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We are also Diamond members only because of the status reciprocity with Celebrity, and I just emailed Royal to get my kids C&A numbers the other day. They’ve only been on one RCI cruise, and we’re booked for another this fall.  I was under the assumption that they’d be Diamond as well, but the reply I got with their new membership numbers indicated they’d have Gold status.  I’m not terribly concerned with it either way, so I guess we’ll find out on board 🤷‍♀️

Thanks again, appreciate the response. I know it probably seems like a dumb question, but we are only “diamond” due to our status on Celebrity, and haven’t sailed with Royal in about 4 years.

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Thank you! Was that the standard special during the cruise or did you need a coupon? Do you happen to remember if there was a limit on the # of items?

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Greetings!

What are the current onboard C&A coupon offers for discounted laundry? (diamond member if it matters)

Or can anyone advise on the regular laundry specials that have been offered onboard, or does it seem to vary significantly by ship/sailing?

Starting to pack for our upcoming 9 nights on Anthem, and attempting to fit my own plus 2 kids’ clothes into one suitcase, so could use all the help we can get [emoji23]

I apologize if this has been asked recently, I did a search and it seemed like the majority of posts were 2+ years old.

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So DH and I could both hold a child while on the shuttle bus and that would be ok?

I would call the hotel to find out what type of vehicle they use for the shuttle. Some use a large van instead of a bus, in which case you would absolutely need car seats.

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Bring whatever packaged snacks he usually likes. We always have plenty of fruit/veggie purée pouches on hand (you'll want to keep them separate for security screening). Also things like crackers, dried/freeze dried fruit, dry cereal, etc. We also had some dried meal packets that you make with just hot water. Plum Organics makes them- I know there's a quinoa/veggie and a broccoli/pasta, as well as a multigrain oatmeal.

A few new or favorite small toys and books, but don't go overboard, as you know, a one year old has a very limited attention span. The "water wow" coloring pads are good for that age. We did get an Amazon fire tablet (<$100) for our 15 month old on her first transatlantic flight, that kept her attention the longest with videos and simple games. She still loves it now as a 2 year old, but we limit screen time at home so she's only allowed to use it when we travel- added bonus is that it keeps her attention even longer since it's a special treat.

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We used Gray Line for a transfer from Reykjavik to the airport with a stop at the Blue Lagoon, and I know they offer the reverse itinerary as well. I think you can also book transfers through a different operator directly through the Blue Lagoon when you purchase your tickets (which you'll want to do before you arrive). Depending on where your hotel is located, you may need a taxi from the bus terminal in Reykjavik. There is luggage storage at the lagoon, it's located near the bus drop off point.

Take a look at grayline.is and bluelagoon.com for more info.

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Here are photos of the crib setup on Celebrity (Silhouette) and Cunard (QM2). Both were about the width of a standard pack n play, but slightly longer. Both lines provided a flat sheet and a throw blanket. Of course we didn't need the blanket, and like a previous poster stated, we just had to re-tuck the sheet when it got bunched up. We usually kept the crib set up all day so we could use it for naps, but the stewards always offered to put it away during the day if we wanted.

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I can't speak for NCL or the Breakaway in particular, but our daughter's first cruise was at 15 months, and that went well enough that she will be going on her second cruise in a few weeks (she's 21 months now).

Don't cancel your crib request, it does make the room a little crowded but I know my child would never stay put on the sofa. Also, your room steward will probably put it away in the morning and make it up at night if you ask.

We didn't bring a tub and we didn't need one, and in fact our daughter asks to use the shower at home now. But not all kids are the same, so I'd re-evaluate closer to the time of your cruise. Our cruise involved an international flight though, so we only brought the absolute necessities. On that note, as another poster mentioned, you'll want to make sure you have plenty of diapers, wipes, and any over the counter meds you think you may need. It's unlikely that they'll have those types of things readily available on the ship, although I'm sure you could find what you need in Bermuda. We don't use them much at home anymore, but for us it's handy to have some of those purée pouches when we travel (along with other packaged snacks), because toddlers are not patient when they're hungry. Not necessary on the ship, but come in handy when you're out and about.

Definitely get an umbrella type stroller. We also have what's considered a compact regular stroller (Uppababy Cruz), but you are correct that even something that size is not easy to lug on and off of a bus.

As for entertainment, I assume you'll be able to bring him to a toddler area of the kids club to use the toys there, we were on Celebrity and you could check out toys to use in your room as well so maybe the Breakaway would have that service. Honestly, kids that age are happy walking around the ship and just seeing the sights and waving at fellow passengers. There are usually alcoves and such around the ship with chairs to climb on, or art to look at. So maybe you'll be a little bored, but I assure you, your kid won't be [emoji4].

