what kind of stroller?

[cryssi]

Since this will be our first cruise with a child, I was wondering what kind of stroller is best for onboard as well as getting off at the ports. It also has to do well on the plane. I don't think I want to take our big stroller, but the crappy, cheap umbrella one is insufficient, too. Any and all suggestions are appreciated!

Our son will be around 21 months when we sail. He has just started walking now and I'm sure will be running on the boat...

 

[tinkmom2]

You can use a stroller for free on Castaway. It's a good jogging stroller. They have ones you can rent on board too but I think you have to put a credit card down for that one and I am not sure if you can take it off the ship.
We actually prefer to take our umbrella stroller. It's great for getting around the air ports and folds up nicely under the bed. (Nassau has some good sidewalks but some really old ones too that are hard to manuver with a stroller) Our stroller has a place in back for bags and umbrella attachement. Then on Castaway we grabbed on of the jogging strollers they have for free. We also used our umbrella stroller to get around on board. My DD was 3 at the time.

 

[Meghatron]

Our daughter is 21m and we will not be using a stroller at all because of space issues. If she can't walk she'll go on our shoulders or in the Ergo.

 

[zaz]

I use the nice umbrella strollers. They are sturdier than the cheap ones, have 1 lateral handle instead of 2 small ones, drink holders, basket and umbrella. I always choose the ones that recline a bit (in case my DD wants to sleep a bit). They fold a bit bigger than the traditional umbrella, but not much more. I know that Chicco and Cosco make some. There must be other brands too.

 

[whithouston]

We have a Maclaren Volo and it worked great for our 2 1/2 year old last week. When we didn't use it, it folded up and fit in the closet easily, so it was never in the way in our stateroom! We used it for when we got off the ship at Nassau and it worked great!!

 

[jkrislc]

An umbrella style stroller is the way to go. You want something light as well as something that folds compactly so that it doesn't take up too much room in the cabin. The Maclarens are a good choice for weight, but we opted for a City Mini, which works well for us.

The smaller the better as space may be limited in some of the ports and because the hallways are narrow onboard.

 

[jbuckent]

We bought a Maclaren Volo with cruising in mind. First trip we brought our $10 umbrella and it just isn't a very good stroller at all. LOL We were very happy we didn't bring our big stroller as we watched others try to get through the crowd around dinner/show/character greeting times. Next time we cruised I bought the Volo and we were very happy with it for regular use at home and on the boat. We had one excepetion, in St Maarten we used it to walk around and the streets and sidewalks are not really very smooth and stroller friendly. If your child isn't too heavy for something like an Ergo or Beco baby carrier, I suggest that as the way to go.

 

[minushka72]

We used a $20 umbrella stroller for our 18 month old DS. Easy to store in the closet in our stateroom and easy to take on the 2 shore excursions we booked as space on the buses were limited. It was easy to fold up and we only needed a small diaper bag for the day for a change of clothes, diapers, wipes, and snacks. I don;t feel a larger stroller is needed unless you are planning to bring a ton of stuff in ports and then you also will lose some room space if it cannot fit in the small closet.

 

[disnewbie108]

An umbrella style stroller is the way to go. You want something light as well as something that folds compactly so that it doesn't take up too much room in the cabin. The Maclarens are a good choice for weight, but we opted for a City Mini, which works well for us.

The smaller the better as space may be limited in some of the ports and because the hallways are narrow onboard.

Second vote for the City Mini. Ours worked beautifully on the Wonder. Small enough to navigate crowds, small elevators, narrow halls, etc. Large/sturdy enough for everything else. Folds super easy! My personal favorite feature is the way it folds. Fit nicely in the closet, was out of the way in the cabin. Took an extra push to get through cabin door, but really not bad considering how narrow the door is.

If you have one of these, I would recommended it for sure over an umbrella or travel system. I really wanted to try and go without a stroller, but so many times I was so glad to have it. It was a breeze in port as well. Took on busy Nassau streets and the sand at CC like a champ.

Good luck! Have a great cruise!

 

[aidtrismommy]

Bring an umbrella type that reclines fully if possible. My maclaren just fit through the stateroom door, so I am afraid a larger travel system type stroller will not fit (which just means you have to collapse it outside the room and lug it in, which is fine) I brought 2 umbrella type strollers and fit them both in the closet in my room with no problem. When you get to CC, I would leave the stroller and snag a wagon or jogger when you get off the ship. These are limited to first come first serve. I didn't want to deal with sand in my expensive stroller so we grabbed a wagon and it was great.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I have never cruised before, but I am planning on bringing our Kolcraft umbrella (the black and red ones they sell in the Disney parks). It works great for us, and I attach a stroller bag for extra storage. I have a 3 year old, and my son will be 10 months at cruise time, so either one of them can sit, and then I also have my Beco baby carrier and Moby wrap.

