Cruising with a Baby: What To Expect, Tips & More From A Mom
Thinking of cruising with a baby? With a bit of planning it can be an incredible family vacation. I’m a mom, former crew member, and I started cruising with my baby at 6 months old.
Cruising is a great way to see the world and can be an incredible family vacation or multi-generational family vacation. I’ve been cruising for 20+ years and now regularly cruise with my baby (6 cruises and counting!)
I started bringing my baby to cruise on her six month birthday and haven’t stopped. There are some tips, tricks, and rules you need to be aware of to make sure that your cruise with your little one is a positive experience for the whole family.
Cruising With A Baby
Cruising with a baby can be awesome! It can also be hard. And challenging. And people can have lots of opinions. Overall there are so many good parts to it but there are also quite a few parts that could make staying at home much easier.
If you’ve ever tried to go anywhere with a baby you know that there is a lot of planning involved. Do you have enough diapers/change of clothes? Car seat? Food? When is there next nap/where are they going to take their nap? It’s a lot to figure out.
With a bit of a go-with-the-flow attitude and research ahead of time you can have a wonderful family vacation and seeing them look out at the waves in wonder, sailing into port and exploring different parts of the world together really is incredible.
3 Things You Need to Know When Planning A Cruise with a Baby
These are three critical things to know when planning your cruise.
- Babies need to be a minimum of 6 months old to sail on every cruise line except MSC Cruises, for some itineraries that goes to 12 months
- Babies can’t use the pools (until they’re potty trained) onboard most ships except for splash areas on Disney ships and a few Royal Caribbean ships
- Babies need to have proper identification for the region they’re sailing – whether that be a passport or birth certificate
Cruising with a Baby Cruise Line Overview
Copy of Cruise Line Guide For Babies by Iris M
Is a Cruise a Good Idea With a Baby?
While I would recommend it – you need to do your research and pick the right cruise and cruise line for what you need. This is a great place to start! I’ve been there, I’ve done it.
There are pros and cons to any type of travel with a baby. It can be a great way to travel with a little one, especially if you’re looking to see quite a few different places. Only having to pack, unpack, and move all of that baby gear once is a dream!
It’s important to know that what each cruise line offers differs though. Some cruise lines offer nursery care, either for a fee or included in the price of the cruise. Other cruise lines don’t start offering a childcare option until 3 years old. What about babe being able to use a splash pad in the pool area?
Know what will make or break your cruise and doing the research ahead of time to make sure you get the right cruise for your family is so important and is honestly the difference between loving cruising with your little one and hating it.
Where Does a Baby Sleep on a Cruise?
The baby sleeps in the same cabin as you in a cot or crib. The cruise line will provide one and you should request it at the time of booking.
Some cruise lines provide a metal crib and some will provide a pack n’ play. The Pack N’ Play provided by the cruise line is sometimes the smaller sized version, so not the full play yard but really meant as a travel cot.
If you are wanting a bit more space than that for your little one you can also bring your own sleep space for them – most likely a pack n’ play type travel crib or maybe the very much so trending Guava Lotus.
Your cabin steward will get your room arranged in a way that works with the crib or cot. If you’ve been on a cruise you know the rooms aren’t huge so this will take up a bit of floor space.
Whether you are better off using the ship provided crib or bringing your own baby sleep area is up to what works best for your family and how your little one sleeps. I also use the SlumberPod over our crib onboard as it helps separate the room and makes us all sleep better overnight.
Things to Consider About Baby Sleep Onboard a Cruise Ship
- They will be sharing the same room as you. If you and your baby sleep best when you are in separate rooms, that is unfortunately not an option unless you get a suite with a separate living space or get connecting cabins. Either option has a premium price tag.
- It can be worth upgrading to a balcony so that when naps are happening in the room, or even at bedtime, you can sit out and enjoy the balcony while little one is sleeping.
- Expect that sleep will be a bit different
- Sleep schedules are really hard to maintain while cruising unless you figure out a way your baby can sleep on the go. Whether that be in a carrier or a stroller.
- At night you’ll have 3 options, and most likely will end up doing a mix of these:
- get baby to sleep in the crib and everyone stays in the room
- get baby to sleep in the crib and you alternate an adult to go out and about
- you take baby with you out and about and hope they sleep in the carrier and just let the sleep be what it’s going to be.
Can Babies in Diapers Swim on a Cruise?
No, babies cannot swim in the pools onboard cruise ships, even in swim diapers. If a baby being able to get in the water is top of your list Royal Caribbean and Disney each have a few ships with baby splash areas.
