Taking an 18 month old on a cruise

I would like to get some input from parents or grandparents who have actually taken an 18 month old on a cruise.

We are NOT novice cruisers by any means (have taken close to 30 cruises), but are considering taking son, daughter in law and for the first time our 18 month old grandson with us later this year.

Before I an hit with bashing replies about the above, let me assure you that I am well aware of what and where my Grandson can and cannot go and appropriate behavior. I am merely asking for input and thoughts from families that have actually taken a toddler., what are your thoughts and advice having done it? And given the chance knowing what you do now, would you do it again?

Thanks for your help!

Sounds to me like someone is getting a vacation with someone to baby sit.

Enjoy.

2 year old close enough (by proxy?)

It really depends on the temperament of the child in unusual situations. The kid we traveled with (not our own) had more airline miles in his first two years than I did in those two and had no problem with travel or sleeping wherever they put him. Some kids can't handle sleeping outside their usual room...

This was also on Disney, where they had the option to put him in the nursery, allowing them to vacation like adults, which Princess does not offer.

Their key was planning. They had plans for every situation, from naptime to meltdown (for example, each night one of them was the dinner monitor. If baby went ballistic, it was that persons job to take him out of the MDR and if could not be calmed down, back to the cabin, and the other parent would then go back after dinner and the other hit the buffet if applicable). They had extra supplies, toys, food, everything. They even identified areas on the ship where screaming toddler would not disturb other cabins and would take him there if needed.

Also understand that you may not be able to take advantage of everything you might like to do, which will affect the value of the cruise for you (hence the nursery option).

Other than general impressions, the 18 month old will not remember the trip, so the consideration is the experience of the parents.

My personal suggestion is to go with a line where nursery services or babysitting is available.

Sounds to me like someone is getting a vacation with someone to baby sit.

Enjoy.

LOL--NOT hardly!! Son and DIL know full "that" isn't happening!! Doesn't happen NOW and won't happen then. Mine and Hubby's cruise fun and vacation comes first...they will have to make do, babysit and figure it out......just like hubby and I did when they were little and we took them! (We started taking them cruising when they were 5 and 8....We have put in our time!)

We have cruised with DD and her family when her little girl, now 9, was probably around 2. I love Princess, but for a child that young I think Royal Caribbean or Disney is a better choice. We did the Freedom of the Seas two different times with that family, and there is a very nice kiddie pool area (none on Princess), parades in the royal promenade, character breakfasts, character greetings, ice show, etc. Lots of very visual things for the little one! Perfect ship for young children. Another great feature is that this ship has a lot of cabins with connecting doors so the little one can be put down to sleep or nap and adults can be in the other room.

She also brought a portable DVD player and headphones to entertain her during dinner which worked out quite well.

Good luck! We love cruising with extended family...priceless memories!

We have two boys (now 13 and 16). Both went on their first cruise before the age of two. Back then (and perhaps now) we only had to pay port charges for them...so it was a good value. Both of these cruises were with NCL. The first was to the Eastern Carib. on the Norway- there were not many kiddos on board, but ours was quite a hit with the crew and other passengers. Same with our second cruise (with the second boy- to Alaska on the Sky). We took our kids (and still do) to every meal in the MDR. I was always prepared to leave if there was ever a disruption or tantrum. Thankfully, this never happened. Looking back, I think cruising was good preparation with socialization, flexibility, and patience (some of those dinners lasted a couple of hours!) We brought their favorite stuffed animal, books to read, and some small toys from home. We also did a lot of walking around the ports and ship itself. The kids program let me bring them to play- as long as I stayed, too. This allowed our sons to explore an area on their own in a safe and fun environment. Those weren't romantic cruises back then...we knew this going in...but we made a lot of terrific family memories! Both my DH and I took turns taking the kiddo to the kids area or a craft and the other got some alone time. Our boys have been on 15 cruises and still sit through MDR dinners! Even though they can choose to eat in the buffet at some meals, they still come with us- they don't want to miss out on the shrimp cocktail and escargot!

I agree that unless you go to Disney or maybe RCCL it could be a challenge .

