How bad is a cruise w/ an infant/toddler???

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

I took my son on his first cruise last summer when he was just 9 months. We had a fantastic time - and certainly can't wait for this summer's cruise when he will be 21 months.

 

Like others have said, when you cruise with young ones, it definitely is a total different experience & you will have to make some sacrifices. You may not be able to do everything on your to-do list.

 

My mom joined us on our last cruise, and will join us on our upcoming cruise again. As well as my aunt. They both love my son to death & going on vacation with us is actually a double treat for them - they get to vacation & spend time with my son. On our last cruise, we did early dining and most comedy & main theater shows has two showings, so we took turns : one time me & my fiancé would go while my mom watched my son, and then my mom & aunt would catch the second showing while I was with my son. We all got to see & do what we wanted to do - maybe not as much as we would if we went alone, but we made it work.

 

Like another poster said, it was great to get time away from where I live, and school, cooking, housework, errands & such. I'm a SAHM so it was a definite treat to get out of the house, lol. We all had a great time. The staff were great to us. I can't imagine cruising without my little guy. I will have these memories for life & that's priceless.

[LynneL]

I'm reading these family posts because my husband & I are booked on a cruise for later this year. My son heard about it and said he, his wife, and their now 13 month old daughter, would love to go, so they just booked too. We are very happy; however, when I read that people have traveled with relatives and are surprised the grandparents/relatives didn't watch their children at all/more I'm a bit surprised it was even expected. I love my granddaughter to death. I work full-time, plus watch her after work each day, I'll sit on weekends if needed, I've taken a vacation week so they could go on vacation alone while I watched her at home. However, when it comes to MY cruise....I am on vacation.

 

To assume relatives will take your children is unfair, unless of course you are paying for that relative and have the understanding that in exchange they will babysit. All that being said, I know I will push my little sweetie around the deck in her stroller because I'll enjoy it, not because I feel obligated to do so. Parents bringing kids on a cruise must go with the idea that they'll have them 24/7, unless paying for a sitter. If you have the generousity of a relative giving you a little break one day, be thankful, but don't expect it.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Pay someone to watch your daughter at home. 18 months is not a good age. I see you are going on Celebrity. There will be nothing for your child to do. Forget the little pool. The deck is very crowded by the pool and this will not work.

 

I have done a Bermuda cruise with my son (then 13 months) on Celebrity. He had a ball running down the halls and playing in empty spaces on the ship by day. I didn't have fun at all. Beaches will be a nightmare with this age. At night there is babysitting available for a fee but 18 month olds could have separation anxiety and also they have ear aches and other colds from traveling. I just don't recommend it. You will be paying upward of $500 with passage, tips and babysitting.

 

It sounds like a stressful time for you and I think that both you and your husband deserve a break that includes romance, leisurely dinners, quiet moments in the hot tub, etc. Leave her home

[Soleil09]

We cruised with a 17 month old. No big issues. He even came to the dining room with us for dinner. Napped at the usual time (with a few laps around the main deck in the strollor to get him to sleep) and asleep the minute

I layed him down at night (around 8pm). DH and I alternated going out (since my parents and aunt and uncle were with us). It's doable.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Every child is different but I think even if they are healthy and happy- the cruise will not be the relaxing vacation that this couple needs.

[tkportersat]

We didn't assume anything....this cruise was supposed to be OUR honeymoon and we talked about this many times before the trip. Needless to say when it was over we didn't count this as our honeymoon and will try again at a later date without our baby.

 

Unfortunately once on vacation people forget what the plan was.

 

 

I'm reading these family posts because my husband & I are booked on a cruise for later this year. My son heard about it and said he, his wife, and their now 13 month old daughter, would love to go, so they just booked too. We are very happy; however, when I read that people have traveled with relatives and are surprised the grandparents/relatives didn't watch their children at all/more I'm a bit surprised it was even expected. I love my granddaughter to death. I work full-time, plus watch her after work each day, I'll sit on weekends if needed, I've taken a vacation week so they could go on vacation alone while I watched her at home. However, when it comes to MY cruise....I am on vacation.

