Alaska with 20 month old?

[dopey459]

We are thinking of taking a cruise (1st with our son) to Alaska next year. Our son will be about 20 months at the time, to young for many of the children's programs at the time. I was wondering which cruise line would be best for us to go on for Alaska? We have sailed RCCL but I am open to what is best for Alaska and our son.

 

Thanks

[#1TravelMom]

In my opinion Princess is the best overall cruise line for Alaska. That being said - are you sure you want to take a 20 month old to Alaska. There are so many amazing things to see and do in Alaska - many of which are not going to be enjoyable or even possible with a toddler. Example - 7-8 hour Denali National Park Tour, Whale Watching in the open ocean, kayaking, hiking, riverboat cruise, panning for gold, etc. There are many tours that are just hours of riding with amazingly beautiful scenery and natural wonders. In addition, consider the long flights and time adjustment - difficult for most adults.

 

I think Alaska is a "must see" destination. Personally, I would not want to have to taylor a trip to accomodate a toddler. Either the child will be miserable or you will be eliminating things you might normally choose to do. Unless this is a destination you plan to visit again in the future, I'd rethink this option. Many people only experience Alaska once due to the tremendous cost - I'd want to make the most of every opportunity to see and do the most exciting excursions possible.

 

We absolutely love Alaska, but our daughter was 10 years old the first time we visited and I think that's the youngest child I would consider taking. Remember, this is just my opinion. We've done 30+ cruises and traveled extensively for 35 years - there are just some destinations in our opinion that are more suitable for older children. We have traveled with our children since they were a few months old - they are "portable" - so Alaska is definately an option with a toddler- just not for us.

[jac1976]

We just got back from Alaska with our 3 year old and 6 year old and we had an amazing time. Yes, we were limited excursion wise due to the age and size of our children, but we didn't mind. We still were able to see glaciers, whales, bears, seals, eagles and much more!

 

When it comes to Alaska, many people say pick the itinerary first and then decide the ship. Most people will tell you that it isn't worth the trip if you don't go to Glacier Bay. Our time frame was extremely limited and we wanted a round trip cruise, so we sailed out of Seattle and did Tracy Arm instead of Glacier Bay. We missed out on the better scenic viewing, but we still had a fabulous time and I'm glad we went. We sailed Princess and it was very nice. With a 20 month old, I would strongly consider paying the premium to go on Disney, even though their port times are not the best. Disney ships have a nursery for kids under 3.

 

As for excursions, many do require a child to be at least 5 years old, but there is plenty to do with the younger ones. We went to see a native village (complete with dancing, language lessons, and totem poles), a lumberjack show, the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau (which provided is with our first bear sightings), the White Pass & Yukon train in Skagway and drove up into the Yukon. You should be aware that weather in Alaska is unpredictable and that you might have to deal with several days of rain. I know rain doesn't usually phase my kids, so we got some good waterproof gear and we were good to go.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We think Princess Bring grandmay to baby sit

[Woodmnky]

We loved Alaska and wouldn't hesitate to bring a little one on a cruise there, in fact we are considering doing an Alaska cruise with our 18 month old. As someone else said, Disney is always a great choice with young kids because of the access to the nursery. However, I wouldn't limit my choices to this. You may want to check and see if any of the RCI ships that are being refitted with the nursery will be sailing in Alaska.

 

You can absolutely find excursions that are appropriate with a young child. Many of the ports contain cultural activities that are very entertaining even for little ones. Bottom line is that if you want to do it, don't hesitate.