Newbie question

[Nutellaonaspoon]

Hi all! So happy to have discovered this forum! I've never been on a cruise and we're planning on cruising on the Carnival Inspiration for 4 days to Baja, Mexico. We'll have a 3 year old (hurray camp carnival!) and a 9 month old. Based on what I'm seeing, there's limited babysitting for the 9 month old, yet he would be restricted from many activities on the cruise (pool, casino, certain shows). Please tell me I'm not crazy for taking a 9 month old! Can you share some success stories about cruising on Carnival with an infant around that age? Can you share some of the activities that you were able to do?

 

Thanks so much!

[cdamion]

You'll get plenty of 'I wouldn't do it' comments on here.

 

The fact of the matter is I have seen several people with infants on cruises and they seem to be having a good time.

 

One thing I would recommend it getting anytime dining so that you don't have to worry about a set schedule if the baby happens to be sleeping or cranky right at your scheduled dining time.

[Uniballer]

Pay for someone else to go with you and be the babysitter lol....

[SadieN]

The baby wouldn't be restricted from anywhere, except the over 18 disco, casino and pool.

 

Your 9mo cannot go into any of the pools even with a swim diaper.

S/he can enjoy the beach in Catalina. There is a nice beach on the other side of the Casino building. The one near the Green Pier is small and crowds easily.

 

In Ensenada the main street, Ave Lopez, has wide smooth sidewalks with cutouts for the stroller. We have been bringing our kids to Rosarito/Ensenada area since the oldest was 6 weeks old. Never had a problem. Although we did have to convince our youngest when she was 1yo that a fish taco was a fishstick in a tortilla.:p That was 17 years ago.

 

Check out the Family Cruising board under Special Interest cruising for info traveling with an 9mo old.

[scgamecock]

Leave the baby with grandma and have a great cruise!

[Nutellaonaspoon]

Thanks for the responses so far. We're going end of the month, so its probably too cold to enjoy the pool or beach anyway. Bringing a babysitter is not an option nor is cancelling our trip. I just want to know what my expectations should be going in and what type of activities (specifically at sea) we'd be able to do.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[SadieN]

The Family Cruising board has the baby experts

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

[Nutellaonaspoon]

The Family Cruising board has the baby experts

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

 

Thanks. I just x-posted there. Hopefully I'll get some reassuring answers!

[fellowfloater]

It should be fine. I find the ship a wonderful place to sleep.

[Room Service!]

Aren't the shorter cruises the ones that are said to be 'party' cruises?

[SadieN]

They CAN be. But perfectly fine for kids. Taken my DDs on many of the 3 & 4 day cruises on the Paradise (Inspiration's predecessor in Long Beach) and they seemed to be exposed to much less onboard than at school.

No problems that were 'Party Hearty' related.

 

 

You will get tons (almost too much:p) info on the family board

[Tggrtoes]

You'll be fine... our now 4 year old has been on several cruises, several before he was able to go in camp. My biggest advice is to get a balcony... that saved us, but since you are leaving soon, that may/may not be an option.

 

Take a small umbrella stroller preferably one that reclines that way you can walk with baby around and when he/she conks out, you can sit and enjoy music or whatever. Many do bring their larger strollers, but space is at a big premium and hallways are narrow.

 

Make a deal with your spouse that you guys each have alone time where the other watches the baby. That hour for me out on a lounge chair reading a book was a lifesaver.

 

The MDR staff is great with kids - including infants, so no worries there. I do bring a portable DVD player (or now an ipod touch or ipad) with headphones which helps for the toddlers (and infants don't mind it either).

 

I pack each outfit in a ziploc bag so that I can just grab a bag and go... also helps when DH is helping with the getting dressed - keeps DS from wearing jammies out. :cool: Get a couple of new toys/books/whatever and pull them out so they are interesting for baby (i do this for toddlers too - wrapping the presents individually is fun for the older one). I usually just get stuff at teh dollar store or dollar bins at Target. They can be cheapie things.

 

There is a lot to look at during the day for even a 9 month old - they can be pretty much anywhere except the pool and over 18 nightclub. (we did walk around in one of the nightclubs during the day but my son was walking by that time come to think of it).

