Single Dad Cruising

[taaren]

We met a couple of temporarily-single dads on our cruise (married, but Mom was working/travelling elsewhere) and they appeared to be having a great time, both with and without their kids. As you can see from this board, its not terribly uncommon.

 

[JJsmama]

There are lots of things to do as a family (which are fun for both kids and adults) and I don't even think anyone would notice you were single. For instance, the family game shows each night are fun for everyone. (Who wants to be a Mouseketeer and Think you know your family) My Dh is not overly Mickey Mouse loving, but he could not stop laughing in these nightly events. Also the family comedian show is fun. These are either right before or right after dinner depending on your dining time.

During the day, everyone is moving around so much at the pools,activities etc, no one notice.

Another point is: lots of parents on the cruise have to tag-team, as I call it. A baby is napping and one parent stays with baby in room and one parent takes the kids to the show. Thus, most likely people will assume your wife is just elsewhere on the ship. Or my DH and I just took turns relaxing. He did all the excursions with my older sons and I stayed on the ship with the youngest. We had met another family and it was just the dad doing excursions with the kids too. So, you won't stand out at all.

There will no no sudden silence when you enter the room Everyone is much too busy having their own fun.

 

[VTgirls]

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[VTgirls]

I went on the Disney Fantasy cruise last August with my 4 year old daughter, but I don't recall single parent lunches. How did you find out about it?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I went on the Disney Fantasy cruise last August with my 4 year old daughter, but I don't recall single parent lunches. How did you find out about it?

This thread is over a year old. I don't know if the poster that you are asking the question of is still around.

 

[erocrobro]

I went on the Disney Fantasy cruise last August with my 4 year old daughter, but I don't recall single parent lunches. How did you find out about it?

We were on the Fantasy in June and they were listed in the Navigator. Not as single parent lunches, just single cruiser lunches.

 

[VTgirls]

Ok, thank you! I am still learning how to navigate this site. It's confusing!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

We found a variety of people all over, just like at the parks. All ages and all families and shapes and sizes. Disney loves everyone (and just about everyone loves Disney, at least as far as we are concerned.)

 

[Crackleandpop]

I went on my first cruise this Summer with DS. I admit I assumed we would be spending all day every day together and didn't really investigate the adult only stuff before we went. On the very first day he went to the kids club and I knew then I was going to have 'Me' time. I lounged by the pool (for an hour one morning I was the only one there), read a book and had a shower (without interruptions, a rarity) and even went to bingo. Sadly I didn't go to Palo. I was planning to go to one of the solo lunches but got caught up in other things. We did lots of things together, games by the pool, mouseketeer, pin trading and swimming. When we discussed booking again I said maybe we wouldn't do formal night in the dining room, he said no, we had to go because he'd miss making friends.

Next year we are going again and I have no qualms about either of us having fun, travelling alone on a ship with him (totally safe), or keeping him occupied from morning to night. Although we spent money in the stores we didn't go overboard and I didn't feel the need to pay for extras like we have on other holidays. There was never any pressure to join in either.

I can also say I came back more relaxed than I ever have from a holiday. Your kids will have fun, you won't have to worry about them having fun or what to feed them and you'll make some wonderful memories.