4 year old...2nd dining on Celebrity?

[Luxuriate]

We have usually traveled on Celebrity. This is our first time traveling with our 4 year-old son. We are going to be on an 11-day Caribbean cruise. Should we book first or second dining? We plan to use the Kid's Club pretty extensively as our son is very social and used to organized groups. What I'm asking, I guess, is if the club is open during second dining for the kids?

 

Thanks,

 

Cheryl

[merela]

Since you are from Washington State, it's likely the 3-4 hour time difference will be something you should consider.

 

My kids didn't really do well on our 7-day Caribbean cruise time wise. They would wake up past 11am (too late for breakfast) local time (8am PST) and wouldn't be hungry for dinner until past 9pm (6pm PST). 2nd seating starts at 8:30pm and most kids' club ends around 10pm. So it's up to you whether you want your son to have dinner with you or have dinners with the kids' club kids. Of course, your other option would be to go to 1st seating at 6pm. It's likely your son won't be hungry at 6pm (or 3pm PST), so it'll be hard for him to sit through the meal. But maybe after the appetizers, you can bring him up to kids' club around 7pm. Then he won't have to sit through the whole meal when he is not hungry.

 

BTW, since your cruise itinerary is longer, your son will adjust to the new time zone after 5 days. So perhaps, 1st seating is the way to go.

[rebeccalouise]

Do the second seating- as someone pointed out- your son will be on West Coast time anyway and this would be a better time to dine.

 

Celebrity offers a nightly kids dinner in the buffet for a $ 6 free. It begins at 6PM- so you do have the option of sending him there and then they all go back to the Fun Factory afterward. My son, age 5 when we last sailed Celebrity, did the dinner with me two nights and the buffet for 8 nights (it was a 10 night cruise.)

My son LOVES the fun factory and never wants to leave.

 

Have a great time on your cruise.

[Eclipsepearl]

Not meaning to hijack but I have a similar question...

 

We're doing an Eastern Med cruise in August also on Celebrity.

 

It's unclear if we have the first or second seating. We're desperate for the second seating and we have a 3, 5 & 7 yo. Here in Europe, no one eats before 7pm. We're traveling with another family who are on the second seating. On the site, it says we're on the first, waitlisted for the second. Our friends have been told that they are seated with a family of 5 but can't see the names. I've emailed Celebrity twice to get this cleared up...

 

My question is...can we drop off, at least my older two at 6pm to eat and will they take charge of them from that point on? I was wondering if I have to escort them then to the Fun Factory myself afterwards. I assume so but please clarify Celebrity-with-children gurus!

 

Any advice on the seating is welcome too. Who would you believe more, the info on the Celebrity site or the other travel agent?? (Don't bother asking about ours'...)

[rebeccalouise]

First of all...

 

The kids eat with the counselors at 6PM and then the counselors take them back to the Fun Factory around 7PM- there is only a fee for the dinner ($ 6 per child). The Fun Factory is free from except for after 10 PM and if you leave them on the ship for lunch on port days- they charge $ 6 if they stay for lunch (from12-2). There is a charge after 10PM- 1PM of $ 6 per hour.

 

Relax- I am sure that you will get the second seating for dinner. I'd be shocked if you didn't. We are doing the early seating because I don't eat after 9- no matter what the time difference.

[merela]

First of all...

 

The kids eat with the counselors at 6PM and then the counselors take them back to the Fun Factory around 7PM- there is only a fee for the dinner ($ 6 per child).

 

 

It's good to know. We are used to Princess' Kids' Club. They do not charge if your child wants to stay for dinner twice during the 7-day cruise (usually for formal nights). I'm glad I know about the $6 fee before I send them to dinner at Fun Factory.

[Keith1010]

When our children were young we cruised Celebrity quite a bit. Like us, many of the families did the first seating. I realize there is a time zone difference for you but I think it's always best to get right on the time zone that you are visiting and I will say that after a day or so if you are used to eating early then I would go early. If you enjoy late than go late. I just remember that our kids couldn't wait to finish dinner at the early seating so that they could get together with others their age after dinner.

 

Keith