Bringing a toddler on a cruise

[jnmrlk]

Can you give me some tips on cruising with a 21 month old.

Is any day care available for that age - can we pay for "baby sitting services" in the evening?

Am I correct in thinking that this age group will not be allowed in the kid pool?

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated - Thanks

[CruisnGram]

Can you give me some tips on cruising with a 21 month old.

Is any day care available for that age - can we pay for "baby sitting services" in the evening?

Am I correct in thinking that this age group will not be allowed in the kid pool?

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated - Thanks

 

Sorry to say but 21 months is not an ideal age to cruise on NCL. Like most cruise lines, your child cannot go to the kids club (must be a minimum of 2) and cannot use the pools if he/she is not potty trained.

 

And, NCL has no private babysitting available, and for group sitting, the child must be 2 years old.

 

Sorry.

 

CG

[ImpulsivePuppy]

I would wait three more months so you can take advantage of the Kid's Club. My DS went at two years old and loved every second of it.

[Arwenmark]

Wait three months and get the child potty trained and you will have a much nicer vacation and so will the child.

[ImpulsivePuppy]

Wait three months and get the child potty trained and you will have a much nicer vacation and so will the child.

 

Kid's club gives you a beeper for just such an occasion. Still works out pretty well, even if not potty trained.

[shellmisi]

I've taken a 15 month old and then later an 8 month old on cruises. Everyone had a wonderful time on each! If you can wait, then that would be ideal as my 2 year old begged to go to the kids' club constantly. Nonetheless, the cruises having the little ones were both great. The kids loved all the attention, the constant action and movement... and then the basic constant family time.

 

My tips would be to take all the supplies you need as things are really pricey in the gift shop. Get a really good stroller - not the big travel system one but the smaller fold up ones that are nice (not $15 at walmart, kwim?)

 

If your kid will sleep in the stroller, then time nap with lunch and enjoy a kid free fancy meal in the dining room. For dinner I would suggest taking lots of snacks because meals take so long and the kids get hungry. We once had a waiter bring the kids meals with the first course, which I thought was great until the kids were done and bored when we just started our entrees.

 

There are family activites that you can take part in even if your kiddo is too young to be left in the program. We did a dance party and pizza making event with our little ones.

 

Take things slow and have fun! Just relax and don't overplan. Good luck!

[jnmrlk]

The toddler is actually my Grand-daughter, we are having a family type cruise so she will be the youngest and there are allot of people that will be willing to hold her!!!

The cruise is already booked and we are going at the end of August. As I am taking a 15, 14 and 12 year old I am trying to avoid missing any school so this is it!

This is my son and his DW and DD's first cruise - this is my 4th so I am some-what prepared, and this is why we chose to sail the Dawn to Bermuda for 3 days, I think it will lead to much more of an easy going cruise.

I was hoping they still offered babysitting in the evening but that's okay, I am sure she will be "traded off" between my dh and I and my daughter (who also has 2 children that will be 2-1/2 and 6).

[Arwenmark]

Kid's club gives you a beeper for just such an occasion. Still works out pretty well, even if not potty trained.

 

I was referring to the baby being able to go in a pool. That was why I suggested he/she be potty trained. As for waiting till child was 24 months that was so they would be able to use the Kid's club.

[Arwenmark]

The toddler is actually my Grand-daughter, we are having a family type cruise so she will be the youngest and there are allot of people that will be willing to hold her!!!

The cruise is already booked and we are going at the end of August. As I am taking a 15, 14 and 12 year old I am trying to avoid missing any school so this is it!

This is my son and his DW and DD's first cruise - this is my 4th so I am some-what prepared, and this is why we chose to sail the Dawn to Bermuda for 3 days, I think it will lead to much more of an easy going cruise.

I was hoping they still offered babysitting in the evening but that's okay, I am sure she will be "traded off" between my dh and I and my daughter (who also has 2 children that will be 2-1/2 and 6).

