Where does your toddler sleep?

[jlrn366419]

I was just wondering if you are traveling with a toddler where does s/he sleep? I saw some cruiselines have trundles, sofabeds and pulldown beds. Obviously the pulldown bed would be out. I was just thinking it would probably be easier to have them sleep with you instead of having to trip over a pack and play or sofa bed.

[deniuh]

Our DD sailed at 9 months, 2 yrs and 3 yrs. The first two times she slept with us. Once I saw that pack and play (9 months), there was no way I was putting my child in that germ fest. We sailed earlier this year on Allure and had a Handicap room. Don't know how we got the assignment but the room was fabulous. It had a comfy chair that pulled out into a twin bed. DD was so excited to have her own bed she slept in it 5 out of the 7 nights we sailed. Do whatever you are comfortable with.

[SummerW]

I plan on bringing our Baby Bjorn Travel Crib along for our 6-month-old. It's awesome. It sets up literally in seconds without any assembly beyond laying the mattress down inside. It is also very compact and lightweight. There's room in the case for a few extras, like a very light blanket, sheet and puddle pad.

[russianmom]

On NCL my son slept on the trundle bed between the two twins. We left it down at floor level instead of pulling open the legs. The next time he slept on the sofa bed and in a few weeks he'll do the sofa bed as well.

The bed that pulls down off the wall is a little too high for a 3-4 yo in my opinion....especialy b/c he moves around the bed all night long.

[khm1]

DD is 3 1/2. We just returned from a cruise on Serenade of the Seas. We had connecting cabins. DH and I in one, and 3 kids in the other. The room had 2 lower beds and a "bunk" bed above. I put DS-13 on the upper bed and DS-15 on one of the lower beds. DD had the other lower bed and we used this: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=537078&parentCategoryId=85184&categoryId=85218

It goes under the sheets to keep her from rolling out. It worked great!

Good luck!

[Mom2B&Z]

When DS2 was 2 yrs I packed a bed rail in our luggage. It was one we used at home, just taken apart so it would fit in our luggage. It barely took up any space and kept him in a double bed quite well. This year he was 3 yrs and slept with his brother in the pull out sofa bed. He did fall out once in the middle of the night, but he didn't get hurt. Certainly no worse than his bed at home. I would also consider having him sleep with us, we've done that in hotels when I just didn't want to unpack the bed rail.

I too would avoid the on-board pack and plays, they are just scary.

I was just wondering if you are traveling with a toddler where does s/he sleep? I saw some cruiselines have trundles, sofabeds and pulldown beds. Obviously the pulldown bed would be out. I was just thinking it would probably be easier to have them sleep with you instead of having to trip over a pack and play or sofa bed.

[mass02703]

We sailed on Carnival Glory with our just turned 3 year old this past November. I moved the bed stand on the right of the bed and put it next to the one on the left. I slid the queen size bed all the way over to the right of the room. We asked the room steward to bring us an extra comforter to make the little one a bed on the floor on the left of us. Every night he would bring in the comforter, which was very cushiony and comfortable, and set up a special bed just for her. She loved it. He would always decorate her "bed" with all of her stuffed animals (we bought a new one on each island). She loved her bed and I never had to worry about her falling out.

[cantwaitforoasis]

interesting thread. i was hoping for the pack and play.. but heard they dont give it to you if your tot is over 2. Ours will be 2.5 years.

 

Why are the pack and plays scary and gross? Dont they clean them? I'm very germ conscious and i dont want if it is going to be nasty.

 

Is there a sofa bed on the Epic? Where would you suggest a toddler to sleep on the Epic??

 

Good thread!

[amcb]

This is our first cruise with them, but when we're at hotels our kids (2.5 and 4) sleep either in the bed or the fold out couch. It's never been an issue. But then our 2.5 year old has been in a regular bed at home for almost a year since she kept climbing out of her crib.

 

:-) amcb

[Julienatul]

We have pulled the mattress off the overhead bed and set it on the floor for DD when she was 2. DS we used the couch that made into a bed and just put pillows on the floor. He never rolled off although he is still in a crib at home so it was difficult to get him to settle down. If I had to do it again I would request a pack n play for him.

[Lessum]

Our 15mo old slept on the sofa bed on our cruise in January and our 4.5yo slept on the upper bunk. The 15mo old had never slept anywhere but a crib prior to this...but did remarkably well. We used the sofa's bolster pillows on the edge of the sofa.

[rjm11]

I had my two sleep in the pull out double sofa bed... but sideways instead. This way they had more room between them, and more room in case they rolled. The bed they were in was in the second bedroom of the NCL family suite, so it was touching the wall on three of four sides... so the only open side was where their feet were.

 

If I had to try it in a regular room, I'd put the littler one up by the head of the bed, and the older one by the foot of the bed, and again sleep them horizontally across the bed instead of vertically.

[dorito6778]

last year we sailed on the Indy and our 16 month old slept in a PnP. we did bring our own but it went missing the first night (luggage tag fell off) and RCCL gave us one to use. i'd be surprised if it had ever been used! it was spotless.

 

we are going on the allure in 2 weeks and shes 28 months now. we're bringing the PnP again, but are fully prepared to turn the couch around to wedge her between the wall and couch back if she's gotten too big for the PnP (its been a few months since she slept in it).