We found ourselves more relaxed when our young 2 nephews were in the kids club and the niece was with a private sitter. You can say you won't babysit, but if you want to be with the adults, you WILL be affected if the little one is along. I know I couldn't just ignore someone wanting to play "cars" and Legos at the pool.

Too, depends on the itinerary. If doing a carib, have them bring a heavier wide wheel stroller for beach walks.

Lots of info on the Family Board.

Most families take their kids with them on vacation...this will be no different. On most ships, there is nothing for kids under 2-3 years.....research that, if child care is something you want.

Also, many ships do not allow diapers in any pool....and most cabins have no tubs...so a blowup tub is recommended.

A cruise is but a vacation. When you have kids, you adjust to their schedule.

Yes my screenname is cruisintoddler - we took our DD on the Grand Princess when she was 18 months. She'll be 15 years old next month. It was fine - two of us to her. We took her pack and play to sleep in. We were in a minisuite so there was space and we had the balcony while she napped. She was good in the dining room, but we'd eat at the buffet if she was tired. She could not go in the pools as they were not shallow. Grand had a little whale pool in the kiddie section up top with about 4" of water. Otherwise she was able to hold our hand and splash in the overflow area around the main pool.

I dont recall the exact details but in 2001 the CDC regulations about no diapers in the pools were just about to be increased - we cruised right before the restrictions increased.

Then we had our son and we decided to not cruise again til he was 3 and toilet trained and able to goto the kids club and pools. Instead we did hotels on the beach in Florida where there were places the kids could play in the water and we had amenities and family resturants etc.

You asked for opinions so here is mine - Now things have changed - some ships now have toddler play areas and toddler pools - so there are ships that are more toddler friendly. If it were me today I would NOT take a toddler on a ship where there were not facilities for them specifically. Princess does not have those facilities. Personally, there would be too much a toddler could not enjoy on Princess - making it hard for parents to enjoy the cruise.

But that is just my opinion and no doubt it is up to your family to decide what is best based on your own preferences.

We cruise with extended family all the time and have children along ranging from ages 6 months and up, including many toddlers.

Wonderful family vacation, we wouldn't travel any other way. Enjoy :)

Besides if the toddlers didn't come along, where the heck would they be? Home alone! lol

I second the suggestion to check out the family board for more specifics. Or rather, have the child's parents check out that board.

If it were me today I would NOT take a toddler on a ship where there were not facilities for them specifically. Princess does not have those facilities. Personally, there would be too much a toddler could not enjoy on Princess - making it hard for parents to enjoy the cruise..

Sorry - for some reason I misread and thought you were asking about Princess specifically. I just re-read and realized you didn't specify a cruiseline but were asking about cruising in general.

IMHO Princess is Not a very toddler friendly line as they don't have any specific amenities to that age group. The spash pools on Princess are not for diaper clad little ones.

Yes take the toddler - but just pick a ship that has the baby friendly pools and play areas. I'm assuming that it will be a warm weather cruise. Some ships have have toddler specific pools or spash zones where the water is constantly being circulated and so accidents are dealt with differently and diaper clad little ones are allowed.

Some ships have indoor areas where toddlers can come with parents and play. That way there are specific amenities your grandson can enjoy and ways he can have fun and get tired out :D that are provided by the cruise!

I agree with the others that great family memories are made on family vacations - but my thought has always been that no matter what the age, if the kids have activities that interest them and that are age suitable, then they will be happy on the trip and easy to take care of and then the parents will be happy and able to enjoy the trip. If the kids are "miserable" then its a real drag on the parents! :D

We took ours at 15m, 18m, 21m, 28m, 33m and 37m. Each cruise was a vastly different experience based solely on his age and development. But - each was enjoyable and each was a vacation.

Basically there are the same challenges you have at home, but you just have to be adaptable, have few expectations and do some clever packing and planning.

In terms of lines, we have only cruised on NCL and it has been perfectly acceptable (being in a suite helps 1000%).

And yes, we would do it again in a heartbeat. We took him on three caribbean cruises, one Alaska, one Eastern Med and one Baltic. Will he remember anything? Mmmm.. nope, probably not. Will we? For sure!

