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Toddler on Reflection


noelysmama
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First time cruiser! My parents are generously taking us (my husband and our then 14 month old) and my brother (and his wife and their teenage daughters) on a 14 day transatlantic cruise this fall. We'll be on the Reflection in a 2B Deluxe Veranda Room. Looking for input/suggestions from anyone that's taken this ship with a little guy.

 

My main concerns are:

1) how insanely cramped will the room be with a pack and play in it? I understand that's what Celebrity provides

2) how do we keep him entertained for the 7 days we will be at sea with no port stops. I understand that he's too little to go in the pool

 

Any and all suggestions welcome!

Thanks!

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First time cruiser! My parents are generously taking us (my husband and our then 14 month old) and my brother (and his wife and their teenage daughters) on a 14 day transatlantic cruise this fall. We'll be on the Reflection in a 2B Deluxe Veranda Room. Looking for input/suggestions from anyone that's taken this ship with a little guy.

 

 

 

My main concerns are:

 

1) how insanely cramped will the room be with a pack and play in it? I understand that's what Celebrity provides

 

2) how do we keep him entertained for the 7 days we will be at sea with no port stops. I understand that he's too little to go in the pool

 

 

 

Any and all suggestions welcome!

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

I have been on the reflection but not with a toddler. I think your room will be fine. Just move the pack and play during the day and it will be ok. If your son is potty trained fully by the time you sail he can go in the pools with you. If not then I have heard of some parents bringing tiny blow up pools and using them on the pool deck close to the drains etc. Fill it up and have a splash about for some time. I’m not sure if this is allowed by Celebrity but no harm in calling up and asking. They also have a kids camp area for young children (3-5 I believe) that you can bring your toddler to and stay with him while he plays with the different toys etc. Otherwise it will be a lot of “exploring the ship” I would imagine. Have a great time!

 

 

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I have been on the reflection but not with a toddler. I think your room will be fine. Just move the pack and play during the day and it will be ok. If your son is potty trained fully by the time you sail he can go in the pools with you. If not then I have heard of some parents bringing tiny blow up pools and using them on the pool deck close to the drains etc. Fill it up and have a splash about for some time. I’m not sure if this is allowed by Celebrity but no harm in calling up and asking. They also have a kids camp area for young children (3-5 I believe) that you can bring your toddler to and stay with him while he plays with the different toys etc. Otherwise it will be a lot of “exploring the ship” I would imagine. Have a great time!

 

 

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Thank you! He'll only be 14 months, so not potty trained at all, hahaha! I've read that as well about the blow up pool. I couldn't find anything about a kids camp area on this ship--can someone confirm?

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Thank you! He'll only be 14 months, so not potty trained at all, hahaha! I've read that as well about the blow up pool. I couldn't find anything about a kids camp area on this ship--can someone confirm?

 

Kids "camps" or "clubs" are usually for kids age 3 and older. Some cruise ships also have a nursery, in which toddlers can be dropped off, but those are less common and I'm not sure if they are available on Celebrity. Usually there is optional in-cabin babysitting available for a pretty hefty hourly fee.

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A couple on Silhouette in February with a 2 year old told us they could take him to the kids club to play with the toys but one parent had to be with him. They also said they were looking forward to one night of in cabin baby sitting but Celebrity recently dropped that option. Don't know if this is fleet wide or specific to Silhouette.

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Having cruised with our little one a couple of times now (since he was 18 months - will be 5 this summer)

1) The kids club will have usually an hour of toddler time where you can bring in and play with the toys (you must stay with him)

2) Walks in the stroller - our little one enjoyed just being walked around the ship in the stroller and watching the ocean - We have a small umbrella stroller from Toys R Us which worked great and didn't take up much room in the cabin

3) Bring enough diapers as you will NOT be able to get any extra on board - we brought enough for 2 extra days just in case something happened

4) There is a changing table in the restroom by the kids club

5) We brought magnetic hooks / cloth shower curtain to put around the pack-n-play - worked great

6) ArmnHammer disposable diaper bags are great

7) Baby Sitting - You have to signup at guest services and it's based on availability

8) You can hook up an iPad or Kindle to the TV if you have an HDMI cable

 

Let me know if you have any other questions

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Have your room steward remove the coffee table in the sitting area to make room for the pack and play.

 

Agree that a 14 month old will be entertained by observing all the action and activity around the ship as well as from lots of attention he is sure to get from the crew.

 

 

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Thank you! He'll only be 14 months, so not potty trained at all, hahaha! I've read that as well about the blow up pool. I couldn't find anything about a kids camp area on this ship--can someone confirm?

 

 

 

I’m positive there are. Even though your son is too young to go alone you are allowed to go with him and make use of the toys and equipment.

