Strollers...

[Aimeedyan]

We're booked on the transatlantic in May. We do not need a stroller on the ship but will need one in Barcelona, and probably a couple of the ports too, so we aren't limited on his endurance to walk. I'd much prefer a nicer stroller for uneven pavement in the ports but hate the idea of having to deal with flying it home.

Will I hate myself for bringing a cheapy umbrella stroller? He's a tall 3 year old. We'd probably leave it in Barcelona when we left to not deal with it coming home... or would it be worth bringing a more decent stroller?

Also, do we have to carry it on the ship or can we "check" it with our luggage at the curb?

 

[lanejudy]

Last question first -- you can check the stroller, but be aware they won't handle it gently. It could end up on the bottom of a pile of heavy luggage.

Pre-covid DCL had strollers available to borrow from Guest Services. I honestly haven't heard any reports of whether that is still possible or not, or the condition of the strollers and whether supply has been refreshed/replaced.

 

[sponica]

I feel like the problem with umbrella strollers is the wheels are sooooo meh. We never take our umbrella stroller locally when we're walking in cities with uneven pavement.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Last question first -- you can check the stroller, but be aware they won't handle it gently. It could end up on the bottom of a pile of heavy luggage.

Pre-covid DCL had strollers available to borrow from Guest Services. I honestly haven't heard any reports of whether that is still possible or not, or the condition of the strollers and whether supply has been refreshed/replaced.

I think they do still have loaners, at least based on what some FB groups have said, which would work for ports but we're staying in Barcelona a few days before flying home

Good to know on the luggage!

 

[Anna131517]

Just take a nice stroller. It will be nice in the airport, easier to use in Barcelona, and getting on the ship and absolutely priceless when going through customs if you’re flying home. I think the Baby Jogger Citi Mini GT is good and easy to collapse. We used the Chicco Liteway when we needed a stroller on a cruise ship when our son was a baby. There’s plenty of room to stash it under the bed on the ship. You can gate check it in airports.

 

[CisforCookie991]

GB Pockit. I was jealous that my kids were too old for strollers by the time this came out.

 

[Aimeedyan]

GB Pockit. I was jealous that my kids were too old for strollers by the time this came out.

Well, now I need a new stroller That thing looks amazing!

 

[auntlynne]

 

[CinderEmma94]

We bought a GB Pockit specifically for our Disney cruise last summer for my (at the time) just turned 3 year old. It was perfect. It folds up tiny (like, can fit in an airplane overhead bin tiny) and is great. We still use it frequently, and wish we bought it sooner. Our other stroller is a city mini gt - we love love it but it is bulkier and heavier than the Pockit. Can’t go wrong with either but with space at such a premium in the stateroom id go with the pockit.

 

[LadyRachel_ofMischief]

We're booked on the transatlantic in May. We do not need a stroller on the ship but will need one in Barcelona, and probably a couple of the ports too, so we aren't limited on his endurance to walk. I'd much prefer a nicer stroller for uneven pavement in the ports but hate the idea of having to deal with flying it home.

Will I hate myself for bringing a cheapy umbrella stroller? He's a tall 3 year old. We'd probably leave it in Barcelona when we left to not deal with it coming home... or would it be worth bringing a more decent stroller?

Also, do we have to carry it on the ship or can we "check" it with our luggage at the curb?

We love our Delta Clutch stroller! Slim like an umbrella stroller but it is sturdy and folds up in the size of a lap top bag. We used it all over Nee Orleans bumpy brick streets so I would think it would fair fine in Spain.

Unlike the other popular GbPockit, the clutch wheels 360 which is so helpful

No help on the carry on or check it answer. Because it folds up so small it can easily be carried kn if you need.

 

[msmama]

You may not NEED it on the ship, but if it's a comfy familiar place for kiddo, it might be nice to have. I saw a fair number of mom's strolling their napping kids around the ship on our TA last year.

I'd personally rather be annoyed by having a stroller and not needing it than needing one and not having it.

And if you do get a new stroller I'd try to get him used to it before you go so it is a familiar, comfy place for him.

 

[lscrivan18]

GB Pockit. I was jealous that my kids were too old for strollers by the time this came out.

