I'm not sure what age they take kids in the kids club and I don't remember a babysitting service onboard. I didn't see anyone younger than about 3 with the kids club hosts to be honest.I can think of better holidays more suited to young children than a cruise.

I also wouldn't recommend a cruise just yet. Imagine your both laid up with seasickness and the baby's done a huge poop!

I rest my case!

Another thing..the cabin walls are very thin.You can hear the conversation in the next cabin. If baby is fractious at all you may incur the wrath of your next door neighbours and it might make for an uncomfortable holiday.Just a thought

Rita

As you can see, this is a contentious topic, for reasons I've never fully understood. I've done various holidays with my 2 year old from a beach resort through to a 10 day coach tour of Israel. All have worked out perfectly for all concerned, but some holidays take more planning than others. We've not yet cruised with children but we are going on NCL Jade in January when the children will be 2.5 years and 11 months - so here's what I'm thinking about in preparation for going.

You've mentioned babysitting. Some lines have it, some don't. NCL don't for babies, but more important for us was that the Kid's Club takes from 2 years. Most important for us was what we would do in the evening when children need to be asleep. If you're lucky your baby will sleep in their pushchair and you'll be able to sit in a bar or even go to a show. But what if they don't? Do you want to be sat in a cabin without a balcony? Our solution was to go for a slightly larger aft cabin with a balcony that's protected from the wind, so that we can sit out there. Actually we've got an even better solution now and got a really good deal in a 2 bedroom suite - so we can sit in the lounge area and even dine there. But that can be expensive.

Food is the other major consideration. Are you going to be able to rely on your baby eating the food available on the ship. If not, are you going to have enough luggage allowance to carry it out with you? We've gone for a port where we know good supermarkets will be available (Barcelona) and we're arriving a couple of days early to give plenty of time to stock up on food, nappies etc.

Respecting your fellow passengers is an important consideration, as mentioned by hbrac. But this is easily in your control. If you're baby is fractious at dinner time, don't go to the main dining room. Order room service or go to the alternative restaurant. If they won't settle to go to bed, go for a stroll on the decks. That sort of thing - common sense really and no different from what you would do in a hotel.

I can't wait for our cruise. It's the perfect holiday for us at the moment and it could well be for you too. Just plan carefully and be flexible when on board. You've already chosen a good itinerary (the Baltic would also be a good option). However I wouldn't go for the ships you've suggested. A bigger, more modern ship just gives you more space, choice of cabin and flexibility for things like dining. Some have splash pools for babies, as they aren't allowed in the normal pools on US-operated ships.

Hope that's helpful. Some other specialist cruise websites have family boards with lots of advice available from experienced cruisers.

Ian.

Babies are not allowed in pools wearing a nappy and need to be toilet trained before they can go in the pool. I don't think this holiday is going to give you the type of holiday that you are looking for. Because you can't leave your baby in the various clubs nursery etc you would need to stay with them. This means that either you can't do the tours you wish to or that you take the baby along. Think about the heat etc and I wonder if a beach holiday would be best suited for now to your needs.
In another couple of years your baby will be old enough to enjoy the various facilities.

Think carefully about this and look at the big picture and the advantages as well as the disadvantages.

Sue

The spanish seem to have no problem taking their little ones.
Just stick them in the push chair and off they go everywhere, dinner,lounges,shows etc.
If you have a sleeper then that would work, more of a grizzler could be a problem
UK/US people seem to be a bit more reseved.

Not a great fan of noisy kids but seen plenty of people with pre schoolers->babies on the trips and most are considerate of the fellow passangers, moving on if they get noisy.

Most ports it is relativly easy to get off and do things without the long tours.

