You Asked, We Answered- Cruising With The Kiddos!

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As many of you already know, my wife and I have 3 kids and travel with them a lot; Europe, cruises, the Caribbean, etc. I’ve recently had a few questions regarding “cruising with toddlers” so I’ve decided blog about it. Here are my tips for having a fun, enjoyable and safe cruise when little ones are in tow…

1. Start with choosing the right cruise line. Look for lines that truly specialize and cater to children; many market they do, but very few actually do. Disney Cruises is our top choice; we cannot begin to describe how accommodating they are with families of toddlers: from room arrangements, food, and service to their awesome baby club, baby pools and so on.

2. If you choose a cruise line other than Disney, make sure you double check they allow babies with swim diapers in the pool.

3. If your budget allows, we highly recommend cabins with verandas. It will allow you to have some adult time outside while your little one(s) are sound asleep inside. Disney also offers a privacy curtain in some of their rooms, which might be a good alternative.

4. Unless you are booked in a higher-grade room or suite, be aware that many cabins come with showers and no bathtubs; this might be an issue for little ones that are accustomed to their nightly bubble bath routine. We always recommend double-checking this and bringing an inflatable bathing tub as an alternative.

5. If you prefer your little one (s) to sleep in their own cribs, one should be secured ahead of time to ensure one is available.  

6. Little kids eat earlier than older children; always make sure to secure the first dining times at dinner to avoid your little one(s) having a meltdown due to a hungry belly.  

7. We all know how messy life can be with little ones; make sure your ship has public laundry facilities.  

8. Many of these ships are HUGE and tiny little legs and feet tire quickly; make sure your cruise line offers strollers if you don’t plan on bringing your own.  

9. If your little one is still in diapers, make sure to bring an ample supply. The cruise lines sell them but at a LARGE markup.

10. Make sure your cruise line stocks life vests for little ones in your room.

11. If you are worried that your children might be susceptible to seasickness, always check with your pediatrician but we recommend wearing Sea Bands (acupressure wristbands), choosing a cabin in the middle of the ship and avoiding greasy and acidic food.