Planning a cruise with your precious munchkins? No need to fret about the logistics—this guide will be your go-to resource for discovering the best cruise lines for babies and toddlers!
While certain kid-friendly cruise lines cater primarily to families with kids three and older, others pamper their tiniest guests with a wealth of programs and amenities. These include nurseries, complimentary cribs and strollers, baby-friendly Splash Zone areas, and more.
1. Carnival Cruise Line
Minimum Sailing Age
For most Carnival Cruise Line voyages, children must be at least six months old upon embarkation. However, for transoceanic crossings and remote itineraries involving more than two consecutive sea days, children must be at least one year old.
Amenities Available
Cribs are offered and should be reserved when booking. High chairs and booster seats are available in shipboard dining rooms and restaurants. Single strollers can be rented on Carnival ships, subject to availability.
Sadly, diapers, baby supplies, baby food, and formula aren’t available on board, so parents should bring these items with them.
On a related note, it’s worth mentioning that some Carnival ships feature non-stocked mini bar units. Parents can ask the ship staff to refrigerate medicine and formula upon request if needed.
Tots and Family Programs
Carnival’s Camp Ocean features a free Penguins children’s program with a full schedule of daily fun activities for kids ages two to five.
Children don’t need potty training to participate, but parents must supply diapers and toiletries.
Camp Ocean also offers special play times for “Under 2s.” Parents/guardians can leave their child in the care of the Camp Ocean Youth Staff for a fee during these play times or stay and play with their little ones free of charge.
Carnival provides various family programs for guests with young children on every cruise, including the widely enjoyed Seuss at Sea activities across its fleet.
Some ships, like the Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, also include Dr. Seuss Bookville, a dedicated family reading venue.
Babysitting for Babies & Toddlers
Since in-stateroom babysitting isn’t an option on Carnival ships, parents may want to explore the ship’s designated kids’ activities.
One of these activities is the Camp Ocean’s Night Owls program, available for children aged six months to 11 years. This program takes place inside the Camp Ocean facility and includes various activities such as movie time, arts and crafts, toys, video games, snacks, and more.
Participating children don’t need to be potty-trained, but parents need to supply diapers and toiletries.
2. Celebrity Cruises
Minimum Sailing Age
To embark on Celebrity Cruises, children must meet the age requirement of at least six months at the time of embarkation.
The minimum age requirement is one year for transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, certain South American cruises, and other selected cruises and cruise tours featuring three or more consecutive days at sea.
Amenities Available
For families traveling with infants, specific accommodations are made available on request. Playpens can be secured by making advanced reservations, and high chairs can be provided upon request. Guests can request baby food up to 30 days before embarkation.
Like the Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises doesn’t offer strollers, formula, diapers, and other baby supplies. Families can use the in-room mini-bar for storage, but parents should ensure that it reaches a safe temperature for formula, food, and other perishable items.
Tots and Family Programs
Children under three can participate in Celebrity’s free daily Toddler Time activities with a parent or guardian. Activities include interactive play sessions, age-appropriate games, and creative activities designed to engage and entertain toddlers.
Kids don’t need to be potty-trained to participate in Toddler Time; lavatory-based changing tables and baby wipes are provided.
Celebrity Cruises also offers a Fat Brain Toy Lending Program, allowing families to borrow engaging and educational toys during their cruise. If a toy captures the child’s interest, families can check it out from Camp at Sea.
Babysitting for Babies & Toddlers
Private, in-suite babysitting services are offered for Celebrity’s suite guests only, subject to availability. Fees apply, and requests must be made at least 24 hours before. Up to three children at least one year old may participate per family.
On port days, at least one parent/legal guardian must accompany their child under supervision. No other in-stateroom or group babysitting services are offered for children under three years of age.
READ MORE: The 7 Best Lines For a Family Reunion Cruise
3. Cunard Line
Minimum Sailing Age
The Cunard Line allows parents to bring infants as young as six months on board their ships. The minimum sailing age is one year for Full World Cruises, Exotic Cruises, or Transatlantic Crossings.
