Which line for 3.5 month old?

[MommaOML]

We're wanting to book a cruise with some friends (one of whom is a teacher, so we're traveling during her February break). We'll have a 3 year old, a 2 year old, and a 3.5 month old.

 

The toddlers are not a problem (the 2 year old has already been on 2 cruises), but which lines will let my 3.5 month old cruise? Carnival changed the rules and their minimum age is now 6 months. :(

[wrp96]

Possibly Disney but I can't guarantee that. Most require they be at least 6 months, some 1 year, usually depending on itinerary.

[MommaOML]

Yeah, my first thought was Disney, but I can't find the info on their site. It is not user friendly, IMO.

 

I think we're looking at a Caribbean itinerary, 8 nights or less. We'd do the Spirit Mexican Riviera again, but our friends did that cruise in 2007, and we did it in 2008.

[Julienatul]

Disney is anytime after 12 weeks so you should be ok but verify with them to make sure since rules change all the time.

[crusinmama06]

Yes at this point, Disney is the only one that I can think of. Jul is right, the age is 12 weeks.

 

The link for that info is here....

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/onboard/more/landing?name=MoreOnboardLandingPage

 

Kids 12 weeks to 36 months feel at home in this delightful Disney nursery and group-babysitting area, staffed by trained Disney counselors.

[MommaOML]

Holland America is 6 months/12 months.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation&contentMenu=Essential+Documentation&contentSubMenu=Identification+%26+Passports

 

Norwegian is 6 months.

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ#children

 

Sigh ... looks like no cruise for us until May 2009 :(

[c-cruise]

We took our 5 month old on HAL in 8/07, but they must have recently changed the age requirement as it is now 6 months (or 12 months for some sailings).

 

Besides Disney, MSC is the only other one I can think of that might allow a 3 month old. Couldn't find any mention of a minimum age on their website. Don't know where you are planning to sail, but they have a couple ships in the Caribbean in Feb 09.

[NYreadytogo]

This is dreadful- we took our 3 month old on a RCCL cruise in Sept. 2007- but I see now they have a minumum age of 6 months. Guess no cruise for us on my next maternity leave. I'm so sad. I wonder why all the cruise lines raised it.

[TupeloHoney]

We cruised with a 3.5 month old last year on Princess. Guess they aren't allowing that anymore huh?

 

:lol: On looking at my siggy I realize we were on RC last year!

[MommaOML]

MSC doesn't seem to want my money very badly. I sent them an email Friday or Saturday, and haven't received a reply :( I hope this means I don't have to phone them ... I hate talking to real people. If it can't be done on the internet, it's just not worth doing! ;)

[wrp96]

This is dreadful- we took our 3 month old on a RCCL cruise in Sept. 2007- but I see now they have a minumum age of 6 months. Guess no cruise for us on my next maternity leave. I'm so sad. I wonder why all the cruise lines raised it.

 

 

RCCL raised theirs shortly after a family with a young infant waited until late at night right after they'd left port to let the cruiseline know their child was ill. And then went to the media afterwards to try and put the blame on RCCL for "forcing" them off the ship to get appropriate medical treatment for their child.

 

I'm sure the policy change was in the works for a long time (Carnival changed theirs a few months earlier) due to the fact that the ships really do not have the ability or equipment to treat a young infant but the announcement of RCCL's new policy was literally made a day or two after this family went to the media.

[kitty9]

Recently, there have been a few incidents where parents came on board with an infant who was already sick and became even more so, requiring the ship either turn back to have the family visit an island hospital or the child had to be evac'd off using a helicopter. At the time they changed the infant age, some lines also lowered the number of weeks that a pregnant woman can cruise. That was because of two incidents where women went into early labor and had to be evac'd off the ship.

[MommaOML]

MSC sent me a reply!

 

Thank you for your email.

We do not have an official minimum sailing age for children. We welcome all children.

The parents decide whether an infant will be able to sail comfortably on MSC Cruises.

 

Thank you again for considering MSC Cruises and we look forward to welcoming your family on board.

 

That is exactly the reply I was hoping for! Thank you for assuming that I am a responsible parent and would only take my children on a trip if they were healthy enough to do so. It really irks me when rules are put in place to protect stupid/irresponsible people from themselves. {stepping down from my soapbox}

[CC Help Michell]

MSC sent me a reply!

