gem with 8 month old

[Donnasmommy]

We are taking a cruise on the Norwegian Gem this month with our baby. She is 8 months old. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions...baby food tips, sleeping, gear, etc.

We won the trip and that is why we are going. We know it is not the ideal trip for an infant but it's free and we all need to get away!

The cruise leaves from New York and travels to the bahamas. It is a total of 8 days.

I am still breastfeeding...she doesn't get any formula...so I don't need to worry about formula or bottles. However, I am worried about prepareing babyfood. There is a fridge i room but not a microwave.

Should I bring my own travel high chair? If not, what kind do they offer?

Should I bring my own pack n play for sleeping?

Is Nassau Bahamas Safe...we were wondering if we should just stay on the shop. We have actually been to Nassau 3 times before but we were kid-less and didn't think about that kind of stuff. We do remember someone getting mugged in the streets so that is why we were worried. We were thinking if we did get off to just go to one of the hotels and hang there for the day.

[thewolffs]

We took a cruise on the Gem in Jan. with 7.5 month old twins. They do have high chairs with trays. We used them and we also fed them in their stroller. In the room we used their infant car seats to feed them. Whatever works. Our girls eat room temp baby food, so we never needed to heat it, but you could put it in hot water to warm it up. They will provide a pack n' play or porta-crib, but bring your own sheets. We brought our own travel lite cribs to save on space, since we had 2. They worked out great for playtime too. We brought lots of little toys we could give them in the stroller too to keep them happy. They loved just walking around the ship. They are so easy at this age. We did bring a blow up pool for our balcony, but lots of people love the blow up duck tub from Target that you can also put in the shower for bathtime or use out by the pool. We never took the girls to the pool. We were too busy. I would bring a comfy stroller. Our girls even slept through shows at night. It was great. One thing I was glad I brought was those little disposable bags for poopy diapers. They helped a lot until the room steward changed the trash in the bathroom. Also, Lysol wipes to wipe down the highchairs were handy. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Donnasmommy]

Thank you so much. You are so helpful. I did buy the duck blow up tub for baths and by the pool. How many days of actually pool weather do you think there will be?

Unfortunately, we booked late and the balcony rooms were all sold out....so we have an inside state room. I know that really stinks but we had no choice since we had to travel this week.

[cb at sea]

Nassau is no more dangerous to you or your baby than your hometown is! You can either do the dayroom thing (expensive) or take baby in the stroller for awhile around the shopping area. Nassau isn't our favorite place, so we do stay on the ship and make use of a virtually empty pool!

Whatever you choose to do, it'll be better than sitting home! Enjoy your free trip!!!!

[thewolffs]

I would say the sea day going down won't be pool weather. On the way home, you never know. I've had the last sea day stay pretty warm until 2 or 3 pm. The rest of the time should be warm.

 

Someone also mentioned there is a baby play room next to the kid's club that has baby toys in it and you can let your baby wander and play in there with you. I never knew about it. I wish I did. Just ask at the kid's club where it is.

[lolakat]

ISomeone also mentioned there is a baby play room next to the kid's club that has baby toys in it and you can let your baby wander and play in there with you. I never knew about it. I wish I did. Just ask at the kid's club where it is.

 

 

Your child actually still has to be potty trained even to use this "baby" pool. Unfortunatlely there is no pool area for non-potty trained kids on any NCL ship.

[thewolffs]

I'm not talking about the pool. There is a room someone else mentioned that you can bring your children under 2 in and let them play. I'm not sure what it's called. It's next to the kid's club.

 

Your child actually still has to be potty trained even to use this "baby" pool. Unfortunatlely there is no pool area for non-potty trained kids on any NCL ship.