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I would also suggest Celebrity, especially if your kids are over 3 and can fully utilize the children's programs. All of the other parents we talked to said that the kids were really enjoying it (our daughter isn't old enough for the program yet, so we were only able to bring her to the club to play at certain times).

We have also cruised with RCI, before kids, but the service and ambiance is not quite what we were accustomed to on with Celebrity. Will be sailing on Cunard next month for the first time and have heard great things about their kids program as well. And under 2's sail free!

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It's a little more than you want to spend, but I second the recommendation for the mountain buggy nano. You may be able to find a used one or a prior year model at a discount though, and it would be well worth it.

I have also owned the Maclaren Globetrotter, and while it's generally a highly recommended lightweight stroller, I didn't like it. It's hard to push and has a bumpy ride. It was ok when my daughter was smaller, but as she got heavier, it was a pain. Sold it after 6 months, and got the Mountain Buggy. Our next trip is still a month away, but I've been using it as my daily stroller and it is amazing. My 20 month old seems much more comfortable in it as well.

Although you said it doesn't matter to you, you can attach any infant seat or a compact convertible seat, with no additional adapters.

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If you are driving, I believe you'd have the most options (and therefore more price competition) if you look at sailing from Houston/Galveston. The least expensive way to go would be 2 cabins of 4, especially if you can take advantage of a 3/4 passenger promo like was mentioned above. The more comfortable option would be a separate cabin for you and your spouse, and 2 kids' cabins. Start by determining a budget and time of year that you'd like to sail, and begin your research from there. Good luck!

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This is soooo helpful! Thanks! I am super glad they have a room, but sad to hear its only available a few hours a day. If that were available all day it would have been so nice!!! It is tough with a kiddo under 3 for sure! Oasis class has really spoiled us with their toddler amenities! Thanks for the info!

I hope there's a chance that they will extend the toddler hours based on the cruise, since ours was very port intensive (Northern Europe), and South America has more sea days. We did the FLL- Valparaiso repo cruise before kids, are you doing a Cape Horn B2B? The facilities on Infinity may be laid out differently than on the S-class ships. We were told by a staff member that the reason for the limited hours was because they were using the toddler area for activities with other age groups.

I'd love to take her on Oasis, we hated it as a couple but now as a parent I see there was so much for kids to do, and I think it would be great!

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For children under 3, they did have the toddler room for use with parent supervision, but (at least on our Silhouette cruise), it was not available all day. The times could vary, but it was generally something like 9-12 and 2-4 daily. They did allow you to check out toys and books for use in your cabin. In-cabin babysitting is available for $19/hour.

As much as we love Celebrity, and had no issues with the toddler services that were available, we've decided that we might be happier on other cruise lines that offer a bit more, at least until our daughter is over 3 and can participate in the regular kids club program.

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I'm not sure how it would work for 5 pax in a cabin, but children under 2 sail for free on Cunard. That was certainly a deciding factor for "jumping ship" from RCI/Celebrity and booking our next cruise with them!

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Thank you all for your replies. I know that Cunard is not a typical family cruise line but from all accounts, it sounds like they have an excellent kids program and families are very welcomed!

I am not sure when your cruise is but we are taking our 1 year old on the QM2 next month (Aug 18-30) so I could provide more details after that. So far we have requested a crib and baby food on the ship. In picking the QM2 I also read a blog (Dutch Dutch Goose) that had a couple different posts about being on the QM2 with kids.

 

 

 

http://www.dutchdutchgoose.com/2015/08/13/tips-tricks-for-traveling-with-kids-on-the-qm2/

Our cruise is not until November, so please do report back when you return from your trip! We requested baby food on our last trip with Celebrity and it came in very handy, but I'm not planning on it this time since she'll be almost 2. We'll still need to ask for a crib though.

Thank you so much for the link to the blog, it has some fantastic info and photos! I hope the nursery will work out for us, I'm a little concerned about her needing to be asleep to leave her there. But no harm in trying, anyway :).

We'll be on the QM2 on Sunday, traveling with our 6 yr old.

I'll be posting lots photos, comments and observations, primarily on my social media accounts 3tickets2theworld but also on here [emoji4]

Whilst my son won't be in the night nursery, I'll be able to report back on our experience of the kids club during the day and evening.

I'll try and look you up and follow along, since I don't get on CC much either. Enjoy your cruise!

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Is there anyone on the forum who has recently sailed with a young child and can comment on the onboard services offered? I'm particularly interested in the night nursery for 1 year olds (beyond what is on Cunard's website) but would also welcome any firsthand info about the kids club or any other experiences your kids enjoyed on the cruise.

