Infant on-board Westerdam - Tips, advice and experiences!

[thegamebird]

Hi there

We're novice cruisers (only one before to Alaska with Cruise West), and we're joining the Western Caribean cruise departing Fort Lauderdale on the Westerdam next February (11th to be exact).

We have booked into a Deluxe Verandah suite so that we have some space. When we travel, we will have our new 6 month old baby with us (he's still growing as we speak!), and I just wondered if anyone could give us some tips or advice about a) cruising in general with an infant and b) anything that we should know about our particular ship/itinerary.

For example, has anyone ever used the baysitting service HAL offer on-board and if so, how did that go? Did you use the cribs supplied on-board, and if so were they clean, suitable and did they come with linen? We've also been told there's a pre-bookable infant pack which includes diapers etc... is this good value and as convenient as it sounds? Also, in terms of excursions, are there any that would be OK for infants - we've already reserved a cabana at Half Moon Cay, but are curious really if there's anything else we can involve him / us in?!

Any tips, advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!

[iceman93]

We took our daughter with us on a Norweigian/Acrtic Circle cruise when she was 16 months old. Granted, there's a big difference between 6 and 16 months, but I can offer some advice.

We did not use the onboard babysitting service but would have no qualms about doing so. The sitters are volunteers who want the extra money, so you have to figure they are both reliable and like being around children. Infants are actually really easy to care for, especially in the evenings when they're likely asleep.

We did pre-order diapers and wipes from HAL. They were on the expensive side ($1 a diaper, if I recall) but we felt the convenience was well worth it. When we boarded we found that the wipes order had fallen through the cracks, but the hotel manager went shopping at our first port and brought some back for us. She was old enough to eat regular food, so we did not order formula or baby food, but that's available through them as well.

As for shore excursions and shipboard activities, I'm a firm believer that you can include your children in almost anything. Of course you'd want to limit your choices to city tours and things like that rather than scuba trips and party catamarans.

One option is to take a babysitter with you on the cruise. We had our au pair, but I know other people who've brought along a niece or local babysitter. In exchange for getting to come on your vacation they have to help take care of the little one. What you give up in money and privacy in the cabin could be more than made up for in lowered stress and the ability to do more of the active and "couple" things you want to do.

[sailsalot]

If my math is correct, your 6-month-old will be 14 months old by the time the cruise rolls around. So Iceman's experiences with his 16-month-old is pretty much on track. I agree with Iceman about taking your child to everything. Put him in an umbrella stroller and you can take him anywhere! As for meals, bring his sippy cup and small utensils, if possible. This will help him by having some of his familiar things. The waiters are so accomodating. We have a really cute picture of one filling up a sippy cup as matter-of-factly as if he was filling a crystal glass--it's quite funny!

I'm sure you'll have a great time and create fun memories with your little one. Enjoy!

[peaches from georgia]

If my math is correct, your 6-month-old will be 14 months old by the time the cruise rolls around. ...
I read it that 'thegamebird' is pregnant now and that the baby would be 6 months old at the time of the cruise next February. That would be a totally different situation than a 14 month old on a cruise, but of course I can be wrong about the age. Just the way I read her post.

[Roz]

Gamebird,

I see that you're from the UK, so I assume you're flying to Ft. Lauderdale. :D Here's an idea that will save you money - buy diapers (nappies), wipes and baby food in Ft. Lauderdale the day before or the morning of your departure.

The hotel concierge or desk clerk could direct you to the nearest discount store, such as Wal-Mart. As I recall, things are pretty close by in Ft. Lauderdale and Pt. Everglades, so the cab fare wouldn't be prohibitive.

Roz

P.S. Peaches, I read the post the same way you did. "The bun is in the oven". :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

Agree - she is pregant now and the baby will be 6 months old when they get on the ship.

Do try to fly into Ft Lauderdale a day early so that you can load up on baby supplies and don't have to try and lug everything on a plane. Publix is also a good store.

