Travelling with a baby on the Allure of the Seas

My wife, one year old son and I just returned from a week on the Allure of the Seas. We had a wonderful time and recommend it to all families. Here's why:

Royal Caribbean International has perfected the cruise ship with the Oasis Class. There is plenty of room to fit everything in without compromise.

Let's start with the child care.

We had professional child care until midnight everyday. We enjoy our son so we didn't use it as much as we thought we might. About 14 hours in all. Just enough to enjoy some shows and dinners as adults instead of parents.

The cost is $8 per hour. I wish I could get this level of care at home for this price!

The daycare room is well designed with padded mats, Fisher Price toys and a nursery where the babies can sleep. I found my son sleeping in the arms of one of the care workers there on one occasion.

There is a toy lending program but they were still waiting for more toys.

The daycare was under used. There were only a few children there at a time. My son had a ball playing with all the toys and getting lot's of attention.

Across the hall from the daycare is an area called "Play". It is designed for supervised play and is well padded and stocked. A climbing gym with slides, balls, mats and books adorn this round room.

Around PLAY are rooms designed for kids of different ages. I can't comment on those programs but the rooms were well designed.

Dreamworks is all over the ship. My wife and I enjoyed the movies in our cabin as well as the 3D movies in the theater. My son couldn't wear the 3D glasses and usually fell asleep.

The poor soles who had to wear the Dreamworks character costumes on the ship amazed my son. He couldn't take his eyes off them! At the aqua-theater we saw the characters for the first time. Afterwards my son looked out over the ocean and said his first word: Wow. (Real story.)

Plan to see the parade. Everyone does. They close down the Royal Promenade for this show.

The H2Ozone is more for bigger kids. My son was only allowed in the splashing pool (for good reason - diapers). He enjoyed splashing around.

There was always plenty for him to eat in the dinning room or the buffet. I recommend the dinning room for most meals. It is less crowded and I tend to eat better.

My son was treated very well. Our wait team went out of their way to take care of him.

Try the cold fruit soups. Apple, Raspberry and Strawberry. Very good. My son liked them too!

Use room service. It is a great way to get milk, fruit and other items that you would otherwise have to travel across the ship for.

Getting Around

The ship is divided into neighbourhoods. Rightly so, they are big. To get to where you want to go you often need to go from the front of the ship to the aft or vice versa. The best way is through Central Park on Deck 8.

The second best way is to take the Royal Promenade on Deck 5.

My least favorite way was to take the narrow hallway on other decks where the cabins are.

In any case expect to take the elevators often. And there will be some waiting for those elevators. There are 12 elevators in the front of the ship and 12 elevators in the aft. We spent lots of time waiting with the stroller to go up or down just one deck. Bring a carrier!

In the Cabin

We chose an interior cabin. I sleep better in the dark and we don't go on a cruise to spend time in the cabin. We ordered a crib (playpen) for my son and it just kind of fit between the sofa and the TV. My son was fine but he could reach items placed on the table under the TV.

There was almost one foot between the playpen and the table for me and my wife to squeeze through to get to the bathroom. Otherwise it was a nice cabin.

My son was able to open the drawers and mini-bar fridge. Keep this in mind if you have a small child.

He loved the bed! Crisp white sheets and big pillows to him was a place to roll around and jump on.

We took advantage of a new program RCI is offering. Diapers (you can order other things as well) delivered to your stateroom when you board. We thought this was a great idea! We saved packing and transporting almost 30 diapers this way! However they did not understand the difference between size 3 and size 3T diapers. "T" stands for toddler. It was a tense few days and about an hour of lineups at guest services before they corrected the mistake.

It is not easy to find diapers on this ship or in the ports. We did find some dusty swimming diapers and hand wipes in Cozumel.

Allure is a big ship. We did not have time to do everything. We will be going back!

Over all it was a very good experience and I recommend this ship to everyone!

There are two types of people in the world: Those who love cruises and those who have not tried cruising yet!

