What is your best advice for cruising with babies?

[boulders]

Looking at videos of the Epic's minisuites, I don't see how one portacrib would fit, never mind more.

[lrowe70]

Totally disagree withe the poster who says to cancel your trip! What are you supposed to do? Sit at home until your kids turn 18 and move out? :rolleyes:

It will be fun, what a wonderful family experience.

 

Though we haven't traveled with 3 we have gone with babies and toddlers, it was great. Not the same as travelling without, but great nonetheless.

The one and only thing we found difficult was getting through dinners in the main dining room. We ended up taking turns, some of us would eat in the main dining room, while the others would go to the buffet with our child. If that ship has any time dining, you could go at different times a few nights so that everyone gets a chance to have a full (uninterrupted) meal.

 

Some suggestions(some have been mentioned):

-box up diapers, wipes, baby foods, etc...

-I second the idea to get cheap umbrella strollers in France, since you have help can you do with 3 strollers?

- I haven't been on that ship, but many have a couch that can be turned facing the wall for a young child to sleep. If that doesn't work a lot of people will put pillows on the floor or do the pool-noodle trick. This way you aren't stepping over 3 cribs which probably won't even fit.

 

Have a great time, let us know how it goes!

[flhokie]

Another thing that helped was disposable or inexpensive (so, no worries about losing it) toddler utensils. There are also disposable sippy cups that work well. While they say disposable, these items could be washed and re-used throughout your trip.

 

Just go with the flow and enjoy. We had a great time with DD and would not hesitate to travel with her again.

[IttaBit]

We travel with our kids a lot...can't imagine not taking them on vacation, but that's us. It's been awhile since we've been on a cruise, but I think this applies. In addition to putting supplies in a box and slapping a room tag on it, since we fly in the day before we leave, we wait to buy supplies like diapers, wipes, snacks, etc. until we get there. It saves us from carrying a suitcase just for supplies. I've also packed a box and shipped it to the hotel we're staying at but timing can be tricky.

[KJENN]

We just found this crib and are ordering it both for a flight trip we have soon and for our cruise. Might be a good option since you need to travel around with it.

 

http://www.guavafamily.com/products/lotus-everywhere-travel-crib

[higgib]

Hi, I respect your decision to go on a cruise with 3 very young children, and truly hope that you and your family have a great holiday. At the risk of getting 'flamed', though, may I respectfully say that whilst you have made the choice to do this, other people on the ship may not necessarily agree with you.

 

Speaking from experience, it is not great to be in the cabin next door to a crying child, (I know you said there will be grandparents on one side), or at a nearby table in the dining room! If your kids are restless, bored, noisy or upset, please be prepared to take them somewhere where they will not disturb others.

 

Also, again from experience, please make sure you don't let them get in the way of staff or passengers in crowded areas, particularly where there is hot food or drinks. (I once tripped over a toddler running around a buffet whilst I was carrying a tray, so didn't see him!) Luckily, other than the resulting mess, no harm was done, and I managed not to damage either of us!

 

Other than that, I wish you well, and hope you all have a great time!:)

[reallyitsmema]

Hi, I respect your decision to go on a cruise with 3 very young children, and truly hope that you and your family have a great holiday. At the risk of getting 'flamed', though, may I respectfully say that whilst you have made the choice to do this, other people on the ship may not necessarily agree with you.

 

Speaking from experience, it is not great to be in the cabin next door to a crying child, (I know you said there will be grandparents on one side), or at a nearby table in the dining room! If your kids are restless, bored, noisy or upset, please be prepared to take them somewhere where they will not disturb others.

 

Also, again from experience, please make sure you don't let them get in the way of staff or passengers in crowded areas, particularly where there is hot food or drinks. (I once tripped over a toddler running around a buffet whilst I was carrying a tray, so didn't see him!) Luckily, other than the resulting mess, no harm was done, and I managed not to damage either of us!

 

Other than that, I wish you well, and hope you all have a great time!:)

The same thing can be said about teens, tweens and just about every other age group on a cruise ship.

 

Patience goes a long way.

 

To the OP, cruising with your young children is a great choice. The sleeping arrangements are the only thing that I would be concerned about because trying to fit 3 cribs or PNP in that size cabin might not be possible. Having any extra furniture removed (coffee table, night stands) should help or even having one child sleep in the grandparents cabin.

 

I hope you get it all worked out and have a wonderful cruise.

[OzCanuck]

Hi, I respect your decision to go on a cruise with 3 very young children, and truly hope that you and your family have a great holiday. At the risk of getting 'flamed', though, may I respectfully say that whilst you have made the choice to do this, other people on the ship may not necessarily agree with you.