 

To assume relatives will take your children is unfair, unless of course you are paying for that relative and have the understanding that in exchange they will babysit. All that being said, I know I will push my little sweetie around the deck in her stroller because I'll enjoy it, not because I feel obligated to do so. Parents bringing kids on a cruise must go with the idea that they'll have them 24/7, unless paying for a sitter. If you have the generousity of a relative giving you a little break one day, be thankful, but don't expect it.

[tkportersat]

Great to hear but as you well know not every child is the same and some don't travel well. Our son is very easy to deal with at home and while he wasn't horrible on the cruise he was not his same happy self.

 

Since we have returned home and he can roam free again he is back to normal.

 

We cruised with a 17 month old. No big issues. He even came to the dining room with us for dinner. Napped at the usual time (with a few laps around the main deck in the strollor to get him to sleep) and asleep the minute

I layed him down at night (around 8pm). DH and I alternated going out (since my parents and aunt and uncle were with us). It's doable.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Oh I get why people cruise with babies. Sometimes the entire family wants to cruise and you feel left out if you can't go. And the family wants to have the baby along to bond with. My parents were helpful and watched my baby while I went to dinner but then they went to dinner themselves and from 8 PM on I was in the cabin with a sleeping baby- boring! My husband went out to the bars or used the hot tubs at night and I was happy one of us was having fun. I had fun- when my son was a babe in arms but once they start to walk and crawl- they are just on the go. By day I spent hours walking up and down the stairs by the pool. He was happy as a clam--- I was the one exhausted.

[tkportersat]

Absolutely true :) I love my little guy to pieces and at this point I don't like to be away from him. And while we had some great times and memories it wasn't relaxing. I work full time and have a lot on my plate at home and honestly felt at times the cruise was more work than at home. Strange surroundings, disruptive shedule, confined spaces, dangerous areas, etc. I was stressed out and just could never relax. We will take him when he is older, but definitely not until he is old enough for a kid's program. That way it will be more of a balance of valuable time with our child and much needed alone time for my husband and I.

 

Every child is different but I think even if they are healthy and happy- the cruise will not be the relaxing vacation that this couple needs.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Once they are 3 and potty trained cruising is awesome. My son (now 10) is about to embark on his 22nd cruise. So we love cruising- now that he is older. I wouldn't think of cruising without him (until he becomes a rebellious teen!)

[tkportersat]

Yeah, we started when my older two children were 10 and 12; much different experience :) In my early twenties we were young and broke and couldn't afford to vacation until they were older.

 

Once they are 3 and potty trained cruising is awesome. My son (now 10) is about to embark on his 22nd cruise. So we love cruising- now that he is older. I wouldn't think of cruising without him (until he becomes a rebellious teen!)

[Iggipolka]

We just got back from the 3/27/11 cruise on the Freedom of the Seas with our 22 month old, my brother, sis-in-law and their two tween girls. We had a great time and our daughter was absolutely wonderful.

 

We had anticipated that the Royal Tots nursery would be open so we could have some baby sitting, but sadly it didn't open until the week after our cruise. We were bummed because we had been looking forward to some spouse-only dinners. Dinners were my only concern with cruising with a toddler, but she actually did really well. She has her own iPod and we loaded it up with games for dinner. We also brought small board books and some Fisher Price Little People. She entertained herself throughout the two hours that dinner took and when she got restless, one of my nieces took her for a walk.

 

The rest of the cruise, she played in the pool, charmed the staff, ran down the long hallways, enjoyed the minimal toddler activities that RCI offered (more griping on that in another post) and really enjoyed playing in the ocean on port days.

 

My daughter slept until about 8am, had a good two-three hour nap in the afternoon and crashed for the night after the show around 10:30pm. She slept better on the ship then she does at home! She loved the big production shows with lots of music and dancing and actually got very upset the one night I wasn't going to take her to the show because I thought she would get bored. She cried in the hallway "Baby go Show! No Night-Night, Baby go Show!!" We went to the show. heh. :)

 

My spouse and I alternated who stayed in the room during nap times, so we each got time reading and relaxing on the balcony or got to go to spa appointments or sit by the adult pool.

