Crusing with a one year old

[1st time cruise]

Good day all,

 

This will be my first cruise with my family, including a one year old. We are travelling on the Carnival Miracle in April 2006. We have booked a cabin with a balcony, and will be attending my sister in laws wedding on Grand Cayman. We will have many family members to help, but was hoping someone can give us a few tips before we leave.

• Does anyone know if the babysitting service in the evening is available for one year olds?
  
• Are there fridges in the cabins (for baby milk)?
  
• Are there cribs or playpens in the cabins? We have requested a crib, but to some a play pen is the same thing.
  
• How late does the late dinner seating finish?
  
• How can we minimize standing in line? This of course is pretty much impossible, we just want to be as efficient as possible.
  
• Any ideas for on shore activites? We are booked to do the cave tubing excursion in Belize, but have booked no other excursions.

Any other flying or embarking, disembarking advice would be fantastic!

Thanks so much in advance:)

[1st time cruise]

I forgot a couple of items here:

 

• Our little one will be with her grandparents while we are on the Belize Tubing ride (for obvious reasons)
  
• Is there a toddler pool on the ship?

Seems like people are really against people bringing small children on board. We are very responsible, and courteous to others when it comes to our little one. She is an excellent traveller, already flown overseas once. We plan to use the room service and buffet dining for most of our trip. The formal nights are not even an option for us, as we are obviously not going to take the baby. We are lucky enough to have a very happy baby, and 30 relatives crusing with us. Hence the reason we are bringing her, as there is no one left at home to watch her.

[1st time cruise]

Ok, I have found all the family cruising answers on the Family Cruising Board.

Thanks for all the help on that board, it's amazing.

[kitty9]

Carnival does not provide in cabin babysitting due to liability concerns. They do have group sitting in the club, after 10pm, for an hourly fee.

 

They will provide a pack and play type crib for the babies, but you must ask for that via your TA before you leave. If there are lots of babies on board, they could not have enough, so it's better to request one early.

 

Late dinner gets out after 10:30pm each night. With kids, early dinner is best. AND, you DON'T have to miss formal night because of a baby, unless you've opted for late dinner. If you have early seating, you can bring the baby to dinner.

 

Standing in line for what? On a ship as big as the one you're going on, lines are just a part of the equation. You cannot avoid them.

 

Babies are not allowed in the big pools, no diapers allowed for health reasons, not even swim diapers.