Leaving your kid in the kid's program while you are on shore...Help!

[mfantasia]

We are taking a cruise to Eastern Med and thinking to leave our daughter in the Kid's program for three shore excursions (1 day Cairo and two days in Israel) It is long days excursions plus the driving and the security (she has motion sickness in buses)...We had cruised before to Western Med and took her with us in all the ports, she was also 2 yo and wasn't allow to stay for herself in the programs, so I have not expiriences about being on shore and leave the kid on the ship, she is now 4 yo and use to the DayCare. It is safe? any advise? I know that the program are great, but it is not the same if you are in the ship than when you are out. Have anyone done it? Any comments?

 

What do you think of taking her to Cairo and Israel?. I'm so worry about being so far from the ship but I know that won't be pleasent for her to be in the excursions...I don't mind to take her, she did Pompei, Ephesus and the Acropolis in her stroller.

[cb at sea]

It's safe...it's just up to you whether you feel comfortable being so far away from her...

 

I mean, I took my kids to daycare (on land) and left them for hours and hours---they LOVED it, but I was able to come and get them if I needed to....you won't have that option. If there was an emergency, what would you do? Who would step in and take care of her? That's the only problem I'd have. Assuming everything goes fine, she'll be happy and safe there.

[kitty9]

First you need to see if your cruise line offers the kid's program all day in port. Some do not. It might just be me, but I would only leave the child on board if I were doing the ship's tours only, not an independent tour. There are just so many things that can go wrong on independent tours and what would happen if your tour didn't make it back to the ship on time? Your child would be alone. Israel and especially Egypt are incredibly different from any places on earth. Traffic is a nightmare, and road accidents are very, very common. Plus, by a full day tour do you mean 12 hours? Personally, I think leaving a child in a ship's program for 8 hours is too much. But that's just my opinion.

[Kerry's Girls]

I wouldn't have a problem leaving my kids on board as long as I was on a ship-sponsored tour, but everyone has a different comfort level. If something happened to me during a tour, I know my child would be safe on the ship and well cared for by the staff (of course, once I was on board, I'd make sure I felt the staff was caring).

 

Things to consider: if you look up Cruisinmama's posts - her daughter had a horrific medical emergency - these things can happen.

 

Also I read a post about a woman who broke her ankle in Cairo and had to be taken to the American hosipital there and then catch up with the ship at the next port.

 

I'm doing the Eastern Med with my twin 4 year olds and taking them on the tours with me. I've been studying the ports-of-call board for the best way to go with little kids. We're bringing DVD players and Leapsters for the 3 hour drive to/from Cairo, and we've been watching port-related kids' shows on TV. My girls are so excited to see the pyramids and the other places we're talking about, but I know from experience that they're really good travellers - and we live in Los Angeles, so they're used to long car rides :rolleyes:. But if your daughter can't tolerate the bus rides (any medication that would help?), that's clearly not an option. There are private tours where you could have your own van and go at your own pace.

 

But I've seen lots of kids left in the kids program on board while their parents enjoyed ports and the kids were having a fine time - so it's allowed (of course, it may vary for your specific ship and ports), it's just a matter of what you're comfortable with. Personally I'd have no problem leaving my girls on board for a 1/2 day, but wouldn't feel right about all day.

 

Sounds like she's done some amazing cruising already - I'm so excited about our Eastern Med!

 

Best,

Mia

[Tggrtoes]

I've been to both Cairo and Israel (not cruising) and they are both safe.

 

We are cruising later this year with our 2 year old and have decided NOT to leave him on ship during port although we did consider it. But, that's a total personal decision - don't think it's wrong to leave him, but am concerned that he would potentially be all alone if something happened (however unlikely).

 

In the end, I'd do whatever you feel comfy with - hopefully by port you'll have a good feel for your counselors and kids club and know how comfy you feel about leaving your child. Either way, I think it's safe. Hmm... guess I wasn't much help. :p

[sbhdmh]

We are doing the Baltic with our 4 year old next month and are planning to bring her with us on shore excursions. I know that our ship (MSC Lirica) does offer childcare while we are in port. If she is absolutley miserable the first day in St Petersburg and feels totally comfortable with the child care staff I will consider leaving her on board for the second day. I won't decide in advance, though, until I see how it all works. Maybe you can reserve a spot for her and then leave the onboard option open if you decide its better.

[mfantasia]

Thanks for all your advises, I couldn't reply yesterday, my internet went down at home.

 

We will be in RCI, they have the Kid's program for the shore excursions, we have decided to reserve the excursions with her, we will have two days before Israel and Cairo and I will see how she is doing and check the staff. I might leave her or not. We are using the ship excursions, so I will call them and ask about reservation and not paying in advance for her (cavcellation is a little tricky).

