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View Full Version : 8 mos old on cruise for grownups?



Shannon
09-10-2001, 07:31 AM
We're taking our 8 month old daughter on a cruise through Royal Caribbean. Anyone have experience with this? They have high chairs and cribs, however we have to lug all the food and diapers. Suggestions or comments from experience?

Jil
09-04-2002, 01:33 PM
Hi we took a Carnival cruise when our son was 12 months and a Disney cruise when he was 16 months (courtesy of the grandparents- he's the first grandkid on both sides). We think cruises are such great ideas for parents with young kids. First of all you don't have to pack up all your gear to go eat or play. Also there are tons of kids aboard most "middle class" cruises. As long as you're not on the QE II, I don't think your baby will offend most of the other passengers. Even if the baby starts crying during dinner, you are always able to walk back to your cabin without a lot of fuss. As for the baby gear, we packed a lightweight stroller for the excursions. We saw another couple who just used a Baby Bjorn. There are plenty of high chairs on board if your baby can sit up. As for food, we packed a couple of jars of baby food and snacks. But we found that we could easily feed him from the available menu. We could mash up bananas. And there was always some soft foods like scrambled eggs or mashed potatoes available. You can always ask your waiter for special items for your baby. You'll have tons of fun on your cruise.

Tondi G
01-08-2003, 03:32 PM
We haven't cruised with our DS yet but we went on a RC crise for our honeymoon a few years ago and there we lots of kids on board including a 6 week old baby! I think you'll have a great time cruising with your child.... ENJOY!

~Tondi and Mason 7/8/01!

Michelle L.
01-24-2003, 12:10 AM
I posted parts of this on the Disney vacations board about our experience cruising with Royal Carribean and our 1 year old... Never Again!!

My husband & I went on a cruise (non-Disney) with our 1 year old over July 4th weekend with extended family. Having survived it (somehow), I would highly NOT recommend cruising with a 1 year old. It was too hot & strong sun to hang out outdoors during the daytime. We spent our days in the deserted night clubs, closed casino, & empty lounges. Then, at night, kiddo conked out early & we had to hang out with him in the cabin (though one night we actually got him to nod off in his stroller while we read our books by the pool & the moonlight). Meals were a challenge - both with timing & food selection. The cabin was very cramped with our bed & the pack-n-play the cruise liner provided. Also, I had MAJOR problems with the "special needs" coordinator on the cruiseline (Royal Carribean) who was making arrangements for the crib, a small fridge (kiddo was on reflux meds that had to be refrigerated), a baby-sized life jacket, etc. It was anything but a vacation & I will (hopefully) never cruise again - with or without baby!!

lesliehagan
09-22-2003, 01:55 PM
We've cruised twice with our daughter, once at 1 on Royal Caribbean (Explorer of the Seas), and again at 3 on Holland America (Zuiderdamm). We celebrated her first and third birthdays at sea and both were wonderful experiences.

For her 1st cruise we brought most of her food with us. We would snag yoghurts and bananas and anything else baby-friendly from the breakfast buffet, keep them in the minibar fridge in our room, and use them at lunch or dinner for variety. She also ate any foods from our plates that she could handle at that age. I'm sure the waitstaff would have provided the yoghurt, etc. if asked, but it just seemed easier to grab it ourselves so we'd have it on-hand for impromptu feedings.

Last time she ate off the regular menu, although a kid's menu was also available. Both cruises we ate in the formal dining rooms at night. Our daughter isn't prone to serious tantrums or mess-making (lucky us!), so we never felt like we were disturbing the other diners. She had to be removed a couple of times when she started to get fussy, but calmed down quickly and was able to return. There are also buffet-style dining rooms serving most of the same foods if that is more comfortable for your family.

We usually stayed on board whenever the ships were docked somewhere we didn't find particularly interesting, and used that time to enjoy the pools and other ship amenities that are too crowded for toddlers when everyone else is on-board. We also had the advantage of travelling with my MIL and another couple with children. If we ever wanted to do something without kids there was someone trustworthy in our party available to watch them.

The staff members on both ships uniformly LOVED seeing small children, they're often away from their families for months at a time, and seemed to genuinely appreciate being around little kids. We got plenty of special attention and some perks as a result. This was especially true on Holland America, which is generally a more adult-oriented cruise line.

Anyway, I think cruising with a baby or toddler is entirely possible.