Allure- May 2012- eastern caribbean with a baby- help!

[obsessedsc]

I'm so tired of researching...i would love for someone to just tell me what to do!!! Our may 2012 cruise on the Allure stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Martin! Going to be me and my husband (25) and (27) our (9 month old) son, my parents (50s) and my brother (24). None of us have cruised with a baby before and I'm a cruise fanatic! My mom is not so much into cruising and I keep telling her that she needs to cruise with us before she says she'll never go again! we always have a blast because we plan so well! I also need to know what to bring as far as stroller and/ or car seat and/or life jacket (and what to do with them during the excursions). I would love to find beaches close by each of these ports and keep it as low maintenace as possible! We would like to get off the ship and find a beach at least 2 of the ports if not all 3!

 

so far- we are thinking megans bay in st. thomas.

 

another ? i had was that we did atlantis aquaventure on our last cruise and had a great time and said we'd do it again but this cruise leaves nassau at 2pm and im not sure that it's worth it (also dont remember how we got there and if the excursion allows babies) !

 

Please HELP! It's very important because I would love to cruise with all my family and baby(s) again and kind of need to prove that it can happen and be fun! If things dont go well it may be awhile before I get to cruise again! yikes!

 

* i posted on the family board as well but i thought maybe even people without kids that have been to these ports over and over may have some insight*

[vickiw0318]

You can check the excursion options for your cruise. Age restrictions are posted.

 

Megan's Bay would be good.

 

It's easy to take a water taxi into Phillipsburg, Saint Martaan. (Very short ride.) There's a beach right there.

[CruisinGerman]

We waited until our kids knew what was going on before we took them on cruises, far-away vacations, etc.

 

The only exception was when I was moved from the United States to Spain for a diplomatic post in Spain, and the entire family moved with me.

 

From an older person's point of view, I don't think it is fair to the child to go on a cruise at such a young, infant, age.

 

On the other hand, if basically your entire family nucleus (parents, brother) are going to be there, then maybe I'm wrong and maybe everyone in the family can pitch in and help take care of the baby.

 

Do try for beaches close to the ship. The suggestions you've received are good ones.

 

Also I would request a large table just for your extended family. I don't think strangers would enjoy the infant's presence at the dinner table.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Vanilla]

In Nassau, we went to the Wyndam Resort for the day - nice beach/pool area. Small splash pool for kids, can go indoors to cool off/feed baby. Great indoor buffet restaurant & Starbucks. I have been to several beaches (never with a baby), but I would think sticking to someplace that offers a resort on the beach might be better for baby - getting out of sun/cooling off/less irritation from sand/salt water/heat rash. I am your parents age - and I would like the comforts of a resort (beach and pool with lounge chairs). Hope you have a great time!

[artypharty]

Also I would request a large table just for your extended family. I don't think strangers would enjoy the infant's presence at the dinner table.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I don't think this is necessarily true and wouldn't want to generalize. I am a grandparent and if a child or baby is well behaved, they can be a pleasure to have at a dinner table...might even provide some entertainment! :D Ill behaved children and babies...absolutely...not a thrill having at the table with you.

 

It just wanted to defend the wee people out there that are wonderful and a joy! :)

[drmomto3kids]

We've traveled often with our young children including an Eastern Caribbean cruise with a 9 month old. We loved Orient Beach in St. Martin and preferred Sapphire Beach over Magen's Bay in St. Thomas but both are nice. After doinf Nassua once we skipped it in favor of spending time on an empty(ish) ship.

 

We didn't bring car seats--no seat belts in the taxis anyway. We just held on tight and prayed. We've used both slings and strollers. Strollers don't work well on beaches so we prefer the sling. Any other questions? We travel a lot with our 4 children (ages 6 to infant) including a few cruises. We've done Eastern twice, just Bahamas once, and will be doing a Western Caribbean with all of them next year.

[138east]

Check out Secret Harbor on St. Thomas - it's a condo complex that has rest rooms, a restaurant, and snorkeling, but no waves, so you could easily take the baby in the water. Something for everyone.

[debandbill]

Obsessed,

 

We cruised with our son, DIL and 10 month old GD on the Oasis in December of 2009. You have got the right idea to do it with a family group so you have help with the baby.

 

With four of us to spell one another, we all had a great time and the baby was just fine. We had adjoining cabins which made life easier. I would go get her when she woke up and let the kids sleep in some mornings. She would play in the cabin...loved to crawl from the bathroom..down the step and back. After breakfast, Opa would take her for a stroll around deck. The baby pool was perfect...warm and shallow..and watched over by an attendant that made sure the appropriate age was there. The nursery was wonderful in the evenings...we could leave her there and have a nice pre-dinner drink and a quiet dinner and show. I would suggest MTD for ultimate flexibility.

