birthday on board the ship. We decided after the first trip that they need to be old enough to go up and down stairs and to enjoy Camp Carnival. As soon as they're both there, we'll sacrifice another of our "adult" vacations and take them again.

 

Last weekend a Carnival commercial was on and I told the oldest that PawPaw and I were going on the "big boat" again in 2 weeks. She looked at me in disbelief and said " 'BOUT ME?? " Bless Haley...we're raising another cruise junkie. :)

[JerseyGirl97]

Last weekend a Carnival commercial was on and I told the oldest that PawPaw and I were going on the "big boat" again in 2 weeks. She looked at me in disbelief and said " 'BOUT ME?? " Bless Haley...we're raising another cruise junkie. :)

 

 

That's too cute!! Me and my daughter were looking at the pictures on the website with my mom a few weeks ago. My parents booked a balcony and we are in an inside across the hall next to my brother and sister in another inside room. Well, my mom showed Kaylie her and Pop Pop's room and talked about the balcony and how they can look at the water and all that. Then, my mom showed us a picture of an inside room. My daughter looked at the picture and said "Why don't I get a view?" I think we're raising a little diva!!! :rolleyes:

[selucrey]

I would like to hear from those who have experience cruising with their grandchildren...because I just found out that I am going to be a Grandma for the first time!!

:D :D :D

Congratulations ! I know exactly how you feel ! :D

Tell me the good, the bad, the ugly and the pretty.../quote]

 

Here is a review by a proud Grandmother who was on the Conquest with us a couple of years ago. It will give you an idea of what to expect.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=1914

[SeaBrz]

Grandchildren and Cruising??!! There was no way I could pass this thread up!

 

First off, congratulations Texas Greeneyes! Your life is about to become so much richer in a few more months! I became a Grandma at 43 and I honestly can say this is the absolute most fun time of my life.

 

I have a little different story about cruising with my beloved grandson:

 

Cruising is a way of life in my part of town. We hear the ships come and go and see them in port daily, so our kids and grandkids are raised among them. As my daughter did before him, my grandson waved to the ships from the port seawalls before he was old enough to walk. I couldn't wait to take him on a cruise, but thought it was better to wait until he was potty trained. Once that was accomplished, I was raring to go, but unfortunately he had entered that "scary" stage in life that some 3 year olds go through and he wanted nothing to do with getting on one of those "gigantic monster ships". It broke my heart for a while, but we let him grow out of it.

 

Finally, at age 4, he asked us about cruising and I think I had the tickets booked within the hour. His father stayed home for this one, but his Mom and I went and we decided that a 3-nighter was the best. I had lost of track of the number of cruises I had been on, but this was like the very first one to get to see it through the eyes of a child .. especially a grandchild! He adapted immediately to the ship, loved looking overboard through the rails (no fear), and won over the hearts of our cabin steward and waiter on the first night. Our cabin steward was told privately about his initial fear, and that this was his first cruise, and he went out of his way to not only ask him constantly how he was doing, but would always kneel to my grandson's level to let him truly know he cared.

 

We told my GS about the RCI Kid's Club prior to sailing, but made it clear that he could choose whether he wanted to go or how often he wanted to participate. We went to orientation on the first night, and we had to literally STEAL him away from the Club for the rest of the cruise to spend time or dine with him. I actually forced him to get off the boat in Nassau to go visit the Pirate's Museum (waste of money) and within 30 minutes he nicely asked if he could go back and see his friends (by name) at the "Club".

 

On the last morning of the cruise, our cabin steward came in and asked my grandson why he looked so sad. His reply: "This cruise was too short, I want to go on one of those 7-nighters." That's my boy!

 

GS is now 6, and we leave next week on the Fantasy -- just he and I this time -- for a 4 nighter and his second cruise. He spent the night with me this past Friday and it's a toss up on which one of us is more excited.

 

Life is great!

[cathyoo]

Oh, welcome to the most wonderful experience in the world. I've never cruised with my grandchildren. Their parents are nervous nellies. I offered to take the WHOLE family. My four children, two spouses and 4 grandchildren on a cruise, my present to me. One daughter in law and one son (different families) are too worried to take the kids on a ship. OH well.

 

But you know how everyone gets excited for a first time cruiser, well that is how I am for a new grandparent. It is such an awesome stage of life. That incredible new person to love. Watching your child fall in love with their child, watching them change into Mommy or Daddy, priceless. For me it truly validates my life. When I see my son read the same story to his child, say the same good night spiel, sing a song I sang to her, love her more than life itself, I know that I did good.

 

Please share some details. When is the big day? I'm expecting grandchild #5 in November. Congratulations again.

[Muumuu]

We took out grandson on his first cruise and boy oh boy does he have the bug. We want to travel with them. Some may think that we give up adult time and vacations. We do, but it is so what we want to do. To see your grandchilds face seeing new things. PRICELESS !!!!!!

[HollyGoheavy]

I would like to hear from those who have experience cruising with their grandchildren...because I just found out that I am going to be a Grandma for the first time!! :D :D :D :D

 

Tell me the good, the bad, the ugly and the pretty...:eek:

 

Congratulations!! I know you must be beyond thrilled!

 

Last week I was on the Celebration with my 2 youngest children (ages 3 and 15) and my sister, bil and their FOUR kids ages 19 mos to 13, as well as my parents.

 

My parents had an adjoining room and dining room assignments with my sister and her family. We got a cabin at the other end of the ship on an upper deck and chose a different dining time so we basically only saw them occasionally. My mother had an absolute blast, she had 2 grandkids in her cabin with her and my dad and spent all her time with the baby. Mind you, that was arranged before the cruise, my mom volunteered to babysit for my sister so she could go do "adult" things. My dad spent the day in Nassau with my DD alone (teenage girls need Grandpa time) and we did KW with all the kids.

 

I think a cruise is probably one of the easiest and more affordable vacations to take extended family on.

[Darkkskyzz]

We are taking DD on her first cruise (age 9)...and coming along are her grandparents and aunt...but the key is...she won't know they are coming until we get to Miami...!! :D

My parents live out of state, so she doesn't get to see them as much as she would like. This is going to be awesome...not only do DH and I get to experience the wonder of a cruise thru a child's eyes....but her grandparents do too.

With 100 days left they were already calling me trying to schedule which nights they could take her overnight on the boat! :) They even booked a bigger room than they need just for them and my sister (18)...just so there is enough room for DD! Funny! Gotta love grandparents!! :D

With just a few days left....they are biting at the bit. It gets harder and harder for them not to tell her when she is on the phone with them gushing about the "floating city" she will be on :)