9 Reasons not to take a baby on a cruise...breathe as you read....

[Hstergo]

I don't agree. I don't think that CruiseCritic should be (or is) a site which does nothing but try to sell cruises. I think it should be a general information site, not a sell-as-many-as-you-can site, and that does include negative reviews.

You are right not every single article ends with a perfect and happy ending , such as life. The OP made it sound shocking and warned us to make sure we keep breathing as we read the article. I think that was slightly over dramatic.

[boulders]

The article does not surprise me. A lot of misinformed people cruise.The person who wrote the article clearly to this point has not figured out how to cruise with a little one. My little one just turned 4 and is boarding her 19th cruise in 3 weeks. She started when she was 5 months old on Disney.

I actually laughed at some of the remarks. For instance cleaning bottles the whole cruise...give me a break. I took disposable nipples and bottles on our cruises. No washing for us. Pack in play was always available but several times the little on slept in the pullout or the couch turned backward. Schedule? yeah guess what, that schedule is the same at home or on a ship. Plan for the times in between and enjoy life long memories. We have a video of every adventure and play them from time to time. Absolutely love watching them and thinking back to the great times. But hey, if you are a stressed out individual or a homing pigeon that would prefer sitting at home watching the corn grow...to each his own. As and avid cruiser, the article was a joke in my opinion.

 

I agree with much of what you wrote. The author seems to be a new mom who has a baby on a strict schedule - "must be in a crib at precisely 10:45 a.m." - Really??? The rest of her comments are generally applicable to travelling with an infant by any means, and it sounds like she hasn't travelled with the baby before. The comment about "you can thank me" is condescending. Most threads on this board have more useful information.

[Onessa]

The issue the authorhas is not that she sould not cruise with her baby, itis more that she and her baby really shouldn't try anything new or different. She is not willing to deal with anything out of her and her child's simple set routine. Had she and her baby gone to the zoo for the day she'dhave been able to have compiled nine reasons not to take your baby to the zoo -- and several reasons would have been identical.

 

While wrapping up your baby's life in a little cacoon may be simpler for you - predictible and easier to control - part of nurturing your child is to help them be able to adapt to new situations. When a crib and darkened room is not available at precisely 10:45am for nap, you really need to work to get baby to be able to adapt. Start prior to the cruise to work on various places for nap and then maybe mom and baby would be prepared when room and or crib is not available.

[scarlett81]

9 reasons not to take a baby on a cruise

 

That pretty much says it all ;)

 

Also - new cruisers are going to look to her as a professional. That she did it - it didn't work - then they won't be able to.

 

It's a shame. I hope RCI didn't give her a free cruise to review their new nursery. They didn't get their money's worth.

 

 

Well put! Ditto.

 

As a well traveled parent, and TA reviewer, I wouldn't be intimidated by this article. However, for someone just starting out, excited and doing research about their first cruise with little ones-I'd be so worried if I read this!

 

I hope CC puts a note saying 'this does not reflect the opinion of CC, only a personal opinion.'

This is NOT a professional opinion, only a poorly traveled, tired parent, albeit a well meaning one.

This should not be posted as an article. They need to rethink some of the things they put out, or encourage via this site. It will begin to lose its reputation in the industry.

[askimdog]

Everyone's case is different, all kids are different. We save up 12-16 months to take our yearly vacation. We try to make the cruise educational for us and our child, we cruise in either Dec/Jan and Feb. Our first cruise was in 2003, we had our child in 2004, we opted out of cruising until our child was old enough to enjoy the cruise and could learn something while in ports visiting museums/schools/orphanges and Parks. We returned to cruising in 2011 and recently again this January 2012. We just could not see spending money saved up all year to bring a child 0-5 years of age. I don't think the child learns and retains things a cruise can offer prior to 5? Just seems like dumping $$$ out the window to me?

[crusinmama06]

I don't think the child learns and retains things a cruise can offer prior to 5? Just seems like dumping $$$ out the window to me?

