Experienced Cruisers with Kids--I need your help!

[GAgirl_01]

We will be sailing on Monday with our two kids (3 & 6). It is a first for all of us. I have a few questions concerning the kids and if anyone can help, I would appreciate it!

 

Should I worry about taking anything on the ship for the kids to do (crayons, books, etc) or is there enough for them to do?

 

What about clothing for meals, whether we eat in the Windjammer or in the dining room, what is appropriate for them to wear? (Both are boys.)

 

Should I plan to take any snacks for them onboard?

 

Is there anything that you highly recommend taking for the kids--any of those 'can't live without' items?

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!! :p

[Shanafan]

We will be sailing on Monday with our two kids (3 & 6). It is a first for all of us. I have a few questions concerning the kids and if anyone can help, I would appreciate it!

 

Should I worry about taking anything on the ship for the kids to do (crayons, books, etc) or is there enough for them to do?

 

What about clothing for meals, whether we eat in the Windjammer or in the dining room, what is appropriate for them to wear? (Both are boys.)

 

Should I plan to take any snacks for them onboard?

 

Is there anything that you highly recommend taking for the kids--any of those 'can't live without' items?

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!! :p

My kids are older, and never did the Adventure Ocean, but I can tell you, the kids we saw parading around the ship sure did seem to like it! I remember reading somewhere that the "camp leaders" have to have a degree in childhood education. One cruise I remember them with painted faces, doing a little parade. It was cute. Another one, everyone was to get out of the pool, and they did a little snorkling class. I know they decorate cookies, ect. We did go in one of the kids areas--I think on Carnival Paradise--and I was amazed by all the computers and activities for the kids.

 

I guess you would be the one to know if your kids will need crayons and such, however--if you are flying--pack them each of little backpack with some things to keep them occupied.

 

Snacks on board---they have all sorts of things---other than potato chips. Fresh fruit, cookies--you name it. In the dining room, I know they have a kids menu, but I am sure you can pretty much get what you want. They are more than accomodating to kids.

 

As for clothes---Mom don't stress about it. The boys will be fine in a nice pair of pants and dress shirt for dinner. Shorts are fine in the Windjammer. I always managed to find some cute ties (the hook on kind) for my son, and he looked so sweet.

 

Don't know what ship you are on---but have a great time!

[tasbm1]

My son was 7yo on his first cruise and I did bring some "down time" activities along such as a book to read, coloring book and matchbox cars. There is plenty to do, but sometimes you just need to have something in the room for when you are getting ready or just before bed to "bring them back to reality" for a bit. It also helps to have a little something like a matchbox car along for waiting in excursion lines or on excursion buses. Little bottles of bubbles are a favorite of ours. Just make sure they don't blow them in peoples directions because they can spot clothing.

 

As for clothes, I found two pair of khaki type pants and 3 polo shirts work well for the dinner attire (WalMart). They only wear it long enough to eat and then change back into "fun" clothes to go to Adventure Ocean. You can get six different outfits with the combination. I picked up a suit on eBay for the last cruise and now one for our cruise next month.

 

Snack wise, I brought along some granola bars and boy was I happy I did. With all the activity on the shore excursions, sometimes getting something to snack on was just not convenient. The granola bars did the trick until we could get something else!

Terri

[Jacquelyn11]

I try to buy "Easter" suits from Kohl's, Sears, Macy's, Parisan that will be big enough to fit them the end of May when we usually cruise. We try to take a family portriat on a formal night. I bargain a nite at the Kids Club in exchange for "looking nice and smiling" for the pics! That along with 2 pairs of slacks and 2-3 polo/tropical print shirts usually fills the bill. I don't even bother with "dress" shoes, just a nicer pair of tennis shoes. I've done this since our first Disney cruise when they were 5 & 7.

 

Camp short and Tees (from Old Navy, Gap) 3 pr swim trunks each (to always have 1 dry!), socks and underwear to make it for the week and I can usually pack them in 1 suitcase!

