Hi Foxy,
These are all really good questions, and quite common for first-time cruisers with kids (even on non-Disney cruises). I'll try to answer most of them as best I can.
how safe is the cruise for little ones?
Since this is a very broad question, I'll give a very broad answer. It's as safe as just about any other kind of vacation, whether it's a cruise or an all-inclusive resort or a week in NYC. What many first-time cruisers don't realize is that your ship becomes a small town when it sets sail. You're traveling with 3,000 strangers. There are opportunities for accidents, just like anywhere else. There are opportunities for crime. I'm not trying to scare you or anybody else, but it's just the fact of the matter.
Now, does DCL do a good job of providing play areas for kids that are supervised and as safe as possible? Yes, they actually do a GREAT job of this. My daughter has been on 15 DCL cruises, beginning when she was 6. And I've never been fearful for her safety onboard. Not once.
I like to know where she is and to be able to see her at all times.
When your daughter is in the Oceaneer's Club, she will be with club staff, but you might not always know exactly where she is. They may move the kids from the club to the buffet for lunch. She could be sleeping behind some equipment and the staff might not know exactly where she is. (This actually happened in a highly discussed "incident" last year. The parents panicked, but the kid was actually in the club the whole time. The staff just couldn't put eyes on her because she was under some play equipment or something.)
Also, if you put her in the club, you will not be able to see her at all times. Adults aren't allowed into the clubs, except during specific Open House times. You'll be able to go to the club and request the staff to bring her to you, but you won't be allowed to go into the club to watch her or to play with her. Just something for you to be aware of.
How tall are the railings and guard rails around the sides of the boat?
They're probably about 4 feet high. I'm 5'7" and they come up to about the bottom of my rib cage.
Are there issues with kids climbing guard rails or are stair cases and what not all internal?
I've never heard of a case where a child was injured after climbing a railing. That doesn't mean it hasn't happened, and I'm sure that there are kids who just have to climb, but I've never seen or heard of an injury from this situation. My nephew was one of those boys who was VERY active and would climb or run if you turned your back for a second. But even he was never able to get over a railing.
As for internal or external staircases, there are outdoor staircases on the upper decks. They're very safe, although like any surface, they can be slippery when wet. But again, I've never worried about my own daughter's safety on these outdoor stairs.
When traveling with small kids do you feel like you can let them play and not worry they will get hurt or climb overboard????
The short answer is yes. We usually cruise in a balcony stateroom and I was never worried that my daughter (or even my crazy nephew) would climb up and go over the railing. This would be especially true for you, if you're hyper-vigilant, as you stated.
And since we're talking about hyper-vigilance, let me just say that this is especially important in the pool areas. As you may have read, a young child suffered serious brain damage after he was found unconscious in one of the Fantasy's pools a couple of years ago. Just this past week, a child drowned while onboard Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas. As I said earlier, no one can remove all the risk, but these accidents could just as easily occur at a resort at WDW. You just have to be aware of your child's surroundings.
One final question, does anyone know if Disney still offers land and sea packages????
No, these are no longer offered as a package deal through Walt Disney Travel. However, your travel agent can easily put together a cruise and resort package for you. I've done this for my clients and it's a seamless procedure.
I hope that I've been helpful and not overly scary. That certainly isn't my intent. As I said, I've been on 15 DCL cruises and love the experience. You should go. You'll have a great time. So will your daughter!
