MSC Cruises with a baby

From MSC Cruises' own FAQs and kids' club pages, checked 18 October 2026.

Minimum age

• Since 15 May 2025, MSC admits infants under 2 on board, except on cruises of 11 nights or more, where your child must be at least 2 on the day you embark (MSC: children and teens FAQ).
• The 11-night rule doesn't apply to back-to-back cruises: if your 11 nights or more are two or more cruises and the ship returns to its home port in between, a baby under 2 can sail. Two 7-night cruises, for example, are fine.
• MSC's UK FAQ puts it plainly: children under 2 can't embark on an 11-night cruise (MSC UK: FAQs).
• MSC doesn't set a minimum age in weeks or months, so if your baby is very young, talk to your health visitor or GP before you book. Your airline will have its own minimum age if you're flying to the ship.

Expecting another baby? MSC can't take guests who will be more than 23 weeks and 6 days pregnant at any point during the cruise. Below that, you need a letter from your obstetrician confirming your due date, that the pregnancy is low-risk and that you're fit to travel, and MSC asks you to tell it at least 2 weeks before sailing using its Accessibility and Medical request form (MSC UK: FAQs).

Cots, highchairs and baby kit

• MSC has a limited number of cots and highchairs on board and warns that demand goes up in the high season. Request a cot before departure through your travel agent or MSC (MSC: children and teens FAQ).
• Through its partnership with Chicco, MSC has a limited number of bottle warmers, pushchairs and other items to use on board.
• There's a Chicco corner in the on-board shops with baby and toddler products, including nappies. MSC doesn't publish prices or stock, so pack enough for the first few days at least.
• MSC doesn't say what bedding comes with its cots, so a fitted cot sheet and your baby's own sleeping bag are worth packing.
• Cabin sockets take US-style and Northern European-style plugs, on a 120V or 240V supply (MSC UK: FAQs), so bring a UK-to-EU adapter. You can't bring your own extension lead, but MSC has them on board if you ask when you book.

Watch out: MSC bans items with heating elements, such as kettles, irons and hotplates, and they're confiscated at security. MSC doesn't say whether an electric bottle warmer or steriliser counts, so ask before you pack one, or use the ship's warming help and cold-water sterilising tablets instead.

Baby food, milk and feeding

• Warming milk and baby food: MSC says its restaurants and 24-hour Cabin Service will help warm infant formula and baby food, and its UK FAQ sends you to Room Service to warm formula or breast milk (MSC UK: FAQs).
• Puréed food: for infants, you can ask for food to be blended on board.
• Bringing your own food: MSC doesn't let guests bring food and drink on board, except dry, packaged, commercially produced foods. Other sealed food needs MSC's written approval first, must meet EU labelling rules and shouldn't be close to its expiry date. Crew can't store, cook or heat food you bring. If your baby relies on particular jars, pouches or ready-made formula, ask MSC (or your travel agent) before you sail.
• Fridges: MSC says cabin coolers aren't refrigerators. For medicine that needs to stay cold, it suggests a cool bag with ice packs or asking the medical centre to store it.

Pools

• Babies in nappies aren't allowed in the water, for hygiene reasons, and children under 16 must be with an adult in the pools (MSC: children and teens FAQ).
• MSC doesn't mention swim nappies as an exception, so don't count on pool time with a baby.

Baby Club and Baby Care (0 to 3)

• MSC Baby Time: you and your baby can use the Baby Club together at set times each day, with Chicco toys and music activities. It's for under-3s with a parent, with no other limits, and it's included (MSC: kids' clubs).
• MSC Baby Care: a drop-off service where youth staff look after your baby at set times each day, for babies 6 months to 3 years. It runs 8 hours a day, takes up to 15 babies at once and is charged.
• Both are on all MSC ships. Kids' club activities are free, but Baby Care, Kids Around the Clock and lunch and dinner with the youth staff are charged (MSC: children and teens FAQ). MSC doesn't publish Baby Care prices on these pages.
• The Mini Club (3 to 6) is next, then clubs for 7 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 17.
• Club opening hours vary by ship and itinerary, so check them once you're on board.

Safety and medical care

• Every child gets an MSC ID wristband at embarkation and must wear it for the whole cruise. MSC Meraviglia, Seaside, Seaview, Bellissima and Grandiosa also offer digital wristbands (for a fee) so you can see where your children are.
• Every ship has a medical centre with 24/7 specialist paediatric telemedicine support, and you can buy over-the-counter medicines on board (MSC: children and teens FAQ).
• The medical centre is open 24/7 for emergencies, with clinics twice a day, but MSC points out it doesn't have the resources of a hospital on land (MSC UK: FAQs). Pack your baby's usual medicines in their original packaging, and make sure your travel insurance covers cruises: see travel insurance for babies.

