Cruising with just my 15-month old?

[JinxyB]

So I have a cruise booked on Carnival in March and the third person is going to cancel, leaving just me and my son, who will be almost 16 months at the time of sailing. My son has been on 2 cruises before and had a nice time, but I am wondering about the logistics of traveling with just him and zero helpers. Has anyone ever done this before? I have used the for-fee babysitting on Carnival and was OK with that and would use it again so I can have some "me" time. Am I crazy?!

[Kerry's Girls]

I've been cruising alone with my twins since they were 13 months. It's the absolute best way to travel alone with young children, and such a joy to spend quality time together. A backpack and a good stroller are musts so you can have your hands free when needed and don't have to carry your stuff plus a toddler when the kiddo gets tired. Also, I've been able to have my girls asleep in the stroller while I wander the ship at night (I used one of the beach towels to cover the stroller so they wouldn't be hit by the lights).

 

Have a great time.

 

Best,

Mia

[cb at sea]

Do you have/need "helpers" at home? I would think your vacation would be pretty much as if you were at home, but on a ship, at sea! You could still do pretty much what you want, except for some of the nighttime activities....and some ships do have babysitting services!

[mjkacmom]

Do you have/need "helpers" at home? I would think your vacation would be pretty much as if you were at home, but on a ship, at sea! You could still do pretty much what you want, except for some of the nighttime activities....and some ships do have babysitting services!

 

Well, except swim...

[JinxyB]

I'm a single parent so I don't get much help...I would take advantage of the babysitting so I could have some free time. Wow, traveling alone with twins- you are my hero! Need to make final payment in the next 2 weeks, but think I'm going to do it! How do u get your food at the Buffet?

[Kerry's Girls]

Wow, traveling alone with twins- you are my hero! How do u get your food at the Buffet?

 

Cruising alone with twins is the easy part. It's at home in the real world that's the challenge.

 

As for the buffet - On the first cruise with my twins I was eating dinner in the buffet and one of the head waiters on a break came up to me and asked why I wasn't in the dining room. He said it's the mommas most of all who need to be served and he arranged a table for us in the MDR the rest of the cruise. It was bliss - Now we eat every meal in the dining room. We're given a table of our own and the waiters are wonderful about keeping the pace of the meal going and keeping food in front of my girls and they stay amused. Instead of juggling plates, going back and forth, etc at the buffet, I sit down, order and enjoy the company of my kids. I highly suggest you try it. It's one of my favorite parts of cruising. I bring little amusements in case they get antsy, but I've always made it through my main course (while they eat ice cream).

 

To answer your question, the few times we did visit the buffet while my girls were toddlers, I parked them in the stroller near the entrance where I could see them, grabbed a breadstick or something for them to nibble on in the stroller while I fixed a plate. We've been on 7 cruises together and I think we've been to the buffet twice for meals, occassionally we run in for a snack. My girls always take a nap before dinner and have done really well in the MDR.

 

There are a bunch of others here who have cruised alone with little ones. Not sure what word you could use to search for the threads...

 

Best,

Mia

[JinxyB]

Thanks for the info Mia-it is very helpful! I am still planning on going and making the best of it! I still don't know how you do it with 2 babies! Do you mostly cruise on Princess?

[Kerry's Girls]

My babies will turn 7 (on a cruise) in two weeks, but they did three cruises by their 2nd birthday. We have done mostly Princess, but we've also done NCL and Carnival as well. I choose based on price/itinerary, not so much about the ship since we all have a great time no matter what. We're doing Carnival next just because it was the only choice out of our home port and I needed something cheap and easy. Have a great time. It's addicting to spend time with your child where you're not worried about cleaning, meal prep, etc.

 

Best,

Mia

[TheCalicoCat]

Do you have/need "helpers" at home? I would think your vacation would be pretty much as if you were at home, but on a ship, at sea! You could still do pretty much what you want, except for some of the nighttime activities....and some ships do have babysitting services!

 

My thoughts exactly! (& on the ship someone else is cooking & doing the dishes.)

[TheCalicoCat]

How do u get your food at the Buffet?

 

Get a high chair first thing! (But every time the MDR is open, we are in the MDR - the service is part of what I pay for. On both of his cruises, my son LOVED interacting with the dining room staff.)