at what age do you leave the stroller behind?

[OnTheBrink]

John was 3.5 on the last cruise and we took our Mac Triumph. We used it a bit, but not a ton. Still, it was not really any trouble to take. It folds so flat and is so light.

For the next cruise he'll be 4.5. We'll be gone 7 days. Do you think we should still take it?

[isk8]

My baby is 3, and we've totally stopped taking the stroller anywhere unless we're going to Disneyland. Next year, we're going on a 7 day Western Caribbean, and I'm not even considering taking a stroller since we'll be doing primarily beach days. Where are you cruising? I might consider taking a stroller if I was going to Europe, or if I was going to be doing a lot of guided tours.

 

My baby is really, really active, and does not enjoy the stroller anymore. Plus he's on the tall side and doesn't fit that well in a stroller. Is your little guy on the active side or is he content to be still? That will play into your decision too.

[6rugrats]

No. Your guy should be able to keep up with the grown-ups (expecially if you are reasonable in your expectations) and the exercise is good for him.

 

I cannot believe the age/size of children I see in strollers.

[PattyW]

I think it really depends upon the child.

 

We took our Triumph along for a pacific coastal cruise when my son was just shy of 2 (23 months). He refused to ride in it and wanted to walk everywhere. It slowed us down, but he slept really well at night!

 

He never willingly rode in the stroller again.

 

We went on a 7 day Eastern Carrib. cruise in January when he was about 2.5 and we didn't even bring the stroller with us and all was fine.

 

I will say that neither of my children are "bolters." If I were fearful that my child would dart into crowds or into the street, I wouldn't be as willing to give up our stroller.

[scorpiomum]

we took our stroller on holidays until my son was nearly five. as you say they dont take up much room and they can really come in handy when you are walking all day. i also became quite dependant on it to load up all the purchases so i didnt have to carry them around myself. while a 4 or 5 year old is quite capable of keeping up with the parents, i always felt it was not reasonable to expect my ds to walk too far (i am talking hours) while we were sightseeing, and if he did want to walk, i didnt mind leaving the stroller in the room or if i had taken it, pushing it around for the day. but at the end of the day only you know if its worth the trouble....or better safe than sorry.

[crusinmama06]

In our normal daily lives, no, the stroller never leaves the garage. In another country, YES the stroller comes with us. ;)

 

There are just too many things that can happen.

 

I want my 4 year old strapped where I can see her at all times. I don't care how good a child is, you just never know. And because my kids have long hair, they are often approached by braid venders.

 

About a month ago on the RCCL board, there was a story about how a child (12) in port walked into a store ahead of her parents and the person in the store exposed himself to her and made her touch him. :eek:

 

After hearing that, I want my 8 year old in a stroller too...LOL. (yes I am kidding, she won't really be in a stroller)

 

And this isn't an issue about exercise. It's a safety concern. Locking my daughter in a stroller for a few quick trips on tenders or through the port streets won't condemn her to a life of obesity. :p

[gkrnjlr]

My 3 and 4 year old boys aren't going on this upcoming cruise with us but if they were.....I'd have them both in the double stroller. When dealing with large crowds its too easy to lose someone. Plus if they get tired they can just go to sleep without having to be carried. The basket on the bottom and the cup holder is handy as well.

 

I do believe that some kids are too big for strollers....but when you see a larger child in a stroller don't immediately discredit the parents. My 4 year old is the size of an almost 6 year old. Always has been a big boy. Not fat at all, just VERY tall, etc. (Born at 24" he just kept growing!) We get a lot of looks because he LOOKS a lot older than he really is and therefore when he acts like he's 4 people think he's just....."slow." Not the case at all. Just a big boy!

[Conrycol]

We didn't take it for my three year old on our cruise on the Summit this past February. Definitely didn't need it. He's kind of independent though and he wouldn't sit in it especially since he has two older brothers. Did carry him a couple of times on my shoulder though;) .

[mcfam5]

. . . we were traveling with two very new four year olds boys and did not bring a stroller. There was not a time we felt we needed it, although I know different things work for different people.

 

With these two, we would have had to have duct taped them in kicking and screaming the whole time! They would just hold a hand and were fine. :)

[cb at sea]

If you still use the stroller at home, bring it with you. If you don't need it at home, don't bring it! Your child will do what he/she's used to--whether you're on a cruise, or vacation, or whatever!

[mandyq]

My 4yo hasn't ridden in a stroller since he was 2. He even walked through Disneyland recently and did fine. He has 2 younger siblings that need a stroller so that may have forced him to be less dependent on a stroller.

[OnTheBrink]

If you still use the stroller at home, bring it with you. If you don't need it at home, don't bring it! Your child will do what he/she's used to--whether you're on a cruise, or vacation, or whatever!

 

I find the opposite to be true. My kids recognize that a cruise is quite different than "real" life and they want and like different things.

 

It's not for 7 months, so we have time to decide, but I'm thinking we'll take it. After all, I need somewhere to put my shopping! :)

[k2t2]

We are debating the same thing right now....except our DD will be 3 & our DS will be 1....last cruise DD was 1 and we used the small stroller on the ship-on deck, in the room to eat or just sit safely. We also had the backpack carrier that we used too. I think we will probably take both again just b/c it will help us out with either kid....DD is active but onshore I fell like some of the others - I want her right where I can see her! Strapped in and not running around....

