Cruising with an infant

[firerecruit71295]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Were any of you on a cruise with a norovirus outbreak? How did you handle that? Also as for ports , did you attempt any excursions or stay on the ship? We have done so many of the ports over the years that there isn't anything we have to Do! When booking nursery times did you pick times around a show or daytime activities?

 

So I saw you asked about any issues bringing the stroller into the dining room... NOT AT ALL. The stroller that we had (sent you a link) was a small umbrella stroller and they took one chair away from the table and put the stroller (with baby in it) right in that spot... pretty much took up the same amount of space.

 

We did an excursion in Cozumel with him... We went to Mr Sanchos Beach Club (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) and they were awesome... We had the car seat with us anyways so we brought that with and made sure the taxi we got into had seatbelts (some dont) and spent the day on the beach. He was FREE to enter and was able to eat some of our food... they had bottled water there, plenty of shade... it was a great experience.

 

Talking about the stroller sparked another memory... We used a BIG caribeaner... Ill see if I can find a picture of how we did this because its hard to explain but my full size suitcase has a D ring near the handle on top... I was able to clip the big caribeaner to that and then over the handle of the car seat (car seat handle was almost in the complete fold back position and seat part facing the suitcase) I was able to pull my suitcase with car seat attached and had a free hand for the other suitcase. Wife had her 4 wheeled rolling suitcase and was able to push the stroller with baby with her other hand. Made embarking and disembarking a breeze

[tullers]

Hello,

My husband and I love to cruise and have been wanting to go on one, but we now have a new baby. She will be about 7 months old when we are thinking of going on a oasis class ship. Questions:

1. Can cruising with an infant be fun?

2. Did you feel confined with not enough space in cabin? ( she won’t be crawling yet but likes to stretch out , roll around some)

3. Did you spend a lot of time napping in cabin or did your baby nap in the stroller while out doing activities ?

4. Were you able to dine in the dining room? Did you sit with others or alone ?

5. Does the cruise offer any baby type foods ( hey they should since they charge a full price fare!)

6. As for the nursery, could you drop baby off for an hour here and there to do an adult activity ? Did you need advance reservation ? Did you feel the staff were good with babies ? Was the nursery crowded and did it feel clean ?

7. Could you get a medical grade fridge \ freezer to keep breast milk frozen ?

8. What types of things did your baby seem to enjoy on cruise ?

9. Is there a cabin location / type that worked best with infant ? Can’t afford suite but want a balcony at the very least .

10. Did you feel cruise accommodated your infant ?

11. Did they need a passport?

Any other tips will be appreciated !

 

1. Yes, depending on both the parents & the child.

2. No.

3. That really depends on your child.

4. Yes, may dine alone or with other family/families.

5. No, bring your own - you are paying for a berth that could otherwise be sold to an adult.

6. Yes, execellent staff. Available until 10pm. There is also afterhours babysitting available at additional cost (group or private).

7. No

8.

That really depends on your child.

9. The baby won't care, up to the parents tastes/wants/desires.

10. Yes

11. Not mandatory but not a bad idea.

[andrew2346]

You will get all sorts of answers. We are all different parents/people. I myself would not take a child under 4 on a cruise. That is just me. I have 4 kids (16, 15, 12, 9) and just now does it ALMOST feel like going on vacation is actually a vacation : ) For the most part it is just not working while spending a sh@t load of money. If you are go with the flow and not desparate for some R&R you will make the best of it!

[BNBR]

You will get all sorts of answers. We are all different parents/people. I myself would not take a child under 4 on a cruise. That is just me. I have 4 kids (16, 15, 12, 9) and just now does it ALMOST feel like going on vacation is actually a vacation : ) For the most part it is just not working while spending a sh@t load of money. If you are go with the flow and not desparate for some R&R you will make the best of it!

 

This is why I really liked Carnival kids older than 2 but younger than 3 or not fully potty trained. When we cruised with our boys, ages 2 and 4, Carnival takes them both in the same class and changes the 2 year olds diapers. They had so much fun at camp we had to fight to get them back! Crafts projects, face painting, always something. And the camps are open so much and accessible that it was easy to drop them off and enjoy a lot of time ourselves. It worked out very well. We did beach break type excursions and had a ton of fun (with a few other CC'ers, actually!). A child under 2, I would never want to do that again!

[kdnurs]

We started cruising when my grandson was 6months old. We always brought his stroller to dinner and he usually slept the entire time. On the few occasions he didn’t as he got older, he sat in the high chair, had his dinner and then went to sleep in his stroller while we finished our dinner. It was never s problem. [emoji4]

 

 

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[LeesSummitCruiser1]

Hello,

My husband and I love to cruise and have been wanting to go on one, but we now have a new baby. She will be about 7 months old when we are thinking of going on a oasis class ship. Questions:

1. Can cruising with an infant be fun?

2. Did you feel confined with not enough space in cabin? ( she won’t be crawling yet but likes to stretch out , roll around some)

3. Did you spend a lot of time napping in cabin or did your baby nap in the stroller while out doing activities ?

4. Were you able to dine in the dining room? Did you sit with others or alone ?

5. Does the cruise offer any baby type foods ( hey they should since they charge a full price fare!)

6. As for the nursery, could you drop baby off for an hour here and there to do an adult activity ? Did you need advance reservation ? Did you feel the staff were good with babies ? Was the nursery crowded and did it feel clean ?