 

Speaking from experience, it is not great to be in the cabin next door to a crying child, (I know you said there will be grandparents on one side), or at a nearby table in the dining room! If your kids are restless, bored, noisy or upset, please be prepared to take them somewhere where they will not disturb others.

 

Also, again from experience, please make sure you don't let them get in the way of staff or passengers in crowded areas, particularly where there is hot food or drinks. (I once tripped over a toddler running around a buffet whilst I was carrying a tray, so didn't see him!) Luckily, other than the resulting mess, no harm was done, and I managed not to damage either of us!

 

Other than that, I wish you well, and hope you all have a great time!:)

 

I don't even know where to start with this. The only way you can guarantee that you are not next to a crying child in a cabin, in a hallway, or in a restaurant - is to take a cruise line that does not allow kids. There are a few of them, check them out. Other than that, thanks for your really great parenting advice. We should make it a sticky so everyone can marvel at the wisdom!

[jpage07]

We just found this crib and are ordering it both for a flight trip we have soon and for our cruise. Might be a good option since you need to travel around with it.

 

http://www.guavafamily.com/products/lotus-everywhere-travel-crib

 

thanks! The Phil and Ted's crib is just like this. We have used it a couple times for travelling and love how easy it is to carry. I think you will be really happy with it.

[tkportersat]

I honestly don't think this is out of line at all, and I don't think the individual was implying they didn't like children. I mean really, we have all been out when a kid is crazy and the parent is not paying any attention to them...correct? The last bank I worked at I can't tell you how many folks came in with toddlers and just let them run like banshees while they did their banking business.

 

I am very considerate of others and will always remove my child if they are out of line as I do not wish to disrupt anyone. My husband and I really don't take our 3 year old out to dinner at the moment because he still doesn't do that great sitting for long periods of time. It really isn't fair to ruin someone's experience just because I insist on being somewhere.

 

 

I don't even know where to start with this. The only way you can guarantee that you are not next to a crying child in a cabin, in a hallway, or in a restaurant - is to take a cruise line that does not allow kids. There are a few of them, check them out. Other than that, thanks for your really great parenting advice. We should make it a sticky so everyone can marvel at the wisdom!

[lrowe70]

I honestly don't think this is out of line at all, and I don't think the individual was implying they didn't like children. I mean really, we have all been out when a kid is crazy and the parent is not paying any attention to them...correct? The last bank I worked at I can't tell you how many folks came in with toddlers and just let them run like banshees while they did their banking business.

 

I am very considerate of others and will always remove my child if they are out of line as I do not wish to disrupt anyone. My husband and I really don't take our 3 year old out to dinner at the moment because he still doesn't do that great sitting for long periods of time. It really isn't fair to ruin someone's experience just because I insist on being somewhere.

 

Disagree, that posters comment was out of line.

This is the family board; for parents to get help from other parents. Not a board for random people to tell us how to raise our kids. While they may have meant well and have had a bad vacation due to children, the same can be said for big drinkers, rude people, dirty people, elderly, disabled... Your vacation is what you make of it. If you can't handle certain members of society then you should go live in a cave away from everyone.

 

We all have our likes and dislikes and it's unfair for someone to chastise someone because what they are doing isn't to their liking.

I personally would much rather be in a room next to a crying baby than a newlywed couple "enjoying themselves" or a smoker. However I'm not going to another board to write a list of rules for all the newlyweds and smokers who potentially may be on the cruise with me. :rolleyes:

"Hey newlyweds! Please refrain from adult activity between 10pm and 8am, and if you're going to cry out, please cover your face with a pillow first." /sarcasm

[tkportersat]

We will have to agree to disagree on this one, I didn't think there anything wrong with the post. Some folks could use the reminder. I for one, will do the best to be considerate of others when it comes to my son.

 

PS- My parents are smokers and I will happily be in the balcony cabin next to them on our next cruise. They too realize that everyone doesn't like their habit (me included) and are very considerate when others are around.

 

Disagree, that posters comment was out of line.

This is the family board; for parents to get help from other parents. Not a board for random people to tell us how to raise our kids. While they may have meant well and have had a bad vacation due to children, the same can be said for big drinkers, rude people, dirty people, elderly, disabled... Your vacation is what you make of it. If you can't handle certain members of society then you should go live in a cave away from everyone.

 

We all have our likes and dislikes and it's unfair for someone to chastise someone because what they are doing isn't to their liking.

I personally would much rather be in a room next to a crying baby than a newlywed couple "enjoying themselves" or a smoker. However I'm not going to another board to write a list of rules for all the newlyweds and smokers who potentially may be on the cruise with me. :rolleyes:

"Hey newlyweds! Please refrain from adult activity between 10pm and 8am, and if you're going to cry out, please cover your face with a pillow first." /sarcasm

[blitznbobs]

Hi, I respect your decision to go on a cruise with 3 very young children, and truly hope that you and your family have a great holiday. At the risk of getting 'flamed', though, may I respectfully say that whilst you have made the choice to do this, other people on the ship may not necessarily agree with you.