 

We did not ask my brother or sis-in-law to babysit because this was their vacation too. However, my nieces love playing with my daughter, so they had a great time with her in the pool while I was also there with them.

 

I know a lot of people say that a cruise with a toddler or baby is not a relaxing one, but I had a very different experience. I found that I did get time to relax and actually probably more so than I did in cruises prior to having our daughter. I didn't rush around to Bingo or the Casino or all of the thousands of other activities on-board. I slept late, had breakfast in the room every morning, time chatting with other parents at the morning Toddler Time activity, time at the pool, an easy lunch, a 2-3 hour chunk of time in the afternoon to read, sun or nap, dinner, show and bed. Quite lovely actually. :)

 

We're currently looking at booking another cruise next year when our daughter will be close to 3. Can't wait!

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I know what you mean. I wasn't able to afford cruises with my older son but he did get to have my undivided attention for over 12 years. Now I can afford to cruise and my younger son love it. The older one doesn't want to hang with Mom anymore so I would take him too if he wanted to go.

[beachchick]

Oh I get why people cruise with babies. Sometimes the entire family wants to cruise and you feel left out if you can't go. And the family wants to have the baby along to bond with. My parents were helpful and watched my baby while I went to dinner but then they went to dinner themselves and from 8 PM on I was in the cabin with a sleeping baby- boring! My husband went out to the bars or used the hot tubs at night and I was happy one of us was having fun. I had fun- when my son was a babe in arms but once they start to walk and crawl- they are just on the go. By day I spent hours walking up and down the stairs by the pool. He was happy as a clam--- I was the one exhausted.

 

Sorry, I just can't help myself. Next time, you might tell your husband that you want to alternate who stays in the cabin and who goes out to play at night. Seems only fair to me and would make the whole cruise happier for all, I should think.

 

beachchick

[rebeccalouiseagain]

We're divorced! Not because of the cruise but that was our anniversary cruise and I was the one that insisted on bringing my son and parents. So, I think that mistakes were made all around. He did say he would be back so that I could go out but by midnight, having been in the cabin for hours- that just never happened. Let's just say, he wasn't the greatest husband and father.

[honkanen]

Glad I found this thread. My wife and I are happy (& extremely exhausted) first-time parents. We heard it's pretty much free to travel with a baby/infant until they are 2yrs old so we're kicking around the idea of another cruise or some other type of travel.

 

We thought that when they're between 6 and 10 months old would be perfect since they would still be relatively easy to carry with you and wouldn't be running away and you don't need to bring a bunch of bottles/formula since my wife would still be breastfeeding. I'd think it would be nice to have all of his meals ready on tap. ;-) We've gone out to only a couple dinners so far with him (he's 5 weeks old) and so far he slept the whole way through or nursed almost the whole way through. Wherever there's noise or a loud hum, he's out cold.

 

Am I way off base here though? Should we probably not do the cruise until he is older? But if we wait until then, there'd be a lot more toys and stuff to carry around. Right now, all he seems to need are mommy's breasts and diapers.

[tkportersat]

Not really free, especially on Carnival or RCL where you will spend almost as much as the 1st/2nd passengers. On NCL they charge a lot less. Definitely shop around if you decide to plan a trip.

 

It will require a lot of extra planning and packing, not like if you forget something you can just run into a Walmart :)

 

8-10 months is when mine has really become active...crawling, scooting and trying to walk. The cruise was frustrating for the baby because he couldn't move about freely like he can at home.

 

As far as eating you are talking about the age when babies start to eat table food and I can assure you the days of sleeping at dinner will be long gone. Ours used to sleep in restaurants too, at about 6 months of age that stopped.

 

It is totally up to you, I am just being honest based on my experience. I know a lot of folks say to switch out with your spouse so you can each do things and that is fine sometimes but I wanted more time with my husband.

