Any tips for cruising with a 10 month old

[princessfan12]

Ok great. Emerald is a nice ship. One thing princess does is allows you to take your under 3 into the kids club area and as long as you stay, the child is free to play. They do have a few neat things a 10 month old can participate in. Princess does a great job of giving you jars of gerber baby food in the dining room and they will also mush any food you want for your child. Bring an IPOD with some Elmo movies loaded on it, my little one always loved that while she sat in her high chair. Also bring a light stroller not the big one. The big one will be a hassle going through the passageways. As far as the diapers formula and water goes, check it with the porter. Slap a luggage tag on it and it will be delivered right to your room. Bring your own sheet for the pack n play they will lend you. Get a balcony so you can go outside while you child naps. The mini suites on Emerald Princess are actually the perfect cabin as far as space goes for a small family.

 

Thanks! I have an ipad with a few things for her and she loves it, it has this etch a sketch type app that she just adores. I was actually going to bring my own pack n play, it's a lot of stuff to carry but that way I know I have it for the hotel before and after(I'm always afraid I'll get there and they will have given them all out!) and I also know it's clean:)

[princessfan12]

Did you miss the sentence where she clearly stated if her daughter was fussy they would leave the MDR?

 

If I'm following your logic because you have been disturbed a couple of times in the MDR by crying babies, all babies should stay home where you have determined they are happier. And if someone opts to do something different then you suggest, they are inconsiderate. Hmmm.

 

On two separate cruises I have been hit (and quite hard) - once by a wheelchair and once literally had my foot run over by a scooter. So I guess by your logic I should assume all people in wheelchairs or scooters are inconsiderate and should stay home. In both instances, however, I realized that the person likely did not mean to injure me. Furthermore I realize people who are dealing with using devices to assist with a disability are, like me, just trying to enjoy a nice vacation. So I would never presume to paint all with a broad brush and presume to decide who should be allowed to take a cruise vacation and who should not. Tolerance is a wonderful thing.:)

 

Thanks for the support Karatemom:) I would just ignore him. It doesn't sound like he has any interest in family cruising so what is he doing on this thread...looking to bother people I would say!

[princessfan12]

Most important: Be flexible and bring extra patience. If this is your little one's first trip, it will be a learning experience for all of you. The crew will no doubt dote on her and make you feel special too. How can it be otherwise? Someone will cook your meals, clean up, and allow you to feel pampered. Have a wonderful time.:)

 

beachchick

 

Thanks beachchick! We've done a lot of travelling with her already so we've definitely learned to just slow down, not get stressed out and be flexible!

[rolloman]

Thanks! I have an ipad with a few things for her and she loves it, it has this etch a sketch type app that she just adores. I was actually going to bring my own pack n play, it's a lot of stuff to carry but that way I know I have it for the hotel before and after(I'm always afraid I'll get there and they will have given them all out!) and I also know it's clean:)

Never ever had a pack in play issue. Request one now and it will be in your room waiting on you. My little one has been on 15 cruises on multiple lines and she just turned 3 so trust me when I say I have been through this drill several times. Forget bringing your own Pack N play, it will be a waste of energy and valuable space. Since the Emerald is a new ship they will be in very good shape. Bring some anti-bacterial wipes with you and do a once over in the cabin for peace of mind.

[CC Help Jenn]

I just want to add that there are companies out there that will deliver a package to the ship for you with baby items (diapers wipes etc) I think even juice and food are included. If you are flying it might make for easier packing to utilize one of these companies. The prices are not awful and it gives a peace of mind.

[bliss_fully_happy]

My 2yo went on 2 cruises her first year and now that he brother is 6mo we are looking on getting 2 more by end of this year. Only one booked so far.

 

You will need a power strip. I also swear by a sound machine. Place it near the pack and play put a blanket over the pack and play, and we could watch TV and hang out in the room with the lights on.

 

There was a single cruiser at our MDR table when my DD was 13mo. There was also another family at the table with us. Children were 6 and 7. She almost requested another table, but ate with us one night before asking. She enjoyed the company so much that she stayed all week and really enjoyed her cruise. So not all children are terrors. If my DD was acting up near dinner we went to the buffet. I have no grandparents to take to babysit and even if I did it is their vacation too. I love my family and if I did not want them with me on vacation I would not have had a family. We are cruisers and I hope someday to run into the naysaying posters so that they come up to my beautiful family, compliment me on how behaved and sweet my children are!

 

enjoy your family cruise.

[rolloman]

You will need a power strip. I also swear by a sound machine. Place it near the pack and play put a blanket over the pack and play, and we could watch TV and hang out in the room with the lights on.

 

 

I am sure your intentions are good but both your suggestions are unsafe. Power strips are not allowed and will be confiscated if found. Putting a blanket over a pack n play? That is an incredible bad idea for lots of reasons. Most rooms have a dividing curtain that will work for what you describe.

[bliss_fully_happy]

what cruise confiscates power strips? I have read that on about every board as a must packing item and have never had one taken with my now 15th cruise on 3 different lines so far. Why is a blanket over the top of a pack and play not safe for a 10mo? If you are in the room with them? If they are learning to stand and pull it down, then pick it back up. Just remember to remove it once lights and TV are off.

