Flying with your baby doesn't need to be the nightmare that many parents envision. Infants are very adaptable and can be great travelers. With these 5 tips and a little confidence, your child can quickly become a frequent flyer...
Traveling with a baby comes with it's own set of rules. Obviously the comfort and safety of that infant is the most paramount.
New parents are usually the people most in need of a vacation. Yet the thought of taking their vacation with baby in tow probably freaks many of them out. Parenting skills need to be learned and nurtured. The same is true when it comes to travel. Travel is not a hereditary trait, it's a life skill and practice makes perfect. Good news is that the earlier you start traveling with your baby, they will learn travel skills right along with you and vacations will once again be something the whole family will look forward to taking. Keep these tips in mind and it will make the travel process much easier...
Baby Friendly cruises are a great option for young families. Cruising with your baby or toddler offers families lots of convenient choices of destinations and fun activities. Many family friendly cruise lines offer nurseries and baby club programs with age appropriate activities for infants and toddlers under the age of 3 years old. Some cruise ships will even offer infant care and baby sitting while parents enjoy excursions and sightseeing when docked in port. This option allows parents to have some freedom and fun as well as peace of mind. Cruise ships will allow children to stay in the nursery while parents are sightseeing where as most resorts with baby programs will not allow parents to leave the resort property to golf, scuba or go sightseeing.
When planning for your baby friendly cruise, please be aware that there are cruise line policies and rules in place regarding the age they will allow infants to sail. Once you know your infant is old enough to sail with you on a family cruise, parents need to know what activities, baby clubs and babysitting is offered on their ship. Some cruise lines are better for families with babies and there are even specific ships that offer even more infant activities and baby care....
September and October are the months for baby friendly vacations. If you are a young family that doesn't have to worry yet about school calendars then this is the time when you can score some really great deals. When everyone else's kids are heading back to school, all of the family friendly resorts and cruise lines find themselves empty. This is the time to find great deals in addition to extra perks like room upgrades and resort spending credits. Parents can save up to 65% off regular prices on hotels and cruise lines. Do give yourself a little time grabbing one of these last minute deals. Airfare prices take a big jump two weeks prior to departure so if you can schedule something about one month out in early fall chances are you'll be doing the happy dance.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sets the standards for airline safety in the United States. The FAA does recommend that all children fly seated in an approved child safety seat but it does not MANDATE the use of child safety seats on airplanes. The word mandate is an important one here. Because the FAA does not mandate the use of a safety seat, airlines will allow children UNDER the age of 2 to fly for either a small fee or 10% of the cost of an adult ticket, seated in the lap of their parent. Airlines and travel agents use the lingo of LAPCHILD to describe a baby or toddler flying seated in their parent's lap. Everyone likes the idea of a "free ride" but there are some important points parents need to consider when deciding whether or not to buy an airline seat for their baby.
there are important rules parents need to know when flying with a baby.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sets the standards for airline safety in the United States. The FAA does recommend that all children fly seated in an approved child safety seat but it does not MANDATE the use of child safety seats on airplanes. The word mandate is an important one here. Because the FAA does not mandate the use of a safety seat, airlines will allow children UNDER the age of 2 to fly for either a small fee or 10% of the cost of an adult ticket, seated in the lap of their parent. Airlines and travel agents use the lingo of LAPCHILD to describe a baby or toddler flying seated in their parent's lap. Everyone likes the idea of a "free ride" but there are some important points parents need to consider when deciding whether or not to buy an airline seat for their baby.
