Please share what your kids liked the most on their cruise!

[wework2play]

Just curious as to what kids really like on a cruise. Even the small stuff like the towel animals. Please share everyone!

[F&H'sMom]

My five year old's teacher sent me an email of what he told the class bc she thought it was so funny. His favorite things were chocolate milk at breakfast, chocolates on his pillow, the towel animals, the glass bottom boat excursion (sit in the front of the boat so you don't have to smell the gas fumes), swimming with daddy in the pool and the kid's club. My three year old liked the glass bottom boat, but his favorite was the ride in the spotted bus from the airport to mommy's car (go figure). My three year old went with me to look at the cruise pix. I had a terrible time trying to locate our family, but he spotted several different grouping of our extended party before I did!

[AngelOfDistress]

What my 21 months old son liked the most?

 

The elevators :D

[njcruisingmom]

My two dd's (9 and 6 at the time) loved the beach in Bermuda, the towel animals and the way the cabin steward would perch their stuffed animals on the bed in funny ways, the independence they felt being able to go to the kids program, the waiters in the dining room, the staff in the Windsurf, drinking their fruit punch out of champagn glasses, the best chicken nuggets and fries they've ever had, and their bunks. They said our cruise to Bermuda was their favorite vacation ever -- even better than Disney.

 

We're going again in July on a family trip -- and they're beside themselves with excitement!

[miss_jevious]

Our children are 17, 13 and 12. We started cruising 3 years ago with them. Camp Carnival is still the younger two's favorite thing. ( we have only sailed on Carnival). They love meeting so many other kids from other places and the staff are usually from all over the world and they love that. By the second day they have hooked up with a "best friend" and are with them at all possible times lol. Our oldest is a boy and his top, number one priority is the food!! He says its the only time food is available 24/7 that he doesn't have to wait on or fix himself lol. What can I say, he thinks with his bottemless stomach. He also likes the fact that the ship is like a town and he can run around and do his own thing while we are cruising. We just set check in times and a curfew for him and turn him loose. In ports he is with us though, unless he wants to do a group thing with the teen club. We would let him do that but so far he has chosen to go with us everytime.

[wework2play]

Thanks guys. Those were great to read. My boys are 10 and 7. Can't decide whether to take them on our next cruise. My DH and I don't swim much, and I'm afraid they'll want us to be by the pool ALL DAY long. I just can't really imagine what it will be like to have them along? I guess I'll never know until I try it.... Please, keep the thoughts coming...

[dmlee1990]

My daughters are 8 & 13........they love trying the adult food, no kid meals for them. They also love the swimming pools, arcade, hot tub, and ice cream anytime they want!

[bdink921]

My DS8 loves the kids club!!! He hangs out with us during the day exploring wherever we are or playing in the pool or arcade. After dinner he loves to go straight to the club until late. He also enjoyed shuffleboard and ping pong. We went to Disney World for a couple of days before the cruise and hands down his favorite part of the vacation was the cruise!!!

[Wilwant247]

My kids 10, 8, 5, and 2 (last year) LOVED the towel animals, our waiter at dinner, my youngest daugther discovered she loved brussel sprouts! lol, #2 & 3 LOVED the kids club, wanted to stay there every minute, and were both mad when I would show up for them. They loved having thier own soda card, and the water slide. My youngest loved the 24 hr pizza bar, and we all enjoyed the late night room service!

[I&MsMom]

Another vote for the camp for my kids, who will be 4 and 8 on the next cruise. Also, DS (8) loves going to the big production shows with the camp - he feels so grown up. They just love the whole idea of a cruise - and so do mom and dad! It's just the best way to travel with kids: all of the benefits of a multi-stop itinerary without any of the headaches.

[Arubalisa]

1. Quality time spent with the entire family
   
2. the Kid's Club
   
3. the food

[Wendi&Max]

Max was 4 on our last cruise, he is 5 now... he says, "Um, the kid's club... and the yummy food... and stuff!"

[Warm Breezes]

Definitely the ice cream any time they wanted it!!:D

[tinlizzy]

My 15 year old loved the foo foo smothies....actually remembered the names of all of them. He had 2 on our cruise last year and this year he wants to have 2/day. :D

[Cruise Arizona]

My daughters are 8 & 13........they love trying the adult food, no kid meals for them. They also love the swimming pools, arcade, hot tub, and ice cream anytime they want!

 

For my two, it was the whole dining experience. They loved dressing up, then the fancy meals, trying new foods, and the wonderful waiters.

 

The excursion they loved more than any thing was snorkeling in Keleakua Bay in Hawaii. The water was so clear, and this was on a tour we had booked independently for our family so they got a lot of attention from our snorkel guide.