Great Review. I have a two year old and will be on the Allure in two weeks so your review really helped. One quick question, did they provide you and your wife with phones in case they needed to reach you? Thanks once again. :)

Thanks so much for this! Our baby will be 9 months when we cruise on the Allure.

Do you know if children have to be a certain age (i.e. 12 months) in order to be taken care of in the nursery? I'm hoping that I can put my baby in there for a few hours a day (she's 9 months).

Thanks! :)

Great Review. I have a two year old and will be on the Allure in two weeks so your review really helped. One quick question, did they provide you and your wife with phones in case they needed to reach you? Thanks once again. :)

YES!

The wifi phone they give you works anywhere on the ship - for free!

Great way to keep in contact when my wife and I were doing different activities.

Make sure they give you the right charger when you pick the phone up. You can put the phone on vibrate when you are at a show.

Thanks so much for this! Our baby will be 9 months when we cruise on the Allure.

 

Do you know if children have to be a certain age (i.e. 12 months) in order to be taken care of in the nursery? I'm hoping that I can put my baby in there for a few hours a day (she's 9 months).

 

Thanks! :)

I don't know if they have a minimum age.

I can tell you that the staff is well trained and professional so you can feel safe leaving your baby there.

Cruise lines are vague on so many things. This is why I took the time to write down some of the details of my experience.

When we checked the official policy of RCI online we found that babies under 1 year old are not allowed on the ships at all. Once on board we saw many small babies around - if that policy applies to the Allure it is not enforced.

Stop by the daycare when you get on the boat. They will go over any details with you.

Another tip: Book your shows online early. It will save you waiting in line on the ship.

I don't know if they have a minimum age.

 

I can tell you that the staff is well trained and professional so you can feel safe leaving your baby there.

 

Cruise lines are vague on so many things. This is why I took the time to write down some of the details of my experience.

 

When we checked the official policy of RCI online we found that babies under 1 year old are not allowed on the ships at all. Once on board we saw many small babies around - if that policy applies to the Allure it is not enforced.

 

Stop by the daycare when you get on the boat. They will go over any details with you.

 

Another tip: Book your shows online early. It will save you waiting in line on the ship.

We will be on the Allure in December with our daughter, who will have just turned 1 year old. I also was curious about the daycare/babysitting options at night, as we are dying to try many of the specialty restaurants with the rest of our family. I thought I read somewhere that all children under 18 months must accompany their toddler at all times while utilizing the child "services," but this sounds inaccurate now. You said your child is exactly 12 months too correct?

Do you have to have children to get the phones on the Allure? We were on the Oasis last May and rented them. I keep reading so many different things about the phones. Also where did you get the phones from?

We will be on the Allure in December with our daughter, who will have just turned 1 year old. I also was curious about the daycare/babysitting options at night, as we are dying to try many of the specialty restaurants with the rest of our family. I thought I read somewhere that all children under 18 months must accompany their toddler at all times while utilizing the child "services," but this sounds inaccurate now. You said your child is exactly 12 months too correct?

Sorry, I meant to say that I read that PARENTS must accompany their todler at all times for these services when they are 18 months or less! I hope this is wrong though :)

Do you have to have children to get the phones on the Allure? We were on the Oasis last May and rented them. I keep reading so many different things about the phones. Also where did you get the phones from?

There is a limited amount available for anyone to rent at guest services. If you have a child particularly one in the Infant and Tots you get them complimentary straight from AO so they can reach you if need be. :)

My wife, one year old son and I just returned from a week on the Allure of the Seas. We had a wonderful time and recommend it to all families. Here's why:

 

Royal Caribbean International has perfected the cruise ship with the Oasis Class. There is plenty of room to fit everything in without compromise.

 

Let's start with the child care.

 

We had professional child care until midnight everyday. We enjoy our son so we didn't use it as much as we thought we might. About 14 hours in all. Just enough to enjoy some shows and dinners as adults instead of parents.

