Bring stroller?

[Mammaof2girls]

We leave for our first cruise tomorrow....yes, tomorrow (Sunday)! We are leaving out of NYC to go to Bermuda. The ship ports in Bermuda for 3 days. I have no idea if I should bring an umbrella stroller or not for my 3 3/4 yr. old??? She hasn't used/been in a stroller for almost 1 1/2 yrs. Would we need one (for the ship or for Bermuda?) or would it be more of a hassle? I have no idea if we should pack it or not. I'm thinking no, as it's one more thing to lug w/ us. But then again, don't want to regret it when we're there wishing we had one. We go to amusement parks and zoos, and we never take it and was always fine w/o it. So what do you think? Take it or leave it at home??? Maybe your perspective will help me decide on what to do.

Thanks!

 

(if it helps any, we are taking the Norwegian Dawn). We have 2 girls...ages 6 1/2 and 3 3/4 yrs.

[CruisePrincess575]

absoutly take it

[6rugrats]

No, I wouldn't. She already does fine on long excursions without one and hasn't had one for quite a long time. The policy in our family is we don't go backward. Sometimes if you reintroduce something you have long abandoned, it becomes very difficult to take it away again.

 

If she gets tired, it's probably a clue that you all need to take a break and get a snack.

[98Charlie]

As the mother of 3 grown children and now helping to raise 2 grandchildren (ages 3 and 7), I'd say pack the umbrella stroller.

 

Have been on many cruises where I can see those umbrella strollers have been handy for parents, both on and off ship.

 

Even though your daughter has not used the stroller in many months, I'll just bet she will enjoy a ``free ride'' when her legs give out before yours.

 

Have seen many a parent pushing an umbrella stroller through a port area with a child the age of yours sleeping in the stroller. Have also seen parents walking through ports with two young kids holding their hands while the umbrella stroller holds a bag filled with drinks and snacks for the family as well as a few bags of souviners they've purchased in port.

 

Dianne

[Mammaof2girls]

So, 2 pple say to take it and 1 person says not to take it. Keep the responses coming! We leave tomorrow AM and need to know if I'll be taking it. I don't know what to do! But your responses are helping. Thanks! :)

 

Keep them coming!!!!

 

P.S. I'm not worried about having a hard time taking the stroller away. She was never really a stroller kid anyway...always wanted out. So for us it's not like we'll be "regressing." But now that she's older, if I need her to be in there, etc. she will. I just don't know if it'll be worth it or not!!!

[gisele21]

I have noticed that there's a wide range with kids and strollers. Some want out at age 2 and never look back. Others are 5 and up and you can't get them out!

 

I think if she's 3.75 years old (almost 4) and has done zoos and parks without it, you probably are ok without. Make sure that what you plan to do in port isn't a lot more walking than what you have done. If it's as much or less, you probably don't need it. If you plan to be on a tight schedule, need to get from A to B in a hurry, then consider bringing it.

 

My son when he just turned age 4 did 3 days of the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, non-stop all day, no nap, no stroller. After that we knew he was capable of walking on his own and hasn't been in a stroller since. In contrast, he has a friend the exact same age (born only 3 days apart) who even at age 5 still insists on being in a stroller.

[cb at sea]

If you need it at home, take it. If your child doesn't need it, and would throw a fit being treated like a baby, don't bring it! You're on vacation--if she gets tired, sit down for a bit!

[Leafpeeper]

I just bought two strollers for my twin granddaughters because they are so lightweight and easy to pack. As you know with trips to Disney, kids legs get tired and then they start whining. If they have a stroller, they can relax and even take a nap while you enjoy shopping or a cocktail.

 

I get tired just walking from one end of the ship to another. Sometimes I wish I could get a stroller. We definetely won't do another aft cabin again.

 

Take it. At least you'll have it if you need it. I'd rather have it and not use it than leave it home and wish I had it.