United States Public Health (USPH) has very specific rules in regards to children in diapers in pools. Babies in diapers aren’t allowed in regular pools onboard regardless if they’re in a swim diaper or not.
There is a clause that if the pool was specially designed and approved by USPH for use for babies in diapers it is okay. But, as space is on a premium on a cruise ship there are very few ships with designated specially designed pools for babies in diapers. If you like to read policy, check out section 6.10 of the Vessel Sanitation Program from United States Department Health and USPH.
The ships with pools, or “splash areas” that babies in swim diapers are allowed to use are:
- Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
- Freedom and Oasis Class ships, Anthem of the Seas, Icon of the Seas
- Disney Cruise Line
- All ships – Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic, Disney Wonder
Are Babies Full Price on Cruises?
It may surprise you, but babies pay a full child rate on a cruise – unless you snag a “kids sail free” deal. If you’ve researched cruise ship pricing you know that the first two passengers in a cabin typically pay full price, and the 3rd and 4th passengers are at a reduced rate. If the third and fourth passengers are children the rate is usually even further reduced.
The price for a baby will be the same as another child as the 3rd or 4th guest in a cabin. For example, a cabin with two adults, one child age 5 and one baby that is 7 months old, the 5 year old and 7 month old would cost the same.
The exception is that on some cruise lines, like Carnival, the overall fare for children 2 and under is not expected to pay gratuities.
The good news is that there are quite a few cruise lines that offer “kids-sail-free” promotions!
These promotions exist when the kids (babies or kids through 12 or sometimes 17 years old) are the 3rd and 4th guest sail for free. There will still be port fees and taxes added to that and for most cruise lines gratuities, too.
Cruise lines with various promotions for kids sailing free are MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America Line, and surprisingly, Regent Seven Seas. This promotion is not for all sailings on these cruise lines but it’s at least worth checking into.
Which Cruise Lines Have a Drop Off Nursery for Babies?
While most cruise lines offer a kids program onboard, only a handful have nursery offerings. There are even fewer that have nurseries where you can actually drop the babies off.
This can really change how well your vacation goes. If you have dreams of romantic dinners sans baby you will be disappointed when you find yourself on a ship without that option. Here’s a list of all the cruise lines with drop off nurseries. Note, most of these cost extra for drop-off services.
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Night Owls, 10:00pm-1:00am (Additional cost)
- Cunard
- Night Nursery, 6:00pm – 11:00pm (Additional cost)
- Disney Cruise Line
- “It’s a Small World” Nursery. Reservations required.
- MSC Cruises
- MSC Baby Care Services
- P&O Cruises
- Night Nursery
- Royal Caribbean
- Babies and Tots Program.
- On all ships except Jewel, Adventure, and Explorer of the Seas
Top Tips For Cruising With A Baby
The overall biggest tip there is for cruising with a baby is two fold – be as prepared as possible and go with the flow. That’s easy to say but hard to do as you don’t know what you aren’t prepared for until you need it.
Think of it a bit like packing to go anywhere, what are the most important things to have? A way to feed your baby, diapers, a plan for sleep and a change of clothes.
While there’s a lot more to getting ready for a cruise than this, at the end of the day the basics are the same – a way to feed your baby, diapers, and a change of clothes (and the pros will know the change of clothes is for you and the baby!)
1. Choose the Right Cruise For Your Family
This might sound like a no-brainer but what facilities are offered for babies onboard a cruise differs vastly between the different cruise lines.
A few big things to think about when choosing your cruise?
- will your baby be at least 6 months old at the time of sailing? Or 12 months if the itinerary/cruise line requires it?
- Do you want to be able to use a splash pad in the pool area?
- Do you want/need to have a nursery drop off space available?
What your family needs in a cruise is so specific to your family. Some people wouldn’t cruise without the nursery or splash pad. I regularly cruise on a cruise line without those facilities and we still have a great time.
It’s also important to think about where you’re sailing. If you’re going to cruise to Alaska maybe the splash pad area isn’t that important.
➡️ Click here to Search for Family Cruises
2. Make a Plan for Feeding Your Baby (Including Figuring Out If Your Cabin Has a Refrigerator)
Some cruise ship cabins have a refrigerator. Some don’t. Some cabin refrigerators don’t actually get cold enough to store breastmilk.
Figuring out what your plan is and how to deal with your plan is nearly the most important part of the details for your cruise. There’s a solution for each problem but making a plan for it is key to a successful cruise.
Maybe it will be getting ice sent to the cabin. Maybe it will be baby water to the cabin. Some cruise lines even have bottle warmers available. For the most part cruise lines will be accommodating to help you figure out your plan. Make sure to request your needs before joining the ship.