 

The cost is $8 per hour. I wish I could get this level of care at home for this price!

 

The daycare room is well designed with padded mats, Fisher Price toys and a nursery where the babies can sleep. I found my son sleeping in the arms of one of the care workers there on one occasion.

 

There is a toy lending program but they were still waiting for more toys.

 

The daycare was under used. There were only a few children there at a time. My son had a ball playing with all the toys and getting lot's of attention.

 

Across the hall from the daycare is an area called "Play". It is designed for supervised play and is well padded and stocked. A climbing gym with slides, balls, mats and books adorn this round room.

 

Around PLAY are rooms designed for kids of different ages. I can't comment on those programs but the rooms were well designed.

 

Dreamworks is all over the ship. My wife and I enjoyed the movies in our cabin as well as the 3D movies in the theater. My son couldn't wear the 3D glasses and usually fell asleep.

 

The poor soles who had to wear the Dreamworks character costumes on the ship amazed my son. He couldn't take his eyes off them! At the aqua-theater we saw the characters for the first time. Afterwards my son looked out over the ocean and said his first word: Wow. (Real story.)

 

Plan to see the parade. Everyone does. They close down the Royal Promenade for this show.

 

The H2Ozone is more for bigger kids. My son was only allowed in the splashing pool (for good reason - diapers). He enjoyed splashing around.

 

There was always plenty for him to eat in the dinning room or the buffet. I recommend the dinning room for most meals. It is less crowded and I tend to eat better.

 

My son was treated very well. Our wait team went out of their way to take care of him.

 

Try the cold fruit soups. Apple, Raspberry and Strawberry. Very good. My son liked them too!

 

Use room service. It is a great way to get milk, fruit and other items that you would otherwise have to travel across the ship for.

 

Getting Around

 

The ship is divided into neighbourhoods. Rightly so, they are big. To get to where you want to go you often need to go from the front of the ship to the aft or vice versa. The best way is through Central Park on Deck 8.

 

The second best way is to take the Royal Promenade on Deck 5.

 

My least favorite way was to take the narrow hallway on other decks where the cabins are.

 

In any case expect to take the elevators often. And there will be some waiting for those elevators. There are 12 elevators in the front of the ship and 12 elevators in the aft. We spent lots of time waiting with the stroller to go up or down just one deck. Bring a carrier!

 

In the Cabin

We chose an interior cabin. I sleep better in the dark and we don't go on a cruise to spend time in the cabin. We ordered a crib (playpen) for my son and it just kind of fit between the sofa and the TV. My son was fine but he could reach items placed on the table under the TV.

 

There was almost one foot between the playpen and the table for me and my wife to squeeze through to get to the bathroom. Otherwise it was a nice cabin.

 

My son was able to open the drawers and mini-bar fridge. Keep this in mind if you have a small child.

 

He loved the bed! Crisp white sheets and big pillows to him was a place to roll around and jump on.

 

We took advantage of a new program RCI is offering. Diapers (you can order other things as well) delivered to your stateroom when you board. We thought this was a great idea! We saved packing and transporting almost 30 diapers this way! However they did not understand the difference between size 3 and size 3T diapers. "T" stands for toddler. It was a tense few days and about an hour of lineups at guest services before they corrected the mistake.

 

It is not easy to find diapers on this ship or in the ports. We did find some dusty swimming diapers and hand wipes in Cozumel.

 

Allure is a big ship. We did not have time to do everything. We will be going back!

 

Over all it was a very good experience and I recommend this ship to everyone!

 

There are two types of people in the world: Those who love cruises and those who have not tried cruising yet!

Thank you so so much for sharing this. I also will be travelling with a 11 month old on the Allure in April. And reading this thread has got me more excited. We also got the inside cabin which it looks abit tight but there is some room to get around it or just climb on the couches lol. I have two questions for you. How did you book the babysitting? Did your baby stay in your cabin or at the facility? Also did you end up going on the Eastern week. Reason why I am asking because I will like to do St.Martain on my own and I was not sure if the taxi's will allow and infant in there with out a car seat.

