Big Mistake

[Woodmnky]

I also post on Babycenter in my sons birth month group. I asked if anyone had taken their December little one on a cruise.

 

No one has, but so far I have had people chime in with the following:

- babies aren't allowed in the pools

True on most, but not on all

 

- on Carnival babies must be 1 yo to sail

Um, no

 

- babies aren't allowed in the dining room

What? While some may want this, so not true.

I learned my lesson, I will stick to CC for anything cruise related.

[nothriver]

Hope you were able to educate them! Cruising with kids is great for so many reasons, to bad so many people on bc perceive it as being full of hassles.

[Warm Breezes]

My DH and I were married for 6 years before we had kids and we found a love for traveling during that time. When I found out I was pregnant, I was amazed at the number of people who told us our traveling days would be coming to an end. 2 kids, 17 years later with 8 cruises and at least that many land trips (if not more) in between....I just have one thing to say to those people :p. Our kids love traveling just as much as we do. Their first flights were at 6 months old and they are a couple of the greatest travelers you'd ever meet. If you love to travel, get the kids into it early and as often as you can afford to. Everything is better seeing things through their eyes and the memories are priceless.

[Ggdean]

In my experience the people who critize those who travel with kids are the ones who have children that are so misbehaved that they only take them to restaurants that serve meals in a box with a clowns picture.

[Cruisin' Chick]

My hubby was reluctant to travel with our little one, so it wasn't until she was 23 months of age that we took her on her first cruise. A 3-day one with a land trip to San Diego for the rest of the week. She was an angel (no crying at night, unlike when she was teething). A month too young for Camp Carnival (we had picked that month as the tall ships were touring San Diego), but it turned out to be a great vacation for all three of us. Since then she has been on several more cruises, the 7th one last December at age 13.

 

I think many people have misconceptions about going on cruises. And many sprout off info as if they are facts, even if they aren't all that knowledgeable. Even on these boards.

 

Going on trips (even day trips) with an infant or toddler does require a lot of planning and packing. And even if they might "not remember" years later (which is what people who don't want to even see a young one on their vacation would say) -- what they experience does explain their mind. Take photos of them exploring the ship or looking at the sights, and sometimes a little memory might spring into their minds, even years later. At the very least, they could see that their parents cared enough to want to expose them to the experience. And that will count for something years later.:)

 

So just remember, plan what you're going to take (don't depend on the ship's store to carry the sizes and brands you want), don't take a non-toilet-trained kid in the pools, take the child to the main dining room if you feel they are in the mood for it, but be prepared for one of you to remove any fussy child immediately out of consideration for other diners (too bad we can't ask that for misbehaving adults:rolleyes:). And be prepared for compliments from cruisers who feel your child is behaving.

[Colorado Kat]

When we would go out for a meal with our twins (from 18 months to 3 years old) every single time we would have strangers come up to us and compliment us on how well behaved they were. I just thought "Oh, those poor people have grandkids who are not well behaved in restaurants."

[sparky-elpaso]

When we would go out for a meal with our twins (from 18 months to 3 years old) every single time we would have strangers come up to us and compliment us on how well behaved they were. I just thought "Oh, those poor people have grandkids who are not well behaved in restaurants."

 

I've had people do that when our sons were little (they're in their late 30's now - yikes) and I've complimented other parents too. Kids can't learn how to behave in different situations if they're not exposed to them.

 

We started with family friendly restaurants and then moved up to nicer ones. We went out with my parents to a very nice restaurant for an anniversary once when the kids were in 4th and 5th grade or so and you could see some people cringe when we walked through the door. I think they were pleasantly surprised.

[mjkacmom]

While I agree that #2 and #3 are totally false, only a couple of cruiselines have pools for un-potty trained children. DCL has them, and RCL has a few ships.

[Woodmnky]

While I agree that #2 and #3 are totally false, only a couple of cruiselines have pools for un-potty trained children. DCL has them, and RCL has a few ships.

You are completely right and I posted information for these lines and ships in my response.

 

We are taking DS on a cruise for his 1st birthday. I know that he will not remember it, but he will have pictures to look at later on and we will have awesome memories of this time.

 

I'm expecting to get the dirty looks from some people when we go on our cruise, but I really just don't care. I'd rather listen to a baby happily playing and laughing than a group of intoxicated people. If DS isn't behaving in public we will return to our stateroom which is more than I can say for many of the adults onboard.