Most cruise lines do not specify on their website that you are allowed to breastfeed in public. I have not had any issues with this personally, but if you are concerned contact the cruise line ahead of time and get it in writing.
Carnival’s policy states, “Nursing mothers have the right to breast feed in public or private areas and are not required to cover themselves while doing so. This policy is consistent with state law in 49 states in the U.S.”.
3. Be Smart About Picking Your Room
Big things to consider in your room selection:
- Location
- avoid areas that might have a lot of noise
- right under the buffet, galley, above the theater, right at the bow (when the anchor goes up and down) or above the engines can have quite a bit of noise
- avoid areas that might have a lot of noise
- Room amenities
- balcony
- separate room (suite)
- bathtub
Location:
A room right under the buffet or the main dining room galley might not be the best place as there is sometimes noise early in the morning or late into the night.
Have a room towards the front and top of the ship and going through foggy weather? That fog horn will go off every 3 minutes. (Which is part of why a sound machine is on my essential packing list!)
Room Amenities:
Balcony/Separate Room:
It also might be worth the extra money to get a balcony to be able to enjoy some space or your own while your little one is napping. Or maybe even jump up to a suite with a separate bedroom if you can.
Bathtub:
Most cruise ship cabins won’t have a bathtub, but most will have a handheld shower unit. My little loves bath time and playing in the water so we brought her a portable blow up bath to use in the shower. If having a bathtub is important for you make sure to look for this when booking your cruise.
4. Always Fly in a Day Early
This is a good rule of thumb to follow for any cruise you go on – but even more so when traveling with a baby.
Say you fly to the ship, and you’ve put most of the formula you need into your checked luggage (don’t do that, split it between carry-on and different checked luggage). If you fly in a day in advance you can go get whatever didn’t show up with your luggage a day in advance.
Another reason is because it will give you a better shot of getting your babies naps somewhat in order for your embarkation day. Baby sleep is so challenging. Not putting too much new and crazy in one day can make a big difference.
Essential Baby Cruise Packing List
How can such a small (and adorable) baby need so much stuff? It’s the perpetual question all parents ask as they schlep bags upon bags upon bags everywhere.
Packing right can make or break your cruise. Figuring out how to pack everything in a way you can likely fly with it as well? It’s nearly an art form. Here are my top essentials to make your cruise great. For a complete list of baby travel essentials check out this post.
Quick List Packing Essentials for Cruising with a Baby:
✅ first aid kit with medications
✅ twice as many diapers/wipes as you think you need
✅ travel stroller
✅ Baby carrier
✅ portable changing pad
✅ cabin organizer (over the door)
✅ toys
✅ travel/small size dish soap (+sponge/brush)
✅ black out cover for travel cot
✅ Baby monitor (especially if you’re in a balcony room)
✅ inflatable tub (most rooms don’t have a bath tub)
✅ nursing clothes/clothes mama actually feels good in!
✅ Containers to store food in your fridge that you steal from the buffet
Baby First Aid Kit with Medicines
The things you pack and hope to never need. While there is a medical center onboard every cruise ship with more than 100 passengers, visiting there can be expensive. Packing a basic first aid kid with the basic medicines you might need can save both literal and figurative headaches for you and baby.
Some basics to include would be things like baby tylenol, an antihistamine, diaper cream, and a nasal aspirator. You can also add in band-aids, gas drops, vitamin drops, motion sickness medicine, and other go-to basics for your baby. For potential specific items for your baby check with your pediatrician.
➡️ Click here to shop Baby First Aid Kit (purchase your needed medicines separately)
Travel Stroller
Most cruise ship cabin doors are only 24″ wide versus the standard 36″ of most doors on land. This means a standard stroller won’t fit through the cabin door. A stroller that fits through the cabin door means you can get all ready to go before you leave the cabin. Bonuses are it is less bulky to maneuver around the ship and ashore on narrow sidewalks.
I love the Cybex Eezy S Twist +2 as it offers both parent and world facing options in a compact travel stroller.
When we started cruising with our little one she was 6 months old and I really wanted to keep her parent facing. Now that she’s 15 months she is mostly world facing, but if she’s got a cold or just isn’t feeling like herself I’ll swivel it around to parent facing.
This helps keep her a bit less stimulated by everything around her and keeps the other passengers a bit more at bay. As every parent knows, a cute baby is just a golden opportunity for people to stop and chat, try to touch their cheeks or grab their hands. I find when she’s parent facing those kind of interactions are a bit less which when she’s not feeling quite 100% is appreciated.
This also has a great extendable canopy, a near lay flat position for naps on the go, and a one hand open (takes a tiny bit of practice but you’ll get it!). Is narrow enough for cruise ship cabins and narrow streets around the world and while it doesn’t fold up as small as some travel strollers, I have fit it into an overhead bin on a plane before.