Thanks so much for the information. We will be traveling in Sept with my two grandchildren, 2 1/2 and 1. I know when I was on the Oasis last year everyone raved about the child care so felt safe bring the little ones on board. We are going to take them to Charleston, SC to see Carnival's ship there so the 2 1/2 will have an idea of what a big ship looks like. Can't wait until she sees the Allure.

Can you answer 3 questions for me:

1) Did they limit the maximum hours you could reserve the first day and if so, did they allow you to reserve over the max after a few days into the cruise. I would like to reserve approx 20 hours of child care for our 2 1/2 year old in July.

2) Was the play area accross the hall open for parents to use with toddlers or was it only for the nursery staff to use?

3) Were the movies in the theater movies that are still in theaters at home or movies that had been out for a while?

Thanks!

We will be on the Allure in December with our daughter, who will have just turned 1 year old. I also was curious about the daycare/babysitting options at night, as we are dying to try many of the specialty restaurants with the rest of our family. I thought I read somewhere that all parents with children under 18 months must accompany their toddler at all times while utilizing the child "services," but this sounds inaccurate now. You said your child is exactly 12 months too correct?

I was also hoping to find an answer to my question (above) from last month. I believe the OP said his child was roughly 12 months old, and there were children's programs at night where he/she did not have to purchase private babysitting. We don't mind keeping our daughter with us during the day, but with our goal of trying 3-4 specialty restaurants, we don't want to subject her to a 2-3 hour meal! Thank you.

I was also hoping to find an answer to my question (above) from last month. I believe the OP said his child was roughly 12 months old, and there were children's programs at night where he/she did not have to purchase private babysitting. We don't mind keeping our daughter with us during the day, but with our goal of trying 3-4 specialty restaurants, we don't want to subject her to a 2-3 hour meal! Thank you.

We are practically neighbors! We are going back on the Allure in November over Thanksgiving and bringing our granddaughter who will be 20 months at that time. You will LOVE the ship.

We are practically neighbors! We are going back on the Allure in November over Thanksgiving and bringing our granddaughter who will be 20 months at that time. You will LOVE the ship.

That's great to hear Lisa! We've had our eye on this class of ship for years now, but this is the first chance we'll have to go since our lives changed with a new little one. I've read so much great info about the quality of activities and service for young children, and I'm hopeful our 12-month old will qualify! I realize she won't be old enough for the structured youth programs, but hopefully we won't have to hire private in-room babysitting for each night we go to the specialty restaurants.

A baby must be 6 mos old to travel in a cruise with RCI - 12 mos if it is a transatlantic cruise.

They started the Royal Nursery so parents of babies could leave their baby in the nursery - so if over 6 mos and that's what the baby has to be they will take the baby for $8 an hour. These are on the Oasis ships and now on the Liberty as well and being added to the Freedom and some others!

I was also hoping to find an answer to my question (above) from last month. I believe the OP said his child was roughly 12 months old, and there were children's programs at night where he/she did not have to purchase private babysitting. We don't mind keeping our daughter with us during the day, but with our goal of trying 3-4 specialty restaurants, we don't want to subject her to a 2-3 hour meal! Thank you.

Hi Kevin,

On Allure and Oasis there is the Nursery care available, which is the group childcare option for infants and toddlers under 3 years of age- I believe that is what the OP is referring to. :) There is a special nursery section in AO for this purpose which if I am understanding correctly is what was described in detail above. There is also in-room babysitting available for a fee should you prefer one on one care in the privacy of your stateroom.(the Nursery is also an additional fee of $8/hr).

I am thrilled with the nursery option onboard Allure, while our DD is well into potty training and is almost 3...it is great to know we have options just in case she isn't fully trained by the time we cruise!:D

Hi Kevin,

On Allure and Oasis there is the Nursery care available, which is the group childcare option for infants and toddlers under 3 years of age- I believe that is what the OP is referring to. :) There is a special nursery section in AO for this purpose which if I am understanding correctly is what was described in detail above. There is also in-room babysitting available for a fee should you prefer one on one care in the privacy of your stateroom.(the Nursery is also an additional fee of $8/hr).

