Going on a Cruise with My 1 Year Old and Was Wondering If Anybody Has Any Advice

I went to Bermuda on a 7 day cruise with my one yr old son, and i was 6 months pregnant!!!

WE HAD A BLAST!! i would bring the pack and play!!!!!!!! thats the one thing i didnt bring bc i didnt think there would be room but there was! I HATED THE CRIB ON THE CRUISE!!!!!

Hi J.-
One of the items I would definitely bring is a life-preserver. Some of the pools do not allow any tubes or other floatation devices other than a life-preserver.
As far as shots, I would ask the pediatrician. Also take the weather into consideration. If you are traveling in April, the weather may be a little chilly. Bermuda is off the coast of Virginia, so the weather won't be tropical like Florida or Mexico.
Good Luck!

Oh, have fun! Call the cruise line and see if the ship had cribs, and see if you need to reserve one. Also make sure they have high chairs in the dining rooms. Make sure you bring plenty of diapers and Tylenol/Motrin is essential. And sunblock! Also, make sure you have your stroller and that it has a good sun canopy. If it doesn't have a good one, buy an attachable one from Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby - Kiddapotomus makes one that blocks out a ton of rays. I love it. Also, remember that the staterooms on ships have tony showers, so make sure you've thought of this for bathing you baby. Maybe bring an inflatable tub and give him baths in room where you have more space.

Have a good time!

Thanks for posting this, J.! I am curious too - we went on a cruise before we had kids (actually that turned out to be the last hurrah as we found out on the last day of the cruise that I was pregnant with our first..) and I just loved it.

I don't really like doing shore excursions, it always seems too rushed and you never know what the quality of the excursion will be.. We were on a bus tour to see ruins in Costa Maya and the driver literally fell asleep on the way back. We were in the front seat on the passenger side of a very large bus, so we could see more (than any of the other passengers) of the driver nodding off and how close we were getting to the side of the road, where there was a huge ditch, at least four-five feet deep. We could have gotten really hurt. My DH eventually screamed WAKE UP!!! in an incredibly loud voice and the entire bus started clapping b/c I think other people were starting to get nervous, too. Then the guide came over to keep talking to the driver (who spoke only Spanish) to keep him awake for the rest of the trip.

Sorry, I don't mean to scare you, just explaining why I really just like only the beach excursions and staying on the ship. I also think it would be cool, if your ship has an outdoor running track, to take the kiddo out there for walks.

I hope you guys have a great time, let us know how your trip turns out!

Hey there! My oldest daughter was about two when we went on our cruise. We had a great time, but I remember being stressed out too! Don't know how much help I will be, but MAKE SURE that you bring an umbrella stroller (don't know what I would have done with out it.) Make sure that you bring lot's of kids sunblock (you can buy some there, but it is expensive and it is better to be extra prepared). Extra clothes, a bigger suit case is better than having to worry about laundry. Bottles, bring at least 4.I don't think there were fridges in the cabin, so snacking and juice and stuff was a bit of a pain, but chances are you'll be out and about anyways and there is always somewhere to get food (i'd stock up on the healthy stuff they serve at the breakfast and lunch buffets, like apples and stuff. Because it is a bit harder to find an apple mid day)
There are areas of the ship with open siding, for your babies safety and your sanity I would hang out anywhere but there on the ship.
I don't know how your parents are about baby sitting, but I would plan a little bit of a schedule before you go. I was lucky and also had my parents on the cruise, there are so many things to do at night (concerts, hypnotist shows, casinos...just about everything)and chances are, you aren't going to want to be stuck in your cabin every single night...even during the day it would be nice to have a couple times planned where your husband or parents will let you go tan and have a beer and a break. and it would be best if you planned that ahead.
Oh, and about the shots I don't know about the schedule...but I would for sure go to the doc to see if he can have any. Get yourselves shots too!!
anyways, have a great cruise...i'm sure you'll have a blast.
Oh and i know this goes without saying...But DON'T take your eyes off him EVER. Something about little ones on the open sea, or in a third world country creeps me out.

