RCCL Europe w/2 year old

[happynanc]

We are going to Spain to cruise on the Brilliance with our 28 month old son this week. He is a veteran cruiser (8 months and 15 months) and flyer( 20 flights domestic and Hawaii) but I was curious about any tips on the trip. In hindsight I probably should of booked a different line that would at least allow him to play in the kids area with us as well as have a better laundry options. He likes sleeping in a big bed so we are going to try to skip using a crib and have a bed made for him unless we get stuck with an upper bunk rather than the sofa sleeper. Are there others that have done this? We are using a Sit in Stroll in flight and for cab trips since it has worked well in the past but would love some feedback. Thanks!

[crusinmama06]

I have no tips because we have never done this cruise but it's my DREAM cruise. So you will have to come back and tell us all about it.

[Eclipsepearl]

I'm not sure if I can help but we took our three on a Med Celebrity Cruise last summer. The youngest is 3 1/2. She was in a "big bed" at that age too so that always worked on vacation.

 

We used to have a Sit & Stroll and used it for the younger two a lot flying between Europe and California (about every six months). It's a great gizmo for cabs but watch how Europeans react to it! They kind of freak. First the open the trunk, thinking it's a normal (albeit funny looking) stroller.

 

Next, you might run into resistance, especially when there's a language gap, the cab drivers are often afraid the wheels will come in contact with the seat. As you know, it wont so if they're making a fuss, show them the flap on the bottom which covers the wheels when it's folded. That's probably what their objection is and when I did that, they stopped and let me continue installing it.

 

One guy in Paris was enthralled and wanted to know how to get one. He was pulling out pictures of his newborn son... Just as an added tip, be careful with your valuables when leaning over installing it with crowds around. If there are two of you, it'll be easier.

 

I was a Flight Attendant for 13 years and wrote an article on the subject of flying with children. You probably know the score already but you still might find some useful tips. I wrote it for the local expat community originally but expanded it with feedback and experience over time. It's totally non-commercial;

http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com

 

Here are pictures of our cruise, probably a different intinerary (Eastern Med mostly) also in blog form;

http://medcruise07.blogspot.com/

 

We really loved it. I'm sure you will too. It's still warm but there will be fewer people than when we were there. Because of the heat and crowds in August, we took our children off the ship very few times. I suggest you try to book private tours and not go with the ship-sponcered tours on big buses.

 

If you have any further questions, you're welcome to email me. Use my screenname at gmail.com. But it sounds like you're set!

 

Have a great time,

[SelectSys]

...He is a veteran cruiser (8 months and 15 months) and flyer( 20 flights domestic and Hawaii) but I was curious about any tips on the trip. ... In hindsight I probably should of booked a different line that would at least allow him to play in the kids area with us! ...

 

I don't know too much about dealing with jet lag with todlers. I would assume that the sames rules apply as for adults. I would recommend lots of outdoor light once you get to Barcelona and fight the temptation to nap too much during the day. This link has a nice summary:

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/travel/skills/jet_lag2.htm

 

I have been on the Brilliance with my kids out of Barcelona a couple of years ago. When we were on board (early summer) their were many kids of all ages. You picked a great ship as the kids pool area in the back is great. I don't think you could have picked any other line that would be better suited to cruising with small children - except Disney perhaps. I agree that the lack of onboard self-service laundry is one of my only complaints with RCCL.

 

Have a great trip!