First Cruise - Let's Talk Strollers

[Texaslady22]

We're going on our first cruise and our baby girl will turn 1 during the cruise. We'll also be taking along 3 and 6 year old boys.

 

We're not worried about the boys (they listen well and do fine in crowded situations) but we know we'll need a stroller for the baby. To complicate matters, she is tiny. At 7 months she weighs just 12lbs and is 1% so I doubt she'll be too large at a year.

 

Does anyone have a good stroller recommendation? We have a Graco Signature at home...is that too large? Could we use that? We want one that fully reclines and, since she'll likely still be in an infant seat (she's teenie tiny) one that could possibly hold an infant seat. Storage space and cup holders are a plus.

 

There's no Kids Club for her so the stroller may make or break our trip! :rolleyes:

[mdjohn5]

We cruised with our son when he was 14 months. We debated over a few different strollers, but decided on just a cheap umbrella stroller for both him and our 3 yo.

 

You can purchase used ones pretty cheap and if it gets destroyed and or left behind it is no big deal. That worked out well for us.

 

At some point they would want to walk so it was easy to just fold them up and carry them. We could take them around the ship and they folded up small enough that they could be stashed out of the way. Not sure what size cabin you have, but space is pretty limited for a full size stroller.

 

The only downside was that in real life we tend to use the stroller as pack mule for everything. Can't really do that with the umbrella strollers.

[travelhound]

Are you bringing your infant car seat? Is she happy strolling around in that? When our dd was still in that car seat we had the snap and go. It was great for traveling since it's light and still has a decent basket for storage. We took it on several trips, although not cruises. Next week will be our first cruise. Now she's past that but we're still just bringing a cheapy umbrella stroller. She has a bumbleride at home and it's huge. With an inside room there's no way that monster is coming. I looked at a Maclaren Triumph, a BRU umbrella that reclines and a few other models that were similar. DH was totally against anything other than an umbrella since several of his friends told him that was the only way to go. Ack! She'll weight limit out at some point so we'll look at better ones then. Not very many of those umbrellas hold an infant seat, but there are a few. I'll know more about how it worked when we get home in January.

[sherryf]

We cruised with my kids when my daughter was 2. She was tiny like your daughter. (She finally hit 20 lb at 2 years!) She hated her car seat and strollers. I took a sling and just carried her everywhere. Of course, we were in Alaska, so I didn't have to worry about it being too hot. There were definitely times (in shops, walking on trails, etc.) where a stroller would have been impractical.

 

Just another option that worked well for me!

 

On her second cruise, she was 12 and I made her walk. ;)

[B_Mc]

Depends on your cabin size, IMO! Storage can be at a premium... Have you thought about baby wearing? A carrier might be a better idea.

[Kerry's Girls]

I'm all about bringing whatever stroller will be most comfortable for your child, as long as it's regular width (not a jogging stroller or double side-by-side). I brought a Graco Duoglider on many cruises with no problem, and it was great to have a place where my girls could nap or ride comfortably so we could keep going. It does mean waiting for an elevator any time you're out with it, but I'm never in a rush on a cruise, so that didn't bother me. I want a stroller that will recline, has a good sun cover, sturdy enough to handle uneven terrain in port, etc. I do understand the appeal of an umbrella stroller, but a full size always worked well for me.

 

Best,

Mia

[dijid]

I know lots of people really like the little umbrella strollers, but they never worked well for me. I did a lot of travel when my kids are little and there are three brands/types that I would recommend if you are going to do lots of traveling. There are some strollers by Combi that are incredibly lightweight and easy to fold (and store). They are also very narrow and easy to maneuver in smaller shops, etc. This is what we took on a cruise. Another option are the Maclaren Buggy strollers, which are much more deluxe umbrella strollers. Moving slightly up in size and weight, would be the Peg Perego Pliko strollers, which have the step on the back that allows an older sibling to "hop on" when they're tired. That was my stroller of choice after 2 kids. I have to admit I never liked the strollers that held the infant seat - they were just too bulky/heavy and harder to handle than the other strollers I mentioned.

 

But really, you don't have to spend a lot of money on a stroller just for a cruise. If you do want a different stroller, you can always look for a used one (worke well for me this way).

