Just booked a Cunard cruise for my mother in law's 75th birthday… what should I expect for my 5-year-old?

Seeking Help
1

Hi everyone, I just went ahead and booked a January cruise from NYC to Southampton with no ports for my mother in law’s 75th birthday.

It’s for 8 nights from January 3rd to 11th.

We’ll spend 2 nights in NYC first and then visit some family in England. I know it will be cold, and I hope she won’t be disappointed that we aren’t going somewhere warm.

But I really think she will enjoy the experience of traveling by ship. She loves meeting new people, chatting, swimming, reading, dining, dressing up, and enjoying some wine!

The thing I’m a bit anxious about is that we’re bringing my 5-year-old daughter along too. I’ve heard this cruise line is mostly for older folks, and I’m not sure there will be many kids on board in January.

My daughter loves any kind of vacation, especially when I can focus on her and not work. So even if there aren’t a lot of other kids, I feel like we can have a great time swimming in the heated pool, playing games, and reading together.

When we did a Disney cruise, she enjoyed the characters but really just loved spending time with me in the pools and playing around.

Here’s our group’s setup:

  • 75-year-old mother / Balcony room 5th mid.
  • My husband, daughter, and I in an ocean view room forward.

I’m having trouble figuring out how to book our dining times. Is there an app for that? I couldn’t find anything in the App Store.

I know my mother in law will love it, and my husband will too. I just worry a bit that my daughter might miss playing with other kids. If there aren’t many kids on the cruise, will they still have a kids’ program?

Thanks for any info or reassurance about the kid situation. She is really well-behaved and not disruptive at all. She mainly likes chatting with people, swimming, reading, and drawing.

2

Here’s what the original poster shared:
Hi everyone, I just went ahead and booked a January cruise from NYC to Southampton with no ports for my mother in law’s 75th birthday.

It’s for 8 nights from January 3rd to 11th.

We’ll spend 2 nights in NYC first and then visit some family in England. I know it will be cold, and I hope she won’t be disappointed that we aren’t going somewhere warm.

But I really think she will enjoy the experience of traveling by ship. She loves meeting new people, chatting, swimming, reading, dining, dressing up, and enjoying some wine!

The thing I’m a bit anxious about is that we’re bringing my 5-year-old daughter along too. I’ve heard this cruise line is mostly for older folks, and I’m not sure there will be many kids on board in January.

My daughter loves any kind of vacation, especially when I can focus on her and not work. So even if there aren’t a lot of other kids, I feel like we can have a great time swimming in the heated pool, playing games, and reading together.

When we did a Disney cruise, she enjoyed the characters but really just loved spending time with me in the pools and playing around.

Here’s our group’s setup:

  • 75-year-old mother / Balcony room 5th mid.
  • My husband, daughter, and I in an ocean view room forward.

I’m having trouble figuring out how to book our dining times. Is there an app for that? I couldn’t find anything in the App Store.

I know my mother in law will love it, and my husband will too. I just worry a bit that my daughter might miss playing with other kids. If there aren’t many kids on the cruise, will they still have a kids’ program?

Thanks for any info or reassurance about the kid situation. She is really well-behaved and not disruptive at all. She mainly likes chatting with people, swimming, reading, and drawing.

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3

@Arielle
I understand your concerns… but I think your daughter will have a lot of fun! Kids often find ways to enjoy themselves even without many peers around.

4

Honestly, I think your daughter will have a great time. For dining, we were able to pick early seating for our family. Cunard can be a bit old-fashioned with their tech; they don’t have an app. You can set everything up through your Cunard account, which you make with your name, birthday, and cruise confirmation number.

It might help to talk to a Cunard agent to sort everything out - ours was super helpful.

5

@Blake
She also LOVES to dress up… the fancier, the better!

6

Haru said:
@Blake
She also LOVES to dress up… the fancier, the better!

Oh, that’s great! People will be so happy to see her dressed up, and she’ll get lots of compliments and smiles! I hope you all have an amazing time!

7

If you booked directly, you should ask Cunard. If you went through a travel agent, reach out to them with all your questions!