[Roz]

KK,

Great idea about Publix...forgot about them. There's one on every corner in Florida.

Roz

[sailsalot]

Sorry for the misinterpretation!! Just trying to help.

[thomasale]

Do NOT trust the cruise ship to supply for your baby. I have read far to many reviews that center around how the baby supplies were incorrect or insufficient.

I am most curious, why would you plan something so far out that you know will involve your infant? Is it a special anniv, or something for a parent, or a wedding perhaps?

[TerriRN]

As a pediatric nurse, I'm apt to think about the possibility of illness. Take meds you might need....Infant's Tylenol and/or Infant's Mortin or Advil and perhaps a decongestant such as Children's Sudafed. And get the dosing information from your Pediatrician before you sail. Dosing for infants is not always included in packaging.

And sunscreen! By 6 months of age, babies are ok'd for use of sunscreen, but just be aware that it won't protect nearly as well in the tropical sun. Hats and protective clothing are musts for this age group.

Enjoy your trip!

TerriRN

[CruisinGrams]

Regarding the babysitting service. We just cruised on the Westerdam and they don't have a babysitting service really. What they have is extended child care in the Club HAL rooms for the children between 10:00 pm and Midnight. Club HAL is only for kids 3 and up. The kids that are registered for Club HAL can stay later at a $5.00/hour fee and also can stay at Club HAL during shore excursions provided that you pre-register and return to the ship during the times they close (over lunch etc.) We used it for our 4.5 YO grandson and it was terrific. There were parents of younger children who were disappointed that personal babysitting was not available to them.

[MyBirthdayBash]

Ok, so I was a first time Mom and maybe a little nuts but wish someone would have posted something like this for a Virgin Kid Cruiser! Here is what we did.

We took our son on his first cruise when he was 13 months old. We too booked a larger stateroom (Jr Suite on RCCL) for the extra space. We packed a duffle bag with all of his "supplies". Diapers and SWIM Diapers, wipes, BABY POWDER to help with the stubborn sand, balmex, baby tylenol, baby saline and bulb for removal, baby tweezers and nail clippers, few regular bottles and toddler cups, child utensils, a few TOYS so they will have something from home, suncreen, tear-free shampoo and lotion and small blanket. Our son also has some tummy problems so we brought some stage 3 foods for him in jars. He was still on NUTRAMIGEN (pre-digested formula) and not real milk so we brought the cans of formula we needed for the trip. We brought HIS stroller from home since it can recline for nap time while out and had a larger canopy for sun protection. The stroller also came in handy onboard. We would stroll him everywhere and even into the dining room where they would swap out the stroller for the highchair.

Food On Ship:

The dining staff was ALWAYS willing to help us out as far as "special order" items for him. Most of the children items were ALL FRIED. I am not a health nut by any means but I can't understand why they do not offer "healthy" options for children on children's menus. We ordered our son a small grilled chicken breast, green beans or other green veg, corn, baked potato or mash instead of fries. He also loves apple sauce and most come in a jar BUT THEY MADE IT FRESH FOR HIM without all the added sugar. They can always make a smaller portion of something you see on the regular dining menu so this was never an issue.
Before you go ashore, hit the self service food area on the ship and grab some boxed cereal such as cheerieos, some fruit like apples, bananas, or oranges. This was a HUGE help when he was fussy and off his regular meal-time schedule.

In Room Dangers:

Be aware of them at all times at this age. They are learning to walk or walking already and this can be a challenge. When you get a larger room, and one with a balcony, just be careful. Our son loved to climb and if we didn't watch him on the balcony, he would try and push a chair over to the railing. He would try and climb the chair to see what WE WERE LOOKING AT! So the best thing for us was to strap him in his stroller so we could all relax on the balcony or pick him up in our arms far away from the railing so he could see the view too. I just want everyone to know that we NEVER let him go out on the balcony by himself :) The Bathroom was great with the TUB! At this age it is harder for them to take a shower and enjoy it so the tub was a huge help. We picked up a blow up toy of the ship in the onboard gift shop and this was all he needed to keep him busy in the tub. Make sure when you are in your room you keep the extra security latch on the door at all times. Their tiny hands and curious minds want to figure everything out and he was trying to open the door to get out. With the extra security latch he couldn't. We all felt safe.

