Taking a baby 🍼 on DCL

[Bunny84]

Hello, my husband and I are planning to take our baby boy (due 10/21) on two DCL cruises in 2022 after he is 6mo.
One will be a 4-night Dream trip, the other an 11-night Norway/Iceland/Scotland cruise when he’s closer to 10mos.
I’ve seen a lot of YouTube videos of people traveling with a toddler, but wondering if anyone has tips or advice for traveling DCL with a baby under 1yo, particularly in Europe.
Thanks so much!

 

[Quellman]

We have sailed with tots like that before! The biggest thing I tell folks is that it's all the frustration of caring for a baby with none of the comforts of home.
We did a 7 night Easter Caribbean. We averaged the number of diapers we had been using for the month prior in terms of what to bring - by day 3 (first port stop) we stopped by a convenience store to get more. Our guy ended up with a little bit of tummy trouble. We brought all of our own medicine for any conceivable thing, including a baby thermometer.
Bring comfort and play things. While there is the Small World Nursery, and they sometimes doe toddler times, access to toys or quiet activities is hard to come across. We didn't have any issues with the pack n play since our kids were already used to them.
In europe getting some preferred brands might be harder. Even familiar brands may be slightly different. Coca Cola Light is not the same as Diet Coke as an example.
We would trade off nap times. While one stayed in the room with the sleeping kid, the other got a chance to go do 'adult' stuff. A verandah was super nice for this.
We have some great memories with our littles on the boats!

 

[Sailor-Minnie]

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

You will be in good hands traveling DCL with your little one. When I book a cruise with a baby, I usually splurge for a Verandah stateroom. That way when I need to put the baby down for his nap, or bedtime, I don’t have to sit quietly in a dark room while he sleeps, and I can go sit out on the balcony, have a drink, and read a book!

DCL will provide a pack & play so don’t worry about bringing one - the less you have to carry, the better! You can also request a high chair for the dining rooms. They can also help with purées or appropriate foods assuming your baby will have started on solids by that age. Speaking of dining, when I cruise with a baby I always try to get the main dining because I find the second dining option is just too late for them to stay up. HOWEVER, if you are from the US and traveling to Europe, your baby may not be adjusted to the time zone and stay up later naturally. When I took my 7 month old to Scotland, we kept him on a very late schedule so he didn’t have to adapt so much to the time change and then again when we returned home, and this also made it easier for us to go out to dinner and still get the baby to bed before he got too tired. So if that is the case with you, you may want to opt for second seating (giving you more time in each port during the day) and let your baby stick to a later schedule for the duration of your trip overseas.

With the nursery onboard, you can only book a certain number of hours online before the cruise, and the rest you can book once you board. If you want to plan any adults-only dinners, spa, etc, make sure you coordinate to get those hours in at the nursery as well.

Beyond that, there’s not too much to worry about while on the ship! If you will be bottle feeding, bring your bottles and a travel size bottle of dish soap so you can clean them in the sink between uses. Diaper prices will be much higher than at home, so bring all the diapers you think you will need (and then by the end of your trip you will have extra room in your bag for souvenirs). Normally I wouldn’t bring my stroller on the ship because it can be crowded and we never have far to walk, but going to Europe you will definitely want one for the port days. They can store your stroller until you are ready to use it so it doesn’t crowd up your stateroom.

I can recommend my favorite baby travel products if you are curious but since it’s not DCL specific I won’t go on for now. If you have any specific questions let me know!

 

[MomOTwins]

Hello, my husband and I are planning to take our baby boy (due 10/21) on two DCL cruises in 2022 after he is 6mo.
One will be a 4-night Dream trip, the other an 11-night Norway/Iceland/Scotland cruise when he’s closer to 10mos.
I’ve seen a lot of YouTube videos of people traveling with a toddler, but wondering if anyone has tips or advice for traveling DCL with a baby under 1yo, particularly in Europe.
Thanks so much!

Best advice: don’t book anything non-refundable until you actually have a baby. Every baby is different. You may get one who travels well, or you may not.

In terms of tips if you do go:
—Disposable bottles/sippy cups are great when traveling once your baby uses them. So much easier than constantly doing dishes in a cruise ship bathroom sink. If you plan to (and are able to) breastfeed, I liked the bebe au lait nursing cover that “tents” around you—the closer fitting knitted wraps aren’t good for bahamas weather.
—Have one parent take turns in the room at bedtime (and naptime if baby won’t nap in a stroller) while the other goes to do evening ship activities. Look at navigators online before your cruise so you can choose which activities you want and plan which will be mom’s night out and which are dad’s.
—Go to the open house at the nursery. On our first cruise our youngest had separation anxiety in the nursery so never stayed more than 15mins (they call you and tell you to come pick up baby if they aren’t happy). I had overbooked thinking we’d use the nursery and ended up paying for spa treatments and palo and other things that we did not get to stay for. I think it may have helped if we had gone to the open house on day 1 as that is the only time parents can come in to the nursery with the baby so he might have gotten more comfortable with it.
—Get baby used to sleeping in a pack n play before the cruise so they are less likely to sleep poorly because it is too different from what they are used to. (Of course they may still refuse to sleep on the ship for other reasons, but practice doesn't hurt).
—Bring a travel stroller. Others say don’t do strollers on ship, but we couldn’t do without one—carrying them everywhere gets real old, you don’t want to have to set them down somewhere gross (eg port canaveral terminal, airport) and they have so much “stuff” the storage in stroller is super handy.
—When waiting for an elevator in which one can fit said stroller, it may make sense to “detour” (e.g. to go up, get on an empty down elevator, then stay on and ride it up after it drops off on a lower floor)