Hi J.~

We took our son on a cruise last year when he was fourteen months old. He was not walking either, which I thought was great (he started walking the day after we came home... he had been "cruising" for quite a while). We actually took the same cruise...NY to Bermuda...7 days. We went on Norwegian, which has the Freestyle cruising...eat when you want, which I thought was ideal with the baby. I can only speak for this cruise line, but they do not allow babies who are not potty trained to go into the pool...it was not that big of a deal for us though...you're really only confined to the boat the one day sailing out and then the one day sailing back.

Everything on the island is SUPER expensive...you don't want to have to buy any baby necessities while there if you can avoid it...particularly milk...take it from the ship when you go out for the day.

I think you all need a passport now for this cruise.

So this is what we brought...

stroller
backpack carrier
sheets and a few blankets (they said they would provide a "crib"...it was a pack and play)
a bag of his toys and books
diapers
those little disposable bags to put used diapers in...so your room doesn't smell
wipes
sippy cups
spoons & forks
snacks...like those gerber puffs
diaper bag
suntan lotion
sunglasses
tylenol/motrin/benadryl and the current dosages according to his weight
pacifiers if he uses them
baby shampoo/wash
bottles/bottle brush
a bottle of dish washing soap
we brought our sound machine because he is used to it (for sleeping)
super gate system...so he could have his own area to play in the cabin and we didn't have to worry so much about him touching/breaking stuff...we had a very large cabin...upgraded to the penthouse suite a few weeks before...totally worth it!!
swim diapers
lots of clothes
bathing suits
bibs
sandals

We are not a family that sticks to any type of schedule, so I can't help you there! We kind of just went with the flow.

I hope this helped! Have a great time...I'm soooo jealous!!!

A.
mom of Anthony 2 1/2 & Jillian 6 months

i just did a cruise with my 2 year old.
it was not as bad as i thought.
we flew to miami, bought a pack n play there ($20 store sample)and left it on the ship so we wouldnt have to bring it back.
i couldnt do any excursions because everything was for older kids and i didnt want to do any car traveling without the car seat.
he did fine with sea sickness - wasnt sick at all and we had really rough seas.
he hung out in his "crib" whilein the room for themost part. and in his stroller for the rest.
the dining room had a high chair.

it wasnt so bad.

Hi J.,

My advice would be to keep your son's schedule in terms of eating, napping, bedtime, as close to your normal schedule at home as possible.

Your doctor will let you know if there are any special vaccines that the recommends. The typical childhood vaccines are given in series, and the CDC puts out recommendations on when to get them, so you really can't move the next dose up. But I'd say that a call to your doctor is in order, he or she is the only one who can give you a definite answer to your question

I hope that you have a wonderful time and that your baby does too

Hi J.

My name is J.. I have been on a cruise with a baby when he was 9 months ago. I would not worry or be nervous, it's really fine. There is you, your husband and best of all your parents!! Four sets of hands to hold him and push a stroller along. Your parents will feel proud as well as you and your husband. Basically whatever you do here on land is what you will do on the ship, after all a cruise is like a floating town. Make sure you have a stroller with you for outdoor napping. It will be fine. As far as getting shots early, that's really up to you peditrician. I did not do anything out of the ordinary. What to bring?...a sweater sometimes air conditioning is high in dining rooms and of course diapers, any special baby foods, at the time I breastfed so I did not need formula or milk, but they have regular milk on the ship. And you are stopping in Bermuda, they have stores if you need to refill on diapers, etc...Maybe have tylenol and benedryl with you, just in case of teething or anything. It will be fine. The baby will get fresh ocean air...what's better than that. Again you have more than enough bodies to help out with one baby. It will actually be relaxing, when he sleeps in his stroller, put him in the shade have him at someones eye view and you can sun yourself in the sun. My baby is now 10 1/2 years old and his sisters are 13 and 17. They all had a blast on that cruise almost 11 years ago. And we still cruise once in awhile. ENJOY!!!

