questions about bringing a 10 month old

[Kendallkat2]

We are bringing a 10 month old on the CB and I have a few questions for anyone out there:

1) Does Princess have baby food available?

2) What pools are good and are any flotation devices allowed?

3) Any suggestions, tips, hints?

 

Thanks!

[rebeccalouise]

I believe that you can order baby food from Princess in advance. They have a selection.

 

Babies are not permitted in the swimming pools. There is a tot pool outside of the youth center.

 

The best cruise line for babies (from my experience) is Disney. It costs more but the staterooms are huge and they have bathtubs in them. They have daycare for infants and toddlers. There is a cute baby pool (one of Mickey's Ears). The kids pool is shaped like Mickey Mouses head. The diningrooms on board are completely kid friendly and are noisey- so a 10 month old won't be a problem. The staff is totally kid friendly. Of the lines I have cruised Carnival, NCL, Celebrity and Princess- I think you are better off on Disney with a 10 month old. It is worth the extra money to have all the amenities provided to you and your tot.

[bjboothman]

One tip would be to choose Anytime Dining so you can plan your meals around baby's naps.

 

Children who are not toilet trained are not permitted in any of the pools. I believe flotation devices are permitted for those who are trained and thus allowed in the pools.

 

I don't know the answer to the baby food question.

[BrooklynGirl2]

The only question I can answer is that no child wearing diapers of any kind (including swim diapers) are allowed in any of the pools...including the children's splash pool.

[ldoc31]

I believe that you can order baby food from Princess in advance. They have a selection.

 

Babies are not permitted in the swimming pools. There is a tot pool outside of the youth center.

 

The best cruise line for babies (from my experience) is Disney. It costs more but the staterooms are huge and they have bathtubs in them. They have daycare for infants and toddlers. There is a cute baby pool (one of Mickey's Ears). The kids pool is shaped like Mickey Mouses head. The diningrooms on board are completely kid friendly and are noisey- so a 10 month old won't be a problem. The staff is totally kid friendly. Of the lines I have cruised Carnival, NCL, Celebrity and Princess- I think you are better off on Disney with a 10 month old. It is worth the extra money to have all the amenities provided to you and your tot.

 

I believe she is already booked on the Cb so why tell her she is better off on Disney? Just answer the questions she asked.

[Casshew]

You can bring a little blow up pool for your baby to play in. They are inexpensive and light to pack, then you can just leave it behind.

[Tina G]

You can bring a little blow up pool for your baby to play in. They are inexpensive and light to pack, then you can just leave it behind.

How do you drain it?:eek:

[gambit57]

I believe she is already booked on the Cb so why tell her she is better off on Disney? Just answer the questions she asked.

 

Future reference is a reason off the top of my head. Or, maybe they can cancel and rebook?

 

This is a public board to get information. She wasn't being nasty when offering the info. Chill.

[Pam in CA]

How do you drain it?:eek:

I've seen people suggest that they drain it at the side of the ship, in the water drains. Yuck! I don't know if they recycle the water through those drains but if they do, they'd have to do some heavy-duty anti-bacterial disinfecting. Maybe it goes right out to sea but I wouldn't want to sit anywhere near those drains.

[senatorgirth]

There's no need to go on Disney Cruise Line and its attendant over-the-top brand marketing--your kids will be just fine on Princess.

 

Princess Cruise Line will provide, free of charge, baby food for your child. But you must contact their corporate office in advance and make a special request for it. See page 7 of the Cruise Answer Book available online here:

http://www.princess.com/pdf/global/cab/2007_Cruise_Answer_Book.pdf

 

We have cruised on Princess with our then 11 month old son and 2.5 year old daughter and we had a great time. I think bringing an inflatable kiddie sounds intriguing, but I, too, have questions about filling it (where does one get a hose to do so?) and draining it (where?)

 

This recent thread on the subject might also help:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=499547

[Kerry's Girls]

To put one or two inches of water in a tiny inflatable pool (one small enough to fit into the shower to double as a bath-tub), it takes a large bottle of water that you bring along can fill with water from your tap. Just enough to splash around in. There are drains by all the pools that you can pour it directly into.

 

You can also enjoy the children's pools at any resorts you visit on shore, so you can bring an inflatable floatie for those if you like.

 

Princess will provide as much Gerber baby food as you need - they will have you choose the number of fruits/vegetables/meats you want and then deliver them to your stateroom. They also have baby cereal (the oatmeal-like mushy kind) that they provide by the box. No cherios - bring those with you if your baby likes them.

 

Have a great time!

[ldoc31]

Future reference is a reason off the top of my head. Or, maybe they can cancel and rebook?

 

This is a public board to get information. She wasn't being nasty when offering the info. Chill.

 

Yes and the information that was given had nothing to do with the question.

[JLC@SD]

How do you drain it?:eek:

 

ships have drains all over the decks to drain away the rain water......you can put the water in it.......the child will probably drain half of it anyway...:)

[lchavez]

We just got off the Coral with our 10 month old - he did great!

 

Yes they provide babyfood/juice /cereal - you need to pre-order it, but he ate bits off from the buffet most of the time, plenty to choose from. They do provide portable cribs if you pre-order and they are available.

 

My sugestions - get a good compact stoller that is light weight and narrow, also one that reclines for nap time. Easier to fit in room and halls. Plus bring a baby back-pack, sling or hip carrier for aorund the ship - it is a lot easier than the stroller.