 

The cabins, if not a suite, are tight. With that in mind, please bring an umbrella stroller with a hood. I am not sure what kind of cabin you have booked. With the balcony cabins, I would try to book one with the bed near the bathroom..giving you room to set the pack and play near the balcony so it is out of the walkway to the bath and closet.

 

I would suggest someone staying onboard with the baby in Nassau but the other ports do have nice beaches. Always keep in mind how strong the sun is...that baby can burn in a heartbeat so sunscreen applied often needs to rule.

 

We have great memories of our cruise with Haley. Honestly, it was very different from cruises Bill and I take by ourselves but I would not trade the wonderful family time we had.

 

Deb

[Familygoboston]

Obsessed- so glad you posted here too! So many on the family board will have great ideas, but they are also in the "thick of it" as you are. Stop, breathe... If( from reading your previous posts) you have not had this baby yet and it's your first, you may want to wait a bit before planning anything. It's impossible to know the temperment of your particular baby right now. You may discover he's a little night owl, and will be an absolute delight to an entire table of strangers, or he might fuss from 4-8 everynight and you'll be passing him off so you can each eat seperately. He may be a sand box boy who you can cover up and spend hours happily at the beach, or he may be a bolter who crawls into harms way the moment you place him on a blanket!

 

My point is- no one on these boards can tell you what YOUR little guy will be like and I'm not trying to be flip or mean. I'm trying to empathize with your anxiety; right now you have NO idea what life will be like, and there is no way to know. This is the universal truth of parenting- you can prepare; but you'll never be prepared! And it's ok... because, you know what... you'll be a great mom!! You want to do what's right and be prepared, and that means you'll be great at the job! But the absolute best thing you can do for your boy ( and his dad!) is to follow his lead, relax, don't plan or expect too much. And be ready to just laugh when it all goes to he77 or when it all goes beautifully.

I know thats a lot of unsolicited advice from a stranger- bet you're getting loads of that! But you asked, and in my experience travelling with kids for 20 years and working as a preschool teacher, it's the best advice I can give you!

[onefishtwofish]

I'm so tired of researching...i would love for someone to just tell me what to do!!! Our may 2012 cruise on the Allure stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Martin! Going to be me and my husband (25) and (27) our (9 month old) son, my parents (50s) and my brother (24). None of us have cruised with a baby before and I'm a cruise fanatic! My mom is not so much into cruising and I keep telling her that she needs to cruise with us before she says she'll never go again! we always have a blast because we plan so well! I also need to know what to bring as far as stroller and/ or car seat and/or life jacket (and what to do with them during the excursions). I would love to find beaches close by each of these ports and keep it as low maintenace as possible! We would like to get off the ship and find a beach at least 2 of the ports if not all 3!

 

so far- we are thinking megans bay in st. thomas.

 

 

another ? i had was that we did atlantis aquaventure on our last cruise and had a great time and said we'd do it again but this cruise leaves nassau at 2pm and im not sure that it's worth it (also dont remember how we got there and if the excursion allows babies) !

 

Please HELP! It's very important because I would love to cruise with all my family and baby(s) again and kind of need to prove that it can happen and be fun! If things dont go well it may be awhile before I get to cruise again! yikes!

 

* i posted on the family board as well but i thought maybe even people without kids that have been to these ports over and over may have some insight*

Lots of opinions here and just take everything in and don't take it personally!! We cruised before kids and now after! My kids are now 9 & 11! My son was just a week shy of turning 1 when he took his first cruise - to Alaska!! We weren't sure either how it would be with a baby, but it went great and know yours will be great too!

Now this was many moons ago, but think they will still provide the same services! They provided us with the pack n play but we brought our own sheets! We also asked for a large table and they sat us with 2 other couples that had children too! It worked out great! You may get a table to yourselves too...they had a high chair waiting for us every night too. They also do have the appropriate sized life jackets in case of emergency. Are you talking about a swimming life jacket though? You can probably just bring their little swimming ring or whatever you have and blow it up when you go to the pool.

 

 

 

My advice......

• take the smallest stroller you are comfortable with - elevators can be a bear with a stroller and getting through the crowds too. If you end up using some kind of a carrier/backpack type thing, will make it easier if doing beach things - wouldn't recommend stroller for beaches either.
  
• depending on your baby, guage what food you will need to bring/not bring....there are lots of breads and noodles you can get...macaroni and cheese is available nightly on the kids menu and you can get just plain noodles, chicken soup (broth), veggies too..If you need to refrigerate formula or if you will be pumping and need it in the fridge, you can check with your cabin steward to see if they can empty out the drinks so you can use that.
  
