12 Day Cruise with 2 Kids under 3
 

We have been offered a chance to go on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise in the summer time but we have two children under 3 who would be coming with us.

We are looking for any suggestions people may have about going on such a trip with such young children.

Any comments to help us in making a decision would be welcome. We are concerned about the following:

1. getting safely from airports to cruise ports (e.g. taxi with car seats) and vice versa
2. getting safely from cruise ports to day trip destinations (e.g. Istanabul)
3. bathing children when the room only has a shower
4. jet lag / time change and travelling through 2+ airports to get to and from cruise
5. being on a ship that doesn't let children swim in the pool if they use a swim diaper

Lastly, are we crazy to be taking 2 children under 3 on a 12 day cruise?

www.cruisecritic.com has a Family Board that might be helpful to you.

Some people bring small blow up pools to use for bathing and to give kids a chance to splash around in near the regular pools.

I wouldn't have enjoyed such a cruise with my children when they were that small, but many people do. For me, it would have been very hard for all of us to sleep in one room; for example, I wouldn't have wanted to go to bed at the same time as my children, but what else could I have done?

I am 77 and my baby is 46, but the thoughts of being on a cruise with them when 3 y.o. gives the shudders. I can't imagine it being fun for anyone - especially the kids who will not remember any of it next week.

My first thought was how difficult the excursions on that cruise would be with toddlers, that it would be like an AI resort, except your cabin will be too small for the little ones to have any play room.

However, some Princess ships have programs for little ones so parents can tour during the day, and some care at night, though not private, in-room care. You might look into that. If you feel comfortable with their programs it might work. No idea of the cost though.

My own thoughts are that a baby that is still easy to carry or children big enough to enjoy some of the excursions are better suited to cruise travel.

You said you have the opportunity to go on this cruise. If that means it is fully paid for, I "might" consider it. However, realizing how tiny the cabins are, how terribly hot that area is in summer, how unless someone is with you to babysit you can't really enjoy the other things on the ship, and how impossible most of the excursions would be with toddlers, I would either spend the airfare to go someplace more conducive to a family with toddlers or save for cruise in a few more years.

We did a 10 night Mediterranean cruise with our daughter when she was a little under two years old and had a fabulous time. She has always been a terrible sleeper but the time change on the way there was not a problem for her at all (besides our first night in Barcelona where she fell asleep during dinner). It helped that we were on Disney Cruise Line, so the boat itself was tailored to kids (bathtub in bathrooms) and had a splash area for non potty trained kids. That being said, we did only one Disney excursion- the rest we booked on our own so no DCL advantage there. In Malta we did a private tour and prearranged for a car seat in the car. For short taxi destinations and rides to and from the cruise port we just held her on our laps. Many of the excursions we did involved trains (not cars) like Cinque Terre and Monoco. In Rome we took the DCL bus into the city and then did the hop on hop off tour bus to get around. We researched and planned in advance and figured out toddler friendly activities for each destination. Yes, it was a different type of trip to Europe than if my husband and I went by ourselves, but it was a wonderful experience for us nonetheless and even though our daughter doesn't remember much (if any of it), she had a great time while we were there and we remember all of it and the memories are priceless. I think if you are willing to work around your toddlers schedules and really plan the excursions with them in mind (skip the museums and real tours, let them explore the ruins and piazzas, make lots of gelato and snack stops, spend time on the beaches and in markets) you should go for it and will have a great time! We've stayed in hotels with no bath tubs when traveling with our daughter before she was old enough to stand in a shower and just held her in our arms to bathe her under the shower head. Good luck!

Wow, this could be awesome. Have a great experience! Enjoy your trip. Good Luck!

This post is a bit old but if you do ever return and read this I would love to hear if you ever decided to go on the trip, and if so, how did it go?