Is cruising on the Epic with 21 month old a good idea?

[cantwaitforoasis]

Hi. We've cruised 3x but now i'm happily awaiting our first child. I booked an Epic cruise for when the baby will be 21 months. That would be an April cruise, and so there are none to the caribbean offered past April, to make the baby 2 years.. plus that gets into hurricane season. So 21 months is our latest option to cruise on the Epic, which i like the looks of.

 

What things are they able to do? I read that someone's 6 month old was able to play in a splash area, but i was told on the phone w/ NCL that they wouldnt be allowed to use any pools w/o diapers... which is correct?

 

Are there any play zones that we can go with the baby to sit and play?

 

What are all the things a 21 month old could do? Please share your experience!!!

[newmexicoNita]

Hi. We've cruised 3x but now i'm happily awaiting our first child. I booked an Epic cruise for when the baby will be 21 months. That would be an April cruise, and so there are none to the caribbean offered past April, to make the baby 2 years.. plus that gets into hurricane season. So 21 months is our latest option to cruise on the Epic, which i like the looks of.

 

What things are they able to do? I read that someone's 6 month old was able to play in a splash area, but i was told on the phone w/ NCL that they wouldnt be allowed to use any pools w/o diapers... which is correct?

 

Are there any play zones that we can go with the baby to sit and play?

 

What are all the things a 21 month old could do? Please share your experience!!!

 

i don't think anyone can tell you at what age it is a good idea to expose your child to cruising. Personally, I wouldn't even consider it before a little one is 2 or 3 and totally potty trained. My daughter wouldn't have considered it either and our granddaughter is about to cruise with us, taking her almost 4 year old on her first cruise. I have seen many toddlers on cruises. Some seem to be having a good time, others get cranky and tired, plus there isn't anything much for a child under 2 to do. I have seen little ones in the specialty dining rooms bored to death and seen them sleeping in mommys laps in the shows.

 

Now, that being said, there are many on here who have taken babies and toddlers on cruises and report having a wonderful time. There is absulutely no right answer. What has to be considered is, are you willing to give up most of your freedom so you can be with your little one, are you willing to make sure he doesn't upset others who are trying to enjoy a peaceful vacation or better yet, can you take someone with you that can help you so everyone can have a great cruise vacation?

 

Nita

[sebas030]

Hi,

 

Last feb we went on the Gem without the kids ( 12 months and 3yrs old ) and midway into the cruise we were thinking "OK nest cruise we bring the kids, they will love it " and on the second to last day of the cruise we had rough seas.

 

We had 22 feet waves hitting us for about 18 hours.:eek:

 

We could see the kids being sick everywhere. Most families where in the atrium mid ship deck 7 to get less motion.

 

We saw and heard this one kid, he was about 5 yrs and he was lying on his mother's lap and begging her to "make the ship stop moving"

 

It just broke our harts, we couldn't imagine our son being this sick.:(

 

We are going to Bermuda in a few months and we are leaving the kids home.

 

This is our "emotional" view about it.

 

I will leave the more "Epic experience parents" tell you what they will be able to do on that great ship.

 

Have a safe one !

[mjkacmom]

I wouldn't - there really isn't much for a 21 month old to do. The pools are out, but try explaining that to a toddler. Toddlers tend to be done with their meals in 5 minutes, making dining an unpleasant experience. Cabins are small - and then add a pack and play, diapers, maybe a carseat, a stroller... I'd wait until the child was potty trained, at the very least, and able to use the kids clubs. I just can't imagine what one does all day at sea with little mobile ones (and usually very active at that age).

[Twelvevman]

I just returned from a cruise on the Epic with my 12 month old son. He had a great time on the cruise. We went on the trip knowing he would not be able to use the kids club and that meant we would have to watch him the entire time. We did get a balconyt room so that we had a place to sit and relax while he slept. As far as activities, he loved sitting on the balcony while we were in port watching boats and other people. During the day he would dance at the different musical performances or we would take him to an empty club so he could run around on the dance floor (Bliss has a sparkly floor that he loved). He also enjoyed time at the pool. We had brought a small inflatable tub to use on deck so he could splash around. The Epic does have splash zone and there was nothing posted at the pool about swim diapers, but we did not take him in in case there was an accident. We did let him play under the fountains there for a minute or 2, but neve in the actual pool. Our son is eating table foods so there was always food he could eat at the buffett or at the restaurants. He also enjoyed the shows at night, and we were prepared to leave at any time if he got cranky. He danced to Rod Stewarts performance at legends and slept through Britnay Spears. He also slept through the entire Blue man group performance. One trick we found at the shows is to get there a little early and take one of the balcony seating areas along the top row all the way to the left or right. The last booth has a step down so it is not wheel chair reserved. This area had 5 chairs and a couch. It also had enough room for the baby to walk around before the show started.

