Single Parent Cruise with DD

[gssmks]

my DS sleeps on the couch 50% of the time.... 45% in his bed and 5% in mine on a "special" night. What kills me is his little mind trying to come up with a reason for a "special night". Mommy, my toenail hurts, it's a special night!

I'm guilty of letting my little man cub stay up late on vacation too. He does crash when we hit the room but we also sleep in which hardly ever happens at home.

I got him used to the "sounds" of Mommy being up by sitting in whatever room he was sleeping in and making him close his eyes. He always falls asleep within a couple of minutes. The TV or CD player can be on.... sometimes I'm sitting right here because our computer is in the living room.

When I see movies of kids that crawl into their beds, saying goodnight and never are seen again until the light of day... I think.... yeah, on WHAT PLANET???

See at home, my DD is the child who says goodnight and is not seen again until the next morning. By 9:00 at the lastest, she is asking me to tuck her in. Then, she is up by 6:30 the next morning (even on weekends). We have been on this same schedule her entire life and it's become routine. When we are on vacation, I allow her to stay up later, but with all the excitement, she is the exact opposite of home. She would still be going at 2:00 a.m. if I would let her. The problem is that she is would still be up early the next morning, then by the afternoon I have a grumpy, sleepy, whiny little girl on my hands. I have found that I have to force a reasonable bed time on her (10:30 at the latest) or the next day is ruined for the both of us. Also, since her birth, she has slept in her own room, and with no night light. It works great for home, but makes it difficult on vacation or any time we have to share a room or bed (such as visiting relatives). Since I have to get up at 5:30 every morning for work and I don't want to argue with her about getting up for school, and we do this far more often than we vacation, I decided to keep her the schedule she is on and make due on vacation. I would just die if she started trying to stay up on me at home. As all of you know, very little is easy for a single mother (we all are doing double the work), so I need to keep our bedtime and morning routines going smoothly.

 

[woody73]

You will be just fine.

On our last cruise we met a single mom with two children, and the guests and cast members were very understanding and helpful!

Woody

 

[Kimmielee]

See at home, my DD is the child who says goodnight and is not seen again until the next morning. By 9:00 at the lastest, she is asking me to tuck her in. Then, she is up by 6:30 the next morning (even on weekends). We have been on this same schedule her entire life and it's become routine. When we are on vacation, I allow her to stay up later, but with all the excitement, she is the exact opposite of home. She would still be going at 2:00 a.m. if I would let her. The problem is that she is would still be up early the next morning, then by the afternoon I have a grumpy, sleepy, whiny little girl on my hands. I have found that I have to force a reasonable bed time on her (10:30 at the latest) or the next day is ruined for the both of us. Also, since her birth, she has slept in her own room, and with no night light. It works great for home, but makes it difficult on vacation or any time we have to share a room or bed (such as visiting relatives). Since I have to get up at 5:30 every morning for work and I don't want to argue with her about getting up for school, and we do this far more often than we vacation, I decided to keep her the schedule she is on and make due on vacation. I would just die if she started trying to stay up on me at home. As all of you know, very little is easy for a single mother (we all are doing double the work), so I need to keep our bedtime and morning routines going smoothly.

Gail, probably a good decision. Somehow I never got that type of routine established. I wish I had. My difference is I put him on the bus at 8:30, so our mornings are pretty routine and I have a very flexible work schedule, for that I am blessed.

I'm sure you will have a magical time!!!

 

[Ness2289]

I have never been a morning person and I am fortunate to have a daughter who likes to sleep in like me.

You guys have made this decision to do this trip so much easier! I'm going for four nights instead of three now. This date change will have us missing four days of school (I am the school counselor at my daughter's school), but for our budget, we have to do the off peak trip. I'll have to fill out the form to excuse her absences. I know how to make a trip to WDW educational on paper. Any suggestions on how to make a relaxing cruise to the Bahamas educational on paper?

 

[mom+3girls]

I have never been a morning person and I am fortunate to have a daughter who likes to sleep in like me.