7. Could you get a medical grade fridge \ freezer to keep breast milk frozen ?

8. What types of things did your baby seem to enjoy on cruise ?

9. Is there a cabin location / type that worked best with infant ? Can’t afford suite but want a balcony at the very least .

10. Did you feel cruise accommodated your infant ?

11. Did they need a passport?

Any other tips will be appreciated !

 

Before the 6 month rule, my daughter cruised on a 3 day cruise to Bahamas. She is the bonus baby so we were(are) very relaxed parents, she is 13 so we are doing ok so far ;-). She is diamond on her own now.

 

1. She had a great time gauged by her giggles and sound sleep, nap in the afternoons with dad on his chest on the pool deck in shade.

2. feel more confined now that she is 13, 1 bathroom for mom and daughter used to their own is never enough ;-).

3. she was a relaxed baby, could sleep in the middle of anything and loved the bright lights of the shows.

4. MDR in a umbrella stroller, slept some nursed some.

5. she was 100% nursed so no foods needed.

6. No nurseries 13 years ago. With us all the time. If she fussed and we were in the dinning room or at a show, dad was ready to take her out (never had to).

7.no need for a fridge, see above.

8. She loved the shows, the pool band, walking through Atlantis, watching people. Doesn't remember a thing but we could tell she was happy and we were happy.

9. Any room was fine for us.

10. Staff have always catered to her to this day. Many have babies at home they miss and treat every kid like their own when given a chance.

11. We got her pass port at 1 week old, she is on her 3rd. We went on a cruise, to Rome, Canada and Mexico in her first year. We use our pass ports all the time and it makes it easy for last minute travel. Pass port is also a lot more durable than a birth certificate.

[2inSETexas]

We are looking at a three generation cruise in June/July including our two granddaughters ages 18 months and 5 years at cruising time. Our daughter has some questions, similar to the original poster:

1. Will we need passports for the girls if we go on a cruise?

2. Nursery on board?

3. 18 month old be able to swim in pools in a swim diaper?

 

Thanks.

[Clarea]

We are looking at a three generation cruise in June/July including our two granddaughters ages 18 months and 5 years at cruising time. Our daughter has some questions, similar to the original poster:

1. Will we need passports for the girls if we go on a cruise?

2. Nursery on board?

3. 18 month old be able to swim in pools in a swim diaper?

 

Thanks.

If the cruise starts and ends at the same US port, only a certified birth certificate is needed for the children.

 

The other questions depend on the ship. Which ship?

[2inSETexas]

If the cruise starts and ends at the same US port, only a certified birth certificate is needed for the children.

 

The other questions depend on the ship. Which ship?

 

We are looking at the Oasis, end of June/July

 

Thanks

[Clarea]

We are looking at the Oasis, end of June/July

 

Thanks

Oasis has both a nursery and a splash area (not reallly a pool) for children in swim diapers.

[Jasukkie]

I saw happy babies in the backpack style carriers on my recent cruise. Very helpful for parents to be hands free at the buffet. Purely from my observer experience, pre-walking infants and their parents seemed happier, toddlers not so much. There's no place for them to blow off steam, the floors are dirty, etc.

Something to consider is how well your baby handles change in routine. They may sleep through the night reliably at home, but struggle when away. Maybe spend a weekend away at a hotel first and see how you all react.

[Grandma Dazzles]

We are looking at a three generation cruise in June/July including our two granddaughters ages 18 months and 5 years at cruising time. Our daughter has some questions, similar to the original poster:

1. Will we need passports for the girls if we go on a cruise?

2. Nursery on board?

3. 18 month old be able to swim in pools in a swim diaper?

 

Thanks.

 

Some ships have a nursery. Would depend on the ship you are sailing.

 

Again, depends on ship/destination as far as passports. Probably not on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean. Original birth certificate would probably suffice. Passports are always recommended in case of illness or emergency and need to return to the US as passports are required for flying.

 

Swim diapers and non-toilet trained children are not allowed in any pool or hot tub. Some pools have a separate splash area, not a pool, where swim diapers can be used.

[sha259]

It always amazes me when parents try to discourage other parents from cruising/traveling with their young children. I get that it is not the same as traveling solo, or traveling as a couple. But honestly, if anyone thought that it would be, they are due the rude awakening anyway. It seems like the OP also understands this, otherwise they wouldn't be asking all these questions!

 

I have not cruised with my son yet (we will be leaving in May on the Anthem and he will be 19 months). But I did travel internationally with him when he was 6 months old from PA to Ireland and he did just fine! Just manage your expectations, be willing to be flexible and put babies comfort first (which you are likely doing at home anyway) and you will be fine and have a lovely time! I know just having the ability to relax, spend time with my husband and son, without the need to go to work made the vacation worth it for me!