 

You can also bring a very tiny blow up pool to let her go in.

[KerCar]

The toddler is actually my Grand-daughter, we are having a family type cruise so she will be the youngest and there are allot of people that will be willing to hold her!!!

The cruise is already booked and we are going at the end of August. As I am taking a 15, 14 and 12 year old I am trying to avoid missing any school so this is it!

This is my son and his DW and DD's first cruise - this is my 4th so I am some-what prepared, and this is why we chose to sail the Dawn to Bermuda for 3 days, I think it will lead to much more of an easy going cruise.

I was hoping they still offered babysitting in the evening but that's okay, I am sure she will be "traded off" between my dh and I and my daughter (who also has 2 children that will be 2-1/2 and 6).

 

You'll be fine! I brought my DD on her first cruise when she was 14 months. It was one of the best trips we have ever had! She wasn't old enough for the kid's crew either but we still managed to find plenty of stuff to keep her busy! Bermuda is a great port for kids. There's a nice little beach within walking distance of the ship. My children really enjoyed themselves there.

 

Be sure to bring plenty of diapers and wipes. Bring any medicine that you might need. Bring a couple of sippy or other child sized cups, along with a small thing of dish soap to wash them with. Small colorful board books, invisible paints, invisible markers, and small toys are great to bring to dinner to keep baby occupied. Dinner in the main DR has always worked well for us. The earlier the better.

 

Please let me know if you have any other questions:) Also, be sure to check out the Family Board:)

[jnmrlk]

We will probably eat most of our meals at the buffet, it just will work better for us, plus the Dawn has that cute kiddie size buffet for the 2 and 6 year old!

As I LOVE sushi I will probably pay for a couple of nights to eat it, but then I will probably take the toddler once or twice so that her mother and father can eat alone where ever they choose.

The blow up pool is a great idea - can I take one of those cheap ones you get at say walmart that is about 2 or 3 feet big???? Then I can just throw it out when we are done.

I have 5 kids ranging from 25 to 12 and 3 grand-kids so I have learnt over the years to "roll with it". As we plan on spending a day at Horseshoe beach and I was thinking of trying the beach right beside the dock (any-one have any advice on that???? - worth it??????).

The little ones will be happy with sand and water - the older ones will be happy to snorkel (and they don't even need allot of fish just the clear water tickles them pick). Myself - I just need the sun and my kindle - then I am in heaven!!

[greeba]

The kiddie pool is so small and shallow, that I can't imagine any kid who is big enough to be potty trained would go in it. All of the kids in the kiddy pool were wearing swimmies, so don't worry!

[CruisnGram]

The kiddie pool is so small and shallow, that I can't imagine any kid who is big enough to be potty trained would go in it. All of the kids in the kiddy pool were wearing swimmies, so don't worry!

 

It is against health codes for any child who is not potty trained to go into any pool on a cruise ship, even if using swimmies. If you saw untrained kids in the kiddie pool, they weren't supposed to be there and it was simply because no one enforced the rule.

 

OP: We took one of the small blow up pools with us when we cruised with out 10 month old GS. It worked great. We would just set it up on the pool deck, fill it, let him play and then empty it near a drainage grate.

 

Have fun!

 

CG

[lamolesky]

Good advice above, if your little one is almost two, you might want to wait the 2 or 3 more months if possible. I took my little one at 16 months and at 2 years. While he was fine at 16months, with all the small toys and things to keep him occupied, like stated above, he had MUCH more fun at 2. We wanted to go before he turned two but decided to wait and went on his second birthday. He couldn't get enough of the kids club, plus his older brother was there too! Look at my site for all the kids club activities and menus, kids buffet and Under Two Zoo, etc. Both of my boys can't wait to go back!!

 

As for the pool situation, it is unfortunate that the little pools don't let in little ones, by the time they are potty trained, they are too big for those pools! I noticed on the Gem there was no lifeguard so anyone was in the pool. On the Dawn with the huge kids water playground, there was a lifeguard who was very vigilant about the diaper situation (rightfully so).

