Why you Shouldn’t Take a Baby on a Cruise!!!

Am I trying to put you off?

Well no, but there are some very important points you need to know before you decide to cruise with your little darlings.

Following a conversation with a customer who had recently returned from a cruise with extended family who had a baby with them, it got me thinking. Do people really know what it is like to take a baby on a cruise?

You may thank me in the long run…

Kids and cruises work great but what about the younger age group under 2.

I am not saying that you can’t cruise with a baby but you need to be prepared for the problems you may encounter or you may find yourself wanting another holiday to get over it.

Here are My Top Ten Issues and some Useful Tips.

Prices. Did you know that babies do not sail Free? In most cases you will get a reduction but with most cruise lines you pay the same for an infant if they are the third person in the cabin as you do for an adult… If you are a single Parent you will pay a full adult fare for them if its just the two of you. Maddness isn’t it!  This can be quite a lot of money for something they will have no memory of in years to come.

Baggage.  You can’t travel light with a baby. If your cruise is going from Southampton or another UK Port,  there are no real restrictions on luggage but you if you have booked a fly cruise you need to bear this in mind.  Don’t forget the buggy, the car seat, the baby food, the snacks, the bottles, a mattress… The list is long and they all have to be stored in your cabin. If you are used to Hotel holidays the size of your cabin make come as a shock.

Food. Can you get Baby Food and Baby Milk on-board? Don’t’ bet on it.  Most cruise lines do not stock baby food or Baby milk so depending what your baby likes you will have to take it with you especially if your baby has to have a specific type or brand for medical reasons.  Top Tip: Most ports of call will stock your favourite brands just make sure you have enough for the sea days. Alternatively, you could take a baby food grinder with you. There are a few on the market to choose from. It would have to be manually operated and as it has blades you need to check with your cruise line before you travel that this is ok. This way you can use the array of nutritious freshly cooked foods in the buffet to make your own Baby food.

Embarkation/Shore Days. These could be an issue if your baby does not like sleeping in a buggy. Mine never did in fact he used to howl his head off.  Trying to fit a trip ashore around nap times could be difficult and this applies to embarkation day too as times are often allotted in slots and cabins are usually not available when you first get on-board. So if your baby does not sleep in the buggy you may be in for a rough time.  It can play havoc with their sleeping and eating routines.

Baby Safe. Ships are not baby safe so you will need to have eyes in the back of your head. If your baby is crawling or toddling they will want to explore and ships have open railings, plants pots to get fingers in with little pebbles, lots of people on-board. Sunbeds sandwiched together which makes for difficult manoeuvres. Open areas with Pools and spas etc…  You get the idea.  The most contained area to play is your cabin or look for quiet public room or lobby area which may be less busy. Some ships have dedicated family areas but not all do so check.

Cots. Check if your cruise line provides a cot as not all do. You can take your own travel cot and although this adds to the luggage tally it may be the best option. Some Cruise lines provide cots but not the mattresses?  I recently had a customer who had to fold towels and put them on the bottom of the cot as they did not provide a mattress which just left wooden slats to sleep on.  So check before you leave.  Don’t forget that it is a normal sized cabin so the cot is going to take up a considerably amount of room as is the buggy etc. Top Tip.Try to take a collapsible umbrella style buggy as all these things have to be stored in the cabin.

No Fun for Mum and Dad. You will have to spend a considerable amount of time cleaning bottles, making baby food, washing out baby clothes (Check if your cruise ship has a self-service Laundry) etc.  Top Tip. Take some non-bio washing liquid or sachets to wash clothes in the sink. On top of that it is not easy to make the most of the entertainment on-board. Most babies go to sleep early and if they will sleep in a buggy you can take them out with you but it depends if the noise is going to wake them up. If not one of you will have to stay in the cabin to babysit.  Some cruise lines have crèche facilities but you need to check what their regulations and times of operation are before you travel.  A limited number of Cruise lines offer in cabin baby Sitting which you will have to pay for. This is easier if you are travelling with extended family as Grandparents etc could take it in turns to go out.  Most cabins are just all one room. Some have a dividing curtain but not all so it could cause you problems if you want to watch TV or read and the light disturbs your baby.  Top Tip. Most cabins have metal walls/ceilings so you can take magnetic hooks and a sheet and rig up a curtain yourself.

The Pool. Baby’s cannot use the pool on many cruise ships.  Some ships have specially designed Children’s pools or Splash Zones where babies can wear Swim nappies. In Particular on some Royal Caribbean Ships and Disney Ships but not all.  However most do not allow children in the pools or spas unless they are toilet trained.  This can be extremely difficult if you are going somewhere where the weather is hot and they like us get fractious and want to cool down.  Top Tip. Take a mist sprayer bottle with you so you can fill it with water and ice to keep them cool or take a small inflatable pool with you but filling it may be a pain and you will may need to check this with the cruise line as you still have to dispose of the water.

Bathing.  Unless you book a larger balcony or Suite then your cabin will not have a Bath tub. Some babies are fine about going in the shower with you to get washed but some get frightened. You could take a baby bath but again it’s that luggage and space thing unless you can find an inflatable one or you may end up having to give them a bed bath on a towel.

Flying with your Baby.  Babies ears are far more sensitive than adults. You know you get blocked ears at take-off and landing which can sometimes be uncomfortable, well it is far worse for babies as it can be quite painful. We normally suck on a sweet to overcome this.  Top Tip. Take a bottle with you. It can just be juice or water or their formula and give them this on take-off until the plane reaches cruising altitude and then again as the plane starts to descend. The captain will normally announce this.

If this has not put you off then give me a call and I will be happy to book your cruise for you.

Have you been on a cruise with an infant? Have you got any Top Tips to Share. I would love to hear them.