Is a Cruise for Us? Our Kids?

[DreaminDisney]

Hi Everyone
I'm new to the Boards (This is my first post) and my Husband and I were thinking of the 4 day Cruise next Fall.
We LOVE Disney World and went earlier this year. We all had a Blast! Our next trip, we want to do a Cruise and our kids will be 3 and 6. Do you think they are too young? And also, I know they have a lot of activities for young ones but I worry that while they are doing one thing and we're doing another, I'll worry about them the whole time. I stay home with them and I'm not use to leaving them with other people, especially Strangers. I guess I'm thinking they might just kinda wonder off and get lost or something. Is the area where they have children's activities a secluded area?

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

There is no way your kids will wander off once they are checked into the kids' programs. They are both of an age that they'll be in the Club which stays put a bit more than the Lab.

Yes, you may be doing things at different times but they will be well looked after. My kids were older (8 & 10) when we went on our first cruise but have friends who've gone with younger and report they loved it.

Deb

 

[tstobb]

Our DD did not spend very much time in the clubs ("I missed you") but ous DSs did - we still had a great time. There is lots to do with or without the kids. You can spend time in the clubs with your children if you want and it a VERY secure area with counselors at the entrances. There are no back exits so everybody has to go past the check in/out desk. Children aren't allowed to wander and the counsler to child ratio is excellent.

 

[SC Minnie]

Our DD loved the cruise! The club are VERY secure. When you sign the kids up on the first day they give them a wrist band to wear for the duration of the cruise. You have to sign them into the club. When signing them out you have to give the CM a password that you included on the initial sign up sheet. They will not let you take the child without this password. On the sign up sheet they also ask for a list of people approved to sign out your child. The areas where the kids are is gated. You have to check with a CM that sits behind a desk before you can enter the room. The age your children are they will not be allowed to leave the club without you-or whoever is given authority- to sign them out. Also, when you sign them up you are given a pager and they will page you if your kids want to leave the club or is having a problem.

The CM's in the clubs are usually young 20 somethings that seem to really enjoy children. You may worry about them the first day or so until you go to get them and they don't want to leave!

Some kids love the clubs and others don't. Ours loved it. She didn't do all of the structured activities. She would pick and choose what she wanted to do.

 

[reveric]

We recently took our first cruise with our 3yo DS and 5yo DD. It was our plan to only leave them in the Kids Club for short periods of time and only when there were special events going on in the club. After all, what's the point of a family cruise if we aren't together as a family? Well...the first night we put them in the club so we could go to Palos and when we went to pick the kids up they both yelled at us ("Why did you come? I don't want to leave!") It never ended either. They begged to go back to the clubs when we were together. On Castaway Cay day we spent the whole day with them and when they saw the kids in the kids area of the island they were upset that they weren't in there too!

Neither of our kids are in day care or pre-school so we weren't sure if they'd like being away from us or if they'd do well in the group setting.

But the definately LOVED the clubs. We wouldn't have minded if one or both of them hadn't liked the clubs. Like I said, we were prepared to spend almost every free moment with them but they wanted to be in the club.

 

[my3kids]

That place is Ft. Knox with the children. No person can take your child out without the secret password. No way they would get out alone either. Great counselors. Constantly checking head counts. If the group isn't in the club/lab, they are constantly in contact via walkie talkie to make sure if someone signs in or out that it is recorded in multiple places. Everything is both paper and pencil kept as well as computer recorded. You can feel very secure that your children are safe if you aren't with them.

 

[DreaminDisney]

Ft. Knox thing cracks me up!
You have all made me feel good about doing a Cruise. I know our kids will be safe.
I plan on spending our time together (with Kids) but I don't want them to miss out an any Children activities if they choose to go and I keep hearing about Palo and I would like to go there one night. From what I understand, it's Adult's only.
I think a Disney Cruise will be Awesome!
Thanks

 

[tstobb]

Almost forgot - there's even a "secret passage" between the club & the lab. DS 7 loved this!

 

[Wishing on a star]

One note here... From what I understand your three year old will be required to be completely potty trained to enjoy the Kids Club. Just FYI

We too will be cruising next fall with our DS! You have a full year to give your kids opportunities to be with other children, away from you!! DS has been in Mothers Day Out and PreKindergarten. I have my fingers crossed that he will really love the Club. We plan on spending some family time at club on that first 'Get Aquainted' night, and I hope that helps too.

 

[diznynut]

I wouldn't worry about your kids enjoying the kids club unless they don't like to be away from you. I had planned that my almost 4 yr. old would eat meals with us and then we would just see how the rest of the day went. I can assure you he had a wonderful time. Several days I had to leave with him crying because he didn't want to leave the club. The counselors are fabulous and I never felt insecure about leaving my son. After a week of park hopping at WDW, The 7 day cruise was magical for us all. Consider it a time for your kids to have a vacation from you. I also second the mother's day out reccomendation. It is hard as mom's for us to realize our kids need to be with other kids. It helps them grow and gives us the time we need to recharge. It was hard at first, but preschool has been a blessing. It was harder on me that my son wanted to stay in the clubs all the time.

 

[weloveminnie]

The cruise is for me!!!

 

[kasar]

On our last cruise, Grandma was with us and since it was only a 3 day cruise I felt funny about sending the kids to the labs when she came on the cruise to be WITH them! I must say, we had a blast! There are so many activities to do as a family that we never caught our breath until the plane touched down in Boston. It was a great time to be together as a family and I'm glad that we kept them with us (older daughter, 8 at the time, longingly eyed the kids' activities). But that's not to say that this trip with hubby will be the same - we can't wait to try Palo's alone. But the rest of the trip we plan to be together and enjoy as much precious family time as possible. Those teenage years are fast approaching..... If you're not comfortable sending them to the labs, you'll still have a ball.


Caryn, Rich, Kate, Sarah

 

[DreaminDisney]

My kids get plenty of interaction with other kids. My Son is in Kindergarten and also went to preschool. My Daughter is in a toddler activity a couple mornings a week and I stay there (even though she doesn't know it) They don't mind being away from me, that's not was I was worried about.
I was worried about how secure it was leaving them, especially with people I didn't know, and wondering if they might be too young to go on a Disney Cruise.
From all your posts, I feel confident they will be safe, and also don't think they're too young for it.
I plan on spending time together on our Cruise but if they choose to do a couple things without us, that's fine too.

 

[abitjaded]

Our kids, 6 and 9, were not that crazy about the clubs, they preferred to be with us (WOW!) Even if this does happen to you too, you will all still have a great time.