Cruising with a 1-year old

[apro]

We'll be crusing to Bermuda on RCI EOS in late October with our 11-month (to be) son. Just wondering about the logistics of it all. We're getting a Deluxe Oceanview room with Balcony. Is that room big enough? Will it fit a crib/Pack n Play? Will the ship provide it? We'll definitely bring our stroller. Are ships generally stroller friendly? My son can use a highchair during dinner, but can he go in his stroller for the evening shows? Also, what kind of excursions are best to do with a child this age? I saw a posting re: car seats and it sounds like we shouldn't bother bringing it along.

 

Also, my son can easily sleep in his stroller. It is obnoxious/"bad parent" behavior to schlep him around with us at night? Obviously, we wouldn't take him into the casino or disco, but maybe the late night outdoor activities or the parade in the promenade...

 

Please share with me your experiences with your small child (not yet toddler age). Thanks!!

[crusinmama06]

Will the ship provide it? We'll definitely bring our stroller. Are ships generally stroller friendly? My son can use a highchair during dinner, but can he go in his stroller for the evening shows? Also, what kind of excursions are best to do with a child this age? I saw a posting re: car seats and it sounds like we shouldn't bother bringing it along.

 

Also, my son can easily sleep in his stroller. It is obnoxious/"bad parent" behavior to schlep him around with us at night? Obviously, we wouldn't take him into the casino or disco, but maybe the late night outdoor activities or the parade in the promenade...

 

Please share with me your experiences with your small child (not yet toddler age). Thanks!!

 

Deluxe Oceanview with Balcony is big enough for two parents and a baby. No problem. It's not HUGE, but its big enough. It's nice that you have the balcony so you can step outside after the baby is asleep for a little quiet time.

 

Yes it will fit the pack n play, RCCL will provide it and the sheets to go on it. Bring a couple comfy blankies of your own to help the baby sleep though.

 

You won't need a car seat unless you are taking a taxi...the shuttle bus for the excursions don't allow car seats, they usually take them and place them under the bus in storage.

 

No one will be judging you if you have a sleeping baby in a stroller. Like you said, you aren't taking him to the casinos or bars.

 

And as far as excursions, beach excursions are the best for this age.

 

Have a great trip!

[Dawniepoo]

The ships seem to be stroller friendly. We never had any problems with our kids getting around or being in the way. We used umbrella strollers, so they were easy to fold if needed.

 

Also, it is not "bad parent behavior" to have your child in a stroller at night, and frankly, as long as he/she is not disturbing anyone, its none of their business.;)

 

I just saw your original post on the RCI board and new before I even read the responses what some of them would be. It seems like when I read these posts (not on the family board) from some people, all they can talk about is how you are going to inconvenience them, even before we board!

 

I come to the family board often just so I can reassure myself that I am not a bad parent or selfish for wanting my children with me during our family vacation.:D

[fauxpaz]

I took my daughter on her first cruise at 11 months as well. She had a great time and it was easier than what I thought it would be. The ships are stroller friendly and the staff were fabulous with her. Many told me that they missed their little ones at home and doted on the infant passengers since it reminded them of their children.

 

I didn't get too many negative comments and when I did, I just rolled my eyes and didn't let it ruin my vacation. The one thing I will caution you on is if you arranged for the cruise line to provide your child formula, bring a back up supply. Celebrity failed to provide the formula they promised and required us to make a mad dash in a foreign country to find some.

 

Also, I believe RCCL has the same policies as Celebrity and will allow infants, in swim diapers, to use the children's pool and they set aside an hour a day for toddler time and they will bring out age appropriate toys to play with.

 

I really think cruising is the only way to go with a small child.

[fauxpaz]

I just saw your original post on the RCI board and new before I even read the responses what some of them would be. It seems like when I read these posts (not on the family board) from some people, all they can talk about is how you are going to inconvenience them, even before we board!

 

 

I think it is a common trait among the cruise line specific boards to crucify any parent that decides to bring a young child on a cruise. I have received the same treatment on the Celebrity board. I am glad that this forum is available for family friendly discussions regarding family cruising.

[wrp96]

Also, I believe RCCL has the same policies as Celebrity and will allow infants, in swim diapers, to use the children's pool and they set aside an hour a day for toddler time and they will bring out age appropriate toys to play with.

 

 

Nope, no children in diapers, even swim diapers, in any of the pools on RCCL.

[SUSIEK]

We too are taking our (will be) 12 month old on a cruise in December. We are sailing on RCl Enchantment of the Seas. I had the same questions as you. We actually got a great rate on a Junior Suite. I too am concerned about space.

 

We are bringing a blow up pool to go on the balcony.

 

My mother in law and sister will be sailing with us next door. I am so looking forward to taking our little one.

[crusinmama06]

I just saw your original post on the RCI board and new before I even read the responses what some of them would be. It seems like when I read these posts (not on the family board) from some people, all they can talk about is how you are going to inconvenience them, even before we board!

