N.S.
We are cruising in January on the Carnival Miracle. 8 night cruise to St. Kitts, St. Lucia and St. Martin. We will be going with 3 other families. Our DD will be 26 months at the time. The ages of the other kids traveling with us will be 4, 5 and 14 months.
This article appeared in the Sunday Travel section of the DMN in May. It offered good information and I was really looking forward to it. My main concern is to get DD potty trained before the cruise so that we will be able to go swimming. That is my only disappointment, but hopefully it will not be an issue.
Cruise lines cater to traveling tots
03:49 PM CDT on Friday, May 25, 2007
By CHRISTINE KOUBEK / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
LUIS VÁZQUEZ/Special Contributor In 1998, when I took my first cruise, I had an 18-month-old in tow. I discovered that cruising was not as family-friendly as I thought it would be.
A few years and another child later, I tried a supposedly kid-friendlier line, but still found much to be desired. Cabin layouts not fit for a family, pools (as well as play areas) that were off limits to those not potty trained, and activities still tailored to children older than 3.
It was enough to make a vacationer stay on land. Thankfully, the last few years have brought more offerings geared to those traveling with the infant-to-preschool set.
When Disney entered the cruise business in 1998, it instantly led the pack in catering to cruising's youngest passengers, offering a nursery, larger standard staterooms with tubs and room-dividing curtains, and onboard stores stocked with products such as diapers and baby sunblock.
In the past few years, other cruise lines have introduced tot-friendly amenities, from Royal Caribbean's new family staterooms and toddler play groups to Carnival's expansive play areas that allow even diaper-wearing little ones.
Here are four cruise lines parents might consider.
CARNIVAL
www.carnival.com; 1-888-227-6482
MINIMUM AGE TO SAIL
4 months old
WHY THEY'RE GREAT
Parents of children younger than 5 receive a pager during the cruise in case they need to be contacted. Toddlers don't have to be potty-trained (parents supply diapers and wipes) to participate in Camp Carnival's free program for 2- to 5-year-olds. Here, kids can play picture bingo to win prizes, finger-paint, put on puppet shows and listen to stories. Mascot Fun Ship Freddy poses for photos and joins the dance parties (plush Freddys are for sale in the gift shops). Children younger than 2 can take a turn with the toys during designated Family Play Times when accompanied by a parent. Baby-sitting services for children younger than 2 are available at Camp Carnival during limited hours (check when you board; hourly rates are $6 for the first child and $4 each additional). Activity books and crayons are available in dining rooms.
BUNKING WITH BABY
Carnival's standard cabins are relatively large, measuring 185 square feet for an interior stateroom and 190 square feet for an ocean-view cabin. These staterooms can accommodate up to five people with two lower beds that convert into a king, two upper beds that fold out from the wall and a rollaway. Be sure to inquire where the fold-out beds are located because some are directly above the lower beds instead of at the other end of the cabin, which would offer more privacy and distance from sleeping children. Conquest and Destiny class ships offer a 230-square-foot family stateroom with floor-to-ceiling windows. Also consider the outside stateroom with verandah, which basically allocates 40 of the 230 square feet to a balcony. This leaves less interior space but provides a place to sit, talk and have a light on when children are asleep. Nightly turndown service includes chocolate chip cookies. Cartoon Network and Boomerang are available on in-room televisions.
TINY TOT ESSENTIALS
Single or double strollers are available ($25 per week or $6 per day on three- and four-night voyages) for rent as well as bouncy chairs. Cribs are provided gratis for in-stateroom use. Shipboard shops sell diapers, wipes and ointments. Bring baby food; mashing is not available on Carnival ships.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
No in-cabin baby-sitting. Children ages 2 to 5 can participate in evening activities scheduled for their age group before 10 p.m. The only nighttime option for parents of children younger than 2 is baby-sitting from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. at the center, among older children watching movies and snoozing.
CUNARD
www.cunard.com; 1-800-728-6273
MINIMUM AGE TO SAIL
Varies by itinerary, 6 months old for some sailings, 1 year old for trans-Atlantic and many exotic itineraries.
WHY THEY'RE GREAT
On the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2, nannies take care of children ages 1 and up in onboard nurseries stocked with Fisher-Price Little People, toys by Lamaze and more. Diaper changing and naps in the nursery's full-size cribs are included (children's program complimentary for all ages). Preschoolers can attend pajama parties, go on treasure hunts and have their faces painted. Queen Mary 2 has a 3- to 4-foot-deep pool for families, plus a 6- to 12-inch-deep splash pool for smaller sailors. Be sure to escort your little one to the Children's Tea, served in King's Court every evening with balloons, artwork place mats, crayons and treats. Queen Mary 2 has the largest library at sea. Its more than 8,000 books include a well-stocked children's section.
BUNKING WITH BABY
Queen Mary 2's Britannia staterooms range in size from 155 to 248 square feet and include small refrigerators. Princess Grill Suites include daily bottled water and fruit baskets, both gratis. Bed configurations vary for third and fourth passengers within a stateroom. Some have double sofa beds, others include single sofa beds with a pull-down bed above.