 

As I said, I have not cruised Anthem OTS yet, but in planning, just like you, I have done quite a bit of research.

 

1. Can cruising with an infant be fun? If you love spending time with your family in new fun environments, then YES!

2. Did you feel confined with not enough space in cabin? You should be fine for space in any cabin, but we got a balcony to give us place to be when DS naps.

3. Did you spend a lot of time napping in cabin or did your baby nap in the stroller while out doing activities ? We know our son, so have prepared and plan to coordinate our schedule to allow him at least one nap in the PNP before or after venturing off the ship. We realize that this will limit our activity choices, but as I said, we know our son and are completely okay with making this compromise to cruise with him while he is so young.

4. Were you able to dine in the dining room? Did you sit with others or alone? We plan to do MDR a few nights and likely Windjammer a few as well (9 night cruise). We are cruising with my mother and grandmother and between them and the other diners I know he will be plenty entertained! We currently eat out at least once a week with him now, so he is used to the process of restaurant eating and we also know how to help him handle the wait times. If he gets fussy, one of us can take a walk with him or leave early. Again, he is young and we are not so selfish that we cannot compromise for him.

5. Does the cruise offer any baby type foods ( hey they should since they charge a full price fare!) Short answer is no. The cruise line will not supply "baby food", formula, or general baby items, so anything particular that you can think you will want, bring it with you. However, if baby is eating table food, you will likely find that they will try to accomodate with mashing or pureeing table foods. My son only has table food and milk now, so this is not a problem for us. But when we traveled to Ireland I brought ALL of his food/formula!

6. As for the nursery, could you drop baby off for an hour here and there to do an adult activity ? Did you need advance reservation ? Did you feel the staff were good with babies ? Was the nursery crowded and did it feel clean ? Think of it as a temporary daycare environment. I like that they are on the same vessle, so I can stop by and peek in, and use the play area with him when he gets antsy while we are on board (I'm actually really looking forward to that). However, the nursery is not on all RC ships. I know that the Anthem has the Royal Tots nursery, as that was one of my requirements when booking the cruise. We will have family who we will likely have watch him a few hours over the week, but they are on vacation too, so we want them to relax and have their own fun.

7. Could you get a medical grade fridge \ freezer to keep breast milk frozen ? No comment as we are not requesting one. I'm thinking that the in cabin mini fridge will be fine to keep a small carton of milk overnight and that's all we will need it for. That, and our wine!

8. What types of things did your baby seem to enjoy on cruise ? Our baby loves activity and people, so we are thinking that just walking around, and him being able to people watch will make him happy! He does not do well in situations where he is expected to sit quite though, so he likely will not be doing any shows and such with us.

9. Is there a cabin location / type that worked best with infant ? Can’t afford suite but want a balcony at the very least . No comment, but we got a balcony cabin as stated above so that we would have a place to chill and read or watch the ocean during naptime and or after his bedtime. I would also say that cabin location may/may not make a big difference if your baby loves being rocked or has an ocean sound machine. We didn't realize this would be a benefit until we went to the Outer Banks with him late last summer. He slept like a log because of the ocean sound and air!!! What a benefit! So we said a balcony was a must for us!

10. Did you feel cruise accommodated your infant ? I think any cruise line is going to try to accomodate their customers within their capacity and regulations/rules. But I also believe that we should also not expect miracles, but be pleasantly surprised when they appear, if you know what I mean.

11. Did they need a passport? Passport for a closed loop cruises to/from the US for US citizens is not required. But I now refuse to travel without a passport just in case of emergency or travel delay. Things happen and I'd prefer to be prepared. But my son already has one because of the Ireland trip, so that was a non issue for us.

 

TLDR; you will enjoy your trip so be prepared and pack loads of crap. But once you get on that ship just relax and take things as they come. Have Fun!!

[NewSalt]

I forgot to mention that connecting cabins can be very convenient if you're traveling with grandparents. DD put the little ones to sleep and then we propped open the connecting door so DH and I could read/watch TV and keep an eye on the boys while their parents caught a show or had a drink in one of the lounges.

 

They only did this once or twice, but it was nice to have the option.

[tidygirl]

We took our adult kids and 9 month old grandaughter on a Baltic cruise (May)with some long port days, but she did awesome! We had inside rooms and baby stayed with mom, dad and auntie (due to a last minute friend being added on.)

It was quite cosy, but we were seldom in the room!

We prefer the buffets so that's where we had all our meals, and could always find stuff to feed the little one .

The staff just loved her and many made a point to come see and speak to her.

As one other person had stated about the blow up duckie, I had got one for the baby and she used that as a bathtub at night, which was wonderful since they only had a shower and it gave her a place to have her nightly routine! (Unfortunately she couldn't use it at the pool as it was too cold for swimming!

[sscrimge]

Which week are you guys sailing? We are leaving the 15 and our little guy will also be 8 months (he turns 8 months the day before we leave). I am really excited and think it will be a wonderful trip! :)