• Nassau - the aquarium at Atlantis is very cool and kids love it...lots to look at! We took a cab from the ship to Atlantis and (it was last June) I believe there may have been seatbelts, but not sure.....we have traveled when the kids were babies and no seatbelts, so we sat them in the seat and basically had our arms around them the whole time and held tight - never had a problem! We made sure we were back to the ship by 1:00 and left for Atlantis around 10:00 which gave us plenty of time to walk around Atlantis and see the Aquarium.
  
• Check the excursions for age restrictions.....
  
• there is SO much to do on the ship that maybe a possibility would be for you guys to do the excursions and your mom/parents could possibly stay onboard with the baby if they don't see something they like for excursions or you guys want to do something that they don't want to.....there is SO much to do on the ship to do while in port and there is also the royal babies and tots nursery if you/mom wants to have a little alone time too! There is a nice spa on board too!!
  
• My kids have always loved the kids Adventure Ocean and I heard great things about the baby program. The facility is phenomenal! They have an open house the first day, so definitely check it out! There is also a baby area in the H2O Zone that they only allow babies in...it's right in the H2O zone and there is a pool there too for adults to cool off in.....
  
• maybe plan together with your mom - she'll get excited!! ;)
  

Sure you will have a great time!!! :)

[obsessedsc]

Lots of GREAT advice! I have saved this under my favorites as we start to figure it all out! We realize cruising with a baby will be a lot different than cruising with adults and that we could plan things that end up not happening for one reason or the other. Definately dont want anyone to get a sunburn, much less the baby so we will be very careful of that and no worries about being annoying in the MDR. My husband has no patience for that now with other people's children, so I'm sure if baby is having a bad night he will be just fine eating with him in the cabin.

We were talking about waiting to plan more once we get to know him and his personality just recently. who knows if we will be able to get off on any of the ports. we are hoping he will be the kind of baby that can just go with the flow and nap anywhere (like his cousins) but we wont know that!

We would probably take everything but the kitchen sink the first time we travel with him and have to learn what we do/ do not use for the next time. Thank goodness we dont have to fly.

 

Love the idea of adjoining rooms (and im guessing that if we do that with a balcony one of the rooms will have the bed close to the bathroom and one close to the balcony so we cold figure out which one is best for the pack n play then) . we were actually joking with my brother that if he couldnt find a wife (LOL) or a friend to go by next summer then we have a perfect 9 month old roomate for him :)

I think my biggest worry is transportation at ports and excursions. we have only ever done excursions through the cruise line in the past and it makes me feel safer (not sure why, just does). I dont feel comfortable having the baby in a car without a car seat (as i did a whole nursing project on car seat safety) but i may be okay with him on a tender with a floatation device handy and in a sling. I also dont want to limit my family to what they get to do and see on these beautiful islands, especially my brother who has never seen st. thomas or st. martin. I want him to experience it like we did before baby, which may mean that we dont all see the ports together!

Thanks for all of your honest replies, they really did help a lot!

[Familygoboston]

Sounds like you've got exactly the right attitude about the trip, which means it'll probably be a great trip!!

I'll be visiting those same ports on Oasis in Dec...I will try to take a look around for you (even tho we are going sans kids;)) and see what kinds of "walk from the dock" things there may be to do. I'll include that in my review!

Though we have been to all those ports before and I can tell you that you can be pretty comfortable about your safety walking around the port areas, if you take all the normal careful precautions you'd take anywhere at home.

I wish you luck with your pregnancy and the birth of your little boy:D

[obsessedsc]

Sounds like you've got exactly the right attitude about the trip, which means it'll probably be a great trip!!

I'll be visiting those same ports on Oasis in Dec...I will try to take a look around for you (even tho we are going sans kids;)) and see what kinds of "walk from the dock" things there may be to do. I'll include that in my review!

Though we have been to all those ports before and I can tell you that you can be pretty comfortable about your safety walking around the port areas, if you take all the normal careful precautions you'd take anywhere at home.

I wish you luck with your pregnancy and the birth of your little boy:D

 

thank you!!! look forward to reading your review!

[liberiben]

I agree, I would hold off until you know how the babies temperament is. We have a 3.5 year old who is VERY well behaved as we are very strict parents, however she was a complete nightmare up until about 10-11 months old. I am a stay at home Mom and don't plan on taking ours until she is 5-6 because I want her to enjoy it and not be taking naps(well most days). And because a vacation to me is getting away from your job(she is mine, no matter how awesome she is :) )I know it is your decision, but I personally would not take a baby, too much stimulation, out of their element, hot, having to be still at the age where they are first starting to crawl or cruise on things.