 

I am thrilled with the nursery option onboard Allure, while our DD is well into potty training and is almost 3...it is great to know we have options just in case she isn't fully trained by the time we cruise!:D

Thank you so much for the reply, and also thank you to Kate. I think that's exactly what we're looking for...we realize our daughter is too young for the AO programs, but a nursery would be perfect for those few hours while we're at dinner. Enjoy your upcoming cruise!

Hi,

wonderful post, thank you very much!

We are veteran cruisers (this is the 9th for me) but we have not cruised since the arrival of our 23-month old monkey boy (he moves NON STOP!), nor have we been on the Oasis class ships. We're now one week away from sailing Western on the Allure (April 24, 2011), bringing our 23 month old and my parents, and have lots of trepidations as we had never paid attention to any kids' services on our past cruises. Your post has relieved much of our anxiety.

I still have a few questions and hope all you fine people on this thread can help with...

(1) the Diapers program (wow!) - does it cost money? and if so, how much? (coz it would REALLY save us from luggage space... we have two flight connections before Fort Lauderdale and are really anxious about lost luggage etc) - our son is wearing Pampers size 5...

(2) does the ship provide life jacket for babes and todds and if so, can we borrow then to go off shore? (i looked into buying one and taking it with us, but it's like $89!! *(&@(*&)

(3) Do the dining room areas have toddler meal utensils .... or do I have to bring kiddie-sized spoons and straw cups and what not...

(4) one of my most looked-forward-to feature on the ship... does the Carousel on Allure cost money to ride, or if there are sign ups or line ups?

(5) last but not least... what do people who travel with toddlers do in the Ports (Jamaica and Cozumel) - i came across a thread about Labadee and that sounded pretty straight forward, but i've never been to Jamaica, and Cozumel was a more sophiscated stop as i remembered... not sure if we should book excursions and if we do, how can we take the kid with us with no car seats on most tour buses or vans?!

Sorry i realize that's LOTS of questions but thanks in advance for any help!

-

Hi,

 

I still have a few questions and hope all you fine people on this thread can help with...

Hi there! I can answer your general questions, our 2 y/o daughter has been on 3 cruises (at 4 months, 21 months and 30 months) so we've run the gamut from diapers and feedings onboard to terrible two tantrums. Hopefully this well help you some when you cruise next week!

(1) the Diapers program (wow!) - does it cost money? and if so, how much? (coz it would REALLY save us from luggage space... we have two flight connections before Fort Lauderdale and are really anxious about lost luggage etc) - our son is wearing Pampers size 5...

I have never used a diaper service since we do not deal with luggage restrictions (we are close enough to drive). Yes they do cost money, IMO they are extremely pricey. I briefly researched a third party service, Babies Travel Lite prior to her first cruise but we just decided to check a case of diapers instead. (BTL does offer Pampers size 5!)

(2) does the ship provide life jacket for babes and todds and if so, can we borrow then to go off shore? (i looked into buying one and taking it with us, but it's like $89!! *(&@(*&)

The ship does provide a life jacket for your child to use in case of a catastrophic emergency onboard, however you will not be allowed to use them for excursions and such. You'll find the infant/toddler life jackets are very cumbersome and not suited for casual use anyway..think the kid from the movie "A Christmas Story" in the coat where he can't walk :D

I have some pictures from Disney- we did not even see the ones on RCCL since we did not have to wear them for muster but I assume they are similar:

In the first picture there it isn't completely fastened, and int he second you can see she is sliding down in it since she was so small. But you get the idea.