 

[tnshsms]

I absolutely love our combi stroller http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3957336

It folds up so tightly and has the "golf bag strap" as my husband likes to call it so its easy to throw on your shoulder if LO doesn't want to ride. We've never cruised with her before...our first time will be in May....but I love this stroller for all things. It lays down for naps and has a back pocket. The tray on the bottom is a little small(i've heard they made it a litle bigger with the newer ones) but I love the stroller.

 

[Cubsmomof3]

I've always cruised with a stroller-aged child and found that my Maclaren brand umbrella stroller worked best. There's a basket underneath, it folds up easily, can maneuver well thru the stateroom door & at the buffet restaurants (especially on embarkation day when it is crowded and people have lots of carry-ons). Castaway Cay is paved so you can use it there except on the beach where we either fold it up or be one of the first people to reserve the free "beach strollers" onboard. I've cruised with a larger stroller when we went to WDW first and it was okay but sometimes too bulky and a pain to fold up every time we got off & on the ship (you have to put it thru the xray just like the airport). The ship is really big for a little one to walk the whole time but a high end umbrella stroller helps a lot!

 

[Minniemiss]

I absolutely love our combi stroller http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3957336

It folds up so tightly and has the "golf bag strap" as my husband likes to call it so its easy to throw on your shoulder if LO doesn't want to ride. We've never cruised with her before...our first time will be in May....but I love this stroller for all things. It lays down for naps and has a back pocket. The tray on the bottom is a little small(i've heard they made it a litle bigger with the newer ones) but I love the stroller.

I second the Combi Cosmo, we have the Wasabi color for our grandson.

We used it in the parks and on the cruise. We bought the stroller pack, weather cover and stroller bag. The weather cover came in very handy during the rain. the stroller pack held a couple of pullups and wipes and the weather cover.

http://www.combi-intl.com/Products/Category.aspx?Category=8

We also added the Piccolo Stroller Snack Tray , I found it on amazon.

 

[Davids-Coco]

We love our maclaren(s)! A great tip though is to buy their stroller bag as well. It's a little spendy but a heavy duty bag with a handle on one end and wheels on the other. The thing is that it is oversized, so you can easily pack other stuff in with the stroller for the airport. Since checking strollers (gate or otherwise) is free on most airlines, you save yourself some possible luggage fees.

 

[kcashner]

Bring your umbrella stroller. If you decide that you want a big stroller for excursions, DCL has strollers available for loan. They are big and NICE and clean. DCL will apply a $200 charge to your KTTW account and remove the charge when you return the stroller. You can get one and keep it for your entire cruise or you can get it just when you want it and return it right after that...and get it again later.

They are totally cleaned after each return. Obviously they are "first come, first served," but I saw the storage room; there are hundreds of them!

 

[Cousin Orville]

Maclaren. From a dad's perspective. Wouldn't think of taking anything else. Just last week I saw a mom at the Magic Kingdom who had a cheap umbrella style with both front wheels off. Felt bad for her.

 

[kcashner]

While I understand the above, there is a huge difference between WDW and the cruise ship in terms of distance, options if stroller didn't work, amount of space to store large stroller, etc.

People do store strollers in the tub. The hall is not a good option as it might get stolen, used by tweens for "fun," and it interferes with the stateroom hosts ability to move their carts and blocks guests in wheelchairs.

 

[cryssi]

I've been thinking of getting a nicer umbrella stroller for travel anyway, since our wdw trip. Saw a lot of Maclarens at WDW. Was researching city mini. Our big stroller is the Disney i'coo, so I was also looking at the i'coo Pluto umbrella.

I was also kind of thinking of getting a cheaper, smaller jogging stroller so I could use it to run with in a pinch. That might be too much for one small stroller, though. I don't want to spend too much, like over $200. If I could keep it in the 100-150 range that would be good.

Also, we are going to be taking the Alaskan cruise, so not sure how much walking around there is.

 

[cryssi]

Bring your umbrella stroller. If you decide that you want a big stroller for excursions, DCL has strollers available for loan. They are big and NICE and clean. DCL will apply a $200 charge to your KTTW account and remove the charge when you return the stroller. You can get one and keep it for your entire cruise or you can get it just when you want it and return it right after that...and get it again later.

They are totally cleaned after each return. Obviously they are "first come, first served," but I saw the storage room; there are hundreds of them!

do you know what kind of strollers they are?