 

As for Bermuda, the beach within walking distance of the ship at Kings Wharf is ok, you can swim and there is sand but Horseshoe Bay is amazing, much nicer! Plus when you walk in to the right, there is a shallow area with beautiful rock formations and it is full of little kids with their parents. So the kids can play with other kids and they can go in the water alone (depending on age, of course), no waves, while you sit at waters edge and watch them. You can rent beach chairs for $10 each, there is a small cafe for lunch, bathrooms with showers, etc. We took the bus instead of the shore excursion with the ship (it was expensive for all of us) plus we could come and go as we pleased (or the childrens moods). The bus dropped us off at the top of the hill and there was this guy there in a mini bus who drove you up or down the hill for $1 per person! It was fine going down but coming up we needed it :-)

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[jnmrlk]

I am so happy to hear about the "blow up" pool - it is the perfect solution!!

Do the buses tend to be crowed to H/shoe bay?? Is it easy to catch one there and back and does any-one have any idea how often they run there - 2 x's a day 3x's a day??

[JMB123]

I know that none of you want to hear this, but I've said before that the staff allow swim diapers in the baby pools (on Norwegian and Princess) and it's still true. We just got off the Gem on Wednesday. On the first day, we went to the kids' club open house and we were given a tour of the kiddie pool. I specifically asked the kids' club staff if swim diapers were ok and she looked at me like I was crazy. She said "of course, it's a baby pool, that's the point." My son, along with MANY other babies really enjoyed that pool. Of course, I never would have brought him in the other pools - I'm talking about the 6" deep pool that's there for babies and toddlers.

 

On the Dawn, there are several kids pools...I would think it's only allowed in the 6" deep baby pool, though. Just ask the staff to make sure you're not breaking any rules.

 

There's also an "under 2 zoo", which is basically just a room with a bunch of toys in it. Not terrific, but it works good to the let little ones run around and you can often meet other people with babies and toddlers. Have fun!

[Educators2]

Check out the "Under two Zoo" or play area for the toddler set. On our family cruise, our youngest grandchild who was one, loved the toys and other kids who were in the play area. We took turns with him in the room.

[CruisnGram]

I know that none of you want to hear this, but I've said before that the staff allow swim diapers in the baby pools (on Norwegian and Princess) and it's still true. We just got off the Gem on Wednesday. On the first day, we went to the kids' club open house and we were given a tour of the kiddie pool. I specifically asked the kids' club staff if swim diapers were ok and she looked at me like I was crazy. She said "of course, it's a baby pool, that's the point." My son, along with MANY other babies really enjoyed that pool. Of course, I never would have brought him in the other pools - I'm talking about the 6" deep pool that's there for babies and toddlers.

 

On the Dawn, there are several kids pools...I would think it's only allowed in the 6" deep baby pool, though. Just ask the staff to make sure you're not breaking any rules.

 

It's not that no one wants to hear this. It's a fact that it IS a rule. And if you allow your child to go into any pool, including the kiddie pool, and they are not potty trained, you are breaking the rules. It's a health risk as feces and urine can contaminate the water and make people ill, besides just being plain yucky.

 

Here's the info copied directly from NCL's website:

 

Are there any pool regulations?

According to United States Public Health (U.S.P.H.) regulations, no diapers of any kind are permitted in the swimming pools or jacuzzis, including those marketed as "swimmers."

 

According to the USPH...not NCL, not Princess.... USPH. Simply because some employee isn't familiar with the rule, doesn't mean it's not there.

 

Please everyone, stick to the blow up pools for your little ones.

 

CG

[JMB123]

I'm not going to debate the topic - I just want to tell my experiences, so that it may help future cruisers.

 

I do have to say that the kiddie pool was the highlight of my son's cruise. He begged to go in it all day every day. He loved that little slide!