We have a deposit on a QM2 sailing, and are experienced cruisers (primarily with Celebrity), but this would be our first time with Cunard. Our daughter's first cruise was wonderful but we didn't think the services on Celebrity were very good for children under 3, which is why we are looking at other options.

I posted on the Family Cruising board and didn't get any responses, so hoping to have better luck here.

Thanks in advance!

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Here you go! You're right, it is a tight fit but it works fine. We could still walk by and get to the balcony. Our steward offered to pack it away and reset every night but we told him to leave it out since we used it some during the day. This is on Silhouette, so the room will be identical as long as you have the bed by the bath layout. Otherwise the layout will be opposite, with the sofa by the bath/closet.

Oh, and we did bring our own pack n play sheet. They will just fold a regular sheet around the mattress otherwise.

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I started the bathing post the other day. I'm still not sure what to do.

 

Are there locks on the balcony doors? Just wondering.

 

By the way, I just bought online a travel bottle brush/dryrack kit from OXO. It fits in the pocket of the diaper bag for our cruise. I was very excited I found it.

 

Any other special hints/tips that can save my nerves this week. We leave Friday...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Don't stress! It's no different than taking care of your kid at home, except for someone else gets to do all of the cooking and cleaning for you :).

The balcony is locked when the handle is rotated all the way up, and unlocks and opens when it's all the way down, if that makes sense. Our daughter couldn't open it, but I bet a kid 2+ could.

I didn't see how old your child is, but ours was 15 months on our last cruise and we didn't bother with bringing an inflatable tub, just got in the shower with her and it worked great. All she does is play in the tub anyway. However, I assume you're on a warm weather cruise (unless it's Alaska), and in that case I could see the tub being handy for playtime up on deck since young children can't use the pool.

Bring whatever sippy cups or bottles you might need, we thought we could get by just using a straw with a regular cup at mealtime, but she kept wanting to hold onto it and it was a hassle.

You'll want either disposable bibs or napkin clips if you have a messy eater. Stain remover wipes are handy too.

A few small toys that I'm sure you keep in your diaper bag anyway, for when the wait is a little long at dinner. You can borrow bigger toys or books from the kids club.

Packaged snacks or purée pouches for when you're in port.

Diapers and wipes of course. I also packed a small medical kit (which I always do anyway) with baby Tylenol, band aids, gas drops, sunscreen, anything that you might possibly need.

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I participated in this thread before and got some great tips from the OP. We have since returned from our cruise on the Silhouette (it was actually 2 months ago now [emoji26]), so thought I'd come back and add a little about our experience.

Overall, we had a fantastic time and everyone we encountered on the ship from employees to fellow passengers doted on our daughter. She loved all of the attention and was treated like a little celebrity :).

The pack n play was in the room as requested and the steward offered to set up/take down every night, but we just had him leave it. It made the cabin a little cramped but we weren't there a lot anyway. It did seem a little unstable as the OP mentioned but never seemed in danger of collapsing even with our daughter standing, walking, and even jumping (15 months old, ~24 lbs).

We didn't take an inflatable tub, and just showered with the baby. She loved it and now asks for showers at home.

We had a strange experience with baby food. Per the Celebrity Special Needs department, they will provide packaged baby food on request, supposedly delivered to your stateroom on embarkation. They emailed a form, I sent it back, and they said they would do their best to honor the request. Our daughter doesn't normally eat a lot of puréed food but we thought it would be handy to have some for snacks or quick meals when we were out and about in port. There was no food when we got to our cabin, and still nothing by the next morning, so we went to guest relations. They were very nice, but said that they were sorry and they had no record of our request. Still not a big deal, as we had picked some food pouches along with diapers and other supplies before we boarded in Southampton. So we assumed the request form just hadn't made it to the ship, but then that same day, before dinner, a Walmart bag full of baby food appeared in our cabin. Given that we were cruising in the North Sea, far away from the nearest Walmart (and the food had American labeling), I can only guess that it was on brought on board before the TA and by some miracle made it to us, even if guest relations apparently had no record of it.

Our experience with finding high chairs was similar to what others reported. There were a few floating around in the buffet and we would try and grab a free one when we saw it. If a staff member saw us first, they would help, but usually we managed ourselves. We did select dining in the MDR, and after the first night, there was a high chair waiting for us at dinner when we sat down. I never saw any in the Aquaspa cafe, Al Bacio, etc, but we really didn't take her there to eat so it wasn't a problem.