 

[DietCokeMommy]

This probably isn't advice you want to hear, but traveling with a baby is really hard. I was only able to nurse both of my kids until about 6 or 7 months and then my supply disappeared so we bottle fed after that. Cleaning bottles and all the stuff that goes with it on a tiny vanity on a cruise ship will not be fun. You also have to pack a million diapers because you don't really know how many you'll need and they're ridiculously overpriced on the ship and they may not have the right brand/size. Also, at 9 or 10 months your baby will want to be crawling and trying to walk. This is really hard to accommodate on a cruise. The flight we took when my daughter was 9 months was a huge hassle because she wanted to get out of the seat and walk up and down the aisle, which of course we couldn't really do.

I know I probably can't convince you not to travel, but be prepared that traveling with babies is hard. It won't be much of a vacation, it'll just be parenting in a different location.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Each baby is different, so as others have said, don't book anything non-refundable until you know yours.

One of my favorite phrases ever came from these boards in a thread on this same subject--If you're going to be in baby jail, might as well be in baby jail on a Disney Cruise Ship!

I don't know how much you would have had to pay me to get either of my kids on a flight to Europe at 10 months! They are wanting to move around then and sitting in a plane seat for that long would have been a nightmare (read above about what happens once a kid gets mobile--they want to move around all the time). Also the time difference--not sure I'd be willing to risk a comfortable sleep schedule for travel. Then you'll have no idea until the last minute whether or not your baby will be in a good place to go on any excursion.

We did go to WDW with our kids at all ages starting at 4.5 months. That first trip was, in hindsight, by far the easiest. He wasn't mobile yet, he napped in the stroller, we stuck to his night schedule which meant we were up early enough for rope drop, we had the most leisurely trip we'd ever had. That could translate to a cruise at 6 months out of Port Canaveral. Once he could walk, it got exponentially more difficult.

 

[nancipants]

I don't know how much you would have had to pay me to get either of my kids on a flight to Europe at 10 months!

We are considering a Europe cruise when my son is around 5-6 years old, and ONLY because my in-laws will be traveling with us so we'll have lots of help. No way would I consider flying that far and doing Europe ports with just us. I get hives just thinking about it. He'll be 3 on his first plane flight and I'm hoping he'll be old enough to be placated by the tablet then.

 

[Calantha]

are considering a Europe cruise when my son is around 5-6 years old, and ONLY because my in-laws will be traveling with us so we'll have lots of help.

My mom and I flew from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii in early 2019 when my son was almost 4. That being said, he'd been on flights to Florida and California (twice) before, so he's a pretty good flier. Just keep the tablet and snacks handy...and before you get on the plane, teach him how to release the pressure in his ears! (practice 'gum-chewing' or other basic tricks)...and practice wearing headphones.

 

[Ladybugx87]

We did Alaska from the east coast when our younger daughter was 9 months and have traveled all over the world with our girls. We also did Baltic when same daughter was 2. Here are some tips:

- for the first day of so I’d stay on the kids jet lag schedule to make sure you sleep enough. Both of my girls got over jet lag quickly as long as they had fresh air/exposure to natural light.
- bring favorite blanket and snacks with you.
- this was pre Covid but they would purée me a ton of food at dinner and then send it back to room with me in case I needed food for the room.
- I echo all of the advice from MomOTwins regarding napping strategy and sleep prep.
- everyone has different expectations but as long as you’re prepared that it won’t be the same as vacation pre kids I think you’ll enjoy it.
Happy to answer any other questions you have!

 

[Bunny84]

Thank you all so much for the great tips and feedback! We really appreciate it. We're definitely prepared for it to be difficult, and not like our pre-baby adult DCL vacations but we couldn't be more excited.
The practical tips are so useful! I will certainly be considering all of these.
I was curious how much time they typically let you book ahead at Small World and what parents' experiences have been using it? For example, is it realistic to expect that we would be able to check him into SW sometimes at dinner and a few hours in the evening (presuming availability on the Europe cruise with fewer kids)? On videos, I usually see parents eating with their kids, but wondered how well SW does at feeding, etc., as an alternative to him joining us at the table?
For Port Adventures, we want to take him out and about as much as possible -- I know he'll be little and won't "remember" any of this but we also are eager for him to start seeing different places and experiencing new sights, smells, etc. to inspire what will hopefully be a lifetime of travel and learning. We are looking to book ones that are more low-key and would be appropriate for us and a baby in a carrier. Any thoughts on Port Adventures?
Thanks again for all the input!