I have this stroller as my 'travel' stroller and love it so much!! Strangers will ask me what stroller it is because they see how small it folds up to. There are a few options, I have the City.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I went through a good deal of Barcelona after the transatlantic of 2022. The only sidewalk that I found normal to walk on was around the Basilica. Most of the port stop’s have the rock paths and will launch your 3 yr old and leave him singing “all I want for Christmas, is my 2 front teeth.”
I had a stroller until my daughter was 5 years old for those 15 hour days with the ability to nap.
If you absolutely must bring a stroller, and I understand why, I would bring one with medium to large, pneumatic tires. You will be able to walk every where with pneumatic tires of the stroller. You will want/have to carry the small and medium plastic wheeled stroller or child at some point in Barcelona without those.
Look up Italian stroller, see what they sell there. I didn’t see many strollers, but I did see people struggling. Very few wheelchairs except usually locals in a restaurant. I remember thinking as I passed a family that I was so glad I didn’t have to walk around with a stroller on this vacation.

Plan B invest in a hiking style backpack, one that straps on onto the waist to defer weight from the back and shoulders. They make a 50# kid seem like 20#. Search for a toddler carrier or Tula Baby Carrier. I can’t say enough about how shifting some of that weight to your hip bones make a huge difference. I’m sure you will find other places where you will say “let’s go _____, we can bring x with the backpack” See if you can find a few to try. Some are okay, one you will love, one your partner will love. Some are built for women’s bodies some are built for men’s bodies.

 

[Lilsia]

The best stroller for uneven terrain are jogging strollers. I would find the smallest jogging stroller that your child can comfortably fit in. I would also just bring it on with you. The less that other people handle it the better.

 

[smileyanna]

I'd say to bring a jogging stroller. It will be unnecessary for much of the trip, but a godsend in Barcelona, Rome or Naples. We borrowed a friend's ancient Phil and Teds stroller and had no problems. Walked for miles while kid slept.

 

[OpieDoodle]

I'd consider looking into a nicer umbrella stroller. We bought a "deluxe" umbrella stroller. So a big issue I have with umbrella strollers is there are a pain to drive, they're low so it hurts your back, the more weight the kid the less agile they are. We upgraded to a nicer umbrella and WOW. Its taller and drives better but still is lightweight like a umbrella. It was called like Summer 3D Lite

 

[Flip flops in winter]

We used a City Mini on the Magic in the Med; our son was 3 as well. If you have a City Mini, you know how easy they are to fold. We didn't hold up any lines and didn't feel like giant awkward Americans (which we have before when we traveled internationally with a double jogging stroller). Florence and Rome were definitely more difficult to manage d/t the ancient streets but we were so thankful we didn't opt for a cheap umbrella stroller. We saw others struggling. Since that was our normal stroller, he was super comfortable and just napped when he was tired. When we did Pompeii, I put him in a Deuter backpack I bought used. Yes, he was big, but it was one of my better parenting decisions. Plus I burned a ton of calories that day.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I'd consider looking into a nicer umbrella stroller. We bought a "deluxe" umbrella stroller. So a big issue I have with umbrella strollers is there are a pain to drive, they're low so it hurts your back, the more weight the kid the less agile they are. We upgraded to a nicer umbrella and WOW. Its taller and drives better but still is lightweight like an umbrella. It was called like Summer 3D Lite

Have you used it over rocks? Not like gravel walk ways but over a neighborhood block size of rocks the size of your fist?
How have you been able to use an umbrella on these? Most places usually better and you can just not go down a cute street or not take the short cut to your next place but those blocks are huge you can add 30 minutes to a slow walk easy there. These are not my pictures but definitely what I was walking on during the day.
I couldn’t find any of the round fist sized rocks that I was talking about but these above were there as well. The ruts in between the rocks are deep from rain you’re definitely tried to step on the stone. Small wheels can’t do that.

 

[OpieDoodle]

Have you used it over rocks? Not like gravel walk ways but over a neighborhood block size of rocks the size of your fist? View attachment 748025View attachment 748026View attachment 748027
How have you been able to use an umbrella on these? Most places usually better and you can just not go down a cute street or not take the short cut to your next place but those blocks are huge you can add 30 minutes to a slow walk easy there. These are not my pictures but definitely what I was walking on during the day.
I couldn’t find any of the round fist sized rocks that I was talking about but these above were there as well. The ruts in between the rocks are deep from rain you’re definitely tried to step on the stone. Small wheels can’t do that.

Oph! Ruts like that would be rough for any stroller if the wheel could get stuck in the ruts. I've used mine over like a brick path but the space between wasn't large enough for the wheels to get in.
If they're that big I'd look into a jogging stroller with bigger tires but that would be a pain in the booty on the ship because those do NOT fold up nice and neat at all to be a good option on the cruise ship.

 

[Heatherdbby]

id locate a vacation rental company in barcelona and rent a stroller through them. and use a loaner on the ship/ship ports