[elephant98]

I say go for it. We took our son on his first cruise when he was 6 months old (NCL Sky, 3 day cruise, with grandparents in adjoining stateroom); second cruise when he was 9 months old (Liberty of the Seas, 7 night cruise, with grandparents in adjoining stateroom) and his third cruise when he was 15 months old (Liberty of the Seas, 7 night cruise, just the 3 of us, after the new nursery was installed onboard). We had a wonderful time on all 3 of them. One of the key things is to try to keep as close to his eat/sleep schedule as possible. Does this mean that you won't be able to be a night owl, yourself, taking in all the shows, the nightclubs, and the casion? Perhaps. But, remember, as you are traveling with other family members and the Allure of the Seas has a nursery onboard and a wonderful infant program. So, the elements are there to make for a wonderful, relaxing cruise vacation. You just need to plan ahead, as you are now.

 

Here are a couple suggestions:

 

* First, I suggest that you go with a balcony cabin so that the natural light from the sun helps keep your little one on schedule. Some adults don't like inside cabins either, because of the eternal darkness. Plus, most balcony cabins happen to be larger, which is helpful as you will be using a pack n' play onboard.

 

* Second, I suggest that your parents get an adjoining stateroom. Why? So, that when your little one is sleeping, you have a place to go. And, you don't necessarily have to have cabins with the connecting door between them. We didn't have that. Instead, we brought along our baby monitor (video and sound) and (on the RCCL Liberty) had the room attendant open the divider between the two balconies (giving us one big balcony). While our little one took his afternoon nap and went to bed at night, we watched a movie on the stateroom tv or a DVD that we brought along in the grandparent's stateroom.

 

* Third, I suggest that you pack well. In addition to the baby monitor, I brought along a portable speaker and used a white noise app on my iphone to both drown out noise in the hallway and not wake our little one up while we were stumbling around in the cabin. Bring a small flashlight to use for late night diaper changes. Bring a crib sheet to use with the ship provided pack n' play. And, bring an inflatable bath tub that you can put on the balcony for bath time, or just play. We brought our big stroller (a collapsable City Mini) for walking arround the massive ship --- something big enough for him to nap in (if we were lucky) while walking around, and big enough to hold a diaper bag. Pack some toys for the room.

 

* Fourth, I suggest making my time dining reservations for just you and your party. I would make them at the same time every night as well. You can tell your waiter/assistant waiter when you arrive to bring out your little one's food ahead of time and not wait for it to be brought with all the courses. This worked well for us on the first two cruises with our son (6 months and 9 months old). But, we never had time to do a 4 course meal (appetizer, soup/salad, entree, dessert). We usually had to skip dessert because our little one got cranky. Even the best behaved little ones rarely can go more than 50 minutes to an hour before losing patience. This is where the Allure nursery comes in! When we sailed on the Liberty back in March, the new nursery had been installed. That was a HUGE bonus. Each night ordered room service, got food from the main dining room or the Windjammer and took it with us to the nursery, which would feed our son. We dropped off our son for a couple of hours and we had a nice 4 course meal in the main dining room. Pure bliss.

 

* Fifth, take advantage of the nursery on the Allure! They are open at nights and have some hours during the day as well. They will change diapers, do feedings, play with them and also have cribs for sleeptime. I haven't yet used the facilities on the Allure, but I can tell you that we were very happy with the facilities on the Liberty. Similar to a daycare setting. We used the nursery on 5 evenings for 2 or 3 hours so that we could do dinner and cocktails. Some babies had no problem sleeping in the nursery, but ours did not like it. So, we picked him up sometime between 8:30 pm and 9 pm and took him back to our stateroom. As you are traveling with family members, there is always the possibility that the granparents will watch them for you as well so you can stay out longer.

 

* Sixth, take advantage of the Royal Babies program. Not having been on the Allure yet, I can only tell you about what we experienced on the Liberty. It was all positive. They had a myriad of Fisher Price toys to play with on a daily basis, even toys that you could check out and take back to your stateroom. A couple of playgroups were set up each day in the nursery for parents to bring their children to -- crayons, fingerpainting, etc. There is an infant splash pool next to the H20 Zone. A nursery staff member would bring various water toys to the splash pool at set times. A nightly playtime and story time session. And, with the new Dreamworks additions, there are character breakfasts and a character parade too.

 

* Seventh, don't expect to do much in the ports. This really isn't a suggestion, just a tip to be prepared that you can't do too much with a 9 month old. The beach is probably too hot and your child may very well not care for sand. In St. Thomas, we did the sky ride and walked around shops. That was nice because it was breezy at the time and our son surprisingly took an early morning nap for us. In St. Maarten, we went to St. Maarten Park which is a Zoo. Our son liked that. We didn't bring a car seat with us and I don't know that this would have even been an option at the time, even if we had one. So, we thankfully ended up in a van for the 15 minute drive to/from the ship. Beyond that, none of the excursions seemed age appropriate.