 

I will say that the crew on the Epic love babies and will go out of their way to come over and play with your little one for a minute or 2.

 

A cruise with an infant can be great as long as you go in with the correct mindset and are prepared. I do recomend the family board as there is a wealth off knowledge to make cruising with an infant a great experience.

[Micchi]

Hi. We've cruised 3x but now i'm happily awaiting our first child. I booked an Epic cruise for when the baby will be 21 months. That would be an April cruise, and so there are none to the caribbean offered past April, to make the baby 2 years.. plus that gets into hurricane season. So 21 months is our latest option to cruise on the Epic, which i like the looks of.

 

What things are they able to do? I read that someone's 6 month old was able to play in a splash area, but i was told on the phone w/ NCL that they wouldnt be allowed to use any pools w/o diapers... which is correct?

 

Are there any play zones that we can go with the baby to sit and play?

 

What are all the things a 21 month old could do? Please share your experience!!!

 

No diapers or swim diapers are allowed in the pools, for health reasons. People might skirt this rule, but it's disgusting, and I doubt you'd want to risk the health of your baby or of others. Some people who cruise with little ones bring a small inflatable pool and put it on their balcony or beside them on the deck for the baby to splash in, which makes both the baby and other pax very happy :)

[Mommy oooo]

Both of my daughters went on there first cruises at about 14 months and then my oldest when she was a hair over 2 and our next cruise in 7 weeks my youngest will be about 27 months (oldest 6 1/2). Thank goodness my youngest is on the verge of being daytime potty trained so the pool shouldn't be an issue. When my oldest was little and not potty trained missing out on the pool was not a big deal because she didn't have to watch an older sibling in a pool. SO I don't think missing out on the pool is a big deal. There is plenty of things to with the children especially spending time together. That is what a family vacation is all about anyways. Being able to spend quality time together and not having to worry about deadlines and having to go here and there. We have had many cruises where our daughter was not old enough to go into the kids center but that was ok because me personally I would rather spend the time with them. THis cruise both are old enough to participate and they are at the age now that they like to play with other kids. we too got a balcony. DH would grab a few beers and talk while our daughter would sleep. Either way have a great vacation and enjoy spending quality time together.

[silkhair1]

We cruised with our kids when our youngest was 2. I could not imagine trying to keep a 21 month old entertained all day without a pool or kids club.

 

We try to get a balcony when we can because nap time is much nicer with a view. Last year when my youngest was 6 he still had to nap in the afternoon to make it happily through the night. I think it is the extra excitement and change in schedule that makes him need one. If he does not we can't have a nice dinner. We have to do the buffet. We like the relaxing time. Good luck with your choice!

[Sauer-kraut]

First, the best thing about being on NCL is that if you do have a cranky little one you can dine when it suits the child and not the cruise line. And there are always options if you have to leave the dining room because of issues and grab something in the buffet or whatever the blue lagoon restaurant is on the EPIC. Many people have cruised with toddlers, and I think it is wonderful to expose children to all kinds of new experiences.

 

Now, for the ones who don't know what to do to entertain their children on a cruise, what is the difference in having a floating playground than doing a 6-week camping trip with an all day car ride everyday to get to the next state or national park? My brother was only 5 months old when he started out and it continued until he was out of high school. He managed, my parents managed, neither were really worse for wear. It all depends on how helpful your spouse will be to give you time off to enjoy things as well.

 

I hope you do decide to go, you'll have a great little cruiser by the time it is 3 years old! :)

[Aladdin1968]

We took our son on the Gem when he was 6 months old and we took him on the Jade when he was 18 months old. We all had a great time and we got special attention from the staff on board (many have kids abroad themselves). We will take him within a few weeks on the Jade again. True, with a child of 21 months old there are restrictions, but isn't that the fact with any vacation? We go on vacation a lot with our kid and have decided that cruising with a little one has many benefits and is a serious alternative for a any regular vacation. You will have a splendid cruise as long as you accept that he is only 21 months old.

[ToddDog]

We've cruised with our son twice, (14 months on the Jewel and 3 Yr on the Epic) both times were great. We did get a 2 bed room villa so he had his own room which made the sleeping space much easier, but he loved the ship. Under 2 he could not use the kids crew, but a few days a week they do have the under 2 zoo. On the Jewel they took one of the meeting rooms and filled it with toys for a few hours. No crew was present and you had to watch your own kid, but I like playing with him and it was fun. All of the resteraunts had high chairs for him when he was little just like any resteraunt. He ate well in the resteraunts and the staff really does seem to enjoy children. We were watching a guitar player outside a lounge on the Jewel one night and I think every waitress had to come say hi and play with our son. He left with a napkin folded beautifully into a flower and a stuffed animal. We also were quick to take him out of any resteraunt or show where he started making noise or disturbing others. I know some people seem to object to even having a child in their presence at some places, but as long as the kid is well behaved and not disturbing others, I could care less what they think. I do think parents should be aware of how well their kid is behaved and not think that their child who cannot make it through lunch and McDonalds without disturbing others will suddenly make it through a long sit down meal on a ship. Our son has been eating out with us in lots of resteraunts since he was born. He knows what behavior is expceted of him and it is the same on the ship.