 

Speaking from experience, it is not great to be in the cabin next door to a crying child, (I know you said there will be grandparents on one side), or at a nearby table in the dining room! If your kids are restless, bored, noisy or upset, please be prepared to take them somewhere where they will not disturb others.

 

Also, again from experience, please make sure you don't let them get in the way of staff or passengers in crowded areas, particularly where there is hot food or drinks. (I once tripped over a toddler running around a buffet whilst I was carrying a tray, so didn't see him!) Luckily, other than the resulting mess, no harm was done, and I managed not to damage either of us!

 

Other than that, I wish you well, and hope you all have a great time!:)

 

I advise avoiding the child haters... But as a cruise ship is a public area it's open to all that can pay.

 

Interestingly there are adult only ships but no 'family only ships... Just a thought

[Nessie07]

I have a question about how a few people said to box up supplies like diapers. Are you just taking a cardboard box and then checking it on the plane? I have a two week cruise and will need to bring a lot of diapers and wipes. Thanks for your help!

 

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[Mom2B&Z]

I have a question about how a few people said to box up supplies like diapers. Are you just taking a cardboard box and then checking it on the plane? I have a two week cruise and will need to bring a lot of diapers and wipes. Thanks for your help!

 

Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using Forums mobile app

 

If we are travelling by plane, I bring what need to get to the port, then buy what I need before boarding the ship. That way we minimize baggage brought on the plane, but also minimize the cost of supplies needed on board ship. If you are sailing from a US port it is much easier, but if you're sailing from Europe it's a bit harder and you'll need to do some research on the ports of call forums.

[CI66774]

Hi, I respect your decision to go on a cruise with 3 very young children, and truly hope that you and your family have a great holiday. At the risk of getting 'flamed', though, may I respectfully say that whilst you have made the choice to do this, other people on the ship may not necessarily agree with you.

 

Speaking from experience, it is not great to be in the cabin next door to a crying child, (I know you said there will be grandparents on one side), or at a nearby table in the dining room! If your kids are restless, bored, noisy or upset, please be prepared to take them somewhere where they will not disturb others.

 

Also, again from experience, please make sure you don't let them get in the way of staff or passengers in crowded areas, particularly where there is hot food or drinks. (I once tripped over a toddler running around a buffet whilst I was carrying a tray, so didn't see him!) Luckily, other than the resulting mess, no harm was done, and I managed not to damage either of us!

 

Other than that, I wish you well, and hope you all have a great time!:)

 

I think it was inappropriate for this poster to "lecture" and/or "remind" the OP as to how she and her children are to act. No one asked you for your unwanted "advice." OP - go have a great time and don't pay attention to people who think they can tell you what to do.

[Nessie07]

We will be flying in the day of the cruise so no time to make a shopping trip. I was just thinking this would be a way to only pay for an extra bag one way and not have to take an extra suitcase that would come home mostly empty. So many things to think about and figure out when you are traveling with kids for the first time!

 

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[ebradley23]

I have a question about how a few people said to box up supplies like diapers. Are you just taking a cardboard box and then checking it on the plane? I have a two week cruise and will need to bring a lot of diapers and wipes. Thanks for your help!

 

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Yes, you just pack it in a cardboard box. Make sure you use strapping tape (with the fibers) to seal the box. I would even wrap it around the sides to give it some extra protection. I've check boxes on a few trips. I've even check a box carrying live crawfish, and they were fine. If you can find a box with handles, it will help the baggage handlers.

 

 

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[OzCanuck]

I think it was inappropriate for this poster to "lecture" and/or "remind" the OP as to how she and her children are to act. No one asked you for your unwanted "advice." OP - go have a great time and don't pay attention to people who think they can tell you what to do.

 

Exactly.

 

Any time someone starts out a post with "I respect......." it usually means they don't, and they're going to tell you why. And - ending a post with a smiley just enforces the patronization.

 

But - like most trolls, we'll probably never see them again on this thread so, back to our regular programming!

 

By the way, we usually take three bags - and split the baby stuff equally amongst them in case one goes missing. We try take everything rather than spend time at the port or port stops trying to find something. I can definitely see the benefits of buying stuff on the go in North America, but in Europe or elsewhere it would just be too much work.

[Nessie07]

Yes, you just pack it in a cardboard box. Make sure you use strapping tape (with the fibers) to seal the box. I would even wrap it around the sides to give it some extra protection. I've check boxes on a few trips. I've even check a box carrying live crawfish, and they were fine. If you can find a box with handles, it will help the baggage handlers.