 

You've already posted on family board... there are a lot of reviews on that board from parents cruising with infants. scroll through or do a search on infant and check them out for some good tips. Bottom line, don't expect it to be "relaxing", but you'll have fun nonetheless.

[katiepe]

You'll be fine... our now 4 year old has been on several cruises, several before he was able to go in camp. My biggest advice is to get a balcony... that saved us, but since you are leaving soon, that may/may not be an option.

 

Take a small umbrella stroller preferably one that reclines that way you can walk with baby around and when he/she conks out, you can sit and enjoy music or whatever. Many do bring their larger strollers, but space is at a big premium and hallways are narrow.

 

Make a deal with your spouse that you guys each have alone time where the other watches the baby. That hour for me out on a lounge chair reading a book was a lifesaver.

 

The MDR staff is great with kids - including infants, so no worries there. I do bring a portable DVD player (or now an ipod touch or ipad) with headphones which helps for the toddlers (and infants don't mind it either).

 

I pack each outfit in a ziploc bag so that I can just grab a bag and go... also helps when DH is helping with the getting dressed - keeps DS from wearing jammies out. :cool: Get a couple of new toys/books/whatever and pull them out so they are interesting for baby (i do this for toddlers too - wrapping the presents individually is fun for the older one). I usually just get stuff at teh dollar store or dollar bins at Target. They can be cheapie things.

 

There is a lot to look at during the day for even a 9 month old - they can be pretty much anywhere except the pool and over 18 nightclub. (we did walk around in one of the nightclubs during the day but my son was walking by that time come to think of it).

 

You've already posted on family board... there are a lot of reviews on that board from parents cruising with infants. scroll through or do a search on infant and check them out for some good tips. Bottom line, don't expect it to be "relaxing", but you'll have fun nonetheless.

 

What a great post. Best one I have read in a long time and I am not even thinking of cruising with an infant-dont have one;)

[serene56]

I think that as long as you are aware that the cruise with a 9 month old will be a different type of vacation.

 

I would do it. We cruised with an 18month old.

 

Dinner I think will be your huge obstacle. Sitting for 2 hours will make anyone goes batty but more so for a baby- plan accordingly.

 

After dinner we headed to the outdoor deck and let her run to her hearts content.

 

At 9 months old your baby is learning to get around-- might not be too happy to be sitting tight

 

Bring enough diapers etc for the entire cruise- diapers on a ship are costly- and they might not carry your brand or your size.

 

Book at least a balcony so you have someplace to escape to while baby is napping.

 

and plan-- in case the other one does not like the camp.

We were all prepared for the camp- people told me how much their kids loved it. We spent all summer looking at camp activities-- and she was excited to say the least. SAt through the orientation- went the first night to the dance party-- and went for 1.5 hours the next morning and never wanted to go back. She made a tee shirt. Made a crown.

Nope- she wanted to stay with us.. and yes she did go to day care since she was 6 months old- go figure

[Nutellaonaspoon]

Thanks serene56 and tggrtoes. Really helpful suggestions. We actually have a balcony, so at least we had that much foresight into the planning!

[alexieb]

In 2007 my son was 8 months old and had just started to crawl. We did a 7 day on the Valor. We booked the late seating for dinner. Each night one of us would push him in the stroller until he fell asleep and then take him to the dining room where he slept through dinner every night. We leisurely dined every night!

 

We also brought a little blow up pool and filled it and sat at the pool while he splashed around in his personal baby pool.

 

It was a great vacation.

[Tggrtoes]

Thanks katiepe for the kind words. I'm not a huge poster myself, but I received SO much help from the CC boards when we first started cruising with kids (had cruised pre-kids) that it's nice to pay some of it back.

 

YAY that you have a balcony... you might want to bring a baby monitor... we never used ours but I know many that did. (you can't hear baby through doors). I think some also brought some sort of bunjee cord, but I think that only works on some kinds of doors - not to mention that you can possibly waste A/C if the door is kept open.

[firefly333]

Aren't the shorter cruises the ones that are said to be 'party' cruises?

 

I keep wondering who is spreading these rumors. I personally dont see a big difference in the folks who sail short or longer cruisers on Carnival.