Should parents bring their infants onboard?

[drewlane]

I saw the recent thread about this and figured this would make a great poll. :D

 

I'll start the voting off with a big NO. :p

 

<puts on flame-retardant suit>

 

Drew

[cruiserforlife]

I vote NO!

 

Last cruise,a couple brought their newly born child who screamed bloody murder throughout dinner...3 nights in a row.

 

Didn't add to the overall dining experience...

[FamilyGuy1010]

Travelling with kids is hard enough on land...being couped up with an infant in a ship cabin would NOT be a vacation for me (kids now 9 & 6...good age to start cruises).

[Happy ks]

I love babies, but no, not on a cruise. Sorry if I offend anyone.

[dbmiller1956]

<puts on flame-retardant suit>

Drew

 

Okay Drew, I'm putting on my suit and climbing in there with you....

 

A bg resounding NO. I have 3 children, all grown. I spent many a vacation with them and their laughter, tears, screaming, playing, etc. I tried my hardest to make sure they did not disrupt anyone else. So, I see no reason for anyone else to not do the same. If they misbehaved, they went outside and got a stern "talking-to". If they were infants, well.... we just never took our kids, as infants, to places that wasn't really for an infant and a cruise ship is one of those places. A little courtesy is all that is asked.

 

I have 3 grandchildren, the youngest 2 are both less than 2 years. We have discussed cruising as a family and I have explicitly told my children that if the little ones are not old enough to go to the Kids Camp during meals or other activities, they do not need to be there. It isn't fair to the kids or the parents.

 

So, if you find it impossible for you to leave Junior at home, at least keep him quiet, under control, out of trouble, etc. If you can't, at least have the decency to take him out of where ever you are so the rest of us can enjoy our children-free vacation!

[catdancers]

I thought Princess had a minimum age for infants? Does anyone know? At one time they had two different minimum ages, depending on the itinerary.

[Toto2Kansas]

I also vote a BIG "NO" on this one. Princess Ships are just not set up to care for or accomodate infants. With Princess not even having any type of babysitting for children under the age of being potty trained, that alone should be a big clue!

[Toto2Kansas]

Found this on the Princess Web Site:

 

Princess welcomes children on board as long as they meet the age criteria listed below, however, children under the age of three are not permitted in the Youth Centers unless accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.

 

 

<LI>Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and Mexico: 6 months

 

<LI>Exotics: 12 months

 

<LI>Panama Canal: 6 months

 

Canada/New England: 6 months

[DrivesLikeMario]

The only reason why I say, "No", is because I've heard babies crying for hours at night. We were a few cabins away so it wasn't too bad for us, but I really felt sorry for the neighbors in the cabins on either side of that baby's cabin!

[fuzzywuzzy]

I just have to add my comments here as well. I have two young adult children and I love them dearly but I would never have taken them on a plane on a tropical vacation when they were infants. There are various reasons, but most importantly, how is that a vacation for me and my DH?? I see parents with tiny children on trips where they are carting everything but the kitchen sink, diapers, bottles, huge baby carriage which inevitably is always in someone's way, toys, etc. etc. How can this be relaxing for the parents? I also would be worried about the disruption to the child's schedule. As all you parents know out there, an infant needs to be on a schedule for sleeping, eating, etc. That means that at least one parent has to be in the room while the baby is napping. What about the child becoming ill while far away from home?

 

Many infants are so susceptible to ear infections, illnesses when they are overtired, their routine is disrupted, they are exposed to many people who might have a virus, being in the wind. They are just so sensitive to these things and more. I would be worried if they came down with something while far from home.

 

So to me it's just not worth the effort. You can take them on many trips and vacations when they are older where you can "bond" with them and they will remember the trip. Why rush it? Believe me, I bet every infant would rather be sleeping in their own comfy little crib at home than being carted off to some strange environment with strange sounds and people all around them. Plus the airplane ride can be very upsetting to them with the cabin pressure hurting their ears. I have heard babies scream upon take off and landing of an airplane. You know it must be their ears. Why put babies through this? My DH and I always just look at each other and shake our heads.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Speaking of infants flying and screaming from the ear pain, I wish parents would wake up and realize there is a VERY SIMPLE solution to this! All they have to do is have the child *ucking on something like a bottle or a pacifier. Once they are a little older, then can wear Children's Earplanes. Also, giving the child a dose of Sudafed will help before the flight.

