None of the above were "naysayer" observations. You note that HAL does not allow children under 12 months on their European itineraries - and they should know.
This is simply inaccurate information. I know because we will be sailing with an 8-month-old (and his 2.5 year old big sister) on a 21-day Ryndam "collector" this October then again for 17-days at Christmas.
To the OP... we would, we have and we are doing it again! Our daughter was 8 months old on her first cruise (Canada from NY), 9 months on her second (14 day Caribbean and the grandparents came along), and 20 months on a 14 day med cruise last October.
A pleasant surprise is that HAL actually makes life easy for parents by offering a pre-order form for essentials like diapers, baby food, etc (for a reasonable fee of course) for those who don't want to pack that stuff to bring with.
As expats, we are seasoned travelers (not just on cruises) and our first born did over 30 flight legs before her first brithday. Get a good travel "diaper" backpack. We use one we ordered on line from a company called okatots. We also have a portable "highchair" that folds up the size of a larger hardcover book but weighs half as much (it fits most tables). Make a smart choice about your stroller (we like our bob because it's all-terrain while still folding down very easily) and get a bjorn or something similar for outings where a stroller may not be required or practical. Our ipads are loaded with our little girl's fav "toons" so she's suitably entertained during meal time.
It's about planning and expectation management. We don't expect to see every sight in every port like we might have tried pre-baby but we find amazing ways to have fun as a family... our daughter LOVED Piazza Novona - running round and round the fountains in the sun, she thought the old windmills on Mykonos were "funny", she had a bad tummy in Santorini so played on our balcony and enjoyed the empty ship, she's been over every bridge imaginable in Venice (in her "bob" stroller), she weathered a flash downpour with mommy and daddy in a quaint bistro in fortress of Dubrovnik eagerly munching her croissant on one of the best shop-and-stroll days we've ever had, she presses her face against the glass of her balcony staring out at the vast seas with the look of an adventurer, she first learned to say "hi" on a crusie ship waving to all the passenegers in the various hallways as we walked by. And she's had tantrums and vomited and finger-painted and danced and flirted with "her" butler (NCL) and made strange when the captain picked her up and we have photos of every one of the moments and a zillion more that she'll have forever and now were fortunate enough to be able to do the same with her kid brother as well.
Indeed there are different strokes for different folks so travel with a thick skin because there will be some grumps and crumudgeons who scoff at you (or whisper behind your back more often) because you've dared to enjoy your family on "their" private cruise ship, but there will be far more who smile and laugh with you and your urchins.
Ultimately it's your call - there are lots of points, many valid, from other posters in this thread to digest as to their opinion of "if" they would do it. But there are also a few to consider from those the "have" done it (with varying success it seems). We are inviting my wife's parents (at our expense) to join in Oct so they can get three weeks of time with their two youngest grandbabies (the last they will ever have) and, ideed, to allow the two of some "couple" time.
Would you take an infant on Mediterranean Cruise ?
in Holland America Line
Posted
This is simply inaccurate information. I know because we will be sailing with an 8-month-old (and his 2.5 year old big sister) on a 21-day Ryndam "collector" this October then again for 17-days at Christmas.
To the OP... we would, we have and we are doing it again! Our daughter was 8 months old on her first cruise (Canada from NY), 9 months on her second (14 day Caribbean and the grandparents came along), and 20 months on a 14 day med cruise last October.
A pleasant surprise is that HAL actually makes life easy for parents by offering a pre-order form for essentials like diapers, baby food, etc (for a reasonable fee of course) for those who don't want to pack that stuff to bring with.
As expats, we are seasoned travelers (not just on cruises) and our first born did over 30 flight legs before her first brithday. Get a good travel "diaper" backpack. We use one we ordered on line from a company called okatots. We also have a portable "highchair" that folds up the size of a larger hardcover book but weighs half as much (it fits most tables). Make a smart choice about your stroller (we like our bob because it's all-terrain while still folding down very easily) and get a bjorn or something similar for outings where a stroller may not be required or practical. Our ipads are loaded with our little girl's fav "toons" so she's suitably entertained during meal time.
It's about planning and expectation management. We don't expect to see every sight in every port like we might have tried pre-baby but we find amazing ways to have fun as a family... our daughter LOVED Piazza Novona - running round and round the fountains in the sun, she thought the old windmills on Mykonos were "funny", she had a bad tummy in Santorini so played on our balcony and enjoyed the empty ship, she's been over every bridge imaginable in Venice (in her "bob" stroller), she weathered a flash downpour with mommy and daddy in a quaint bistro in fortress of Dubrovnik eagerly munching her croissant on one of the best shop-and-stroll days we've ever had, she presses her face against the glass of her balcony staring out at the vast seas with the look of an adventurer, she first learned to say "hi" on a crusie ship waving to all the passenegers in the various hallways as we walked by. And she's had tantrums and vomited and finger-painted and danced and flirted with "her" butler (NCL) and made strange when the captain picked her up and we have photos of every one of the moments and a zillion more that she'll have forever and now were fortunate enough to be able to do the same with her kid brother as well.
Indeed there are different strokes for different folks so travel with a thick skin because there will be some grumps and crumudgeons who scoff at you (or whisper behind your back more often) because you've dared to enjoy your family on "their" private cruise ship, but there will be far more who smile and laugh with you and your urchins.
Ultimately it's your call - there are lots of points, many valid, from other posters in this thread to digest as to their opinion of "if" they would do it. But there are also a few to consider from those the "have" done it (with varying success it seems). We are inviting my wife's parents (at our expense) to join in Oct so they can get three weeks of time with their two youngest grandbabies (the last they will ever have) and, ideed, to allow the two of some "couple" time.
I hope my post is of some help.
Happy cruising all
csm