 

We live in LA area too, so she is used to long car rides, but the buses are bad for her, we found that in our previous cruise, she was vomiting all the way to Florence in the bus (people were amaizing, even our fellow passengers, they helped us and the bus driver was GREAT, he was above and beyond in trying to helping us, we gave him a very good tip, because his help) Now we know what to do, medication help and sitting in front of the bus too. (it works for Pompeii and Athens) and DVD players and games...Good idea to show her TV shows about the pyramids, I'll do that, she only cares for the camels, I think that it will be better if we take her to a safari instead of historical places.

 

I can't wait for my cruise, I have been dreaming to go to the Pyramids since I was a little girl and Jerusalem...

[Tggrtoes]

My only other comment would just be about the pyramids, camels, etc... the place by the pyramids is extremely touristy and congested. There are vendors and begger children EVERYWHERE (at least there were when I went a few years ago) and other friends have said the same of their experience. And of course camels are not the friendliest animals (spitting), smells, etc. I still rode several while there and it was a great experience. Just giving some thoughts to think about with your daughter in advance. :cool:

[chapichapo]

We went on an excursion on Ephesus and our child stayed on the boat. We went with the cruise tour and only decided to that after we were already on boat and sure he really really liked staying on the kids club. He was also 4 then and really enjoyed going there, was allways asking to go to "number 9" (it was located on deck 9). After taking him with us on several ports we kind of had the feelling he wouldn't enjoy Ephesus (too big, too long) and opted on leaving him on board. I felt bad about it when we arrived at the bus and there was a small girl :( but then after a couple of hours you could see she was really really bored with such an exausting day trip, so we ended up feeling ok with our option.

We are going again this year but have opted on bringing grandma. :)

[mfantasia]

My only other comment would just be about the pyramids, camels, etc... the place by the pyramids is extremely touristy and congested. There are vendors and begger children EVERYWHERE (at least there were when I went a few years ago) and other friends have said the same of their experience. And of course camels are not the friendliest animals (spitting), smells, etc. I still rode several while there and it was a great experience. Just giving some thoughts to think about with your daughter in advance. :cool:

 

That is my concern about the pyramids, it is an exhausting excursion for sure, long drive, hot day, lot of people and a long day...I won't have a camel ride excursion if we are with her, no way...I'll probabily check how confortable she is with the kid's program and decide if she stays or not.

 

Israel is another place that I have my doubts, walking the whole day in Jerusalem is not something easy for a 4 yo, I guess that I can use an stroller (she doesn't like it anymore, but it is better option than to carry her). The narrow street and uneven pavement could be a problem, but I think that we can manage that, as I said before we did Pompeii and Ephesus with the stroller...I was so tired by the end of the day...

[sbhdmh]

IMHO a stroller in Jerusalem could be very difficult. There are a lot of cobblestones in the old city as well as hills, stairs, etc.

[mfantasia]

IMHO a stroller in Jerusalem could be very difficult. There are a lot of cobblestones in the old city as well as hills, stairs, etc.

 

I know, that is why I don't know what to do...Ephesus was hard and we did it, but she was small and less heavy, now it is a different age..."to take her or not to take her, that is the question":confused:

[sbhdmh]

Is she a big 4 year old or on the smaller side? We used a Kelty backpack stroller when my dd was younger. You can roll it on smoother surfaces but throw her on your back (or better yet - your DH's)for stairs, cobblestones, etc. Not sure what the maximum height/weight would be for it, though. My DD outgrew it by 3 but she is 90th percentile height and weight. Maybe there is another type of backpack suitable for an older child if she is too big for this. Just a thought...

[sbhdmh]

FYI: Here's the Kelty carrier I was referring to. The specs say the maximum load capacity is 50 pounds. My DH got annoyed by DD pushing down on the bottom once she got taller. It could be an option for you though.

 

http://www.kelty.com/kelty/kids.php?type=&cat=48&id=196

[mfantasia]

Sbhdmh: I had a Kelty stroller/backpack for my DD when she was 1 yo, we used in a trip to Spain and it was great, but my DH (yes, he was the one to carry her) didn't wanted to used anymore and when we went to the first cruise with her she used the stroller. She is a big girl too, 90% height and weigth too, so no more backpack for her...I was thinkig to buy a light umbrella stroller (I don't have a stroler anymore), a model that you can shouldered when closed and light enough to carry around.

[sbhdmh]

I hope that works for you. A few months ago we had the opportunity to walk in the St Patrick's Day parade in New York. We brought an umbrella stroller figuring it would be too far to for 4 year old DD to walk. She had not been in a stroller for about a year so it was a thrill at first. After a while, though, she couldn't stand being confined. For most of the parade route she rode on DH's shoulders. The stroller came in handy carrying bags, coats etc but not for DD to ride in. We decided not to bring one on our upcoming cruise figuring we wouldn't get enough use out of it make it worthwhile to drag across the ocean. Please post when you get back and let me know how it worked out.