Those that have recently sailed with an infant

[packyourpixiedust]

Hi there. We are cruising early next year (2014) with our son who will be 7.5 months in a Solstice class ship. For those that have sailed with an infant or young toddler, did you have any problems with the formula and baby food that you requested? Did they still have the toddler time program? Were you able to get toys for your cabin? I am just looking for information from people who have recently cruised with a small child/infant. Thanks

[and for those haters for kids on board, we are booked and paid, the baby will be with us! We have traveled with him already and it went well...]

[herbanrenewal]

Did you know there is a special thread for Family Cruising?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

 

If you don't get much feedback here you may try posting there.it seems when I am asked a question by my younger relatives I can usually find the answer there.consensus from my nieces and nephews who have cruised with their kids is that under 18 months is considerably easier than with a toddler!

 

Have a great cruise, and don't forget to sign up your baby with his own captains club membership... My 6 year old twin grandnephews are well on their way to select...my nephew is looking to have them elite by the time they can cruise by themselves. Discounted laundry is more useful than the Happy Hour!

Edited December 11, 2013 by herbanrenewal

[Redtravel]

Sailed with an 8 month old. Brought powdered enfamil and baby food. Also brought diapers. Stroller was a must. Enjoy!

[Niclia]

We sailed on Infinity (not Solstice) with a 7 month old in July and they were doing the toddler time sessions and we were able to sign out a bag of baby toys to take to our stateroom. Sorry, can't help with formula or food requests but our waiter and maitre d' were very helpful getting pureed food for us in the MDR.

 

The crew were amazing with our little girl and we had an amazing time. Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Joel&Hall]

We travelled on Eclipse with our 20 month old, cant help with the formula sorry but staff were very helpful, they did have several hours of play time that you could take young children to for toddler time, however on the ship we were on they would only let one parent in at a time with the child which wasn't ideal as we wanted family time. No one ever mentioned that we could take toys back to our room but we didn't ask either. Go up onto the grass area on the top of the boat, our daughter loved running around up there and we could sit and enjoy a drink while watching her. Have a great cruise!

[candycaramel]

The cruisin Moms on the family board thread recommend bringing EVERYTHING with you from home that your baby will need. That includes formula, baby food, baby snacks, lots of diapers, clothing, toys, stroller as well as a blow up baby pool for the baby to splash in. It's probably a big hassle and a lot of extra luggage if you are flying but babies do need a lot of stuff.

 

I think the link is under special interest cruises.

[candycaramel]

The cruisin Moms on the family board thread recommend bringing EVERYTHING with you from home that your baby will need. That includes formula, baby food, baby snacks, lots of diapers, clothing, toys, stroller as well as a blow up baby pool for the baby to splash in. It's a big hassle and a lot of extra luggage if you are flying but babies do need a lot of stuff.

 

I think the link is under special interest cruises.

[kitty9]

Do NOT, I repeat, do not rely on the cruise line to have the things you need. When my cousins sailed with my Goddaughter, they put in an order to have the formula and everything else in their cabin. They followed up with guest services before the cruise and were assured everything was set. When they arrived, nothing was there. No explanation, just nothing. So, bring everything you need in a suitcase.

 

The only real negative is that there will be no child care available for your baby because they have an age minimum of 12 months.

[packyourpixiedust]

I forgot about the grass- yay. I'm excited to have him sit in grass. He hasn't yet!!

 

We already have a pool for him that we are bringing.

 

And we don't need a sitter because we are traveling with lots of family and friends :)

 

(And sadly I read that you have to be over 18 to be eligible for the captains club or he would be elite before 18. We cruise a lot and stay in decent cabins.)

[Essiesmom]

Yes, bring everything you think you will need. But don't panic if you are running low on diapers. Most of the Caribbean is not third world, babies do wear diapers there, maybe not the brand you prefer, and you might need to know the weight of your baby in kg, but stuff is available. EM

[luvs2fly]

I'm not sure what airline you are traveling on, or how your getting to port. All airlines except sprit allow you a dipper bag for your child that does not count towards your carry on.