 

But do YOU retain the memory? To me it's not a waste of money because *I* still have that memory of my daughters swimming with dolphins at age 2. And swimming with sting rays by the time they were 3. Them squealing because there were whales off of our balcony on the way to Canada when they were 4. And manatees swimming freely off of our Aft balcony one morning when they were 5.

 

They may not retain those memories but *I* will. And to me - they are PRICELESS!

 

Every experience shapes who our children become. Traveling has shaped who my children are becoming. And I am so glad I didn't wait for some predetermined number because my entire family would have missed out on so much.

[cruisegirl06]

Our first cruise with a baby is still coming up, so maybe I am missing something, but most of the challenges listed look like challenges you would have traveling with a baby anywhere. If you don't want to deal with the challenges, you dont't have to travel; but for us, we still want to have adventures.

 

We went to Key West with our daughter when she was 2 months old, because I was about to go back to work after leave and we knew vacation days were limited once I went back. Was it different than an adult trip - yes, we were hauling a lot more stuff and knew that what we could do wiuld be a bit more limited; but, it was a great trip. We have pictures of her first visits to the ocean, watched the sunset celebration, found some tasty food, and actually learned to take a (slightly) slower paced, more relaxed trip.

 

I look forward to cruising with her. I recognize we won't have kids club and that we will be in the cabin more, but it will still be vacation. I won't have to do laundry, cook, do anywhere near as many dishes, pack daycare bags, commute, or go to work for a week; sounds good to me! If we wind up eating in the lido or ordering room service, so be it. I'm just excited to have family time with a few days at the beach thrown in!

 

Thanks to these boards, I am getting a lot of tips that I think will help make the trip more enjoyable too (we are doing our first balcony cabin, since we know we will be in the room more, and she is already enjoying the baby pool that we will be taking with us). Thanks for the tips, keep them coming!

[rolloman]

Traveling has shaped who my children are becoming. And I am so glad I didn't wait for some predetermined number because my entire family would have missed out on so much.

 

Great point Michele.

[crusinmama06]

No cruisegirl - you aren't missing anything. You nailed it! You have the perfect attitude to have a great cruise with your little one. You are prepared to be flexible. Please come back and let us know how it goes. :)

[deniuh]

I always breathe as I read. Why should this be any different? Am I supposed to be horrified or shocked or something? :confused:

 

When I added the word "Breathe", I meant read the article with an open mind and see it for what it is....somebody's opinion. While I agree with some of what the author is saying, I find that people think their lives should be the same even after they have kids. When you become a parent, you adjust. Nightlife has a different meaning, and vacations have a different meaning!

Kudos to you parents who are open to taking your kids cruising no matter how tough it might be at such a young age. You are creating memories for your family and as an earlier poster mentioned, it shapes who your child is.....

[deniuh]

But do YOU retain the memory? To me it's not a waste of money because *I* still have that memory of my daughters swimming with dolphins at age 2. And swimming with sting rays by the time they were 3. Them squealing because there were whales off of our balcony on the way to Canada when they were 4. And manatees swimming freely off of our Aft balcony one morning when they were 5.

 

They may not retain those memories but *I* will. And to me - they are PRICELESS!

 

Every experience shapes who our children become. Traveling has shaped who my children are becoming. And I am so glad I didn't wait for some predetermined number because my entire family would have missed out on so much.[/qu

 

RIGHT ON!! I've followed your posts and blogs over the years and you are correct the memories created are for you and they are PRICELESS!

[deniuh]

You are right not every single article ends with a perfect and happy ending , such as life. The OP made it sound shocking and warned us to make sure we keep breathing as we read the article. I think that was slightly over dramatic.

 

I don't think I was being dramatic. For me, breathing means be open and don't fly off the handle....because I know alot of parents who would be incensed by reading this. I emailed it to a couple of friends and they were incensed. Anyway glad that I was able to post an interesting article. Gives us all perspective.