Hi J.,

I have never been on a cruise with a baby but I just got back from a 6-day trip to Aruba with my one-year old where I stayed in a Hyatt hotel. It was a little difficult being away from the kitchen with an infant and also having to adjust my schedule for baby. In other words, don't make too many scheduled events plans. Two things that I can say that I think are relevant: 1. pack as much jarred food as possible because you may not find food on the cruise that may suit your baby. I tried feeding my baby off the buffet with mixed success and having brought jars of food gave me some extra flexibility. 2. You will pretty much be confined to your cabin during naptime and bedtime so I would advise to bring a good book or a pack of cards to play solitaire. My little girl is fine going to sleep by herself but if I watched TV etc. she tended to wake up.

Having your parents there will be a HUGE help because they can at least watch baby for some hours while you do your thing.

Finally, try and have a good time because things will be a little awkward but there is not much you can do about it.

J.

I went on 2 cruises almost a year apart w/ my husband's family - the first when our daughter was only 7 months & the next when she was 1 1/2. She wasn't old enough for the childcare either & it wasn't that bad. Like someone else mentioned, contact the cruise line to ensure they have a crib & highchairs (most do). We were on Royal Caribbean & the crib was really a pack'n play, but they made it up with their sheets & were very accomodating. I brought a sheet & blanket from home so at least the bed smelled like home. And bring what ever else your son likes to cuddle with at nap time or music to listen to. We had a portable booster seat that I brought along for the first cruise because it had it's own tray, but on the second when she was older, I just used theirs & pulled her up to the table. They were accomodating with food too, though I always brought something along in my bag just in case.
Since he isn't walking yet I would definitely invest in a light weight umbrella stroller. We brought ours everywhere on the second cruise & it was a lifesafer at times! It was somewhere to keep her during the check in process (be prepared to wait in lines). We went on excursions, some that included bus trips & we just held her on our laps. My husband & I even went scuba diving once & left her w/ G'ma and everyone had fun! So don't think that just because you're traveling with a toddler means no fun for you. You may even be able to convince G'ma to baby sit one night so you & your husband get to enjoy all the adult evening activities that cruises have to offer!
I packed a bag just with toys & movies (some cruise lines have DVD players in the rooms) for my daughter, so I knew she'd have somethings to occupy her. I even bought a couple new small toys, so she was excited about that. Maybe even bring a small bucket & shovel since you will be on the beach!
I had a separate suitcase just for diapers & essentials & by the end of the cruise I had an empty suitcase for souvineers! Bring more than you think you're going to need (diapers & changes of clothes). We also got a diaper bag that was a back pack so our arms were free to carry her if necessary, but anything we might need was always with us. Plus it was a place to carry our camera too!
Go to the cruise line web site & do some research as to what they have available, excursions you might want to go on that your son can participate in, and any rules or guidelines they have about toddlers. If you don't find the answers you're looking for, call them directly. It helps to know before hand.
Like someone else suggested, try & keep a similar schedule that he is already on for naps & eating - it'll help, but you don't have to be militant about it either. Even if it means napping in the stroller or you taking food from the buffet to be able to feed to him later at his regular eating time. There is plenty of food available at all times, the buffets will be your friend. On one cruise we had a late seating time for dinner so I would take her to the buffet first & get her fed, then bring some toys & coloring books to occupy her while I ate. Our waiter even played with her so I could enjoy my meal! For naps there were times I was so exhusted that I curled up w/ her in my bed & it did us both some good!
As for the shots, just check with your doctor. I didn't have to get any extra shots for my daughter & we were all over the Caribbean, including Mexico & we had no problems.
Good luck, have fun & relax! Enjoy the experience! If you are relaxed you will have a better chance of you son being relaxed too!

