A few cruise ships sell diapers and wipes onboard, but most do not.
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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.
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.
Taking a baby on a cruise is one of the best ways to travel with your little one. You don't have to pack and unpack every few days, and there's no need to worry about the logistics of driving to your destination or traffic. Onboard, the friendly cruise ship staff take care of the details so you don't have to.
Babies and toddlers up to two years sail free on MSC Cruises, with kids aged two- to 11-years-old offered a reduced rate. On Cunard, infants up to 23 months travel free, while two- to 17-year-olds sail at a reduced rate, and Italian line Costa Cruises does not charge for infants under three.
Your baby is also welcome to sleep in the bed with you, or you are welcome to bring your own travel crib. Older toddlers can sleep on pullout sofas (make sure one is available in your cabin before booking) or in a bed or rollaway cot, but cruise ships will not provide bed rails.
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.
Babies typically aren't free on a cruise. MSC Cruises and Cunard don't charge for babies, but any other cruise lines that accept them will charge, though it will often be a reduced fare. Many cruise lines charge the FULL ADULT PRICE for babies on-board.
The cruises are meant for people to share a room, even if they're not romantically involved. The bathroom is private but that's it. Beds can be split up so you each have your own sleeping space. It's likely you'll spend a lot of time doing things outside the room.
The other mainstream cruise lines kids have to be 3 and fully potty trained to enjoy the clubs- no pull ups or diapers allowed! Unfortunately, plenty of babies and toddlers in diapers in the pools, slides, and hot tubs on Carnival.
Even though twice-daily stateroom cleaning has long been the standard in the cruise industry, how often you like your cruise ship stateroom cleaned by your cabin steward is a matter of personal preference. Some cruisers love the pampered feeling of a stateroom that is always clean -- when done by someone else.
Cruise fares are per person which includes children and infants. When traveling with two full fare guests, additional guests in the same stateroom pay a discounted cruise fare.
Popular rumor claims that people born on airplanes get free flights for life. Any truth in that? Sadly, it seems to be something of a myth. Very few airlines are known to have granted a newborn free flights for life.
We strongly recommend that all guests present a passport as their form of ID on boarding day. Technically, yes – U.S. citizens can present a state-certified birth certificate and government-issued photo ID to sail on most cruises departing from the U.S. But a passport is the more efficient, secure option.