Cruising with a baby

Is your baby old enough to sail?

The cruise line uses your baby's age on the first day of the cruise. The itinerary matters more than the total number of nights.

Do not rely on the cruise length alone. Open the official policy for your exact itinerary before paying. A line may deny boarding without a refund when a baby is too young.

Do you need another cabin?

Usually not. Include the baby in the passenger count from the start. The cruise line will show which cabins are available for your party. Adding a baby later may not be possible because cabin and ship capacity can fill up.

Request a crib when you book. Cruise lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Princess provide them on request, but supply and floor space are limited.

What can the baby add to the price?

A free cruise fare rarely means a zero-dollar baby. Taxes, fees, and port expenses can still apply to every guest. Adding a third guest can also change which cabins and prices appear.

• Carnival does not add daily gratuities for children under 2.
• Norwegian charges its daily service fee starting at age 3.
• Royal Caribbean charges a daily gratuity per guest and publishes no infant exemption.

Other lines and fare types differ. Check the final cruise total and the line's current gratuity policy. Our flight total also covers two adults, so add either a lap infant or a separate seat under the airline's rules.

What does "kids sail free" mean?

The name is broader than the actual offer. Terms depend on the line, sailing date, and cabin.

• Royal Caribbean's offer applies to children 12 or younger on selected sailings when they are additional guests in a cabin with at least two other guests. Blackout dates apply, and taxes, fees, and port expenses remain.
• Norwegian's offer is for guests 3 and 4 on selected sailings. It is based on guest position, not the guest's age.

For any line, search the same ship and sail date with the baby entered as a guest. Compare the final total for the same cabin before paying.

What documents does a baby need?

Every guest needs accepted travel documents, including a baby. The answer depends on citizenship, departure port, itinerary, and the ports visited. Some closed-loop U.S. cruises accept a government-issued birth certificate, but not every sailing does.

Check the cruise line's document page, such as Royal Caribbean or Carnival. If only one parent is traveling, the surnames differ, or another adult is bringing the child, check the line's consent and supporting-document rules. A passport book also allows an emergency flight home from a foreign port.

Can a baby use the pools or kids club?

Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, and Princess do not allow babies in diapers, including swim diapers, in regular pools or hot tubs. Some Royal Caribbean ships have a separate Baby Splash area that permits swim diapers. Childcare for children under 3 varies by ship, may cost extra, or may require a parent to stay.

Pool policies: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, and Princess.