 

 

 

That is exactly the reply I was hoping for! Thank you for assuming that I am a responsible parent and would only take my children on a trip if they were healthy enough to do so. It really irks me when rules are put in place to protect stupid/irresponsible people from themselves. {stepping down from my soapbox}

 

One could suggest that perhaps the rule was put into place to protect innocent children from the actions of their stupid/irresponsible parents, but I actually don't think the issue is so much not trusting you to know whether your child is healthy enough to cruise when you board the ship. The concern is whether the ship has the capacity to furnish appropriate medical care should the child become ill once onboard, and as Wrona explained above, most cruise ship medical facilities really aren't designed for appropriate care for infant needs. There usually aren't pediatricians, infant-sized equipment, etc. on board. Disney may well be an exception, given their target audience -- that would make sense and might go along with why they aren't as picky about infant ages?

 

The RCCL case was a vivid illustration of the issues which can arise, but I truly don't think it was the desire to avoid bad press which led to the changes most lines have now made. At least I HOPE that it was the desire to prevent situations in which illnesses contracted during travel (or manifesting during travel -- like a previously-unknown allergy) could threaten the life of an infant and there being nothing the ship's doctor could do to help. Kids' medical care is different from adult medical care -- and infant medical care is a sub-group of kids' care with its own unique issues -- they can go south in a matter of hours, especially if dehydration is involved.

[CeleBrat]

MommaOML--

 

MSC is also offering a KIDS SAIL FREE deal with each paying adult. Yet another reason why you might want to give them a try. We are booked on them for upcoming Spring Break, and are looking forward to giving them a try.

 

CeleBrat

[beachchick]

MSC sent me a reply!

 

 

 

That is exactly the reply I was hoping for! Thank you for assuming that I am a responsible parent and would only take my children on a trip if they were healthy enough to do so. It really irks me when rules are put in place to protect stupid/irresponsible people from themselves. {stepping down from my soapbox}

 

A valid point of view, but often those rules are put in place to protect businesses (in this case, cruise lines) and other people from the actions of those who are stupid/irresponsible. Many people point out that things like helmet laws take away "personal freedom" and treat people like children. I see it more as intended to protect a person's family, as well as everyone else who will "pay the price" in higher insurance rates to cover the millions of dollars in health care costs that can happen because someone wanted to "feel the wind" in his/her hair. (I should mention that I would be a widow today had my DH not been wearing his bicycle helmet when his front tire hit a rock and caused him to tumble head over bottom into a curb. We were in a bike lane, in day time, in good weather, and following all road rules. I was riding behind him and watched as his helmeted head rolled onto and over the curb. It was horrible. Even with the helmet, which was crushed, he is permanently physically disabled. Safety is a big deal to me. Some people and some parents refuse to protect themselves, and by extension others. That's why some of these rules exist.)

 

Personal responsibility is important. Unfortunately, common sense doesn't seem very common these days, and all of us pay for it. With the cruise lines, the risk of an infant becoming that ill at sea--which could happen even if your baby was perfectly healthy at the time you board--has become too much a general concern and a significant liability issue. Sadly, there are those who would blame (and sue) the cruise line for not having multi-million dollar medical centers able to treat every pax of every age for every conceivable problem. To create and staff those "hospitals at sea," we'd all pay much higher cruise costs.

 

As always, JMO.

 

beachchick

[crusinmama06]

MSC sent me a reply!

 

 

 

That is exactly the reply I was hoping for! Thank you for assuming that I am a responsible parent and would only take my children on a trip if they were healthy enough to do so. It really irks me when rules are put in place to protect stupid/irresponsible people from themselves. {stepping down from my soapbox}

 

My 8 month old was 100% healthy when we boarded Disney Magic for a 7 day cruise. After catching a virus onboard (stopped breathing, seized, turn blue), she was placed in the ship's hospital on Day 6, where we stayed until the medevac on Day 7.

 

The seizure was the first symptom of the virus.

 

So common sense can't always protect you and your child. I have alot of common sense. What I needed was an immune system to protect my youngest against the virus. And at 8 months old....kids get sick when they are exposed to a virus. That is common sense. ;)

 

So good luck sailing with the 3 month old. I hope you never have to experience what we did.