Cruising with 22 Month Old

[CDawson8707]

Hi everyone! My in-laws gifted us with a cruise this coming January on Carnival Elation. We will be traveling with our 10 year old and a 22 month old. After doing some quick research, I've realized that cruising with the 22-month old on Carnival will not be as easy as I assumed! I know he's unable to use the pools since he's not potty trained. I also read he can only visit the camp during certain hours of the day. For parents who have traveled with an under 2 year old/not potty trained, I'm hoping you can help me to make this a successful trip! Any helpful hints for our days at sea?

 

We are planning to get a day pass to Atlantis since they are toddler friendly. Any suggestions for Half Moon Cay? Just make it a beach day?

 

Thank you in advanced,

A Panicked Mama.

[easyboy]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

You can also post on the Family Cruises Forum for more response from those traveling with kids

 

 

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[Essiesmom]

Half Moon Cay is Carnival's private island, and as such is a beach day. EM

[Keith1010]

Yes, as mentioned by Essiesmom it is a private island so that would be nice for the family. You just make it a beach day. Lots of fun.

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

HMC IS just a beach day! They have stuff for you to spend money on, but it's definitely not needed to spend a penny there!

[cb at sea]

Carnival takes 2 year olds in their "club"....but yours will be too young. They do have certain hours for "family play"...you take the child and stay with them to play. At 22 mos., there isn't a place to just leave them for an hour or so. Any way you could push the cruise back 2 months, so that the little one COULD use the clubs? Carnival does change diapers, so that's a plus, once they're 2! Sorry..should just have edited the prior post!)

[akeasley]

Overall, keep things simple...don't expect too much. One thing that helped us was, bringing a backpack with a leash attached that let my 23 month old walk with one of us close to him without having to strap him in the stroller all the time. I would get a balcony if you can since both my kids enjoyed being outside and it's your own space. Try and keep the naps on a regular schedule if possible.

[CDawson8707]

Carnival takes 2 year olds in their "club"....but yours will be too young. They do have certain hours for "family play"...you take the child and stay with them to play. At 22 mos., there isn't a place to just leave them for an hour or so. Any way you could push the cruise back 2 months, so that the little one COULD use the clubs? Carnival does change diapers, so that's a plus, once they're 2! Sorry..should just have edited the prior post!)

 

 

No way to push back! It's a huge family (30 some people) family trip, so we didn't get to have much say in the planning. ;-)

[CDawson8707]

Overall, keep things simple...don't expect too much. One thing that helped us was, bringing a backpack with a leash attached that let my 23 month old walk with one of us close to him without having to strap him in the stroller all the time. I would get a balcony if you can since both my kids enjoyed being outside and it's your own space. Try and keep the naps on a regular schedule if possible.

 

Thank you! I definitely plan to keep his nap times the same. It's a bummer because he naps from 12:00--2:00 which is apparently the time his age is allowed to visit (with parent) the kid club! Oh well! :)

[creel5857]

sounds like you might be locked in with dates and plans......from a personal experience with our family of 16 including a very young toddler (cause all the babysitters and grandparents were on the trip) we found out very quick that it is more enjoyable if you keep him on his schedule as best as possible because it is better to change your schedule slightly than to hear his crying and fretfulness.........with our family we enjoyed spreading out the baby duties where his parents did feel burdened the whole time......granted it was their child but we all enjoyed being able to have a "family" trip and we just individually volunteered to stay on 1 or 2 occasions with him while he napped or fed him early or stayed with him in pool while others ventured elsewhere.......enjoy your trip......family trips are hard to arrange but can be enjoyable with a little planning ahead

[mjkacmom]

I might think about letting the toddler stay back on the ship for Atlantis. The first time we got a day pass, we left our 4, 4, and 6 year olds on the ship with the grandparents, and took our 9 and 11 year olds to Atlantis, it was so much fun! The property is huge, and some of the rides are intense (the crazy river goes all over, even up slides). Or else plan on splitting up, it’s not worth all of that money to sit in a kiddy pool.