You will find that most people are very excepting of children, ignore the rest!!! Any and all baby items that are food or medicinal can go through security and are not subject to regular oz limits! Just put them in a separate bin. Bring any and all food you may need for your child! Always mix all formula with bottled water.

My youngest is now six. Her first cruise was on Disney when she was 10 months. Don't stress enjoy yourself and family. I'm not sure how the shared toys are sanitized, just remember there are a lot of illnesses that can be transmitted orally.

[packyourpixiedust]

These answers did inspire me to pack everything I need until out first port of San Juan. If They don't provide the formula and food they indicated they would, I can just buy it at port.

 

But I still would like to know if anyone has recently (within the last year) cruised with X and if you had problems with your food choices.

[rachel_95762]

Cruised Alaska in May with my then 8 month old granddaughter. From the moment we stepped on board, it seemed that all of the crew members knew her name and many would come by and visit with her. It was almost like a competition to see who she would smile at more.

 

A chef stopped by our table at our first lunch in the buffet and another at our table at dinner and said whatever we desired for the baby would be a pleasure for them to make. The waiter asked us each evening also and the food was brought out very quickly.

 

We brought diapers and dried formula with us. We knew we could find whatever we needed in port if necessary. We used the drinks package to supply the bottled water to reconstitute the formula.

 

Never made it to the play time and also never needed the babysitting because extended family was always available to give the parents a break.

 

I thought it was a wonderful vacation with an infant. We are planning another cruise in October when she will be 27 months old. Hope it is just as fun.

[NYteacher]

Your child will not receive benefits until age 18, but they can accrue points as a youth. When they turn 18, they then are eligible to receive the benefits of whatever level they have become as your third, fourth, etc passenger.

[packyourpixiedust]

Anyone else, but the one previous poster, have any experience with Celebrity providing formula and food for the baby?

[packyourpixiedust]

I'm bumping this. Anyone else have experiences?

[packyourpixiedust]

Anyone??

[packyourpixiedust]

I'm going to give this another shot...

[d-train]

We cruised with our 15 month boy this past July. We had had a great time!

 

Plan on bringing everything you need. We brought an unopened large box of diapers. Carry it on, as well as anything you can't do without. It made boarding rough with carrying so much, but they will help if you ask...

 

We did the request for formula, baby food, and cereal. I advise you go directly to guest services to check on the request once you board. We we fortunate our room was ready a bit early, not only to drop our carry ons off, but to see that our formula, etc, was not there.... Went to guest services, they took a while to find our request form, but they did eventually find it. Then they had trouble locating where it all was, or who was responsible for fulfilling the request. Since we came prepared, we were not too worried, but since it was included in the fare...you know.... Turned out our waiter took the liberty to grab it all and then have it prepared to serve at dinner. Nice! But I am sure you are asking yourself, what about the rest of the day....as we did. Since our waiter did not have children, he did not think about that part, thinking he was doing the right thing... Once Guest Services found the formula, etc, it was promptly delivered to our room just before the ship sailed.

 

Moral of the story...be sure to keep copies of your request, and double check with guest services right away...and always be prepared with what you will need.

 

Ad as always, have fun! Your schedule and your baby's schedule will be off the usual, but isn't that how all vacations go?!;)

 

A

[packyourpixiedust]

Rebumping in case anyone was on during the recent holidays

Edited January 9, 2014 by LovesVaca

[atlgators]

These answers did inspire me to pack everything I need until out first port of San Juan. If They don't provide the formula and food they indicated they would, I can just buy it at port.

 

But I still would like to know if anyone has recently (within the last year) cruised with X and if you had problems with your food choices.

 

 

Good luck with your baby. Just a heads up, if you have to purchase anything in San Juan, be aware that it will be much more expensive than state-side. We lived there for several years, so have first hand knowledge of the high cost of living.