 

They also liked the evening theme parties for both all ages and kids

[CruiseinNJ]

Thanks guys. Those were great to read. My boys are 10 and 7. Can't decide whether to take them on our next cruise. My DH and I don't swim much, and I'm afraid they'll want us to be by the pool ALL DAY long. I just can't really imagine what it will be like to have them along? I guess I'll never know until I try it.... Please, keep the thoughts coming...

 

My daughters, now 7 and 13, love the whole cruising experience, from ice cream all day long, to towel animals, to the excursions. When they were younger (3 and 4), they HATED kids club -- we weren't more than 5 minutes away and the beepers would be going off. Now that they are older, my 7 year old wanted a cruise this year just for kids club. "what happens in kids club, stays in kids club" is her motto (can you say chocolate cake for dinner???). My 13 yo was a little bored with camp carnival last year, and ended up spending a lot of time with us, which was nice. Not too often your teenager wants to hang with the parents!

[foneguy]

right now if you ask mine, 9 and 11 it is that there is no school during the cruise,,,,,as long as they get the hw done b4 we leave!!

[crusinmama06]

Here's what mine liked out of all of the cruises

 

--kids clubs (obvious one...lol)

--towel animals

--CHOCOLATE, cookies and mints on their pillows (pending on what cruiseline we are on) I swear it's one of the highlights of their cruises.

--Build a Buddy (like Build A Bear) on Carnival

--dolphin encounters

--ATLANTIS--they would kill for a week there

--dressing up

 

and on Disney

--character meals

[adamsmom]

I have a son who is 11, and his absolute favorite part is the food. He loves having hamburgers or pizza every meal! He loves not being required to get a kids meal. My daughter is 7, and her favorite is the kids club. They both are there every time the doors are open. Son also loves the water slides on Carnival ships, particularly the larger, 3-story ones. Daughter loves the kiddie pool. Probably their favorite excursion so far was the dune buggy tour in Costa Maya. Cruisinmama--mine would probably kill to go to Atlantis too!

[kkshelton]

Took my 6 1/2 year old daughter on her first cruise last March on Carnival Paradise. For some strange reason, she really got into the shampoo and shower gel dispensers in the shower. She took the longest showers just playing in there. She also enjoyed the towel animals, chocolates on her pillow, fancy dinners in the dining room, dancing with the waiters in the dining room, eating french fries at the buffet whenever we wanted, the softserv ice cream, Camp Carnival, karaoke (during the early part of the night when a lot of teens and families were there) and lots of Mommy time. It was such a great experience that we leave again soon with husband and 4 year old son joining us this time!

[Warmer Climes]

My kids are 21, 19, 16 and 8. The 16 y.o. likes being able to come and go as he pleases and the food. Our 8 y.o. DD loves the kids club, the towel animals, getting spiffed up for dinner (esp. formal night, of course). She was talking the other day about how she missed her cruise friends. She also loves to snorkel and thought the cave tubing in Belize was the best excursion ever. Oh, and the soda. At home she is not allowed to have soda unless we go out to dinner but on the last cruise we went on I got her the NCL backpack package which has a soda band. Naturally, she LOVED being able to order sodas at the bars and said, "I have never felt so alive!"

 

I have to say that if DD wouldn't go to the kids club, at her current age I wouldn't take her on the cruises because I love the balance between family time and "Mom is off-duty" time on the cruise ship. She can't wait to get to the program and the only problem this has caused is getting her there on time after dinner when we are on the first seating. That was a plus for free-style cruising because we could work the dining times around her schedule.

[Onessa]

DD (now 11YO) always travels with us. Cruises are among her favorite vacations. She likes the kids clubs, shore excursions, On RCI ships we always make certain there is an adventure beach water slide. One of her favorite things is to have the pullman bed (our TA knows her and always books a cabin with the pullman) - - it is her own private sanctuary

[emelvee]

6 year old daughter still talks about the "high bed" (cabin with upper), so I made sure to get one for our next cruise.

 

I thought she enjoyed the towel animals, but the other day said she didn't remember them (that was two years ago, when she was 4).

 

I remember her enjoying the face painting at Camp Carnival. These days, she's really into crafts and drawing, so I imagine she'll look forward to anything like that on our upcoming cruise.

[wework2play]

Here's what mine liked out of all of the cruises

 

--kids clubs (obvious one...lol)

--towel animals

--CHOCOLATE, cookies and mints on their pillows (pending on what cruiseline we are on) I swear it's one of the highlights of their cruises.

--Build a Buddy (like Build A Bear) on Carnival

--dolphin encounters

--ATLANTIS--they would kill for a week there

--dressing up

 

and on Disney

--character meals

 

Are you referring to the submarine? I thought about doing that.

[Kerry's Girls]

My two year olds love the dancing on deck and in the dining room at dinner. I swear when we go to restaurants now they keep waiting for the music to start and the waiters to start a conga line like on the cruise. Also, the soft serve ice cream on Carnival.

 

Best,

Mia