 

 

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Might have to give this a try this trip. Thanks!

 

 

 

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[jpage07]

OP here- Thanks so much for all of the great advice. I really appreciate it! Please continue to post ideas here as I will continue to check it.

 

If you were flying into a European destination, would you buy diapers there? I am hesitant because there is a cost difference and I am not 100% sure I would find the diapers that my kids are used to. I'd hate to have to do trial and error there on diaper sizing/skin issues, etc. On the other hand, packing for 3 kids and 17 days means 350 diapers. Sounds like a major PITA. But, maybe I just pay extra for one bag and bring all my supplies, then not have to pay the extra for the bag on the way home. (sorry, just trying to air out my thoughts here.)

[OzCanuck]

We did a 12 day cruise on the NCL Jade out of Rome, flying from Toronto. We took one 'brick' of diapers which I think is 88 (size 5's), and then we each stuffed extras around the remaining sides of our luggage. They do have decent laundry deals on the Jade so we could lighten up a bit on the clothing.

 

It wasn't the ideal situation, but it definitely worked out ok.

 

Traveling with 3, well, you've got yourself a whole different ballgame. I would enlist extra luggage space in your family's bags to get enough across the pond. Rather innocently one might think that diapers are fairly standard around the world and that may be true to some extent, but sometimes you just want to make sure what you're using is going to work..

 

Just remembered you're going to be over there for a while before the cruise - you may have no choice but to buy locally.

[Kerry's Girls]

OP here- Thanks so much for all of the great advice. I really appreciate it! Please continue to post ideas here as I will continue to check it.

 

If you were flying into a European destination, would you buy diapers there? I am hesitant because there is a cost difference and I am not 100% sure I would find the diapers that my kids are used to. I'd hate to have to do trial and error there on diaper sizing/skin issues, etc. On the other hand, packing for 3 kids and 17 days means 350 diapers. Sounds like a major PITA. But, maybe I just pay extra for one bag and bring all my supplies, then not have to pay the extra for the bag on the way home. (sorry, just trying to air out my thoughts here.)

 

I brought my own and they all fit in the outer pockets of our suitcases, but I just had 2 toddlers for 10 days. Diapers in their shrinkwrapped packing don't take up too much room and at least they're light.

 

When we went to London, I looked up the major store near our flat on Google maps (it was a Tesco) and I was able to look online at what they had and the pricing. Maybe go to the trip advisor site and ask in the forums about diapers/stores near where you're staying and see what the offerings are. I agree though, if your kids have any sensitivity issues, may as well just bring them - it's amazing how many will fit in those outer suitcase pockets!

[Onessa]

OP here- Thanks so much for all of the great advice. I really appreciate it! Please continue to post ideas here as I will continue to check it.

 

If you were flying into a European destination, would you buy diapers there? I am hesitant because there is a cost difference and I am not 100% sure I would find the diapers that my kids are used to. I'd hate to have to do trial and error there on diaper sizing/skin issues, etc. On the other hand, packing for 3 kids and 17 days means 350 diapers. Sounds like a major PITA. But, maybe I just pay extra for one bag and bring all my supplies, then not have to pay the extra for the bag on the way home. (sorry, just trying to air out my thoughts here.)

The brands and the "models" will be different but needing that many will be a major pain to transport. But While there are large discount stores most large European cities, you will likely not be "close" to them -- finding a store where you can buy your supplies in this level of bulk, selecting appropriate products (just xlating pound to kilograms :) ) and getting them back to your hotel and/or the ship could be the better part of a day in some cases!

 

So bringing the bulk of it with you may be a better bet in your case. See if you can pick up a large inexpensive bag at second-hand store at home and use that for a one-way trip only.

 

As others indicated, you will want to divide up everything (clothes, sundries, "supplies") for everyone among all the bags and make good friends with the concierge on board to get tips as to where you can make stops while in port (we did a land only trip when DD was 4YO and were surprised by how difficult it was to find milk in Italy - most of the places we were at did not have "convenience" stores and generally had walk a bit to find the local grocery stores)

 

Ideally you will have a local address in your embarkation port and you could "ship" supplies well enough in advance that you could verify they got there prior to your trip. We did that once years ago, but were fortunate enough to have a relative living relatively local to where we were leaving from.

 

Hope you have a great trip

[ebradley23]

Based on the volume, I would recommend buying one if those big plastic tubs to transport the diapers and such. Use the strapping tape just like with a box. You can always leave it there to avoid paying the baggage fee home. We use the tub for flying our Christmas presents home. You can probably get a red Christmas one on clearance somewhere. Use a permanent marker to put your hotel or ship info on it.

 

 

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