You guys have made this decision to do this trip so much easier! I'm going for four nights instead of three now. This date change will have us missing four days of school (I am the school counselor at my daughter's school), but for our budget, we have to do the off peak trip. I'll have to fill out the form to excuse her absences. I know how to make a trip to WDW educational on paper. Any suggestions on how to make a relaxing cruise to the Bahamas educational on paper?

I always use it as Geography. Find it on the map, go on the internet find out the history of the islands, what jobs are there, what the economy is like etc.
Science for weather changes from the place you live and the types of animal and insects that are native to the Bahamas. If you fly that is another thing.
Hope that helps.

 

[Pidge]

While I'm not a single parent, I do take my kids on DCL by myself. (DH can never take vacation when I can...) I've had plenty of people question why I would take a cruise w/o my DH, but I have always felt pretty safe. After I land in Orlando, the folks from DCL who greet you in the airport escort you to the buses, you go thru the terminal, onto the ship and vice versa on the return trip. I stay on the ship for Nassau day, I've been there plenty and rather enjoy the ship and its activities. In my mind it is all a pretty controlled itinerary, which makes me feel safe taking such a vacation. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment recommending a cruise for a single parent and their children. Have a great trip!

 

[candleonwater]

Even though you've gotten plenty of responses, I figured I'd chime in too.

My daughter is 9 and it's always just been the 2 of us, so we've been traveling alone, together since her first trip at 6 months old.

I don't like making plans that center around others... they usually back out on me. I leave tomorrow for Miami, 3rd spring break cruise in a row. Now, this time I'm dragging my mother along, but ONLY because I know she needed a break and she hasn't cruised in 5 years.

I'm sure all you single parents out there can understand my feeling... the only "break" I get is when she's at school, or sleeping. Cruising is such a wonderful break for BOTH of us. She has her club and I have my Adults only pool!

Our first cruise alone, I was left feeling COMPLETELY alone. Not being into the bar scene, it was an adjustment. One that I quickly made!

I hate bringing it up (and don't recall it being mentioned), but DON'T forget to make sure you have the proper paperwork to be traveling alone with your child (if necessary). These messages are all over another set of boards, but it's a good thing to be prepared for.

 

[Ness2289]

I always use it as Geography. Find it on the map, go on the internet find out the history of the islands, what jobs are there, what the economy is like etc.
Science for weather changes from the place you live and the types of animal and insects that are native to the Bahamas. If you fly that is another thing.
Hope that helps.

These ideas are great... Let me click "print" now!

 

[Ness2289]

I hate bringing it up (and don't recall it being mentioned), but DON'T forget to make sure you have the proper paperwork to be traveling alone with your child (if necessary). These messages are all over another set of boards, but it's a good thing to be prepared for.

Tell me more? I'm a little lost on this one...

 

[kcashner]

I have cruised as a single parent since DD was 4. Her first cruise on DCL was the "inaugural sailing" when she was 7. We have sailed on the Magic a total of 14 times.

In case you haven't guessed, it is our absolute favorite vacation. Mom gets a break too. At the parks, mom is still "on duty." On the cruise, there is plenty to do. We have our "together" time and our time apart. We have always made a point of having dinner together. Beyond that, we review the Navigators, and she decides what she wants to do--I plan my schedule around her "club" or "lab" time. Now that she is a teen, she sleeps till noon and parties in The Stack till 2 am.

DO IT! Alone!

 

[watergirl]

I too would like to know more about papers need for traveling with daughter alone. anyone?

 

[Vanvmom]

Not sure of the specifics, but I believe that you need paperwork that shows it is okay to take your child out of the country with only one parent accompaning the child. My thoughts are that this is true in shared custody situations, but not confident of what the laws are when your ex does not have custody. I was the child of a single parent, but my father passed away before I ever had the opportunity to travel, so getting his permission was no longer an issue.

 

[gssmks]

I have never been a morning person and I am fortunate to have a daughter who likes to sleep in like me.