TINY TOT ESSENTIALS
King's Court restaurant will blend food for babies on request. Playpen-like cribs are complimentary for in-cabin use. Bring plenty of diapers, wipes and other baby necessities because the ship's store does not sell these items.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
While Cunard has an excellent program for young children, this is not a line where you'll find a ship's deck worth of activities and facilities for kids. Private, in-cabin baby-sitting is not available.
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
www.disneycruise.com; 1-800-951-3532
MINIMUM AGE TO SAIL
12 weeks old
WHY THEY'RE GREAT
The Little Mermaid-themed Flounder's Reef Nursery (available on both Disney ships) caters to children 12 weeks to 36 months old, offering infant swings, assorted Hasbro toys, board books, arts and crafts for toddlers and even a one-way viewing window for parents. In addition to the drop-off service, family hours allow parents to enjoy the nursery's toys and amenities with their children. The ratio of counselors to children is 1-to-4 for infants, 1-to-6 for toddlers. Nursery spaces fill quickly. Book up to 10 hours of nursery time through Disney's Web site before you cruise, register for additional hours (if available) once onboard. (Cost: $6 per hour for first child; $5 per hour, each additional child.) Children 3 and older (or those who are close to 3 and potty-trained) can participate in the Oceaneer Club (free) where kids get to make chocolate chip cookies, climb on an indoor pirate ship and put together a giant Mr. Potato Head. Children in swim diapers can splash about in the moon- and star-themed fountains in toddler pools that recently were added to both ships. Each night, the dining room has a Disney-themed activity sheet and crayons.
BUNKING WITH BABY
Disney's staterooms are 25 percent larger than the industry average. Deluxe inside and outside staterooms are 214 square feet and include a privacy curtain that separates the two sleeping areas, allowing you to switch on a light without waking the children. The 304-square-foot deluxe family staterooms with verandahs sleep up to five. Unlike most sofa beds that take up precious floor space when converted to a full-size bed, Disney's sofas convert to a deep twin bed. The pull-down bed above the sofa makes a bunk bed that can comfortably be left out all day, making midday naps a cinch. Unlike almost all other cruise lines, most Disney cabins include full tubs. Diaper Genies and Graco Pack 'n Plays are available for use, gratis. The Disney Channel (of course) is included on stateroom televisions.
TINY TOT ESSENTIALS
Huggies disposable diapers are sold in gift shops along with two brands of formula, bottle liners, diaper cream and baby sunblock. The kitchen can prepare pureed fruits and vegetables upon request. A limited number of strollers are available through guest services.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
With only two ships (two more are scheduled for delivery in 2011 and 2012), destinations are limited. In-cabin baby-sitting is not permitted, but babies and children can be cared for in the children's centers at night. Disney ships have no casinos, and the adults-only entertainment district is rarely crowded or open much past midnight.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
www.royalcaribbean.com; 1-866-562-7625
MINIMUM AGE TO SAIL
No minimum age
WHY THEY'RE GREAT
In 2005, Royal Caribbean announced a partnership with Fisher-Price, offering play groups (two 45-minute sessions daily) for parents to attend with their children and hosted by youth counselors. Here 6- to 18-month-olds play with musical instruments, shapes and colors, and Baby Gymtastics toys. Those 18 to 36 months old can pretend to be pirates and princesses, sing songs, and play with Little People-themed toys. Children 3 and older (and potty-trained) can spend a half to a full day in the Adventure Ocean program plus drive a Barbie Escalade or jeep on the Power Wheels Track on the cruise line's private island, CocoCay. Royal Caribbean offers in-cabin baby-sitting (based on availability) for ages 1 and older ($8 per hour for two children within the same family, $10 per hour for three, booked through guest services 24 hours in advance). Borrow a children's book from the ship's library for bedtime reading.
BUNKING WITH BABY
Royal Caribbean's new Freedom of the Seas offers six family-focused stateroom categories, including the fairly affordable 330-square-foot, six-person inside family stateroom that has a curtained sleeping alcove and sleeper sofa. Freedom also offers 495-square-foot family ocean-view staterooms that can accommodate six. Numerous other Royal Caribbean ships offer 265- to 328-square-foot family ocean-view staterooms that can accommodate up to six guests. The staterooms include two twin beds (which can convert into a queen-size bed) bunk beds in a separate area, sitting area with sofa bed, and mini bar (floor plans are available on the line's Web site). Cartoon Network is available on televisions.
TINY TOT ESSENTIALS
Complimentary cribs are available for in-cabin use. Bring your stroller and baby items. Diapers and the like are not sold in ship stores.
CAVEAT EMPTOR
The plight of children not potty-trained: In addition to not being allowed in the Adventure Ocean playrooms, even with a parent, they aren't allowed in any of the ship's pools, even in swim diapers.
