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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

8-10 month old cruise or resort?

31 replies

Bells3032 · 28/03/2022 11:17

We are looking to book a holiday with our by then 8-10 month old baby. My husband and I are not really beachy resort people - we both bore easily and both burn like nothing else so can't really sunbathe much. However, we recognise a city break may be a bit much for little one for 10 days.

We are experienced cruisers and were tempted.

Pros to cruising:

  • access to food and dining etc that's flexible and always there
  • when she's napping only one of us needs to stay with her and other can go and enjoy activities
  • some ships have babysitting which I feel is a bit safer than babysitting in a resort
  • different places and activities to keep us interested
  • various activities like talks and bingo and quizzes that we like

Cruise downsides

  • small rooms often with only shower so hard to wash baby
  • most charge full price for babies so can be pricey
  • not all have pools you can take babies in
  • havr to go by their schedules

Resort
Good things

  • bigger rooms with bath tubs so can have space for all her stuff
  • able to provide baby stuff at the resorts we are looking at
  • baby friendly pools and staff etc
  • can go when we want so can maximise time away

Downsides

  • if weather's terrible not much to do
  • husband and I could get bored
  • could get stuck in the room when she's napping.

Any advice?

OP posts:
TooMinty · 28/03/2022 12:37

What about a city break but stay in a baby friendly Air BNB? And adapt your activities a bit to suit? Baby carrier or pram for naps on the go.

Caspianberg · 28/03/2022 12:40

Go to a beach resort with things to do. Then you can all go off on some day trips to see things, stay in resort if you like or beach. Or a combination of both.

MissAmbrosia · 28/03/2022 21:30

Rent an apartment somewhere where there are interesting things to do. A 10 month old won't care much. A nearby beach for a paddle might be nice. When they are little it's always better to find something YOU like doing. We never did hotels - a separate bedroom at least minimum. Nice terrace or garden to sit in. Strolls out in the evening for a drink and then dinner or takeaway according to mood. Baby to bed and wine on the terrace.

When are you thinking of going? If you don't like it really hot, but presumably don't want freezing either that has a big impact on potential destinations.

Ubercornsdiscoball · 28/03/2022 21:32

Have you checked with the cruise lines as we have been unable to book anything for our family due to the children being unvaccinated at the moment

christmascrazylady · 28/03/2022 21:39

Personally I think 10 days away with a small baby will be hard. Not a fan of cruisers I would go with resort so you can pop baby in pram and walk everywhere and hopefully she will sleep so u can enjoy a break

MissAmbrosia · 28/03/2022 21:40

If you are happy to drive, places like Normandy, Brittany, Dordogne have lots to do, lovely food. If you want to fly, the French and Italian Riviera has a fantastic train network. So you could fly to say Nice or Genoa and the world is your oyster. You could stay in Nice and have days out to Antibes, Monaco, Villefranche, or get the train into the mountains.

reluctantbrit · 29/03/2022 07:24

It depends when you want to travel.

For me, cruises are a nightmare.

We preferred self-catering at that age, we found it more relaxing especially as we had an early riser, not just for milk but wide awake at 6am, ready for the day. Equally she hated going to sleep in the pram in the evening. It was better for all of us to have mornings and evenings like normal and just do things throughout the day. We ate out for lunch and did simple bread and cold cuts for dinner.

Napping: unless you have a pram nap refuser I think you could keep your baby at the pool in a pram, I have seen it a lot of times when we finally did AI resorts. Or - like DD - your baby just sleeps on the go. We had a backpack crate and a decent pram and did our things.

Clymene · 29/03/2022 07:26

A baby will be perfectly happy doing a city break. Get a back carrier and you can take them anywhere.

Sirzy · 29/03/2022 07:27

With p and o at least during term time you can often get 3rd (and 4th) guests in a cabin for free/£99

If you go from Southampton it’s much easier with all the baby stuff!

Funf · 29/03/2022 07:30

Personally I wouldn't go on P&O again.
Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity etc all cater well for kids of all ages. Check ports you are going to on Cruise Critic forum and plan your days.

bruffin · 29/03/2022 07:44

@Ubercornsdiscoball

Have you checked with the cruise lines as we have been unable to book anything for our family due to the children being unvaccinated at the moment
My friend just came back from an abandoned cruise because 140 people out of 700 came down with COVID. Not really worth going on a cruise atm
Chatwin · 29/03/2022 07:57

Self catering is much easier when they're tiny. I would book a villa and hire car somewhere where there's lots for you to do.

