"Solo" with kids

[NJcruisemom]

This will be my 3rd "solo" cruise with teenage sons. I have always requested a large table for dinner (late seating), but keep getting put at a small table with a family of three (usually a couple and their child). We've requested early seating this time. Does the Matre 'd ignore the fact that I'm single and base his decision on my having children? Hey, their single too:D. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Char

[claud925]

Find out your table number when you get to your cabin. You will find it on a card on the desk. Then go immediately (or as soon as you can after boarding) to the Maitre D'; you will find him at a table just outside the main dining room. Ask him to show you your assigned table, i.e, where it is located and how many it seats.

 

If you discover it is not to your liking, let him know exactly what it is you require. He will change you and your family to a table which suits your needs.

 

If you are polite, yet firm, he will accommodate you.

[dad son team]

I have traveled "solo" 4 times with my 8yo and have gotten different arrangements each time. First was a table for 6, us and a family of 4, then table for 6, us and 1 older couple, then table for 8, us, honeymoon couple, and family of 4, and lastly, table for 8, us and family of six. The only time I changed was the last time and that was because the kids were wild. I like having other kids at the table, but not when they outnumber the adults. When I went to the Matre'd the 2nd night, he fould us a great table for 10, us, family of 4, family of 3. I was looking over his shoulder on the computer monitor and got to see what he sees. It shows the names, ages, and language spoken of everybody at the table. He can find a table that has others around your age, and the kids ages. So don't be afraid to change if you are not happy. He can even tell you who is at you table before dinner the first night.

[kathy32259]

Hey NJ - caught you over here. Don't know if you realized - but I am solo with kids too - the only difference is my "kids" are 23 - one will turn 24 on the cruise! We have requested the 6:15 main seating. I have always liked that best - not too early - but not too late either. I hope we can meet. I think timh1111 is trying to put something together. See you in a couple of weeks!:eek: I am so ready to cruise!:D

 

Triumph here we come!

[GeorgiaGent]

Interesting to find a thread about this. I have cruised 3 times but never with my daughter. Now I am getting ready to do my first "solo" with my kid. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I am just hoping for plenty of teens there to occupy her when she gets tired of hanging out with her dad... :D

 

I'll have to check on the table assignment. Get placed with some interesting folks and definitely not at a small table.

[jazzin']

I'm getting ready for my first "solo" with my teenage son; his first cruise - good tip about table seating. It's not something I worried about traveling alone. Any other suggestions?

 

Paradise 6/12/06

[Raynie]

I'm also getting ready to go "solo" with my teens. I'm hoping that they will find new friends to hang out with ...and so will mom!

[GeorgiaGent]

Finally less than a month.... looking forward to this cruise... both for time with my kid, and if she finds some teens to hang out with.... time for Dad to be able to chill out and enjoy himself a bit as well...:D

[pootsien2]

Hi! Anybody traveling solo or single w/kids on FOS? I'm going w/ my 16 yo twins on the July 9 cruise. Will post this on roll call too!:) Mary

[greenpony]

I did my first "solo with kids" with m 8 yo son in February on Voyager. We had such a good time that we are cruising on Navigator next February.

 

Cruising is the perfect way to travel alone with a child.

[susan_in_stlouis]

I cruised with my teenage son last year and we both had a great time. I was a little concerned with the dinner seating too. The first night we were with a family of 5, and a mom and her teenage daughter and then me and my son, but it was the late seating. My son discovered he was missing the start of the teen stuff, so we switched to the early seating, and were placed with an older couple, a family with two teenagers and us. It was all great fun, we became friends. My son was not keen on getting dressed up and going to this fancy dinner, but our waitress won him over, and he really enjoyed it.

 

We are heading for our second cruise in a month!

