10 reasons why cruising with a baby isn't such a crazy idea

Taking a baby or toddler on a cruise ship?  Sounds like a recipe for disaster? Or actually not. We took the plunge and took our 14 month old on a cruise (our third, her first) and we had the most fantastic time, here's why:

1. Travel Made Easy - dropped off at the Southampton terminal and on board within 30 minutes. We arrived with our pushchair loaded with nappies, wet wipes and baby milk. No bag limit and no restrictions on liquids. Suddenly travel got so much simpler.

2. Kid's Club - we were on board P&O's latest addition to its fleet Britannia. The kid's club The Reef offers a night nursery open until 2am, daycare for over 2's and an impressive soft play area kept spotlessly clean.

3. Kid's Tea- from 5-6pm the buffet restaurant was closed off for children to enjoy a selection of finger foods (including the most amazing tiger prawns) and baby food was available on request, for free. 

4. Maximum Fuss - from waiting staff to guests, everyone made a fuss of our daughter. I was half expecting the occasional look of irritation if she squawked at dinner but we only encountered friendliness.

5. Added Extras- within ten minutes of calling and asking housekeeping if a baby bath could be provided, a brand new one arrived at our cabin door. A brand new travel cot was ready and waiting when we arrived too.

6. Room Service Included - had a bad day and your baby or toddler is fussing? Can't face dinner in a restaurant on board? No problem, from sandwiches to salads and larger main course dishes, room service is included in the price.

7. Movies On Board- not only is there a wide selection of free movies on the flat screen TV in the cabin, but each evening at 8pm, toddlers gather on beanbags with blankets to watch an animated movie. Under 2's need to be accompanied by an adult and over 2's can be left and looked after by the staff while their parents enjoy dinner.

8. Scenery - our itinerary took us to the Norwegian Fjords, four different ports all easy to explore with our daughter in a baby carrier and breathtaking views out to sea whilst on board.

The beautiful landscape of Olden

Cherry blossom by the lake in Bergen, our first port of call

9. Pool/Spa/Gym - OK so this is more for the adults. I left my husband to babysit one afternoon while I enjoyed a deep tissue massage and a swim in the heated outdoor pool (with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains). There was a fully equipped gym on board and free exercise classes. 

10. Price - Many cruises sadly charge full adult prices for a baby or toddler. But when we booked P&O's new ship Britannia, it cost us under £100 to take our baby. That is pretty reasonable when that includes all her food and travel for the week.

Cruising the Norwegian Fjords

Norway is every bit as breathtaking as I imagined.  It has been high on our list of places to visit for some time and we settled on a seven night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords for our first proper family holiday with our 14 month old. 

Breakfast with a view

I admit I was always a bit of a snob about cruises, feeling they were reserved for the bingo-loving older generation. But after our first cruise five years ago, I swiftly changed my mind. On this occasion, my family and I were onboard P&O's brand new ship Britannia, a huge, floating, gleaming hotel complete with fine dining restaurants, cinema, theatre and spa.  Cruise ships these days are incredible, some ships boast multi million pound art collections featuring works by artists such as Jeff Koons and Anish Kapoor. 

We have now been on three cruises and I had never anticipated how calming I would find it being on the water. Sitting on a balcony watching the sunsets, with the gentle sounds of the waves below is unforgettable.  On this trip I was able to take a dip in the heated outdoor pool whilst taking in the surrounding landscape of Olden.

I worried if cruising with a baby would work logistically but we had a fantastic cabin set-up with everything we needed and baby food supplies provided. All that was left was to strap our daughter in her baby carrier, fill our lungs with the icy and crisp Norwegian air and set about exploring the ports of Bergen, Andalsnes, Olden and Stavanger. We were not disappointed and will definitely return.

Homes perched around Olden lake

The city of Stavanger

Taking in the sights from one of the ship's many onboard restaurants.