We went on a royal caribean cruise with our son who was just 6 months old at the time. We made sure they had a crib, which was a pack and play and he did fine with that. Since we paid full price for him to go, I made sure the kitchen knew in the morning what he would have for dinner and the head waiter was more then accomidating he made every to order for breakfast and lunch and if there were days we were going off the boat, they asked what i needed to take for lunch.
There was not many activities for him since many are geared 2 yrs and up. For the beaches we bought some toys and a great float from one step ahead with a canopy.
He is now 10 months old and we just got back from 2 weeks in st.marten, we bought the float again and even though he is mobile he loved it. We did have a pack and play for the beach and thank god he is great about playing in there, lots of sunscreen and hats and you should be destined for a great vacation cruise. enjoy...

Hi J.,
I went on the cruise when my son was just under two. it was wonderful, so much easier than i expected. the only problem we had was with food, but it was just bad. they will not let him go to the big pool, so plan on going to the babies pool. you don't need to get shots earlier. Bermuda is not Africa. Having your parents along will definitely make it easier. what you might have problem with is sea sickness. there is one day on the way to Bermuda and one day on the way back when everybody gets sea sicknes. maybe talk to your doctor to see what you can do for your baby. otherwise, a lot of baby food, diapers, sunscreen, sun hat, reserve the crib unless you sleep together. get swimmers (diapers). that's pretty much all you need. don't stress out - there will be hundreds of babies on the ship!

J.
You have nothing to be nervous about, on the contrary, be EXCITED!! When a baby is 1 year old, it doesn't matter where you go because you are the primary care giver and baby will go wher you go. NCL is great!! They have kiddie pools and much to keep you and baby busy. More to your favor, your parents will be going and you can take turns for a night out.
Have fun, enjoy and relax.

Go and have a great time! We went on NCL when my son was 13 months (he's 8 now) and again when he was 4 and my daughter was 13 months. VERY child-friendly. Lots of fun. We co-slept so didn't need a crib... we didn't bring food but rather let our little one try a little of everything we had - soups, veggies, noodles. There's always cold cereal (ie, cheerios) or hot cereal (oatmeal) at breakfast, there's fruit available all the time... you have gotten lots of good advice here already so I won't go on and on. Just have fun. Also last year when our kids were 7 & 4 we went on Celebrity, also a great trip and very kid-friendly. I was 5 months pregnant, I now have another baby boy and can't wait to plan a cruise with all the kiddies sometime next year (I hope)! Have fun!!!

I wouldn't get his shots early, he might get sick while on the cruise. I would contact the cruise line and ask what you are allowed to bring with you. I'm sure formula, but I don't know about juice and snacks. I know adults are not allowed to bring drinks or snacks. They due have free juice on the cruise and there are fountains all over the ships to fill up cups. My husband had a half of bottle of rum taken when we went on our cruise. Somehow they missed the soda he was trying to bring. Have fun. We are planning a cruise like that for next summer.

J.,

I will be going on my third cruise next week with my husband, our three kids (ages 7, 4, and 19 months)and my in-laws. We have loved every cruise, and my kids can't wait to get back on the "big boat to explore!" My best advice, is to try as much as possible to stick to somewhat of a routine. We have never used the child care on the cruise as with my in-laws and sister-in-law are with us, it seems there is enough hands to go around that everyone gets some down time. Last year, my daughter was only 6 months old, and she did fine. Every day we made sure to have down time in the afternoon during which we had my daughter and middle son nap, so they wouldn't be out of sorts by the end of the day. We never tried to do too many excursions with them that wouldn't be interesting to them. They loved the beach days though....and my little one did too. I don't know what cruise line you use, but ours doesn't allow children who are not potty trained into the pool....that has so far been okay for us. Also, our cruise line has a ton of activities for babies....although you have to be there with them. But mostly, being in a new place and able to explore is enough for the little ones. Just don't be afraid to ask your parents for a break when you need it! Have a great time!!!

My two older sisters each travelled on a cruise with toddlers and they were miserable. You are lucky that your baby doesn't walk yet because there are so many dangers for a toddler on a ship. My suggestion would be take the early seating for dinner - and ask your parents babysit a couple of nights so that you and your husband can get a break. Speak to your waiter on the first night so that he'll be accomodating with food. If you'll be warming formula ask them to bring you a cup of hot water. Good luck.

