Cruising with an 18 month old

[FigmentFanForAlways]

Hi Everyone,

I will be taking my daughter on the Disney Dream (4 Night Bahamian Cruise) in January following Marathon Weekend. She's never been on a cruise--nor have I.

She'll be traveling with me, my husband, my sister, and brother-in-law. We're planning to book some time in the nursery--for a night out or for lazy lounging, as long as it's available. I'm also planning to reserve a Pack N Play as soon as we're eligible to make reservations. We have a Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah--so there's a bathtub, separate sleeping section, and a place for Mom or Dad to have coffee or other beverages during naptime or bedtime... [This was mostly luck, as I hadn't thought about it before we booked and the only adjoining rooms still available were this type. But--good for us!]

What advice do you have about what we should bring and expect? I assume it's a waste to buy diapers, wipes, cream, etc. on board, so we'll likely pack (all) those (and medicines, thermometer--just in case). We have a City Mini Stroller, which I'm planning to bring but am interested in hearing opinions on that versus an umbrella stroller. If we're not doing any excursions, is there a need to bring the carseat? Or are there excursions we should consider?


Any guidance would be much appreciated!!

Thanks.

 

[llachance]

My travel agent added the pack and play to my reservation - I didn't have to do it.

 

[Weedy]

FYI you daughter may be more comfortable on the sofa bed. It's low to the ground and they will provide a bed rail. The sofa is more comfortable than the pack and play.


The hallways can be crowded when housekeeping has their carts in the hallways. Also the elevators are crowded. Again depending on your childs age and size you may want to use a carrier instead.

This is from the Disney website. These are some of the things the provide for littles. Have a great cruise.

 

[KashasMom]

I always recommend staying on the child's normal schedule. Bring a comfortable stroller in case she gets tired while you're out and about. Yes, bring diapers, meds, etc. Also bring her favorite blanket and a few favorite toys. She won't be able to swim in the pool even in swim diapers but there is a splash area that will be fun. You can leave the car seat home. In Nassau you can walk to a beach or stay on board (many people do). Book the Princess and Frozen meet and greets when your activities open up. She may or may not like being close to the characters so play that by ear. Most of all...relax and enjoy!

 

[Dug720]

Just know that the stroller must be stored in your cabin - not on the balcony (if you have one) or in the hall. So take the size of yours into consideration.

 

[DisneyConvert]

You will have a wonderful time . . . because your child will be delighted by the musical/visual entertainment and the characters . . . and the very lovely care at "It's a Small World Nursery" (highly recommended).

Other guests with/out young children will also be comfortable with the laughs, cry's, noises and even smells of your young ones. Disney is a place for the whole family as Walt envisioned and your young ones are welcome!!!

"Jack-Jack's Diaper Dash" - don't miss it.

 

[ptcrn]

We went when our youngest was 18 months and it was a great trip! We actually had the city mini stroller as well and I was so glad I brought it! Only issue was that it wouldn't fit through the door of the stateroom without folding it up, so if she was asleep in the stroller when we got back to the room we had to get her up (or keep strolling to finish her nap! ) It was actually really helpful for naps because we could walk her around until she fell asleep and then rest in a lounge chair. We also used a pack and play which worked fine, we asked the stateroom host to keep it set up during the day in case we needed it.

She loved the Nemo splash area, it was perfect for her age. We did use the nursery a couple of times. For us it didn't work so well, I think because she just wasn't used to day care, if she had it would have been fine. We found that when we picked her up she had been crying for a while and they hadn't called us to come get her.

Have a great trip!

 

[DietCokeMommy]

We're taking our first family cruise with an 18m old next February. We're planning on bringing our umbrella stroller (UB G-Lite) because it's super lightweight, folds down really small and has a decent sun shade. I think the City Mini will be ok, but if you have an umbrella stroller you like, you might want to consider it instead.

I've been to Nassau on a cruise and didn't think it was all that great, so I'm not sure you'll really miss out by not doing any excursions.

