HeWhoWaits

In Bonaire, do something snorkel or scuba related. Our son and daughter-in-law did the "Discover Scuba Diving" excursion and raved about it. For something low-key in Aruba, I loved the Butterfly Farm. Great for adults and little ones. Eagle Beach was also quite nice.

Plan to have a blast seeing the ship from a perspective you never get as an adult. Let the little one run and just try to keep up.

Sometimes the best way to introduce a person with reservations about cruising is to get them on a shorter cruise (3 or 4 nights).

We just completed a family cruise and were easily able to apply a cash payment against several different accounts. It is easy and painless. If you want to avoid applying more than has been spent, check the account balance on your TV (if offered) or get an account print out from Guest Services prior to making the payment.

We've experienced the "NO! I don't want to leave" with both our kids and now with our granddaughter. The AO programs are great.

If you use a porter, you'll breeze right through even as one of the last off the ship. Just a few days ago the agent asked one of our group of six if we were carrying any food off the ship - that was the extent of our "customs" experience. Another option is to select the self carry option and be one of the first off the ship.

If your daughter is accustomed to using a stroller, better to bring it along. Don't let something like tired of walking ruin the vacation for both you and your daughter. As @cmdrfrag says, an umbrella stroller is easy to transport and store. The alternative to a stroller is that you should be prepared for her to be tired of walking and desire to be carried. Are you prepared to do so? The answer to this question will determine whether the stroller is a necessity or an inconvenience for you.

Another option is to carry the cover from your travel companions' room service continental up to Windjammer - if you use that cover on your first plate, the second plate has a nice flat surface to sit upon for ease of carrying. The stacking possibilities are only limited by your ability to hold a pile steady.

I was on the Freedom sailing where this happened. The reports of delayed departure because of the accident are very overblown - we were scheduled to depart St. Maarten at 5:00 p.m. and pulled away from the dock at 5:20. The ship was NOT delayed until Sunday. Early reports shared with us by the suites concierge were that the driver was texting when the accident happened. One passenger suffered a broken arm and one had water in the lungs.

The DoubleTree was very nice and had multiple restaurant options nearby. We can recommend Bebos if you're looking for "local" fare, Fillie's if you're more of a burger type.

For our three year old granddaughter on Freedom last week, they gave us a phone each time we checked her in and we returned it when picking her up. They never needed to contact us but the capability was there. The kids also get a wristband that indicates their muster station. If there was a need, the crew can identify where the kids are supposed to go.

A belated thank you @Skid. We boarded Freedom on Father's Day - great week with our kids and especially grandkids.

$90 will buy you a great excursion or a couple days of DBP. Worst case - it pays for your airport parking and you have a little left over.

We just got off the ABC and St. Maarten itinerary on Freedom. Best advice I can give about this one is that unless you're going to snorkel or scuba, Bonaire is a great day to stay on the ship - not much to do there above the water. However if you want to dive - this is a must do destination. Plan on it feeling much hotter than the predicted high temperatures - highs in the low 80s with 98% humidity is still very sweaty weather.

Would that be a cross between the Labadoozie and a poodle?