 

We also bring Game Boys, a small Transformer, Hot Wheels cars, playing cards and books (and they are usually played with in this order!) to keep them entertained while waiting for "mom" to get ready! :o

 

I also bring the Capri Sun type pouch drinks since my younger one is not a soda drinker and they normally don't keep fruit punch on board, just juices that he is not fond of. THe older one gets a soda card and gets his sprite and an occasional Diet Coke for his parents! ;)

 

Snack wise I bring M&M's in the tubes or other candies and keep them in the frige. We buy them at Sam's Club. Candy tends to be very expensive on board! Used to do the gummy fruit snacks but we are into braces now! THey have cookies and sandwiches available from room service 24hrs. I also take some zip-lock sandwich bags with me and take the room service fare with us in port. The kids sometimes don't like the offerings from the port restaurants, and you always have something to hand them when they wail "I'm hungry"! :D

 

My kids LOVE all the kids club activities! I had to PRY my 7yo from the Disney one! They tend to have more activities after 1st dinner seating, so I would try to eat then. THey kids clubs usually will take them to eat with their age group for lunch or dinner a few of the days so you can schedule your "special" dinner and know they are taken care of! With the younger kids you are given a pager to take with you while the kids are in the club so they can contact you if there is a problem. The older ones (10 and over) can sign themselves out of the activities, if you choose to.

 

Have lots of fun on your cruise! It's great to experience cruising from a childs point of view!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[tlzeterrell]

My son was 7yo on his first cruise and I did bring some "down time" activities along such as a book to read, coloring book and matchbox cars. There is plenty to do, but sometimes you just need to have something in the room for when you are getting ready or just before bed to "bring them back to reality" for a bit. It also helps to have a little something like a matchbox car along for waiting in excursion lines or on excursion buses. Little bottles of bubbles are a favorite of ours. Just make sure they don't blow them in peoples directions because they can spot clothing.

 

As for clothes, I found two pair of khaki type pants and 3 polo shirts work well for the dinner attire (WalMart). They only wear it long enough to eat and then change back into "fun" clothes to go to Adventure Ocean. You can get six different outfits with the combination. I picked up a suit on eBay for the last cruise and now one for our cruise next month.

 

Bubbles - my kids LOVE bubbles on cruises! Just be careful about the clothes.

 

Snack wise, I brought along some granola bars and boy was I happy I did. With all the activity on the shore excursions, sometimes getting something to snack on was just not convenient. The granola bars did the trick until we could get something else!

Terri

Too funny! my children are 5 and 7. My 7year old boy has been on 6 cruises. His last cruise I bought a Ralph Lauren sport coat on eBay and it was perfect. He just threw it on over either Khaki or Navy pants and was fine. Clothing - as long as they have 2 pairs of slack/docker type pants and some button down, pull overs they are fine.

 

Snacks - we rarely need them but usually bring a few granola bars or grab some extra cheerios or fruit loops in the morning from the windjammer to keep in our room "just in case" (translates to - never need them!)

 

We did bring a coloring book for each with us, rarely use it. Each cruise we bring less and less. They are so busy having fun that when they are in the cabin they want to veg and not do anything. In 6 cruises with the kids we have never used any toy other then a coloring book once or twice.

 

Our last cruise on the Serenade, they gave us cell phones. Incredible! They were able to call us anytime, anywhere and vice versa. We were also able to keep in touch with other members of the family. The phone worked all over the ship, wonderful and so convinent!!

 

My oldest we never saw, couldn't get him out of Adventure Ocean!!

 

My kids love to cruise and when we vacationed close to home they wanted to know when we were "getting on the ship?" For some reason they think all vacations include a ship and a really terrific kids program.!!!

 

 

Have fun!

[BabySam99]

I have taken my son Sammy on both cruises on Disney. He loved every minute of it. He was 4 on his first and 5 on his second. Not much diffrence in his attitude. He had a great time.

