Infants must be a minimum of 6 months old on the sailing date for most voyages. For transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, Australia and South America sailings – and any with 3 or more consecutive days at sea – the minimum age is 12 months.
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Please note that hospital Birth Certificates (baby feet Birth Certificates), as well as photocopies or images of any required travel documents are not accepted for boarding. For sailings departing from U.S. homeports, an official US state-issued Birth Certificate is also accepted.
If the child is a newborn and the actual birth certificate has not arrived from the Vital Records Department, we will accept a hospital issued birth certificate. The United States does not require you to have a passport.
Under the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, for the purposes of determining the obligations under the convention, a birth on a ship or aircraft in international waters or airspace shall be treated as a birth in the country of the ship or aircraft's registration.
Age Restrictions for BabiesCruise lines (including the major players like Royal Caribbean and Carnival) require the child be at least six months old on the day of embarkation for most cases. Yes, you can book the cruise when the child is younger, but they must be at least that age by cruise day.
The U.S. Public Health Service requires that only children who are toilet trained are permitted to enter swimming pools and spas aboard cruise ships. Even if your child isn't toilet trained, he or she is welcome to enjoy the water play areas on board each ship while wearing a swim diaper.
ENGAGE IN FAMILY TIMEIf you're looking for something to do as a family, there are plenty of options. Each cruise ship features numerous swimming pools, some with kid-friendly water features. The babies in swim diapers are all welcome to splash the day away on Baby Splash on certains ships.
Infants sailing on a cruise must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise and/or CruiseTour. HOWEVER: For transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South American and other selected cruises and/or CruiseTours, the infant must be at least 12 months old as of the first day of the cruise/CruiseTour.
You will want some kind of stroller or baby carrier for taking your child around the cruise ship and in port. Some cruise lines, like Carnival, have rentals available; MSC offers loaners. You will need to store strollers in your cabin, so we recommend bringing a small umbrella stroller, rather than a large baby jogger.
By three months, you and your baby are more likely to be ready to travel. Your baby is no longer as fragile, but still small enough to not mind whether their bed is at home or in a hotel room, or being cuddled close to you.
Many pediatricians recommend waiting until your child is at least 3 months old before traveling long distances. This allows for their immune system to be better developed, making them more resistant to infections. This applies to babies who are born full-term and have no other health conditions.
Why do Some Cruise Lines Charge the Same Rate for Babies as Adults? Though babies and toddlers clearly do not consume nearly as much food and drink, nor partake in the same activities as their parents, babies still create extra cleanup and housekeeping work that the ship's crew ultimately must take care of.