 

I come to the family board often just so I can reassure myself that I am not a bad parent or selfish for wanting my children with me during our family vacation.:D

 

I know! I feel the same way. You can almost guarantee that any post regarding a child issue in it with end up in a debate. The moderators should control those threads better. :rolleyes:

[sas80]

I know! I feel the same way. You can almost guarantee that any post regarding a child issue in it with end up in a debate. The moderators should control those threads better. :rolleyes:

 

I always find it a bit satisfying to respond with a quick

 

"that response does not pertain to the subject matter of my original post"

 

when someone is trying to judge me!

[crusinmama06]

I always find it a bit satisfying to respond with a quick

 

"that response does not pertain to the subject matter of my original post"

 

when someone is trying to judge me!

 

I'll have to remember that one! :D

[Dawniepoo]

I always find it a bit satisfying to respond with a quick

 

"that response does not pertain to the subject matter of my original post"

 

when someone is trying to judge me!

 

I'm writing that one down:)

[Kerry's Girls]

I just get a regular room, and it's been fine, so you should have no problem.

 

Ships are extremely stroller-friendly - and this is coming from someone who has to bring a double-stroller (front/back) for my twins. Since there is always room for wheelchairs to pass through or enter, strollers are easy. You just have to keep in mind not to be in a rush since there is a wait for elevators at times.

 

You won't be the only one with a child in the evening. Enjoy yourself.

 

I really find that one of the joys of cruising is not having to deal with car seats for a week. If at all possible, arrange your trip and excursions so you don't have to bother.

 

If your son is still awake after dinner, take him to the disco. That's what I did with my girls - no one is there yet, but the music is on and the disco ball is twirling, so they would crawl around and chase the lights and "dance". It was a great way to wear them out. And the great thing about ships and toddlers is that none of the tables have sharp edges, so I didn't have to worry about them crawling around.

 

Have a great time!

 

Best,

Mia

[Need2Cruze]

Ships are extremely stroller-friendly - and this is coming from someone who has to bring a double-stroller (front/back) for my twins. Since there is always room for wheelchairs to pass through or enter' date=' strollers are easy. You just have to keep in mind not to be in a rush since there is a wait for elevators at times. [/quote']

First Post!

Still new at this so bear with me...

Glad to hear ships can accomodate a double-stroller, but does anyone have any input as to whether I should just get 2 umbrella strollers for our trip aboard the EOS? I'm just worried about the elevator lines... I haven't been on a big ship yet, previous experience is on Horizon and Zenith, and I remember the elevators were a mess, so we mostly took the stairs. But at that time my oldest was 3 1/2 months, now he's 3 and we've added to the family with our 1-year-old. So the double might be a bit large and get me "looks".

Also, anyone have experience with a Junior Suite? That's what we booked, looking for more room and the tub.

Thanks,

[Kerry's Girls]

Two umbrella strollers would be easier for elevators and crowds - but I'd want the ones with the sun covers. I'm on my own with my twins, so I don't have the single stroller option, otherwise, that's what I'd do. (But even with my "humvee" stroller, we really only received kind remarks and extremely thoughtful and helpful manners from our fellow passengers.) Mostly it was a pain to bring in and out of the cabin - which is where the umbrellas would work better. Also, if you're not near the elevators, the hall to and from your room can be a little bit of a challenge getting around the steward carts.

 

Best,

Mia

[Need2Cruze]

Thanks for your input Mia.

You mentioned something that didn't even occur to me: the steward carts! Yikes! You're right, the humvee, or as we call it the cadillac would create a bit of a navigation problem through the hallways. I will have to keep an eye out on my town's freecycle network, as I dont really want to spend money on 2 umbrella strollers considering how much I'm spending on the rooms - We're taking DM and MIL along with us so we have that room and Jr. Suite :eek: Plus, I always use the cadillac, so I would only use the umbrellas for this event.

Thanks much!

[GeoHack]

First Post!

Also, anyone have experience with a Junior Suite? That's what we booked, looking for more room and the tub.

Thanks,

 

We had the wife and I plus a 9 and 10 year old in a Junior suite and felt we had plenty of room. The tub will be great for the 1 year old, however we never used it.

[Need2Cruze]

We had the wife and I plus a 9 and 10 year old in a Junior suite and felt we had plenty of room. The tub will be great for the 1 year old, however we never used it.

 

Was it the EOS? What deck were you on? We're booked for deck 9. Just wondering if all JS's are the same. With your experience in the JS, do you think that with the sofa bed pulled out there is still enough room for a Pack'n'Play and "move-around-room"? Or will it be kind of cramped? I'm hoping that this room is much more spacious than my frame of reference, which is the oceanview on the Celebrity Zenith... Also, is the tub a regular full size tub?

 

Thanks much!

