Length of Cruise for Toddler?

[ToddlerMom]

DD will be 2 when we cruise. We are cruise newbies.

 

What's the best length for a toddler? 7 days seems really long. But 5 days seems too short and there are very few 6 day cruises.

[dn6482]

I did a 7 day cruise with my 2 year and he did perfectly fine. He loved the pool!

[Kerry's Girls]

On our first cruise or two, it took a day or two to get into the routine, so anything less than 7 days would have felt short and rushed. Every child is different, but we've never been ready for a cruise to be over, and we never did less than 7 days as toddlers. I would choose more based on the ship and itinerary rather than focusing on 6 days or 7, but others may have different experiences.

 

Best,

Mia

[mikesteg]

anything less than 7 days would have felt short and rushed. Every child is different' date=' [/quote']

 

Hmmm... that's how it works for me too. :D

 

I guess it depends how much of a risk you're willing to take, and how much the tot has traveled. We're just about to embark on a 9-day with the twins (who just turned 2! yay!) but ours are known to travel well.

 

Also, we get to use Camp this time. YAY!!!! If you are going on a line w/o some sort of camp, be prepared to chase, chase, chase... and chase some more. There are very few contained areas on a ship, and most areas have a stairwell or elevator nearby. Our DS just loved to run for the elevator on our last cruise. He almost made it a couple of times! :eek:

 

Really, it's a question of how much you can handle. The tot will most likely love all the new 'stuff' and all the attention, and they really won't know the difference between a 5-day and a 9-day. I don't think they have that conception of time yet. It's "now" and "now" :D

 

Also, be aware that few ships have facilities for diapered children. (Check the daily threads on the topic.) If your LO is TT, you're good, but if not you might consider that as part of your decision.

[cb at sea]

As long as YOU'RE happy, so will be your child....there's no "right or wrong" length! Your child will have no idea how long you're on the ship, but if you're having fun, it's all good!

 

Try to keep to a schedule of some sort, but do build in some flexibility....vacations aren't like being at home, and you have to make adjustments. Whatever works for you will be just fine! This will be more for you than for your child.

[Mom2B&Z]

ITA it depends on your child. Our first international trip was when DS2 had just turned 2, we went to Cuba for a week. It took him a few days to get used to his surroundings, the routine etc, but once he did we had a blast. The 4 days of R&R were worth the 2-3 days of transition, so I would have been horribly disappointed had the trip only been 5 or 6 days long.

Have you tried some shorter trips to hotels? Eating out every day? Totally changed his/her surroundings and routines for a few days to see what happens? This might help you decide what is right for you.

[YOWmom]

We've done 7 night cruises when our youngest was 10 mos old (on Carnival) and again for her 2nd birthday (on Disney). The length was great but I would also be particular about the itinerary... I would definitely look for a cruise with a private island stop - it makes for a very easy beach day with a little one (no taxis, carseats to worry about, etc). Other walkable ports to consider would be Grand Turk (no need to leave the cruise terminal), San Juan for a city day, Key West, or even St. Maarten (where there's a beach in downtown Phillipsburg).

[Julienatul]

We have done 5, 6 and 8 day with our kids who have been cruising since 7 months and 8 months of age. Really any length is fine for them since they are used to traveling. My kids travel well and they are adaptable to different situations. If you haven't traveled much with your little one and he/she has not slept away from home etc. you may want to try a shorter one. Only you know your child's temperament. Some kids do well with new situations, some not so well. When my nephew was 2 almost 3 we all took a Disney trip to Orlando and he screamed and would not sleep every night in the hotel. He had never been away from home and was not used to the different environment. It was so bad my sister ended up leaving to go home half way through the vacation.

[B_Mc]

5 day sounds good to me! We did a 4 night trip when DS was a baby and will be trying a 5 night this winter....a week is definitely too long for me!

[crusinmama06]

2 year olds don't mind the length. So it's whatever you want.

 

My kids always cried when they left the ship when they were that age. Heck, they STILL cry when they leave the ship. :p

[serene56]

Carnival will take a 2 year old in diapers. (child must be 2 by date of sailing.)

[B_Mc]

Carnival will take a 2 year old in diapers. (child must be 2 by date of sailing.)

 

Random reply....

[serene56]

Random reply....

 

 

not really- its something to consider when taking into an account of what cruiselines to use

[eskiemomo]

it really depends on how well your child travels as many posters have said.

 

we switched to Disney on account of our toddler who was 18 months at the time of our trip. Having a bathtub in our cabin, babysitting available for her age group, family friendly entertainment, and a "splash zone" available for non-potty-trained tots on the pool deck were deciding factors for us.

 

Our cruise was 8 days 7 nights and felt like a good length, but that is considering the amenities mentioned above.