How young is to young for a cruise?

[pezgirlroy]

Actually, when we had our 2.2 year old granddaughter on the Magic in October older kids were asked to leave the splash area. They only wanted parents and 3 and under in there. At least that was our experience. This was on the Magic.

Our 2.2 year old granddaughter had a ball and still talks about the Mickey boat every single day. We wanted the whole family to go on the cruise by our DIL was too far along in her pregnancy so my husband and I asked if we could just take our GD with us on the cruise. They said fine. We didn't have to fly as the cruise was out of NYC so that was a plus. Our GD was fantastic on the cruise. She napped everyday in the cabin, only had one meltdown on day 3 when she finally realize her mom and dad were not on the cruise. We explained we would see them again in a few days and she was fine the rest of the cruise. It helped that we had a WDW day on the cruise and some of her friends would be at Disney so we had that to keep her attention on. She loved dressing up in her princess dresses, loved dancing before dinner at Promenade Lounge, loved walking/running along Deck 4, loved seeing the characters, was pretty good at late dinner (one night we ate at Cabanas), loved the fireworks, loved Castaway Cay, etc. She did want to go in the regular pools when we passed them and we had to use distraction techniques (oh look ice cream!) but it all worked out. She really did love the splash area.

She was way easier to travel with than we expected and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wouldn't trade our experience with her on that trip for the world.

MJ

The sign on the Fantasy says 8 and under or at least it did. We shall see. Thanks.

 

[MelSpees]

Just so you know (and anyone else reading this), you’re not supposed to bring kids in the pools unless they’re 3, even if they’re potty trained.

Really? I've never seen anything about that. Why not if they're potty trained and reliable? Mine were before 3. Are you sure you're not thinking of the age for the clubs?

 

[DietCokeMommy]

Really? I've never seen anything about that. Why not if they're potty trained and reliable? Mine were before 3. Are you sure you're not thinking of the age for the clubs?

Yes, I'm quite sure of the pool age. As per this page, 3 and above: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/onboard-activities/pool-restrictions/

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

When my oldest was an infant, we were contemplating a cruise and I read on these boards, "If you're going to be in baby jail, you might as well be in baby jail on a Disney cruise!"

My answer though depends on whether or not you are planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip. If not, don't wait for the BEST ages. Go when you can go. Having a baby might actually be easier than having a 3-year-old who might not want to go in the clubs.

 

[MelSpees]

Yes, I'm quite sure of the pool age. As per this page, 3 and above: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/onboard-activities/pool-restrictions/

I had never noticed that before. Thanks for the post.

 

[KBinCO]

For our 1st cruise, my brother waited until his daughter was 3 (and assumed she'd be potty trained), my girls were 4 and 5. His 3 year old turned out to not be potty trained and it was awful for them. She wanted to go to the kids club with my girls but wasn't allowed, couldn't use the pools, and it was very hard on my brother and his wife. They now also have 2 year old twins and we just booked a cruise with them for when the twins are 4.5 because they want to make SURE the kids are potty trained and wouldn't book anything before the twins turned 4.

My girls LOVED the first cruise at ages 4 and 5, it was great for all of us.

 

[vertigo235]

Personally, based on personal experience I would recommend waiting until your child is at least 3 years old AND potty trained.

However, you will still have fun before this age, but you will have a limited experience.

 

[hnthomps]

Everyone has different opinions on this, as you can see, but I think there's a window where it is really not-ideal. I would be fine taking a baby up to about age two - can nap in strollers, pretty portable, will be happy in the nursery, cheaper to travel with, etc - but age 2 was not a good age for us to have our younger child on a cruise. We still had an amazing time, but if we had known what we do now, we would have waited a year. This is partly because of sibling dynamics - our kids were 2 and 4, so we had one in the nursery and one in the club, would have been better if they could be together. But also, both my kids needed their routines to be really set at age 2-3, or else they'd be volatile. So, that meant 2 hour naps every afternoon, or else meltdown central. So one parent was stuck in the stateroom with a sleeping toddler every afternoon. And MANY of the activities on the ship -- way more than I had anticipated - were for age 3+. She basically could do Nemo's reef and that was it. She LOVED Nemo's reef, and spent hours there every day, but it's not the most fun area for an adult to supervise, and there are enough unsupervised 6-7 year olds running about in there that a 2 year old really needs supervision. The toddler times were fine, but not great, and didn't offer enough gross motor play. The "wake up with Disney jr" was scary and loud for her.
(obviously there were awesome things, and the good outweighed the bad, but in retrospect, we wish we'd waited. We're going back next week at 4&6, which is going to be pretty perfect, I think).

 

[NJlauren]

Everyone has different opinions on this, as you can see, but I think there's a window where it is really not-ideal. I would be fine taking a baby up to about age two - can nap in strollers, pretty portable, will be happy in the nursery, cheaper to travel with, etc - but age 2 was not a good age for us to have our younger child on a cruise. We still had an amazing time, but if we had known what we do now, we would have waited a year. This is partly because of sibling dynamics - our kids were 2 and 4, so we had one in the nursery and one in the club, would have been better if they could be together. But also, both my kids needed their routines to be really set at age 2-3, or else they'd be volatile. So, that meant 2 hour naps every afternoon, or else meltdown central. So one parent was stuck in the stateroom with a sleeping toddler every afternoon. And MANY of the activities on the ship -- way more than I had anticipated - were for age 3+. She basically could do Nemo's reef and that was it. She LOVED Nemo's reef, and spent hours there every day, but it's not the most fun area for an adult to supervise, and there are enough unsupervised 6-7 year olds running about in there that a 2 year old really needs supervision. The toddler times were fine, but not great, and didn't offer enough gross motor play. The "wake up with Disney jr" was scary and loud for her.
(obviously there were awesome things, and the good outweighed the bad, but in retrospect, we wish we'd waited. We're going back next week at 4&6, which is going to be pretty perfect, I think).

It’s funny, I was just thinking ok let’s do this at 8months and 4 and a half and again at 3 and a half and 7and a half because 2-3 could be a disaster!

 

[hnthomps]

It’s funny, I was just thinking ok let’s do this at 8months and 4 and a half and again at 3 and a half and 7and a half because 2-3 could be a disaster!

Yeah, I wouldn't say it was a disaster, but there were some moments when it looked like it was going to be! I have a trip report from back then https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...rs-fantasy-swdas-march-2016-finished.3498981/

 

[NJlauren]

Yeah, I wouldn't say it was a disaster, but there were some moments when it looked like it was going to be! I have a trip report from back then https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...rs-fantasy-swdas-march-2016-finished.3498981/

Thanks! Def going to read it! I will say with how DD is now at 3 almost 4, and how she was around 2, if this baby is anything like her we will stick to land from 20 months to 3 and a half, so I can escape! Only half joking

 

[lundve]

I have taken children age 18 months and 10 months on the ships. We like that it saves us a bit of money and frankly we have taken even younger kids to Disney World. Our thought is the vacation is for us adults too. I'm not gonna wait until they are "old enough" to travel and relax myself. You have to look at it differently in that you may not be able to do as much but you are there to have fun too!!