British isles cruise with a 9 month old

[shoegal24]

Bad idea? We're looking for a trip this summer and we're wondering how a 9 month old would fare on an 8 day cruise from London, visiting Scotland and Ireland.

 

Does anyone have any experience on insight?

 

Fwiw, the cruise line we're looking at is Princess

 

Thanks :)

[aquilegia]

You might also try posting this on the Family Cruises board, here:

 

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

[msg_girl]

The advice to check the family boards is a really good one. At 9 months a baby is fairly portable but do remember that Princess unlike some of the other cruise lines do not offer any type of baby sitting or child care for under 3 year olds. If you're happy with this go ahead - UK will never be too hot for a baby and generally good access for a pushchair (stroller??? - I think this is the US term) unlike other places in Europe, good medical care if required ...

You might want to look at P&O who offer a communal nursery for small children (on some ships) or check who offers in cabin babysitting - I'm fairly sure RCL do but they don't guarantee. G.

[Hlitner]

The bottom line is that you will have to provide complete care (like normal) for the 9 year old and its also wise to bring along anything you need (diapers, cream, baby medicine, etc). We have seen plenty of folks cruise with babies, but the ones who seem to have the most enjoyable time are those who are also traveling with other potential caregivers such as family or a Nanny. On a HAL cruise last year we met a young family traveling with 4 kids under 4. They had a Nanny, but it still kept them all hopping. The poor Dad once ask me to hold his beer, and by the time he could take it back to drink it was warm. What sacrifices we make for our children :)

 

Hank