*Note – when we went to buy it we were able to get the rain cover, cupholder, and car seat attachment included through Amazon for the same price as buying direct.
➡️ Click here to Shop
Cybex Eezy S Twist +2 V2 Travel Stroller
Baby Carrier
Baby carriers are such a great way to get around the ship, go ashore, get baby a nap, be able to do anything with two hands. They really are incredible. I use an Ergobaby 360, it’s been my go-to since around 5 months old (now 15 months and it is still comfortable and supportive for me and baby).
I’ve loved this one as there is a mesh option that keeps baby cool, plus features like a sunshade that pops out of a hidden pocket and adjustments for head support while napping, leg support for world facing vs. parent facing, and the option of back carry as well.
Whether your go-to carrier is an Ergo or something else, you want to bring a baby carrier onboard. In a new environment with lots of people sometimes all your little needs is snuggles.
➡️ Click here to shop ErgoBaby 360 Carrier
Cabin Organizer
⭐⭐ Get this. Seriously. This will improve the organization in your room so much! After spending literal months at sea with my little one literally living in a cruise ship cabin these over the door organizer things keep our room organized and arguably keep me sane.
The storage space in a cruise ship cabin is intelligently laid out but it’s at a premium and not designed for all the onesies, sleepers, diapers, wipes, cute little headbands, shorts, rompers, pants, and seemingly million other things a baby needs.
This is among the best things I’ve brought onboard. I liked these ones as diapers fit well in them and there are 2 in a pack.
➡️ Click here to shop Over the Door Organizer
Portable Changing Pad
If you travel at all you should have one of these. Honestly, everyone should have one of these!
Your room doesn’t come with a changing pad. Having a way to change your baby without those inevitable accidents is key. Save yourself the messes and plan ahead! You can always use the changing pad part of your handy Skip-Hop Portable Changing Pad or you can bring a separate pad to use in your room.
➡️ Click here to Shop Portable Changing Pad
Baby Monitor
A baby monitor is not always a must when cruising with a baby – but if you find yourself with a balcony cabin, or staying in a hotel the night before your cruise a baby monitor can be crucial.
I like the momcozy baby monitor. It doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi, has a good range, great clarity, but, for travel purposes my favorite part is all components either charge or are powered by USB-C. This means less cords to bring!
SlumberPod
This one has a bit of a learning curve and I 100% recommend getting your kiddo used to it before going onboard. Once you get onboard introducing something new in addition to everything else new (the ship, the people, the fact that it moves while they sleep) is too much. I learned this the hard way and it took my little a full week onboard to get used to it. Luckily we’re onboard for 3 months this time but a week for most people is their whole cruise!
Now that she’s used to it I do think is helping her sleep longer and provides options for us to have lights on/use the cabin more freely while she is sleeping. I also like that it works over their inflatable toddler bed so down the line we’ll still be able to use it.
The SlumberPod is a room within a room option that makes it so you can still have a light on or watch TV (with subtitles on) even when your little is sleeping. I must admit the entire product is far more high quality than I expected with lots of thoughtful details like a place for a camera, fan, and sound machine, plus several air vent options and the fabric is durable and soft feeling.
➡️ Shop SlumberPod on SlumberPod.com
(free shipping!)
➡️ Shop SlumberPod on Amazon
Food Storage Containers
Most babies on a cruise will have started solid foods at some level. Just how much solids they are on will depend on their age and development, but likely some snacks in the cabin wouldn’t hurt.
I use these small baby food containers (really just mini-mason jars) to store things like yogurt, cottage cheese, sliced oranges, grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, and other things that my little is currently loving that I grab from the buffet area.
This helps us keep some fresh foods in our snack rotation instead of just packaged snacks (plus, you already paid for the food, might as well use it!)
➡️ Shop Baby-Food Storage Containers
Nursing Clothes
You’re going on vacation – if you are nursing and haven’t yet, consider this your invitation to get yourself some cute nursing clothes. At the very minimum get a sundress to wear.
I waited until my little one was 6 months and we were going on her first cruise to finally buy something that I really felt cute and confident in for nursing. It will help make you feel like “you” again.
➡️ Click here to shop Nursing Dresses
FAQs
There’s a lot of questions about cruising with a baby and honestly the more prepared you are the better. You’re doing great! It can feel like a lot, but from a momma that has done it, you can do it, too. Here’s some of the most frequently asked questions I’ve gotten about cruising with a baby.
Do infants get seasick on cruises?