 

[SailingScout]

You have already received a ton of good advice so I won’t add much more. I just want to jump in and say I’m a huge proponent of traveling with kids. Why should you stop doing things because you have a baby? People travel with kids all the time. My sons each went on a cruise before they turned one. The trips were really for the adults! They have been on 3 Panama Canal cruises and next summer we are going to Europe. While the PC cruises are great with little kids because of all the sea days, I would be hesitant to do a European one because of how port intensive and pricey they are. Meaning, I want to make sure I get bang for my buck filling our days with action that I don’t think I would get with a smaller child. But, everyone has different expectations and desires for trips. You will have fun no matter what!

 

[SailingScout]

To answer your Small World questions: the amount of time you’re allowed to pre book is determined by the length of the cruise. On a European cruise I wouldn’t think you would have any problem getting spots. You could likely show up without reservations to drop off nearly any time.

 

[Ladybugx87]

Port Adventures - I recommend a mix of shorter and longer. For Alaska we chose a few longer days and kept the rest shorter.

for Iceland Norway Scotland- we loved this trip in 2019 but my girls were 9 and 4 so our choices were different. Here is my personal blog that shares more on our trip if you’re interested.
http://jmsadventure.blogspot.com/2019/08/?m=1

i do think the overlook in Alesund could be a good choice for you.

 

[Budzooka]

I don’t have anything constructive to add. Wish you luck. That sounds absolutely miserable to me. I love my kids but I didn’t like going out to dinner when they were infants because of all the trouble and unpredictability. I can’t imagine spending that much money and having to juggle all of those responsibilities on a ship. But to each their own and I hope it works out for you!

 

[Bunny84]

I don’t have anything constructive to add. Wish you luck. That sounds absolutely miserable to me. I love my kids but I didn’t like going out to dinner when they were infants because of all the trouble and unpredictability. I can’t imagine spending that much money and having to juggle all of those responsibilities on a ship. But to each their own and I hope it works out for you!

Thank you! We plan to utilize Small World extensively, particularly for dinner times, but also spend lots of time with the baby during the day and in his wakeful hours.

 

[MomOTwins]

Thank you! We plan to utilize Small World extensively, particularly for dinner times, but also spend lots of time with the baby during the day and in his wakeful hours.

You probably saw this in my earlier response, but I do just want to reiterate that I (and others on this board have described the same experience) that small world nursery will ONLY keep your baby if the baby is happy being there. If a child starts crying (or for older toddlers, if the child asks for mommy or daddy) the staff will try for 15 mins or so to distract them or calm them down, but if that does not work you will be called on your wave phone and/or messaged in the app to come pick up your child. They were always very apologetic, but it is their policy.

 

[Bunny84]

You probably saw this in my earlier response, but I do just want to reiterate that I (and others on this board have described the same experience) that small world nursery will ONLY keep your baby if the baby is happy being there. If a child starts crying (or for older toddlers, if the child asks for mommy or daddy) the staff will try for 15 mins or so to distract them or calm them down, but if that does not work you will be called on your wave phone and/or messaged in the app to come pick up your child. They were always very apologetic, but it is their policy.

That's definitely good to know and keep in mind. When you've used it in the past, does that happen frequently in your experience? Thanks again for all the info.

 

[MomOTwins]

That's definitely good to know and keep in mind. When you've used it in the past, does that happen frequently in your experience? Thanks again for all the info.

It happened every single time we attempted to use the nursery on our first cruise (about 4/5 times before we gave up). On our second cruise, DS was a little bit older (close to 2) and he did better: I'd say 50% of the time we were able to leave him for an hour or so, 50% resulted in a call right around the 15 minute mark and we had to pick up him. We learned after the first cruise though not to schedule activities as a couple so it was easier. For example, DH would schedule a spa treatment on day, and I'd schedule one on a different day/time, instead of us scheduling a couples treatment together--that way one of us was available to pickup DS if the nursery didn't work out.

 

[Dug720]

Thank you! We plan to utilize Small World extensively, particularly for dinner times, but also spend lots of time with the baby during the day and in his wakeful hours.

Keep in mind that dinner is likely a very popular time, and you're limited in what you can pre-book. Odds of getting junior in there every single dinner are probably slim.

 

[Freya424]

Our son has traveled/cruised a lot in his 7 years (he’s a platinum cruiser lol). He absolutely hated the nursery so we only did small stretches or when we were doing specific adults-only activities like Palo. I will say, I think they made more of an effort to keep him when we told them we were going to Palo. But he was almost always crying when we picked him up so I felt bad leaving him much beyond that. Once he was old enough for the oceaneer club he was fine.
Traveling with kids can be challenging, but it’s worth it in my opinion. We flew to London and did the Norwegian fjords cruise when my son was just a few days over 2 years old and people thought I was crazy . Sure we had our share of meltdowns, sleep issues, ill-timed diaper blowouts etc. in those early years, but we always had a great time overall. You will be fine as long as you go in with the understanding that the experience is different with a baby and that you may not be able to do everything you want. Do a lot of research and planning about the places you’re going and what you need to bring. Make sure your plans have a lot of downtime built in for naps and breaks. And don’t put too much pressure on yourself that you forget to have fun.