nychick

as i've posted before, my family is going on a NY-Canada-New England cruise this fall. we are debating between princess, norwegian, and royal caribbean. <BR><BR>as i was looking at the "fine print" for the princess cruise trying to find out when the ship was built, i noticed it said, no infants under six months of age allowed on the cruise!! i was very surprised at this, and scoured the other cruise lines brochures to see if they had the same rule. i couldn't find it, and will call them just to be sure. <BR><BR>can anyone tell me if this is common, and if it's enforced? i am just so surprised about it. <BR>

Theresa

While on RCCL Explorer in December - there was a 6 week infant. I was amazed.<BR><BR>I spoke to the parents and was told that they had to pay for her to be on the ship (3rd person in the cabin) and that they brought their own formula.

Vic

Sometimes ships limit the total number of young children. And some charge a ridiculous amount to tell you that small ones are not all that welcome. Some just forbid small children. So it's best to call.<BR><BR>It's like restaurants that advertise that they don't have a kid's menu. A subtle hint.<BR><BR>I think it's almost universal that the staff in the childrens' centers are forbidden to change diapers. So if you're thinking of just dropping the kid off at the center. it's probably not a good idea.<BR><BR>When my kid was less than two, the ship had a crib with my daughter's name on it. But, at her age we wouldn't and the ship wouldn't let us leave her there without us.

nychick

personally, i'm not concerned about them having a kids menu. i am pregnant now, with a due date of june 20, so by aug/sept, the baby will only be 2-3 months old and still nursing/on formula exclusively. <BR><BR>same with the kids program, i really don't get into going on vaca as a family and dropping my kids at a daycare center, at any age. certainly not with my first baby at that young age. i imagine i will have him/her in the stroller, and my "at sea" time will be spent hanging around a lounge area or deck, depending on the weather. <BR><BR>i hope none of the cruise lines we're looking at charge for infants, that would be silly to pay.

Vic

Generally, your infant will be charged as a third person which is the lowest priced fare available on the ship. The problem is that you can often book the adult fares at a good discount. The third person fare is rarely discounted. It's not impossible that the third person fare is more than the first two passengers. So you may pay more for your infant than yourselves.

Paul Therault

<BR>Disney is the only ship that does not charge for infants, but they make up for it with the price of the cruise.<BR><BR>A child that is diapered is not allowed in any children's program. Some lines offer babysitting services (for a fee) in your cabin. You must make reservations as soon as you get on the ship since the staff does it on their spare time and may not wish to earn the extra money.<BR><BR>It is totally fair to charge for infants since bedding woudl have to be changed more often, more towels are used, diapers have to be separated from the regular trash and disposed of separately. Carpets have to be cleaned. Urine odor has to be removed, etc.<BR><BR>As others have stated you must inquire with the line for age minimums. Also the lines charge for infants to discourage infants because of the expense.<BR><BR>Paul

Vic

Hey Paul we agree.<BR><BR>It's only a minor point, but very small ones are welcome in the smaller childrens' play room as long as a parent is close by. It's been 14 years but I can remember my daughter flooded with stuffed animals in the play room on a Princess ship.<BR>

Vic

Another thing, you depict living with an infant a grisly experience. It's bad but not that bad.

Vic

You may be happier doing something else until the child is older.<BR><BR>When my daughter was a couple of months old, we decided to vacation in Maui at the a posh hotel in Wailea. It just didn't work. The baby was breast feeding and going to nice restaurants was out of the question. We retreated to a condo and we are much happier. An infant in the dining room of a cruise ship will probably be uncomfortable for both your family and those around you.

nychick

thanks for the info everyone. i am waiting for emails back from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, the other 2 cruises that do the route we want. neither say ANYTHING about infants on the web or brochure. so we'll see. <BR><BR>everyone has different opinions on traveling with babies. personally, i wouldn't go on a plane with a little one, but a cruise seems ok to me. they seem to have other dining options besides the huge crowded formal Dining Rooms, and even if we are stuck in a big room like that, our party is big (8 adults) so we wont be put with strangers. <BR><BR>i also wouldn't do a sunny destination with an infant b/c they can't really be in the sun that much, hence the fall new england cruise. <BR><BR>i am a big believer in not adversely changing your life b/c you have kids, i think it makes for well adjusted kids to do a lot with them. that said i wouldn't take kids to very expensive formal restaurants, but i also won't limit myself to the Ground Round for the next 12 years, either. i am very conscious of not disturbing anyone else, and will quickly remove a crying and or dirty baby from a public place or a show, etc. <BR>

Vic

The French consider eating almost a religious affair and it never failures to amaze me how French children will sit for literally hours at a dining table quietly eating or listening to the adults talk. I once asked a French lawyer friend, how the French got their children to be so patient. He looked at me in astonishment and said that he would wack the kid if he misbehaved at the table. I guess it's a matter of culture and expectation.<BR><BR>But judging from observation, including my family, don't be surprised if you end up at the Ground Round or Chucky Cheese unless you go to France for some lessons.<BR><BR>I still think you're underestimating the hassle of an infant on a cruise ship.