You guys have made this decision to do this trip so much easier! I'm going for four nights instead of three now. This date change will have us missing four days of school (I am the school counselor at my daughter's school), but for our budget, we have to do the off peak trip. I'll have to fill out the form to excuse her absences. I know how to make a trip to WDW educational on paper. Any suggestions on how to make a relaxing cruise to the Bahamas educational on paper?

We are going on the 7 day, and my DD will be missing 6 days of school (we have to use the Friday before for travel to Orlando). Our school district told me that they will give educational excuses for all seven days if I will make at least one island excursion something educational and then DD has to give an oral report to the class about the entire experience. The Board of Education has approved X-Carat at Cozumel as the educational excursion. DD said that she has no problem giving the report. I think she is looking forward to bragging a little about getting to go on the cruise.

 

[candleonwater]

Actually, if you read the fine print of cruise contracts... there is no mention of this paperwork, at least not for a parent or guardian.

However, I've heard stories of parents being harassed (possibly denied passage), but I've never seen it happen. It's all to prevent a custody dispute getting uglier.

It's recommended that you get a notarized letter from the absent parent "allowing" you to take the child on the cruise.

Believe me, I know, there are situations where this letter isn't possible... I'm in one, so I ended up in court to get sole custody. The court paperwork also eased the passport process.

 

[yazee1]

Our tablemates last April were a single mother, her little daughter and the mother's aunt. It was the mother and daughter's second cruise and I got the impression they travelled together regularly. They were having a wonderful time.

Dinner was a little rocky for them at first. The first couple nights we all dined together, the mom was a little stressed because her young daughter was restless once she was through eating. She would press to leave while the mother would have liked to linger at the table and have coffee and desert and chat with the adults. I suggested that she and I order desert, walk our kids to the Club while the server was getting it and then come back to the dining room. This way she wasn't made to miss out on adult companionship and conversation. It worked because my daughter and her daughter were the same age and didn't resist the idea of going to the Club in the least.

 

[Ness2289]

I guess I'll be bringing copies of the custody order as well then... Wow! I never thought about the issues that could arise concerning this. I've got sole, so this shouldn't be a problem, but I'll bring copies just in case.

 

[mom+3girls]

I too would like to know more about papers need for traveling with daughter alone. anyone?

I heard about these papers on this board, called my TA and she said yes that I would need a notrized letter signed by my kids dad that stated that he knows that I was taking the kids on the cruise, I printed mine from the DCL website, filled in the blanks and had him go to a notory and have the papers signed.

However, I was never ask for these papers at check in. I ended up asking the CM if they needed these and she said oh I guess. SO I don't know what you need.

I am glad that I had them because I would have been a little upset if I had gotten to PC and wouldn't have been able to board because I didn't have it.

I just hated having to ask my ex's permission to take our kids on a vacation that I paid for completely. He didn't even give them spending money to buy themselves anything.

 

[tam012864]

I had a guardian angel in the delivery room with me when I had DS 8 years ago...she sprinkled pixie dust on my head and said--dont put that stupid mans name on the birth certificate... I am so thankful I do not have to have his permission to take my son on a vacation..that would not be a pretty sight..

 

[sweetsue]

I'm a single Mom and have just taken my second DCL cruise with my daughter. I've also flown with her directly into the Caribbean islands. All I ever needed to show was her passport.

In order to get the passport, you have to have the father sign a notarized statement that he is aware you are getting the passport. I figure one signature every 5 years is better than a signed statement each time I want to go on vacation!

When I go to the Med, I will probably bring a notarized statement along - mainly because I'll be flying and doing pre/post trips on my own.

Sweet Sue

 

[Ness2289]

In order to get the passport, you have to have the father sign a notarized statement that he is aware you are getting the passport. I figure one signature every 5 years is better than a signed statement each time I want to go on vacation!

Sweet Sue

So am I clear... even with sole custody, I would need permission to get a passport? Or does that make a difference?