Once our DD was toddler sized we bought her a floatie that attaches around her waist and circles her arms and that has worked really well for excursions, pools, onshore. You can get them for about $25 at discount stores like Wal Mart or Target Here are a couple of pics of her in it:

(3) Do the dining room areas have toddler meal utensils .... or do I have to bring kiddie-sized spoons and straw cups and what not...

On RCCL in our experience, no. Disney had the cups with lids but not smaller utensils, so you will have to bring those. We did not bring utensils as our daughter is used to the big ones but for a cup, we brought a few sippy cups with the lid and straw and those worked fine.

(4) one of my most looked-forward-to feature on the ship... does the Carousel on Allure cost money to ride, or if there are sign ups or line ups?

The carousel is free and I believe there is a standard queue as you would expect at any amusement park. No sign ups as far as I am aware, although you may have to sign the waiver!

(5) last but not least... what do people who travel with toddlers do in the Ports (Jamaica and Cozumel) - i came across a thread about Labadee and that sounded pretty straight forward, but i've never been to Jamaica, and Cozumel was a more sophiscated stop as i remembered... not sure if we should book excursions and if we do, how can we take the kid with us with no car seats on most tour buses or vans?!

Your child will be too young to do most -if not all- of the ship offered excursions. So any you might want to do would have to be arranged on your own. Check through the excursions on your cruise planner online to see if any fit your fancy and if he is the allowed age.

As far as car seat logistics- we learned this one hard and fast on our first Caribbean trip some years back. Even if they provided car seats (they don't) often taxis, cabs, even rental cars are not configured to install one (no belts, no attachments, etc.) Of course laws aren't the same there. So we learned it is basically a situation of "When in Rome, do as the Romans"...if we wanted to take an excursion there would be no car seats, possibly even no seat belts. Its a risk you have to decide if you want to take.

FWIW, when she was 4/mo we did not take her on excursions that could not have accommodated a car seat (we had brought hers along). By the time she reached 21 months we decided we were ok doing the "hold her in our lap" deal. It's all what you are comfortable with. (St. John and St. Thomas yikes- those open air Safari buses about gave me a heart attack. It wouldn't have been so bad if they didn't drive like bats out of he--!)

We have not yet been to Jamaica, but have been to Cozumel several times. There are a few lovely beaches your son might enjoy- Chankanaab, park, which also has the Dolphins is a very short cab ride from the port. And we loved Nachi Cocom- our daughter had a blast there in October. They have a pool also and our server brought us out a huge basket of sand toys to keep her occupied, I would recommend it highly!

Hope this is helpful for you! I would love it if you come back and share how your cruise went next week! Have an amazing time!:)

Jen

I don't know if they have a minimum age.

 

I can tell you that the staff is well trained and professional so you can feel safe leaving your baby there.

 

Cruise lines are vague on so many things. This is why I took the time to write down some of the details of my experience.

 

When we checked the official policy of RCI online we found that babies under 1 year old are not allowed on the ships at all. Once on board we saw many small babies around - if that policy applies to the Allure it is not enforced.

 

Stop by the daycare when you get on the boat. They will go over any details with you.

 

Another tip: Book your shows online early. It will save you waiting in line on the ship.

Allure and Oasis is 6months and up. This is because of the Royal Babies program. Other ships will get this soon.

Hi Jen, wow that's very helpful, thank you thank you thank you!

yeah the Floatie looks much more useful. I'm in Canada and we don't have Target (yet! my fingers crossed!) - we do have walmarts so i can go check it out. Swim gears aren't really out yet except in specialty swim shops but i'm glad i find out now and i have a few more days to go buy things...

so sounds like the cruise ship Diaper service is overpriced (like everything else).... yeah i guess we'll just have to pack 50 diapers (spread into 3 suitcases just in case one piece gets lost!). oh well. i'll consider that luggage space for some shopping when we disembark in Miami, heh heh.

thanks for your Port recommendations too - i think we'll play it by ear and not sign up any excursions in advance. Won't know how his nap times will change with the time difference and disrupted routine anyways ;-)

Jen - OMG - the life jacket verus baby picture is HYSTERICAL!!!!