 

It may be overally optimistic, but I'm expecting pretty good behavior since DS will have so much new stuff to look at throughout the day and will surely be wore out at bedtime.

[Julienatul]

We started cruising with our kids both as infants, 8 mo and 7mo. We also do a land vacation every summer and took a trip to Hawaii with DD when she was only 9mo (we had family stationed there). We found cruising to be by far the best and easiest way to travel with an infant. I would choose a cruise anyday over a land based vacation. My DD is 6 now and is going on her 13th cruise. Just last night she was saying she cant wait for the "fancy dinners" and the warm chocolate melting cake on our Carnival cruise next month. Most of these people who base their opinion have never tried it.

[cb at sea]

I don't think you'll get as many "dirty looks" as you are thinking! Cruises are vacations, and families vacation together!

 

There is a vocal minority against kids cruising...pay them no mind.

[mikesteg]

I'm expecting to get the dirty looks from some people when we go on our cruise, but I really just don't care.

 

I wouldn't expect any dirty looks. I don't recall getting any when cruising with the twins at 7mo and 13mo. Most people get a kick out of seeing the little ones, and the crew will dote on them. In sum total, they/he will bring many more bits of joy to other peoples' vacation than they may detract given the occasionally fit. Heck, anybody who has been a parent will tend to get the "been there, done that" smile as you take the kiddo out of the area.

 

The fact is, the 'vocal minority' are loud here because they don't have the guts to do it in person. The internet frees them to be putzes where there is no risk to do so. They are probably some of the ones who make friendly. My personal theory is that the ones who frown are jealous that a child is doing something they couldn't do until they were old. Heck, I'm jealous of my kids on that count. :D

[Kerry's Girls]

After reading the Princess boards, I fully expected dirty looks when I took my 13 month old twins on their first cruise. The above posters are correct - we've been on seven or eight cruises together now and I've never seen a dirty look yet, and most of our cruises have been on Princess which is known to run a little older/more formal. I think as long as people see that manners are important to you, they have no problem having well behaved children around them.

 

Best,

Mia

[WeatherGeek]

When I found out I was pregnant, I was amazed at the number of people who told us our traveling days would be coming to an end.

 

I've never really been around little kids at all in my life until I became a mom but I thought my traveling days were over too after pregnancy! LOL Little did I know. We took our first trip with my daughter when she was 2 months old...then another trip at 5 months old...then Disney World at 9 months old...another trip at 10 months old - and we just haven't slowed down or stopped! We did wait until she was 2 to go on a cruise, though. She does have special needs - she has autism - so we're careful about making sure we plan our days around knowing when she's going to go into meltdown mode, but I've found traveling with her to be super easy - just about 2 extra suitcases, a mid-day nap and less time at the bar are the only major differences we've made! Now that she's older, she only requires 1 suitcase, so it's even easier!

[MariahJ]

It's good to see others have had good experiences taking LOs on a cruise. We'll be taking my 15 month-old on her first cruise next month. We are bringing her grandma along to babysit, simply because my DH and I would like to go on a few excursions (cave tubing, snorkeling, etc) that wouldn't be good for a baby and the childcare does not accept children under 2. I'm hoping that this will be a good enough experience that we will take her with us again next year on a 17 day cruise without grandma.

[eh2zed]

We have cruised on a number of occasion with grandchildren that are infants, toddlers and our special needs grandson. It works out great. Our children and their spouses like it.You can arrange dining around sleep and activity schedules or use room service when someone is cranky. We are doing it again January.

[JinxyB]

I took my 10 month old on a cruise last month, and we are cruising with family for his first birthday in Dec, too! Sure, it is a different vacation, but we had a great time and plan on cruising with our son at least once a year! Have fun!

[jlrn366419]

Babycenter is a good source of entertainment. It seems there are a lot more experts on baby daddy drama than cruising or traveling on that site.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

In my experience the people who critize those who travel with kids are the ones who have children that are so misbehaved that they only take them to restaurants that serve meals in a box with a clowns picture.

I think you are right...

[outtoseacruise]

Our November Cruise on Oasis will be the 6th cruise for my 3 year old and 3rd cruise for my 1 year old. My 3 year old didn't want to get off Freedom last April.

