Advice for Cruising with an Infant

[kittyklawz]

My fiancé and I are thinking of taking a cruise for our honeymoon next year. It will be our first cruise and we will also have a 1 year old with us (currently pregnant, due in August). I would love to get people's advice who have cruised with a baby of similar age. We are thinking of doing one of the Halloween or Christmas cruises. Also is it worth it to get a verandah or would a room with a porthole be good enough? I can't do an inside room without any windows because I think I would die LOL (need to see outside!) I've seen people recommend the verandah with an infant incase you have to hang out in the room with a fussy baby. Also are the holiday cruises worth the extra money? Thanks!

 

[5Texans]

Congratulations on your new baby!!! I cruised in October w/ my 15 mo (also DD 3 & 5). I think that it will be way easier than you think to cruise w/ a baby.

I wouldn't plan on hanging out in the room if baby is fussy, but baby will nap and probably go to bed earlier than you. Hubby and I took turns doing nap and bedtime while the other hung out around the ship. We did use the nursery after dinner and one night for Palo. It is great!! Our daughter would not sleep there though. Maybe yours will! DCL will provide a pack n play for sleeping as well as a diaper genie. The tub is great for baby bath time.

By 12- 15 months, your baby will be able to eat table food and the Buffet has plenty of options for breakfast and lunch. At the MDR the servers brought fresh fruit and steamed veggies to our table as soon as we sat down. She then ate whatever we did- chicken, fish, pasta. We asked for a quicker pace for dinner and were out in about an hour each night except for the animators palate show night. I had a gallon zip lock back labeled "meals" that contained: disposable place mats (babies knock over/throw plates), a long sleeved bib, disposable sippy cups, wet wipes, and a few small toys. I also brought some applesauce pouches and dried fruit for snacks in port.

As far as activities go, there are "toddler times" with toys and counselors offered in the navigators, my daughter liked the "wake up with disney junior" activity, she also liked meeting the characters at breakfast, but some babies weren't loving the characters. The splash pad was fun. I brought a collapsible bucket and some small bath toys and let DD play by the pool while I sat in the lounger and watched the other 2 swim.

In port, we went to the beach, did an dolphin encounter, booked a private charter around Cayman- basically she was along for the ride. That's our style at home too, though, we bring our babies everywhere.

We ended up not bringing a carseat... There were a couple times in port that I wished we had. The car service that took us to and from port had car seats and I didn't need them at WDW. It's not illegal to hold the baby in a cab and the other excursions we took were on big buses, but I was not totally comfortable.

We had a stroller for WDW- a Maclaren that folds up small and fit easily under the bed. We did not use it at all on the cruise.

I brought a few toys and books from home, but they did not get played with at all and were a waste of space. I bought sand toys at the first port and she played with those and other souvenirs that we bought.

Hope this helps.

 

[kittyklawz]

Congratulations on your new baby!!! I cruised in October w/ my 15 mo (also DD 3 & 5). I think that it will be way easier than you think to cruise w/ a baby.

I wouldn't plan on hanging out in the room if baby is fussy, but baby will nap and probably go to bed earlier than you. Hubby and I took turns doing nap and bedtime while the other hung out around the ship. We did use the nursery after dinner and one night for Palo. It is great!! Our daughter would not sleep there though. Maybe yours will! DCL will provide a pack n play for sleeping as well as a diaper genie. The tub is great for baby bath time.

By 12- 15 months, your baby will be able to eat table food and the Buffet has plenty of options for breakfast and lunch. At the MDR the servers brought fresh fruit and steamed veggies to our table as soon as we sat down. She then ate whatever we did- chicken, fish, pasta. We asked for a quicker pace for dinner and were out in about an hour each night except for the animators palate show night. I had a gallon zip lock back labeled "meals" that contained: disposable place mats (babies knock over/throw plates), a long sleeved bib, disposable sippy cups, wet wipes, and a few small toys. I also brought some applesauce pouches and dried fruit for snacks in port.

