Ahoy, Christopher!
Welcome to planDisney! I'm so glad you stopped by with a great question about cruising with little ones. As a mom of three, I've enjoyed making magical memories at sea while sailing with Mickey and friends over the years. We most recently cruised in January, and our youngest son was just two years old. Disney Cruise Line does a wonderful job of creating spaces and experiences for families to enjoy together, as well as dedicated areas of their ships for kids and adults to relax and unwind in their own special ways.
Christopher, for most Disney Cruise Line sailings,
children must be at least 6 months old; however, on a few itineraries, children must be at least 1 year old on embarkation day. Children under 3 can visit
"it's a small world" nursery! where Youth Counselors will take great care of them while parents can enjoy some of the adult-exclusive areas of your ship. The nursery does charge an hourly fee, and reservations can be made in your
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App once your
onboard booking window opens. On our recent cruise, my husband and I made reservations for our youngest son at the nursery each day for a few hours in the afternoon while we participated in activities like
beverage tastings, brunch at
Palo, and played on
Goofy's Sports Deck with our older boys. The youngest Mouseketeers can also enjoy dedicated, swim diaper-friendly splash pad areas, such as
Nemo's Reef on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy or Toy Story Splash Zone on the Disney Destiny, Disney Treasure, and Disney Wish. Disney Cruise Line has prepared a
guide about traveling with little ones, highlighting many other important details and amenities that you may find helpful as well.
Once children are over 3 and fully potty-trained, a whole new world of youth spaces opens to them. These clubs are free to access, and they do not require reservations.
Disney's Oceaneer Club offers fun theming and a wide range of activities throughout the day for kids ages 3 to 10. Most of the time, this will be
secured programming, but you can check in the app for Open House time when anyone can stop by to check out the space. My two-year-old son loved playing on the Magic PlayFloor when we visited during those open house hours on the Disney Dream recently.
Teens and tweens will also find dedicated spaces just for them on each ship!
I hope this information has been helpful, Christopher, as you continue to plan a Disney Cruise Line vacation that is practically perfect in every way! If you have any other questions, please stop by to see us again here at planDisney!
SEA ya real soon!
Kristi