Celebrity and or Northern Europe/Russia for Children

[tgetz]

We have 8 and 10 year old grandchildren that live with us. Before they lived with us, i took all the grandchildren on RCI several times, and now the children have also sailed twice on HAL. The last cruise on HAL was a 20 day over Christmas and New Years to South America and Antartica. They loved that and made lots of freinds and we actually meet a couple with children the same ages on CC before we ever sailed. BUt.... not sure about Cellebrity. We have sailed 3, or maybe 4, times on Celelbrity and love the butlers, but never with children. Does anyone have any experience with Celebrity or with doing a northern Europe/Russia itinerary with children. We have done St Petes and loved it, but again, before we needed to bring the children.

[cb at sea]

Sounds like they're very experienced travellers, for their age! If they enjoyed your other cruises, they'll most likely enjoy this one, too! I can't imagine that the presence of a butler will make much difference to them, one way or the other!

[tgetz]

Sorry didn't mean to be confusing. they will probably think the butler is a hoot, especially if we get Rusty that we had once before on the Constellation. I was asking more if anyone has taken children on either celebrity or on any ship on the northern itinerary to Russia. Have seen lots of children on the Meditteranian cruises, but don't remember seeing many on cruises in northern Europe. But maybe when I wasn't traveling with children, I didn't notice.

[junglejane]

I can't comment on the itinerary, but we took our kids (DD's ages 7 and 11) on the Celebrity Summit to the Mediterranean last June. They had a great time. The younger DD especially loved the Fun Factory. There were about 350 kids on board. We have booked our upcoming cruises on Princess because their itineraries worked best for us, but I would not hesitate to take my kids on another Celebrity cruise. In fact I have been studying the Celebrity itineraries for 2010 with great interest. Kudos to you for being such wonderful grandparents!

 

--Junglejane

[Svenja66]

Hello, we were on constellation 2 years ago on northern Europe 14 days. It was in July. The ship and the kids club was very nice. My children loved it. There were a lot of children on bord, but tot to many. I think there are more on Mediterranean, but enough on nothern Europe also.

The most on our cruise came from USA just few from Europe.

All cruises we did after, my children sayed: its nice, but not so nice as constellation.

Hope that helps you.

[chapichapo]

We traveled w/ Celebrity last year, my son was 4 yo. We did a 12 day eastern med cruise. My son loved the kids club and we all had a wonderfull time. He pretty much did everything he could do on board, from going to the main restaurant, using the pools, all the kids activities with and without parents - he enjoyed every moment and hasn't stopped asking us to repeat it. This is the main reason why we are actually going on another cruise this year. I was preagnant last year so this year we will be bringing his little sister. :D

 

I would love to do the northern europe itinerary, it seems fabulous and I do think older children like your grandchildren can really profit a lot from that wonderfull lesson. I think it has to be a fabullous experience for all. I say go for it, definitly!

[tgetz]

Thanks everyone... This really helps... i need to find the hours the club is open. and did anyone by any chance ever leave the children on board when they went off on a port? Somehow that scares me, yet it might be safer than taking them to some of the ports?

[epixx]

We went last August on Carnival to Baltics with 14 and 10 year old. We did not leave kids on the ship because they were at least as eager as we were to see the ports! We did not feel that the ports were unsafe, and the kids really got a lot out of visiting the cities. We did make a specific effort to visit sites that we thought the kids would find interesting.

[kestrel]

We didn't leave kids on the cruise either. Baltic ports are very kid-friendly. They will be able to find at least some places to visit in each port. The following is just a sample list of what kids would enjoy:

 

Copenhagen: Tivoli Garden, canal cruise

Stockholm: Vasa Museum, Skansen, Gamla Stan

Berlin: Berlin wall, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, various museums on the museum island.

Tallinn: old town

St. Petersburg: Peterhof, Church on the Spilled Blood

Helsinki: Temppeliaukio (or Rock Church), Suomenlinna Fortress, Market Square

Oslo: 3 ship museums (Kon-Tiki, Fram, Viking Ship), Vigeland Park

[junglejane]

Thanks everyone... This really helps... i need to find the hours the club is open. and did anyone by any chance ever leave the children on board when they went off on a port? Somehow that scares me, yet it might be safer than taking them to some of the ports?

 

Michele (Cruisinmama06) has posted sample kids' activity newsletters here: http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Celebrity%20X/ . My recollection from our Med cruise was that the Fun Factory opened at 9:00 am. If you were on a Celebrity shore excursion that left earlier and wanted to have your kids stay on the ship, they would open early for you. If you were not on a Celebrity shore excursion and wanted to leave your kids in the Fun Factory, then you had to either wait until 9 am or make advance arrangements for private babysitting until the Fun Factory opened.

 

We did that one day toward the end of the cruise, after we had gotten to know the youth staff and felt comfortable with them.

 

--Junglejane

[chapichapo]

Thanks everyone... This really helps... i need to find the hours the club is open. and did anyone by any chance ever leave the children on board when they went off on a port? Somehow that scares me, yet it might be safer than taking them to some of the ports?

I don't think they are dangerous ports at all and at the same time your grandchildren would have a lot to learn visiting these places. However, of they so stay on the boat you can only leave them uf you take an excursion organised by the cruiseline, ie the boat won't leave until you arrive.

[CLARE7678]

We are doing the Russia and Scandinavia intinary this coming august with our 2 boys 3 and 6. They have been with other cruise liners and love cruising but im getting anxious that Celebrity may be more "older" people and not many other kids to play with despite it being main holidaay season. Can anyone comment or alay my fears a bit please!

