Unofficial In-Room Baby Sitting

[Coolwhip82]

I have heard that on NCL some off-duty stewards or house keeping staff will provide in-room baby sitting for an hourly, cash, fee. Of course, NCL's official policy is that they do not provide this service so I wanted to ask on here if anyone has done this? How did you find the person? How much did they charge? Were you happy? etc. Any insights you can provide would be helpful.

 

We are just looking to go to dinner by ourselves two nights, and maybe a show, not having the kids watched all day on a port day.

 

p.s. my kids are 7 and 1 (so the latter is too young for kids club or group sitting)

[tonit964]

If this is even possible, I would never leave my kids in the cabin with a stranger to watch them for any length of time.

[NCLfamily]

That's crazy even thinking about that. Leaving kids with someone who hasn't been vetted to look after children.

[Coolwhip82]

Glad you think it's crazy, obviously I don't, so I would love to get a real reply.

[Wonderin32]

I think its pretty normal. I can think of numerous times we've asked someone at a resort to watch our kid(s) and never had a problem before. On a ship, I think it would be less problematic.

 

I'm curious about this too.

[Wavesprite]

I actually agree that it wouldn't be the safest thing to do with my children. The "unofficial babysitter" wouldn't have the same background checks, vetting process as a childcare worker, so you would have no idea what happened when you left the room......

[geegee1]

I have heard that on NCL some off-duty stewards or house keeping staff will provide in-room baby sitting for an hourly, cash, fee. Of course, NCL's official policy is that they do not provide this service so I wanted to ask on here if anyone has done this? How did you find the person? How much did they charge? Were you happy? etc. Any insights you can provide would be helpful.

 

We are just looking to go to dinner by ourselves two nights, and maybe a show, not having the kids watched all day on a port day.

 

p.s. my kids are 7 and 1 (so the latter is too young for kids club or group sitting)

 

I have not heard of this on any of the cruises we have done on NCL. We had it on the one RCL cruise, but never on NCL.

Just a suggestion, we used to put our oldest into the kids club then bring our youngest in an umbrella stroller to sleep while we ate.

[chengkp75]

I have heard that on NCL some off-duty stewards or house keeping staff will provide in-room baby sitting for an hourly, cash, fee. Of course, NCL's official policy is that they do not provide this service so I wanted to ask on here if anyone has done this? How did you find the person? How much did they charge? Were you happy? etc. Any insights you can provide would be helpful.

 

We are just looking to go to dinner by ourselves two nights, and maybe a show, not having the kids watched all day on a port day.

 

p.s. my kids are 7 and 1 (so the latter is too young for kids club or group sitting)

 

I doubt very much that this happens, or if it does, very infrequently. A crew member in a passenger cabin outside of their working hours (even housekeeping staff) is cause for termination. I have known a Hotel Director fired for this. This can be discovered two ways, either by surveillance cameras in the passageways, and/or through the data file in the cabin door lock, which logs each card used to access the door with date/time stamp and name.

[Kingofwylietx]

I won't pass judgment about having a stranger watch your kids. However, due to what Chengkp75 added to the conversation, I feel it would be highly improper to ask for services that could get the crewmember fired.

[jamminlion]

Asking housekeeping or someone else to watch your kids? So you can go have a nice dinner and see a show? You are on the wrong vacation. OR a novel and SAFER idea - bring an older cousin, aunt, grandma? Really. The hair stood up on the back of my neck.

 

THAT is crazy talking, and asking - begging - for something to happen to your children.

 

Wow. Just WOW.

[Kingofwylietx]

The best advice, besides bringing a family member to watch the kids, is to not go on NCL for this vacation. Disney and several other lines offer infant care beginning at 6 months or a year old. Those are the cruise lines that can give you peace of mind, since they have official babysitting services offered aboard.

[Daenerys T]

I have heard that on NCL some off-duty stewards or house keeping staff will provide in-room baby sitting for an hourly, cash, fee. Of course, NCL's official policy is that they do not provide this service so I wanted to ask on here if anyone has done this? How did you find the person? How much did they charge? Were you happy? etc. Any insights you can provide would be helpful.

 

We are just looking to go to dinner by ourselves two nights, and maybe a show, not having the kids watched all day on a port day.

 

p.s. my kids are 7 and 1 (so the latter is too young for kids club or group sitting)

 

Why would you think it even remotely ok to leave your kids alone in a room with a stranger?!! :eek:

[numberguy]

Not sure which ship you plan to cruise, but the Escape DOES provide official, vetted, etc., childcare (not in your room). I don't have children, so I can't give you details, but you should be able to look up the Guppies program on NCL.com on the Escape.

 

--Michael

[june123]

Never in a million years would i have ever done this when my boy was little .

Edited January 14, 2016 by june123

[Vyhanek]

Plenty of hotels offer in-room babysitter service. It's not uncommon.

 

But, I've cruised at least 15 times on NCL with my kids since they were 3 years old. Never once have I heard of in-room babysitting unofficially. Nor have I ever seen a post on this board about it and I've been around this board for probably 10 years!

 

If NCL does have this, it's on the down low. You'd have to ask once on board. I'd start with the staff at the kids club.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Vyhanek

[Sparkygirl]

This can not and should not happen, there was a poster on social media that said the same thing that there are private babysitters after much go round it was on a chartered cruise where the charter group arranged in cabin sitting services through folks they brought onboard for their group only. I don't think many crew members would risk their jobs for the cash offered to babysit.

 

We are good friends with a hotel director and would meet to chat and hang out in the common areas of the ship often near guest services so that she could be responsible to needs as they arose. She would also stop by while we had breakfast and then circulate around the dinning room.

 

 

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[rvsullivan]

My first question is where did you "hear" this could be done? I've never heard a glimmer of this kind of thing happening on NCL. The second thing is, why would you ask someone to endanger their job to babysit when they are not allowed in any passenger cabin for any reason other than a steward on duty performing their job? And lastly, without being overly judgemental, do you often leave you children with total strangers not knowing their background and/or training? Sounds like a terrible idea.

[ColinIllinois]

Not sure which ship you plan to cruise, but the Escape DOES provide official, vetted, etc., childcare (not in your room). I don't have children, so I can't give you details, but you should be able to look up the Guppies program on NCL.com on the Escape.

 

--Michael

 

 

From NCL.com:

 

Although Guppies are part of Splash Academy and hosted by the Early Years Coordinator, the program requires a parent to be in attendance. Guppies does not offer a drop off option.

[Crusin6]

Cruise Disney until the little one is older.

 

 

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[mjkacmom]

From NCL.com:

 

Although Guppies are part of Splash Academy and hosted by the Early Years Coordinator, the program requires a parent to be in attendance. Guppies does not offer a drop off option.

 

Unless sailing on the new Escapw, the only NCL ship with a drop off nursery.

[davesgirl51]

The best advice, besides bringing a family member to watch the kids, is to not go on NCL for this vacation. Disney and several other lines offer infant care beginning at 6 months or a year old. Those are the cruise lines that can give you peace of mind, since they have official babysitting services offered aboard.

 

Agree 150%. Family members are notorious abusers. :eek: