Bringing a baby on Crystal???

[sfmama]

Hello,

 

I am thinking about going on Crystal's Serenity for the 7-night cruise departing on June 6th ("Greek Gods & Gondolas" #8313).

 

I will be travelling with my 7-month old baby daughter (who is a champ and does not cry much) and my mother.

 

I would appreciate some constructive input on whether cruising on Crystal with an infant would be enjoyable? For example, will there be a few other families with kids so we won't be the only ones and potentially social outcasts?

 

Also, has anyone else cruised on Crystal with a baby and used their in-cabin babysitting service? We are hoping to use babysitters at night so we can enjoy dinner and entertainment. I would like to know whether it's pretty easy to arrange a sitter whenever one is needed?

 

Thank you in advance for your input!

[6rugrats]

On these dates, you will be cruising before most US schools are out for the summer. In addition, you are taking a European cruise. Those two facts will probably cut down significantly on the number of children aboard. You can call the cruise line and see if any children are currently booked for this cruise.

 

I have never sailed Crystal so have no personal experience to add. I've just always thought as Crystal as more of an adult line, but I see they allow infants over six months of age.

 

Do I think this itinerary would be enjoyable for someone with an infant? No, but I don't know you or your baby.

[PattyW]

I haven't sailed Crystal either - since it is kind of a "niche" cruiseline, you may want to post your question directly on the Crystal board as well. Lots of the regular posters on that board exclusively cruise Crystal and take multiple cruises a year, so they will likely be able to answer your questions as to how many kids might be aboard, etc.

 

That said, when traveling with an infant, I believe one cruiseline is "as good" as any other. None of the cruiselines truly cater to tiny babies. Disney has the nursery for little ones (and an infant pool), RCCL has Aquababies (and some ships have infant pools), and Princess provides babyfood, but that's about it. Crystal doesn't seem to have a restriction on the in-cabin sitting (RCCL's in cabin sitting doesn't start until the child is age 1), so it's got that going for it.

 

My guess is that there won't be many children aboard, but that doesn't mean you would be social outcasts. Almost everyone loves babies. I think that if you were the only ones with an infant on a small ship, you'd probably be quite popular!

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[kitty9]

I've sailed Crystal 16 times and it's not really the most infant friendly cruise line. I've only seen one child under the age of 18 months on my cruises with them. And Crystal does restrict the number of children under the age of three on all their cruises. The regular cabins on Crystal are not huge and the furniture in the cabins take up a lot of floor space, so putting a pack and play in anything other than a PH or higher category will be pretty tight. You will have to provide everything for the child as Crystal doesn't. Also, Crystal doesn't have third person discounts on their cruises like the mass market lines do, so your infant will pay the full 50% of the adult fare---pretty expensive for a baby IMHO. The babysitting is just like on the mass market lines that provide in cabin sitting. There will be families on board, and you won't feel like an outcast, but the number of kids on Crystal ships is relatively low, even in the summer. Holiday sailings on this side of the pond do attract more families, and mid summer sailings have more than other times, but not nearly the number of other lines. For whatever reason, the luxury lines do not attract families, especially ones with infants under the age of one.