Hi Jen, wow that's very helpful, thank you thank you thank you!

yeah the Floatie looks much more useful. I'm in Canada and we don't have Target (yet! my fingers crossed!) - we do have walmarts so i can go check it out. Swim gears aren't really out yet except in specialty swim shops but i'm glad i find out now and i have a few more days to go buy things...

 

so sounds like the cruise ship Diaper service is overpriced (like everything else).... yeah i guess we'll just have to pack 50 diapers (spread into 3 suitcases just in case one piece gets lost!). oh well. i'll consider that luggage space for some shopping when we disembark in Miami, heh heh.

 

thanks for your Port recommendations too - i think we'll play it by ear and not sign up any excursions in advance. Won't know how his nap times will change with the time difference and disrupted routine anyways ;-)

May I make a few suggestions? As you mentioned, if you pack your own diapers, then you will have space to pack your souvenirs on your return trip home. ;) OR, don't pack the diapers, but purchase them once you get to Florida. This could save you weight in your luggage and keep airline fees down. (If that's a concern.)

Have a great time!

thanks

we had considered that, but our flight arrives at 11 pm the ngiht before the cruise and we're planning to just either shuttle or taxi to the Port the next morning. unless there's a target or walmart within walking distance from the hotel, otherwise we gotta pack them. sigh. yeah at least i can "use" the luggage space on our way back!

Jen - i went to Zellers (our version of Target, not as good of course) and all i could find at this time of the year that's similar to what you got for your cutsie daughter was simple swim rings that might be too large for DD. i wish they carry rings with sleeves like yours. Tried specialty swim shop in the mall as well, no dice. It's still winter here in Canada LOL

Hi Jen, wow that's very helpful, thank you thank you thank you!

yeah the Floatie looks much more useful. I'm in Canada and we don't have Target (yet! my fingers crossed!) - we do have walmarts so i can go check it out. Swim gears aren't really out yet except in specialty swim shops but i'm glad i find out now and i have a few more days to go buy things...

 

so sounds like the cruise ship Diaper service is overpriced (like everything else).... yeah i guess we'll just have to pack 50 diapers (spread into 3 suitcases just in case one piece gets lost!). oh well. i'll consider that luggage space for some shopping when we disembark in Miami, heh heh.

 

thanks for your Port recommendations too - i think we'll play it by ear and not sign up any excursions in advance. Won't know how his nap times will change with the time difference and disrupted routine anyways ;-)

You're so welcome! Glad it helps!! I know you are going to have an amazing time! :)

Jen - OMG - the life jacket verus baby picture is HYSTERICAL!!!!

LOL Michele!:p

I know, I hadn't looked at those in a while and I was cracking up! IIRC the reason we didn't have it zipped is because her whole body would have totally been sucked down inside the thing!

:D

thanks

we had considered that, but our flight arrives at 11 pm the ngiht before the cruise and we're planning to just either shuttle or taxi to the Port the next morning. unless there's a target or walmart within walking distance from the hotel, otherwise we gotta pack them. sigh. yeah at least i can "use" the luggage space on our way back!

 

Jen - i went to Zellers (our version of Target, not as good of course) and all i could find at this time of the year that's similar to what you got for your cutsie daughter was simple swim rings that might be too large for DD. i wish they carry rings with sleeves like yours. Tried specialty swim shop in the mall as well, no dice. It's still winter here in Canada LOL

Oh bummer! I'm so glad you are coming int he night before and will get a chance to shop though (even if early morning or late night)..you might want to even get a cab if there isn't a store within walking distance. Other chains you can try are Walgreens or CVS drug stores, they are very commonplace in FL. Believe me, down here all of the pool/beach supplies are out! I don't think you will have a problem finding something you can use, if you just can get to a store. But just in case- you never know you might be able to find one on the shop onboard or even in port. (might be a little pricey but..)

Have a whole lotta fun next week, can't wait to hear all about it!

:) Jen