 

And like others have said, carrying your daughter could work, too. I loved carrying my babies in a sling, even up to a year old or more. You can get them in fabrics that protect from the sun, and even ones that can be worn in a pool (not that you'd take a 1yo in a pool on a cruise ship, though). I did a week at Disneyworld when my kids were 9 months, 2 and 4 with a single stroller (shared between 2 and 4yo) and my youngest in the sling. Worked out great.

[cruisergirl79]

We took our Peg perego P3 stroller for our then 2 yr old. It's a perfect size, folds like an umbrella stroller and also reclines flat for added comfort. It also has an attachment for a car seat (if need be).

It didn't take up much room in our cabin, we had a standard balcony cabin on the Serenade of the Seas.

I loved it for all the excursions and even around the ship when he got tired.

[cruisenguy2]

We were planning on bringing our peg perago uno- its a full size stroller.

Is this a bad idea? I was planning on bringing a tarp and some bungees ans keeping it on the balcony to save space in the room.

[matt0148]

Having taken my 18 month old on a few cruises now I would say the smaller the better - it will be easier at the airport (if you are flying), will take up less space in the room and it will be easier to navigate down hallways which can often be partially blocked with the room attendant carts. Also much easier to navigate crowded buffets and dining rooms with a smaller stroller.

 

We have been using a Maclaren we bought on Craigslist for the past year and it has handled the wear and tear very well.

[Muumuu]

We have a jogging stroller that we love. However, we needed something smaller for our cruises. Looked a couple of months and read on these boards. We bought a Chicco Lightway which we also love. Reclines flat with adequate shade and storage. Folds very thin. Fits under bed or in closet.

[CarnivalGirl3]

We bought an umbrella stroller for the cruise. We used to for boarding and port days only. We didn't keep her out during nap time/after bedtime-we/I went back to the room.

 

There were many strollers, full size and others, that people used. I'd see the line of them outside the dining room. Personally, we expected dd, 14 months, to walk on the ship (holding her our hand). I wasn't about to carry her around the whole time or use a stroller around the ship.

 

We did carry her in the dining rooms.

 

Next cruise she'll be a year older, depending on her size, we don't bring a stroller.

 

I'd get whatever will be be best for you, keeping in mind size and the fact that in the morning/evenings the hallways often have the cleaning carts blocking half the width.

[mrssmith0]

We have an iCoo Pluto, which we bought with our January cruise with our 7 month old in mind. The draw back was no cup holder so I bought a cup holder that clamps onto the handle and holds 2 cups from Walmart.

 

I love the iCoo Pluto-- folds down really small like an umbrella stroller, has a decent size basket, reclines almost flat for sleeping and it has heavy duty wheels so it can go through sand or other terrain quite easily. We bought ours direct from the Canadian supplier for $100 so not a bad price tag either :)

[Angela61280]

We travelled with a 10 month old (now almost 2) and brought the full size. They make a door hanger for the stroller (put it on the bathroom door or closet). Get the steward to get rid of the coffee table and you'll have plenty of room.

 

http://www.amazon.com/StrollAway-Stroller-Storage-Hanger-Chrome/dp/B001GPBJP8

The stroller door hangar.

 

Have fun!!

[calikak]

I am in love with my Maclaren Volo. If it were a person, I would leave my husband for it. :D It is now 5 years old and has survived being gate checked 8 times with zero damage. It worked great over the uneven terrain in Mexico on several walking tours. It weighs practically nothing, so you can fold it up and toss it over your shoulder as you hop on and off buses. And, it looks pretty cool. Honestly, best child-related purchase I have ever made. We now have two kids and we use our Joovy sit and stand one a lot now, and every time we do I think how much more awesome the Volo is and how I wish it could hold two kids. I am really looking forward to the day when my oldest is too cool for a stroller so I can go back to using the Volo exclusively. LOL!

[bearette]

I have twins and we just finished taking our first cruise. They were just under 9 months old. We bought single strollers just for this trip and I agree the smaller the better. The cheap umbrella strollers were too cheap for me, but they would work well. We bought two truly scrumptious strollers from babies r us. We love them since they have a shade that covers them entirely with a peek a boo cover on top so you can peak at them and not remove the shade.