[spanner14]

Well I can recommend the Mediterranean with children; my DD is 10 and she cruised the Med with us when she was 8 and loved everything about it.

 

Haven't cruised Northern Europe but as a child and adult have travelled to Scandanavia, particularly Sweden, and it's absolutely beautiful. I wouldn't think twice about crusing to Scandanavia with our daughter, she'd love it.

 

Sweden in the summer is glorious; quite expensive (for us in the UK) but spotlessly clean, beautiful and the people are so friendly. When I was six we holidayed in Sweden in February and again it was beautiful (just COLD) with tons of crisp white snow, skiing, toboganning etc. Both times I loved Sweden but I'd definitely go back again in the summer as it was so beautiful.

 

I think your Grandkids would LOVE it.

[brazilgirl]

Celebrity is fantastic with kids.My kids liked their kid´s club as much as the more "elaborate"one on Royal Caribbean.

 

There will probably be fewer kids , but they will get more attention !My kids still correspond with the children they met on last years Med cruise.

 

We will be going on the Constellation / Baltic cruise on June 27th with our 3 kids , ages 5, 9 and 12. They will be visiting all the ports , as there is lots of neat stuff in each one for them to do.

 

We are opting not to go to Berlin , as I think it will be too tiring. Instead , we will stay in Warnemunde and go to the beach and see the lighthouse etc.

 

In St. Petersburg , we have hired Anastasia to give us a private 2 day tour in a van. I think this is less overwhelming and more fun for the kids.

 

It is awesome that you giving this opportunity to your grandkids!!!!You will create unforgettable moments in a really unique part of the world.

 

 

Have fun!!!

 

Kim

[tgetz]

Thanks to everyone... I think the children will enjoy what we have chosen. We will do the zoo in Helsinki, Tivoli and a canal tour in Coppenhagen, the Fairy Tale Museuem and Vasa Museuem in Stockholm, and see clogs made in Amsterdam. Llike you Brazil Girl, I think Berlin is too far for them to enjoy, so we are doing Deightful Warmunde- thought they might enjoy the organ concert since it is short, and then maybe to the beach or the Strawberry barn. In St. Petersburg we chose a private tour and we are doing the hydrofoil over and back from Peterhof. At first we weren't going to take the kids to the palace there but is so awesome, decided to do it that and skip Cathreine's palace. We are doing church of the blood, and Yusupov's but also doing a Mc Donald's and a grocery store and a canal ride. If you have any ideas when you return form your cruise, would love your comments as we sail two weeks after you return and the children are so similar in ages. Have fun on your cruise.....and again thanks to everyone for all their help

[brazilgirl]

I´ll be sure to give a report and answer any questions when we get back.

 

What you have planned sounds wonderful!

 

Kim

[Hell4]

tgetz - By Fairy tale musuem do you mean Junibaken,next to the Vasa museum? If that is where you mean, we went when my DD was 5yrs and she still talks about it(she is now 9)and she wants to go back when we are in Stockholm in August.I promised(thinking we wouldn't be back!) that next time we were there I would buy her a Pippi Longstocking doll and she's holding me to it. If it is Junibaken you are thinking of visiting your Grandchildren would probably get more out of it if you read them the Pippi Longstocking stories before you went.If it is somewhere completely different could you let me know where it is ,maybe we could go there as well.Also if you have time the children would really enjoy Skansen.

[tgetz]

YEs it is Junibaken. and yes we did intend to read those before we went. our school requires summer reading and i thought they would be perfect to set the stage. What is Skansen?

[brazilgirl]

Skansen is the oldest open air museum in the world. It is located in Stockholm , near the Vasa Museum.

 

There are people dressed up in typical old-fashioned Swedish clothes , there are typical old Swedish houses , stores , carpenters , lace-makers...you can see how Sweden was more than 100 years ago. It looks great.

There is also a neat zoo and aquarium on the grounds , with artic animals.

 

I am planning to go there with my kids and fit in a visit to the Vasa Museum. I didn´t know about the Fairy Tale Museum -I will look it up as well.

 

I wish we could stay longer in Stockholm.It is full of neat things to do.

 

Kim

[tgetz]

Skansen looks real interesting. maybe instead of the ships tour that only goes to the two, we need to rent a car and try to hit all three. It might be less expensive, also.

[Hell4]

OK I'm not sure if this is going to work but these thumbnails should be photos of my scrapbook pages of Skansen and Junibaken!

Sorry if they are not very clear,I can't seem to find the original pics.

[Hell4]

 

 

 

 

I don't think the thumbnails worked,have tried them as attachments

if this doesn't work I'm out of ideas! not very computer literate

[brazilgirl]

Hell4-

 

Nice photos!

Tgetz- you don´t need to rent a car -Skansen is very close to the Vasa Museum. They are on the same island.

 

Kim

[tgetz]

Thanks so much for the photos and i am impressed that you have your photos so nicely arranged. I am not a scrapbooker but might have my secretary do that. SHe did some pretty good albums of our last cruise. The reason i thought i might need a rent car is i need to get to the places if we don't do the ships tour. I really like the pictures of Skansen, and think we would have plenty of time to get to all three, if i can figure out how to get there. How far away are these from the port, anyone have any idea?

[rebeccalouise]

My son (now 8) loves Celebrity and the youth program in fantastic. Have a great time. The kids are going to love it.

 

We are doing Princess to Scandanavia this summer and I am so excited!