 

I brought his back pack full of toys in wich he rarely opened. It was great on the plane ride, but other than that he carried his little GI Joe doll with him.

 

I am in aggreement with the other posters regarding dress in the dining rooms. I brought Sammy 3 pair of kakhis and 3 nice Hawiian type dress (Disney) shirts. He lived in his swim trunks so I really overpacked when it came to everyday wear.

 

I alway have granola bars and juicy snacks on me at all times...LOL Sammy is not allowed to drink soda so he opted for lemonade on the ship. There are soooo many activities on the Disney ship and i'm sure other cruise lines, that a couple afternoons Sammy took a much needed nap! He never naps at home.

 

One thing I will say is GET A BALCONY! I was so happy with my balcony. When he wanted to sleep I would sit out and watch the waves with a nice glass of wine. The doors locked and he knew he could NEVER be outside without me, so it worked out.

 

It was the two best times of my life. 1 I was with my son and husband and family and 2 I was on a cruise ship...Oh and Disney fanatic here so that was another plus!

 

Have a great trip! Make sure you let us all know how you faired.

 

Kim:)

 

PS. Thats my Sammy (Avatar) in one of his Mickey hawaiian shirts

[GAgirl_01]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I am really excited about this cruise & I need to stop stressing over the clothes issue!! :eek:

[bobbie0253]

We have taken our 4 kids on two RCCL cruises. They are 13,13,10,9.

 

Their first cruise was almost two years ago. The younger two brought their Bratz dolls, but never played with them. All of them used their Game Boys on and off. They all brought a notebook to do a trip journal. They spent most of their free time writing in these. On their second cruise they all had cameras and a scavenger hunt photo list to keep them busy. Your kids may be a bit young for that, but the older kids sure love it.

 

The first cruise we bought the soda cards(over $100 for four kids). My kids do not drink soda at home, so it was a waste of money. On the second cruise we allowed them each a soda with dinner.

 

Be sure to take them to the information meeting at the begining of the cruise. If the ship offers family bingo(free), try to attend. My kids all won free stuff. (T-shirt, visor, backpack, cd case).

 

We have been extremely impressed with the Adventure Ocean programs. They are really great with the kids and you can tell the staff really loves being there.

 

What ship will you be sailing on? I try to take pictures of Adventure Ocean on any ship we sail on.

 

Bobbie :)

 

P.S. my albums can be view at...http://public.fotki.com/bobbie0253/

[emeraldcity]

The only thing I would add to what the other posters have mentioned is that you might want to consider bringing activity books to the main dining room. They have one or two versions of the same kids menu, and kids quickly tire of the same mazes and puzzles. The activity books keep them occupied so they can experience a nice dining environment, but still be engaged in something to keep their hands busy.

[BabySam99]

The only thing I would add to what the other posters have mentioned is that you might want to consider bringing activity books to the main dining room. They have one or two versions of the same kids menu, and kids quickly tire of the same mazes and puzzles. The activity books keep them occupied so they can experience a nice dining environment, but still be engaged in something to keep their hands busy.

Nice call emerald....I forgot that...Sammy was a little bored at dinner...we quickly found that out on the first night...also make sure you have early seating. We had late and the kids were really tired by 9:00.

[MrsPete]

Toys: I allow each girl to bring along ONE BACKPACK with toys -- it's plenty for the drive and the room. I usually confisciate their Gameboys and a couple other small favorite toys a month or so ahead of time so that they seem "new" when they reappear in the vacation backpack. I also get them each a new Gameboy game, some coloring books, etc. I don't tell them what I'm adding to their backpacks so it'll be a surprise. My youngest gets a bit nervous up on the bunk, and she likes to have a stuffed animal or doll. The backpacks are also handy for shore excursions.

 

I have girls, and they're probably easier than boys when it comes to dressing. I insist that they dress nicely for dinner, but everyone's casual during the day. Jean shorts and tees or capri sets are fine for kids during the day. Bring plenty of clothes for kids -- they're going to spill something!

