For all Mom's ot there: What is the youngest age you have traveled with an infant?

[BearySweet2Cruise]

I have sailed several times on RCCL but never with a baby. In the future I will want to take my grandbaby cruising. I know the baby will not have any memories of going, and so many will discourage a baby onboad. I would never dare post this over on the RCCL main board, so I come here to the family forum to seek advice.

Thanks

Monica

[crusinmama06]

Gabriella (my youngest was 8 months)...she is set to go on her 4th right now at age 3.

 

Morgan, my oldest started when she was 24 months....she is now 7 and booked on her 5th cruise. :D

 

We just got off of Freedom and I can tell you that there were MANY infants there onboard. There were a line of strollers parked outside the DR.

 

And just in my line of sight at dinner I can tell you that I could see from MY table at LEAST 5 babies.

[Kerry's Girls]

I took my twins for the first time when they were 13 months old, and EVERYONE told me I was nuts beforehand. It turned out to be the greatest week we'd spent together at that point. My girls are 2-1/2 now and have been on three cruises. Since someone is taking care of all of your needs, all you have to do is enjoy your family. So it's really not about what the child remembers - it's about quality time together, which is always good for children. And as Michelle said, there will be lots of other tots on board.

[sailinglisa]

I suggest going to all the cruise line's websites as they do post minimum ages for cruising......depending on the region cruised to and length of cruises. Many say 6 months the minimum.....some 1 year old for longer and more exotic itineraries.

[waterwatereverywhere]

We just disembarked from our very first cruise (NCL 5 day pacific coastal from LA-Vancouver). Our 21 month old and 4 year old had a blast. I loved the mom who said "since all of our needs are taken care of" you can spend quality time with your family - how true! This was quite a Mother's Day trip for me as I got to really see how my children shine! have a lovely trip...

[rebeccalouise]

My youngest son was 3 months when we did a cruise. We did a short one. 3-nights on the Norwegian Majesty. It was a group of ten of us and it was wonderful! We got hooked an my son (age 6) had been on 12 cruises- with two more booked on the Celebrity Millenium!

[TropicalSnowflake]

My now 3 y/o was 8 months on his first cruise and 20 months on his second cruise. My second, now 7 mos will be 14 months on his first cruise in December.

 

My friends took their 4 mo on a 3 day cruise and said it was great because all baby did was sleep at that age.

 

Check into your cruise line's requirements. I have heard that some cruises will only allow over 6 months on board and some allow 6 weeks and older on board. (Frankly, at 6 weeks old, I would rather be home bonding with my baby--but to each his/her own!)

[mom2sz]

We took my daughter on her first cruise when she was 6 months old to Alaska. That was our easiest post-babies cruise. We carried her everywhere on those baby carriers. She is now 4 and will be going on her 6th cruise. My 21-month old son took his first cruise when he was 14 months old. He's going on his 3rd soon.

 

Depending on the cruise lines, the time of year or itinerary, the number of kids can vary onboard. Cruise lines such as Disney, Carnival and RCL seem to have more babies and toddlers onboard. HAL wasn't too family-friendly. The other times we've cruised on Princess, NCL and Costa, there were always other families with babies and toddlers also.

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Thanks everyone for your kind replies. Our grandbaby is not due until December, so maybe by Dec. 08 we might be ready to travel with baby :)

[timmy1958]

Gabriella (my youngest was 8 months)...she is set to go on her 4th right now at age 3.

 

Morgan, my oldest started when she was 24 months....she is now 7 and booked on her 5th cruise. :D

 

We just got off of Freedom and I can tell you that there were MANY infants there onboard. There were a line of strollers parked outside the DR.

 

And just in my line of sight at dinner I can tell you that I could see from MY table at LEAST 5 babies.

 

Michele,

Were you able to take any shore excursions with the little one in tow? We have a baby due any day, and I've been looking at cruises about a year from now.

[crusinmama06]

Michele,

Were you able to take any shore excursions with the little one in tow? We have a baby due any day, and I've been looking at cruises about a year from now.

 

Yes, all kinds of excursions. When the kids were 2 and under we did Coral World in St.Thomas, Orient Beach St Martin, Under the 2 Flags Tour St.Martin, Dolphin Close Encounter Freeport Bahamas, Glass Bottom Boat tour.

 

The best kind of excursions are beach excursions or sight seeing tours when they are THAT young.

 

At our Dolphin Encounter there was one infant there that couldn't have been older than 8 months old (my daughter was 2).

 

The cruise we just got off, we did the Butterfly Express tour in Grand Caymen.

 

When my husband REALLY wants to do an excursion (like a jeep or kayak tour) that the kids are too young for then I just send him out alone. But that is rare that he does that.

[lolakat]

I'm glad to find this post and all the input above. We are expecting our first child in September and just booked a cruise for next march when she will be almost 7months. My mom AND Grandma will be going too. I figure it will be a pretty easy vacation to manage with the baby since we will always be close to the room and the rest of the family will be nearby.

 

By the way, (maybe most people already know this but...) I found out that most lines (RCL, X, Carnival, Princess) charge the same for a baby as any other 3rd passanger. The exceptions that I spoke with being NCL and Disney. We are cruising on Celebrity and decided to stick with them for now but in the future I would consider NCL as it would have saved us $800.

[mkiwi20]

We'll be traveling with our 7 month old in a few weeks. Right now I think he's at the perfect age because he's not walking yet, so he's perfectly content being carried around in a sling and going just about anywhere.

[TropicalSnowflake]

I found out that most lines (RCL, X, Carnival, Princess) charge the same for a baby as any other 3rd passanger. The exceptions that I spoke with being NCL and Disney. We are cruising on Celebrity and decided to stick with them for now but in the future I would consider NCL as it would have saved us $800.

 

I know! What a rip to charge for a baby. But, I decided that I'll get them all back when my boys are teens and will eat them out of the buffet. :D

[timmy1958]

I know! What a rip to charge for a baby. But, I decided that I'll get them all back when my boys are teens and will eat them out of the buffet. :D

 

Wow, even the airlines give babies a break. And yes, you'll get even when the kids are teens!

 

Thanks for the info Michele. I'm looking at a cruise when the baby will be around eight months, or another at about 18 months, so that info was a big help. And I'm sure my wife will send me off Scuba diving on my own. :cool: