Going on a cruise with a 16 month old?!?!?

Question

My parents are taking themselves, my sister, my brother, my husband, my 16 month old daughter, and myself on a 5 day cruise from Fort Lauterdale to Ocho Rios and Jamica. Has anyone gone on a cruise with a 16 month old? Is there anything I should take or do before we leave? Is there anything I shouldn't do on the cruise with her? What if she gets sea sick? We called her pediatrician and they said there wasn't anything we needed to do. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Take her with you. It would be fun for all of your family.

Answer 2

Leave her home!  Get someone to take care of her while you are on vacation.  Too many problems if you take her, besides she will never remember the cruise anyway, why ruin your cruise????

Answer 3

We took our 18 month old niece along on a family reunion cruise in 2006.

Here are some tips for cruising with a toddler...

- take your own playpen for her to sleep in. The ones provided by the cruise line are crappy and you don't know if they have been cleaned properly.

- leave the 4-wheel drive stroller at home...take along the umbrella stroller.

- take along some of the small Tupperware containers to stock up on the Cheerios and Fruit Loops at breakfast for at hand snacks for her.

- request the early dining time.

- take along the OTC meds you use at home.  Don't give her any of the OTC seasick meds that you give adults!  It will be too strong for her.  Also, in addition to sunscreen, take along sunburn relief meds.

- take along Little Swimmers swim pants

- take along a night light.  The cabins are wicked dark.

- check out the shore excursions carefully before you book one.  Many of the buses don't have car seats or room for strollers.  It is an adventure in itself riding in a bus in Jamaica. Also, find out if any of your ports require a tender.  Taking the ferry from the ship to the shore.  Very hard to do with a stroller.

- The upper decks can be windy, so take along a light jacket for her, especially if you stroll in the evenings.

Answer 4

There isn't alot you can do on a Cruise with a 16month old. They have child care and hopefully she will enjoy it. I'm a parent so don't take this wrong, but just because 16month olds are cute doesn't necessarily make them cute on a cruise. I have been run over by strollers and unable to enjoy the pool area because parents have scoped out a corner as a play pit. I travel with and without my kids so it isn't that I haven't been there but I also know most people don't find my kids as charming as i do