 

Take plenty of diapers, formula and sunscreen.

 

You can't let them swim in the ship pools but we did the ocean and resort pools in ports. We had a blast. We had a mini-suite with a tub so it worked for baths, but he is fine in the shower too.

 

Check out the Family Cruising Board on CC for lots of info.

 

Go with the flow and have a great time!

Lisa

 

PS: go for anytime dinnning - who knows when naps will be! :o)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Future reference is a reason off the top of my head. Or, maybe they can cancel and rebook?

 

This is a public board to get information. She wasn't being nasty when offering the info. Chill.

 

Basically, because this is her stock answer when it comes to kids and Princess. And again, the op said she was going on a Princess ship and didn't need to be told she's making a mistake when many parents and kids cruise very successfully on Princess. At half the Disney cost.

[rebeccalouise]

That is not true (my stock answer). I have only told people to wait until their kids are old enough to use the youth programs on the ship. My comments are intended to be helpful to those traveling with little ones.

 

I did Disney this year and it is not my favorite line but I noticed how kid friendly the ship is- including the diningroom. The cabins were great for couples traveling with a baby. They were spacious and parents with babies are going to spend alot of time in the room. Babies prefer baths over showers and the cabins have bathtubs.

 

For me and my 6 year old, I wouldn't choose Disney again. My son would of course! I like a more adult atmosphere. But for parents with a 10 month old- they have the advantage of a daycare center for babies on board. So they could at least have a meal or two sans junior.

[jlp20]

We just got off the Coral with our 10 month old.......You can't let them swim in the ship pools but we did the ocean and resort pools in ports....

 

Diapered and children who are not toilet trained are excluded from the ship’s pools for lack of a better term “public health reasons”. Is there anyone here who disagrees with this policy?

 

This poster admits on taking their child into a resort’s pool and sees no problem. Would you like to speak to the people who used the pool after you left?

[rebeccalouise]

Resort pools and community swim pools allow kids with swimmy diapers. The baby pool on Disney only has a little water and it continually circulates new water into it. I thought that was pretty cool and the babies really loved it and didn't feel left out because it was right next to the main kids pool. That's why I thought it was nice for tots on there.

[lchavez]

WOW....... jlp20 - Very funny....... :D

 

Sure I will speak - there were hundresds of kids and dozens of babies, all in the pool/water park and having a great time while we were there and when we left! LOL

 

I totally respect the ship pool rules and do not dissagree with them at all. The resorts do not have the same rules, just like any public swimming pool in a local recreation center, or outdoor neighborhood pools - babies are allowed in swim diapers.

 

Actually ship pools are the ONLY pools we have been around where babies are not allowed, and we swim all the time, on vacation and at home in our local pools.

 

Enjoy :)

Lisa

[pg.]

I think one of the reasons land based pools allow kids in diapers is they have better control of chemicals in their pool water. Many ship pools are seawater and not treated, and even the freshwater ones ( like on Princess) are most likely not heavily treated, I don't think they would be allowed to drain heavily treated water into the ocean, and they do drain the pools if it is rough.

I think a tiny blow up pool is a great idea, and all you need is an ice bucket to dump some water into it ,, I mean three or four dumps would be enough to splash around in, plus you could put it in the shade so baby doesn't get burned or sunstroke. Plus, it can be used in shower stall to bath baby if you don't have a mini suite.

 

As for Disney having larger cabins with tubs, yes, that may be true, but since Disney is so expensive, why not just go on Princess and get a mini suit , which also has a sitting area and a full bathroom with a tub, and for most likely less money?

 

I also should add that if you don't get your baby food order in on time , don't panic, bring the cereal and just order steamed veggies and mash up with a fork. I also took a little hand held grinder ( mill? ) and it worked great, used tinned fruit, steamed veggies , etc. and waiters would have suggestions and bring stuff for me to mush and mash. Child lived ( he is 16 now, and try me there are days......) LOL

 

PS On the buffet at breakfast they used to have little boxes of cereal, Cheerios included, just take a box or two for the days snacks( great for shore) and if not take ziplock baggies and take some of the bulk Cheerios.

[spongerob]

I totally respect the ship pool rules and do not dissagree with them at all. The resorts do not have the same rules, just like any public swimming pool in a local recreation center, or outdoor neighborhood pools - babies are allowed in swim diapers.

This is not 100% correct. I was at a conference at a hotel last week here in town. The hotel's pool has a sign asking that diapered infants not use the pool.

 

Friends of ours live in a community with a neighborhood pool. After a couple of incidents last summer, they will no longer be allowing diapered infants, either. If they do, they have to keep chlorine levels so high that no one can stand to use it.

[LARGIN]

We have a pool and our kids, grandkids and great grandkids were not allowed in it until they were potty trained.

[JLC@SD]

.........reminds me of the saying.........we do not swim in your toilets....don't bring your kids to pee in our pool.....:mad:

[SnorkelBear]

Just so you know they are not picking on kids. Adults who require sanitary undergarments are also not allowed in the pools. It is strictly a health issue and anyone that considers it in a logical manner can understand. Great effort is made on each cruise to keep all passengers healthy and happy.

[gambit57]

We used to have a sign that said, "Welcome to our OOL. Notice there's no P in it? Let's keep it that way."