 

Everyone has a stroller they like but I just recommend a small stroller with the features you prefer. The cabins are narrow and small. We put ours under the bed to give us more room in the cabin too. With a crib in the room space is at a premium.

[Chicky2181]

http://www.amazon.com/Chicco-05060886970070-Liteway-Stroller-Fuego/dp/B001ODAHF0

 

We bought the Chicco Liteway just for our last cruise. We use the UppaBaby Vista and it is just way to big and heavy. The Liteway was great and now that our daughter is older it has become our favorite stroller. It's super light and sturdy, but still provides lots of support that many of the cheaper umbrella strollers do not.

 

My daughter was 7 months old during our cruise and she was not a good sleeper. But after a nice long walk in the stroller she would fall asleep. I guess she thought it was comfy.

 

Good luck!

 

Btw.....we actually went to Buy Buy Baby and tried out a few dozen strollers before making this purchase. We found they have the best selection of baby products.

[NanciRDH]

I'll second the Maclaren, we have the Quest which reclines a bit, not totally flat, but enough for my DD to nap well. It's been on countless WDW trips, cruises and flights, and other than a little fading on the canopy it's in great shape. It saw 5+ years of use! It is an umbrella style stroller, but it's tall enough that my DH didn't mind pushing it. I also had the bag that hooked to the handles that provided extra storage and 2 drink holders. It's rated to 55 lbs, so you'll get many years of use out of your investment...it became my DD's stroller of choice if she was given one.

[Athankfulheart]

We have used a Combi Savvi (very light and reclines with basket) and a Perego Pliko (bulkier) but our all time fav is this one http://www.lillygold.com/ which was so versatile and useful. My son was 18months when we used it on a hawaii cruise. It went from plane to van to restaurant to cruising with great ease.

[uscgwife]

I have not cruised with our stroller yet but I have a maclaren triumph. It has a 5 point harness and folds very small. I would also suggest the ergo baby carrier. My son is huge almost 30 pounds at 2. I use the ergo to carry him on my back. It is the best carrier I have ever had. You can use it to front carry or to back carry. My son loves it and it is so much easier sometimes to just have him strapped to me.

[arom729]

We also have a Chicco Liteway and that is what I was planning to bring on our first cruise as parents next month with our 20 month old. It folds small, has a small footprint, and fully reclines--that way if we don't make it to the room for a nap/bedtime, we can at least attempt to get her asleep on the way.

 

Also, we took this stroller to Disney when she was 9m old and it worked out great. We also bought a sunshade and rain cover. Both came in very handy (the weather was cold and rainy) and blocked out the noise/light/stimuli so that she napped on the go so much easier. So I highly recommend getting those. I either ordered from Amazon or picked up at Babies R Us.

 

If you really want the infant seat, the snap-n-go strollers are the way to go!

[lizziehope]

My sweet niece will be joining us for our cruise, and she will be 11 months. We will have her stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini...she has used it since she was an infant, it folds very easily, stores a fair amount, is good on rougher terrain, and is pretty compact. No need to have a carrier seat, and the 'visor' does a great job of sun protecting!

[trtllovr]

I just purchased the graco IPO, its an umbrella stroller but has good padding in the seat and has an excellent recline. It also has a decent canopy, one handed stearing (good wheel manueverability) and a basket underneath that's actually accessible. I got it from buy buy baby/ bed bath and beyond and with my 20% coupon I got it for $77 which I think is a great price for a reclining umbrella stroller. My 15-month okd daughter already fell asleep in it so I think it will be perfect for napping on our excursions. Going on the cruise next week and I'll report back if it doesn't work as well as expected.

[adidas66502]

We used and loved our The First Years Ignite Stroller. Its economical, reclines enough to make sleeping comfy and most of all, our DD loved it. When she knew it was time to leave our room, she would climb in it and buckle herself in. She also insisted on it staying with her in the nursery the few times we left her there. :)

[milton333]

I will agree with Ergo, but also an umbrella stroller with slightly more features. We had a Cybex, really liked that it could recline. Normally I'm not a huge stroller user, but we did get DS to fall asleep in it, then we could sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or walk around. And crewmembers recognized him and his stroller, and would stop to peer in at him, it was sweet.