 

I will say the courtyard area on the Jewel was great when he was little. It was mostly empty during the day and he could go walk around and play some. It was more crowded on the Epic, but since he was older it didn't matter.

[cantwaitforoasis]

thanks for all the responses!! Is there any outdoor space on the ship where babies can run around and play? -besides the splash zone??

 

As far as bringing a little blow up baby pool, i figured i would do that to put in the shower so it is like a bathtub... but where would you get the water to bring it on the deck?

 

thanks a bunch!:)

[Sauer-kraut]

As far as bringing a little blow up baby pool, ... but where would you get the water to bring it on the deck?

 

thanks a bunch!:)

 

Garbage can, ice bucket, ask the steward for a bucket.....?

[Sauer-kraut]

As far as bringing a little blow up baby pool, ... but where would you get the water to bring it on the deck?

 

thanks a bunch!:)

 

Garbage can, ice bucket, ask the steward for a bucket.....?

[4774Papa]

i don't think anyone can tell you at what age it is a good idea to expose your child to cruising. Personally, I wouldn't even consider it before a little one is 2 or 3 and totally potty trained. My daughter wouldn't have considered it either and our granddaughter is about to cruise with us, taking her almost 4 year old on her first cruise. I have seen many toddlers on cruises. Some seem to be having a good time, others get cranky and tired, plus there isn't anything much for a child under 2 to do. I have seen little ones in the specialty dining rooms bored to death and seen them sleeping in mommys laps in the shows.

 

Now, that being said, there are many on here who have taken babies and toddlers on cruises and report having a wonderful time. There is absulutely no right answer. What has to be considered is, are you willing to give up most of your freedom so you can be with your little one, are you willing to make sure he doesn't upset others who are trying to enjoy a peaceful vacation or better yet, can you take someone with you that can help you so everyone can have a great cruise vacation?

 

Nita

 

My Daughter and her family were on a Med cruise this July with our group of 13. She and her husband had children ages 12, 10, 3 and eight months. The three year old (I love my Granddaughter) was a pain in the butt. Of course, many kids that age are difficult. On retrospect, my Daughter and her husband have said that they made a mistake going on the cruise. Now they plan to wait a few years until the youngest is at least 5. I think small children thrive on consistency and a routine, which cruises are not.

 

They did manage to see quite a lot on the cruise, but on the occasions that we toured with them, it slowed down the group quite a bit. Also, taking excursions for them was expensive.

[newmexicoNita]

thanks for all the responses!! Is there any outdoor space on the ship where babies can run around and play? -besides the splash zone??

 

As far as bringing a little blow up baby pool, i figured i would do that to put in the shower so it is like a bathtub... but where would you get the water to bring it on the deck?

 

thanks a bunch!:)

 

There are very few areas on any ship where a toddler will be save to run around. As for the blow up pool, my understanding is, the crew will help you fill it. I am not sure where they get the water but they will find a place.

 

Nita

[Lulubelle6805]

Are there any play zones that we can go with the baby to sit and play?

 

What are all the things a 21 month old could do? Please share your experience!!!

 

 

We took our 18-month old son on a cruise to Bermuda this past summer and it was such a relaxing, wonderful vacation for us that we booked another cruise six weeks later, same itinerary. We all had a wonderful time on the cruise. Our son didn't get seasick at all (a crew member told us it's because toddlers are so low to the ground and naturally wobbly that they don't notice the pitching and rolling so much). There isn't much for them to "do" necessarily, but just think about the things your child will be doing at home and apply that to the ship. We spent a lot of time just walking up and down the decks (good exercise chasing after a toddler!), which he absolutely loved. We took him to the show Elements on the last night, which he enjoyed due to the lights and music, but we missed the other evening shows (comedy and magic wouldn't have been such a hit). No pools allowed, as others mentioned, but your child will be too little to be

disappointed about not getting in the water on board, and anyway, we took our son to beaches during our three days in Bermuda, so we all got plenty of time to swim and enjoy the water. We took him to the Under 2 Zoo once a day.

 

Dining, as others have noted, is more of a trial, but the freestyle cruising makes this part a bit simpler, too, in my opinion. You can dine around naptimes and follow a schedule similar to what you'd follow at home.

