Cunard With a Baby

From Cunard's own UK website and booking conditions, checked October 2026.

Short answer: babies can sail with Cunard from 6 months, the Night Nursery is free for 6 to 23 month olds every evening from 6pm to 11pm, and you can request a travel cot when you book. Every Cunard Queen sails from Southampton, so a UK family can skip the flight entirely. Compare it with other lines in our cruise line baby rules table.

Minimum age

• Children under 6 months at the start of the holiday are refused boarding (Cunard booking conditions, clause 9).
• Cunard says certain packages don't allow children under 12 months and asks you to check with it before booking. It doesn't list which ones in the conditions, so ask about your exact voyage, especially a transatlantic crossing on Queen Mary 2.
• Cunard updates its booking conditions from time to time, so check the version that applies when you book.

Night Nursery (6 to 23 months)

• For children aged 6 to 23 months, open 6pm to 11pm, and included in your fare (Cunard: Night Nursery).
• It's first come, first served. You get a pager so staff can reach you, or you can tell them where you'll be. Cunard says professional childminders are on hand.
• On some cruises Cunard can't run the Night Nursery. If that's your voyage, Cunard says it will email you before you sail.

Daytime: Play Zone with a parent

• The Play Zone is Cunard's supervised club for ages 2 to 7. Infants from 6 to 23 months can join in with parental supervision, so it's a play space for you and your baby rather than drop-off care (Cunard: The Play Zone).
• It has toys, books, crafts and a sheltered outdoor play area with ride-ons. Access is included in your fare.
• Club sessions usually run 10am to noon, 2pm to 5pm and 6pm to 11pm. Register each child on My Cunard before you sail, then book sessions on board through My Voyage (Cunard: family activities on board).
• Older children have The Kids' Zone (8 to 12) and teen activities (13 to 17) (Cunard: children's activities).

Cots and cabins

• Cunard says you can request a travel cot when you book, but availability is limited, so ask as early as you can (Cunard: family accommodation).
• Family staterooms in every grade can sleep up to four, using sofa beds or an upper bunk. You can also book adjoining rooms, but children aged 12 and under must stay in a room with an adult.
• There's no fixed luggage limit on board, as long as no single bag is over 23kg, which helps if you're bringing nappies for the whole trip.

Cunard's pages we could load don't say what cot bedding is supplied or how big the cots are (checked October 2026). Pack a fitted sheet and your baby's usual sleeping bag.

Pools

• Children are welcome in the Pavilion Pool on every ship; on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Anne it has a retractable roof (Cunard: family activities on board).
• Queen Mary 2 has the Minnows Pool for families on deck 6 by the children's clubs, plus a smaller splash pool for little swimmers (Cunard: Queen Mary 2 outdoor spaces).
• Under-16s must be supervised by an adult at the pools at all times, and under-7s can't use the whirlpools.

Swim nappies: Cunard's pages we could load don't state its swim nappy rule (checked October 2026). Most lines ban nappies in pools, so ask Cunard before you pack swimwear for a baby.

Baby food

Cunard lists baby food among the special diets it can arrange, and asks you to tell its Customer Service team no later than eight weeks before you sail (My Cunard: special requirements; this is Cunard's US page, so confirm with the UK team). Take enough formula and any food your baby relies on for the first few days anyway.

Sailing from Southampton

Cunard sails from Southampton, about 80 miles south-west of London, usually from the Mayflower, Ocean or QE2 cruise terminal; your terminal is on your booking confirmation (Cunard: getting to Southampton). Going by train with a baby is easy: see our pushchairs on trains guide.

Packing list for a Cunard cruise with a baby

• Nappies, wipes and cream for the whole voyage (no bag over 23kg)
• Formula, bottles and a way to sterilise them, plus baby food you trust
• A fitted cot sheet and baby sleeping bag; a travel cot of your own if Cunard can't confirm one
• Swimwear, but check the swim nappy rule first
• Passports for everyone, including the baby: see our baby passport guide

Is Cunard right for your baby?

Cunard suits families who want free evening childcare and a slower, UK-departing cruise. There's no daytime drop-off for under-2s. If you want daytime nursery care, MSC has Baby Club for 0 to 3s and Royal Caribbean has a paid nursery from 6 months on select ships. P&O Cruises also sails from Southampton and has a Night Nursery from 6 months.

Back to cruising with a baby.