Princess and a toddler...

[Weluv2cruise2007]

Our next 2 cruises are booked with deluxe balconies on the Royal, so we're not too concerned about space, but we are looking ahead to a longer cruise next Christmas, and it would obviously be much more economical to book an inside (we always went with an inside pre-baby). Baby will be 1.5 yrs old, so walking for sure. So my question: Are we insane to consider an inside with a toddler? I've heard the pack and play crib fits inside the closet (he can't sleep in a bunk obviously, and we want him to sleep by himself if possible) do you think the pack and play will be large enough for a 1.5 yr old?

[Mack2]

I'm not sure a pack-n-play will fit in the closet. Cabins are usually very efficient (i.e. - small).

 

 

When we went on cruises with the kids in a pack-n-play... They were in the room. The bad thing about the closets across the board is the clacking hangars when the ship is rocking. Dang hangars!

[cb at sea]

You will really appreciate the balcony during nap times and bed times....it will give you a place "to be"! While you can make an inside work, the balcony would be MUCH better with a child!

[Essiesmom]

Not all Princess insides are created equal. While I had had a standard inside with the open closet that the packnplay might fit into, I have also had two side entry cabins that had standard type closets with doors, not at all suitable for sleeping. EM

[giselleacttwo]

A pack n' play will fit in the vast majority of Princess closets, including most inside staterooms. I believe only the smaller ships (Pacific, Ocean) as well as the Grand, and the Royal don't have the large open closets that will fit them. Our 27 month old fit in a pack n play just fine on our last cruise, and we fit it in our Sapphire Princess closet. The only downside to the inside stateroom is that you will have nowhere to go during naptime. That is what made a balcony so valuable for us on our last cruise.

Edited December 13, 2013 by giselleacttwo

[Weluv2cruise2007]

A pack n' play will fit in the vast majority of Princess closets, including most inside staterooms. I believe only the smaller ships (Pacific, Ocean) as well as the Grand, and the Royal don't have the large open closets that will fit them. Our 27 month old fit in a pack n play just fine on our last cruise, and we fit it in our Sapphire Princess closet. The only downside to the inside stateroom is that you will have nowhere to go during naptime. That is what made a balcony so valuable for us on our last cruise.

 

Thank-you - The Royal doesn't have the large open closets??

[Gardeneroflove]

The important question would be, will your 1.5 year sleep in a pnp? Mine never did.

 

We cruised when she was 14 months, she slept on the sofa made into a bed. If you're worried about him falling out, just lay the sofa pillows on the floor (they fit into a crib sheet). Or ask for a bed rail to put on the sofa?

 

If you got an inside, could you get one with a sofa bed that pulls out? Then he could just sleep in the bed...nbd.

 

Naptime would be doable, if you're willing to just sit and read/watch tv. or nap as well (in my case, lol!)

[notentirelynormal]

You will really appreciate the balcony during nap times and bed times....it will give you a place "to be"! While you can make an inside work, the balcony would be MUCH better with a child!

 

My daughter's first cruise with a kid, her and her husband were sitting in the hallway outside the cabin waiting for the kid to go to sleep with baby monitor in hand. They had a balcony cabin too LOL. We never thought to put the kid in the closet! I can't imagine doing an inside with a small child.

[giselleacttwo]

I'm sorry, I think I may have been mistaken on Royal closets. I mistook a review I read that I thought was the Royal and it was actually on one of the little girls. The inside staterooms on the ships I've been on have all had the bigger closets, but that isn't the case fleet wide.

[Weluv2cruise2007]

The important question would be, will your 1.5 year sleep in a pnp? Mine never did.

 

We cruised when she was 14 months, she slept on the sofa made into a bed. If you're worried about him falling out, just lay the sofa pillows on the floor (they fit into a crib sheet). Or ask for a bed rail to put on the sofa?

 

If you got an inside, could you get one with a sofa bed that pulls out? Then he could just sleep in the bed...nbd.

 

Naptime would be doable, if you're willing to just sit and read/watch tv. or nap as well (in my case, lol!)

 

The PNP "shouldn't" be a problem....he sleeps in one every night (yes....he's still in our room! Lol!) That being said...he won't be a year from now. And no...no insides with couches. We'll probably spring for the balcony - the insides are indeed pretty tight. There is a couch in the deluxe balcony rooms on the Royal which we have the next 2 bookings, so there are options. FYI - for "bed rails" you can also use pool noodles! :) We'll be in FLL the day before so time to go buy a couple!

Edited December 15, 2013 by Weluv2cruise2007

[hooked-on-travel]

We've always done an inside w/ DD, even as a toddler. It's so dark that she slept so well, not a problem. Better than a room with daylight, IMHO.

[Weluv2cruise2007]

We've always done an inside w/ DD, even as a toddler. It's so dark that she slept so well, not a problem. Better than a room with daylight, IMHO.

 

Was this with Princess? Did the baby sleep in a pack n play in the closet area?

[hooked-on-travel]

It was Royal, but an inside is an inside. Very dark. We co-sleep, so we didn't use a PNP, but I can see how that set up might work well. The king bed was big enough for 3 of us. We could never afford a balcony (married a teacher, so we have to cruise at prime time), but for child sleep time nothing beat an inside. Shoot, for parent sleep time nothing beats an inside. Have a good trip.

[Essiesmom]

Here is a good picture of the Princess closet. The problem is that the door to the bathroom is just to the left, facing the closet. You would have to take a nightlight for the bathroom or risk waking him by turning on the light every time you go after he is in bed. EM

 

Edited December 19, 2013 by Essiesmom