 

 

These are just a few things that will contribute to a wonderful, relaxing vacation. Will you be able to see and do everything that you want to on your schedule, as when you used to travel just as a couple? No, of course not. That ability disappears once you become a parent. But, that doesn't mean that you can't still have a great time. Everything that I mentioned are ways for you to enjoy your vacation as a family, without dumping off your little one on grandma and grandpa all the time. And, it certainly beats being stuck at home, where you wouldn't be doing nearly half of the things that you can do on the cruise. So, I would keep your reservation and not wait until you know what you babies temperament is. Temperaments change, just like sleep schedules. If you wait until you truly know, the rooms and itineraries that you want will be gone. Keep your current booking and you can always cancel up until the time of final payment, with no penalty. Oh, and final suggestion, get trip insurance.

[QTMichele]

I'm so tired of researching...i would love for someone to just tell me what to do!!! Our may 2012 cruise on the Allure stops in Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Martin! Going to be me and my husband (25) and (27) our (9 month old) son, my parents (50s) and my brother (24). None of us have cruised with a baby before and I'm a cruise fanatic! My mom is not so much into cruising and I keep telling her that she needs to cruise with us before she says she'll never go again! we always have a blast because we plan so well! I also need to know what to bring as far as stroller and/ or car seat and/or life jacket (and what to do with them during the excursions). I would love to find beaches close by each of these ports and keep it as low maintenace as possible! We would like to get off the ship and find a beach at least 2 of the ports if not all 3!

 

so far- we are thinking megans bay in st. thomas.

 

another ? i had was that we did atlantis aquaventure on our last cruise and had a great time and said we'd do it again but this cruise leaves nassau at 2pm and im not sure that it's worth it (also dont remember how we got there and if the excursion allows babies) !

 

Please HELP! It's very important because I would love to cruise with all my family and baby(s) again and kind of need to prove that it can happen and be fun! If things dont go well it may be awhile before I get to cruise again! yikes!

 

* i posted on the family board as well but i thought maybe even people without kids that have been to these ports over and over may have some insight*

 

Oh, wow! Cruising/vacationing with a baby is SOOOOO different than without one, BUT... it can be so rewarding!!!

 

I brought my 14 month old on Freedom last year. There's a review in my signature - check it out to see how I coped. There was NO nursery at the time, but we had a GREAT time!

 

Try not to stress too much about packing. You will need some extras (wipes, diapers, food?, etc.), but mostly just the every day things your baby typically needs. Just bring enough to last the week (plus a little extra "just in case") - finding baby supplies on the ship isn't too easy. Oh, and a big, floppy hat will be perfect to help with the beastly rays (along with sunscreen and a rash guard - SPF top over swim trunks/bathing suit).

 

I'm a car seat fanatic, but have found that many of the island tours are via boat, bus, open air safari buses, and taxis without seat belts. Do bring a car seat (you'll need it in Florida) - your stateroom attendant should be able to store it for you. You may want to skip it in ports unless you have an infant seat that fits into your stroller. This is advice I would never ever give in the US, but it's so difficult to find transportation that will accomodate a car seat in the ports. Use your judgement and decide what works best for your family.

 

Bring a stroller and a carrier (Ergo, backpack, sling, etc.). The stroller is perfect around the ship and the carrier is great for the beach and for areas that aren't stroller friendly (think cobblestone streets). Personally, I would rather have a full featured stroller than an umbrella stroller (UNLESS you get a high quality umbrella stroller loaded with some full size features - Combi makes some great ones). Ours was full size and fit everywhere just fine. It was great having a full recline, cup holder, large storage compartment, large sunshade, etc. Space in the cabin wasn't an issue - we folded our stroller (a Peg Perego Pliko P3) and stored it in the closet, but it would have fit in a corner too.

 

Don't forget the swim diapers - the baby will be able to swim in the baby pool!!! :D

 

Not sure what cabin category you are considering, but a bathtub is nice for bathing the babes. The showers are small and cumbersome when showering with a baby, but it is doable. Some people on the family board recommend the blow up duck tub/pool the bathing babies. Many even bring it to the pool deck on ships that have no baby pools.

 

Don't worry about bringing a portable crib - the ship will have one, but make sure you request one prior to your sailing. A lot of people bring baby monitors too, but I'm not sure why??? I'm not sure where you can go that you wouldn't hear the baby, and, if you go to far, the monitor won't work.

 

I'm not sure if there is a toy lending program on the ship... I'd bring a favorite toy, stuffed animal, book, whatever, and leave it at that. The ship will have tons of things to keep your baby interested, including toys you can borrow and take back to your stateroom (if they do this on this ship). Fisher Price toys, by the way.

 

Ports...

