Stroller Help Please

[Lessum]

Hi! We are going on the Carnival Legend in January. It is our first cruise ever. We are going to Belize, Cozumel, Roatan and Grand Cayman. We do not know yet what we are doing there though. We will have a 4.5yo and a 15mo. Our 4.5yo will still sit in a stroller. My question is what kind of stroller? We have a double tandem. It is quite heavy (as most tandems are) and large. When it folds up it does stand on its own though. Should we bring this or invest in two small reclining umbrella strollers? We will also bring the back pack carrier for the youngest for beach time. My concern is, if I don't have somewhere for the 4.5 yo to sit....she of course will want to sit!

 

Thoughts please????

[dalitos]

The problem with the double apart that it's heavy/big is where would you keep it in the cabin? The cabin will be tight as it is, and the stroller will take a lot of space.

Would it be possible to get a regular stroller and they can share it? The 4.5 will most likely walk part of the time, and when he/she wants to sit you can put the 15mo in the backpack or a carrier.

We took a big (single) stroller for our 2 year old when we cruised with him and it was a pain having it in the room and maneuvering on the ship (crowded elevators, narrow hallways, etc).

[Lessum]

Thanks! The nice thing about our big stroller is both kids can nap at the same time if they wanted. It does stand on it's own when folded up and isn't that wide so I was thinking we could get it in the closet when we weren't using it.

 

I am looking at a Combi for the baby and then get a regular small umbrella stroller with a shade for the 4.5yo. I just hate the idea of 2 strollers. I know though that if I don't have 2 seats the 4.5 yo will want to SIT...

 

The baby has never been in a carrier before. I can't carry her in it - She's HEAVY. When DH gets home from Afghanistan I will have him try her it in.

 

If anyone has anymore thoughts...let me know!

[Kerry's Girls]

My beloved Graco DuoGlider went on five cruises with us, and it's true, you have to be patient with elevators, but we were never in a hurry. Otherwise it was great to have, and I always found room for it (we're always in a regular size cabin). Either against a wall or in the closet area depending on the cabin layout. It was worth the relatively small hassle to have a comfortable place for my girls while we were out and about so I never had to stop because someone was whining about being tired. I'm on my own with my twins, so I don't have the option of using two strollers, but on one of our cruises, I did bring the tandem plus a small umbrella and used the single for short walks around the ship and the larger one for port days.

 

Best,

Mia

[Lessum]

Mia,

Thanks for your reply. My biggest concern I think with the tandem is how heavy it is - weighs about 31 lbs. I am concerned with using it while tendering. I was thinking have such a heavy stroller while getting on and off the boats would be difficult...do you have any experience with this?

 

I don't want to regret not having it...but don't want it to be a hassle either.

 

Leslie

[Kerry's Girls]

Mia,

Thanks for your reply. My biggest concern I think with the tandem is how heavy it is - weighs about 31 lbs. I am concerned with using it while tendering. I was thinking have such a heavy stroller while getting on and off the boats would be difficult...do you have any experience with this?

 

I don't want to regret not having it...but don't want it to be a hassle either.

 

Leslie

 

You won't be lifting on and off tenders - they have sailor men who will do that :). I travel with my girls alone and I never had a problem handling mine, but clearly the comfort comes at the price of a bit of a hassle. I took a Sit n' Stand once one of my girls sized out of the Duo Glider and it was lighter, but I did miss having a place for her to lay back and chill out.

 

Best,

Mia

[Lessum]

Mia,

Thanks! I will have to see what my husband thinks. I am thinking about selling my single stroller and infant carrier so I picked up a Combi single stroller today off of Craigslist. It would work pretty good I think for the baby and is VERY lightweight. I could always get a small umbrella stroller for the older one. I just don't want to regret not having the double.

 

What about excursions? I am thinking in terms of buses/cabs....did yuo have any experience with this with the double stroller?

 

Thanks

Leslie

[MichelleChell]

What about a sit and stand. Your 4.5 yr old would think her spot is cool to sit or stand and the baby would have there place too.

[Lessum]

Our double tandem actually converts to a sit and stand but we have never taken the seat off to make it a sit and stand. Our 4.5 yo will still nap in the stroller if she's tired enough (well at least she did a year ago). I can't imagine taking the seat off will make it that much lighter. And it certainly won't be any smaller.

 

I really just don't know what to do....

[Kerry's Girls]

Mia,

Thanks! I will have to see what my husband thinks. I am thinking about selling my single stroller and infant carrier so I picked up a Combi single stroller today off of Craigslist. It would work pretty good I think for the baby and is VERY lightweight. I could always get a small umbrella stroller for the older one. I just don't want to regret not having the double.

 

What about excursions? I am thinking in terms of buses/cabs....did yuo have any experience with this with the double stroller?

 

Thanks

Leslie

 

Cabs usually have their trunks empty, so never had a problem finding one that could take the stroller. For excursions, you can ask the shore excursion desk about the stroller if it's a bus, but again, I never had a problem with it. Cruises are used to wheelchairs, so strollers don't really stump them. If you get the Combi and an umbrella, it just means you'll both be pushing a stroller in port, but it will certainly be more compact and easier to manage - and then you can just use one single for around the ship when you don't really need one for your 4 year old.

 

Best,

Mia

[Lessum]

Mia thanks for all your help...it certainly is nice to have someone share their experience. One more questions - when you cruised - did you take car seats for excursions?

[myraid]

We have a similar situation on our upcoming cruise with our 5 year old and 18 month old. The 5 year old will want somewhere to sit, particularly in the airport and if we go for walks on port days. So we are taking two umbrella strollers...I like the flexibility it gives in case one wants to use the stroller and the other doesn't. They are easily stored in the room. We were going to take a sit and stand but it is a bit heavy and bulky, especially in the room.

 

Happy cruising!!!

[cruznluvr]

We just returned from the Legend & also took a stroller for our 4.5 y/o. Although, she preferred to walk when we would exit the ship in ports; it came in very handy when trying to return to the ship after long beach days. The walk to the ship in Cozumel is quite long & you will be thankful to have a stroller for both tired kids. We ended up using our in every port except Belize, due to the crowded tender boats.

[Lessum]

crusnlvr - Thanks for the tip - do you have any suggestions for what to do in each port with kids?

 

Thanks