As far as activities go, there are "toddler times" with toys and counselors offered in the navigators, my daughter liked the "wake up with disney junior" activity, she also liked meeting the characters at breakfast, but some babies weren't loving the characters. The splash pad was fun. I brought a collapsible bucket and some small bath toys and let DD play by the pool while I sat in the lounger and watched the other 2 swim.

In port, we went to the beach, did an dolphin encounter, booked a private charter around Cayman- basically she was along for the ride. That's our style at home too, though, we bring our babies everywhere.

We ended up not bringing a carseat... There were a couple times in port that I wished we had. The car service that took us to and from port had car seats and I didn't need them at WDW. It's not illegal to hold the baby in a cab and the other excursions we took were on big buses, but I was not totally comfortable.

We had a stroller for WDW- a Maclaren that folds up small and fit easily under the bed. We did not use it at all on the cruise.

I brought a few toys and books from home, but they did not get played with at all and were a waste of space. I bought sand toys at the first port and she played with those and other souvenirs that we bought.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for all the advice/info! Do you think it would be worth it to get a verandah or just a porthole? I love the idea of having a private balcony but not sure if it is worth the money.

 

[kittyklawz]

Also, how easy is it to get a spot in the nursery? I've been told you have to schedule it way ahead of time, but then I have read people say they just stopped by and got a spot.

 

[5Texans]

We had a veranda, and it was nice, but I'm not sure we got our money's worth. The days I was on nap duty I slept w/ the baby and 3 yr old, and at bedtime it was dark outside so you could hear the ocean, but not much to see. Other than that we were busy. That's my vacation style though, I stay busy.

I was able to get nursery spots the same day when I tried. I scheduled ahead for after dinner on nights that didn't have the 3 main shows, and for the night we went to Palo. I think it just depends how many babies are on the ship. Just remember that they charge you if you don't cancel like a day ahead of time.

 

[kittyklawz]

We had a veranda, and it was nice, but I'm not sure we got our money's worth. The days I was on nap duty I slept w/ the baby and 3 yr old, and at bedtime it was dark outside so you could hear the ocean, but not much to see. Other than that we were busy. That's my vacation style though, I stay busy.

I was able to get nursery spots the same day when I tried. I scheduled ahead for after dinner on nights that didn't have the 3 main shows, and for the night we went to Palo. I think it just depends how many babies are on the ship. Just remember that they charge you if you don't cancel like a day ahead of time.

Okay thanks. I was thinking of scheduling a couple ahead of time for specific things we want to do and then if we need more just trying to pop in.

 

[hpsalb]

I have cruised with kiddos ranging from 7 months to 6 years. While a veranda is nice, we have found that it is difficult to get out on the veranda while LO is sleeping if you plan to use the PNP. The PNP takes up enough space that it is difficult to get around to get outside.

I find a noise machine or app is helpful for early bedtimes. Not that we find the ship all that noisy, but even little things can stand out if you have an early bedtime.

There are more toddler activities now than in the past, which we have found very helpful. We also do open house times in the clubs.

We don't use the nursery a great deal but have never had much trouble getting a spot, especially in advance. I have noticed that people tend to have more trouble trying to book at the last minute on a full ship, at a popular time (like dinner).

We've only done the shorter cruises with our kids and never do any excursions on those. We did the Very Merrytime cruise last year and enjoyed it, but YDS was too little to know much difference.

Our kids tend to get up a little early (6-7ish), especially at a young age, so our challenge is finding breakfast/snack once they wake up. We usually keep a few things in our room and did order early room service one day, but we really like to get out of the room so they can move around. Cabanas does not usually open until 7:30, but there is usually some sort of pastry option open somewhere (depends on the ship) starting at 7.