 

The best piece of advice I'd received about cruising with a toddler is to have a balcony cabin. Prior to having our son, we'd always cruised with an inside or ocean view since we weren't in the room so much. Well, when you're traveling with a little one, you ARE spending more time in the room than you might otherwise, and having a balcony was fantastic because my husband and I could order drinks and extend our evening by hanging out on the balcony after our son was in bed for the night.

 

We are taking our now-2 year old son on his third cruise in three weeks.

Some essentials to pack: coloring books (he loved coloring out on the balcony during the day), favorite snacks (Cheerios were a lifesaver for us!), little toys to keep hands busy at mealtimes while waiting for food to arrive (or just hit the buffet if they're too fussy), and an open mind: you really can have a great family cruise vacation with a toddler if you're flexible and open to the experience. Have fun!

[cantwaitforoasis]

sounds like you had a great time with your little tot! That is refreshing news to hear.

 

What is the Under 2 Zoo? Is it offered daily?? Do they clean the toys?

[orangegrove]

Hi. We've cruised 3x but now i'm happily awaiting our first child. I booked an Epic cruise for when the baby will be 21 months. That would be an April cruise, and so there are none to the caribbean offered past April, to make the baby 2 years.. plus that gets into hurricane season. So 21 months is our latest option to cruise on the Epic, which i like the looks of.

 

What things are they able to do? I read that someone's 6 month old was able to play in a splash area, but i was told on the phone w/ NCL that they wouldnt be allowed to use any pools w/o diapers... which is correct?

 

Are there any play zones that we can go with the baby to sit and play?

 

What are all the things a 21 month old could do? Please share your experience!!!

 

My son will be 12 next week, his first cruise was when he was 3. He was potty trained so that made things easier for us. He was also able to go to the kids club which he loved. I have attached photos of the kids area where I think your toddler would be fine. There is a large splash area, one large area is shaded and is great so the kids and adults don't have to be in the sun. Most of the pool deck gets very hot but the kids splash area is made of that rubber stuff and is very squishy and cool to your feet.

 

 

 

 

[cantwaitforoasis]

thanks for the pics! that splash zone looks adorable! The kids have to be potty trained though right?

[orangegrove]

thanks for the pics! that splash zone looks adorable! The kids have to be potty trained though right?

 

I honestly don't know. Maybe they allow swim diapers in this area. I know on other ships they say no swim diapers in the pools. Other people have brought a small blow up pool that they put next to their lounge chairs. I've seen several pictures on this site of their kids in them, but can not recall the thread.

 

Here is a photo from amazon:

[ColinIllinois]

Have you thought perhaps about leaving the baby with the grandparents or someone else so that you and your significant other can be alone and unwind? Trust me, by the time the baby is 21 months you'll be ready for a break. :D

[cantwaitforoasis]

thanks for the replies. maybe my dad will go on the cruise, but his fiance has a fear of the western caribbean, lol.. crime i suppose, but that is where we are going! maybe they'll go to spend time with us.

[Lulubelle6805]

sounds like you had a great time with your little tot! That is refreshing news to hear.

 

What is the Under 2 Zoo? Is it offered daily?? Do they clean the toys?

 

The Under 2 Zoo is just a room off the Kid's Club area that is filled with toys that are age-appropriate for kids under two years old. We usually had the place to ourselves, but sometimes there was another toddler there. The toys are nothing special, but different from what our son had at home, and it was nice to spend a half hour or so in there every day to let him play with things designed just for him. There's probably something equivalent to this on every ship (and probably much fancier on the Epic--we were on the Spirit, a much older ship).

 

If you'd like, you can check out the review I wrote about our second cruise last summer-- turns out, I'm getting senile because according to my post, our son was 21-months old at the time of our second cruise (why did I think he was 18 months?!), so exactly the same age your child will be when you're thinking about cruising. Anyway, there are some pictures and commentary about our cruise here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1244486&highlight=lulubelle6805

 

Hope this helps!

[tomsuelaw]

We took our son when he was 7 months on the Pearl. We are now returning with him at age 2 and his little sister will be 6 months. On our previous cruise, he had a blast! He loved strolling around deck and loved to watch people and boats etc.

 

As far as the pool went, when he was 7 months, we let him play by the pool and put his feet in. We never let his diaper touch the water, but he was still able to splash and play in the shallow part where he could stand but his diaper was out of the water. The lifeguard was right there and never had a problem with this. This time around we will most likely do the same thing again as long as we can without letting the diaper get wet in the water.

 

As far as the policy goes, I think it is sort of silly. I am more afraid of swiming with a newly potty trained 3 year old then a 1 year old in a swim diaper. Swim diapers are meant to keep chunky debri in, whereas you know 3 year olds are definately peeing in the water and may have an occassional BM accident. Well, lets be honest, there are probably alot of people of all ages peeing in the water, yucky but most likely true.