Cruising Splendida w/ 16 month old

[HUTCH1113]

Hello Fellow Cruisers,

 

I already posted this on the main board and got some good answers, but I heard there is also good info to be found here. So here it goes:

 

My wife and I are taking the MSC Splendida to the Western Med on April 24. We have cruised with our daughter before on Royal Caribbean when she was 8 months old (Scandinavia). That experience was very positive, but I still have apprehensions about our upcoming cruise now that she is older and more mobile. Here are some of the concerns that I have. I hope folks who have sailed this itinerary can help calm my fears:

 

1) Is there room in the Outside Balcony cabin to put a Pack 'n Play? The agency that booked my cruise said they can do it, but after looking at the layout of the room, I cant imagine where they will put a baby crib.

 

2) Our daughter has grown into a somewhat picky eater, so we are never sure what she will want to eat on a given day. Will it be possible to bring our own baby foods and milk on board at embarkation? I read that they have a policy against such things.

 

3) The earliest dinner seating for this sailing is 7pm, which is close to our daughter's bedtime. Did anyone else have this issue and how did you handle keeping your child up through a long dinner close to their normal bedtime?

 

4) Is milk generally available at the breakfast and lunch buffet? Did anyone bring foods from the ports back onto the ship? We had considered bringing our dinner from the ports instead of sitting through a long dinner. Although, I would hate to miss out on these fancy dinners that we ultimately paid a pretty penny for.

 

I know these seem like irrational fears, but I want to make the most of our "big trip" this year and anything I would like to do anything I can to prepare.

 

Thanks in advance!

[cb at sea]

There will be plenty of milk....but you could bring foods, if you wanted to. Just know that a baby (no matter HOW picky) will NOT starve itself! If she won't eat one day, she will the next! Sometimes, it's a good idea to let them see how their "pickiness" affects them!

I wouldn't buy dinner from ports...you PAID to eat on the ship! There are many options for meals...and on vacation, you can bet baby's schedule will go out the window....give a nap, if you need to!

Most lines will do their best to switch you to the dining time that suits you best...ask as soon as you board! That way, baby's bedtime won't be an issue.