Our DD got to go on her first cruise at 12 months. She's been 3 more times and we will go in March for two weeks. She just turned 4.

I like what the poster above said about MDR monitors. That's a cool idea. We may have to adopt something like that in March! LOL

For us, patience was the name of the game. Nap times were important back then. Thank goodness I have a Kindle. I spent a lot of time in the room in the dark.

Our sleeps fairly well anywhere if she's with us - co sleeping. :( But again, temperament is important to do it. She's great traveling and has always been a pack and go kind of kid.

Food was never a problem and the crew doted on her - many of them missed their little girls. I even got scolded in the MDR for trying to clean up her piles of rice or other stuff. I was on vacation - that was THEIR job! LOL

Pools and diapers - that kind of sucks if you can't get in the pool with a diaper. Depends on the line. If you're not on a ship where you can take a child that young, it's just a full time parenting event. It's what they make of it. I am primary unless she wants something - then Daddy will say yes. LOL

I know, even now, a cruise with our DD is not our cruise - she does dictate a lot of the happenings - if she's in a bad mood, there's no sense trying the MDR. We compromise. If she's tired and we have early port plans, it's gonna be hard. It's common sense.

Your kids are lucky. We plan to take the older two and their families on a cruise someday - but it's hard to get everyone off at the same time when they are starting out in their careers. <sigh> Someday, but at the rate we're going, the grandkids will be able to play in the casino!

Have a great time!

If it were me today I would NOT take a toddler on a ship where there were not facilities for them specifically. Princess does not have those facilities. Personally, there would be too much a toddler could not enjoy on Princess - making it hard for parents to enjoy the cruise.

But that is just my opinion and no doubt it is up to your family to decide what is best based on your own preferences.

I cruised with my twin toddlers at 13, 20 and 24 months and found cruising to be a great way to vacation with toddlers.

I agree that a ship with childcare facilities is a great choice with toddlers, but Princess can also be the best choice depending on what you're looking for. Princess is unique in that you can take your toddler into the kids club any hour they're open as long as you stay with them. My girls loved this and since I wanted to play with them on vacation anyway, it was a perfect situation for us. Also, with fewer kids on board, mine were ridiculously doted on by the staff. I just mention this for other parents who are considering Princess for a cruise with toddlers. I do agree that for the OP, one of the Royal Carib ships with toddler facilities would be a great solution.

As for tips, besides being well prepared (packing lists and tips can be found on this board), naps are the biggest key to success. I made mine take one in the afternoon before dinner every day. While they slept, I rested and then dressed for dinner, then got them dressed. Since they were well-rested, we rarely had an issue in the main dining room. A sturdy, lightweight stroller that reclines and has a sun cover is a must.

All the best,

Mia

We took our son at 14 months to Bermuda on Celebrity and will be taking him again on Celebrity to Alaska this summer both times with grandparents in tow. We had connecting suites which was awesome for naptime and bedtime, as we could prop door and hang out in their room or on balcony. It was also nice because one parent could watch the baby while the other participated in activities with family, i.e. we weren't just alone on the ship. We could trade off periodically. The staff doted over him. I don't necessarily agree that they need a kid-friendly cruiseline at that age since most of the activities like rock climbing, ice skating and so on are designed for older kids. My son had a blast on a line with virtually no activities for him. Remember everything is new for them at that age! Different foods, people, the ship! He cried only twice in 7 days, one waiting in the heat on a long line for a ferry and another when gramps was having difficulty putting him to bed. We never had trouble keeping him entertained with conversation during dinner, but were prepared to take it to go or order room service if need be. The staff brings out the toddlers food first which is helpful. We also had a high chair in our room which was great so we almost always had breakfast in the room. They delivered a pack and play and he slept very well, I imagine from the gentle rocking. Overall, it was an amazing trip. He was a happy boy all week and so were mom/dad, and both sets of grandparents. Great family memories. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

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Mine both cruised for the first time at 15/16 months. It was great. They were so in awe of everything and just love exploring the ship. Loved every minute!! Also the crew all loved them, I was just showing my 6yo the other day pictures of her on her first cruise with all of her favorite crew members! :) take an umbrella stroller it comes in very handy! We would walk them around in the stroller at nap time and they would fall asleep. Also take kid friendly cups and silverware. And have a great time!!