Caspianberg · 29/03/2022 08:01

I think a city would be fine tbh also. We live rural, fly back to family and spent 10 days in a few cities (uk). Ds was fine, and happy looking around and seeing things.

NeedleNoodle3 · 29/03/2022 10:18

I love a cruise, I love a resort but based on things you have said you like i would go for perhaps booking an apartment near the sea and with stuff to do. For example Lisbon or Palma.
bruffin I went on a Caribbean cruise from 10 days ago and it was amazing. No mention of Covid, everyone was vaccinated and tested, the ship was half full which was wonderful . I don’t think cruises should be written off at the moment.

Original poster
Bells3032 · 29/03/2022 14:44

@funf FYI p&o cruises are no relation to the ferry company. Owned by completely different parent companies.

Thanks for the ideas people. I really don't want an apartment. Just doesn't feel like a holiday to me.

@ubercornsdiscoball thanks for pointing it out. I checked the cruise line we are considering (celebrity) and whilst they allow unvaccinated children they're not allowed off without being on their excursions. So that may put a damper on things

OP posts:
bruffin · 29/03/2022 15:44

@NeedleNoodle3

I love a cruise, I love a resort but based on things you have said you like i would go for perhaps booking an apartment near the sea and with stuff to do. For example Lisbon or Palma. bruffin I went on a Caribbean cruise from 10 days ago and it was amazing. No mention of Covid, everyone was vaccinated and tested, the ship was half full which was wonderful . I don’t think cruises should be written off at the moment.
As i said above , my friend (real friend not a friend of a friend) was on a 5 week cruise to the caribbean and the boat turned around at the azores and came back because of the number of Covid cases. Everyone was vaccinated so how they got it she doesnt know, but it spread like wild fire They quarantined off the Covid cases and the rest were limited what they could do. She departed late february and was home 3 weeks early.
Earlydancing · 29/03/2022 15:57

I have friends who work on p&o cruises and they have been on two cruises to the Caribbean since the New year. Neither turned back. If you get covid you go on the Queen Victoria ship and wait there til you're cleared to return. They could get off at most islands independently. But the ships menus aren't running as normal, nor are activities.

However, I wouldn't take a baby on a cruise. I wouldn't take young children, period. Much better to stay in an apartment or hotel and hire a car and explore at leisure.

NeedleNoodle3 · 29/03/2022 16:08

bruffin
That sounds really bad.

Fupoffyagrasshole · 29/03/2022 16:16

I’d do resort (way easier having access to a kitchen to feed the baby in the room!!

We give her breakfast in the room in the morning and sometimes her lunch if we are just hanging out at the resort

I’ve been away a good bit with my 1 year old and I think city breaks are a bit easier - more to do and she loves bring out for the day 😂😂

But she does love pool days too

Crawfishspots · 29/03/2022 16:34

I’ve done my first (and only!) cruise when my baby was 11 months. It was pre covid. It was great, we went from Southampton so could take everything we needed and only an hour drive from home so took a taxi. We went on Britannia (P and O cruise has nothing to do with the ferry company) ans they had a playroom and a night nursery. The night nursery was great, I took her down there asleep and then they paged me if she woke up. One night she ended up coming back to the Indian restaurant with us!
We went good ship a couple of times and had a wander round cities. It was a good way to go abroad and having some home comforts. The food was great and the buffet would accommodate baby, they had a secret stash of petit filous as well 😂
I would check what kids stuff is running though as there have been some changes post covid. Enjoy!

Crawfishspots · 29/03/2022 16:35

*off ship!

Original poster
Bells3032 · 29/03/2022 16:43

@Crawfishspots I am aware of the p&o stuff and we were tempted by it. We had been planning to book but now in tiny writing it says its currrently not running. I rung and they said no guaretee it will be running by September when we planned to go

OP posts:
Crawfishspots · 29/03/2022 18:49

That’s annoying as that’s the main draw going with a baby. Do the other companies have any similar facilities?

User280905 · 29/03/2022 18:55

Can you not book a hotel with a pool in a city? I don't know where you were thinking of but we've stayed in hotels in Rome and Amsterdam with outdoor pools and bars just as an example. You could do some lying around in the sun, some tourist sites with the baby in a backpack carrier, some time exploring some parks and green spaces where baby can toddle or crawl around on the grass. One person could stay indoors when the baby is napping, the other could have a drink and read a book in the sun. You've got options.

reluctantbrit · 29/03/2022 19:03

@User280905 lots of city hotel pools have restrictions about children using them. Often just an hour in the morning and late afternoon.

Unless it is a very friendly family hotel, read the fine print carefully about children in the pool or pool side.

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