Babies on board!

Keeping little ones entertained is a full time job! So what happens when you want to take a well-deserved break?

Cruising is a perfect choice! Not all the cruise lines have activities and stocks of essentials equipment, so here is my guide to what to expect, what to pack and the best liners to travel on.

The first thing to remember is there is a minimum age on most cruise lines.

If you are travelling to Europe or the Mediterranean 6 months is the minimum age, however Transatlantic and long haul cruises can be a minimum of 12 months old.

Highchairs and cots are available on most of the cruise lines.

Disney cruise line were the first company to provide specific activities for under 2’s. Although the ships are amazing and provide excellent facilities for the whole family, there are only 4 ships and they tend to be booked up very quickly and lean towards being quite pricey.

Carnival cruise line offer a similar product, the fun ships are excellent for the whole family. Parents can accompany children younger than 2 to designate play times. Baby-sitting is available for a charge of $6.75per hour per child. You can even hire strollers and bouncy chairs for $25.

I feel the best facilities for the UK market are offered by P&O and Royal Caribbean. Both cruise lines have sailings out of the UK, offer a full programme for under 2’s and provide essential items for stress free holiday!

P&O are a great choice for babies, especially if you sail on the Ventura or Azura. There is a dedicated space for parents to play with babies or toddlers including soft play areas and toys. In the evening this becomes a night nursery! This is also free of charge. Open between 6pm and 2am. A pager is provided in case you are needed to be contacted. The night nursery is also available on the Oceana and Aurora ships just not the daytime activities.

All your baby basics are available on board. Cots, bedding, highchairs, baby food and you can even purchase nappies and wipes on-board.

A couple of other points to remember..

The cabins can be a bit of a squeeze and the cot in most cases will be positioned between twin beds. If you prefer more space, upgrades are available to a balcony stateroom or a suites.

You can only use the swimming pools if your toddler is toilet trained.

Most important of all, the P&O ships sail out of Southampton so take what can fit into your cabin!

Royal Caribbean have a programme called royal babies and is available on selected Royal Caribbean ships. The programme is excellent for the little ones. Playgroups are available for parents and babies to enjoy Fisher-Price toys and other activities including baby gymnastics, music, learning with toys, dressing up as Princesses and Pirates.

There is also a toy lending service so you can borrow toys to play with in your cabin. Great idea! We all know how new toys are always very popular.

Babysitting is available for an additional charge. If there is a group the charge is $10 per hour or if you prefer private sitting, $19 per hour.

The choice of cabins is excellent for families and something for all budgets. In addition to inside, outside and balcony staterooms, larger staterooms to accommodate larger families are available. Inside and outside family staterooms which sleep up to 6 passengers and family suites which can accommodate up to 8. All cabins have a TV’s streaming Cartoons and films for all the family.

A few important points..

Children must be potty trained to swim, however specially designed baby splash zones are available on some of the ships.

The shops do not stock nappies or other items. You can pre order Huggies nappies to be delivered to your cabin and wipes and creams. These are charged at a premium. This is a brilliant idea if taking a fly cruise because of luggage restrictions.

As you can see, choosing a cruise is a perfect option! Not only are the facilities excellent but you have the opportunity to visit several destinations on your holiday! Wonderful!

Have you taken a baby on a cruise?

I would love to hear how you found the experience.

Get in touch!

Rosie xx