Cribs vs. Pack-n-Plays in your cabin

[krstee]

Hey there everyone! This is my first time posting, although I lurk here alot :cool: ! I have only been on one cruise, a few years ago, and that was before I had my DD.

 

Ok, question for you experienced cruisers with kidlets.... I am aware that you can request a crib for your cabin. How do you know which one you will get (a pack-n-play vs. a portable crib)? Also, would it be prudent to bring my own pack-n-play - or would that be a waste of precious luggage space on the plane?

 

I have been doing A LOT of research on this - since my online buddies (we all met on a pregnancy bulletin board) are talking about doing a group cruise. Most of these ladies have not cruised before, and I want to get some information so I can share it with them before we figure out where we want to go and when and so forth.

 

BTW - Thanks in advance for all of your comments! :D

[HOSKI]

I have been given cribs only but I have seen pack-n-plays being delivered to cabins now that me daughter is out of them (she's 4). It really is a crap shoot and I don't know how you would get an answer. However, I would not lug the pack and play along. Too much weight and extra luggage. Do take a blanket for your child as they used full size stuff in our cribs. I'm a safety nut when it comes to kids so I took matress straps to secure down the sheet they used then brought DD a crib size blanket.

[crystalloubear]

We were just on NCL Dawn and were told by NCL that on the Dawn all of them are pack and plays. We brought our own sheet for it from home. That is one thing to be warned about. They try to put a big sheet on the crib or pack and play so make sure to bring your own sheets or some sort of mattress straps.

[jeanbean]

We were just on Carnival. We request a roll-away since my daughter barely fits in a pack & play these days (and she's only two -- just very tall). It ended up being great. The roll away is a smaller mattress that is barely elevated from the floor. My biggest fear before seeing the bed was that she could fall out. With this roll away, even if she did fall, she wouldn't be falling far enough to sustain any damage. She ended up sleeping like a champ and we had no falling incidents to report!

[PattyW]

Like Hoski said - it's a complete crapshoot. We travelled on Princess last November with family and we got a pack-in-play, but two doors down, my sister-in-law got a crib for her daughter. When we found out she got a crib, we requested one, too, but our steward told us that there are far fewer cribs than pack-n-plays and they are all taken first. My guess is they are replacing the cribs with pack-n-plays as they wear out and so the cribs will only get more scarce.

[BlueB]

I would not pack a pack-n-play. However, I would call the cruise line directly, even after talking to TA, to confirm that a crib has been requested for my room. Like everyone else said, if you request, you will get either a portable crib or a pack-n-play with normal size sheets covering the mattress.

[serene56]

Not all carnival ships have those rollaways--so if that is anoption please make sure your ship has rollaways

[cruisy]

We had a broken wood portacrib on RCI. Later we requested a crib at a HYATT and received the filthiest pack'nplay I had ever seen. (luckily we had brought ours just in case) On our next cruise - HAL we just brought our own, with sheets, although the steward kept puting folded up king size sheets into it - yuck!

 

My cruise plan: Bring it ALL, you only have to move it twice.

[Jessica&Ben]

We bring our own pack n play for our daughter. It isn't that much trouble and I know it is clean! I also know she is comfortable in this one so she will actually sleep in it!

[Given to Sail]

Thanks so much for this info!!! I think a porta crib could at least be wiped down but not a pack and play - that would be gross. Who knows what germs are living on those things!!! :(

 

 

Will definately bring a blanket and diaper pins for the sheets if we get a crib and my pack and play sheets as well.