Cruising with twin toddlers

[Kerry's Girls]

Hi -

 

Has anyone tried a side-by-side stroller on board? My girls will be 1 year old when we take the Sapphire in Feb and I have a Combi that fits easily through doorways on land, but I'm wondering about the feasibility on a ship. I prefer my side-by-side because it folds down to nothing and is light enough to carry over my shoulder when it's folded.

 

Thanks for any info you might have.

 

Best,

Mia

[scottcaps]

We just recently cruised on the 10/23 Sun sailing with our 15 month old. We used an umbrella stroller around the ship. I have never had a double stroller, but I can at least tell you my opinions based on our cruising.

 

You will probably have to take the kids in/out of the stroller in the hallway, because you definately won't make it thru the cabin doors or any of the public restroom doors. And, getting down the hallways on cabin floors might be difficult, as these are narrow and there are always people walking and/or the stewards have their carts in the hallways. There are few alcoves or cross hallways on many of the cabin floors, so there isn't alot of room to "pass".

 

We spent alot of time waiting for elevators, and often had to let some go because they were too full already with people for us to enter with a stroller. And, sometimes when we were already on an elevator more people would try to come on and we would really have to scrunch in around the stroller. Definately try to take the banks of elevators versus the glass, smaller elevators that many ships have in their atriums.

 

Doorways into public rooms like the theaters and restaurants should be fine. On at sea days - the pool decks can get very crowded with chairs moved out of their staight lines, people walking around, waiters with trays, and carts with fresh/dirty towels. This can make navigating with a stroller sometimes a challenge.

[Kerry's Girls]

Thanks for the great info - sounds like using a bjorn and an umbrella stroller will be easiest. My husband was in a wheelchair for some of our cruises and we never had a problem - we don't do sun, so thankfully we won't have to negotiate that deck. I appreciate your input, and if you have any other advise you think of, I'm all ears.

 

Best,

Mia

[VikkiGarcia]

On Navigator in Sept. I saw a family with a side by side looking really fustrated going down the hall. If there are any housekeeping carts out,forget it. There was a small alcove near the end of the hallway they seemed to leave it and have the kids walk the rest of the way. I do not know if they left it there overnight. I saw another family with a small back to back that was almost umbrella style, as compact as possible. They seemed to manuver around the ship more easily. I saw the families talking by the pool. My guess is that the side by side was asking about where they got their stroller.

[allycatt]

Hi -

 

Has anyone tried a side-by-side stroller on board? My girls will be 1 year old when we take the Sapphire in Feb and I have a Combi that fits easily through doorways on land' date=' but I'm wondering about the feasibility on a ship. I prefer my side-by-side because it folds down to nothing and is light enough to carry over my shoulder when it's folded.

 

Thanks for any info you might have.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Mia,

Did you ever use your Combi on a cruise? Just wonderind since I have the same stroller and use it everywhere. I am thinking on taking it with me on my cruise in Novemeber and wanted to know if it would be ok. My twin girls will be almost 11 months on the cruise and do very well when in the stroller. Any extra advice on cruising with twins would be great too!!:)

[Kerry's Girls]

Wow did you dig up an old thread! That was before our first cruise, and now we're about to return to the Sapphire for our fifth!

 

The Combi does not work on board. The absolute best way for us has been a tandem stroller that handles well (I brought a tandem Peg Perego on one cruise and it was a nightmare becuase it didn't handle well.) Our Graco DuoGlider has been great. I'm on my own with my twins, so I have to have a double stroller, and I suggest you bring one as well, but you might also bring a couple umbrella strollers since they fold up into nothing in case one of your relatives wants to be able to take one of the kids on their own.

 

I always book a cabin as close to the elevators as possible, since the hallways to/from the cabins are the hardest to navigate with a stroller. Once you're on deck in the public areas, everything is set up to accomodate wheelchairs, so a stroller works as well. You just have to be patient waiting for elevators, etc.

 

Best,

Mia