Too Young to Cruise? Nope!
Has anyone ever told you that your children are too young to travel? Yep – I’ve heard that several times. (Insert several emotions here!) Considering the first flight I took with my two girls (alone!) was when the oldest was 3 years old and the youngest was 7 weeks, I know it can be done. That’s why they created those wearable baby thingies and collapsable strollers anyway, right? We all know the warnings and concerns…. germs, baby may cry and disturb others, yada yada yada…. So here is my take on a specific type of travel: Cruises!
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Technically… A Minimum Age
With cruises, the minimum age to cruise is 6 months for shorter cruises, while longer cruises such as a Transatlantic cruise have a minimum age of 12 months. So which did we choose as a family for our first cruise with two kiddos (ages 5 years and 15 months)? Yep – the 14-night Transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Florida! Of course that also meant the flight to get there as well. If you are going to travel that far, why not get the MostPerMile out of while you can?? So we tacked on a few pre-cruise nights in Barcelona after having a couple nights in New York City to break up the flight to Barcelona, and also made sure to stay an extra night post-cruise to visit NASA in Port Canaveral before flying back to Texas.
But back to the cruising aspect. The number one question I still receive even after over 200 nights onboard ships is “won’t your kids fall off the ship?” or “what about them climbing over the rail?”. Of course if I put a step ladder up and walked away, the kids may do something like that, but with responsible parenting, it is not a concern.
Walk Some Laps
First of all, the promenade deck is great for a family stroll, or a little one to work on their walking!
The promenade deck isn’t only lined with the safety life ring every so often, but also many cruiselines such as Disney Cruise Line will line the inside of the railing with clear plexiglass so our little ones can peer over the beautiful waters without the concern of them climbing up the railing in a flash! For those getting their steps in, it’s also a great place to take care of that easily.
Believe it or not, those fingerprints will be wiped away soon enough with the constant cleaning you see going on all over the cruise ship. Safety of passengers is the number one priority onboard, so not only are the standard safety regulations in place, but the constant cleaning helps keep illness down onboard.
Also along the promenade deck are comfy deck chairs. While some adults enjoy resting in these to read or work the daily crossword puzzle provided onboard, many enjoy taking a nap, being rocked to sleep by the lull of the ocean and fresh air. It’s a great way to relax as you are rounding the coast of Africa!
Take Some Naps
However, if not wanting to nap on the teak deck chairs, other options exist in staterooms. While there are guidelines for ages and “cribs” are provided for under age three (usually a pack-and-play), as children get older, they can upgrade to the bunk beds. A single sofa bed converts easily to a twin bed that your room steward takes care of nightly during turndown service, and the pullman from the ceiling has a rail as well. Even if you don’t trust your child in there, I have personally slept on the top bunk for a week onboard a cruise ship when we had three adults and one 2-year-old. It’s not as bad as one might think!! But trust me, when that little one is old enough for the top bunk, the sibling rivalry begins to see who gets to claim it. (Excellent way to bribe kids for good behavior, or the politically correct phrase is “reward with good behavior”.)
Even shore excursions will provide child-size safety vests onboard automatically. As a bonus, after a good swim in the ocean or getting kissed by stingrays in Grand Cayman like we did on this day, a nap may be in order without any prodding!!
Enjoy Fresh Air
Another great safety feature is your stateroom balcony. Even when you see horizontal
bars going across, once again, you are greeted with interior plexiglass to help deter any monkey skills on some ships. (Not to mention the child safety lock inside the door up high!) An excellent reason to book a balcony stateroom with kids is that when they take a nap, you can be right outside enjoying a book in the fresh air. At night when the kids go to bed a little early or watch TV, you and your significant other can enjoy a glass of wine out on your balcony. We call that “date night”. Ever have those times when the kids were little and your “date night” meant sitting outside your house on the porch with the baby monitor – we adults all need that little piece of escape! That balcony on your cruise ship is great for room service… or a snack!
Peek Out the Window
There are absolutely no worries if your stateroom does not have a balcony. Some staterooms have a window, so your little ones can look out at the dolphins with no worries! Even when you come back to the same stateroom almost two years later, while they may be a little taller when standing in that window, the curiosity of a child is still there.
Eat A Bite
One of the activities many enjoy onboard a cruise are the meals. Yes, there is always food, but more importantly,the cruise lines will accommodate a variety of requests. Gluten free, low-sodium, or even having your food blended if needed that I have had offered for families with special needs children I work with. When children are younger, if you are doing the World Health Organization recommendation of providing breastmilk 
for a minimum of 2 years like I did with both children, cooling boxes or refrigerators can be provided upon request in your stateroom. That breastpump can travel just like always so you can get the MostPerMile out of that purchase and the benefits the milk provides! Even on pirate night, it is okay to get that milk-drunk look and let out an Aaaaarrrgggh!
When children are older, they may have different beverage preferences, or indecisiveness. One thing I always loved when mine were younger was how accommodating our servers were in the dining room. Although I would decline, it would not be uncommon to see my daughter with three beverages waiting at each dinner: water, milk, and apple juice. It was also not uncommon to see her try to drink out of all three at once (second child…. you know how that goes!).
Say “Cheese!”
Cruises are also great for family photographs. Purchasing the photo package helps one get the MostPerMile out of that CD. Family pictures, snapshots with your sweetie, or a bazillion character photographs or cute shots help that savings to create lifelong memories to take home! And while I did not mention Kids Clubs here, I specifically chose not to because it is very possible to focus on family on a cruise without utilizing the Kids Club! However, depending on cruise line and age, it is always an option (and another post to come!).
Get Naked Toes!
Kids are just like adults. We like to kick off our shoes every now and then to go on vacation… and so do they! We pack our rash guards and sunscreen to protect us from the sun, visit foreign countries, and aren’t afraid to go barefooted in living life to the fullest. In creating your personal journey to get the MostPerMile out of life, don’t hesitate to look at taking your children on a cruise of any length. Unpack once, visit multiple destinations, be able to do as much or as little as you wish, and focus on making those memories with your family! That first Transatlantic cruise has been followed by two more of the same length plus a 15-night Panama Canal cruise…. and a 23-night Transpacific cruise for 2018. And yes, all with the kids! Gotta be thankful for my personal cruise counselor! Often times we will tour ports on our own after extensive research, but with children, it is definitely worth considering having a guided shore excursion to take that extra burden off of you so you can enjoy vacation more!