[rolloman]

I don't think I was being dramatic. For me, breathing means be open and don't fly off the handle....because I know alot of parents who would be incensed by reading this. I emailed it to a couple of friends and they were incensed. Anyway glad that I was able to post an interesting article. Gives us all perspective.

 

It was not an interesting article at all. The only people responding are those without kids or people like myself who know better. You really think highly of yourself. IMHO the article was chastising and arrogant. Just because you do not have the capacity to make it work, your opinion does not make it so for the rest of us. If one were to compile all the advice and expertise on this board prior to booking, cruising would be one of the best vacation options out there for parents with little ones.

[junglejane]

It was not an interesting article at all. The only people responding are those without kids or people like myself who know better. You really think highly of yourself. IMHO the article was chastising and arrogant. Just because you do not have the capacity to make it work, your opinion does not make it so for the rest of us. If one were to compile all the advice and expertise on this board prior to booking, cruising would be one of the best vacation options out there for parents with little ones.

 

Geez, why are you beating up on the OP? Are you confusing the OP with the author of the article? :confused:

[rolloman]

Geez, why are you beating up on the OP? Are you confusing the OP with the author of the article? :confused:

 

Oops I guess I am, the way she wrote the post I responded to left me with the thought she was the owner of the article.

[mitsugirly]

We just could not see spending money saved up all year to bring a child 0-5 years of age. I don't think the child learns and retains things a cruise can offer prior to 5? Just seems like dumping $$$ out the window to me?

 

But do YOU retain the memory? To me it's not a waste of money because *I* still have that memory of my daughters swimming with dolphins at age 2. And swimming with sting rays by the time they were 3. Them squealing because there were whales off of our balcony on the way to Canada when they were 4. And manatees swimming freely off of our Aft balcony one morning when they were 5.

 

They may not retain those memories but *I* will. And to me - they are PRICELESS!

 

Every experience shapes who our children become. Traveling has shaped who my children are becoming. And I am so glad I didn't wait for some predetermined number because my entire family would have missed out on so much.

 

I have to agree with Michele. We took our 3 year old on 2 cruises last year and this year and I can guarantee she remembers every bit of it. It's all she talks about and begs to go again. She has went zip lining, cavetubing, held a tarantula, ate termites, swam with dolphins, swam with stingrays, snorkeling...the list goes on. And she constantly ask when we are going again. She will bring it up, not us. She remembers it all. We cherish every vacation/cruise with her and a life time of memories for us all. :)

[bralli]

As a father of four who has been traveling since day one, my biggest advice to new parents is to learn to train your baby and child to flexible with their diets, schedules, and just overall tolerance for new experiences. When I read comments like "my baby HAS to nap in her crib at 10:45" I absolutely cringe. I know way too many parents who let their little one hold them absolute hostage. It's no wonder they develop a massive level of apprehension when it comes to breaking out of their normal daily routines.

 

Also, as was mentioned by other posters, the whole "they are too young to remember" argument is just kind of lame. The reality is that as a parent watching your child of any age react to the same wondrous experiences as yourself is absolutely priceless. Last night I was watching home video of a vacation I took about 6 years ago with a baby and a three year old to Yellowstone National Park and watching those little ones giggling at the sights was an absolute kick.

[Onessa]

. . . Also, as was mentioned by other posters, the whole "they are too young to remember" argument is just kind of lame. . .

Yup, if infants or young children are "too young to remember" so the experience of traveling would be wasted upon them -- then couldn't the same be said of ANYthing you did with an infant/toddler? Why bother interacting with the infant -- he won't remember. Why bother spending time with your infant, he won't remember. Why not ship them off to some SciFi type robotic nursery until they are a couple of years old because they will not "remember" any of it?

 

Why? Because we all know that all of the stimulation that a child receives during infancy and early childhood helps shape who the child is. While the child may not have discreet memories about a family vacation, that does not mean that the child is not impacted by it.