 

 

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I think I would be more concerned about keeping the teens occupied on the 7 sea days than the 14 month old. TA's generally don't attract many kids, so plan to have things for them to do. Be prepared for weather that might not allow for much pool time.

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I would communicate with Celebrity re: Kids club, baby sitting and the like. A TA is a different animal. We've done over 20 of them and not seen more than a handful of toddlers. Usually the kid's staff changes contracts (Old staff leaves before the TA and new staff arrives after the TA).

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I would make sure you have a Kindle or iPad stocked with the child's favorite books, and plan for plenty of reading time. Take along a couple of balls, play ball on the lawn. If bad weather, in the daytime play in the area near Tuscan, Blu and Qsine. Look for dollar store toys. A big jar of blocks, plastic fruit, etc. Something to dump and sort and put back in the bucket.

 

Plan on lots of time together playing baby games.

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A couple on Silhouette in February with a 2 year old told us they could take him to the kids club to play with the toys but one parent had to be with him. They also said they were looking forward to one night of in cabin baby sitting but Celebrity recently dropped that option. Don't know if this is fleet wide or specific to Silhouette.

 

Thanks! We aren't looking to be away from him re: babysitting, just hoping for some fun stuff to do with him on the ship. Will inquire about the kids club--thanks for the suggestion!

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Thanks! We aren't looking to be away from him re: babysitting, just hoping for some fun stuff to do with him on the ship. Will inquire about the kids club--thanks for the suggestion!

 

Personally I think you're mad if you don't get a babysitter for a couple of date nights - treat yourself to dinner one of the nicer restaurants and a show you deserve it.

 

His grandparents might enjoy doing the babysitting for at least a night or two?

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We took my niece on a cruise last January when she was 16 months old (she even had a drink package :')). The best thing we did was buy a 30" blow-up pool that we took with us. We grabbed chairs by the pool that we could easily put the pool next to without disturbing others. To fill it, we borrowed a beer bucket from the bar - worked perfect. Early dining was key as she would just start to hit her "melting point" right as we were leaving dinner.

 

The staff were amazing with her! I can't speak to the staff enough. There was one day by the pool that one of the pool servers was walking around and came up to us asking, "Where's Hope?" He kept checking back until she emerged from her nap. She was really into fist bumps during that time and all the staff would fist bump her whenever they saw her. Utterly amazing! My brother and SIL tended to tag team her naps and staying out. One would stay with her during her nap so the other could enjoy pool time and the other stayed with her at night while the other went out with the rest of us. One night, my younger brother and his now wife babysat for them so they could go out to dinner. My parents did not babysit any nights - they took us on the cruise for my grandmother's birthday and it was not their responsibility to watch her. Honestly, we brought her everywhere with us - martini bar, lounges, pool....she is a great kid and very well behaved (seriously it kinda freaks me out).

 

Some things we did bring that really helped (besides the pool): books, puzzles, Mr. Potato Head, and stacking cups. To be fair, it is helpful that we keep this stuff at my grandmother's in Florida so we didn't have to fly with it - but she always had toys to play with and people to play with her (there were 19 of us - easy to tag team).

 

Good luck with whatever you decide!!

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We were on a cruise with a little girl about your son’s age. Every evening, the parents had a lengthy walk around the ship with the cute little girl in her stroller, dressed in her pretty dresses. She was absolutely certain that all those people were there just to see her, and she had the best time waving and smiling at everyone, who smiled and waved back, every evening. So if your son is a people person, he will have a great time, and no shortage of people to smile at.

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I have never understood why a choice to be on a cruise ship with a toddler would be made when there are so many better choices to be had. For whose benefit is a cruise? Surely not the toddler.

 

What ‘better choices’, exactly?

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Almost any vacation other than a cruise is better. Space, freedom, security if a little one is ill you are not in the middle of the sea, etc. But of course you know all that without asking. Asking is just being facetious.

 

What I picture is parents bringing their blow up pools and setting them up all along the decks.

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I have never understood why a choice to be on a cruise ship with a toddler would be made when there are so many better choices to be had. For whose benefit is a cruise? Surely not the toddler.

 

I believe a cruise ship is a great vacation with a baby or toddler. Any other vacation, Mom or Dad is going to be cooking or cleaning at least part of the time. On a cruise ship, someone else will do ALL the cooking, all the cleaning, there are multiple places to eat, and many of them have a children's menu.

 

It is the perfect place to focus on being on vacation as a family. If you rent a condo, Mom and Dad will always be cooking or cleaning.

In a hotel, there are actually fewer places to go, or you'll feel like you MUST go see the sights.

The small child doesn't care. His/her favorite people are right there, and can pay plenty of attention to the center of the galaxy - the small child.