 

Snacks: Don't bother! You'll have plenty of food onboard. If anything, you might want to bring some pre-packaged crackers, nuts, etc. for shore excursions. You might want to bring some ziplocks so you can bring buffet items back to your room for kid snacks at odd hours. You can also bring juice from the buffet and keep it in your fridge.

 

I like to bring along journal-type books for the girls to record their vacation fun. It's a nice way to wind down at the end of the evening. They also enjoy having their own disposable cameras.

 

I agree with the poster who said that a balcony is very nice with kids. It gives you a place to sit and relax after they're in bed.

 

Make sure they go to the kids' club on the first day. The counselors will be making a special effort to do get-to-know-you type stuff, and kids are more likely to want to return if they're there for the "intro lessons".

 

The pools are often terribly crowded, which is frustrating for kids. If you're boarding early (and you should plan to board early!), let your kids wear their swimsuits under their clothes. They can jump right into the pool and enjoy it before the majority of the cruisers are onboard. Actually, I do this myself.

[bobbie0253]

Just remember to warm your kids that the RCCL pools are salt water :(

My kids learned that the hard way. YUCK....

 

LOL

 

 

Bobbie

[colette5479]

Your kids will have a great time! You will find they will love the kids program and will be mad when you pick them up.

 

I think everyone gave you great ideas about the clothes! They will only be in the dress clothes for awhile so they could wear the same pair of pants/or shirt more than once. That will save on packing.

 

Room service will be your children's savior for snacks! My daughter loved the idea she could order anything she wanted and it would be delivered to her door.

 

I'm glad you are doing your homework and using the boards to plan your cruise! We cruise with two children and we love to see families enjoying themselves. For us, cruising is really a value vacation. Have fun, don't worry about the small stuff, and don't pack too much:p

[gambler]

Don't forget goggles, blow up tubes for the pool and/or sand buckets for the beach.

[wrinklesandme]

Another inexpensive way to get some nice dress clothes is at consignment stores. We have several in our area and I have found suits, dress pants, shirts, and lovely dresses for a steal. Also, I've purchased several that still had the original price tags on them. (The original purchaser bought a dress for over $80.00 and I paid $15! Ya Hoo!) Most childrens' dress clothes are only worn once or twice.

 

Our kids have also loved the kids clubs. Their first cruise was when they were 2 and 4 and we really did have to pry them away at night. But, once we got them back to the room and in bed, they fell right to sleep and never moved!

 

We had first seating and once or twice, we would take them up to the club after they had eaten and before they got bored. This gave us the opportunity to have coffee and dessert without them squirming.

 

Another consideration is your table companions. Our first cruise was all family, so my kids tables manners were not too much of an issue. (Although, I did try to teach them the proper etiquitte.) This past summer, they were 8 and 10, so I was still concerned about table manners and another family/couple. I was prepared to tell the people that if they did not want to be seated with children, that I completely understood. Luckily, we were seated with another wonderful family and had a great time.

 

Go and enjoy. I was amazed how much my kids remembered from their first cruise over 6 years ago. I guess it really made an impression on them! After this last cruise, they are addicted and want to do nothing else. (sounds good to me!)

 

Enjoy!

Leigh

[dad son team]

If you can sit at a table with some other kids about the same age, it makes dinner alot easier. Everybody has someone new to talk with, adults and kids alike.

 

No reason to bring any snaks for the ship. I always grab a few pieces of fruit and cookies from the windjammer to keep in the cabin for snacking. Ziplocs come in handy for keeping the cookies fresh. Always bring extra ziplocs. Whenever we go on excursions that may be hot and sweaty, I put some wet washclothes in a ziplocs so we can "freshen up" on the way back to the ship. Again, always bring extra ziplocs.

[GAgirl_01]

Thanks again for all the WONDERFUL info!! Only 4 more days!!