OK...it is late but I thought I could add a little happy report! So, here are some ramblings and tips and comments. We truly had a wonderful time on the cruise! I still have a smile on my face.First, we got in at around 4:00 the night before the cruise and we stayed at the MCO Hyatt...it was PERFECT! Best money we spent... We ate dinner (but I don't suggest Chili's...it is not very tasty), took a swim, and I put the baby down while my 4 year old "ran" around the fountain area. We brought a white noise machine and turned it on in the room as my 4 year old DD does not know how to whisper. It really helped keep her asleep while we got settled.
Ed Korgan (the nicest man in the world) from Taxi-MCO picked us up in his Suburban from the Hyatt and took us to port (and to a grocery store to pick up some water and beer). I did as he suggested and got to the Port Terminal area early (before 11:00). My kids don't do well in lines and the later you go the longer you have to wait in line. Keep in mind that when "checking in" you do not have to have your whole family present and my big "duh" moment of the trip: iif you fill out the paperwork online...print it out...I didn't and had to refill it all out. When you get to the terminal...check kids into the clubs.
We had late seating as I thought it would work best for us (we are in Mountain Time) but the kids adjusted in one day to the new time zone so the minute we got on the ship I asked to have early dinner seating (there was no line) and we got 5:30 which was great! Late seating would have been a nightmare as my kids were asleep by 9:00 and 9:30 every evening.
We had two connecting Cat 7 rooms which was nice but almost ridiculous as my 4 year old had her own stateroom (she wanted to put a fridge in her room at home
) as it worked best to have the baby's pack-n-play in our room (we could be quiet and our 4 year old still didn't learn how to whisper). Our hostess gave us 4 doorstoppers to keep the connecting doors open and we would open the deadbolt and close one while the baby napped. It was nice to have the verandah but we only used it 3 or 4 times to look outside or check the weather. With the kids...you just didn't have a lot of lounging around time. Also, when people say it is nice to sit outside while the baby is sleeping...they must not be sleeping in a pack-n-play as you would have to open the heavy verandah door inches from their head (but my kiddos are light sleepers). Again, the white noise machine was great on the ship. The 4 year old LOVED the Oceaneer's Club. I had to drag her out...she is very shy and quiet but loves adult attention and did really well. She went about 2-3 hours a day...off and on. I don't think she spoke to another child the whole week but she still loved the club. Also, my 18 month old DD LOVED the Oceaneer's Club. We played there at least an hour a day and she enjoyed the programs and art activities.
My 18 month old DD was signed up for Flounder's Reef for dinner (two hours) every evening but we only took her twice. We went to family play time and she seemed to enjoy the toys but when we took her for her scheduled appointment...she was just kind of sad there...not crying but not enjoying herself. We left her there for an hour and then took her back the next night for our Palo's reservation and she did not want to go...she cried but then just walked around with her blanket and binkie. I must stress that she has never been in a daycare situation and has only had a Grandparent baby-sit her so she really used to lots of one-on-one attention. There were lots of younger babies who were not able to sit up or who needed lots of one-on-one care so she was kind of just expected to entertain herself...which she is not used to. When my DH picked her up, he said "never again she looked miserable" and we cancelled the rest of our appointments and our second Palo reservation. This did not bother us as we have lots of family in town and get tons of opportunities for date nights and we took the cruise to spend time as a family.
The first couple dinners went well...we brought sticker books, lift the flap books and small toys...but then the novelty wore off and we just ordered the kids food first (my kids loved the "lighter fare" menu items...baked fish, steamed veggies, rice, etc.) and then I walked the 4 year old to the club with the 18 month old (allowing her to run around or dance at the Promenade Lounge) while my DH was able to eat dinner and drink a glass of wine in peace. We then switched off and I would eat my dinner (which was kept warm) while my 18 month old DD had a dessert.
Our umbrella stroller was invaluable. The couple times we left the room without it...I wished I would have taken it as hauling the baby around got old.
Though, I was most worried about transportation from airport to port and on the islands....we could not have had more ideal drivers. On port days we took our sit'n'stroll (car seat that converts to a stroller) for the 18 month old and a booster for the 4 year old. In St. Martin, we grabbed a taxi/van at the taxi stand (told the head guy we had to have seatbelts...he said no problem) and we went to Little Divi Beach...it was about a 10-15 drive and it was the perfect beach for the little ones. Very calm and pretty quiet. We got lounge chairs and two umbrellas and they played happily in the sand and surf while we watched with our cold drinks. It was heaven but St. Thomas was even more beautiful. We had previously contacted Flamon's Taxi and Island Tours via email as I wanted to go to Sapphire Beach but did not want to take my children on the back of a flat bed pickup (something I would not do in my hometown). We were contacted by Orlando Donadelle (native New Yorker) from Low Cay Travel (an actual certified taxi driver...which is rare in St. Thomas) who suggested we go to Secret Harbor as it would be best for the little kiddos. He met us at Port holding a sign with our last name. He was so wonderful and great to talk to...the trip was longer (about 45 minutes) but it flew by as he told us so much about the island. Secret Harbor was truly amazing and so very quiet and beautiful. The water was so blue and you could look down and see fish swimming. The beach was just lovely and we seemed to be the only ones there who were not staying at the resort. It was a highlight of our trip. We ate the restaurant for lunch and it was an excellent meal.
More to come tomorrow....
Your kiddos are adorable!