Early season should be ok and not too hot,

Agree with all that Windjammer. Including the bit about noisy kids. That's going to be the great thing about the Courtyard on the Jade. When my 2 year old gets too much, we can just push him out the door of the villa with his armbands on. He'll have a great time doing belly-flops into the hot tub and we can carry on enjoying the view from the balcony or watching TV in the bath or something. If anyone complains we'll refer them here and tell them that we're only there because Windjammer recommended it

Time to perfect your disguise then WJ

I am getting off as irs101 gets on, not my problem.

Allthough there is a convenient steam room in the court yard and I am sure the butlers would provide the necessary bits for a perfect steamed baby dinner, with a 2yo should be enought to invite the Garden villas down for supper.

I would be the 1st passenger jumping ship!

We sailed in a force 10 storm leaving Newcastle to Norway one year and I think I would prefer to do that journey again, even with the 10hr added sailing and missing out the port at Alesund than surviving it with any amount of under 2 year olds

Nile cruise ships used to have a policy of no under 12yrs - not sure if that's still the case but I honestly think it's a good idea...

Sorry to anyone with young babies, it's just my opinion and a preference of what I can and cannot put up with. I don't hate children - see my profile...

CwB

Also wonder what you will do with your baby all day? even relaxing on board your child will surely want to run around and play and there isnt really enough room for that. Don't see how you would be able to relax for one minute, you would need eyes in the back of your head!
Getting on and off the ship with buggy etc (and there are usually queues) would be pretty awkward I would think also.
Think the other posters who are knowledgeable cruisers are right, perhaps when your child is slightly older?
Definitely right about the thin walls in a cabin.

Rita L,
Theres some positive replies and lots of negative replies. Thing is. You have paid for the cruise. Go and enjoy it and never listen to the non kids fraternity. Reading some of the previous comments posted in the passed, I think some people would prefer all ships to be adults only.
Kids can, and do have a great time on board. All the staff make time for the kids.
Its a safe environment for your kids. Probably safer than the average family run hotel. You can sit and have a glass of wine and not worry too much about whether someone will run of with your child. (Worst Nightmare). Go on, book a cruise and take your kids and even your neighbours kids. !!!

Good Luck
Colin B

I believe P & O have a night nursery for under 5's, if that is any help. But their daytime facilities start at age 2.

It seems to me that you would be OK at the ports of call, where you could just head for the nearest beach. Your biggest problem would be what to do on sea days. At 18 months they want to run around and where would you be able to let them do that? Bear in mind that by next May, your baby will be a baby no more, but a toddler, which is a totally different thing to deal with.

I am glad you agree with my comments Mehmen1, I was concerned simply about the child and maintain a ship's deck isnt the safest place for a toddler. I find your reply colinbredin a bit childish to be honest.

Some of us "non kids fraternity "as you so delicately put it are parents ourselves many times over. I would have said the same about taking an 18 month old to Orlando. Wait until they are old enough to appreciate it and you can get value for money.A cruise is not a cheap holiday.For some people it's the holiday of a lifetime. Perhaps the only holiday for quite a few years after scrimping and saving. I actually remember thinking on our last cruise that the safety of a small child in my care on a ship would have been a nightmare. I even worried about my teenagers falling overboard.
But, each to their own. Everyone's opinions are valid and should not be rubbished just because you disagree.

Me and my mum went on OV in May this year, cruising Croatia and Greek Islands and, whilst we didn't have children with us, there were plenty on board, including some toddlers. They all seemed to be having a good time. As previously mentioned, booking long trips with the ship might not be a good idea, but there are always taxis at the ports which can take you to a nearby beach, or usually the port is right next to town (ie Cephalonia and Katakolon) and you can walk from the ship to the town and have a stroll round the shops and pavement cafes. Not sure what babysitting service, if any, that OV provide. We didn't have any problems at meal times and didn't struggle to find a table - we only had to queue to get into the dining room once and that was because we went a bit later than usual. There is a good choice of food and, if your child will eat most things by then, I don't think you will have too many problems. I love cruising - it's my absolute favourite choice of holiday! Now saving up for our next trip back to the Caribbean, again with OV.