If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Esp if they were around 18 months...

How was it? Would you recommend it? Do you think a vacation to a resort would have been better/easier?

DH and I are looking into booking a vacation for the spring. I'm looking into cruises mostly b/c we live in FL and it's just so easy to get on a ship from ft. lauderdale or miami (no flights!!).

From what I've been reading, I know most cruiselines don't take kids in the child programs until age 2, but are there activities we can do with her on the ship? Play areas?


Also if you did go...

What cruiseline?
What type of room?
What activities for children under 2?
How long was the cruise and where did it go?
Would you recommend it and would you have changed anything?

Thanks!

And this may be a stupid question, but can babies get seasick?

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Id like to know what peoples experiences were too. We most likely will be taking a cruise when DS is 13 months old. We are taking a big family cruise so we will have lots of help at least.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

We're leaving on one next week & will be on it for DS' 1st birthday! If you guys remember, FM me (or bump this) any time after 9/12

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

I was looking into it for the spring also, but DS will be 2 1/2. I'm finding that most cruiselines don't allow kids in the pools if they aren't potty trained (the pools aren't chlorinated so it becomes a safety issue). I think some ships have toddler "spray" areas, but we pretty much decided to go for an all-inclusive where we can just hang at the beach or in the pools.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

I went when DD was 9 months. We had a wonderful time. However, they can't go in the pool if they are wearing swim diapers. So, if I had to do it again, I might go to a resort until they are potty trained. Also, I do generally like resort vacations better. We did have a blast on the cruise, though.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Posted by CaMacho

Esp if they were around 18 months...

How was it? Would you recommend it? Do you think a vacation to a resort would have been better/easier?

DH and I are looking into booking a vacation for the spring. I'm looking into cruises mostly b/c we live in FL and it's just so easy to get on a ship from ft. lauderdale or miami (no flights!!).

From what I've been reading, I know most cruiselines don't take kids in the child programs until age 2, but are there activities we can do with her on the ship? Play areas?


Also if you did go...

What cruiseline?
What type of room?
What activities for children under 2?
How long was the cruise and where did it go?
Would you recommend it and would you have changed anything?

Thanks!

And this may be a stupid question, but can babies get seasick?

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

We went was DS was a few weeks shy of 2.

We went on Carnival. We had the Penthouse Suite and we are going again next Spring same ship and def same room!! I personally couldn't imagine being in any room smaller and the Suite's on Carnival are very reasonable!

We were always busy with him. We either let him run all over the place or during certain times on the ship they have under 2 time in Camp Carnival. You have to pay if you leave them which we did but it was like $2 an hr or something cheap like that.

They give you a phone so you are always in touch. He would always fall asleep because it was in the front of the ship and the rocking knocked him out

I love cruising and highly rec it with children.

We are going with 2 2yr olds and then Andrew will be almost 5. We are really looking forward too it.

Carnival is a very very family oriented cruiseline!

We sailed and will be sailing again on the Miracle out of NY. Super easy! You don't have to worry about over packing or a flight with a toddler. Just pull up to the pier and you are on your way

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

I was reading PP and I agree with a Balcony room. It was great when he took naps!! And I love that they have port a cribs not pack n plays. It is so annoying but my kids hate pack n plays

We didn't even attempt the pool because I knew we weren't allowed in and when we got to port, we could just in the ocean anyway

What is great about Carnival with kids too is that during dinner, it doesn't matter if your kids are crazy, it is all families

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Have you checked out cruise critic.com yet? Very very helpful!

Message edited 8/25/2010 1:38:07 PM.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

We are supposed to be on one right now, but they wanted full price for DS who just turned 10 months. I can't see paying that for him. He doesn't eat table food (allergies), he won't be allowed in any of the kid camps, he wouldn't be doing much of anything. To charge full price for an infant blows my mind and there is no way we would have done it... JMO

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

We literally went when DD was 18 mos old..we went on one that left from NY a Princess one...I would go again in a heartbeat!!!! I would rather do royal caribbean next time around as I wasn't crazy about princess..We had a balcony room, we knew DD would not sleep in the pack n play they gave us so she slept with us...it was fine..we were barely in the room..DD had the best time than anyone on the trip..we did have help we had my in laws who would baby sit at night when we would go down to the casino etc...but I would recommend it to anyone...I loved that we didn't have to fly...DD would nap poolside in her stroller or when we were out at port..it was really great, I can't say enough about it..

They were annoying a bit about her being in the pool but she was in the pool..she is semi trained which means she will tell us when seh needs to go and I also know the times she needs to go...we became friendly with a couple that had a baby around the same age as well and they brought a tiny little blow up pool that the kids would play in...there was also a kiddie pool totally isolated on one of the decks no one knew about that we used without a problem at alll....feel free to FM me with any questions

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

We took a cruise in oct on norweigan out of ny to bermuda.
DS was 16 mth and not walking yet.
Here is my honest opinion.

#1 would never take a cruise with or without DS leaving out of NY after September. Apparently the water is usually choppy and therefore the two days going and two days coming home were rocky and I got terribly ill.
DS did not.
#2 It was a saving grace that DS was not walking. I think I might have lost my mind.
#3 will never take a cruise where there is no play area for the child at the time. Norweigian I think started at 2 or 3.
#4 will never take a cruise again without babysitting or with family to take turns. We ate early according to DS schedule and I was in the room by 9 each night. Trust me, we tried to keep this kid up at night and he wanted no part. Go figure!
Plus, we had to nap him 1x a day.

I personally would wait until DC is older, no naps, can stay up later to see shows and there is daycare provided.
But this was my experience.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

I cruise all the time....I took DS on Royal Caribean when he was 18 months and hated it!
There was nothing for him to do...he was not allowed in the pool AT ALL. I had to restrict him to the stroller most of the time. I felt so bad.
I wrote Royal Caribean a letter since I'm a Platimun member with them. I was so ******. You would think that they let them sail for free! (NOT!)
Since then I had my DD and did not take her until she was a little over 2 and that was the Disney Cruise and it was spectacular!

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Thanks for your honest opinions. Even though we loved RCCL last time we cruised, so far i'm leaning towards Carnival since it seems to be the most kid friendly.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

We took DD on a cruise when she was 9 months, we all had a great time and would do it again. We cruised on NCL, we picked it because we wanted freestyle cruising. NCL has what's called the Under 2 Zoo, which we an empty meeting room and they left out toys for babies/toddlers. A parent had to be there whit them, and we meet a few other families there that we hung out with on the ship and at port. I would say a balcony is a must, we also requested a handicapped room, which is 2x the size of a regular room.

Re: If you've gone on a CRUISE with your child under 2 years old, tell me honestly....

Posted by CaMacho

Thanks for your honest opinions. Even though we loved RCCL last time we cruised, so far i'm leaning towards Carnival since it seems to be the most kid friendly.

Posted by Shannon

Since then I had my DD and did not take her until she was a little over 2 and that was the Disney Cruise and it was spectacular!

We don't want to do a disney cruise b/c there is no casino.