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My oldest went on his first cruise at 13 months on the Carnival Pride to the Bahamas and we would do it again in a heartbeat (in fact, we are!- only with a 37 month old and 22 month old this time on the same itinerary). We went just the two of us and our son, so having two extra sets of hands would be helpful. My best tip for the parents is to just remember it is vacation for the baby too. If naps slide some, don't stress it. If they only eat french fries all week- the world won't end. We ate all our meals in the MDR and it was nice because the staff knew to have his meal ready when we ordered and would come over and play little games with him on their down time between courses.

Also- the open decks are great for putting a toddler to sleep. I would just walk with our son and the wind and quiet would knock him out within minutes!

My oldest was 15m on his first cruise, and had 3 cruises under his belt by the age of 3. FL/Bahamas, Canada/NE, and Bermuda. We loved cruising as a convenient way to vacation with a toddler - everything in one place so no getting in and out of the car, we live near a home port so no flying, and lots of things to do in general. My biggest piece of advice is know your child's habits and temperament. Some babies can stay up and be fine, others need their sleep. Some are shy in new places, some get overstimulated, some are happy go lucky no matter where they are. Some need to eat at set times, some can be ahppy with a 2 hr dinner, some can't sit still for more than 20 min at a meal. Your mileage may vary so just be prepared for your own child's (grandchild's) needs. Anticipate/avoid the things that make for a cranky child - tiredness and hunger are usually the big ones, and everyone will be happier.

We were lucky - my kid was easygoing when it came to exploring new places, and could nap pretty well in a stroller. However, we also knew he *needed* that nap or he'd be a holy terror by dinnertime! And he needed his usual bedtime or we'd have crankypants the next day so no staying out late for us! We had to be flexible and go with his flow. We chose itineraries that were more laid back - we wouldn't have been heartbroken if we had to miss a port or cut a visit short in case DS wasn't feeling well or wasn't behaving well. We didn't do excursions, we mostly looked for activities in walking distance of ports. We were on one cruise with set dining times - I will not be doing that again with my kids while they are little. Staying seated for 2 hrs made for an unhappy toddler. We did better with flexible dining options so we could eat together as a family but have choices other than the buffet. DS was easily entertained by just about anything on the ship, whether it was pushing around giant chess pieces, spinning around in a chair in a lounge, gazing at seagulls, blowing bubbles on our balcony, or taking a ride in the stroller around the deck, so he didn't notice that he couldn't go in the pool. The staff were amazing with him and so friendly. We got to enjoy seeing his wonder and excitement over every little discovery.

Is it the same as cruising without kids? Of course not. It was never a vacation from parenting, but when the only thing I have to do is parent my child, and not cook, clean, or go to work, it's still a vacation! And without the other stresses, I could actually enjoy being a mom.

Took my son at 6 months, 13 months, and will be going in March when he will be 16 months. So to answer your question, YES totally worth it. Will he remember it, no. But we have so much fun with him experiencing new things like playing in sand on the beach, or watching a parade. Is it the same vacation as it was before him, NO. But our whole lives are different now. Are there times where it gets challenging, totally. Eating in the MDR, even with asking for quick service, was still tough. Email dining before you go and request a table near the exit.;)

I do advise taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean, on one of their ships with a nursery, or Disney which also has nurseries. Was nice for both us adults and him as a toddler to have an hour or two. They had toys and things for him to play with and allows us to lay out, get some sun, maybe read for a bit.

We have so many memories of him that we will never forget.

Do it, and have fun!

Where is this Family Board everyone mentions? Is family board and family cruises not the same? Link Please

We have taken my daughter at 11m, 13m and will be going again in April she will be 28m.

I agree with past comments princess is not the way to go until they are at least 3. RCCL are good if they have the kids club for under 3, but if not you will need to go into the club with them, stay and play with them. We are going on Carnival in April which have a kids club from 2yo. From what I can see it looks great.

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I would like to get some input from parents or grandparents who have actually taken an 18 month old on a cruise.