It’s not impossible although it’s unlikely. Specifically for babies that aren’t yet walking seasickness isn’t common and infants and babies 2 years and under are less likely to get motion sickness or seasickness – but it can happen.
Cruise ships have stabilizers but even with those in use you may still feel a bit of the motion of the ocean. My little struggled a bit on the first night we had slightly rough seas – not with sea sickness but just being a bit confused about the motion. Once she got used to it though she loved it! Check with your pediatrician for what they specifically recommend for your little if this is a concern.
How many diapers should I pack for a cruise?
Anywhere you go with babies you should pack twice as many diapers as you think you will need and a cruise is no different.
Based on Babylist recommendations, 12-18 pound babies (size 2) use between 6-9 diapers a day, and 16-28 pound babies (size 3, yes that is a huge range) use 5-7 diapers a day.
This means you should bring anywhere from 70-126 diapers depending on how many diapers your little is going through.
You should also plan to divide the diapers between carry-on, diaper bag, and checked luggage so if your checked luggage is lost you have enough to last for most of your trip. You could also make a plan to pick up some diapers in whichever port you are sailing from the day before your cruise.
If you use a different type of diapers for overnight versus daytime, calculate it the same.
And, even though babies aren’t allowed in the pool, don’t forget some swim diapers for beach time ashore.
Do cruises sell diapers?
Some cruise lines do, but not all. Popular family cruise lines Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Disney carries them onboard for pre-purchase as well as in their shops, whereas Carnival does not carry them onboard at all. It is not consistent between cruise lines, so it is best to check your specific line ahead of time or make a plan to bring the diapers that you need onboard.
Pre-order options tend to run about $1.00 per diaper (!) so it’s best to stock up ahead of time if at all possible. If you get onboard and have not pre-ordered and are running low, stop by the front office to check to see if there is a basic supply onboard. If nothing else the staff will be able to tell you which port is most likely to have a store to buy some.
Can I bring baby water on a cruise?
Yes. You can bring on what liquid/beverages you need to feed your baby. This includes baby water (distilled water with added minerals), distilled water, milk, and pre-made formula. For some cruise lines, like Carnival it must be in your carry-on luggage, whereas other cruise lines, like Holland America it needs to be in your checked luggage.
Most ships will also sell distilled water onboard.
How old does a baby have to be to go on a cruise?
On nearly all cruise lines, except MSC, babies have to be at least 6 months old and to go on certain itineraries – typically those with more than 2 or 3 sea days in a row or what would be considered a “crossing” (trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific) they need to be a year.
There are also some restrictions for voyages that have Expedition cruises or cruises to Antarctica, sometimes requiring the child to be 6 years old (Seabourn). If you are planning an expedition cruise talk to a travel professional to make sure you are meeting the requirements.
MSC does not have a minimum age for babies to sail onboard.
Does a baby need a passport?
If baby is going somewhere that an adult would need a passport, baby needs one, too.
If you’re from the U.S. and traveling on a cruise roundtrip from the same US port (think Miami to Miami) to some countries (Canada, much of the Caribbean), you don’t technically need a passport and a birth certificate will do.
However, if something happens during your cruise and you have to disembark the ship in a foreign port you will need a passport to fly back into the United States. If you don’t have one already, this will involve a trip to the embassy of whatever country you’ve ended up in and most of the time if you have to disembark the ship before the end of your cruise it isn’t for fun reasons.
Save yourself the potential hassle and before you cruise or leave the country get your baby a passport.
Is babysitting available on cruise ships?
In-cabin babysitting is no longer available onboard cruise ships.
However, several cruise lines offer infant drop-off nursery facilities including Carnival, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (not all ships), and MSC. Nearly all of these are daytime or early evening facilities. However, Carnival offers “Night Owls” evening babysitting that is available from 6 months and up from 10:00pm-1:00am.
Can you go on a cruise pregnant?
While there are some specific rules to this, in general you can cruise up until you are 24 weeks pregnant. Whether or not you should will depend on how your pregnancy is going, the mothers health and the babies health.
The general rule is if your pregnancy isn’t considered high risk and if you are before 24 weeks pregnant you can sail. For more specifics on cruising while pregnant read this post.
Final Thoughts on Cruising with a Baby
There is so much to consider when cruising with a baby, but at the end of the day the biggest thing to consider is the incredible experience you and your family will have on this vacation.
You might find someone that doesn’t want to cruise with a baby and has an opinion about it. That doesn’t matter though for those baby giggles and smiles as they see new parts of the world.
Make sure you plan ahead and research your cruise and cruise line, be smart with your packing, and you can have an incredible time cruising with a baby.
➡️ Click here to Search for Family Cruises
