Cruising with newborns

[emky]

My family has planned a cruise for the end of next June. However now we found out we will be having another baby in the beginning of April. The friends we will be traveling with will also have a new baby in early March. We really don't want to cancel the trip because all of our kids are really looking forward to it. Any suggestions on traveling with these babies or if it is just best to wait another year. I've talked with my doctor and he said that as long as the baby is healthy he is fine with the travel.

When we travel, I will have 5 kids, ages 14, 6, 3, 1, almost 3 months.
Our friends will have 4 kids, ages 6, 3 year old twins, 1, and almost 4 months.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I believe that babies now must be min. 6 months old to cruise with Disney.
12 months for transatlantic.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

 

[2P2W]

They will be too little. Can you move your cruise until they are both atleast 6 months?
We traveled when my 4th was 4 months a few years ago before they changed the rules and it was wonderful. The nurseries are wonderful and he did great. You all will have a wonderful time! Let me know if you have any questions.
And congratulations!!!

 

[Dug720]

Yep. You will have to postpone. Minimum age of 6 months. No exceptions. Unless it is longer than a certain period and/or overseas then minimum of 12 months I think.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

As a NICU nurse I'm going to suggest being maniacal about hand washing...even more than Disney already imposed upon you. People visit from all over the world, bringing their germs and their local hygiene habits with them. You can't be too careful with a baby's health in that kind of environment.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I believe that babies now must be min. 6 months old to cruise with Disney.
12 months for transatlantic.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

Yep. You will have to postpone. Minimum age of 6 months. No exceptions. Unless it is longer than a certain period and/or overseas then minimum of 12 months I think.

True, this ^^

From the DCL website (Booking Terms and Conditions):
The minimum age to sail aboard Disney Cruise Line ships is 6 months of age on most itineraries, and the minimum age for Transatlantic, Hawaii, and Panama Canal itineraries is 1 year of age.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/contracts-terms-safety/terms-conditions/united-states/

 

[jahber]

You'll have to wait until babies are 6mos, as others said, but it's worth it! 6 months is a perfect time to cruise, in my opinion. My babies weren't (aren't) crawling at 6 months and they don't eat anything other than breastmilk (or very little, just to keep them busy at meal time). Because I nurse exclusively, it means I don't need cups, bottles, bibs, feeding stuff...just clothes and diapers for baby. Couldn't be easier. Obviously you don't know what you're gonna get with a baby (my first two were pretty needy, but I was also a newbie myself then), but I would definitely say that a baby is easier than a toddler on a cruise in almost every way.
That said, your party has quite a range of kids, so it looks like you'll have a little of every age to keep you occupied. . Since I don't put my life on hold for babies and cruising is my happy place, I'd say go for it!

 

[bumbershoot]

And emky, just in case you thought newborns could cruise because you'd seen it before, it was changed a couple years ago. But people who had booked their cruises BEFORE the change were grandfathered in and could bring their teensy babies. By now I'm sure those who were grandfathered in have all cruised those cruises, but if you had cruised during that time you would have seen the very young ones and it would have been easy to assume they were still allowed to cruise that little.

 

[jahber]

And emky, just in case you thought newborns could cruise because you'd seen it before, it was changed a couple years ago. But people who had booked their cruises BEFORE the change were grandfathered in and could bring their teensy babies. By now I'm sure those who were grandfathered in have all cruised those cruises, but if you had cruised during that time you would have seen the very young ones and it would have been easy to assume they were still allowed to cruise that little.

Yeah, they've certainly sailed by now. My son was one of the last to be grandfathered in. He sailed at 5mos+3 weeks, and that was 2 years ago.