Crib or Pack-In-Play:

RCCL provides pack-in-play's instead of the traditional cribs and I believe this is what most cruise lines use now. This was GREAT and it was very clean. I did bring our own pack-in-play sheet and it was NEEDED. The stateroom attendent would use a regular sheet to cover the plastic material for him to sleep on but it would never stay put. So having the pack-in-play sheet was great because we were able to put that over the regular sheet for a secure and snug fit. We also bought a cheap baby monitor for the trip so we could enjoy the balcony when he was napping without having to leave the balcony door open and loose the A/C.

On Board Activities:

The pool is great but most cruise lines will not allow you to bring a child in unless they are potty trained. There was no one on RCCL inforcing this rule. Most pools have the area before the main pool that have an inch or so of water. This was good enough to stand in, splash around in and get wet without going into the "real" pool. At this age you are not allowed to leave them at the children's centers but you are able to stay with them and play. RCCL has a program called AQUA Babies and this was a great way for parents to meet other parents and children on board. It was a playdate for the kids every morning with toys and different activities. I don't believe HAL offers this but we are sailing on HAL's NOORDAM in December, so I could let you know what they offer. Our son LOVES music so live music was a bonus for him. Shows onboard that offer singing and dancing was great for him and kept him interested in the SHOW and not the hundreds of passengers around him.

Sitter Service:

We did use this service on RCCL because we were traveling with another family. We had the extra room in our suite so we had them come to our cabin. I felt comfortable knowing that the oldest was 10 in the room and could tell us if anything went wrong. This was a treat for us and let us enjoy the specialty dining option onboard. HAL does not offer this so we won't be able to dine in the Pinacle Grill. We booked a suite so I will ask them when we sail if we can order from the menu and have it in our suite. We will pay the extra fee so I don't think this will be a problem but I will let you know.

I know you may be asking yourself if all of this is worth it? The answer to that is YES IT IS! We had the BEST TIME and it did leave a mark on our son. One of his first words were BOAT after he went on the ship. Now I know he is looking forward to our next cruise since he goes over to my computer and says, " See BOAT MAMA?" When I show him pictures of the Noordam he claps and gets all excited. He then says, "soon Mama?". I guess when you cruise at any age you get addicted! LOL

Just remember this........

If you pack the gear in a duffle bag at the end of your trip it will be almost empty. Just pack the left over gear in your bags and fold up the duffle. Make sure to use zip lock bags to pack the stuff in. This was great because security could see what was in each bag without having to empty out the bag and repack it. Zip locks also helped for the stuff that can spill. A few weeks before you leave for your trip just take note of how much formula, diapers, and wipes you use so that you can pack enough but not over-kill. GO WITH THE FLOW!! Traveling with a child is very different than traveling with your spouse on the romantic get-a-way. You have to be flexible and willing to be on their watch and not yours. Make sure you are ALWAYS on the SHIP's WATCH and leave extra time to return to the ship. With the right planning in advance this will be ONE VACATION YOU WILL NEVER FORGET!

Hopes this helps you. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at MrsWABerry@aol.com

HAPPY SAILING!!!!!

[middle-aged mom]

On Board Activities:

At this age you are not allowed to leave them at the children's centers but you are able to stay with them and play. RCCL has a program called AQUA Babies and this was a great way for parents to meet other parents and children on board. It was a playdate for the kids every morning with toys and different activities. I don't believe HAL offers this but we are sailing on HAL's NOORDAM in December, so I could let you know what they offer.

Sitter Service:

We did use this service on RCCL because we were traveling with another family. We had the extra room in our suite so we had them come to our cabin. I felt comfortable knowing that the oldest was 10 in the room and could tell us if anything went wrong. This was a treat for us and let us enjoy the specialty dining option onboard. HAL does not offer this so we won't be able to dine in the Pinacle Grill.


HAPPY SAILING!!!!!

Wonderful post, Mrs. Birthday Bash; I wish more parents posted their cruising experiences with all the helpful detail that you provide. Thank you very much!:)

We're taking our first family cruise on HAL this summer. I do have a copy of HAL's Youth Program Guidelines ( I was able to take a pre-cruise tour of our ship a month ago, and I took with me every available brochure I could find:) ). Here is what the guidelines say, and I quote verbatim:

"Children under the age of three are not permitted to attend Club HAL activities. A special "Toddler Time" is offered during days at sea from 12:30 pm-1:30 pm. Parent /guardian attendance is required.

"Group Kidsitting is offered every evening from 10:00 pm to 12:00 am. Children must be 3 years of age and potty trained. Charge is $5.00 hour per child. Late charges apply to children who are picked up after 12:00 am.

Limited private babysitting is available for all ages through the front office. Youth staff are not able to provide this service."

I promise to report back here on the HAL board after our family's cruising experience, to let other parents know just exactly what is available and when.

[ccturner26]

I am so glad you just posted this, as we are avid cruisers. But we added someone special to our lives since our last cruise!!! And it will be a little different going w/our then 15 month old in October. I am so excited.
So tell me, is the pack n play on RCCL the same size as the Graco ones?

[MyBirthdayBash]

I am so glad you just posted this, as we are avid cruisers. But we added someone special to our lives since our last cruise!!! And it will be a little different going w/our then 15 month old in October. I am so excited.
So tell me, is the pack n play on RCCL the same size as the Graco ones?
Yes, it was a Graco pack n play...LOL sorry about the Pack-in-play or Pack-and-play posting...I had what I call a "mom" moment and did not want to run into the room to see the correct spelling for it...LOL But at least you knew what I was talking about!

[MyBirthdayBash]

Wonderful post, Mrs. Birthday Bash; I wish more parents posted their cruising experiences with all the helpful detail that you provide. Thank you very much!:)

We're taking our first family cruise on HAL this summer. I do have a copy of HAL's Youth Program Guidelines ( I was able to take a pre-cruise tour of our ship a month ago, and I took with me every available brochure I could find:) ). Here is what the guidelines say, and I quote verbatim:

"Children under the age of three are not permitted to attend Club HAL activities. A special "Toddler Time" is offered during days at sea from 12:30 pm-1:30 pm. Parent /guardian attendance is required.

"Group Kidsitting is offered every evening from 10:00 pm to 12:00 am. Children must be 3 years of age and potty trained. Charge is $5.00 hour per child. Late charges apply to children who are picked up after 12:00 am.

Limited private babysitting is available for all ages through the front office. Youth staff are not able to provide this service."

I promise to report back here on the HAL board after our family's cruising experience, to let other parents know just exactly what is available and when.
Middle-Aged Mom,

Glad you liked my post. Thanks for letting me know in advance about HAL's kid's programs. Our son will be 26 months when we cruise on HAL's Noordam in December and ANY helpful tips you can give me after your trip would be wonderful!!!! Looking forward to YOUR REVIEW!

[iceman93]

I'm surprised to hear people say that babysitting was not available on HAL ships. I've never taken advantage of it, but I know that every ship I've sailed offered evening babysitting (as described in m-a-m's post above) for a nominal fee. Granted, this service is not guaranteed, as the pool of babysitters is actually ship's staff volunteers who give up their free time to make a little extra cash. But I'd be shocked to find a ship that had NO such volunteers over the course of an entire voyage.

[sharecruises]

"The pool is great but most cruise lines will not allow you to bring a child in unless they are potty trained. There was no one on RCCL inforcing this rule. Most pools have the area before the main pool that have an inch or so of water. This was good enough to stand in, splash around in and get wet without going into the "real" pool. "

Ugh....another reason I don't think I want to go back on RCCL

and frankly I hope I never cruise with people who think their baby is so important that the "pool rules" do not apply to them

how nice to think of fecal poo in the pools..and people worry about the norovirus??