[mrs.mobster]

We are leaving on the 14th for our next cruise, which will be DD's 3rd, and she wont be 3 till Feb ;) She went the past 2 jan's and it was downright blissful for all 3 of us! She ADORED the ship, all the people, the sights, new places, new food etc. And beacuse of all this new-ness she slept pretty darn well at night ;) The staff loved her, lots of them miss their own kids and so its nice I gather for them to see other little ones around.

 

No most lines dont allow anyone (adult or child) in diapers to be in pools, but many folks bring a small blow up pool for use. We did on our balcony and it was lovely for DD to splash around in. Last year we didnt bring a blow up pool, but we used the beach, which doesnt have any rules about swimmies :) She never got restless in the MDR beacuse of all the goings on around her she was very entertained. We got many compliments from staff and fellow cruisers that they were happy to see a baby partaking in all thats to be had on a ship. DD loves going to BINGO too, though last year we had to have a chat with her about yelling BINGO when we didnt actually have bingo LOL. We havent seen an after dinner show in since our honeymoon in 07 because we spend the nights from 8 onward in the room/ on the balcony so DD can sleep, and you know what, I wouldnt have it any other way! :)

 

Set those crazy babycenter ladies stright!! ;)

[quincytoo]

Most of the replies have been with posters with really little ones.....I wish we had discovered cruising before our youngest DS turned 13 because it is a great family holiday :)

 

We have done 4 cruises with the youngest (from the time he was 13-16) and I will never forget coming into breakfast once (I think it was the Sapphire Princess) there were three couples much older then Mr.QT and I (we were in our early 40's) and Lil Mr.Qt was 15. I could see 5 few raised eyebrows (one lovely lady had smiled a welcome to us) and the room got quite chilly as we sat down and I was dreading breakfast. Lil Mr.QT was dressed in pants and a golf shirt.

 

Well, Lil Mr.QT talked politely when spoken to, eat with his mouth closed and used his folk and knife properly as he had been always been taught to.He engaged in the conversation, managed to raise the chilly room temp that had met us as we sat down and lowered the raised eyebrows all by himself and the 9 of us proceed to have a lovely breakfast together. After the meal, the three couples thanked us for bringing such a lovely well mannered teen to the table and complimented him on his manners.

 

I think that many of the posters who talk badly about all children and teens do so hiding behind a computer screen. We have managed to raise three well behaved children to adulthood and I only wish we had discovered cruising when they were all much younger.....those oh so many tiring trips to Disneyland would have been replaced with a few cruises :D:eek:

[Cruisin' Chick]

I was just thinking of one CC member (she's also on another cruising board I frequent) who was making quite a fuss about not wanting to sit down to dinner and have a "bratty kid" at the same table. She's been planning her first cruise and this seemed to be a major deal to her. Someone else pointed out (in a private area) that this member is autistic and apparently the voices of little children is her trigger (one of my girl's classmates in grade school had a thing about loud noises -- and it was probably a low threshhold of tolerance) so she was allowed to eat lunch by the classrooms.

 

I'm just wondering what this person will do now that her sister is expecting. Maye she'll avoid visiting for the next 17 years or so.

 

I feel I'm safe here posting about her as I doubt that she looks on the family boards.

[Neiner]

 

Going on trips (even day trips) with an infant or toddler does require a lot of planning and packing. And even if they might "not remember" years later (which is what people who don't want to even see a young one on their vacation would say) -- what they experience does explain their mind. Take photos of them exploring the ship or looking at the sights' date=' and sometimes a little memory might spring into their minds, even years later. At the very least, they could see that their parents cared enough to want to expose them to the experience. And that will count for something years later.:)

 

So just remember, plan what you're going to take (don't depend on the ship's store to carry the sizes and brands you want), don't take a non-toilet-trained kid in the pools, take the child to the main dining room if you feel they are in the mood for it, but be prepared for one of you to remove any fussy child immediately out of consideration for other diners (too bad we can't ask that for misbehaving adults:rolleyes:). And be prepared for compliments from cruisers who feel your child is behaving.[/quote']

 

 

Very well said.

[mechcc]

We have always enjoyed other people's children on cruises. Baby Juliette at 11 mos at the table next to us in the MDR and the 4 year old triplet boys come to mind as being fun to watch.

 

We are certainly excited that we will be going on our first family cruise with our 2 and 4 year old grandsons at the end of this month. The 4 year old may have some vague memories in the future. As for the 2 year old - spending time with relaxed parents and grandparents having a good time will be part of his attitude for a lifetime. Hopefully, a love of the water and travel will be instilled in both of the young minds.