[TravelTammy]

I'm getting ready for our 3rd cruise on July 23-RCCL Mariner of the Seas. I'm a Mom with 9 & 12 yr old boys. Our last cruise 2 yrs ago RCCL Mariner of the Seas we were seated at a table 10 steps from the door (yuck!) and with a couple and their 13 yr old daughter. First the daughter didn't say a word, but the parents first stated how they thought they'd be dining alone as a family and this kept coming up. (Yuck) I was very shocked someone would be so openly rude. I certainly got the picture so much so that I got up during dinner to let the matre'dknow. He had me meet the next morning with the head matre'd of the restaurant and she changed us immediately even showing us this wonderful large table over by the window. Our new table mates were wonderful. A woman traveling solo with her 2 daughters (high school and college age) and son in between.

It was very nice. I just hope we get the same wonderful results this cruise.

[GeorgiaGent]

You have to just love rude people...:rolleyes: .

 

Some folks act like that big ship should just do every little thing their way. Forget the other couple thousand..:D

 

Glad you and yours were able to be helped out and I am sure it made your cruise all the better.

 

I'm hoping for a great cruise this time around as it is my daughter's first and I want it to make a great impression so I can drag her on another...lol:D

[TravelTammy]

GeorgiaGent, your cruise date is just ...this Saturday!!!!

I'm sure you'll have a great time. How old is your daughter?

 

Wishing you a grand time,

[GeorgiaGent]

She is just about 15 but seems to think she is like 30...:D :D

 

And YES... my time has finally come. Can't wait either... now if I can just get thru this last work day... heh heh.

[teach2travel]

Enjoy everyone's comments! Just wanted to add, that the only bad thing about traveling 'solo' with your kids is that they become addicted to that way of travel! I have done 5 cruises with my daughter and son (22 & 19) and kept hoping they would lose interest in going. I always said, "Gee, I guess this will be our last vacation together, you guys are getting older and want to be with your friends." LOL, boy was I wrong; all I had to do this time was say 'cruise' and my son's ears shot up.

 

But it has been an amazing experience for them. They learned to make friends (other kids on the cruise), they learned table manners and which fork to use (even though one of my fondest memories was of my daughter (6 at the time) eating an orange slice and then using the rind as a bracelet! They learned alot of history and saw alot of different peoples and cultures, and lastly all three of us have some fantastic memories of our cruise experiences! Wouldn't have missed it!

 

PS . . This Sunday, Elation . . my son and I . .yippee!

[TravelTammy]

Great insight teach2travel!!

I kow what you mean. My boys are 12 and 9 and in just over 2 weeks now we will set sail on our 3rd cruise. I don't see them ever getting tired of cruising. The only thing I have to always do is rent my younger one a tux with tails!! He loves to get dressed to the hilt since he did on his first cruise when he was 6!!! It's great, all the teenage girls want their picture with him. Can't tell you how many pictures he was in.

Here's wishing you and your son a wonderful cruise!!!!

[tobes]

I am a single mom and have travelled for years with my kids (23, 21, 17) both on land tours around the world and on cruises and we always all have a wonderful time since we can spend time together and time doing our own things. But I have never thought of it as "solo" with kids. This is simply the makeup of our family and we enjoy family vacations. Is there another thread for "two parents with kids?"

[teach2travel]

Great insight teach2travel!!

I kow what you mean. My boys are 12 and 9 and in just over 2 weeks now we will set sail on our 3rd cruise. I don't see them ever getting tired of cruising. The only thing I have to always do is rent my younger one a tux with tails!! He loves to get dressed to the hilt since he did on his first cruise when he was 6!!! It's great, all the teenage girls want their picture with him. Can't tell you how many pictures he was in.

Here's wishing you and your son a wonderful cruise!!!!

 

Thanks, we had a GREAT time! Last night, I was looking at cruises to Europe for next summer, and my son said, wow . . can't wait! I informed him that this would just be me, and he proceeded to tell me all the reasons WHY he had to go too. Oh brother!

 

Your son must be soo cute in his tux! I could barely get mine into a shirt and tie (although he easily did it for 'lobster night!') Ah, memories.

[Darthtater]

I agree. It's a blast to travel with your kids. We have the best time together. TravelTammy, I have two sons 10 and 13 and we love to cruise together. next year we are going on the Freedom for a Western Med cruise and then a post cruise stay in Rome. You ought to come join us! Georgiagent, you too! We could get a southern contingent going. We could teach those folks that it's not polenta, but grits!