Cruising with a toddler

[HelenW26]

Hi there! I know that cruises are great for Children but just wondered what everyone’s experiences were of cruising with a toddler. We would prefer not to have to go to bed at the same time as them so wondered if any of the cruise lines have cabins that are specifically set up for this or the only option is to get 2 interconnecting rooms and therefore pay double the cost? Thanks 😊 

[Essiesmom]

No cruise line has your first option.  Some cruise lines have a late night service in their kids program which provides group child care for a fee.  There is a board here for family cruising and you might research there.  EM

[Mum2Mercury]

How old is your toddler?  I ask because a 15-month old is quite different from a three-year old.  Regardless, I'd suggest having the toddler out walking, to the playground, whatever after dinner to WEAR HIM OUT REALLY WELL!  So he will sleep quickly and soundly.  

 

Consider getting a balcony room.  Put the toddler down, then you have the balcony as "your space".  It's considerably cheaper than a second room for the toddler.  

 

Some rooms have a curtain divider, which can be pulled between the bed and the seating area.  This would give you a very small space, and you'd have to be quiet on your side of the divider until the child's asleep.  I've read about some people bringing a shower curtain to create more of a barrier.  

 

If your child's still in a Pack-n-Play, here's a trick my daughter has used -- this assumes a balcony:  Set the Pack-n-Play against the wall and bring the curtain over the top of it.  This essentially creates a little, separate space for the toddler, and it allows you to move about the stateroom (quietly) and keep the lights on.  

 

Something we did when our kids were small -- though this would require you to be in a larger room /I'd think Junior Suite at the least.  We brought along a small pop-up tent and put the kids down to bed in the tent.  They loved having their own tiny space.  

 

I really would not pay for a second connecting room for a single toddler.  It's just too much.  

[ldubs]

Our daughter uses one of those blackout tents and a noise machine when traveling with the kiddos.  They  are used to both and are pretty good about going for a happy-nappy or night-night.    

[wcook]

There’s always balcony cabins. You can usually fit a Pac-n-play out there. 

[Host Kat]

16 hours ago, HelenW26 said:

Hi there! I know that cruises are great for Children but just wondered what everyone’s experiences were of cruising with a toddler. We would prefer not to have to go to bed at the same time as them so wondered if any of the cruise lines have cabins that are specifically set up for this or the only option is to get 2 interconnecting rooms and therefore pay double the cost? Thanks 😊 

 

Howdy @HelenW26 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and thank you for your first new thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum! However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your inquiry concerns cruising with a toddler and is off topic here.

 

To help you out I have moved your thread to the Family Cruises forum where it will be on topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have sailed with a toddler frequent this forum and provide feedback here. Browse through the thread titles on this forum looking for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you.

 

Also, perhaps something in the following oldie but goodie Cruise Critic articles will be helpful: 

Cruising with a Baby: What to Expect on a Cruise

5 Best Cruise Lines for Babies and Toddlers

All About Cruise Ship Babysitting

Please note the articles were last updated in 2020 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Be sure to verify everything with the cruise line you choose to book.

 

The Cruise Critic website and message boards are a great resource for new as well as experienced cruisers and we are so glad you found us! Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community categories list for the various forums. Read a few threads in the different forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka Stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there.

 

I sincerely hope this will be helpful to someone new to posting on our message boards. Welcome again, and we are glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

 

[mjkacmom]

Which cruise line? Only DCL and some RCL ships have tiny splash areas for diapered kids, no line allows them in pools. Only some have nurseries for paid child care. Getting a second room for a child is not ideal, the 3rd passenger in the cabin is usually discounted, one person in a cabin typically pays for two with the single supplement.

[soozles]

We always cruise with our toddlers. We get 2 rooms when we can cause we have 2 of them. When we’re all in the same room, some cruise lines have a little curtain dividing the room. On NCL family Oceanview they had this. Otherwise we take magnetic hooks and black shower curtain. My kids are pretty deep sleepers so once they’re out, we can watch tv or whatever. 

[mdjohn5]

If you can get a balcony room,  its a nice place to sit while they fall asleep.   Plus, if you bring dry erase markers,  the plexi glass can be hours of entertainment for a toddler...