The only restroom on board with diaper changing facilities (that we noticed) was the one outside of the Fun Factory, so we had to plan accordingly. They did provide diapers and wipes at that station, so that was a nice touch, one less thing to carry around on the ship.

I really can't comment on keeping her entertained on the ship, as our itinerary was port intensive so it didn't seem like we had a lot of time to kill on board. I do feel like the Fun Factory could have had extended hours for toddler play. It wasn't usually manned by a staff member anyway, so I didn't understand the limited schedule. The toy lending program was very handy.

We used the in cabin baby sitting service one night so we could enjoy the Lawn Club Grill, and had no complaints. The sitters took her outside of the cabin to play (we signed a permission form for this), and she was in bed asleep by the time we returned.

We also spent 5 days in a hotel following the cruise (and a week at Disney a few months prior), and while we love land based vacations and had a great time, life on the cruise ship was so much easier than vacationing on land with a baby!

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Does anyone have experience using the night nursery on Cunard Ships? We're looking at a QM2 crossing if it matters. From what I could gather on the website, it sounds like the child must be dropped off already asleep or ready to fall asleep. Our daughter will be 22 months old, and would like to take advantage of this program but it's doubtful that she would willingly go to sleep if we drop her off at 6-7 p.m. Would they allow her to play quietly/ look at books or participate in the other kids programming if appropriate?

Would love to hear from anyone who has sailed Cunard with a toddler :).

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I agree with the previous posters to not bring either full size stroller and instead use an umbrella type stroller (reclining if necessary). I'm fairly certain that the britax will not fit through cabin doorways or past a housekeeping cart parked in the hallway. So you'd need to be prepared to fold and carry it quite a bit.

I was curious if anyone left the stroller at home completely and just used a baby carrier? I have a breathable mesh carrier I wanted to bring and wondered if I could get by with just that? He can sleep in it and I don't have to worry about trying to maneuver a stroller around other people.

 

Any baby wearers out there with insight!?

We did bring a compact stroller (a MacLaren globetrotter), however I absolutely think you could get by with not taking one, depending on where you're cruising. Our daughter was 15 months at the time we sailed, and we did not use the stroller at all on board the ship. One of her favorite activities on board was probably walking down the hall from the elevator to our cabin, saying "hi" to everyone along the way. Young toddlers are easily entertained :). We did use it extensively in port, but we were in Northern Europe and did a lot of walking/city tours, etc. If you are on a Caribbean cruise and mostly planning to go to the beach, etc. I don't see any reason why you'd need the stroller. We also brought a baby carrier but didn't end up using that much either, but if our daughter was younger and not walking yet, then I think we would have used it a lot more.

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We are just off Silhouette last week and ate at the LCG for dinner sailing between Norway and Denmark. Outside temp was in the lower 40's and raining but we were comfortable inside the grill as they had the plastic partition up and provided blankets.

There was no trouble getting a reservation on board (discounts were being offered throughout the cruise) and the restaurant was fairly empty from what we saw, likely due to the weather. Did not notice it being open for lunch, but we were in port most days.

We enjoyed the LCG but thought it was good, not great. Certainly not our favorite specialty, but glad we had a chance to try it out.

Bon Voyage!

Great photos so far, look forward to following along with you, as we will board Silhouette on the 23rd in Southampton. We are also in our early 30s, so hope the average age skews slightly younger on our trip, but not too worried about it, we enjoy meeting people of all ages. Would have loved to be on the TA, if only we could get that much vacation time. Enjoy!

We did request a pack and play...they didn't put a sheet, just folded. Sheets and a blanket. That made me nervous and luckily we brought a crib sheet which worked fine.

 

 

 

We didn't request food, just brought our own, but I'd imagine they'd be very accommodating.

 

 

 

We brought a much smaller stroller which helped maneuver through the crowds and narrow hallways.

 

 

 

Request a high chair too. They were hard to find all over the ship.

 

 

 

I'll try to think of something else but feel free to ask questions!

Thank you! The sheet and blanket make me nervous too so I think I'll just throw a pack and play sheet in the suitcase.

Good tips about the high chairs too, I didn't even think of that. I don't think we're interested in having one in our room, but did you even have to ask in the dining room? We're doing select dining in the MDR, so I hope after the first night they'll keep one handy for us. How did things work out in the Oceanview and the Aquaspa Cafe?

Also, I think you mentioned it in another post, but I didn't consider changing tables either. No big deal, sounds like we'll be heading back to our cabin to change diapers as well.

We just got a travel stroller for this trip, and although I don't like it nearly as much as our regular one, I know it will be very convenient to have on the ship and in port.

Thanks again for all the advice!