Would you take your 7 month old on a cruise

[FLSteve11]

So which of your cruises was that? Curious, since most of the major cruise lines require infants to be at least 6 months old to be eligible to sail.

 

We took our daughter cruising when she was 3 months. Disney cruise lines only requires they be 3 months old to sail.

[FLSteve11]

 

We took our daughter cruising when she was 3 months. Disney cruise lines only requires they be 3 months old to sail.

 

That should be required, as they've changed that policy (this was 2004). 3 months old was easier then 3 years old really.

[Paul65]

That should be required, as they've changed that policy (this was 2004). 3 months old was easier then 3 years old really.

 

I suppose it varies with the kids' personalities. We didn't take our son at 3 months, but we did take him at 3 years (well, 3 1/2 years). The "hardest" part about that for us was that he loved Adventure Ocean so much that he didn't want to spend any time with us. He wanted to be at AO, if it was open.

[hayley76]

We cruised with my son when he was 6 months old and swore never again. It was a disaster, we were unable to fully enjoy ourselves the entire 7 days. He's 10 now and we are finally taking him this summer.

[cb at sea]

A cruise is just a vacation. Whether you want it to be a "family" vacation or not...that's up to you! Folks bring their little ones ALL THE TIME....and it's perfectly fine and safe to do so! Your choice!

 

The downside to bringing a baby is you have to bring ALL the baby stuff...the only thing supplied will be crib or P&P....diapers, medications, wipes, formula (if not breast-feeding), etc...is all up to YOU to supply!

 

The upside is the memories YOU will have!

[Robinhill]

Hi,

 

Me and my wife plan to take our daughter on a cruise this summer. She will be 7 months at the time we take the cruise.

 

I've gotten mixed reactions from friends and family. Do you guys think shes to young to go on a cruise? I'm not worried about the amount we have to pay for 3rd passenger. I'm more worried about safety and heath.

 

Thanks

Stan

 

i really dont think there is a health or safety reason not to and if you think you will have fun cruising with the little cutie then do it! Just keep in mind you will be limited as to what you can do since she is so little and unless you have someone going with you to help or in room babysitting will most likely not be able to go to the casino or the clubs or whatever at night with your wife. Also i guess your excursions would be limited in some ways but if your goal is a family cruise then go and enjoy. I know it is not the same but i always take my grandsons with me and they started cruising when they were just out of diapers at two and one half or so and we have built such wonderful memories. We have a ball. You might want to take one of those very mini blow up swimming pools that are 18 or 24 inch in diameter so that you can place it in the shower and fill it with water for her bath. you can also take this pool side and sit her in it if you are sitting at the pool in a lounge chair. of course they do not allow swim diapers in the regular pool but these little blow up ones may be all you need and you can dump it when you are finished in the outside shower drain.

[cruisnpat]

I also vote no because of many reasons already mentioned. Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

[missholly24]

I would be very careful in choosing both the ship and the itinerary. I'm surprised no one has mentioned the rules regarding the number of sea days. If there are more than 3 consecutive, then a child must be 12 months old on day of boarding. This is firm. Make very sure that you are comfortable with the facilities on board, look at the activities and consider what you'd be able to enjoy and what you might resent missing out on, and then make a decision that is comfortable for you. If baby can't swim, then you may not either, that type of thing.

There will be other passengers who frown upon you and there will be passengers and crew who make a lovely fuss of your daughter.

Do your research, and if the planning seems too stressful then I think you have your answer [emoji4]

 

Wow I did not know that about the 3 sea days in a row. I stick to the common Eastern/Western 7 day Caribbean itineraries so hasn't been brought up. Good to know though.

[Algebralovr]

My friend brought her son on a cruise that we both took when he was six months and one day old. It was great.

 

Someone else did all the cooking and cleaning and allowed her and her husband to focus on her baby.

 

They took many of their meals in the buffet rather than the MDR, skipped many of the shows, but had a great vacation. It wasn't the same cruise or vacation as other couples, but they had a good one.

 

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[CCruiser1234]

Hi,

 

 

 

Me and my wife plan to take our daughter on a cruise this summer. She will be 7 months at the time we take the cruise.

 

 

 

I've gotten mixed reactions from friends and family. Do you guys think shes to young to go on a cruise? I'm not worried about the amount we have to pay for 3rd passenger. I'm more worried about safety and heath.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Stan

 

 

 

It's an incredibly bad idea. Leave her with grandma or other trusted relative.

 

She will have no memory of the cruise- and any temptation to have pictures with your daughter on "her first cruise" will be outweighed by the time taken to care for her.

