Solo Parent tips?

[LadyRachel_ofMischief]

My husband gets sea sick so he and the two year old will stay at home while me and my four and a half year old (at time of cruise) are going on our first Disney cruise!

Any other solo parents of young kids have tips for travel? We’ve flown on airplanes many times but never a cruise ship.

I’m all ears

320 days and counting….

 

[MinnieInVA]

Hi there! Single mom here, and I’ve been traveling solo with my now 13 year old daughter since she was 4, including 5 Disney cruises so far!

On the ship, definitely try to take advantage of the kids clubs so you can have some “me time” once in a while. Hopefully you’ll find an excursion or two during your port call(s) that you both would enjoy. Take advantage of room service during nap time, or splurge before bed with milk and cookies for both of you! Other than that, just keep an eye on the schedule of activities in the DCL app so you can do fun stuff together too.

I have all sorts of suggestions for planes too, but it sounds like you’ve got that figured out already. Honestly, for me, that’s the hardest part of traveling as a single parent.

One more piece of advice (which could serve you well beyond your cruise): have your child memorize your cell phone number, if you haven’t already. I taught my daughter to sing my phone number to help her memorize it when she was 4. We just made up a little tune, and it totally worked. Now if you two get separated, your kiddo will be able to help you find them!

 

[Lilsia]

The cruise is super easy for a solo parent. My husband will never go on a ship either. I started taking my kids starting with just my oldest when she was 4. The biggest thing to remember is that the sun is so much hotter on the ship and you can easily get sunburned. Other than that, cruising is probably the easiest vacations that I took with my kids. We got off at Castaway Cay, but stayed on the ship at the other ports. We grew to love cruising because it was a great way to try new and different foods that we would probably not buy at home. I think that the best tip is to just go with the flow. Check the Navigator to see what looks interesting to that day. And at 4, your child might end up loving the kids club.

 

[Clarkson U]

Hi there! Single mom here, and I’ve been traveling solo with my now 13 year old daughter since she was 4, including 5 Disney cruises so far!

On the ship, definitely try to take advantage of the kids clubs so you can have some “me time” once in a while. Hopefully you’ll find an excursion or two during your port call(s) that you both would enjoy. Take advantage of room service during nap time, or splurge before bed with milk and cookies for both of you! Other than that, just keep an eye on the schedule of activities in the DCL app so you can do fun stuff together too.

I have all sorts of suggestions for planes too, but it sounds like you’ve got that figured out already. Honestly, for me, that’s the hardest part of traveling as a single parent.

One more piece of advice (which could serve you well beyond your cruise): have your child memorize your cell phone number, if you haven’t already. I taught my daughter to sing my phone number to help her memorize it when she was 4. We just made up a little tune, and it totally worked. Now if you two get separated, your kiddo will be able to help you find them!

Second the cell phone number bit. Years ago when my oldest was 6 and Disney quest still existed at the former Downtown Disney (yes that long ago in Orlando) my son got seperated from us. He knew two things that helped him:

1. Find a cast member wearing a Disney name tag and tell them the problem and

2. Memorize my cell phone number. Before I could find a CM to talk to about my “lost” son inside the building - I got a call from a cast member on my cell phone saying my son was with him in the food area of Disney quest.

Crisis and parent panic and breakdown averted.

The two of you will love the ship! Enjoy -

 

[Calantha]

Any other solo parents of young kids have tips for travel?

I've solo sailed once with DS (who was 6 at the time) and then traveled solo with him to meet up with family and then sail (he was 7). DH will sail, but only once a year.

My biggest tip is just go with the flow and have fun (only places we had to be were "on time for dinner" and "ready for the excursion").

DS does not really like the kid's clubs, so I didn't do that much with him, but in the AM, I'd get up early, sit on the balcony, read a book, and have room service deliver me some tea. So, I still got me time in. In the afternoon, we'd get a cheese tray and relax on the balcony between pool time and getting ready for dinner.

Same on the family trip to a certain extent (although with cousins/grandparents I got more breaks).

I'm not sure a 4.5 yr old will love the clubs, so be ready with other ideas (like going to see the characters).

 

[LadyRachel_ofMischief]

Second the cell phone number bit. Years ago when my oldest was 6 and Disney quest still existed at the former Downtown Disney (yes that long ago in Orlando) my son got seperated from us. He knew two things that helped him:

1. Find a cast member wearing a Disney name tag and tell them the problem and

2. Memorize my cell phone number. Before I could find a CM to talk to about my “lost” son inside the building - I got a call from a cast member on my cell phone saying my son was with him in the food area of Disney quest.

Crisis and parent panic and breakdown averted.

The two of you will love the ship! Enjoy -

Yes thank you!!

 

[LadyRachel_ofMischief]

This is so helpful, thank you! What’s so funnny is we have a little song worth our home address memorized but I don’t know why I’ve never thought to do one with my phone number!

Hi there! Single mom here, and I’ve been traveling solo with my now 13 year old daughter since she was 4, including 5 Disney cruises so far!

On the ship, definitely try to take advantage of the kids clubs so you can have some “me time” once in a while. Hopefully you’ll find an excursion or two during your port call(s) that you both would enjoy. Take advantage of room service during nap time, or splurge before bed with milk and cookies for both of you! Other than that, just keep an eye on the schedule of activities in the DCL app so you can do fun stuff together too.

I have all sorts of suggestions for planes too, but it sounds like you’ve got that figured out already. Honestly, for me, that’s the hardest part of traveling as a single parent.

One more piece of advice (which could serve you well beyond your cruise): have your child memorize your cell phone number, if you haven’t already. I taught my daughter to sing my phone number to help her memorize it when she was 4. We just made up a little tune, and it totally worked. Now if you two get separated, your kiddo will be able to help you find them!

 

[LadyRachel_ofMischief]

Im not so sure he will love the kids club either. He’s pretty attached- still has a he’s time being left at his regular daycare let alone a new place.

I think he will love how it all looks tho and I heard they do hero training there?

Also heard there is an open play time where parents can go with the kids to it? Do you have any insight on that?

I've solo sailed once with DS (who was 6 at the time) and then traveled solo with him to meet up with family and then sail (he was 7). DH will sail, but only once a year.

My biggest tip is just go with the flow and have fun (only places we had to be were "on time for dinner" and "ready for the excursion").

DS does not really like the kid's clubs, so I didn't do that much with him, but in the AM, I'd get up early, sit on the balcony, read a book, and have room service deliver me some tea. So, I still got me time in. In the afternoon, we'd get a cheese tray and relax on the balcony between pool time and getting ready for dinner.

Same on the family trip to a certain extent (although with cousins/grandparents I got more breaks).

I'm not sure a 4.5 yr old will love the clubs, so be ready with other ideas (like going to see the characters).

 

[Calantha]

I think he will love how it all looks tho and I heard they do hero training there?

Also heard there is an open play time where parents can go with the kids to it? Do you have any insight on that?

Yes, there is hero training, but I don't know how it works.

But yes, there are plenty of open house times throughout the week (including right after you get on the ship). I recommend going there for at least a few minutes mid-afternoon the first day to help your son get the lay of the land, as there are many smaller rooms to check out (my son did love the Star Wars room). Then at other times, they will have certain areas 'locked' for secure play with other rooms open to the whole family.

In the app, you'll be able to see throughout the day the different events, so, maybe he'd like to go do one specific thing, you can drop him off for just those 30 min, etc.

I don't know if you said which ship you're on, but if you're on the Wish, note, there can be lines to get your kid out at certain times of the day. I've never noticed it before on the other ships.