Baby onboard: more cruise lines than ever are family-friendly, but sailing with an infant presents its own set of challenges - Cruise Guide

Cruise Travel, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Heidi Sarna

CRUISING WITH KIDS--AT A GLANCE

CRUISE LINES

KEY TO LISTINGS:

A check mark ([check])in a
box indicates the line
offers that service or
program; no check (-)        Babysitting/   Babysitting/
means not offered.           Group          Private        Cribs

Carnival                     [check]EH      -               [check]
Celebrity                    [check]G       [check]         [check]
Costa                        [check]G       -               [check]
Disney                       [check]EH      -               [check]
Crystal                      -              [check]         [check]
Cunard                       -              [check]D        [check]
Holland America              -              [check]D        [check]
Norwegian                    [check]F       -               [check]
Oceania                      -              -               [check]D
Princess                     [check]G       -               [check]
Radisson Seven Seas          -              -               [check]
Royal Caribbean              [check]G       [check]         [check]
Royal Olympia                -              [check]D        [check]
Seabourn                     -              [check]D        [check]
SeaDream                     -              -               [check]
Silversea                    -              [check]D        [check]
Windjammer                   -              -               -
Windstar                     -              -               -

CRUISE LINES

KEY TO LISTINGS:

A check mark ([check])in a
box indicates the line
offers that service or
program; no check (-)                       Mini-fridge     Mini-bar
means not offered.           High-chairs    (empty)         (stocked)

Carnival                     [check]        -               [check]B
Celebrity                    [check]G       [check]D        [check]A
Costa                        [check]        -               [check]
Disney                       [check]        [check]         -
Crystal                      [check]        -               -
Cunard                       [check]        [check]R        [check]C
Holland America              [check]        [check]D        [check]BC
Norwegian                    [check]        [check]A        -
Oceania                      [check]D       [check]C        -
Princess                     [check]        [check]A        -
Radisson Seven Seas          [check]        -               [check]
Royal Caribbean              [check]        [check]         [check]A
Royal Olympia                [check]        [check]B        [check]C
Seabourn                     [check]D       -               [check]
SeaDream                     [check]        -               [check]
Silversea                    [check]        -               [check]
Windjammer                   -              -               -
Windstar                     -              -               [check]

CRUISE LINES

KEY TO LISTINGS:

A check mark ([check])in a
box indicates the line       Minimum age    Minimum age    Minimum age
offers that service or       to sail:       to sail:       to sail:
program; no check (-)        three or       six            12 months
means not offered.           four months    months         or older

Carnival                     [check]        -              -
Celebrity                    -              [check]        -
Costa                        [check]I       -              -
Disney                       [check]        -
Crystal                      -              [check]        -
Cunard                       -              -              [check]
Holland America              [check]        -              -
Norwegian                    [check]I       -              -
Oceania                      -              -              [check]
Princess                     -              [check]        -
Radisson Seven Seas          -              -              [check]
Royal Caribbean              -              [check]        -
Royal Olympia                [check]I       -              -
Seabourn                     -              -              [check]
SeaDream                     -              -              [check]
Silversea                    -              -              [check]
Windjammer                   -              -              [check]
Windstar                     -              -              [check]

CRUISE LINES

KEY TO LISTINGS:

A check mark ([check])in a
box indicates the line
offers that service or                      Separate
program; no check (-)        Supervised     Teen           Video
means not offered.           Activies       Facilities     Arcade

Carnival                     [check]M       [check]        [check]
Celebrity                    [check]L       [check]A       [check]
Costa                        [check]L       -              [check]
Disney                       [check]L       [check]O       [check]
Crystal                      [check]L       -              [check]A
Cunard                       [check]LB      [check]B       [check]B
Holland America              [check]K       [check]B       [check]B
Norwegian                    [check]M       [check]A       [check]
Oceania                      -              -              -
Princess                     [check]L       [check]B       [check]A
Radisson Seven Seas          [check]N       -              -
Royal Caribbean              [check]L       [check]O       [check]
Royal Olympia                [check]N       -              -
Seabourn                     -              -              -
SeaDream                     -              -              -
Silversea                    -              -              -
Windjammer                   [check]JB      -              -
Windstar                     -              -              -

CRUISE LINES

KEY TO LISTINGS:

A check mark ([check])in a
box indicates the line
offers that service or
program; no check (-)        Kids and/or Teens     Dining With
means not offered.           Shore Excursions      Counselors

Carnival                     [check]               [check]Q
Celebrity                    -                     [check]P
Costa                        -                     [check]P
Disney                       [check]               [check]Q
Crystal                      [check]A              -
Cunard                       -                     [check]Q
Holland America              [check]               -
Norwegian                    -                     [check]P
Oceania                      -                     -
Princess                     [check]               [check]P
Radisson Seven Seas          -                     -
Royal Caribbean              [check]               [check]P
Royal Olympia                -                     -
Seabourn                     -                     -
SeaDream                     -                     -
Silversea                    -                     -
Windjammer                   [check]               -
Windstar                     -                     -

A--Most ships in fleet.
B--Some ships in fleet.
C--Suites only.
D--Can be requested.
E--For both infants and
older kids.
F--Diaper-trained, age
2 or older.
G--Diaper-trained, age
3 or older.
H--The counselors will
change diapers.
I--No minimum age
to sail.
J--Ages 6-16/17.
K--Ages 5-17.
L--Ages 3-17.
M--Ages 2-17.
N--Kids activities
organized when
demand warrants it.
O--Some ships also
include a teens-only
internet center.
P--Offered twice a
week.
Q--Offered more than
twice a week.
R--All cabins on QM2,
some on QE2.

* Chart compiled
by Heidi Sarna