 

Have a great trip, and again, good luck with having everything you need and requested for your baby. :)

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I traveled with my son at age 7.5 months and I brought individual packages of Enfamil powder, bottles, a bottle brush, and dish soap. My son was eating solids by 7.5 months and I would mash things up for him to eat and oatmeal and other soft foods are available. I didn't bring any baby food. It depends on your child's development. Most babies are teething at 6-8 months of age and enjoy knawing on things. It helps sooth their gums.

 

Here's some helpful info:Seventh Month Baby Milestones: Teething

 

Between your baby’s fifth and seventh month, you should see those first tiny tooth buds emerge from the gums. You’ll know your baby is teething because he’ll drool more and will probably be fussier than usual. To soothe gum discomfort, give your baby a cold washcloth or teething toy to chew on. Once the first few teeth have popped up, brush them daily with a soft baby toothbrush and water or a toddler toothpaste that is fluoride free. Hold off on the toothpaste with fluoride until your child is old enough to know not to swallow it, which will be around age 2.

 

You’ll probably see the bottom middle two teeth pop up first, followed by the two top middle teeth. The bottom and top two side teeth should fill in over the next three or four months. Don’t be alarmed if your baby is 7 months old and doesn’t have any teeth yet. Teething patterns can vary widely from child to child. A few babies are born with teeth, while other babies don’t start teething until they are over a year old.

 

Seventh Month Baby Milestones: Eating

 

Your 7-month-old should have already started to eat solid foods. Now you can probably introduce chunkier foods -- mashed fruits and vegetables instead of pureed. Adding these thicker foods will help your baby adjust to new textures and learn how to chew. Anytime you introduce a new food, wait a few days before trying anything else and watch for signs of an allergy such as diarrhea, vomiting, rash, or wheezing.

Edited January 9, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[cruzinlisa]

Did you know there is a special thread for Family Cruising?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

 

If you don't get much feedback here you may try posting there.it seems when I am asked a question by my younger relatives I can usually find the answer there.consensus from my nieces and nephews who have cruised with their kids is that under 18 months is considerably easier than with a toddler!

 

Have a great cruise, and don't forget to sign up your baby with his own captains club membership... My 6 year old twin grandnephews are well on their way to select...my nephew is looking to have them elite by the time they can cruise by themselves. Discounted laundry is more useful than the Happy Hour!

 

I can attest to this one. We took our DD on a family vacation when she was six months old, to Florida. We flew. The trip was a breeze. We took her on two cruises, 14 months and 2 years old and it was a very different experience. We decided that this cruise was for DH and I alone and that we would wait until our daughter is older to take her on another trip. But it may be just my DD's temperament. Boy that last cruise was something else. :eek:.

[cruisebunny32]

I haven't cruised with a baby in a while as mine is now 8, but I did set up with guest services to have the formula in the room. I figured out how much she would need and then added an extra day or 2 just in case. It was plenty. It was there in the room waiting for me when we arrived.

 

I brought some jars of baby food with me, but the waiter will bring the pureed fruit and veggie of the day and also mashed potatoes. My kids always ate well. You are paying for them, so may as well make the best of it. You can mash just about any soft food with milk/formula. Bananas and pancakes for breakfast from the buffet. You just have to be creative.

 

I did bring a bottle brush and some dish detergent to wash the bottles every day. I also brought my own sheet and blanket for the pack and play. that way there are no allergies. I brought plenty of diapers and the extras space in the suitcase was good for souveniors. You can buy diapers at most of the ports if you run out.

 

They did have a chest of toys you could sign out from the kids club. And some toddler time which was nice. Since they can get out of the stroller and move around. A stroller is a must. They do make small ones that recline.

 

The staff just love babies. Many times they have their own kids at home and miss them, so they spoil ours. Once when my son was little, he started fussing and I had to give him a bottle just as my dinner came. I let it sit while i fed him. My waiter came over, cut my meat and FED me!!! I was amazed. He also bought my son a toy. and a big icecream sundae!!!

 

Enjoy the cruise and have fun. The challenging year is when they are walking til they are 2 when you don't get to sit down much. So enjoy this one!!!!