Vacations with a toddler?

[ellemenope]

ETA: This was originally "Cruising with a toddler", but I am up for a nice debate about the best ways to vacation with a toddler, too. And, there is a lot to learn, whether cruising, camping, flying, resorting, or road-tripping.

We just booked a 7 day cruise for the three of us. It will be just days before her second birthday.

I have tried to use the search function, but I keep getting the kind of cruising done with little baby legs, not the kind you do with big boats and cocktails.

We booked with Norwegian cruise line so we can hopefully have a relaxing vacation with the toddler. They are known for their freestyle cruising. We also got a suite so we will be able to have every dinner brought to us by our butler if we want. Our balcony is almost 200 square feet, so we are going to bring a blowup pool for DD and just sunbathe. We might not even want to leave the cabin.

Oh, and we are going to be docked at bermuda for 3 days.

Anyone BTDT? Can someone please tell me everything I need to know about crusing with a toddler. Anyone have any awesome tips? Anyone jealous? Anyone think we are crazy?

TIA

[sapphire_chan]

Jealous!!

You'll want to get out sometimes because the best place to meet other kids will be the pools.

Be sure to take turns to do something kid free, like get a massage or something!

[snoopy5386]

we cruised with our 3.5 yo in October and really didn't enjoy it as much as I thought we would. DD was old enough for the kids program but wouldn't go, which made it extremely difficult for DH and I to participate in any events during the day. She also didn't nap at all so she was done for the day by 7:30/8 pm. She would make it through dinner just fine but went to bed immediately after. Which meant one of us had to stay with her in the cabin at night and miss the evening entertainment. We basically spent the whole cruise switching off who was taking care of her. Don't get me wrong we still had fun but we both agreed not to cruise again until our youngest was at least 5 or 6 and willing to participate in the kids programming for at least a couple of hours a day and able to stay awake until 10 pm.
Your DD will not be able to swim in the pools since she is not potty trained. Your kiddy pool idea sounds nice, but I'm not sure if the cruise line will allow it or how you will fill or empty it, you can't just run a hose you know? While spending the whole time in the cabin sounds nice, it will still be a small space. Honestly, I would fly to bermuda and stay in a nice resort instead of the cruise.

[ASusan]

We were planning to go on a cruise when DS was 9 mos old, and I did a ton of research (online) then. Google cruising and infants or children. Also look up your specific ship. I got TONS of information about our specific ship and how it was able (or not) to accommodate children. Ultimately, we did not go, as it was way too expensive for our budget (Mediterranean cruise meant expensive plane tix, too).

Blow-up pool and balcony are great - you can sit on balcony as baby naps. She won't need much water in her pool to splash around it; she may even fill it herself if you give her a bucket.

have fun!!

[ellemenope]

Originally Posted by snoopy5386

we cruised with our 3.5 yo in October and really didn't enjoy it as much as I thought we would. DD was old enough for the kids program but wouldn't go, which made it extremely difficult for DH and I to participate in any events during the day. She also didn't nap at all so she was done for the day by 7:30/8 pm. She would make it through dinner just fine but went to bed immediately after. Which meant one of us had to stay with her in the cabin at night and miss the evening entertainment. We basically spent the whole cruise switching off who was taking care of her. Don't get me wrong we still had fun but we both agreed not to cruise again until our youngest was at least 5 or 6 and willing to participate in the kids programming for at least a couple of hours a day and able to stay awake until 10 pm.
Your DD will not be able to swim in the pools since she is not potty trained. Your kiddy pool idea sounds nice, but I'm not sure if the cruise line will allow it or how you will fill or empty it, you can't just run a hose you know? While spending the whole time in the cabin sounds nice, it will still be a small space. Honestly, I would fly to bermuda and stay in a nice resort instead of the cruise.

You have brought up a lot of good points. DH and I really talked about what we wanted out of this. This is a family vacation. (We took a mommy-daddy only vacation to Cali the week between Christmas and New Year.) We just want to relax together as a family.

We are not interested in dressing up, drinking, spaing, or clubbing. We are interested in good food, sunning, and showing DD some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Personally, I have not been that impressed with the entertainment at sea in the past, but I would like to enjoy some family shows, too.

We took DD's sleep schedule into account when we decided to fork over the extra moulah for the suite. We figure we are going to be stuck in the cabin a lot. So, this particular suite offers a bigger room, a ginormous deck, and flat screen TV with access to a DVD library. And, we can have meals from the main dining room and all the specialty restaurants set up for us in the suite by the bulter, whom we intend to take every advantage of (We tip well .)