Hi J.,

I have been on that same Bermuda cruise that leaves from NY 3 times. I will say, and don't take this personally, that a cruise is no place for a child so small. You are going to have to bring him everywhere (which means dragging him to places he probably won't want to go) and that is not fair to him or to you who would like to enjoy your time away. I do know that ""Carnival" is the most "Kid Friendly" cruise line but the children need to be 3 and up to enjoy the kiddie camp they offer. I don't want to sound like a downer, but you will just have to cater to his needs and when he's tired and had enough...you will have to take him back to the room and go to sleep with him which could mean an early night every night. And at that age, most children go to bed at around 7–7:30. I you are ok with this, then it shouldn't be so bad but just keep in mind, you won't be able to just pick up and do excursions and what ever you please. I wish you luck and I am curious on how it will go. Also, be careful because there are a lot of germs on cruise ships. I suggest bringing your own hand sanitizer like Purell to keep your hands clean as well as your sons. Good luck and take care.

Hi J.,

We took our firstborn on a cruise when he was 13 months old. It worked out really well! And we didn't even have any extra adults with us! I don't know which cruise line you are using, but we went on Royal Caribbean because it is known as being child-friendly. (That probably matters less with a baby because he can't be in the kid programs yet, anyway.) We found that the staff and ship were genuinely child-friendly--every staff member was kind to our baby, played with him, knew his name, etc. The rooms had children in mind, too, in that there were no electrical outlets where the kids could reach them, balconies had high railings with solid glass below to make them very safe even for small children, etc. Keep in mind that they will most likely NOT have baby food, but milk will be readily available at all times, the restaurant will probably be very accommodating in terms of making food that he can eat, and in general if you are flexible and creative you will be able to feed him easily. You will need to bring all of your diapers/baby soap/etc unless you want to go find them during your brief times on shore. A couple of sippy cups could help make mealtimes a little less stressful (bring a little dish soap so you can wash them out), and disposable bibs, too. Contact your cruise line to find out what they have available for your child. Sometimes they even have mommy-and-me playgroups set up. As far as shore excursions, look in the book, and they will probably have guidelines for the level of activity, and you can decide if a stroller or backpack carrier will work on that excursion. In general, you will probably find this to be a very easy, fun vacation with a 1 year old. We had a great time. My son even learned to walk on the cruise! (Ask your doc about the shots. I don't know why it would be necessary, but can't hurt to ask!) Have fun!

My advice, don't do it unless you won it and you would
not have any monetary loss. I have been on many, many
cruises and have experienced very unhappy babies. Sat next
to a gentlemen on a tender who was thrown up on by a baby.
He missed going to the port because he had to go home and
shower.
On the up side, if your parents are willing to stay behind
and in the cabin a lot of time for naps, and quiet time,
then by all means you will have a good time. I would just
wait until the baby was older and could participate in
activities. Also what cruise line are you going on.
NCL tends to have an older group of 40+, where as
RCCL tends to cater to the younger folks. You would be
more apt to find someone in your circumstances on that
line and Carnival. Don't mean to sound so negative.
You must remember too babies put their hands in their
mouths and you are living in very close quarters with
2000 people. Good luck and try to have fun.

Hi J.,
The best advice I can give you for your first cruise with your little guy is to not feel pressured into staying on a schedule whether that means mealtimes, excursions etc...being at a certain place at a certain time on vacation with a baby is just a recipe for stress! Instead of a formal sit down meal at dinner some nights you may just find it easier to hit the buffets or order some room service! Getting them to do what you want especially in formal settings can take away from your much needed and anticipated trip so take it slow and do what you can when you can. As far as shots, I would only think it was necessary to have them done earlier to avoid dealing with their side effects (ex. fever, pain ) while you're away...not to prevent anything but that's a personal decision on your part.
What cruiseline are you sailing on? We did Norweigan in August to Bahamas/Bermuda out of New York...had a nice time but would only do Bermuda next time we go! Enjoy! K. :)