Kids dining separate from parents

[elkruiser]

I am taking DS (16) and DD (9) on Island Princess to Alaska this Aug. as part of a group cruise with many friends. They will be the only children in our group of 30, but know all the adults and make friends easily - so easily that I'm wondering if I should give up their seating at traditional late dinner so that others may join our table. I could do dinner with the kids in Horizon or room service and sign DD into Kids Club for the evening entertainment (which she would enjoy more than sitting with the old folks), and allow DS to fend for himself in Teen center. But if I do that from the start, what if they decide the fancy dinner with us might be fine for the last night or so? Any advice as to how you've done this in the past?

 

Does anyone have any experience as to how exciting the kids programs are? I'm planning shore excursions and am wondering if kids would be better off left on ship at times, but I don't want them bored.

 

I understand from these boards that the kids will get their own Patter which should be in our room upon embarkation. If anyone has a copy, I would love to see it. I'm trying to balance our family vacation with their need for friends their own ages and need advice as to how much freedom and independence they could have ( with rules, check-in points and restrictions of course). Thanks in advance for all of your help.

[lumpkin]

My understanding is that your family will all be placed in the traditional dining room if you choose traditional. So there will definitely be a seat "reserved" for them if they choose to show up at your table at dinnertime. You can then choose to take them to the buffet or whatever at any time to feed them separately, and some other member of your group of 30 can switch from their "assigned" table to join you at your table. However, the kids' 2 seats would now be available at the table that technically belong to those people who switched to your table. When your kids join you again in the tradiitoinal dining room, they still have 2 seats available (your friends who joined would have to switch back to their former table of course!).

But all passengers get a seat in the dining venue that was chosen for the booking, regardless of whether he/she eats in the chosen dining room or not.

Have a great cruise.

[kdr69]

We sailed with our DS(4) to alaska last year on RCI and while it is a different line we did have traditional dining and our group of 5 sat at a table for 8 with another family of 4. After the second day at his kids program he never ate supper with us(which is good cause i got his lobster hehehe) again and the other familys kids didnt either so they ended up getting a table for 2. My opinion keep their seats just in case for formal nights if they feel like joining you but dont count on them being at dinner with you. They have way too much fun at their own programs.

[kdr69]

oh and in regards to shore excursions our son only came on one even though we had booked him with us on all of them. Now being 4 at the time he was way more interested in the kids program so we ended up just leaving him on board however your kids are a bit older and they may like to see some of the ports your going to so why not discuss the excursions you plan to take with them and get their take on it. They will not be bored on board lol.

[cbpanda]

We sailed last summer with our 14 year old son. The only requirement I had was that he sit and eat dinner with us each evening. I was glad that I made him do that, because it turned out that was the only time he really spent with us. He LOVED the teen center and spent most of his time during the day and evening (after dinner) there. We are early eaters so dinner was between 6-7pm each night. And, of course, each night at 7pm, he asked to be excused go back to his friends.

 

As mentioned above, if you are in traditional dining, they will have a seat. It's not a problem if those seats are unoccupied for a couple of nights. Each person already in traditional already has a table assignment. It would be different if you were in anytime and there were people waiting at the door for a table.

 

I tried to bring home the teen center patters, but my son took it each day and at the end of the evening it was too destroyed to contemplate saving. I cannot comment on the younger program, but the teens get pizza parties, discos, scavenger hunts, playstation tournaments, movie nights, etc. I have to say it was, indeed, a very good program. It kept the teens occupied and out of the kind of trouble that occurs when they are bored.

[Vanilla]

Our children (son & daughter) (started cruising with us at 7 & 13 yrs of age) loved going to the dining room, trying the adult food, trying new types of food, and getting dressed up on formal nights. They also both loved the kids /teens programs until they turned 18. They went with us on shore excursions as I thought this would be good for them to see other places and experience other cultures. They both (now 19 & 26 yrs old) still talk about their adventures.

[junglejane]

I agree with the posters who say to keep the assigned dining for your kids. They'll be busy with activities all day and dinner is a great time to catch up with them. Our 10 year old enjoyed trying new dishes and participating in adult conversations (the biggest problem was getting her to understand that she needed to limit the amount of time she talked!). I think it's a great experience, especially in this day and age when it's hard to find time for a family meal together. You can always decide later to let them eat at the buffet or by the pool on any given day.

 

On our recent cruise, parents of kids ages 8-12 could authorize the kids to sign themselves in and out of the Fun Zone. We let our 10 year old do this with the strict understanding that she was only allowed to if we specifically agreed about when and where she was going (e.g., meet us at 3:30 for afternoon tea). I'm wondering whether, if your 9 year old gets tired of the slow pace of dinner, perhaps your son could escort her up to the Fun Zone while the adults finish up at their leisure. Or maybe they would let you authorize the 16 year old to sign her in? Just a thought.

--Junglejane

[cacruiserjen]

I recommend letting them keep their seats. We just sailed with a group of 18 and we had 5 kids with us. We chose anytime dining and made a standing reservation for 6pm. That way the kids had their evening ahead of them when we finished dinner.

 

We like to have them join us for dinner as it is often the only part of the day we get to sit and catch up with them. Our son is 13.5 and daughter turns 11 next week. They have been on 8 cruises. They enjoy the kid's programs and I especially like that dd can now sign herself in (Princess allows 8 to 12 yr olds to do that - in and out - with parent permission). DD checked out the day's activities and marked which ones she wanted to do. And if we were all at the pool and it was time for her activity she and her friend would go sign in and we would tell them where we would be at the end of that activity and where we expected them to go.

 

With ds we relied on the phone system. He was to call our cabin and let us know what was up. The paper itinerary was not followed closely. If the teens wanted to do something else, they changed it - and locations. So if ds told us he was going to the teen movie in the teen room and they changed to go play basketball, he had to call our cabin and tell us. That way we knew where to find him if needed. When it came to the evening's activities he discussed them with us and if he wanted to do them we told him when we wanted him back in the cabin. (Like the dance ended at 1 one night - or morning - and I told him to be in the cabin by 12.) He knew that if he was late he would lose something the next day. NO PROBLEMS!! Another important rule would be to tell your children to not go inside ANYONE'S cabins! Even other kids!!!! Very important. There were a few kids who had booze on our trip and it would be very easy for a child to find trouble - even if they weren't looking for it. Not worth it.

 

Excursions - we like to do things as a family. We have travelled to a lot of the ports before so we don't always do anything in them. But when we do we decide what we want to do and then do it. Sometimes the kids go, sometimes they do something different or stay onboard. But we always travel with family and friends so they have someone we are comfortable with to be with.... You will find that your kids love the things to see and do in Alaska, I am sure!!!! Mine loved it 2 yrs ago and are looking forward to our return this July!!!!

 

Don't forget to buy your child a disposable camera or two (or an inexpensive digital camera). The last few nights of our cruise this past week I let ds take my camera (expensive one) to get shots with his friends. He really enjoyed that, but I was a little nervous about my camera! I did put in an unused memory stick so he didn't accidently lose or destroy my photos I had already taken. So that was a little bit of a relief! LOL I think I will be shopping for nice, inexpensive cameras for both kids for xmas this year though!

[Colo Cruiser]

If they are like my kids were they were never there for dinner, so I would have given up the seats for others.

 

If we had a night that they wanted to eat with us then the Maitre'D would fit them in. :)

[whale-watcher]

That's why we like anytime dining so much...we can eat early all together in the dining room, and then let the kids head off to their evening activities...OR feed the kids at the buffet (or pizza or whatever) early and then enjoy a quiet adult dinner on our own...OR spend the entire evening together as a family, depending on everyone's plans.