Thread: Celebrity and Kids

Hi

1st time on the forum, 1st time with Celebrity and 1st time cruise, so you could say I'm a complete novice looking for tips and advise.

Have booked Eastern Med Aug 2009 on Solstice and with us will be our 12 year old son.
Question 1 : I hear kids clubs on X are good, but what if I can't get him to hang out there and he wants to go where we go. Will he be accepted in the evening venues without getting loads of odd looks from adults.

Question 2: on the deck plan the lifeboats appear to be on the entertainment deck 5(i think), we have a balcony room booked on Sunrise deck 7, will the lifeboats obstruct our view at all.

Question 3: left or right (port or starboard - i've no idea which) any views on which side is best. We are on the right if you face front.

Question 4: - the last one for now - 2nd sitting main dining - will we still be in time to catch a show after dinner.

I'm sure my questions will continue to flow.. but if anyone can give me any info on the above I will be real grateful.

Thanks

Hey Figgis! Welcome to the friendliest cruise forum on the internet!

Congratulations on your first cruise...you picked a nice cruise line and ship. I have sailed Celebrity 23 times, but haven't been on the Solstice.

1. He should be able to go anywhere with you except the disco areas. They usually require age 18 or 21 depending on the itinerary. I would suspect 18 would apply to a Med cruise. He won't be allowed in the Casino at anytime. Not sure of any other venues he would not be allowed into. Others will chime in. No one should be bothered by a polite 12 year old.

2. can't answer that one since I haven't seen the actual ship. But generally not, unless they stick out below you, and that would only be a very minor obstruction looking directly down to the ocean.

3. port--left (remember it by having the same number of letters in the spelling)
starboard--right
If your cruise is round trip to and from the same port it probably wouldn't matter which side you are on since you would be returning the same way you came and have pretty much equal time on each side. If it is a one way from one port to another, then the usually preferred side would be landward. Just look at the direction the ship will be heading and determine which side will be toward the land. There is no way of telling which side will be toward the city when you are docked---could be either one.

4. There is always a show for each dinner seating. Sometimes the late diners will have their show before dinner and sometimes afterward.

Head on over to the Celebrity forum and check it out.

Originally Posted by Figgis

Hi

1st time on the forum, 1st time with Celebrity and 1st time cruise, so you could say I'm a complete novice looking for tips and advise.

Have booked Eastern Med Aug 2009 on Solstice and with us will be our 12 year old son.
Question 1 : I hear kids clubs on X are good, but what if I can't get him to hang out there and he wants to go where we go. Will he be accepted in the evening venues without getting loads of odd looks from adults.

Question 2: on the deck plan the lifeboats appear to be on the entertainment deck 5(i think), we have a balcony room booked on Sunrise deck 7, will the lifeboats obstruct our view at all.

Question 3: left or right (port or starboard - i've no idea which) any views on which side is best. We are on the right if you face front.

Question 4: - the last one for now - 2nd sitting main dining - will we still be in time to catch a show after dinner.

I'm sure my questions will continue to flow.. but if anyone can give me any info on the above I will be real grateful.

Thanks

to CLF!

I haven't been on Celebrity, but there are plenty here with Celebrity experience such as Char who will help answer these questions.

My experience (on Carnival and Princess) with our girl is that as long as your child is behaving, most people won't mind. The crew members who had to leave their children behind in their home countries will usually dote on the younger ones. (our gilr has been literally swept off her feet for a dining room parade by the waitstaff many a time)

Cruising is a great way for a family to vacation together. What I recommend for you is to go to the first night orientation for the kids' program (hopefully there will be an info packet when you first get to your cabin). Your son can meet the other kids in his age group then and find out the activities. In August, there should be plenty of kids onboard, and if he clicks with any of them, he'll have friends to hang with either at the area assigned to the 10-12 group or elsewhere -- the pool, the basketball court, etc.

As Char noted, he will not be allowed in the casino nor the disco (unless the kids are having a "coketail" party). He can go to any shows that aren't "adults only". My girl loves to check out the big production shows -- and she's gone to many of them onboard since her first cruise at 23 months. But if he's not into "broadway shows," there's often other types of music in the lounges if he has a wide range of taste.