Amenities Available
Cribs, cots, and high chairs are available. Loaner baby baths and other essential amenities such as baby food, bottle warmers, and sterilizers can be provided upon request. All Cunard staterooms feature small refrigerators to store perishable items.
Strollers, diapers, and baby supplies aren’t available onboard.
Tots and Family Programs
Cunard provides a complimentary Night Nursery service for children aged six months up to two years from 6 to 11 p.m. For added convenience and reassurance, parents receive a pager to keep them connected in case their child needs attention.
Children aged two to seven years can enjoy Cunard’s complimentary Play Zone supervised by Youth Staff. The Play Zone area offers books, toys, and a variety of activities—everything a curious child needs to keep them entertained.
Babysitting for Babies & Toddlers
Cunard’s Night Nursery group babysitting is available. No in-stateroom babysitting is offered.
4. Disney Cruise Line
Minimum Sailing Age
For most Disney Cruise Line sailings, children must be a minimum of six months old upon embarkation. However, the minimum age requirement for transatlantic and Panama Canal itineraries is one year old at the time of embarkation.
Amenities Available
Disney Cruise Line ships provide complimentary cribs and playpens upon request, subject to availability. High chairs and a limited number of complimentary strollers are also available.
The cruise line offers bathtubs and in-room refrigerators, and it can supply bottle warmers and bottle sterilizers if desired. Diapers, ready-to-feed infant formula, bottles, baby food, and baby supplies can be purchased onboard all ships.
Staff in the main dining rooms can prepare fresh, pureed vegetables, which can also be ordered through room service.
Tots and Family Programs
In addition to the nursery childcare center (which we’ll discuss in the next section), Disney Cruise Line presents “Toddler Time” sessions for parents and their little ones.
Children under three years old also have the opportunity to explore Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab alongside their parents during designated Open House hours.
Families with tots can enjoy many fun, family-focused activities, as well. All Disney Cruise Line ships feature water play areas for little ones under three, where swim diapers are allowed.
Babysitting for Babies & Toddlers
On most itineraries, Disney Cruise Line features the “It’s a Small World” nursery childcare center, catering to children between six months and three years of age. On transatlantic and Panama Canal sailings, this facility is available for children aged one to three years.
The nursery provides children with a safe and engaging environment, with dozens of toys, books, and activities. Counselors will feed and change little ones, but parents must provide supplies.
Note: To secure a spot, parents can make reservations online. Fees apply. In-stateroom babysitting services aren’t available.
5. MSC Cruises
Minimum Sailing Age
There is no minimum age to sail on an MSC Cruise ship.
Amenities Available
High chairs and strollers are available on ships, and cribs are provided upon request.
MSC Cruises guests have access to free bottle warmers, baby carriers, backpacks, and bouncy chairs through MSC’s partnership with Chicco, a global baby brand.
Baby food and formula aren’t offered onboard, but in-room refrigerators are available.
Tots and Family Programs
Kids under three can get together and play with the latest Chicco toys during MSC Baby Time sessions when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
MSC Seaside’s Baby Club for tots under three years of age is the largest on any MSC cruise ship. MSC provides fun programs with Chicco toys for babies and toddlers, including Rhythm and Music, Mini Olympic Games, Let’s Speak English, and more.
MSC Cruises also offers dozens of family activities for guests sailing with little ones to participate in together.
Babysitting for Babies & Toddlers
MSC Babycare Service provides free babysitting by dedicated staff for kids from 12 months to under three years old. This drop-off service is offered during limited hours while ships sail and when parents disembark for a shore excursion.
Parents must book at least one day in advance to use this service. Availability is limited, so advanced reservations are a must.
MSC Cruises doesn’t have in-stateroom babysitting.
6. Norwegian Cruise Line
Minimum Sailing Age
Children must be at least six months old when they embark on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. For voyages with three or more consecutive days at sea, the minimum age requirement is at least one year old at the time of sailing.
