First cruise with baby - play yard?

[flagger]

With some actual experience cruising with a toddler at the age yours will be, let me share my two cents. Before I do, I should mention that we started cruising with my daughter when she was 15 months old. At age 9, she now has 11 cruises under her belt on Celebrity, HAL, Princess, NCL, Disney and RCI. She is about to get her first river cruise experience as we head to Vietnam soon with AMAWaterways.

 

At the age yours will be I would advise you to forgo the pack-n-play unless you have a suite but even still look into a collapsible bed rail. We set this up on the sofa bed. Collapsed it was able to fit into a 28" piece of luggage but we could have easily carried it on the plane. Our stateroom attendant made up the sofa like a bed and it worked beautifully with the limited space of our stateroom.

 

 

We also had one of those car-seat strollers that end up taking up room and because we were in Alaska we had a back-pack carrier. I wish I had left the stroller at home because my daughter walked everywhere and when she got tired she was carried in the backpack carrier.

 

I hope this helps and have fun! I am a stay-at-home-dad and that cruise was the first time I got to actually nap when my daughter did because I didnt care about shopping as much as mom did!

[mommaof 3]

Nope, that's just not true

 

 

While some people age healthily, the conclusion of many studies is that, compared with younger people, the elderly are far more likely to contract infectious diseases. Respiratory infections, influenza, and particularly pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65 worldwide. No one knows for sure why this happens, but some scientists observe that this increased risk correlates with a decrease in T cells, possibly from the thymus atrophying with age and producing fewer T cells to fight off infection. Thymus function declines beginning at age 1; whether this decrease in thymus function explains the drop in T cells or whether other changes play a role is not fully understood. Others are interested in whether the bone marrow becomes less efficient at producing the stem cells that give rise to the cells of the immune system.

 

http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.htm

[anelen]

Have fun and go! You ´ll be fine! Make sure the cruise has a play yard. If so I recommend that you take the MamaDoo Kids mattress topper for extra comfort and support (our son was so uncomfortable using his play yard without it that he would wake up every hour). It folds in 3 so it is super portable. Good luck!

[Clyde888]

yes it is useful.play yards below have plenty of additional features that make them useful for napping babies and changing diapers, along with the typical play yard purpose - containing toddlers. recommended this play yard

[Tapi]

Do yourself a favor and wait another year before you cruise. Everyone will enjoy it more if your child is a little older. Whenever you decide to cruise, I would suggest that you consider one of the Disney cruises. Disney is a far better choice for young kids.

 

 

Huh? We did the Allure when our son was only 17 months old. Absolutely the BEST cruise ever. We loved EVERY minute of it! There was so much for our little guy to do that it felt as if he was having more fun than the adults at times. He might've been too young to remember any of it, but the memories are priceless. :)

 

Now, we are saving Disney for when our kids are 7-8 years old and can actually remember, because it's going to cost almost twice as much as what our Allure cruise cost! :eek:

 

About the whole "too young to cruise because of their immune system" debate, I would've not taken our kids cruising when they were less than a year old (for more reasons than just their immune system), but after a certain age, they are perfectly fine.

 

Many parents will have experienced this, but the more you expose your kids to germs, the more resilient they become. We were much more cautious with our first child about where we took him and about washing and sanitizing, and he was always getting sick. It was a nightmare. With our second child, we were much more "liberal" and less strict about things, and she barely got sick as an infant, ever. We've learned that it's better to let their bodies be exposed to germs and develop in a natural way.

 

 

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Edited February 20, 2014 by Tapi

[nyer]

Our DD had a large OV stateroom last year when she cruised with her DD who was 14 months old. The pack and play fit in the room fine. (She also had her DH and older DD with her.) My one suggestion would be to bring your own pack and play sheets. The cruise line did provide sheets but they were regular flat sheets not the fitted pack and play sheets. My DD was very happy that she had brought her own.

Have a great cruise. We had a ball travelling with the little one.

[Mapleleafforever]

Ignore the people who say to go the Disney route. Royal is really starting to cater to the family crowd which is great. You and your toddler will love the cruise!

[missync]

Went with the whole family including then 11 month old niece. i don't have any pictures of their room but it fit in the room just fine but obviously takes up any space you might have had. Niece did just fine. I think it helped that there were like 9 other adults and a 12 year old cousin on the cruise other than her parents to help amuse her. the staff was very accomodating at meal times and such as well.

[Jen731]

 

At the age yours will be I would advise you to forgo the pack-n-play unless you have a suite but even still look into a collapsible bed rail. We set this up on the sofa bed. Collapsed it was able to fit into a 28" piece of luggage but we could have easily carried it on the plane. Our stateroom attendant made up the sofa like a bed and it worked beautifully with the limited space of our stateroom.

 

!

 

Oooh! That is awesome! I had planned on bringing my daughter's inflatable sleeping bag (looks similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Disney-Princess-Phthalate-Free-Mattress-64-Inch/dp/B009UC7OXK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1W338PF8YTQH91SRKNZA) but I might change my mind now. For the OP, it might not be secure enough for a younger baby. My daughter will be 3 and my nephew almost 2 and we might have to spend more time in the cabins with sleepy babies, but that's what balconies are for. :) I can't wait for them to see the ocean and enjoy all the fun on board.

[ryano]

I will not get into a "dont take your baby" debate but I will say this. On my first cruise, I went with friends that took their two year old and he is 8 now. he doesnt really remember a thing about the cruise so in a way, I have to agree with the OP on waiting another year or so. Just for a different reason.

 

Not my money and not my child though so its just something to think about. :)

 

Dont expect it to be a memorable trip for the 18 month old :)

Edited February 20, 2014 by ryano

[Onessa]

I think the PNP issue has been asked and answered.

 

As to the OP, DD (now 18YO) did her first cruise at 8MO. It was a "last minute" cruise. Her pediatrian did a health check before we left, and he thought it was an "awesome" idea. So do what is best for you and your child.

 

While she may not have specific memories of that trip, I fully believe a person is the sum of all of their life experiences - remembered or not. If what a baby "did" prior to the point that they might remember it did not "matter" why not just bundle them up and send them off to an institution to raise them until they might "remember" something! :D.

 

And while she may not remember her first cruise, her dad and I both certainly do cherish our memories of those events!

 

Just be sure to enjoy every minute you have with your kids. DD will be heading out of state next year for college, and I know I will miss having her around!

Edited February 20, 2014 by Onessa

[Johnkut]

For heavens sake, do not bring a blow up pool for the pool deck. Can you imagine if every parent brought one. Besides that it's a safety issue. And please do not drop off your little ones in the kids club. You are there to have a vacation with them. I met a couple who every day dropped off their kids all day long. You're there to have a vacation with them. Enjoy them while they are still little, they grow up too fast. At that age, I think Disneyworld would be a much better place for the kids. It is geared more for the little ones. RCCL does do a lot with little ones, but it is still geared to adults.