[OnTheBrink]

I'd take it. We were on a cruise in March. My son was 3.5 and did use the stroller quite a bit. In fact, my 7 year old was known to hop in once in a while. Our stroller is so small and light that it was not a burden to take with us. For the next cruise my son will be 4.5 and I still think we'll take it. If we don't, I won't have anywhere to put my shopping! :)

[CeleBrat]

Take it!

 

An umbrella stroller doesn't take up much space and can be easily stowed in the closet.

 

And, it will be a great help in the event your child gets sick. On our last cruise (NCL GEM--Mediterranean), while on a really long shore excursion, my daughter got sick. Fever, tired, etc. It came out of nowhere, and we were literally in the middle of nowhere. So, we all had to take turns carrying her. If we had a stroller. we could've let her sit, sleep, and be much more comfortable.

 

Just a thought....

 

CeleBrat

[nothriver]

Sounds like OP has already left, hope she remembers to come back when she gets home and let us know what she decided and how it went either way!

 

My DD will turn 4 on our cruise and I haven't decided on the stroller yet. I'm thinking "no" for the cruise. We go to Disney every year and I take the stroller to Disney for sure and probably will until she is at least 5. I do at least 10 miles a day at Disney. I don't *think* we'll walk that far on our cruise. Also when we go to Disney, we have always had the carseat for the plane and I use the stroller to transport the carseat through the airport. For our Alaska cruise, we're getting a CARES harness for the plane plane and the SafeRider vest for the many cars, cabs and shuttle vans we'll be in, so it will be my first carseat free trip so we won't need the stroller for that either.

 

Anyway, I'm interested to hear how it goes for her!

[Eclipsepearl]

I took a stroller for a 3 1/2 year old who was totally not a "stroller child". I almost never use it at home.

 

We were really glad we had it! It wasn't like at home at all. Lots of walking and our cabin was far from the kids' club. I folded it and put it behind the door so it wasn't in the way.

 

We probably used it once a day and it was really needed. Those ships can be big and there are some long walks to and from, in the heat, at the ports.

[Mammaof2girls]

Sounds like OP has already left, hope she remembers to come back when she gets home and let us know what she decided and how it went either way!

 

Anyway, I'm interested to hear how it goes for her!

Hey there!

 

OK....here's the deal. We didn't take it. Do I have any regrets that we didn't take it. NOPE.

 

Sure, walking from the front of the ship to the back of the ship can be lengthy walks, but in all honesty, not enough to warrant a stroller ride. She did fine! We didn't do any excursions....and went to the same beach for the 3 days we were in port. Even the long walk from the ship to where you catch the bus for the beach....she did well. Even that walk down that hill to get to the beach, she did fine! I'm glad it worked out for us, and there was never a time that I "wished we had it". On the beach, it would have been more of a PITA for us, I think. Another thing to lug around (despite it being narrow when folded) and another thing to just get sopped w/ sand.

 

So, having said that, we didn't bring it....we weren't regretful about not having it on the ship or off the ship and she did real good! :)

 

Hope this helps!

[98Charlie]

Hey there!

 

OK....here's the deal. We didn't take it. Do I have any regrets that we didn't take it. NOPE.

 

Sure, walking from the front of the ship to the back of the ship can be lengthy walks, but in all honesty, not enough to warrant a stroller ride. She did fine! We didn't do any excursions....and went to the same beach for the 3 days we were in port. Even the long walk from the ship to where you catch the bus for the beach....she did well. Even that walk down that hill to get to the beach, she did fine! I'm glad it worked out for us, and there was never a time that I "wished we had it". On the beach, it would have been more of a PITA for us, I think. Another thing to lug around (despite it being narrow when folded) and another thing to just get sopped w/ sand.

 

So, having said that, we didn't bring it....we weren't regretful about not having it on the ship or off the ship and she did real good! :)

 

Hope this helps!

Welcome Back!!

 

So glad that you had a good time and everything worked out.

 

Charlie