Back from Epic with 10 Month Old

We had a great trip on the Epic last month with our 10 month old son. We also sailed with my parents, my aunt, my husband's parents, and a couple of our friends. I'm mostly posting photos here, but feel free to ask questions!

We had a mini suite and put his pack n play (the ship provided pack n play is a Graco Travel Lite Crib which is pretty small) in the area by the door between the shower and toilet stalls so we could close the curtain -- he sleeps much better when he can't see us. There is also room for it in front of the couch or between the bed and the balcony in the MA mini suites.

We did have to ask our room steward for the pack n play and for an infant life jacket, but he brought them both immediately when asked.

He did enjoy playing in the Guppies room which was open 9-9 each day. He was a little young for the planned activities that were held twice a day (although we did try painting with fruit and veggie based paints and a story time activity) but it was great to have a place he could roam around and have lots of toys to play with.

We took him on the Duck tour in Grand Cayman. We enjoyed it and he slept through almost all of it :) In Cozumel we just walked around the port area. In Jamaica he stayed onboard with my parents while we went to Bobsled Jamaica and Dunns River Falls. We used our stroller (Chicco Neuvo) some onboard, especially when he was with one of our parents, but for ports I just put him in the Ergo. Let me know if I can tell you anything else that might be helpful!!

Just a couple more pictures it wouldn't let me put in the previous post.

What a cutie! Looks liks he had lots of fun and your cabin worked out well.

What an adorable kiddo! Thanks for posting!

What cruise line is the Epic? We are taking our 10 month daughter on the Carnival Conquest in June. We have cruised many times before but never with one so young. Glad to see that you had a good time.

It is on Norwegian. We have booked his next cruise (for next June when he will be 2) on the Norwegian Dawn sailing to Bermuda which is our favorite destination. We were able to book both trips under their kids sail free promotions.

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Thanks for posting! It's reassuring to hear that you and your little one had a great time. We just booked a 7 night cruise to Bermuda on the Breakaway but it will be our first cruise and potentially first trip away with a then-1 year old.

How did you schedule your meals- was it better to dine early? And how was the kids splash area- I think swim diapers are allowed there but am wondering how they keep it accident free.

We ate around 5:30-6 each night. DS usually goes to bed about 6:30 at home, so we knew from experience at restaurants that we needed to eat early and not try to keep him up too late. We never had to wait for a table at any meal. We ate I think one breakfast and a couple of lunches in the main dining room, but most in the buffet. For dinner we did main dining room most nights, buffet once, and Moderno once (and Teppanyaki one night with our friends while grandparents babysat). He did well at meals, but it would have been too much to try to get him to sit through 3 dining room meals a day.

Epic does not have a water area for kids in diapers, though there were some kids in diapers using the kids area. We did not use it. I am guessing it is not the cleanest area since it is not designed for use with swim diapers but gets used with them anyway!

I am sure you will love Bermuda, it is our favorite! Can't wait to go back. We looked at breakaway, but since we live just over an hour from Boston and could swing a suite on the Dawn that won out this time :)

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It will be our first time in Bermuda too so I'm really looking forward to it! Have you been there with your DS- if so, any excursions that you can recommend?

We have not been with our son, though we have been twice and once was for our wedding so we had family/friends including our 5 year old niece with us. In Bermuda you really do not need excursions. It is a clean, safe, easy to navigate island with good public transportation. You can get a 3 day bus and ferry pass for around $30-35 which will get you everywhere.

Our favorites are the zoo/aquarium which is small but very nice (abbreviated BAMZ I think on the Bermuda board) and Horseshoe Bay beach. At horseshoe bay there are snacks, restrooms, showers, chair/umbrella rentals (maybe cash only?), and a very calm little cove that is great for young kids. That area will be to the right when you get there, attracts lots of families, and is sometimes referred to as "baby beach".

The caves are also cool but probably wouldn't do them with a little one. There is a man made beach walking distance from the dock called Snorkel Park beach which charges I think $5 admission and has chairs and things available for rent. We have not been there, though we probably will do it one day next time we go. It is not the classic pink sand Bermuda beach, but is easy and convenient with kids. I think my in laws took our niece there.

I am pretty sure there is also a playground in the dock area, and there is a museum area that has the dolphins for swimming with dolphins inside it. It is a good place too walk around and you can watch the dolphins. At the dock area there are also kiosks where you can book water sports, boat tours, etc. and there is a small mall for souviners in easy walking distance as well. For city type stuff there are busses and ferries (ferries are faster) to Hamilton and st George so it is easy to get around without a car seat, though cabs are also readily available if a little pricey.

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Thanks for the suggestions! We'll be sure to check them out.