[kat89447]

It depends on what you plan on doing in your ports. Some can be walking intensive with hills. If it doesn't take up much room then as my father would say " it is better to have and not need, than to need and not have". My DD is now 10 and still wishes sometimes she had a stroller lol. We did rent a stroller at Disney World when she was 7 on the advice of a friend and were grateful for that advice. There is a lot of walking involved there as well as Epcot and it gave us a place to store stuff as well. She hadn't used a stroller since she was 2 so I wasn't even thinking about using one till he suggested it and I am glad I did. Kids exhaust quickly in the sun and seeing new places can be overwhelming as well.

[Julienatul]

My DD is almost 3 and is just now starting to not use the stroller as much. We will definietly bring it because she always gets tired and wants to nap in it if we are out all day. Its great just to hold our shopping bags, beach bags, snacks, change of clothes etc. I asked DH this same question recently and he said we would probably need the stroller until she is at least 6. Im not sure we'll need it that long but I know its going to be a few more years.

[CruizinMom2c]

yeah it all depends on your toddler..

 

 

 

my son loves the stroller! He could ride it all day if he wanted too....so I am sure when he is 2-3 he will still like it...but we will see then.

 

 

Now most places rent strollers for you, so you can always leave yours and then if you change your mind on the ship..you can rent a stroller

[jlbl4902]

I was having this same debate with myself for my next cruise. However I have decided after writing down a long list of pro’s and cons that I will not be bringing my stroller for my 4 year old however I am bring the Monkey backpack… “The Leash” (It has been a life savor for him since we went on our first cruise at 18 months) Even though he is really good about always holding a hand I just feel better having an extra strap on him. I know that these are not for everyone it just has worked for me.

[k2t2]

I was having this same debate with myself for my next cruise. However I have decided after writing down a long list of pro’s and cons that I will not be bringing my stroller for my 4 year old however I am bring the Monkey backpack… “The Leash” (It has been a life savor for him since we went on our first cruise at 18 months) Even though he is really good about always holding a hand I just feel better having an extra strap on him. I know that these are not for everyone it just has worked for me.

 

Our DD has had one since her first cruise last year and it is great! She LOVES to wear "her monkey"! We will probably have that for her this time too....

[Catrin]

My daughter is 3 1/2, and this year we are not bringing the stroller.

 

It also depends on where you are going. If we were going to a port with a lot of walking (ie: san juan, st martin, etc) we would bring it.

 

Now, if they had a stroller big enough for my 13 yr old! LOL!!

 

Catrin

[Onessa]

We've never done the beach type vacations - we do the port-intensive trips. We had an "extra long" umbrella type stroller that easily packed in our duffle bag -- it came with us on all trips until DD was nearly 5YO.

 

She was always a good "sitter". We tend to be on the go so much on our trips that she would revert to a nap even when she had otherwise stopped such "nonsense". I remember one Mediterranean cruise when we would sightsee all morning, get her a simple lunch and then she would doze in her stroller while we ate a proper sit down lunch. Otherwise she'd walk sometime and sit others. If we'd stop to see some street actors, she'd always have a seat for the show. And besides, we could put a backpack with "stuff" in the stroller's basket and stow all purchases on-board!

[Homosassa]

It depends on your child.

 

Way back when my daughter was four, she took daily naps and could sleep anywhere.

 

We bought the stroller as she would scrunch herself down and sack out while we continued doing whatever it was we were doing.

[crusinmama06]

I wanted to add, little known facts about strollers on cruise ships. You get to use the elevator to get off the ship in ports. Which puts you at the FRONT of the line. :D

 

So you move directly to the front while everyone else waits on the stairwell. :p

 

When my youngest is 30, I'll ask her to sit in a stroller. :p

[gkrnjlr]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At 30....Does she have to be strapped in while sitting in the stroller?

 

This is interesting about getting off the ship sooner. I was thinking we'd need to sit back and wait for everyone else to get off the ship.

[Quilcruisers]

Hi,

 

We just returned from a 7 day cruise with my 4.5 yr old son. We took the umbrella stroller with us but did not use it.

 

There were a couple of times that I wish I would have taken it. We stopped in 3 places- Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

 

In Grand Cayman and Cozumel, it was very hot and we did a lot of walking. My son is very active and energetic but at times does not want to walk. There was a tender in Grand Cayman so I didnt think to bring it because I didnt know how crowded the tender boat would be, boy was I wrong, the boat was not crowded either way and it would have worked out fine.

 

Cozumel, we were docked at the pier and it would have been easy to take it on and off but we didnt. I'm not sure about next year, when we cruise again he will be 5.5 so we will see!

 

I say if you can bring it, with little trouble, do so, it wont hurt to hang in the closet.

 

Angela

[crusinmama06]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At 30....Does she have to be strapped in while sitting in the stroller?

 

No but she will have to hold a bottle and make it convincing. ;)