 

[RRBB]

We took our youngest on her first cruise when she was 15 months old. (She's now 10.) We were on the Magic and the nursery was called Flounders at the time - she loved it, especially when princesses came to visit. We took a Maclaren double stroller so our son (3 at the time) could also sit/lay back when he got tired. Our daughter slept in the stroller the whole time we were at the beach in Cabo San Lucas without any issues. My only problem that cruise was I spent just about every night on the sofa bed next to her pack n play while our son slept in the nice comfy, big bed. (She had trouble falling asleep at night unless I had my hand on her back.)

 

[Quellman]

We found not having a stroller was beneficial for us, and baby wore when necessary, but I wouldn't buy something just for the trip. They will also provide a diaper genie. I would consider a small bottle of dishsoap and a sponge if you are bringing anything that you may need to wash. They make travel size ones. We found that we used a few more diapers than usual. Also, we added an extra nap as we had late diner. No regrets.

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

We just cruised with my 14 month old. Definitely bring all diapers, wipes, medicines, thermometer, etc. Expensive on board and you just never know! Don't forget swim diapers for the Nemo's Reef and Castaway Cay/any beach days. Disney provided the pack n play and diaper genie.

I recommend bringing a smaller storable. We have a City Mini and knew from our first cruise it would be too large. The hallways are narrow and areas can get packed. We took an umbrella stroller but a step up from the cheap ones - it has a recline feature. It's not as cushy as the CM but it worked much better. It fit through the cabin doorway and we could pass someone by in the hallway.

You all will have a blast!!

 

[ajo]

We had a 15 month-old in our group on our last cruise and she had the most fun of any of us (and we all had a great time). We had a nice umbrella stroller (an upgrade from the cheapest version) and it was perfect. Fit everyehere we needed it to and worked great for a short naps.

Be sure to go to the character dance party in the atrium. Our toddler had the time of her life dancing with all the characters!!

 

[pixie3]

I vote umbrella stroller. It will be much easier. Some have a small net underneath.

If stopping at Castaway, bring some "small" sand toys....a shovel, rake and small bucket from the dollar store, then throw them away if you have to.

 

[Keira1387]

I took my dd on her first cruise the same age as your daughter. We also have a city mini stroller, but opted to take an umbrella stroller. When you get off the tram at castaway cay they have city mini gt and also wagons available. You just walk by and grab one. Works out great for an afternoon nap too!

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

Hi Everyone,

I will be taking my daughter on the Disney Dream (4 Night Bahamian Cruise) in January following Marathon Weekend. She's never been on a cruise--nor have I.

She'll be traveling with me, my husband, my sister, and brother-in-law. We're planning to book some time in the nursery--for a night out or for lazy lounging, as long as it's available. I'm also planning to reserve a Pack N Play as soon as we're eligible to make reservations. We have a Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah--so there's a bathtub, separate sleeping section, and a place for Mom or Dad to have coffee or other beverages during naptime or bedtime... [This was mostly luck, as I hadn't thought about it before we booked and the only adjoining rooms still available were this type. But--good for us!]

What advice do you have about what we should bring and expect? I assume it's a waste to buy diapers, wipes, cream, etc. on board, so we'll likely pack (all) those (and medicines, thermometer--just in case). We have a City Mini Stroller, which I'm planning to bring but am interested in hearing opinions on that versus an umbrella stroller. If we're not doing any excursions, is there a need to bring the carseat? Or are there excursions we should consider?


Any guidance would be much appreciated!!

Thanks.