 

St. Thomas - consider going to St. John if you want a beach day. You can take the ship's excursion for only a little more than doing it on your own, plus there is very little driving (you'll take a boat to St. John which takes approximately 35-45 minutes, then either walk or take a short cab ride to the beach). ***I'm not sure if there is an age limit for this excursion!*** I've been to Sapphire and didn't think the "backdrop" was great. We found a used needle in the sand, the restaurant was closed, and the overall atmosphere was unimpressive; however, the beach was nice and the view was beautiful. Be prepared for a drive if you decide to go to the "name brand beaches" on St. Thomas, and most are on open air safari buses.

 

St. Martin - there is a beach near the port, but some posters have shown pictures of sewage in that area. Not sure I'd want to swim there... Orient Beach is lovely with many touristy ammenities. You may be able to find a taxi that has seat belts for the car seat, if you bring one.

 

Nassau - you won't be here long - skip the tours and expensive trip to Atlantis. Use the time to either enjoy the very quiet ship or take a little time to walk to the shops. This was a disappointing port for us - just not a lot to do, unless you enjoy shopping for the "made in China" trinkets. ;)

 

Let us know if you have more questions. :)

[obsessedsc]

I say go for it. We took our son on his first cruise when he was 6 months old (NCL Sky, 3 day cruise, with grandparents in adjoining stateroom); second cruise when he was 9 months old (Liberty of the Seas, 7 night cruise, with grandparents in adjoining stateroom) and his third cruise when he was 15 months old (Liberty of the Seas, 7 night cruise, just the 3 of us, after the new nursery was installed onboard). We had a wonderful time on all 3 of them. One of the key things is to try to keep as close to his eat/sleep schedule as possible. Does this mean that you won't be able to be a night owl, yourself, taking in all the shows, the nightclubs, and the casion? Perhaps. But, remember, as you are traveling with other family members and the Allure of the Seas has a nursery onboard and a wonderful infant program. So, the elements are there to make for a wonderful, relaxing cruise vacation. You just need to plan ahead, as you are now.

 

Here are a couple suggestions:

 

* First, I suggest that you go with a balcony cabin so that the natural light from the sun helps keep your little one on schedule. Some adults don't like inside cabins either, because of the eternal darkness. Plus, most balcony cabins happen to be larger, which is helpful as you will be using a pack n' play onboard.

 

* Second, I suggest that your parents get an adjoining stateroom. Why? So, that when your little one is sleeping, you have a place to go. And, you don't necessarily have to have cabins with the connecting door between them. We didn't have that. Instead, we brought along our baby monitor (video and sound) and (on the RCCL Liberty) had the room attendant open the divider between the two balconies (giving us one big balcony). While our little one took his afternoon nap and went to bed at night, we watched a movie on the stateroom tv or a DVD that we brought along in the grandparent's stateroom.

 

* Third, I suggest that you pack well. In addition to the baby monitor, I brought along a portable speaker and used a white noise app on my iphone to both drown out noise in the hallway and not wake our little one up while we were stumbling around in the cabin. Bring a small flashlight to use for late night diaper changes. Bring a crib sheet to use with the ship provided pack n' play. And, bring an inflatable bath tub that you can put on the balcony for bath time, or just play. We brought our big stroller (a collapsable City Mini) for walking arround the massive ship --- something big enough for him to nap in (if we were lucky) while walking around, and big enough to hold a diaper bag. Pack some toys for the room.

 

* Fourth, I suggest making my time dining reservations for just you and your party. I would make them at the same time every night as well. You can tell your waiter/assistant waiter when you arrive to bring out your little one's food ahead of time and not wait for it to be brought with all the courses. This worked well for us on the first two cruises with our son (6 months and 9 months old). But, we never had time to do a 4 course meal (appetizer, soup/salad, entree, dessert). We usually had to skip dessert because our little one got cranky. Even the best behaved little ones rarely can go more than 50 minutes to an hour before losing patience. This is where the Allure nursery comes in! When we sailed on the Liberty back in March, the new nursery had been installed. That was a HUGE bonus. Each night ordered room service, got food from the main dining room or the Windjammer and took it with us to the nursery, which would feed our son. We dropped off our son for a couple of hours and we had a nice 4 course meal in the main dining room. Pure bliss.

 

* Fifth, take advantage of the nursery on the Allure! They are open at nights and have some hours during the day as well. They will change diapers, do feedings, play with them and also have cribs for sleeptime. I haven't yet used the facilities on the Allure, but I can tell you that we were very happy with the facilities on the Liberty. Similar to a daycare setting. We used the nursery on 5 evenings for 2 or 3 hours so that we could do dinner and cocktails. Some babies had no problem sleeping in the nursery, but ours did not like it. So, we picked him up sometime between 8:30 pm and 9 pm and took him back to our stateroom. As you are traveling with family members, there is always the possibility that the granparents will watch them for you as well so you can stay out longer.