[AngAndBoys]

I totally agree with the article...because that was my own experience with MY kids when they were little. Not babies even, I think our first cruise was when the youngest was about 2. I never really enjoyed myself until they got a little older. I worried about them getting lost, snatched, causing a ruckus in the dining room etc. (BTW, I had 3 boys in just under 5 years, NOT recommended!) Mine have never been the kind of kids that are entertained by anything mundane. Read: they like to make their own entertainment, and it's not alway socially acceptable. When my youngest was born, I could barely function at HOME with all 3 of them, much less on vacation.

 

Nevertheless, I took them on many vacations, and no, it wasn't pure misery. But it is SO much nicer now that they are older. Looking back, I think I was sorta nuts to do it. I don't believe for a minute that you can't make precious memories for a 3 year old a lot cheaper at home. It's a scientific fact that memories are chemically encoded in the brain in a different way in children up to around age 4. When the change comes, the memories are "there" but the brain can't retrieve them anymore. Interesting really. There's some ghost of it, but no conscious memory or anything. Kids "remember" a lot of stuff just from other people talking about it. What I'm telling you is, you could just as well tell your 4 year old she met a dolphin when she was 2, and she'd believe it, whether any such thing occurred or not.

 

Biggest problem with starting them too young though, is that they get jaded about it all. My kids are not interested in a lot of things because we "already did that". I realized a little late that if they get/do EVERYTHING, there is nothing left to wish for, except what is out of reach. It's just my opinion on it and my experience with my own little darlings. Not all kids/families can function happily in the same way. I can tell you my kids love cruising NOW, but they actually got tired of it for a while. They're 12, 14, and 16.

 

Feel free to flame away. It read like a rabid La Leche meeting when I came in here. I expect no less.

[kimber0504]

I totally agree with the article...because that was my own experience with MY kids when they were little. Not babies even, I think our first cruise was when the youngest was about 2. I never really enjoyed myself until they got a little older. I worried about them getting lost, snatched, causing a ruckus in the dining room etc. (BTW, I had 3 boys in just under 5 years, NOT recommended!) Mine have never been the kind of kids that are entertained by anything mundane. Read: they like to make their own entertainment, and it's not alway socially acceptable. When my youngest was born, I could barely function at HOME with all 3 of them, much less on vacation.

 

Nevertheless, I took them on many vacations, and no, it wasn't pure misery. But it is SO much nicer now that they are older. Looking back, I think I was sorta nuts to do it. I don't believe for a minute that you can't make precious memories for a 3 year old a lot cheaper at home. It's a scientific fact that memories are chemically encoded in the brain in a different way in children up to around age 4. When the change comes, the memories are "there" but the brain can't retrieve them anymore. Interesting really. There's some ghost of it, but no conscious memory or anything. Kids "remember" a lot of stuff just from other people talking about it. What I'm telling you is, you could just as well tell your 4 year old she met a dolphin when she was 2, and she'd believe it, whether any such thing occurred or not.

 

Biggest problem with starting them too young though, is that they get jaded about it all. My kids are not interested in a lot of things because we "already did that". I realized a little late that if they get/do EVERYTHING, there is nothing left to wish for, except what is out of reach. It's just my opinion on it and my experience with my own little darlings. Not all kids/families can function happily in the same way. I can tell you my kids love cruising NOW, but they actually got tired of it for a while. They're 12, 14, and 16.

 

Feel free to flame away. It read like a rabid La Leche meeting when I came in here. I expect no less.

 

My mother had three (me and my two brothers) of us in three years :) What one of us didn't think of, the others did! But as a whole, we knew when and how to behave. My daughter (an only child) was the same way. She and I have visited the same ports numerous times and we always find something new to do. For example, in Nassau, we have went swimming with sea lions, walked the city, and even went on a historical tour! Parents need to put the needs of their children first and everything will be fine!

 

Plus, the kids love hearing stories about what they did as a child--and when you have grandchildren, you will be able to share stories of what their parent was like as a child! As the old saying goes, "Life is short." I thought I had plenty of time to do everything with my daughter and time flew by--she will be starting her second year of college this fall! Memories cannot be erased, but time can.