[elmtree]

Noooooooo, I would not bring an infant on a cruise..Nor would I give them drugs to inable them to fly...nor would I want to carry them around all week, or worry about milk and diapers, and where to change them, and where to put them to sleep.....Good God....Your mothers' would be appaled! Babies belong at home, in their own bed, on their schedule, with people who care about them enough to sacrifice their enjoyments till the children are older. But, that is just my opinon...LOL

[bplazo]

Elmtree, I have to agree with you. My daughter did not go on a vacation till she was old enough and neither did I. We stayed home and did the zoo thing and the amusements parks till she was seven and then is was Disneyworld. If you want to be responsible parents stay at home with babies.

[MaryPoppinz]

I have no reason to think I should be the one to decide who other people vacation with. If they want to vacation with their gal pals, their elderly grandmother, their high school sweetheart who is still married to the prom queen, or their infant...that's up to them. If I wanted to cruise without all these other people, I'd hire a private yacht.

[cruiserforlife]

I'd say that make it a resounding NO for bringing babies on board...

[LARGIN]

No vote here, both on ships and on planes..

[Tahitian Princess]

Years ago we took our kids from Long Beach, Ca. to Boston roundtrip. Our son who was at the time 2 1/2 screamed from the time the plane left Boston until right before the plane landed in Long Beach. I felt so bad for him, I also felt terrible for the other passengers, there were alot of business men aboard. I kept apoligizing, to everyone. People were wonderful, some even helped us hold him. The next day we found out he received an ear infection from the elevation. The Dr. said to give him sudafed the next time we fly. It is so hard to travel with little ones and then to keep them cooped up for hours on a plane or ship and put other passengers through crying and running around. We love being with our children who are now 22 and 24. It doesn't make you a bad parent to occasionally take trips without them. It's good for a marriage to have some mom and dad time,don't feel guilty. Some people have made comments to indicate if you leave your children home once in awhile you're not a good parent. I can't even imagine taking a young child on a cruise for a week, I don't think it would be relaxing. I'd rather have taken my kids on land trips where there could have more space to run around and do things more kid oriented. I guess what I'm trying to say, just because you choose to bring your child/infant on a trip and some choose not too, doesn't make you more of a super parent. Just be considerate and realize other people are there to enjoy their trip and don't want to be subjected to a screaming child.

[Cruisin' Chick]

So, it seems there's a disparity about what age should children start traveling. The initial poll was about infants but it seems some of the posters have decided on different ages.

[jwave]

I have to disagree to a point. While I would not have taken our daughter on a cruise when she was an infant (mostly because it would not have been relaxing for me or anyone else-I nursed), we did fly with her often and cruised at 3, 4 1/2 and 6. I feel that you cannot expect a child to know how to behave in a situation if they are never exposed to it. She has been taught our expectations of her behavior on planes, trains, automobiles...and even cruise ships and restaurants. So while she is not a perfect stepford child, she has learned what is appropriate behavior and what is not acceptable. She has been an easy child to travel with because that is all she knows.

 

My two cents.

[Tahitian Princess]

I think what I was trying to say in my long winded post above is, if you take young kids be responsible in watching them and don't let them ruin other people's trips with their sreaming and crying. It's not my place to tell parent's not to bring their children. There are alot of responsible parents out there but, there are alot of irresponsible ones who think while their on vacation they are on vacation from parenting, even with the kids with them and other people have to suffer the consequences.

[loge23]

I can't see how bringing an infant onboard a cruise can constitute a true vacation for a parent. Whatever happened to the good old days when people waited a couple of years (or more) before bringing their children to certain public events/places?

Besides the aforementioned issues, there could be a strong argument for the spread of Norwalk virus from the inevitable practice of well-meaning (but brain-dead) parents dunking their precious, diaper-clad, offspring in the pools.

Please folks, use your head. Wait a few years or hire a stay-at-home nanny.

[Ziggy7]

I say no, only because of all the illnesses aboard the ship, poor little babies dont have a chance!

[divababy]

no! no !!!!

[luv2cruise99]

I took my then 9-month old twins on a 10-day Mexican cruise in October. I had a great time and I would rank it as one of my best cruises ever. Cruising with babies is not a typical relaxing vacation, but it is a great way to spend time with them without the pressures of everyday life: cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. I am already planning our next cruise for when they will be 18-months old.

[Guest Host Tink]

Well, I'm going to step in here with a minority vote. I'm all for people bringing their children on cruises, especially infants. They have the right to travel just as we do. If you don't like children, then don't come on a boat that takes them, JMO. But! On the other hand, all of you have raised some interesting points and it will be interested to see if any of these suggestions are "heard" by the TPTB and something changes!