Your first crucial decision is to choose your ship. Whilst some cruise lines encourage babies to join in on the fun, others are adult only or do not provide many facilities for your little one. Most baby-friendly ships have a minimum age of 6 months but if you want to sail with a younger baby, MSC allows any age aboard. The following companies all have excellent facilities for young families (although be aware that longer or trans-Atlantic cruises may not accept children under one year old):
- Disney Cruises
- Royal Carribean
- Cunard
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- And of course, MSC
Below, we've explored the key factors to consider to help you choose from this list.
GET.cruises will help you find the best cruise deals. Search for your family cruise holiday and compare prices from all the major travel agents.
Cost
The cost of a baby on board varies between cruise lines, with some welcoming under 2s for free and others treating a baby as a third guest in your room. Both MSC and Cunard offer free cruises for children under 2 with two paying adults. Disney, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian treat a baby as a full paying guest, but there are discounts when two adults sail as well. This is due to reduced fares when third or fourth guests are added to a room, regardless of age. Watch out for regular Royal Caribbean deals where kids go free.
Feeding
Baby's milk is easy to prepare onboard. If your baby is bottle fed, powdered formula can be made using the tap water, which is always safe to drink, however, to be safe, it's advised to boil it first. Both Cunard and Disney have bottle warmers and sterilisers that can be provided in your room free of charge. Be aware that when storing ready made bottles, cabin fridges are unlikely to be as cold as those you have at home, so the milk may not stay fresh for as long.
For babies who have begun weaning, cruise buffets are a great way to encourage them to try a range of new finger foods without the expense. Most ships will also offer to puree food for you. MSC go one step further with their own menu for those between six and twelve months whilst Cunard provides baby food jars within the all inclusive price.
Activities
The facilities for babies can vary significantly onboard each ship and whilst some little ones will be happy to join in with you throughout the day, others will need space to engage with toys and other babies safely. Royal Caribbean has a soft play area dedicated to under threes as well as frequent story time sessions. They also, as well as Disney and MSC, have a nursery drop off available on some ships. In these areas, babies will have a range of toys to play with alongside trained staff who are there to ensure you're babies are safe and happy.
Splash Zones
Be aware that, for hygiene reasons, cruise ships do not allow children still in nappies to play in the pools. This rule is set by maritime law. To create spaces for babies in the pool areas, some cruise ships have splash zones that they can use. MSC, Disney and Royal Caribbean all have excellent examples of these to keep your little ones cool and entertained whilst the rest of the family enjoy the top deck views.
Baby sitting
Many cruise companies offer babysitting either in cabins or in dedicated areas onboard. Royal Caribbean staff will babysit in your cabin for a fee and once they're over three, they can join their ‘slumber parties’ in the kids' zone. Cunard offers a nursery service until 11pm for all ages for free, whilst Disney and Norwegian charge for the same service. MSC has a complimentary ‘Babycare programme’ for children over one year at certain times of the day, including between 8 and 9pm.
Laundry
Making sure babies have enough clean clothes is unfortunately a daily consideration for parents, even on holiday. Luckily, there is a laundry service available on all ships. Cunard and Disney have self-service laundry rooms whereas Royal Caribbean and Norwegian offer a laundry service for a fee or suggest using some detergent in your cabin sink if you’re just cleaning a few items. Even better, MSC has a baby laundry service which is separate from other passengers’ clothes and uses baby-friendly detergents and lower temperatures.
GET.cruises will help you find the best cruise deals. Search for your family cruise holiday and compare prices from all the major travel agents.