 

It really is a personal decision as you will see the posts on here that tell you how wonderful it is and some that will tell you it is difficult. The point is that every baby is different and you honestly won't know how your experience will be unless you try it. For me I would wait to travel again when my son is older.

 

 

Glad I found this thread. My wife and I are happy (& extremely exhausted) first-time parents. We heard it's pretty much free to travel with a baby/infant until they are 2yrs old so we're kicking around the idea of another cruise or some other type of travel.

 

We thought that when they're between 6 and 10 months old would be perfect since they would still be relatively easy to carry with you and wouldn't be running away and you don't need to bring a bunch of bottles/formula since my wife would still be breastfeeding. I'd think it would be nice to have all of his meals ready on tap. ;-) We've gone out to only a couple dinners so far with him (he's 5 weeks old) and so far he slept the whole way through or nursed almost the whole way through. Wherever there's noise or a loud hum, he's out cold.

 

Am I way off base here though? Should we probably not do the cruise until he is older? But if we wait until then, there'd be a lot more toys and stuff to carry around. Right now, all he seems to need are mommy's breasts and diapers.

[beachchick]

We're divorced! Not because of the cruise but that was our anniversary cruise and I was the one that insisted on bringing my son and parents. So, I think that mistakes were made all around. He did say he would be back so that I could go out but by midnight, having been in the cabin for hours- that just never happened. Let's just say, he wasn't the greatest husband and father.

 

I must apologize for bringing up a painful topic. I hope your future cruises are delightful.

 

beachchick

[ckekjhaze]

We travelled with our kiddos when they were babies and I exclusively nursed- we did AIs though, they are free and no airfare for a lapchild. Our first vacations were renting a beach house at 6 wks for both my oldest and the twins. I found it natural and easy to travel with them and we have tons of great memories. I used wrap slings and could nurse wherever, at the AIs there were family-friendly shows every night and they either slept or enjoyed the music. I could never imagine being stuck in a room while one parent alternates going out- I'd rather find a more family friendly venue. Different cultures include babies better than others and I always found greater acceptance in places like Mexico. Playa del Carmen was our favorite because we felt very safe walking around town at night and enjoying the shops, strolling musicians, lights, etc. For me the ideal age for travel was 4-5 months- but that's too young for a cruise. After that the kids get really busy and grab for everything. Probably could do this on cruises too- but at the AIs when the kiddos were 1-2 yo the discos were empty during the day and they could run around. Maybe a little germy but I waited til after the staff cleaned- usually 10-11a.

I never served baby food but just gave bits of whatever i was eating that was appropriate for them like bananas and such. A lot will change from now to 6 mos as your baby's personality develops. I'm not steering you away from cruising, this is a cruising board after all :)

Kathy

Glad I found this thread. My wife and I are happy (& extremely exhausted) first-time parents. We heard it's pretty much free to travel with a baby/infant until they are 2yrs old so we're kicking around the idea of another cruise or some other type of travel.

 

We thought that when they're between 6 and 10 months old would be perfect since they would still be relatively easy to carry with you and wouldn't be running away and you don't need to bring a bunch of bottles/formula since my wife would still be breastfeeding. I'd think it would be nice to have all of his meals ready on tap. ;-) We've gone out to only a couple dinners so far with him (he's 5 weeks old) and so far he slept the whole way through or nursed almost the whole way through. Wherever there's noise or a loud hum, he's out cold.

 

Am I way off base here though? Should we probably not do the cruise until he is older? But if we wait until then, there'd be a lot more toys and stuff to carry around. Right now, all he seems to need are mommy's breasts and diapers.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Hi Beachchick- No worries. We have been divorced for over 8 years and it has been smooth sailing ever since. I am really happy now and my sons are doing great.

[tkportersat]

Best of luck to you :)

 

Hi Beachchick- No worries. We have been divorced for over 8 years and it has been smooth sailing ever since. I am really happy now and my sons are doing great.