I am simply amazed...I saw posts about this and realized that many of these mothers simply do NOT care about the rules, there are whole posts on the family board how to "get around" them, just as this post shows

this is just disgusting...and really unfair to other passengers. Some pools are salt water...NO chlorine...

swim diapers are NOT allowed

unpotty trained babies are NOT allowed

I dont want to think about "number one accidents" but bad as those might be, the dangers of fecal material are just revolting. Noro Virus?? Gastrointestianal problems?

I am sorry I dont usually post on this board but I did a search on baby and found this thread, as I have seen the same sort of "helpful" suggestions on other threads and the same "look the other way"

I did see a jerk with his dripping 6 month old infant come out of the pool the first day on Imagination, and IF I saw him again I would have complained, but thankfully I did not, I think the staff told him to take the baby out of the pool that first day from what I saw. Hopefully other ships will enforce the rules too

Not to be the grinch, I am sure you kids are cute, I dont want to swim in their poo tho, and no one else should have to either. You can take them on beach excursions, some people bring little blow up pool or bathtub to put on their balcony or else just take them to the beach.

Please NO babies in the pools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MyBirthdayBash]

"The pool is great but most cruise lines will not allow you to bring a child in unless they are potty trained. There was no one on RCCL inforcing this rule. Most pools have the area before the main pool that have an inch or so of water. This was good enough to stand in, splash around in and get wet without going into the "real" pool. "

Ugh....another reason I don't think I want to go back on RCCL

and frankly I hope I never cruise with people who think their baby is so important that the "pool rules" do not apply to them

how nice to think of fecal poo in the pools..and people worry about the norovirus??

I am simply amazed...I saw posts about this and realized that many of these mothers simply do NOT care about the rules, there are whole posts on the family board how to "get around" them, just as this post shows

this is just disgusting...and really unfair to other passengers. Some pools are salt water...NO chlorine...

swim diapers are NOT allowed

unpotty trained babies are NOT allowed

I dont want to think about "number one accidents" but bad as those might be, the dangers of fecal material are just revolting. Noro Virus?? Gastrointestianal problems?

I am sorry I dont usually post on this board but I did a search on baby and found this thread, as I have seen the same sort of "helpful" suggestions on other threads and the same "look the other way"

I did see a jerk with his dripping 6 month old infant come out of the pool the first day on Imagination, and IF I saw him again I would have complained, but thankfully I did not, I think the staff told him to take the baby out of the pool that first day from what I saw. Hopefully other ships will enforce the rules too

Not to be the grinch, I am sure you kids are cute, I dont want to swim in their poo tho, and no one else should have to either. You can take them on beach excursions, some people bring little blow up pool or bathtub to put on their balcony or else just take them to the beach.

Please NO babies in the pools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is why I SAID STAND IN AND SPLASH IN. NOT SIT OR SWIM!!! The ONLY BODY PART OF MY SON THAT TOUCHED THE WATER FROM THE POOL WAS HIS FEET!!! I follow the RULES the the reason why I DID NOT take my SON in for a SWIM!

[middle-aged mom]

Hello Mrs. Birthday Bash::)

I, myself, understood very well from your earlier post here (#12) that only your son's feet went splashing into the side of the pool, and that you kept the rest of him out of the water. I think your post about travelling with babies/toddlers was extremely helpful and full of excellent observations. I can tell from your writing that you are a conscientious mother, as well as a passenger who is considerate of others. I plan to follow the onboard rules just as you obviously do. Travelling with young ones can be somewhat demanding, as you do have to think of their needs, your needs, and the needs of the other passengers, but it can be done!:) Keep posting here; you have a lot of good insight to offer!

I do wonder where the original poster, gamebird, has gone to? I hope everyone's responses have helped her/him.