Crusing with toddlers - good/bad/ugly?!

[heids24]

Hi all

Am new to the boards and hoping to get some advice!

 

We are considering doing a cruise on either Rhapsody or Radiance of the Seas (RCI) from Sydney this year, when we go our son will be around 14-15 months old. Ive cruised before but hubby hasnt.

 

Has anyone done a cruise on these boats with a toddler?I see that they now have babysitting for this age group, would be keen to hear of any experiences with this as it would be nice if hubby and i could have 1 or 2 dinners on our own :)

 

How does dining work with a young child - is it best to do the my time dining?Do the main dining rooms have high chairs etc?Do the kids pools allow swim nappies?

 

Also, crusing in general with toddlers...how have people found it?Good/bad/ugly?!

 

Any advice would be great, we havent picked a particular boat/cruise yet so there are a couple of other lines we could also consider like Princess or Carnival. Thanks!

[cb at sea]

A cruise is simply a vacation holiday.....so there's no right or wrong way to do it! The ship is like a resort...everything there in one place for your enjoyment. The cabins, however, will not be as large as most hotels...some can be quite tiny! Be warned!

 

There are several dining options on all ships. Traditional dining has 2 set seatings...MTD (or a variation thereof) is more flexible...you go when you're hungry. For a small child, that may be your best option. For older kids who may want to use the evening kid's club activites, early seating is best.

 

Yes...there are high chairs and booster seats!

 

No...few ships allowed diapered people in the pools...that goes for adults, too! The pools are small and chemicaled enough to handle fecal material, like some larger, land-based pools. If your child isn't potty-trained, either bring a small, blow-up tub or don't plan on them using the ship's pools. They will be able to splash in the ocean at your ports!

On most ships, a child must be 2 (or 3) before they are allowed in the kid's clubs.

Some ships do offer in-cabin babysitting....RCI does on most of their ships.

 

Cruising as a family is fine...no "ugly" about it! You just have to know going into it, that this is not a "couples" cruise...it's a family vacation!

[jlrn366419]

It is a break from home, cooking and cleaning so that is a big plus! We took our son on a cruise at 17 months and again at 29 months. The first time was fun but the second time was so incredible because he was talking and developing his own personality. Best.Vacation.Ever. He had a blast.

 

The first time there were some fears/reservations about how we would all do on this first big vacation with a child in tow. Bedtime/naptime was a little difficult on the first cruise...took a lot longer to settle down despite the fact he should have passed out the moment his little head hit the pillow. Other than that, no issues.

 

There is so much helpful information on the internet for traveling with a toddler to make life easier for everyone.

[alj1208]

Our son was 4 1/2 when we cruised and old enough for the kids' club. However, my advice is to go ahead and cruise with a toddler! Why not? You have to care for your toddler no matter where you are, so why not do it someplace exciting like on a cruise ship? Will it be extra work? Probably. But, with some planning, it should be a good time. Easy and fun are two different things, in my opinion. It won't be easy, but it should be fun.

[crusinmama06]

It's mostly good :D

 

Both Rhapsody and Radiance have the NEW Royal Tots NURSERY! So you can pay by the hour to get a few hours alone for dinner ;)

 

These ships do not have a "Baby Splash Zone" - so you won't be able to use the pools but you can bring a small inflatable.