 

[Momtotwogirls]

We just got off the Dream last Friday and we brought our 11 month old daughter with us. We brought disposable formula glass bottles and disposable bottle nipples and it worked great! The cabins are small and it would have been tough cleaning them everyday. Umbrella strollers work best on the ship in the narrow stateroom halls and easily collapse and fit under the bed. I brought puréed food as a backup if the main dining room could not do it for us and I am glad I did! We had major issues with our dining team bringing it out on the second and third night. The first night the applesauce was not puréed enough, but we worked with it. Baby Bathtubs- we brought a collapsible one with us. Our daughter loved it. We also brought our own pack n play for her to sleep in. We booked the nursery for two nights and had no problem changing the time. We walked our daughter around the ship with our older kids and she fell asleep in the stroller. She easily transitioned to her pack n play every night with all the fresh air she got during the day. It was a great trip! Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

[kittyklawz]

We just got off the Dream last Friday and we brought our 11 month old daughter with us. We brought disposable formula glass bottles and disposable bottle nipples and it worked great! The cabins are small and it would have been tough cleaning them everyday. Umbrella strollers work best on the ship in the narrow stateroom halls and easily collapse and fit under the bed. I brought puréed food as a backup if the main dining room could not do it for us and I am glad I did! We had major issues with our dining team bringing it out on the second and third night. The first night the applesauce was not puréed enough, but we worked with it. Baby Bathtubs- we brought a collapsible one with us. Our daughter loved it. We also brought our own pack n play for her to sleep in. We booked the nursery for two nights and had no problem changing the time. We walked our daughter around the ship with our older kids and she fell asleep in the stroller. She easily transitioned to her pack n play every night with all the fresh air she got during the day. It was a great trip! Please let me know if you have any questions.

What kind of room did you book? Do you think its worth it to get a verandah or just go with the porthole rooms?

 

[coloradocutie]

We have always had a verandah and it worked really well for us (cruising when my youngest was 13 m, 2 and 3). We really prioritize naps for our little ones, especially on vacation, so that they are rested and can stay happy (and be happy for when we want to do what we parents want to do! ). We felt that the verandah completely allowed us to have our set nap times for the little ones, and still be able to enjoy some time reading, wave watching, port watching on the verandah while they sleep. For us it was essential, but the main reason we cruise is to relax. The shows and activities are not essential for us. As a tired mom, sitting on the verandah with a book pretending to read while my little ones napped, soaking up the sun, was heaven! I really appreciated the verandah as it helped me meet my vacation needs! We brought baby monitors so we could hear what was going on in the cabin.

We have always brought our own pack and play sheet. We were given one but it was just a regular sheet, not the pack and play fitted sheet. Ditto for the inflatable bath tub. Did not take up too much room and was very helpful. We have ordered diapers in to the hotel we were staying at pre cruise so that we did not have to pack them in our luggage. We have also packed them, freeing up space for later for souvenirs. They are very pricey on the boat. We brought her travel car seat for the plane and for transportation to and from port and it worked wonderfully. The car seats fit in the room without a problem.

We loved cruising with our little ones! Have a blast! Disney makes it very easy!

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Momtotwogirls]

What kind of room did you book? Do you think its worth it to get a verandah or just go with the porthole rooms?

We booked a connecting veranda with our inlaws. We used ours and feel it is worth it!

 

[kittyklawz]

Do you know if you have to pay for the washing machines/dryers on the ship? We plan to cloth diaper and if we can wash stuff for free that would be great, otherwise we might take disposables.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do you know if you have to pay for the washing machines/dryers on the ship? We plan to cloth diaper and if we can wash stuff for free that would be great, otherwise we might take disposables.

The self-service laundry has a cost - $2.00 to wash $2.00 to dry.

 

[5Texans]

You'll need disposables for the nursery anyway. I'd just plan on disposables for the week. Not very nice to put poop diapers into the public machines, plus you'll have to do laundry every day.

