Baby Advice

[Bmorecruiser021]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am looking for advice. My wife, mother, father, 9 month old daughter and I will be sailing on the Navigator in April to the ABC islands. Im looking for advice on any baby friendly excursion, either through RCI, or private, that you think would be enjoyable for our family. We are totally prepared to just relax and enjoy at the beaches at every stop, but DW wanted me to ask the CC community and see if you all had any advice or experience. Thanks in advance! :)

[Merion_Mom]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am looking for advice. My wife, mother, father, 9 month old daughter and I will be sailing on the Navigator in April to the ABC islands. Im looking for advice on any baby friendly excursion, either through RCI, or private, that you think would be enjoyable for our family. We are totally prepared to just relax and enjoy at the beaches at every stop, but DW wanted me to ask the CC community and see if you all had any advice or experience. Thanks in advance! :)

Try the family forum:

 

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

[jamesr3939]

Curacao was a great walking stop. We did rent a car at the foot of the pier for a couple of hours and then after we dropped it off just walked across the floating bridge to a town square, did some window shopping, ate, and drink.

 

It's been a few years since we have been to Aruba. But it didn't seem like there was anything near the port worth walking to. We got a taxi to Eagle Beach and just hung out. The crew said Baby Beach was better but we never made it there.

[NatsFanOnBoard]

...Im looking for advice on any baby friendly excursion, either through RCI, or private, that you think would be enjoyable for our family...

Baby friendly? That's going to mean different things to different people. At that age, nothing you do will be for the enjoyment of the baby, so just do what you want to do! Other than some sports activities like zip lining or scuba diving or horseback riding or the like, you can take a baby on just about any excursion available - certainly any sightseeing or beach activity is going to be "baby friendly."

 

Having said that, if snorkeling is of interest to you, many of the outstanding snorkeling sites in Bonaire are right of the beach, so it would be easy to switch off watching the baby on the beach while others in your group go snorkeling. Going to the beach on Klein Bonaire would be better than booking a snorkeling tour on a boat.

[cb at sea]

Your baby at 9 mos. won't really care what you do....so do what YOU want to! As long as baby is comfortable and happy, anything you want to do will work just fine!

You may want to do some research on what is available in each port, and not bother with a ship's excursion at all....if what you enjoy is easy to do on your own (and most things are easy on your own), you can be on your own timetable, without having to hang around longer than your child might be able to handle.

[cello56]

I would be researching excursions that allow you to use your child safety car seat. Many people will tell you that they don't have functioning seatbelts in the islands, but that is just not true. If you are taking a cab, you may have to wait a few minutes for one with what you need, but it can be done. If you are taking large tour buses, then car seats are not necessary.

[LeeW]

If you just want to go to a beach in Aruba, exit port and cross main street. Diagonal right and you are at the Arubus terminal. Bus is $2.40 US one way (either buy ticket in booth or on bus). Ride one of the #10 buses out to Eagle Beach or Palm Beach - get off anywhere. Enjoy beach and then ride bus back into town. They run about every 20 minutes. Lots of gentle safe beach and places to get food, drink and get umbrellas.

[Extra Kim]

Like Lee said, the local buses on Arbua are great. We have spent a two weeks land vacation and two cruise stops there, we never used a taxi.

 

Skip Baby Beach, it's not worth the time and money going there if you are on a cruise stop. We got engaged on Baby Beach but we never went back there during our two cruise stops, just not worth the time.

 

Get off the bus by the casino and just walk down to the beach by crossing one of the hotels garden.

[Clarea]

If you just want to go to a beach in Aruba, exit port and cross main street. Diagonal right and you are at the Arubus terminal. Bus is $2.40 US one way (either buy ticket in booth or on bus). Ride one of the #10 buses out to Eagle Beach or Palm Beach - get off anywhere. Enjoy beach and then ride bus back into town. They run about every 20 minutes. Lots of gentle safe beach and places to get food, drink and get umbrellas.

We do the same, but prefer Palm Beach because of the pier and restaurant there.

[Andy C]

We did a 10 day on the Equinox and I booked a private van with a baby seat for each stop through the private tours desk on the ship. We were 6 adults and 1 baby. The private van with the driver and the baby seat was cheaper than all the shore excursions. RCI also does private tours - ask when on board.