I’ve never been one to book cruises. The idea of being trapped on a ship at sea for days on end with thousands of strangers never appealed to me, nor did the limited selection of restaurants and activities. As a long-time solo traveler, I also didn’t love the fact that I’d have to pay twice as much since most cruises are priced based on double occupancy.
This all changed in 2023 when I became a mom. Like many new moms, I wasn’t sure what traveling would look like in this new stage of my life — that is, if traveling would remain a part of it at all.
Suddenly, the idea of an all-inclusive experience sounded much more appealing. Although I’d been a longtime cruise naysayer, I decided to take a chance last month and solo travel with my then 8-month-old daughter on a Royal Caribbean cruise. By the time we disembarked, I was already planning our next cruise.
Here’s why I loved cruising with a baby, and why I’ll do it again.
Onboard childcare made traveling so much easier
I knew Royal Caribbean (and many other cruise lines) offered a kids club, but I assumed it was for older children. When a notification popped up on the Royal Caribbean app letting me know that there was an onboard nursery, I was absolutely giddy.
The nursery was our first stop after getting settled into our cabin. They offered childcare for babies between 6 and 36 months with trained staff, and the space included cribs, age-appropriate toys, and cuddles galore. There were multiple staff members on duty to ensure babies had plenty of one-on-one care.
Rates started at just $6 an hour, a steal compared to the $25 to 30 hourly rate I pay for childcare back home. Having a childcare option on board gave me a chance to recharge, allowing me to be fully present with my daughter during the rest of our time on board.
The staff was incredibly kind and went out of their way to make our experience memorable
One of the things that sticks with me most about our cruise is how friendly and kind the staff were during our entire sailing. Whether we were eating dinner in the main dining room, walking around the pool deck, or attending a show, the staff went above and beyond. In fact, many of the staff we met were parents themselves, and we spent a lot of time sharing baby photos and tips for surviving the crawling stage.
While it may sound small, the special mini towel animal waiting in our room for my daughter really brought a smile to my face, as did the bowls of mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and fruit that the staff would bring us at dinner unprompted.
Cruise ships offer flexibility to adapt to a baby’s mood easily
On a cruise ship, there are dozens of options for dining, entertainment, and activities right outside your door, making it an incredibly flexible vacation option. Changing the day’s itinerary was as easy as pressing a different elevator button.
What was originally planned to be a pool day could easily turn into a stroller walk through the onboard park or taking my daughter to a family festival, depending on our moods at any given time. This flexibility was especially handy for a mom traveling solo.
The onboard dining options were surprisingly baby-friendly
My daughter was 8 months old on this cruise, which means we were in the thick of introducing solids. From now on, I will always recommend new parents take a cruise at this age because it made baby-led weaning incredibly easy.
At both the buffet and specialty restaurants, my daughter was able to sample dozens of foods to explore flavors and textures galore. She even fell in love with asparagus at the onboard steakhouse. And best of all, I didn’t have to cook — nor clean — a thing.
Once we made it onboard, we could stop “traveling” and start vacationing
Flying with an infant is no simple feat, so I especially appreciated that our travels ended once we made it onto the ship. After we settled into our cabin, the traveling came to us — and as a solo mom, I can’t imagine an easier way to travel with an infant. We woke up to endless ocean views one morning and the Bahamas the next — all without having to drag a carseat, stroller, and luggage through a town or onto another plane.
I never suspected I’d fall in love with cruising, but after this trip, my daughter and I will be setting sail for many years to come.
The post I took my 8-month-old on a cruise. I was surprised at how baby-friendly it was, and I’m ready to go on one again. appeared first on Business Insider.