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We took my niece on a cruise last January when she was 16 months old (she even had a drink package :')). The best thing we did was buy a 30" blow-up pool that we took with us. We grabbed chairs by the pool that we could easily put the pool next to without disturbing others. To fill it, we borrowed a beer bucket from the bar - worked perfect. Early dining was key as she would just start to hit her "melting point" right as we were leaving dinner.

 

The staff were amazing with her! I can't speak to the staff enough. There was one day by the pool that one of the pool servers was walking around and came up to us asking, "Where's Hope?" He kept checking back until she emerged from her nap. She was really into fist bumps during that time and all the staff would fist bump her whenever they saw her. Utterly amazing! My brother and SIL tended to tag team her naps and staying out. One would stay with her during her nap so the other could enjoy pool time and the other stayed with her at night while the other went out with the rest of us. One night, my younger brother and his now wife babysat for them so they could go out to dinner. My parents did not babysit any nights - they took us on the cruise for my grandmother's birthday and it was not their responsibility to watch her. Honestly, we brought her everywhere with us - martini bar, lounges, pool....she is a great kid and very well behaved (seriously it kinda freaks me out).

 

Some things we did bring that really helped (besides the pool): books, puzzles, Mr. Potato Head, and stacking cups. To be fair, it is helpful that we keep this stuff at my grandmother's in Florida so we didn't have to fly with it - but she always had toys to play with and people to play with her (there were 19 of us - easy to tag team).

 

Good luck with whatever you decide!!

 

I agree it can be done. I have also been on a TA where the parents decided to go home before the ship started across the pond because the two children cried constantly at night.

 

One question, what do you do with the water in your pool when you're done for the day?

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OP - please don't be offended by the few of us who have expressed some concerns over the choice of cruise you are taking with your family.

 

While it's wonderful that your parents are treating everyone, I think all of us hope you have spent some time considering what is involved in a TA and what some of the restrictions are with 7 days at sea in the middle of nowhere.

 

Is this a first time cruise for the teens? I'm truly concerned that they will be climbing the walls after about the 3rd day unless some thought is put into how they will be entertained. Celebrity ships are not known for high energy activities and you will also have a much older demographic on a TA. Only you and your family know what they are like and perhaps they are the kind of kids that spend a lot of time reading and can easily entertain themselves, which would be good.

 

You mentioned that this is your first cruise and honestly I would never suggest anyone to take a TA as their first cruise, especially with a very young child. Some people do well with the 7 sea days and others do not.

 

Just be sure you plan, plan, plan.

Edited by mek
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I have done 4 trans-Atlantic cruise and I will be on that Reflection TA also. Seen toddlers on my earlier TAs (not a lot) and they did fine. So I wouldn't worry.

 

When we hit Tenerife, recommend taking your toddler to Loro Park, it's a animal park with lots of kids. Your toddler will have a fantastic time.

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Personally I think you're mad if you don't get a babysitter for a couple of date nights - treat yourself to dinner one of the nicer restaurants and a show you deserve it.

 

His grandparents might enjoy doing the babysitting for at least a night or two?

 

 

Oh yes, our family will most certainly babysit a night or two. That's the beauty of traveling with family! I was more referring to hiring someone to babysit--that's something we aren't interested in so not concerned whether it's offered or not.

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OP - please don't be offended by the few of us who have expressed some concerns over the choice of cruise you are taking with your family.

 

While it's wonderful that your parents are treating everyone, I think all of us hope you have spent some time considering what is involved in a TA and what some of the restrictions are with 7 days at sea in the middle of nowhere.

 

Is this a first time cruise for the teens? I'm truly concerned that they will be climbing the walls after about the 3rd day unless some thought is put into how they will be entertained. Celebrity ships are not known for high energy activities and you will also have a much older demographic on a TA. Only you and your family know what they are like and perhaps they are the kind of kids that spend a lot of time reading and can easily entertain themselves, which would be good.

 

You mentioned that this is your first cruise and honestly I would never suggest anyone to take a TA as their first cruise, especially with a very young child. Some people do well with the 7 sea days and others do not.

 

Just be sure you plan, plan, plan.

 

No offense taken at all! This cruise was not my choice--my parents cruise annually with Celebrity so they planned it and suprised us with it. Though an incredibly kind and generous gesture, I fully agree that a cruise this long is maybe not entirely ideal for a) first time cruisers and b) our little guy--my understanding is that celebrity doesn't cater to children the way other cruise lines do. All these suggestions and recommendations are exactly what I was hoping folks like you would share. We're 7 months out from the cruise and I'm already super planning to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible. I'm fully aware that this will be a vacation for everyone else but me :')

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