Anyone go on a cruise with toddlers?

ornot2b2003

DH and I have 2 y/o twin boys. I'm trying to plan a vacation that will be "easy" on us. We live in the Phila. area, so I was thinking we could take a cruise out of NY/NJ to Bermuda (5 nights in May). I've been on cruises before and they wouldn't be my first choice of vacation without kids, but it seems like it would be a lot easier than flying somewhere and lugging everything to a hotel etc... Has anyone been on a cruise with a toddler? If so, how was your experience. TIA!!

xbrooklyngrl

Hey! I have no idea regarding the cruise but just saw your name and had to say hello.

How have you been? How are the boys?

ornot2b2003

Hi Marina,

We're doing great! I went back to work 2 days/wk in Nov. and it's doing me a lot of good. I haven't been on this site in ages, but I know I can get good advice here when I need it. DH and I REALLY need a vacation, I just hope a cruise is the right way to go. Hope you're doing well. Your daughter is beautiful! 

xbrooklyngrl

I totally hear ya! We could use a vacation as well. I hope you get some advice here!

Thank you so much. I'm sure your boys are too!!!

kdm2kde2003

we took a cruise when DD was a year and it was so fun! the biggest pain was lugging everything through the airports so if you didn't have to fly i think it would be great! we are actually leaving on the 24th to go on a cruise to the bahamas and we are taking both kids. i am excited and would love to let you know how it goes if you wanted to email me at chiefs_lover53@yahoo.com the first week of feb!!!

VivaAmore

I've never been, but have heard that in the recent past, there were several cruiselines that left from Philly. That would be even easier on you than NY! I think it sounds like a good idea but I love cruises.

mbg8r

I love cruising and can't wait until both kids are old enough to do so. So I don't have personal experience, but I do have a friend that took one with her 1 yo and would have liked her to be a bit older. She said diapers and food were the biggest problems. I assume your boys are not potty trained, but are on table food so at least that's half the battle. The children's programs can be great but I think they require the kids to be potty trained, find out for sure. From what I understand Royal Caribbean is great for families. Have a great time if you decide to do it.

Yes, flying somewhere and lugging everything is not easy. We always drive somewhere beachy and rent a condo for our "easy" vacations now that the kids are young, but we also live in FL, so that's easy to do. 2 BR, a kitchen, and plenty of activities very close by make it an easy vacation. I have no idea if there is anywhere like that available to you.

LanaM

We were on a cruise when Ethan was 17 months old. We got a balcony room thinking that when Ethan goes to sleep, we can hang out on the balcony. 1/2 the nights I fell asleep when Ethan fell asleep and DH went to the casino

a couple of FYI's. Most cruise companies don't allow kids in diapers in pools. They would come over and make everyone take off kids diapers in the kiddie pools.....   weird.....  I think the diaper gel cloggs their pool filtration or someothing.

Ethan was a horrible sleeper, we did not bother with babysitting, but I think there are babysitters on most cruise lines, so when kids go to sleep you are able to go out.

The playground on our Norwegian was awesome, it was open to all kids for 30 minutes twice a day, the rest was used by the ship daycare kids (had to be at least two y.o. to enroll).

Taxes turned out to be $350 for him, even though technically he was free.

overall we had a great experience and will cruise again, I am sure.

We did fly to mexico twice: When ethan was 2 years old and about a month ago with Ethan and his 8 months old brother. I I really like being in an all inclusive resort with the kids also, but flying, getting two and from airports... especially with two kids was a major headache.

TheNextWest

We cruised in May with our kids (barely 4 and 15 mos. at the time) and my nephew (17 months at the time). We were on a Norwegian "freestyle" cruise which I HIGHLY recommend if you are taking little ones. There isn't a formal dining room, schedule, assigned tables, etc. You eat when you want, where you want in a general commons area or you an choose to go to one of the nicer resturants.

We really didn't have any trouble. When the babies needed to nap, we put them in our room in play yards with a monitor while we were across the hall in my parents room with the door open. Sometimes we took them to eat up on the deck, sometimes we just brought food back to the room for them. We did have to choose our excursions more carefully bc we had so many toddlers with us, but other than that- it was a total blast, no complaints at all really!

 *I should mention though that there were 12 of us total- us, all four of my parents, my 2 brothers, and all the kids- so we did have extra hands/help if we wanted to go do something on the ship without the babies. I'm sure that would make all the difference in the world really.