 

Kim

[Stratus22]

Good Point Michele!!!! O.K. Here come the tears, Memories!:(

[ElsieToo]

I totally agree with the article...because that was my own experience with MY kids when they were little. Not babies even, I think our first cruise was when the youngest was about 2. I never really enjoyed myself until they got a little older. I worried about them getting lost, snatched, causing a ruckus in the dining room etc. (BTW, I had 3 boys in just under 5 years, NOT recommended!) Mine have never been the kind of kids that are entertained by anything mundane. Read: they like to make their own entertainment, and it's not alway socially acceptable. When my youngest was born, I could barely function at HOME with all 3 of them, much less on vacation.

 

I am always in awe of parents with several kids. Just one is plenty for me to handle, so whenever I see large families I take my hat off (figuratively, lol) to you. A good friend (also a mom of three boys close in age, bless her) has a plaque in the kitchen that says "Mothers of boys work from son up to son down." Hee. I've always loved that...

 

Just out of curiosity, do you feel like you could have gone on any sort of vacation when your boys were young, or would it not have mattered where you went - they just were.not.ready.to.go? I didn't like the article because it seemed like she was targeting cruising as the Most Awful Traveling Experience Ever, when I really got the sense that she wouldn't have traveled well where ever/however they went.

[beachchick]

The issue the authorhas is not that she sould not cruise with her baby, itis more that she and her baby really shouldn't try anything new or different. She is not willing to deal with anything out of her and her child's simple set routine. Had she and her baby gone to the zoo for the day she'dhave been able to have compiled nine reasons not to take your baby to the zoo -- and several reasons would have been identical.

 

While wrapping up your baby's life in a little cacoon may be simpler for you - predictible and easier to control - part of nurturing your child is to help them be able to adapt to new situations. When a crib and darkened room is not available at precisely 10:45am for nap, you really need to work to get baby to be able to adapt. Start prior to the cruise to work on various places for nap and then maybe mom and baby would be prepared when room and or crib is not available.

 

I think maybe it only seems simpler for parents. By that I mean that having a child who must nap at a specific time in a specific way can make for stressed parents who spend far too much energy ensuring that the schedule and surroundings are just so all day and night. Children need to learn to be in different environments, both awake and asleep. Not just because it's better for them in the long run, but because parents shouldn't be "slaves" to a tightly regimented schedule. Sure, a regular schedule is good, but flexibility is critical as well.

 

As always, just my opinion.

 

beachchick

[scarlett81]

As a father of four who has been traveling since day one, my biggest advice to new parents is to learn to train your baby and child to flexible with their diets, schedules, and just overall tolerance for new experiences. When I read comments like "my baby HAS to nap in her crib at 10:45" I absolutely cringe. I know way too many parents who let their little one hold them absolute hostage. It's no wonder they develop a massive level of apprehension when it comes to breaking out of their normal daily routines.

.

 

Exactly!

When I hear a parent say "my baby HAS to nap at 10:45"....I think, no, YOU have to have your baby nap at 10:45!

I'm not totally knocking scheduling-if thats how you maintain your sanity, I get it. (believe me!) But if thats the case no travel, anywhere, is going to work for you. Cruising happens to be one of the easiest ways to travel by far bc everything is taken care of for you.

There's no question of 'where are we going to eat tonight?...how will we get there?'...Its a no brainer!

 

So my conclusion is, if you read this article and sympathize with this parent, then maybe holding off on travel all together would be best for your type of family. When your LO's are old enough-then go on a cruise.

[sandytoes03]

It seems like the author didn't do much research before her cruise. I don't know if that's true, but it seems like that. (Why not choose a ship with a baby splash zone if that's an issue for you? Or a cruise line with a nursery so that you can enjoy some night life?) Also, traveling anywhere with a baby will be some work, of course. Washing out sippy cups etc is not limited just to cruising. Plus, she had to spend a port morning doing laundry? Really? Even with some extra changes during the day, she couldn't pack enough?