[taragl]

We had a very positive toddler/cruise experience last year. Our sons are 12 and nearly-2 (too young for Camp Carnival!) and that age difference is wonderful. We sailed the Carnival Sensation last October, and at the start of each day we read the Circle C and ship schedules with our older son to plan out what each of us really wanted to do. Throughout the day, we would swap the toddler back and forth between him and us.

 

My husband and I tend to make an early night of it, so we often had an early dinner and show, then came back to the room where the boys were hanging out together. Then our older son took off for the late-night Circle C activities and returned after midnight. He was elated to be old enough to stay out so late, and we were thrilled to have some alone time in the shared cabin while the toddler slept.

 

DH and I were able to enjoy quiet dinners in the MDR while the boys ordered room service to their hearts' content, so keeping the toddler busy during elegant dining was not an issue. The 12YO also took over during nap time, so we had an afternoon break as well. And the 12YO was allowed to sleep in while we got up at the crack of dawn with the toddler and had the morning with him.

 

With all of that "time off" from the toddler, it was not as exhausting corraling him for the morning and afternoon. And really, with a 20-month-old, all you're doing is trying to keep a tornado under some semblance of control! I didn't typically allow the older one to take our toddler out around the ship alone, that made me too nervous. But they were fine in the room. Watching tv was a treat (we don't have tv at home), they ordered food, played together and had a great time.

 

The tour excursion in the Bahamas was a tiny bit more difficult. I pared down our gear to the bare minimum, just one tote bag and the small umbrella stroller, so getting in and out of the van wasn't too bad. And during the second half of the tour, we were really lucky that he fell asleep while we drove around the island.

 

We're leaving again in a month for a longer, seven-day cruise to Mexico and I'm hoping it all goes as well as last time. No, I don't expect to be lounging in a poolside chair with a novel in one hand as the baby sits quietly reading the Financial Times in a chair next to me, but I do expect a couple of quiet adult-only dinners and a show or two!

 

Happy cruising!

[rebeccalouiseagain]

As you mentioned you had extra hands. When I sailed with my older son it wasn't as big of a deal because he would sit in the cabin at night if we wanted to go out for an hour. But without helping hands- its 24/7 with a toddler.

[spurscar]

How many with kids ~31 months old have had them in Camp Carnival during the days?

 

We're considering a 7-day cruise in February 2012 and that's how old our boy will be then.

 

He's in daycare 5 days a week right now as we both work full time, so I'm sure a day of planned activities will be normal and fun for him. Plus he's a goofball happy baby and very easy going and social, so that helps.

 

Ideally we'd like to take a couple of ports where the wife and I do excursions while he's in Camp Carnival and maybe take him to a beach on another port.

 

Just curious what people think of Camp Carnival that have had children his age in it on their cruise.

 

Lots of other great advice and perspectives in this thread of the pros and cons of toddlers on cruises, thanks!

[mjkacmom]

Glad I found this thread. My wife and I are happy (& extremely exhausted) first-time parents. We heard it's pretty much free to travel with a baby/infant until they are 2yrs old so we're kicking around the idea of another cruise or some other type of travel.

 

We thought that when they're between 6 and 10 months old would be perfect since they would still be relatively easy to carry with you and wouldn't be running away and you don't need to bring a bunch of bottles/formula since my wife would still be breastfeeding. I'd think it would be nice to have all of his meals ready on tap. ;-) We've gone out to only a couple dinners so far with him (he's 5 weeks old) and so far he slept the whole way through or nursed almost the whole way through. Wherever there's noise or a loud hum, he's out cold.

 

Am I way off base here though? Should we probably not do the cruise until he is older? But if we wait until then, there'd be a lot more toys and stuff to carry around. Right now, all he seems to need are mommy's breasts and diapers.

 

At that age, my kids were getting 3 solid meals a day. And while they're not running, they want to be crawling. I actually found my kids to be easier out when they could finally walk. I have 5, and personally, I wouldn't have taken them on a cruise until they were old enough for the clubs, and potty trained, and allowed to use the pool.