 

[SarahandPaul]

Hi there! We took our son when he was 4 months (different rules then...) and had a wonderful time. The nursery services are great! You can get a stroller and bottle sterilizer at guest services. We washed bottles in the sink (brought a bottle brush and little dish soap container), then used the sterilizer. Diaper genie and pack n play were in our room on arrival. We are planning a cruise in Sept with our now 4 year old and a 20 month old. I'm thinking she will be more work than the 4 month old was! We are planning to send her to the nursery during as many dinners as possible (maybe do our own dine n play since we have early dining!). We do cloth diapers at home, but never take them when traveling. It's just too crazy and it's a laundry vacation for me too!

 

[mmouse37]

On the Fantasy last August we had in our group our 2 one year old granddaughters. They had a great time onboard. We had porthole cabins and they did just fine. They slept in the provided pack and plays but we did bring our fitted sheets. We had diaper genies in the rooms too (from DCL). My DD and DIL both brought their regular strollers and had no problems (we did have the extra large 9D corner cabins). Space was not an issue and the kids had room to run around in their respective cabins. They napped often in their strollers either on deck or inside where we were at the time.

Some nursery time was booked in advance (formal night) and times we had excursions and the rest was booked on the fly. Can't wait to bring them back onboard again!!!

MJ

 

[kittyklawz]

Hi there! We took our son when he was 4 months (different rules then...) and had a wonderful time. The nursery services are great! You can get a stroller and bottle sterilizer at guest services. We washed bottles in the sink (brought a bottle brush and little dish soap container), then used the sterilizer. Diaper genie and pack n play were in our room on arrival. We are planning a cruise in Sept with our now 4 year old and a 20 month old. I'm thinking she will be more work than the 4 month old was! We are planning to send her to the nursery during as many dinners as possible (maybe do our own dine n play since we have early dining!). We do cloth diapers at home, but never take them when traveling. It's just too crazy and it's a laundry vacation for me too!

Yeah, I was thinking it would probably be too much of a hassle to try to do cloth on a cruise! Thanks for your input! I can't wait for the fall/winter 2018 itineraries to post so I can book!

 

[sherilynn]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and new baby!

If you are looking for an enabler to justify the added expense of a verandah, I'm your person! We stay up much later then the kids and it gives us a place to sit and have a conversation after they have been put to bed for the night. If it's not too windy, bedtime stories are better out there. Also, naps are non-negotiable even on vacation, so instead of sitting in the dark, quiet room, I we can sit outside and enjoy the smell of the fresh ocean air. You can order a cheese plate from room service, crack open a bottle of wine and have some nice adult time while the little one naps. I think a verandah with littles in necessary. LOL

I love the holiday cruises. The characters are all dressed for the occasion and the ships are beautifully decorated, especially at Christmas. Depending on the itinerary, you might find the weather more pleasant during the late fall months.

 

[kittyklawz]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and new baby!

If you are looking for an enabler to justify the added expense of a verandah, I'm your person! We stay up much later then the kids and it gives us a place to sit and have a conversation after they have been put to bed for the night. If it's not too windy, bedtime stories are better out there. Also, naps are non-negotiable even on vacation, so instead of sitting in the dark, quiet room, I we can sit outside and enjoy the smell of the fresh ocean air. You can order a cheese plate from room service, crack open a bottle of wine and have some nice adult time while the little one naps. I think a verandah with littles in necessary. LOL

I love the holiday cruises. The characters are all dressed for the occasion and the ships are beautifully decorated, especially at Christmas. Depending on the itinerary, you might find the weather more pleasant during the late fall months.

I just can't wait for the itineraries to be posted this month! We're totally waiting to see what cruises are available so we can pick our wedding date lmao!

 

[xQuizx]

We primarily use cloth diapers for our kids, but on the cruise we used disposables. Your on a vacation, the last thing you want to do is wash diapers.

If you get in a day before or take private transport to the port I suggest swinging by Target to pick up your diapers, so you don't have to lug it on the plane.