 

We are NOT novice cruisers by any means (have taken close to 30 cruises), but are considering taking son, daughter in law and for the first time our 18 month old grandson with us later this year.

 

Before I an hit with bashing replies about the above, let me assure you that I am well aware of what and where my Grandson can and cannot go and appropriate behavior. I am merely asking for input and thoughts from families that have actually taken a toddler., what are your thoughts and advice having done it? And given the chance knowing what you do now, would you do it again?

 

Thanks for your help!

We took our 18 month old on a cruise last July with my in laws. I can address the cruise from the perspective of a parent. First of all, cruising with that age was very worthwhile and satisfying. It was our 9th cruise and first with a kiddo so obviously the experience was different than that of our previous cruises but it was fun nonetheless and we are taking her again this May. As a parent who is a seasoned cruiser, you have to be willing to give up some the things that you might be used to while cruising. Gone were the days of late night casino binging and bar hopping. But these were replaced by playing on the decks with our toddler and showing her new things and new experiences. We took her on RCL and they do not have a program for that age. They did have Royal Tots which was paid babysitting. Unfortunately, our kiddo picked this time to go through a growth and teething spurt so she was particularly clingy this week and the Royal Tots program did not work well for us. Any other week would have been fine had she not been in a Wonder Week. Our in laws helped us some with her but we did not expect them to give up their cruise and we are glad that they did not feel obligated to do so. We picked a Grand Suite thinking that we would spend a lot of time in the room and we were right and felt rewarded for that decision. The extra space in the room and balcony were appreciated and utilized as was being able to order off the dining room menu for room service. My biggest takeaway was to be flexible and realize that every vacation is different and is what you make of it. Hope that wasn't too rambling and if you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask me.

When my kids went on their first cruise (Carnival Dream) - my son was 2 1/2 and my daughter was almost 4.

We took our nanny with us. She stayed in one cabin, and we had the adjacent (but not adjoining cabin).

It was a good experience (for us) but it would not have been had our nanny not been there.

My son HATED camp carnival. He did not like it at all and did not want to go. my daughter endured it, but she didn't love it. At that time, my daughter was in preschool, so she was used to being around other kids. She never "asked" to go to Camp Carnival, but she never refused to go either.

My son however was not used to being other other kids. He stayed at home with his nanny and was used to one-on-one playdates. Being around so many kids where he was not getting personalized attention did not appeal to him. Within minutes of being dropped off - we were being called to pick him up.

Is your 18 month old, currently in a daycare environment? If so, they may be more accustomed to a kid's club environment (assuming camp carnival takes them at that age). Every child is so different.

Our next cruise one year later on HAL - was COMPLETELY different. My son was 3 1/2 and had been preschool for 6 months. He LOVED Club Hal.

one year made all the difference. If we had not brought our nanny along on that first cruise, it certainly would not have been a vacation for us, and I would have been disappointed to have spent all that money and not enjoyed our week. When we sailed HAL one year later, it was without or nanny, but at that time, both kids were at a developmental stage to enjoy their "own" cruise holiday.

We've always had all our meals together and enjoyed "family" time on our cruises; but we need some alone time while the kids are at the kid's club to enjoy time together as a couple.

We took our daughter on her first cruise when she was 23 months of age, so that probably is pretty close. It was a three day cruise (and we also added a post-cruise stay about 120 miles away so that was her first hotel stay too). So she was a month too young for Camp Carnival, but the timing was for seeing tall ships in San Diego later that week.

My hubby was a bit reluctant just in case she acted up, but as it turned out, she behaved the whole time. She had already gone through teething by then (that was problematic so it was good we waited). She was always with us but that was fine. And it was fun for us to watch her explore the ship.

We even took her to a show (sitting near the back just in case we had to make a quick exit) but she had already been in a large auditorium for a show (albeit, a Blues Clues Live show the month before).

We also drove to the port, so we brought anything (medications, sippy cup/detergent, diapers/pullups in her size) that we might need. If a young family is flying to their embarkation port, I would definitely recommend padding in time (an extra day) to go shopping for things you don't want to schlep...don't trust the ship's stores or infirmary to have what you might need.