Booking future cruise with potential for baby

[FSU Girl]

We are trying for a baby. So potentially it could happen quickly and we could have a baby by the time the cruise we want to book comes around. How should I go about booking this? Do I tell them to have a baby added who will be 6 months? (Iceland cruises babies can be 6 months right and not the year?) since I’m not pregnant yet I have no clue when the baby would be born to tell them. It’s also possible it won’t happen quickly and I could just be pregnant or not pregnant at all by the time the cruise comes around. Would I be able to remove the baby from the cruise and get that money back if it’s before the paid in full date? I feel like I should add it in case since it’s a popular sailing and I don’t want to run into an issue of the cruise being sold out. Has anyone booked a cruise like this before?

 

[CM Dad]

Looks like Transatlantic and Panama Canal cruises are the only ones with the one year requirement.

Q.
What is the minimum age to cruise?

A.
Your child needs to be at least 6 months of age on the day of sailing for most itineraries. The minimum age for Transatlantic and Panama Canal itineraries is 1 year of age on the day of sailing.

We traveled on one cruise with our adult children and grandkids. The youngest was just over 3 months when we cruised (I had added her as a TBD before they raised the minimum age to 6 months). One of our daughters was pregnant during the cruise, but had not quite reached her 24th week of pregnancy. I'm glad that having all the family come was a surprise for my wife's 60th birthday. If she had known how close we had come to not allowing either the new baby or our pregnant daughter from cruising, she would have worried the whole time.

You should add the baby when you book, and let them know that since the baby hasn't been born, the details will be provided later. There could be problems adding later if the lifeboat spots are not available, or there is no nursery slots left. This would also lock in the price as of the date you book, in case the price goes up in the future.

You can remove with no penalty before the PIF date.

Good luck. We did the Iceland cruise a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Book now with baby included. The rates would be locked in and it is much easier to cancel someone before PIF date than to add someone later (capacity/ lifeboats/ nursery space all become a factor).

Good luck! We had to cancel our 2016 Halloween cruise because of a baby on the way (my due date was the week of the cruise- he showed up 6 weeks early. Life makes the most interesting plans sometimes).

 

[FSU Girl]

Looks like Transatlantic and Panama Canal cruises are the only ones with the one year requirement.

Q.
What is the minimum age to cruise?

A.
Your child needs to be at least 6 months of age on the day of sailing for most itineraries. The minimum age for Transatlantic and Panama Canal itineraries is 1 year of age on the day of sailing.

We traveled on one cruise with our adult children and grandkids. The youngest was just over 3 months when we cruised (I had added her as a TBD before they raised the minimum age to 6 months). One of our daughters was pregnant during the cruise, but had not quite reached her 24th week of pregnancy. I'm glad that having all the family come was a surprise for my wife's 60th birthday. If she had known how close we had come to not allowing either the new baby or our pregnant daughter from cruising, she would have worried the whole time.

You should add the baby when you book, and let them know that since the baby hasn't been born, the details will be provided later. There could be problems adding later if the lifeboat spots are not available, or there is no nursery slots left. This would also lock in the price as of the date you book, in case the price goes up in the future.

You can remove with no penalty before the PIF date.

Good luck. We did the Iceland cruise a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it.

That’s good the baby can be 6 months there wouldn’t be a way for it to be a year lol. That sounded like a fun cruise, I heard they used to be more lax on baby ages in the past. There are a lot of unknowns for this cruise but I’m really hoping everything lines up so we can go

 

[FSU Girl]

Book now with baby included. The rates would be locked in and it is much easier to cancel someone before PIF date than to add someone later (capacity/ lifeboats/ nursery space all become a factor).

Good luck! We had to cancel our 2016 Halloween cruise because of a baby on the way (my due date was the week of the cruise- he showed up 6 weeks early. Life makes the most interesting plans sometimes).

Ya I was noticing how this years is already sold out so I didn’t want to run into that issue. We plan to book on opening day when they release the schedules. It’ll be interesting to see what happens before this cruise. Since it’s so far out and we only just started trying so many different things could end up happening. I’m hoping we can do the cruise, but if I’m too pregnant or having the baby we’ll obviously cancel lol. For your cruise you canceled did you rebook later on with the baby?

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Ya I was noticing how this years is already sold out so I didn’t want to run into that issue. We plan to book on opening day when they release the schedules. It’ll be interesting to see what happens before this cruise. Since it’s so far out and we only just started trying so many different things could end up happening. I’m hoping we can do the cruise, but if I’m too pregnant or having the baby we’ll obviously cancel lol. For your cruise you canceled did you rebook later on with the baby?

We ended up booking a June cruise earlier that year (taking our older two kids on “one last big trip as a family of 4”). It was interesting waddling around at 20 weeks pregnant but man, did everyone on that ship spoil me absolutely rotten! It was like my birthday every day!

