What show's did you take your kids on?

[pepelapew]

We have another 55 days for our cruise and are taking 3 grandchildren. Their ages are 10, 8, and 4. This is their very 1st cruise and their Mom and Dad are traveling with us. The 10 and 8 yr olds are sharing a cabin with us, while the 4 yr old is with Mom and Dad. We are going to sign them up for Adventure Ocean, and hoping they will love it. My question is, how did or does your children like the Adventure Ocean Program? What time is the AO opened until? Could you please tell me more about it? How about if you do an excursion the kids cannot go on? Did you bring them to any shows on board? We are going to take them to the Ice Show, but what about the shows in the Theater? I do believe the two older ones will sit for dinner without a problem on formal night. It's the 4 yr old that concerns me. Can we feed them early then take them to AO till were done with dinner? I want them to have a great time, but I also want them to act accordingly. I just wasn't sure about the AO program and wanted some heads up about it. Thanks everyone for your input. Great advice is always offered through these threads. and it's muchly appreciated.

A very nervous Grammee about that 4 yr old. She's a handful. Thank heavens she's bunking with Mom and Dad.........Debbie

[NanciRDH]

My 4yo loves AO! We would feed her in the dining room with the family, some nights they do have AO dinners, but my kids are required to eat with us. The waiter and head waiter were very good about rushing her dinner, and she was always done by 7:00 pm. The reason I said head waiter, he was the one who brought her entree every night, which made our table waiter laugh, he said its not everyone who gets such service! lol When she finished one of the adults would run her up to AO between courses. I'm hoping as Family Time Dining becomes fleetwide, this won't be necessary. Sitting is easier than you might think, they get busy right away with the endless bread basket, and ours love fruit, so there was usually a fruit plate waiting for her. In a land based I wouldn't let them get filled up on bread and fruit, but it's their vacation too, and if the little one is happy, everyone is happy. ;)

As for leaving them behind during excursions. I've done it, but there are some here who won't. This was on our Alaska cruise last month. We did a zipline tour that she wasn't big enough to join in on. We were off the ship for only a few hours, and didn't venture out any further than that tour. She fussed when we picked her up earlier than her friends. When we walked around Skagway she chose not to go shopping with us, and was the only child in all of AO, which was fully staffed. It was her choice to stay and she had a blast, we were only gone for an hour or two. Would I leave her to go on an excursion when we're in the Caribbean? I don't know, it didn't seem so bad knowing this was still US soil we were on. I've never wanted to leave her before now, we made plans that included everyone, but the zipline was what the 12 & 17 yo wanted to do and she was just too little.

My bigger kids have the choice to watch the shows or not, they're old enough to decide for themselves. The 12 yo always chose to join the teen activities, but my 17 yo is a dancer with dreams of performing at sea, so she always watched the production numbers. The 4 yo was long gone to AO by the time they started, again, her choice.

[Kerry's Girls]

One of my 4 year old girls LOVES the production shows (not magicians, comedians, etc.). She likes the lights, music and dancing and insists on going to every one. She sits quietly and applauds appropriately. We always sit on the aisle/in the back in case she can't handle staying for the entire thing. Her twin sister prefers the kids club. The easiest thing is to give your 4 year old granddaughter a chance and see if she likes it and can behave.

 

Theater prices on land are so expensive - one of the nice things about a cruise is that my musical-lover can enjoy many shows.

 

Same with dinners. One rule for my little family on cruises is that meals are family time, and my toddlers have been able to sit like little ladies for 3 courses - a starter, their meal and ice cream. But on all the ships we've been on, the waiters have been great about a quicker meal pace than I used to enjoy on ships before kids. Your 4 year old may surprise you and enjoy being a grown up little princess as mine do.

 

Best,

Mia