Cruising with an infant

[UncleInci]

A quick question about cruising with an infant. I know Carnival asks for a minimum age of 4 months. But out side of that, how young is too young? Any parents who have travelled with an infant have any advice or tips?

 

I hope this does not turn into a debate about rude parents and crying babies. :p

[Thirsty Cruiser]

A quick question about cruising with an infant. I know Carnival asks for a minimum age of 4 months. But out side of that, how young is too young? Any parents who have travelled with an infant have any advice or tips?

 

I hope this does not turn into a debate about rude parents and crying babies.

 

... and duct taping snorkels to their little mouths We took our 1 yr old on a 7 day Disney cruise and had a great time. They have a nursery that will take the very young ones during meal times or when you need adult time. They don\\\'t charge for regular fare for under 2, but the cost is much higher, so no savings there.If you are going with Carnival, don\\\'t expect to have as much adult time. I personally think you can make it work, but be prepared for responsed on this thread that tell you to leave the rugrat home.

[seashell36]

My cousin, her husband and 6 month old cruised last year. One thing she said was make sure you stay on the baby's schedule(nap,eat,play, whatever). She also said the lifesaver item that she took was a Snugli - said she carried the baby everywhere in it, including when they wanted to go shopping in the ports.

[smrn]

We took my 5 month old daughter on a 5 night. We, and she, had a great time. My life-saver was her umbrella stroller.

[LABecca]

The reason for the age limit is for health reasons and why I would not take an infant on a cruiseship. Cruise ships are relatively close quarters with a high potential for infection. Infants do not have a suffcient immune system to ward off infection like toddlers and up.

 

If you do decide to bring your infant make sure you load up on antibacterial sanitizer and be very mindful of what comes in contact with your child.

[truecruiser]

A quick question about cruising with an infant. I know Carnival asks for a minimum age of 4 months. But out side of that, how young is too young? Any parents who have travelled with an infant have any advice or tips?

 

I hope this does not turn into a debate about rude parents and crying babies. :p

 

my kids all started cruising when they were babies. the youngest age was 7 mos. did just fine. you must bring everything you will need for the whole week with you. you will not be able to find things onboard.

[UncleInci]

Thanks, these a great tips, keep 'em coming!

[wrp96]

You may also want to ask your question on the Family Cruisers board http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49 There are lots of people that post over there that have great tips for traveling with kids and how to decide what's the earliest you should take your child on a ship.

[JoeSmooga]

Both of our kids started cruising on CCL before they were 1. Key things...

 

1) Umbrella stroller - MUST HAVE. Another person mentioned this and I can't agree more.

2) Diapers - figure what you would use in a week, and pack double :) We found out the hard way how many more a child seems to use when on vacation, AND how much they cost when trying to buy them in port.

3) Try to get a room with a fridge if possible. That way you can pick up milk in the morning at breakfast and have it available all day. Or...

4) If you want milk at night, call room service and they will bring it down.

5) Again, as someone else stated, try to keep to your child's schedule as best you can.

6) Remember to pack a blanket for your child. Sure, there is bedding for the crib, but we found there was a bit of "comfort" in them using one of their own. Those rooms can get a bit chilly at night :)

7) If the schedule allows, take advantage of the "family time" when they open Camp Carnival to kids less than 2.

8) Along those same lines, after 10PM Camp Carnival will take your child at normal babysitting fees ($6/hr). If you child is a heavy sleeper I would take advantage of that at least once on the trip, just so the two of you can have some adult time.

[msbr]

On Christmas Eve of 1996 we took our 4 months and 1 day old dd for her first cruise. It was fantastic!

 

We used the snugli all the time and had no issues. After that cruise though, she did not not cruise again until she was 10.

 

IMHO, do it when they are itty bitty. Those toddler year vacations were filled with Disney, Sea World, beach trips and family visits. So glad to be back to cruising as we advance into the tween and teenage years!

[sandy toes]

Took children from age 10 mo on. I agree 100% an umbrella stroller with the rotating wheels not the fixed ones. It will work so much better in port on bumps and uneven walkways. Diapers and more diapers, wipes, special blankets, toys, nuks, bottles, sippy cups...whatever you use at home factor into bringing. We never had a bad time, have left the dining room due to a fussy little one many times but hey, we knew that was something that might happen. Make some time for you as a couple, even if only one evening. Have a great time. Check family cruising for additional info.

[okgirl]

I'm not a mom, but I am a nurse so be sure to use only bottled water for your baby (or anyone else out there traveling w/ small kids). The tap water that is used on the ship is desalinated but still has a very high sodium content and can cause diarrhea in many children (and some adults)

[cruisecruisecruise1234567]

A quick question about cruising with an infant. I know Carnival asks for a minimum age of 4 months. But out side of that, how young is too young? Any parents who have travelled with an infant have any advice or tips?

 

I hope this does not turn into a debate about rude parents and crying babies. :p

 

 

Remember on formal night that children must follow the dress code also.

[MimiKiwi]

Remember to bring baby-safe sunscreen. Little ones can be seriously burned by sunlight reflected from water.:eek:

[Tripinbrums]

We have cruised before we had kids and after. The only difference is before we had kids we did more "partying" and staying up late. We definitely lay out in lounge chairs a lot less(if at all). We love to do family cruises with our 9, 6 and 18 month old. I would think cruising with a baby who can't walk yet would actually be easier. We do the dining room and everything.

They always have a high chair waiting for us. If you do want a lot of late night time or alone time I think Camp Carnival has babysitting for $6 and hour for babies. I did not feel comfortable with that. Frankly after swimming, shopping and watching 3 kids all day we were in bed by 8 every night.:)

[Tripinbrums]

Oh yes I agree with the umbrella stroller. My big stroller would not have worked. We found an umbrella stroller at Wal Mart that had a hood on it with a basket. This was great for getting in and out of taxis and buses on the islands. Oh , this stroller also reclined a little. She actually was able to sleep in it during bingo or just rest.