Then we ended up planning our little guy’s first trip to WDW for last August right before he turned 2. We had 2 big family events to travel for in the time between so no luck getting him on a ship. We are planning for next year (sooner if DH has his way but I don’t see it fitting into our schedule).

 

[FSU Girl]

We ended up booking a June cruise earlier that year (taking our older two kids on “one last big trip as a family of 4”). It was interesting waddling around at 20 weeks pregnant but man, did everyone on that ship spoil me absolutely rotten! It was like my birthday every day!

Then we ended up planning our little guy’s first trip to WDW for last August right before he turned 2. We had 2 big family events to travel for in the time between so no luck getting him on a ship. We are planning for next year (sooner if DH has his way but I don’t see it fitting into our schedule).

That’s good!

My cruise locations are limited for now while we try for a baby we aren’t going to go to the Caribbean, which is a shame those are easiest for us living in Florida. I bet being spoiled on the cruise being pregnant was awesome.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That’s good the baby can be 6 months there wouldn’t be a way for it to be a year lol. That sounded like a fun cruise, I heard they used to be more lax on baby ages in the past. There are a lot of unknowns for this cruise but I’m really hoping everything lines up so we can go

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but please be aware, even if the (possible) baby is the correct age for cruising, there could be any number of reasons why he/she shouldn't go.

 

[FSU Girl]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but please be aware, even if the (possible) baby is the correct age for cruising, there could be any number of reasons why he/she shouldn't go.

What do you mean? I understand it could be difficult to travel with a baby I’m okay with doing it anyway

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What do you mean? I understand it could be difficult to travel with a baby I’m okay with doing it anyway

Well, the baby could have medical issues, for starters.

 

[FSU Girl]

Well, the baby could have medical issues, for starters.

Well that’s a negative thought I’m not putting out there. I’m sure anything is possible but there’s nothing in our genes on either side and I’ve been eating very healthy. I don’t think anyone should think that way before a baby is even conceived.

 

[sptfr97]

Well that’s a negative thought I’m not putting out there. I’m sure anything is possible but there’s nothing in our genes on either side and I’ve been eating very healthy. I don’t think anyone should think that way before a baby is even conceived.

Agreed. God bless both of you while you’re trying to conceive.

 

[suedon70]

Totally agree with sptfr97 - and I'm 100% sure that if Heaven forbid FSU Girl's baby had any medical issues that would make the travel unfeasible then she wouldn't take said baby on a cruise. Please give her a little bit of credit!

 

[mmouse37]

We cruised as a family and booked before our DIL was pregnant but knew they were trying. DCL listed future baby as TBD. We did not have to put a passenger name yet. When baby was born we updated with DCL the baby's name and birthdate.

It was much easier booking the space for the baby and locking in the price then trying to add them later at a higher price and possibility of not having availability.

MJ

 

[hpsalb]

We booked once with a baby on the way. I was pregnant at booking, so we knew the approximate dates we were working with. They put in the baby with no other info and we updated once he was born.

Things may have changed, but because our booking was flagged as “missing mandatory info” then we couldn’t do anything online (change cabins, etc). It would send me to a warning screen that I couldn’t get past. We had to call with any changes.

 

[CM Dad]

Well, the baby could have medical issues, for starters.

Anybody planning on going on a cruise could have medical issues, and is a reason to get travel insurance.

 

[dclpluto]

Well that’s a negative thought I’m not putting out there. I’m sure anything is possible but there’s nothing in our genes on either side and I’ve been eating very healthy. I don’t think anyone should think that way before a baby is even conceived.

So sorry what that person said. It was totally uncalled for and than they got a few likes. Don’t know why people can be so mean here.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So sorry what that person said. It was totally uncalled for and than they got a few likes. Don’t know why people can be so mean here.

I wasn't trying to be "mean". I was being realistic. Just trying put some more information out there that may not have been thought about. Also, as a mother, I'd be really cautious about taking a baby on a long cruise, mostly due to the close confinement with thousands of other people who may not care that they are bringing onboard (into a closed environment) whatever illnesses they have. But I'm cautious that way.

Sorry, if others felt I was mean, that wasn't my intent.

 

[Karin1984]

I think it can't hurt to add a realistic note as there are risks to consider when travelling with a baby.

I get you need to know the logistics, but I would have added a few questions on travelling on (long) cruise with a baby, what are other parents experiences. Indeed, Shmoo has a good point, you are in confined space for most of the time and they don't make you wash your hands constantly for nothing.

 

[lolomarie]

I wasn't trying to be "mean". I was being realistic. Just trying put some more information out there that may not have been thought about. Also, as a mother, I'd be really cautious about taking a baby on a long cruise, mostly due to the close confinement with thousands of other people who may not care that they are bringing onboard (into a closed environment) whatever illnesses they have. But I'm cautious that way.

Sorry, if others felt I was mean, that wasn't my intent.

Good point. I wouldn't take a child that wasn't fully vaccinated on a vacation like that, and with our vaccination schedule here in Alberta they aren't fully covered until 18months.