 

It will not have been a good cruising experience-it will have been babysitting albeit in an upscale environment.

[csnarpy]

It's not an incredibly bad idea, at all.

 

If you're comfortable in vacationing as a family, then there is no reason not to.

 

Its much better then taking them to an all inclusive somewhere, where it's always hot and temps are harder to control. My wife and I researched this as well. Cruises are temp controlled, have more activities, RC is sponsored by fisher price and Dreamworks. There are nurseries, play centres and kiddie pools. The food is better and has way more variety.

 

We found the staff hugely accommodating, going out of their way; providing fruit, toys, proper milk or juices to even making sure the crib/playpen was just right. Also, keeping to your own schedules, your naps, rest times and whatever's, are much easier.

 

Sure you have to bring more: diapers, stroller, car seat, formula, etc. But look at this way, your luggage is going to be half the weight coming back! As for the stroller, we always just hit up Walmart, at the port city and buy a $30 one and then donate it after the cruise.

 

Both of my kids have cruised since they were 9 & 14 months. Do they care that they don't remember it? Not in the least. They've been on 3 & 4 cruises since and have loved everyone.

 

As long as your fine with travelling with a little one you should be fine. My wife and I had travelled tons prior to having kids and basically said to ourselves that having kids won't change that.

 

If your fine with the cost, then do it. If there's 3 of you, the little one won't be paying full price anyways

Edited May 5, 2016 by csnarpy

[John&LaLa]

BTW, no Adventure Ocean at Coco Cay anymore. At least on Enchantment

[jletsgo]

No !

[rimmit]

 

We took our daughter cruising when she was 3 months. Disney cruise lines only requires they be 3 months old to sail.

That rule has since been revised. They now require a minimum 6 months as they stated it is more in line with other ckmpany policies. I believe they recised it at the beginning of 2015.

[ckzimmy]

I vote NO! A 7 month old's immune system does not handle infections as well as even a 2 year old's does. Something such as the flu/ Noro has a much greater risk the younger the person. A 7 month old will have not had as many vaccinations & therefore will be susceptible to more than a young child. While it is true you can be exposed to such things just by a trip to the grocery store - 7 days in relatively close contact with thousands of people from all over the world( no matter how many times you wash your hands) does increase the risk of transmission.

 

Also, I would not underestimate the teething situation at that age. It may be a breeze or it could be very uncomfortable for the baby. Add all the other things that can cause overstimulation to the child on the cruise & you may all end up quite miserable. Don't get me wrong - you will most likely go and have a wonderful, memorable vacation. However, there is also a pretty good chance you will end up wishing you had just stayed home.

[Paul65]

I'm kind of thinking the OP is not coming back. Might just be a wind-up thread, anyway, since her previous thread was about booking a cruise with an unborn child. That was mid-March, and she supposedly still had a month to go until her due date. Now the kid is going to be 7 months old by the time of a cruise "this summer."

[FLSteve11]

I vote NO! A 7 month old's immune system does not handle infections as well as even a 2 year old's does. Something such as the flu/ Noro has a much greater risk the younger the person. A 7 month old will have not had as many vaccinations & therefore will be susceptible to more than a young child. While it is true you can be exposed to such things just by a trip to the grocery store - 7 days in relatively close contact with thousands of people from all over the world( no matter how many times you wash your hands) does increase the risk of transmission.

 

 

I would say the risk of catching something on a ship is less likely then a trip to the local mall in a relatively decent sized city. You're in contact with a few thousand people on a ship who have been there in the past few days. Rather then the tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of people who have been at good sized malls in the past few days. Yet people do that with their kids all the time.

 

Can someone actually point to an article where a young infant has died from being on a cruise. I've never heard it. If so, it has to be a pretty rare thing (certainly rarer then it happens on the land)

[Paul65]

Can someone actually point to an article where a young infant has died from being on a cruise. I've never heard it. If so, it has to be a pretty rare thing (certainly rarer then it happens on the land)

 

Not sure about deaths. I know there was a highly publicized incident about a family being put off a Royal Caribbean cruise with their infant, because they (ship staff) felt the child needed medical attention beyond what the ship could provide. It was highly publicized, because of the stink and threats of lawsuits from the family who felt they were mistreated.

 

That was shortly before RC instituted the 6 month minimum age, so there was speculation that it was at least partly a response to that incident (though, I think the child involved was 7 mo old at the time).

