Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutTwitterGoogle+LinkedInPinterestPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Parents of infants and toddlers need a break like everyone else. Knowing this, cruise lines have gotten into the Baby Getaway market, providing new parents access to facilities and babysitting so that they can enjoy a quiet, romantic dinner, sit in a lounge chair with a good book or hit the gym, knowing their infant or toddler is well cared for.The cruise lines make packing easy, by providing services where you can outfit your cabin (for a fee) with everything from baby formula and diapers to organic baby food, in advance. Ships can also provide cribs, high chairs, booster seats and even strollers.Parents should note, however that under U.S. health regulations those in diapers or swim diapers are not allowed in cruise ship pools.Here are the best ships for cruisers under the age of 3.Disney Fantasy, Disney Dream, Disney Magic, Disney WonderNot surprisingly, Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line leader in the baby and toddler realm.
In addition to having Mickey onboard, for children ages 12 weeks to 36 months, the Fantasy, Dream and Magic have the colorful It's a Small World Nursery, themed on the popular Disney parks ride. On the Wonder, the Flounder's Reef Nursery is themed on The Little Mermaid, complete with sea creatures painted on the ocean blue walls. The nurseries include an acclimation area, a playroom stocked with toys and a separate, quiet napping area with cribs. Activities include storytelling, crafts and movies. A babysitting fee is charged for the nursery ($9 per hour for the first child in a family, $8 for a second) and reservations need to be made well in advance of your cruise (the number of infants and toddlers in the spaces is limited). The nursery hours include port days so parents can get some alone time onshore. The ships also have fun wet play areas for children (separate from the ship's pools) where you can take your infant or toddler in swim diapers.Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas (and sister ships)Royal Caribbean's Royal Babies & Tots program was originally developed for the largest cruise ships in the world, Oasis and Allure of the Seas, and later expanded to most other ships in the fleet.
The program earned the cruise line the title of Best Baby Getaway by American Baby magazine in 2012. In the Royal Babies & Royal Tots Nursery the children are divided by age, 6 to 18 months and 18 to 36 months, with professional staff running age-specific activities. The nursery is equipped with a play area and a quiet zone with cribs. A fee is charged of $6 in the daytime, $8 at night, per hour. The cruise line also encourages parent and child time in organized play sessions. A Fisher-Price Toy Lending program lets you borrow age-appropriate toys to take back to your stateroom. On the Oasis- and Freedom-class ships and soon-to-debut Quantum of the Seas, a Baby Splash Zone also provides a venue for water play. In-stateroom babysitting is available on the ships (for an hourly fee) for children aged 1 and up.Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian GetawayWith the launch of Norwegian Breakaway, just over a year ago, Norwegian Cruise Line redid its kids' program as Splash Academy and added a Guppies program designed for those 6 months to 3 years.
On Norwegian Breakaway and sister ship Norwegian Getaway, Guppies have a dedicated play space done up with Nickelodeon cartoon characters on the walls and pint-sized decor that includes beanbag chairs and age-appropriate toys. In the company of at least one parent and a certified Early Years Coordinator, children can play with Wee Can Too edible paint, watch a puppet show and do a mini-workout, Motion in the Ocean. The program is complimentary. The ships also have outdoor splash areas for those in swim diapers. Your 3-year-old can do group late-night babysitting (for a fee), but there's no program for those younger and Norwegian Youth Counselors do not change diapers.Your child needs to be at least 1 year old to do a transatlantic cruise on this oceanliner. If your child is at least 2, they can hang out with older kids in The Play Zone, including during group supervision in the evening. Younger children can play in the cheery space too if a parent comes along. Toddler-appropriate activities include arts and crafts, toys, puzzles and books.
Water fun takes place at a wading pool outdoors. A crib-equipped nursery for those age 12 to 23 months allows parents to have a quiet dinner, and is open every night from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Staffers will change diapers if you sign a consent form. Parents can request a pager to stay in touch. Both programs are free.CRUISE 101: Tips and tricks for families cruising with small childrenNEED A BREAK FROM YOUR TEEN, TOO? See the best ships for keeping them entertainedFeeding your baby solid food is a huge milestone. It opens a door to an entirely new world — to explore by tasting, smelling, and touching all kinds of new foods. It also means … it’s time for a high chair. For older babies, it might mean it's time for a booster seat! The good news is that high chairs have come a long way over the last several years. Today, there is a high chair to meet just about every need, from convertible chairs to those designed for small spaces.. Today, there is a high chair to meet just about every need.
The Ingenuity Trio 3-in-1 and Ingenuity SmartClean Trio 3-in-1 are both designed to grow with baby, from infant through toddler years. The SmartClean version has an added easy-wipe-down feature for the seat pads. Both are three products in one: a full-size high chair, a booster seat, and a toddler “smart chair.” They’re even designed so two children can be seated at the same time when used in booster and toddler chair modes, so they’re perfect for families with multiple little ones. There are some really handy features, including (lockable) swivel wheels, three recline positions, and a three-point harness for restaurant-style mode or five-point harness for full-size and booster modes, to keep babies safe and secure (find more high chair safety tips here). The tray can be removed easily with one hand, has multiple positions to accommodate growing babies, and can be popped in the dishwasher for simple clean up. “ There are not many nooks or cracks for food to fall into either, which is a major perk when you have a little one who is grinding food everywhere she can!” — Jamie, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine Gear Review for the Ingenuity Trio 3-in-1 High Chair
Not every home has room for a typical high chair. The Ingenuity ChairMate and Ingenuity Baby Base 2-in-1 are great solutions for small spaces, if you're looking for something that's easier to store. The ChairMate is a more portable seat that secures to a chair with straps. It has four height positions to fit most table sizes, and a pad that wraps all the way around the edges to prevent crumbs from getting trapped under the seat. A two-position recline makes this work for both babies and toddlers, and a “Smart Level” feature keeps the tray level even if the seat itself is reclined. This chair easily converts to a booster for the toddler years too. “It's a great high chair, has a harness system for babies who like to climb out, [and] attaches to the dining room chair so it doesn't take up additional space.” — Lisa, mom and Toys”R”Us Reviewer The Baby Base 2-in-1 is great for both mealtime and playtime. It provides the support that lets baby sit up, so they can enjoy floor time, or be safely secured to a dining chair for meals.