 

* Sixth, take advantage of the Royal Babies program. Not having been on the Allure yet, I can only tell you about what we experienced on the Liberty. It was all positive. They had a myriad of Fisher Price toys to play with on a daily basis, even toys that you could check out and take back to your stateroom. A couple of playgroups were set up each day in the nursery for parents to bring their children to -- crayons, fingerpainting, etc. There is an infant splash pool next to the H20 Zone. A nursery staff member would bring various water toys to the splash pool at set times. A nightly playtime and story time session. And, with the new Dreamworks additions, there are character breakfasts and a character parade too.

 

* Seventh, don't expect to do much in the ports. This really isn't a suggestion, just a tip to be prepared that you can't do too much with a 9 month old. The beach is probably too hot and your child may very well not care for sand. In St. Thomas, we did the sky ride and walked around shops. That was nice because it was breezy at the time and our son surprisingly took an early morning nap for us. In St. Maarten, we went to St. Maarten Park which is a Zoo. Our son liked that. We didn't bring a car seat with us and I don't know that this would have even been an option at the time, even if we had one. So, we thankfully ended up in a van for the 15 minute drive to/from the ship. Beyond that, none of the excursions seemed age appropriate.

 

 

These are just a few things that will contribute to a wonderful, relaxing vacation. Will you be able to see and do everything that you want to on your schedule, as when you used to travel just as a couple? No, of course not. That ability disappears once you become a parent. But, that doesn't mean that you can't still have a great time. Everything that I mentioned are ways for you to enjoy your vacation as a family, without dumping off your little one on grandma and grandpa all the time. And, it certainly beats being stuck at home, where you wouldn't be doing nearly half of the things that you can do on the cruise. So, I would keep your reservation and not wait until you know what you babies temperament is. Temperaments change, just like sleep schedules. If you wait until you truly know, the rooms and itineraries that you want will be gone. Keep your current booking and you can always cancel up until the time of final payment, with no penalty. Oh, and final suggestion, get trip insurance.

 

Thanks for all of your advice! Every tip helps! we have not booked our trip yet! We just have to figure out the best week with everyone's schedules still! Not too worried about staying out much later at night than 11pm (on cruises with just the 2 of us we were in bed by then most nights). About the beaches, we live at the beach so we will have a pretty good idea of how he likes the sand and how he handles the sun pre-cruise!!

[obsessedsc]

Oh, wow! Cruising/vacationing with a baby is SOOOOO different than without one, BUT... it can be so rewarding!!!

 

I brought my 14 month old on Freedom last year. There's a review in my signature - check it out to see how I coped. There was NO nursery at the time, but we had a GREAT time!

 

Try not to stress too much about packing. You will need some extras (wipes, diapers, food?, etc.), but mostly just the every day things your baby typically needs. Just bring enough to last the week (plus a little extra "just in case") - finding baby supplies on the ship isn't too easy. Oh, and a big, floppy hat will be perfect to help with the beastly rays (along with sunscreen and a rash guard - SPF top over swim trunks/bathing suit).

 

I'm a car seat fanatic, but have found that many of the island tours are via boat, bus, open air safari buses, and taxis without seat belts. Do bring a car seat (you'll need it in Florida) - your stateroom attendant should be able to store it for you. You may want to skip it in ports unless you have an infant seat that fits into your stroller. This is advice I would never ever give in the US, but it's so difficult to find transportation that will accomodate a car seat in the ports. Use your judgement and decide what works best for your family.

 

Bring a stroller and a carrier (Ergo, backpack, sling, etc.). The stroller is perfect around the ship and the carrier is great for the beach and for areas that aren't stroller friendly (think cobblestone streets). Personally, I would rather have a full featured stroller than an umbrella stroller (UNLESS you get a high quality umbrella stroller loaded with some full size features - Combi makes some great ones). Ours was full size and fit everywhere just fine. It was great having a full recline, cup holder, large storage compartment, large sunshade, etc. Space in the cabin wasn't an issue - we folded our stroller (a Peg Perego Pliko P3) and stored it in the closet, but it would have fit in a corner too.

 

Don't forget the swim diapers - the baby will be able to swim in the baby pool!!! :D

 

Not sure what cabin category you are considering, but a bathtub is nice for bathing the babes. The showers are small and cumbersome when showering with a baby, but it is doable. Some people on the family board recommend the blow up duck tub/pool the bathing babies. Many even bring it to the pool deck on ships that have no baby pools.

 

Don't worry about bringing a portable crib - the ship will have one, but make sure you request one prior to your sailing. A lot of people bring baby monitors too, but I'm not sure why??? I'm not sure where you can go that you wouldn't hear the baby, and, if you go to far, the monitor won't work.