We seriously thought about flying to Bermuda and staying at a resort, but it sounded so dull in comparison, and you still run into the same problems. DD still has to sleep, and we can't just ditch her. Plus, since we are docked at Bermuda for 3 days, it is like we are on resort at sea. Also, I hate flying. We are going to be doing that enough this summer.

Anyway, the die is already cast.

[mommariffic]

We cruised Norwegian sans toddler, but I would def bring her next time...and I'm one of those weirdos that doesn't sweat traveling with a small person; in fact, I kind of enjoy it. We just got back from the Bahamas which was our vacation pre-baby and it was a blast.

I think just wandering the ship is a blast with a kid! Wandering the hallways, going to the afternoon entertainment [I too, am not a fan of it but sometimes it's fun especially if there's any children's programs] and looking at the ocean is going to be awesome for your DD. I feel like the days on the ship are going to be easy and fun, and you can always go to the kids pool and have them swim. I know my DD was juuust about potty trained, but wouldn't go in the pool so we'd just do a no diaper or a secret swim diaper. Seriously, unless they poop who cares? A good way for your DD to make "friends" too.

And uhg, the beaches in Bermuda are SO AWESOME! The shallow water, the fish! The sand! That's going to be amazing and there's some great excursion type things that are family friendly too [glass bottom boat would be cool..]

You're going to have FUN! And to be honest, I spent a ton of time in our room reading [it was my first husband/I trip away from DD and I wanted to sit and read, not get drunk and go to the disco or whatever] and while it's tight it's not unbearable.

[marispel]

We did a vacation at the beach with our DS who was 10 months old then. We took a babysitter...best money we ever spent!!!! She was my right hand person, she helped change him, she helped feed him and she watched him at night (he was asleep) while we went out to eat.

If you can afford it, this may be something consider? You could probably take someone pretty young since they will be staying with you and staying in the room with your LO at night. They wouldn't be taking care of your LO all the time, but just another set of hands to help at the pool, chase them down when they go running down the hall and stay in the room at night

[bluebirdiemama]

Last summer my dh and I took our then 2 yo and 5 mo to a 3 day music festival. While it was a lot more work, and of course a little exhausting taking care of them there, it was totally worth it, and they had a BLAST.
If there is nothing in particular you want to do, other than spend time as a family, I think you are going to have the time of your lives

[ellemenope]

Originally Posted by ASusan

Google cruising and infants or children.

Yes! great tip! I found a website called cruisecritic.com. They have a message board specifically for cruising with kids. They actually have entire threads dedicated to bringing blowup pools. (We are talking the smallest they make and maybe an inch of water. Just enough to splash around)

Originally Posted by mommariffic

I think just wandering the ship is a blast with a kid! Wandering the hallways, going to the afternoon entertainment [I too, am not a fan of it but sometimes it's fun especially if there's any children's programs] and looking at the ocean is going to be awesome for your DD. I feel like the days on the ship are going to be easy and fun, and you can always go to the kids pool and have them swim. I know my DD was juuust about potty trained, but wouldn't go in the pool so we'd just do a no diaper or a secret swim diaper. Seriously, unless they poop who cares? A good way for your DD to make "friends" too.

And uhg, the beaches in Bermuda are SO AWESOME! The shallow water, the fish! The sand! That's going to be amazing and there's some great excursion type things that are family friendly too [glass bottom boat would be cool..]

Yes, my DD is just about pottytrained, as well. Especially with poop, but..

Apparently, it is actually a huge deal if they poop in the pool. They have to drain and scrub every pool if their is an accident. (The filtration systems are connected. stupid.) I have seen this firsthand. It is such a bummer. I do not want to be that mom!

Love the glass bottom boat idea. DD would go crazy about that! Umm, do you think we need to pack our own life vest for her. I am sure they would have something, but waddya think?

Originally Posted by marispel

We did a vacation at the beach with our DS who was 10 months old then. We took a babysitter...best money we ever spent!!!! She was my right hand person, she helped change him, she helped feed him and she watched him at night (he was asleep) while we went out to eat.

If you can afford it, this may be something consider? You could probably take someone pretty young since they will be staying with you and staying in the room with your LO at night. They wouldn't be taking care of your LO all the time, but just another set of hands to help at the pool, chase them down when they go running down the hall and stay in the room at night

This is another good idea. It doesn't jibe with what we want for this vacation, though. But, in the future--I love it!

I remember in highschool my friend did this for a family, and I was so jealous. When she came back, I asked her how it was. "Awful," she cried.
I have never worked so hard in my life!" I could not fathom how a free island gettaway could "suck," oh, until about 2 years ago.