Shore excursions and port fees

• On MSC shore excursions, babies aged 2 and under go free, and children aged 3 to 13 pay up to 30% less than adults (MSC: children and teens FAQ).
• MSC doesn't publish what a baby pays for the cruise itself on these pages, so check your quote, including taxes and fees.
• Greek ports: the Greek government's cruise passenger fee applies to everyone, whatever their age, including babies. It's only charged if you leave the ship, and it's added to your on-board account. In MSC's current table it's €20 per person at Mykonos and Santorini from June to September (€5 at other Greek ports), and less at other times of year (MSC UK: FAQs).
• Under-18s can't leave the ship without a parent, legal guardian or an adult with the guardian's official consent. Children can't stay on board while you go ashore unless the on-board staff agree; for a kids' club stay during an excursion, tell the club staff the day before.

Luggage and embarkation day

• Each guest can check in two suitcases (up to 90 x 75 x 43 cm and 23 kg each) and bring two pieces of hand luggage (up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm), with a maximum of 100 kg or 8 pieces per cabin (MSC UK: FAQs).
• Checked bags reach your cabin from late afternoon to early evening, so keep nappies, milk, medicines, passports and a change of clothes in your hand luggage. MSC lists nappies among the things to keep with you.
• Online check-in opens when your booking is confirmed and closes 2 days before you sail (MSC UK).
• At the port, arrive at your assigned check-in slot and no later than 3 hours before departure. Check-in and boarding close 2 hours before the ship sails.
• At the end, disembarkation can take up to 3 hours after the ship arrives, so leave plenty of time before a flight home.

Fly-cruise with MSC

MSC's UK site sells Mediterranean cruises as well as Norwegian fjords sailings from Southampton (MSC UK). For the Mediterranean, most UK families fly out to join the ship. A few MSC rules matter here (MSC UK: FAQs):

• Transfers are included if you buy an MSC flight or train package. If you book flights yourself and buy an MSC transfer, it only waits 30 minutes for a delayed flight; if MSC booked your flight, the transfer waits.
• Car seats: MSC's transfer FAQs don't mention child seats, so ask before you book, or bring your own: see the best infant car seats for travel.
• Fly the day before if you can. The ship won't wait for a late flight, and check-in closes 2 hours before departure. Our hotel cot policies guide helps you find a room with a cot for the night before.
• Airline luggage rules may be stricter than MSC's, so check your pushchair allowance by airline before you pack.

For the full checklist, including flight times, EU border checks and taking baby milk into Spain and Italy, see our fly-cruise with a baby guide.

Packing list for an MSC cruise with a baby

• Nappies, wipes and cream for the first few days at least (the Chicco shop sells nappies, but stock isn't guaranteed)
• Formula powder and any dry, packaged baby snacks; ask MSC first about jars, pouches or ready-made milk
• Cold-water sterilising tablets, rather than an electric steriliser, unless MSC says yours is allowed
• A fitted cot sheet and your baby's sleeping bag
• A UK-to-EU plug adapter (no extension leads)
• Sun hat, high-factor baby sun cream and a light cover for the pushchair
• Your baby's usual medicines in their original packaging, plus a cool bag if anything needs to stay cold
• Passports for everyone, including the baby: see our baby passport guide

Is MSC right for your baby?

MSC suits families with a very young baby, because it's the only big line in our guides without a 6-month minimum on most cruises. It also has daytime drop-off from 6 months on every ship and help with warming milk. The catches: no pools in nappies, a limited supply of cots, a 2-year minimum on cruises of 11 nights or more, and charges for Baby Care. If you'd like free evening childcare from Southampton, look at Cunard or P&O Cruises, or see the best cruise lines for babies.

Good to know — Comparing MSC Cruises Sailings (Under-6-Month Friendly!): Because MSC is the only major cruise line admitting babies under 6 months on most sailings under 11 nights, you can compare MSC Cruises itineraries and family cabin deals on CruiseDirect (or view all lines on CruiseDirect Family Cruises). Booking a hotel near Southampton, Barcelona, or Genoa the night before embarkation? Compare family stays with free cots on Booking.com (affiliate links).

Quick answers

• What is MSC's minimum age for babies? There's no minimum on most cruises. On cruises of 11 nights or more, your child must be at least 2 when you embark, unless the trip is back-to-back cruises that return to the home port in between.
• Does MSC provide cots? Yes, but only a limited number, so request one before departure through your travel agent or MSC.
• Will MSC warm baby milk? Yes. The restaurants and 24-hour Cabin Service will help warm formula, breast milk and baby food, and you can ask for food to be blended.
• Can babies use the pools on MSC? No. MSC doesn't allow babies in nappies in the water.
• Does MSC have a nursery? Yes. MSC Baby Care is a charged drop-off service for babies from 6 months to 3 years, on every ship, up to 8 hours a day.
• Does MSC sell nappies on board? Yes, at the Chicco corner in the on-board shops.
• Do babies go free on MSC excursions? Yes. Babies aged 2 and under go free on MSC shore excursions.

Back to cruising with a baby.

Sources

• MSC: children and teens FAQ
• MSC UK: FAQs
• MSC: kids' clubs
• MSC UK

Last checked and updated: 30 October 2026 · Kiddieko · How we check facts