Edited May 5, 2016 by Paul65

[Sunkissed Mommy]

Not sure about deaths. I know there was a highly publicized incident about a family being put off a Royal Caribbean cruise with their infant, because they (ship staff) felt the child needed medical attention beyond what the ship could provide. It was highly publicized, because of the stink and threats of lawsuits from the family who felt they were mistreated.

 

That was shortly before RC instituted the 6 month minimum age, so there was speculation that it was at least partly a response to that incident (though, I think the child involved was 7 mo old at the time).

 

 

That was a Disney cruise. They baby was too young to be onboard (it was after the new policy but they were allowed to sail because they had booked before the new policy was announced) and they were disembarked. The child was not deathly ill. Sounds more like the family made a stink because they didnt take trip insurance and were responsible for the bills!

 

here's the link. Don't know if it will show up.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/local/disney-cruise-officials-say-4-month-old-baby-was-too-young-to-be-on-ship-family-forced-off-ship-ep-8-335771871.html

Edited May 5, 2016 by Sunkissed Mommy

[Paul65]

That was a Disney cruise. They baby was too young to be onboard (it was after the new policy but they were allowed to sail because they had booked before the new policy was announced) and they were disembarked. The child was not deathly ill.

 

here's the link. Don't know if it will show up.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/local/disney-cruise-officials-say-4-month-old-baby-was-too-young-to-be-on-ship-family-forced-off-ship-ep-8-335771871.html

 

No, that's a different incident. The one I'm remembering was from something like 2008, and involved medical issues, not being put off simply because of age.

 

Here it is:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/04/28/royal-caribbean-international-statement.html

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=763703

Edited May 5, 2016 by Paul65

[Sunkissed Mommy]

No, that's a different incident. The one I'm remembering was from something like 2008, and involved medical issues, not being put off simply because of age.

 

Here it is:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/04/28/royal-caribbean-international-statement.html

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=763703

 

I wasn't in "mom mode" back then! I guess it can happen at any age, but we've never had an issue on a cruise. Preschool?? Entirely different story. Every other month there a stomach bug going around!

[Bizzie07]

Firstly, enjoy whatever you decide to do. No matter what type of holiday you choose it is always difficult with a baby. On a cruise the staff will assist you in any way then can. If you want to go to the main dining room - do. You normally find that they seat you a little bit out of the way but that's fine as you could find that you have more space to deal with the little one if necessary. I've seen lots of babies in strollers sound asleep while the parents enjoy a drink. We cruised with our daughter from when she was three. She would go to the show with us but normally fell asleep on my knee. Take the "normal" medicines you would for a baby. If you look at it practically - how many adults with medical conditions go on a cruise without any problems.

 

Do what you feel is right for you and your family - relax and enjoy.

[FLSteve11]

No, that's a different incident. The one I'm remembering was from something like 2008, and involved medical issues, not being put off simply because of age.

 

Here it is:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/04/28/royal-caribbean-international-statement.html

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=763703

 

So one incident, 8 years ago. Where basically the child needed to disembark for better medical care on a precautionary measure, and then was fine after being treated. I'm not sensing a big medical risk here.

 

Meanwhile, I've been on multiple cruises where adult people have died onboard, particularly seniors. I suppose they shouldn't cruise with the risk of not getting the medical care onboard they could have gotten on land. Not to mention all the other people who get disembarked for medical care at ports. Maybe we need an upper age limit cut-off , I'm sure there are people who might not get to enjoy their cruise because they're taking care of them. (Not really believing that obviously)

[ctsharpie05]

I would not want to be in a room next to a crying baby. If you choose to bring an infant they should be sleeping through the night.

 

 

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[Paul65]

So one incident, 8 years ago. Where basically the child needed to disembark for better medical care on a precautionary measure, and then was fine after being treated. I'm not sensing a big medical risk here.

 

Meanwhile, I've been on multiple cruises where adult people have died onboard, particularly seniors. I suppose they shouldn't cruise with the risk of not getting the medical care onboard they could have gotten on land. Not to mention all the other people who get disembarked for medical care at ports. Maybe we need an upper age limit cut-off , I'm sure there are people who might not get to enjoy their cruise because they're taking care of them. (Not really believing that obviously)

 

Yep, one incident 8 years ago. That's all there is, if you were asking about incidents that I happened to know of, off the top of my head.

 

But, all I've really said in answer to the original question (from an OP who I still think was just making it up as a wind up), is no, I wouldn't take a 7 month old on a cruise. That's not because I think they would most likely die or become seriously ill. But access to emergency medical care is one of the reasons I, personally, wouldn't choose to do that, as a parent.