Never cruised before & I'm taking an infant. HELP!!!

[New2Cruisin'07]

I have never cruised before, and I am really stressed about it since I really want to have a great experience. I am uncertain the best way to do it with the kids. They are 7yrs, 5yrs, and 13 months. We are booked on the Carnival Victory to Eastern Carribean. Here are my questions. Can anyone help???

 

1- Do I need a lifevest or carseat? Our plans are to leave the ship, at the ports of call, and just hang out at the beaches. We are flying to Miami, and I will have the baby on my lap. I wasn't expecting to bring the carseat. It's really big, and doesn't attach to our stroller. We'd have to carry it on the beach. Do I need a lifevest to go from the ship to the beach, or only if we plan to do water-type excursions?

 

2-Can we take the baby into a pool on the ship? It never occured to me that I might not be able to. If I can't, can I take a little inflatable pool or something for him? I expected to be able to put 'little swimmers' swim diapers on him, like we would at any public pool we use.

 

3-Are their any excursions that would be recommended for us? We will be in San Juan in the evening, St Maarten, and St Thomas.

 

4-Will we need to pay for some kind of excurstion to get to a beach at the port of call, or will their be some kind of shuttle from the ship?

 

5-Are their lifeguards at the pools?

[rebeccalouise]

I didn't take my car seat to the Caribbean and just held my son on my lap. Most taxis in the Caribbean are going to be vans.

 

Children in diapers or swimmies are NOT allowed in the pool but Carnival may have a baby pool. Can't remember if they do on the Victory. Bring a baby pool with some toys and the baby will be fine. They usually just like filling up cups with water and dumping them out.

 

There aren't generally shuttles to the beaches on the islands. For a family of five- grab a taxi (van) and head to Meagan's beach on St. Thomas. I don't know which beach to recommend on St. Marten. I love just wondering around in San Juan. El Morro (the fort) is a nice walk from the ship in Old San Juan. There is a public gyser fountain that the kids can play in (have them wear their suimsuits off the ship). It gets hot walking around and my son (4 at the time) loved kicking his shoes off and getting sprayed by the gysers.

 

There are no lifeguards at the pool- other than for the waterslide. I only let my son do the waterslide while we were docked. I have a fear of heights and didn't like the idea of the ship suddenly tilting with him forty feet in the air!

[New2Cruisin'07]

Thanks for the information rebeccalouise. It's amazing how much less I stress about the cruise, the more I prepare myself.

 

I am thrilled with the suggestion that rebeccalouise left about El Morro in San Juan. That sounds great for the kids.

 

Does anyone else have any suggestions for things to do off the ship? Any other suggestions regarding carseats, lifevests or inflatable pools?

[crusinmama06]

1- Do I need a lifevest or carseat? Our plans are to leave the ship, at the ports of call, and just hang out at the beaches. We are flying to Miami, and I will have the baby on my lap. I wasn't expecting to bring the carseat. It's really big, and doesn't attach to our stroller. We'd have to carry it on the beach. Do I need a lifevest to go from the ship to the beach, or only if we plan to do water-type excursions?

 

--Lifevest -No

Car Seat - YES...if you are taking a taxi from Miami Airport to the Port. No, if you plan on not taking ANY taxis while on the islands.

 

2-Can we take the baby into a pool on the ship? It never occured to me that I might not be able to. If I can't, can I take a little inflatable pool or something for him? I expected to be able to put 'little swimmers' swim diapers on him, like we would at any public pool we use.

 

Nope, no babies in ANY pools on ANY cruiseline except Disney (infant spray water area)...even in swim diapers. There ARE children's pools on the ship, but the infant will not be able to use them. Sorry. It's a CDC rule and not a Carnival rule.

 

3-Are their any excursions that would be recommended for us? We will be in San Juan in the evening, St Maarten, and St Thomas.

 

St.Maarten I use as a beach day. StThomas - Coral World. My kids love that place.

 

4-Will we need to pay for some kind of excurstion to get to a beach at the port of call, or will their be some kind of shuttle from the ship?

 

You will have to pay for transportation (Taxi, then you'll definatly need that carseat) if you do not take a ship sponsored tour to the beach. Usually Carnival calls them "Beach Breaks" and they start at $29 pp and the infant would be free.

 

5-Are their lifeguards at the pools?

Nope, swimming is at your own risk.