[StarCruiser]

Need2Cruze,

 

My wife and I have done the Zenith Oceanview as well as a Balcony Cabin on the Mariner of the Sea (sister ship to EOS). In my opinion the balcony cabin was much larger than the oceanview on Zenith (Zenith is a much older and smaller ship). We will be going on the EOS next August with a 6 month old and have booked a JS for that mostly for the tub. I think you will have plenty of room with the JS. Just so you know the Zentih oceanview is 172 sq ft and the EOS JS is 277 sq ft (and 69 sq ft balcony). Hope this helps.

 

Thanks everyone for all of the information here.

 

Ben

[JCSM-Mom]

Was it the EOS? What deck were you on? We're booked for deck 9. Just wondering if all JS's are the same. With your experience in the JS, do you think that with the sofa bed pulled out there is still enough room for a Pack'n'Play and "move-around-room"? Or will it be kind of cramped? I'm hoping that this room is much more spacious than my frame of reference, which is the oceanview on the Celebrity Zenith... Also, is the tub a regular full size tub?

 

Thanks much!

 

We had JS on the Voyager with my then 3 yo DS and 17 month DD. To tell you the truth I don't remember if the tub is "full" size or not, but it was big enough to put both kids in at the same time for baths. A pack and play would probably take up a bit of floor space, but you could still move get around. Our experience is that a JS is more like an oversized balconey room than a suite, but it was plenty large for the 4 of us and more than enough storage space. We used Sit and Strolls and they fit in the closet when we weren't using them. We booked a B2B next October in another aft JS, we liked it so well. I am worried about the deluxe inside we booked on Disney in December, but I figure it's only 3 days and we have two sets of grandparents going.....so hopefully it won't be two cramped. At least they offer two bathrooms!

 

Oh, btw, we didn't really use a stroller much for our 3yo, he preferred to walk, actually we found towards the end of the trip both were walking around, but with a 1 yo....that might not work!;) Anyway, point being we didn't have to drag out the strollers all that often. So, a couple of umbrellas would work perfect, that's what we'll be bringing (if any) on our next trips.

 

Have a great time.

[Dawniepoo]

I am having a little trouble letting go of the stroller for our 4 year old. I can't decide whether to take it or not.:o I know he can walk, but we have an aft cabin, so I'm not sure if he wants to walk all the time, however the thought of bringing 2 strollers isn't a very attractive idea either.:rolleyes:

[Kerry's Girls]

I would bring both. There can be a wait and a long walk just at the cruise terminal, plus if he gets tired/bored on shore you'll have a place to put him instead of trying to carry him - and if he wants to walk, it's a great place to throw your bags! I have an umbrella stroller from Target that I got for $10 that folds into nothing - but the downside is it doesn't lay back for sleeping or have a sun shade.

 

Best,

Mia

[Onessa]

If you are not accustom to umbrella strollers, be certain to test drive before purchasing - we borrowed one for a short-trip once and were glad it wasn't a long trip!! Both DH and I are rather tall, and the handles of the stoller we borrowed were too low to be comfortable. Also it had a cheap plastic "sleeve" that slid on the handles - it made it difficult to control the stroller.

 

I went to a BabyDepot, plopped my then almost 3YO in a cheap umbrella stroller with the longest legth handles I could find and shopped for about 20 minutes - pushing her in the stoller. It was on clearance for $7.50.

I put padded tennis raquet grip wrap on the handles (my hands are rather large and I liked the additional thickness as well as the padding).

 

DD used that stroller for at least four major trips afterward - Italy, New Mexico, Alaska, Pac NorthWest. I sewed up a long thin stow bag for it and it managed several trips as checked luggage no worse for the trip.

 

At 4.5YO my DD still liked to have the stroller along (we were in Italy) - we could walk as much as we wanted and she could get in and out as it suited her. We generally found her something basic for lunch and then she'd settle into her stroller and nap for about 45minutes giving us about enough time for an adult lunch.

[Dawniepoo]

Thank you guys for the imput. I will bring both:D

[CabinForFour]

Thank you guys for the imput. I will bring both:D

 

Sorry, I may be reading this wrong. Bring both (what)? If strollers, I certainly wouldn't bother bringing two. If you bring two, you'll just end up toting one around while pushing the child in another. I think you'll wish you hadn't. But I read and re-read this but may be misreading what you were saying. :)

 

As for Bermuda, we took DS when he was 2.5. We did an island tour with a stop at Crystal Caves and the Zoo/Aquarium, which was pretty interesting. The next day, we took the bus to Horseshoe Bay to play for a few hours. If you wish to see some photos of the places we visited, there is a link in my signature.

 

Definitely don't bother bringing a car seat for Bermuda. The taxis fares are astronomical, and the buses (which are excellent) and mini-buses don't have seatbelts.

[Dawniepoo]

No, I have 2 kids. One is a baby and the other is 4, so I wasn't sure whether to bring the stroller for my 4 year old.:o Sorry for the confusion CabinForFour:)