 

I'm not sure if there is a toy lending program on the ship... I'd bring a favorite toy, stuffed animal, book, whatever, and leave it at that. The ship will have tons of things to keep your baby interested, including toys you can borrow and take back to your stateroom (if they do this on this ship). Fisher Price toys, by the way.

 

Ports...

 

St. Thomas - consider going to St. John if you want a beach day. You can take the ship's excursion for only a little more than doing it on your own, plus there is very little driving (you'll take a boat to St. John which takes approximately 35-45 minutes, then either walk or take a short cab ride to the beach). ***I'm not sure if there is an age limit for this excursion!*** I've been to Sapphire and didn't think the "backdrop" was great. We found a used needle in the sand, the restaurant was closed, and the overall atmosphere was unimpressive; however, the beach was nice and the view was beautiful. Be prepared for a drive if you decide to go to the "name brand beaches" on St. Thomas, and most are on open air safari buses.

 

St. Martin - there is a beach near the port, but some posters have shown pictures of sewage in that area. Not sure I'd want to swim there... Orient Beach is lovely with many touristy ammenities. You may be able to find a taxi that has seat belts for the car seat, if you bring one.

 

Nassau - you won't be here long - skip the tours and expensive trip to Atlantis. Use the time to either enjoy the very quiet ship or take a little time to walk to the shops. This was a disappointing port for us - just not a lot to do, unless you enjoy shopping for the "made in China" trinkets. ;)

 

Let us know if you have more questions. :)

 

 

thanks! Like your idea of doing st. john (that's me and my husbands favorite place we have ever been in the whole world!!!) we always joke and say we will retire there!! would love for my brother to get to experience it...just got to find out how to get there with a baby!!!

 

on the other hand, we were not fans of orient beach. i would give it a second chance but not sure if my hubbie would. we had a bad experience with a broken down bus, etc.

[QTMichele]

thanks! Like your idea of doing st. john (that's me and my husbands favorite place we have ever been in the whole world!!!) we always joke and say we will retire there!! would love for my brother to get to experience it...just got to find out how to get there with a baby!!!

 

on the other hand, we were not fans of orient beach. i would give it a second chance but not sure if my hubbie would. we had a bad experience with a broken down bus, etc.

 

If your baby is a good traveller, then going to St. John shouldn't be a problem. You be the judge. :) I'm not a fan of the St. Thomas I've seen, but I know there are a lot of other places I should try before I totally give up on the island. (Sapphire Beach and the used needle in the sand right next to our loungers wasn't too great - probably like your broken down bus experience.)

 

To be honest, Orient Beach has really grown since we've been there (a lot more touristy now than 13 years ago!). If you don't need a beach day, then there are other excursions like the Butterfly Farm you may be interested in. Again, this is a personal preference... good luck deciding!!! :)

[DonnaK]

We waited until our kids knew what was going on before we took them on cruises, far-away vacations, etc.

 

The only exception was when I was moved from the United States to Spain for a diplomatic post in Spain, and the entire family moved with me.

 

From an older person's point of view, I don't think it is fair to the child to go on a cruise at such a young, infant, age.

 

On the other hand, if basically your entire family nucleus (parents, brother) are going to be there, then maybe I'm wrong and maybe everyone in the family can pitch in and help take care of the baby.

 

Do try for beaches close to the ship. The suggestions you've received are good ones.

 

Also I would request a large table just for your extended family. I don't think strangers would enjoy the infant's presence at the dinner table.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

With all due respect, may I ask how taking an infant on a cruise is unfair to the child??? I can't make any sense out of that statement.

 

We've traveled with our children since they were infants, and it has always been a rewarding experience for all of us. We've made priceless family memories, and our children have grown up with an "education" that their non-traveling contemporaries were not lucky enough to have.

 

It's not always about the children knowing or understanding what's going on. If that were true, no one would do anything with their children in the early years....no parks, no walks around the neighborhoods, no visitors, etc....they don't understand those either. The whole family benefits from a change in scenery and new shared experiences, whether the children remember it or not. Otherwise, just keep them in their rooms with no outside stimulation at all until they are old enough to remember it and understand what's going on.

[larry88]

Just bumping this thread to get some further specific feedback as i am in the exact same situation. 9 month old travelling with me on the Allure.

 

I am wondering about whether Royal Caribbean has any food available for infants. I've heard that Princess provides baby food on request, so just wondering if Royal has the same options and if anyone has used that service assuming it exists. Obviously not having to bring our own food for the baby would be a huge plus especially since our little one is already paying full price! We're also considering bringing a hand blender to make some food out of the fruits and veggies that are available on the ship, but obviously that's a bit of a pain in itself.

 

Thoughts and any further advice on travelling with an infant is greatly appreciated!