Cruise with 3yo and 7 month old

[fionas]

DP and I are interested in doing a cruise for a whole number of reasons but we are a bit flummoxed as to whether we could actually get an in-room babysitter for the odd night so we could have dinner/watch a show without the kids. (We've been out twice this year I think hence the preoccupation with at least being able to have a couple of dinners on board.)

I know they have childcare on board for 3-17 year olds until 1am so although I don't like that idea, we could conceivably put DD1 in there but that still leaves DD2 and TBH I'd prefer someone who came to our cabin anyway.

Can't find anything on their website so thought I'd ask you ladies.

Plus also tell me whether you thought it was a good family holiday.

[Taurean]

I love the idea of a cruise with a family but I'm pretty sure you can't take children under one on a cruise. We looked at doing one when DD was younger and we couldn't find any cruise liners that accepted children under the age of one. I asked my SIL, who's been a travel consultant for 12 years, and she said that was normal. It has something to do with the cruise liners not wanting to be held accountable if they can't provide sufficient medical supplies, etc for babies. They see babies as 'high risk' for medical issues. I guess things like gastro, which can easily go through masses of passengers on a cruise, can be lethal to babies ITMS. I can't remember everything SIL said as the reasoning but it was along the lines of lack of medical facilities for infants and despite having a 'hospital' on board, not really being equipped to deal with a medical emergency in infants.

If you do happen to find a cruise that allows infants, please let me know though as I'd like to do it when we have our next baby!

[Taurean]

Here's the info straight from P&O:

Minimum age to sail
We welcome children aged 12 months and over to cruise
with us. We are unable to accommodate infants less than 12
months old due to limited neo-natal facilities on board and at
ports of call.

[fionas]

I read somewhere that Princess (and that's the one we want) will take babies on some cruises provided they are six months old. Just phoned them and they said 12 months. Will have to find the info again and call them back to double-check.

Hmmmm, maybe time for a rethink. A resort instead maybe.

[MummaSue]

Oh, subscribing, we want to go on a cruise next year! DD will be over 12 months. Didn't realise there was an age limit!

[human bean]

I'm not sure if any of the lines cruising out of Australia offer in room babysitting? I haven't hit the phones to find out though. For kids clubs I'm pretty sure the little ones have to be toilet trained too. We keep trying to convince friends with kids to cruise with us next year so we can at least take turns babysitting on the odd night, but we seem to be the only cruisers in our circle! Maybe we should start a BB cruise heh heh

We cruised on Virgo last year in Singapore and they said not past 24 weeks pregnant and no chn under 12 months. We met the loveliest lady who was heavily pregnant cruising with her family inc. a 9 month old!

[Taurean]

I read somewhere that Princess (and that's the one we want) will take babies on some cruises provided they are six months old. Just phoned them and they said 12 months. Will have to find the info again and call them back to double-check.

Hmmmm, maybe time for a rethink. A resort instead maybe.

If you end up looking at resorts, one of my best friends has just returned from Club Med Bintan and they had a ball. Her kids are older though, 10 and 4, but she said the kids club facilities were amazing along with everything else the resort had to offer. Club Med often do two-for-one deals too and being all inclusive (airfares too if required), there are no nasty surprises on the credit card afterwards, lol. If that sounds like you're kind of holiday, I'd sign up for their newsletters.

[fionas]

Resort might be the go but it would have to be in Australia - I'm not up for taking DD1 on a long flight yet. Our last experience taking her on a one-hour flight to Sydney was horrific. Threw major tanty because she had to sit on someone's knee and ended up screaming for the entire flight

[Taurean]

LOL! I don't blame you then!

There is a Club Med at Lindeman but I'm not sure what it's like these days. Otherwise there are some great family resorts on the Gold Coast.

[sconeonamission]

My family just went on one, and my cousin couldn't take their 7 month old. Apparently you can't take kids under 12 months old...

[Pretty Butterfly]

I have been looking at these for years, and I always end up with a baby and cant go!!

They wont take under 1's, and a lot wont take children under 3 either, only specific ones cater for youngins from 3 and under....
The site says differently to when you call... you could find a great one, and when you call, they say no if you have one under 3... very annoying.....

Club Med Lindeman is supposed to be amazing, and they have special catering from birth now too..... its where were thinking for next year...

[~Kim~]

We did Lindemann last year and it was great. They were really accomodating even for little bubs and you always get a family room with one even if you don't pay for one....fantastic. There isn't a real lot for littlies to do though if they don't go to the kids club as there are age restrictions on most activities (we took our 3yo and 10monther).
Fiona at 3 she'd have to have her own seat anyway, and i have to say that once I bought them their own seats they have always been much better.