Amenities Available
Portable playpens/foldable sleepers are supplied on request. High chairs are provided, and booster seats are also offered on some ships.
Diapers and wipes can be pre-purchased.
Strollers, baby food, and formula aren’t available. In-room refrigerators are provided in staterooms to accommodate two or more guests.
Tots and Family Programs
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Splash Academy youth program features a Guppies area for kids from six months up to age three, providing sensory play activities and games for parents and kids to enjoy together.
A parent or guardian must remain with their child during these hosted activity sessions. Open play times in the Guppies room are offered, as well.
Tots in swim diapers can enjoy special Splash Zone areas featured on some Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
Babysitting for Babies and Toddlers
Norwegian Escape’s fee-based Guppies Nursery provides care for kids from six months to under three years. Parents are given a handy phone to stay in touch onboard the ship.
Advanced reservations must be made with the Nursery Attendant. The Guppies Nursery staff will change children’s diapers, but parents must provide all supplies.
No other Norwegian Cruise Line ships offer private or group babysitting services for children under three years of age.
7. Royal Caribbean International
Minimum Sailing Age
Children must be at least six months old when embarking on a Royal Caribbean ship.
For specific voyages, such as transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, and certain South American itineraries, the minimum age is at least one year old at the time of embarkation.
Amenities Available
Royal Caribbean provides baby cribs upon request, and a limited number of high chairs and booster seats are available on each ship.
Baby diapers and some baby supplies can be purchased and delivered to guests’ staterooms.
Strollers aren’t available on Royal Caribbean ships. A limited number of in-room refrigerators are available, so make reservations in advance.
Tots and Family Programs
Babies and toddlers can enjoy educational, fun activities on Royal Caribbean ships at Adventure Ocean’s complimentary Royal Babies (ages six to 18 months) and Royal Tots (ages 18 to 36 months) interactive playgroups hosted by trained youth staff.
A parent or guardian must be present during these free activity sessions.
Program hours vary by ship and itinerary. Some open play sessions may be available as well. Family activities are also offered onboard.
Little tots in swim diapers can play in specially designed Royal Caribbean Baby Splash Zone areas available on some ships.
Babysitting for Babies & Toddlers
Royal Caribbean’s fee-based Royal Babies and Tots Nursery babysits children in two age groups: babies from six months to under 18 months and toddlers from 18 to 36 months.
Reservations are required, and the available time slots vary, so reserve these in advance.
The ratio of nursery staff to children is 1:4, and staff will change diapers as needed, but parents must provide supplies. Day and evening drop-off times are available.
All Royal Caribbean ships feature a Royal Babies and Tots Nursery except for Adventure of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas.
No in-stateroom babysitting services are currently being offered on Royal Caribbean ships.
Families interested in taking a European river cruise or canal barge sailing with babies and toddlers should check out CroisiEurope Cruises.
There’s no minimum age to sail with CroisiEurope, but certain departures or rivers may be more family-friendly. Cribs can be provided on most ships when reserved during booking to ensure availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do cruise lines accommodate families with infants under 6 months old?
Cruise lines accommodate families with infants under six months through various services and amenities.
For example, Disney Cruise Line offers the “It’s a Small World” nursery childcare center, which provides specialized care for infants aged six months to three years.
MSC Babycare Service features a complimentary Night Nursery service for children aged 6 months up to 2 years, while Cunard Line provides essentials such as baby food, bottle warmers, and sterilizers.
All cruises on this list offer amenities specifically designed for infants, such as cribs, baby bathtubs, and high chairs.
Are cruises good for toddlers?
Absolutely! Many cruise lines have dedicated kids’ clubs and age-appropriate activities, so they’ll be sufficiently entertained even when their parents aren’t with them.
Plus, it allows them to bond with other kids their age—not to mention all the new sights and experiences they’ll encounter during the cruise!
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