We just got home from a cruise with our 18 month old. She had a ball! Here's some tips:
-request pnp anytime under your online reservations (special requests). They will also give you a diaper genie. No need to wait til activities booking window opens
-pack sheets for pnp
-get a cheap $20 umbrella stroller - city mini a little too bulky for halls and crowds
-get 2-3 bumpkins bibs with pockets that arms go through and out disposable bib over. The bumpkins bibs can be washed out and dried by the next morning
-bring clothespins to hang wet bathing suits, bibs
-bring 2-3 bathing suits
-remember swim diapers
-car seat not needed (we had it anyways though for the airplane, trips to airport, along with a cart. There was plenty of room in stateroom)
-bring pocket organizer (i.e. Shoe organizer) to hang on hook (we toed rope through the holes in the organizer and made a bow). Perfect organizer for diapers, wipes, creams, sunscreen, and easily reachable from bed where we changed her
-dd loved the nemo water play area
-they had "open toddler play" in a part of the kids club for a few hours each day
-nursery was awesome
-servers were awesome with her
-Take wipes EVERYWHERE with you. There's food everywhere and she was constantly dirty!
-the cheese & cracker platter from room service was the perfect afternoon snack
-if you go to cabanas, a cm will volunteer to walk around the buffet with you and hold the plate of food while you hold your kid. They will also set you up with a high chair or booster seat. This was a blessing the day I was alone with both my dds
-if she was moody, a trip to the elevators and run around the lobby always did the trick
-remember that 18 month olds don't get that vacation is different from everyday life - they will still throw their tantrums and get tired and do all their regular day-to-day behaviors.

Enjoy!

 

[kateandy08096]

We are taking our 17 month old in Nov. If we book the nursury and dont use it are we still charged?

 

[bbel]

We are taking our 17 month old in Nov. If we book the nursury and dont use it are we still charged?

If you just don't turn up then yes.
If you cancel within a certain time (can't remember what, and even with that they're pretty flexible) then no.

 

[hpsalb]

We've cruised with young kiddos at various ages, including toddlers.
We used the nursery some and also took advantage of open house times in the kids clubs. They have recently added more toddler activities throughout the day.
We've used the PNP with kiddos that age, rather than the bed with bedrail. You can request the PNP, diaper genie, and highchair anytime.
We have never carried a carseat as we typically sail 4-night cruises and don't do extra excursions. You will probably find that there are few available for an 18 month old anyway.
We prefer a smaller stroller and carrier rather than a larger stroller. We can barely fit our Joovy GrooveUL through the door and fold it up, so I would be hesitant to bring the City Mini. Smaller is better onboard; there are joggers and wagons available at CC (first-come, first-served) and you can borrow one if needed from DCL for excursions - I believe there is a refundable deposit.
They do sell a limited amount of diapers and other baby supplies on board, but you are much better off bringing your own. Don't forget swim diapers for the splash area and CC.
I recommend taking some familiar snacks with you. Food is easy to find, but there is just no substitute for having some old favorites within reach!!

 

[hamm1207]

We celebrated our daughter's first birthday on the cruise and it was wonderful. Be sure to ask for a diaper genie and the stateroom host will be awesome about taking care of it! If your kiddo can go with the sofa bed and toddler rail, i'd recommend it so that you have more room in the stateroom. Our daughter did the pack in play (wasn't ready for bed yet) and it was fine. The stateroom host tidied up the pack n' play each day (arranged her stuffed animals nicely). I'd suggest taking a few toys with you, and keeping her schedule as close to normal as possible. We did our second cruise when our daughter was 17 months old and we used her nap time in the room for our nap and chill time. Be sure to pack extra diapers in case she gets an upset belly--they're super expensive and in limited supply on the ship. We booked some nursery time before boarding, and we didn't have any problems adding more time once on board. As someone else said, if she's in diapers she's not permitted in any of the pools or the big kid splash area (cruise line regulations for health and sanitation), but she's allowed in the Nemo Reef (I think it's Nemo's Reef on the Dream) splash area. DCL does have strollers at guest services (complimentary with a $200 deposit made to your account and refunded when the stroller is returned). We borrowed one, but ended up taking it back as our daughter would rather walk around. On our second cruise we didn't even take a stroller with us. If you pack some snacks, make sure they're prepacked and what not--no homemade/fresh fruit/opened snacks are allowed through security at the port. The nursery will also not allow you to take in an opened snack pouch. However, if they open it you can take it back next time you go (they mark that they're the ones that opened it and when it was opened).

Nursery:
Each time you check her into the nursery you'll have to fill out a form. They will feed her at meal times, with your permission.
The nursery staff is awesome!!

Look for Toddler Time on the navigator. It'll be a little play time designated for the toddlers and it'll say where it is (On the wonder it was promenade lounge).


Have fun and stay relaxed!!

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

For the nursery, it was a 4-hour cancellation policy.