[GoldenRose]

We took our son on his first cruise at about 7.5 months, and his second at about 15 months. We're planning to take our daughter with us on her first cruise at about 13 months. So we've traveled with a baby, we enjoyed it, and we're planning to do it again.

 

Our son did extremely well on both his babyhood cruises, and we had a very good time on both trips. Don't listen to the naysayers, it can be a wonderful experience. You're already booked on a veranda, which makes a huge difference. I loved relaxing on the veranda while our son napped.

 

Our list of essentials - pack and play and several spare sheets, portable white noise maker (we have a battery powered one called a sleep sheep that we love), lots and lots of diapers (we pretty much filled a suitcase with them, and used the suitcase to bring our souvenirs back at the end of the trip,) rash cream, lots of wipes, baby bjorn (or other carrier), stroller, infant medicine kit (baby tylenol, motrin, benadryl, simethicone drops), plastic baby spoons and baby food, bottles, formula (more than you think you'll need... just in case), your choice of portable baby snacks (cheerios, freeze dried yogurt bites, rice puffs, etc), more clothes than you think you'll need, handwash dish soap, and a few toys, preferably ones that no one will shed too many tears over if they get lost.

 

We did book a few excursions that we took our son on, both times. His favorite was on Grand Cayman, a combination semi-submersible and turtle farm tour. We have some gorgeous pictures of him looking just thrilled at the new things he was seeing. Now (at age 6), he loves to look at the pictures of himself as a baby doing cool things. We just walked him around, either in the stroller or in the bjorn, at some ports, and that was fun, too. We were pretty careful about which ports we explored on foot with him, though. (We liked Key West for it; we kept him on the ship in Jamaica.)

 

Oh, and our son has been with us to the MDR almost every night of almost every cruise we've been on. (He did choose to stay in the kid's club once or twice once he was older, and he did go with us to a specialty restaurant one trip, which he adored.) We've had tablemates look absolutely horrified on the first night that we brought a baby with us, until they realized that he was well behaved most of the time, and we would take him out of the MDR if he wasn't. Still, we had to deal with a lot of dirty looks early on, so just be prepared, and don't let it get to you.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

[rolloman]

what cruise confiscates power strips? I have read that on about every board as a must packing item and have never had one taken with my now 15th cruise on 3 different lines so far. Why is a blanket over the top of a pack and play not safe for a 10mo? If you are in the room with them? If they are learning to stand and pull it down, then pick it back up. Just remember to remove it once lights and TV are off.

You can now read on several boards after the changes earlier this year power strips are being confiscated. Use the search command and type in power strips. Royal Caribbean board has a current thread going on the topic. As for the blanket over the pack n play... (shakes head)....sigh...one of the reasons considered for SIDS is carbon monoxide, cutting off airflow via a blanket over a crib of any type is dangerous.... period.

[purplemusik]

Wow! I can't believe some of the responses in here! I'm actually going on a cruise in about 2 weeks with my 8 month old [ well, he'll be 8 months old then ] and I'm quite excited about it! I traveled [ ON CRUISES ] with my daughter when she was just as young and had a GREAT time. Personally, I am nursing and CAN'T leave my child for a week with a grandparent. Here is what we did:

 

Stroller : We always bring the umbrella stroller since it's so easy to move around people who aren't paying attention as well as easy to fold up [ and undo when it's time to go ]. It's also easy to get around when going around the ports. Plus- we usually kept her in it when at the buffet at the table with us [ unless someone grabbed her and put her on our laps ]

 

Dinner: I would NEVER keep her/him at dinner if she was crying and acting up [ might I add though, there are plenty of parents who bring school aged children who act up at dinner who I find just as annoying as a crying baby] however, the times they are at dinner- I just give bites off of our food and all is good. If they are having an off day or I can tell they aren't ready for a sit down dinner that day- I skip it and let the rest of the family do it and I relax with some room service or the buffet.

 

Pool: We'll go to the pool area to splash around [ not in the water but walk close by and my husband might spash at my child ] but other then that...we normally stay away and let the bigger kids do those activities.

 

Can I just say, I chose to travel with my child and I'm quite aware of the things I WON'T be able to do with my child. Yes, I'd love to go to the late night comedy clubs, etc. However, as a parent of a young child that I don't have the option to leave home, I LOVE LOVE LOVE to travel with them. I'm also VERY aware of others and do my best to make sure my child doesn't infringe upon anyone else's vacation but it is, afterall, MY vacation too and I want them there.

[ccartman2]

We took our Daughter @ 17 months old for the 1st leg of our back to back with my parents. Then they took her off the boat, and we sailed the 2nd leg on our own. We were so sad to not have her with us. She was great on the cruise, and had a great time. Yes, she had a bad night at dinner once. The solution was simple, I took her out of the dining room and walked her around. At the time, the piano bar was empty, so I took her in there and let her play some. Then my wife traded with me for a bit, so I could catch up on dinner. When the main course was out, we took our daughter back in so she could eat, and we could both have our dinner without issue. The crew and waitstaff loved her. This time we are taking her and her 18 month old brother and we aren't kicking them off the boat this time either.