[RoadTripFanatic]

We started cruising with DD when she was 2 1/2. She slept in bed with us. While it's not ideal for getting a lot of rest she did great.:) When she was 4 1/2 she started sleeping in the bunk bed. She loved it! We would pile the pillows along the rail. Yes, we did get "bombed" with pillows and stuffed animals but we all slept much better.

[hooked-on-travel]

When the two beds push together they make something closer to a King than a Queen. There was plenty of room for all 3 of us. We've slept about 30 days at sea this way, age 20 mos. to 5 years. Admittedly, the 5 y.o cruise was only 3 nights out of 14 this way. On that cruise we had adjoinging PR cabins and DD was Auntie's roommate. We just gave Auntie the night off 3 times. We all still fit.

[zstell]

• We are traveling for the first time with our 3 year old gd in April. I plan to just push the beds together and let her sleep with us. If that gets too uncomfortable, I guess I'll be taking the upper berth and letting her have my bed. We are bringing 3 of our children, my sister and my gd (not her parents) this trip, so it's all about them. We'll have our vacation later in the year :D
  

[JOwen72]

Carnival offered to put a crib in the room for us. I hope it's clean.

[Julitta]

From what I understand the cribs are metal and can be wiped clean. Pack n Plays can't be laundered so they are fabric that can only be surface cleaned. If they spray them down with Lysol they'll be disinfected but you're taking your chances for the actual appearance of them. (not to mention I don't want my kid wallowing around in Lysol)

 

My DD at 3 slept in the king sized bed with us. We have co-slept on and off at home so it was no big deal. Ironically, Carnival forced us to book a room with a drop down bunk but didn't set it up because DD was too little. :/

[Julienatul]

From what I understand the cribs are metal and can be wiped clean. Pack n Plays can't be laundered so they are fabric that can only be surface cleaned. If they spray them down with Lysol they'll be disinfected but you're taking your chances for the actual appearance of them. (not to mention I don't want my kid wallowing around in Lysol)

 

My DD at 3 slept in the king sized bed with us. We have co-slept on and off at home so it was no big deal. Ironically, Carnival forced us to book a room with a drop down bunk but didn't set it up because DD was too little. :/

 

Most Carnival ships have gone to pack n plays now which are a bit larger than the metal ones they used to have. I have seen them on two ships recently..Inspiration and Miracle not sure if the others have them yet.

[cantw8togo]

interesting thread. i was hoping for the pack and play.. but heard they dont give it to you if your tot is over 2. Ours will be 2.5 years.

 

Why are the pack and plays scary and gross? Dont they clean them? I'm very germ conscious and i dont want if it is going to be nasty.

 

Is there a sofa bed on the Epic? Where would you suggest a toddler to sleep on the Epic??

 

Good thread!

 

On the Epic, it depends on the cabin that you have. If you have a sofa bed, the slightly curved sofa seat is actually a mattress that is pulled or rolled out about 5" or 6" from under the seat back and a sheet is tucked in directly on top of the sofa seat. The sofa edge is curved so a bed rail may not work as it wouldn't sit up snug against the edge. Pillows on the floor may be one solution. The sofa seemed to be more of a standard height for a bed as opposed to an inch or two lower for a standard sofa height. Our 7 yr old DS would often crawl into bed with us half way through the night anyways.

 

There is storage under the sofa with two drawers and the sofa back has more storage in behind although the bedding for the sofa bed takes up most of the room.

 

We had a standard balcony cabin (13041) and there wouldn't have been room for a PnP. The cabins are quite "cozy." Perhaps one of the family staterooms would have enough floor space for a PNP, but even then it would be tight. You would need to find out for sure. When our kids were younger, DH would often take the bunk and the kids and I slept on the big bed. Not ideal, but safer for the kids. Oh, the things we do for our kids.

 

Hope this helps.

 

N.

[B_Mc]

interesting thread. i was hoping for the pack and play.. but heard they dont give it to you if your tot is over 2. Ours will be 2.5 years.

 

Why are the pack and plays scary and gross? Dont they clean them? I'm very germ conscious and i dont want if it is going to be nasty.

 

Is there a sofa bed on the Epic? Where would you suggest a toddler to sleep on the Epic??

 

Good thread!

 

Can't help you with the Epic, but on RCI the PNP was fine. Clean, in good condition, etc. Now the bedding they filled it with is another story...

[new2cruising72]

I'm taking my first cruise soon with my 4.5 yr old and I just assumed she'd sleep in the pullman bed! Oh well, if it doesn't work out I'm sure she can just sleep with us or I'll take the bunk bed. She's quite a kicker when she shares the bed with us...

[sunrise&set]

At 13 months and 23 months, DS slept in a pack and play but we had small suites so had plenty of room. We just got back from a cruise yesterday in a regular balcony on Freedom of the Seas, and DS is now 4 and slept in the sofa bed. It does take up a lot of room but it is only opened up at night to sleep. A bit of a pain in the am, but worth it. DS moves around in his sleep too much for him to sleep with the 2 of us.

[malley]

Our DS slept in the bunk bed and loved it! He was excited to have a "high" bed! He was 3 1/2.

[Luke gs Daddy]

Out on the Balcony!!;)