Mom

Nychick - <BR><BR>Taking a baby to the "show" as you said, i.e. any kind of a theatre, movie, play etc. is universally considered bad form and just plain selfish. I have four kids of my own and take them to all sorts of places - but would never even dream of taking them somewhere as inappropriate as a theatre. You might want to rethink that one.<BR><BR>Good luck with the pregnancy and the cruise!

katie

One point is being overlooked. BABIES CRY. I've been on several cruises and have never had a cabin where sounds didn't travel--up, down and sideways. I think you need to consider how people in neighboring cabins will like listening to a crying baby at "2AM" every night of the cruise. Perhaps this is why some ships discourage young children. <BR><BR>

Vic

I don't want to make things sound too grim. When my daughter was about 9 months old, we sailed with my parents on a Mexican Riviera Princess cruise.<BR><BR>On embarkation day, we were sitting in the lounge and I heard a woman say in a loud stage whisper, "children that small should be left home." I imagine that was sentiment shared by others on the ship.<BR><BR>We had a little sling that attached to the dining table and she sat at dinner with the rest of us. We ordered for her like everyone else, and my father and I would fight over her food. At the time, she had a thing for french fries and they would automatically bring some at each meal. The waiters would bring out things like pasta with a simple sauce. They seemed to know what a baby liked. One of us was the designated driver each evening. When the baby seemed to be getting restless, the designated driver would push her around the ship in her stroller while the rest of us enjoyed the meal.<BR><BR>The ships crew made a great fuss over the baby. Many of the crew have children at home who they rarely see.<BR><BR>It helped that my daughter was a very well behaved baby but it was a thoroughly positive experience.<BR><BR>At the end of the cruise a number of people who dined near us came over and remarked what a nice little girl she was.<BR><BR>It's an invaluable experience for grandparents. It's a leisuely way to get acquainted with their grandchildren in a great environment.<BR><BR>If you imagine cruising pre baby to be like cruising post baby, you'll be very disappointed. The kid will require most of your time, I mean mama's time. The kid will also enhance your trip in ways you can't imagine.

nychick

maybe we are all collectively smoking crack around my family for thinking this will be a good trip....but these three babies (one mine, i am 5 months pg now, and two my sisters, she is 7 months along with twins) are the first kids in our family. we vacation a great deal, as individual couples, and as an extended family group, which is what this cruise will be. <BR><BR>we actually purposely decided on a cruise vs other types of trips b/c we thought that the lack of moving from hotels, the way you don't have to drive to get to meals, in general the way you can on a cruise do as little or as much as you want, would be good. so for example, there is a shore exursion that included kayaking that i know my younger sister and her boyfriend would love to do. on that day, we'll probably take a bus tour exursion, or walk around the port city. on the "at sea" days, i am more than happy to hang around on the balcony of the room, or in one of the public areas of the ship, doing a sedentary activity, or just talking with my mom or husband or sister. <BR><BR>and paul, i have vacationed at many different resort properties, and have never encountered one that charges for infants. yes, if you use their crib, there is a charge for that, but it is nominal. and i would assume that an infant at a resort would have as much of an environmental impact as on a cruise as far as water, towel, trash use. so that may very well be the reason cruise lines give for charging for infants, but it's pretty lame if you ask me. we just went to a place called woodloch pines in PA, that is an excellent, highly regarded family resort and my cousin didn't pay anything extra for her twin babies. she used her own portable cribs, so she didn't even have to pay for that. <BR><BR>anyway, i guess i'll just have to wait till sept, hope all works out that these three much awaited babies arrive safe and healthy and then we have a fun time on our first trip with them. <BR><BR>

Paul Therault

<BR>Once you cruise you will see just what they do for you and your infants.<BR><BR>One can not compare a hotel with a cruise ship.<BR><BR>If you could only see the waste processing plant and the tanks for each type of waste, you will change your mind. You see, a ship is an enclosed environmental city.<BR><BR>When the experts sit down and figure the cost for an infant, toddler, child they either charge extra or they do not, such as Disney. You see Disney takes what it costs them for each infant and distributes the cost to each individual passenger. Therefore each adult is paying for that "free" infant.<BR><BR>Read Vic's post very carefully and you will see about cruising with infants.<BR><BR>You will have a great time and don't cruise feeling bitter. You will get your money's worth.<BR><BR>Paul<BR><BR>

Vic

The cruise lines are between a rock and a hard place. Unless you're content with a bunch of septegenarians sleeping all day in public places, you must cater to families. Families have children but non families tend to resent having kids underfoot. Some are cruising to get away from kids.<BR><BR>Things roughly sort themselves out. Expensive and or long cruises tend to be basically a bunch of old geezers. Shorter less expensive cruises tend to have kids.<BR><BR>Cruise lines charge regular third person fares for infants because the cruise lines don't want them. Just the presence of infants causes most passengers angst.

Dawn

NY Chick, I have cruised with my daughter on RCCL and they made us pay third person for her. I felt and still do that it was crazy since she was still an infant and was strictly breast feeding. If there were ever a time when she started to get fussy or cry, someone (my hubby, myself or my traveling companions) would remove her from the situation and go back to the room or go for a walk.<BR><BR>Please, do on the cruise and enjoy yourself. The memories will last forever, and don't worry about what people say or think. I have found more adults to be bigger babies than most children.

nychick

paul, what do you mean when you say, "wait till you cruise you'll see what they do.." <BR><BR>is that a threat or a promise???? <BR>

Paul Therault

<BR>Hi NY Chick,<BR><BR>You will find, as was stated above, most of the crew are excellent with children. They do miss their families. Nothing like hotels where most ignore children.<BR><BR>FYI infants under 12 weeks of age are not allowed on Disney at any price.<BR><BR>Paul