Just Back...Cruising with a Baby!

[Ma Bell]

I had my concerns and voiced them repeatedly to multiple employees when booking the cruise and was ever told no so....I know it's rare. Very rare. But still not against the rules. We did a family Mediterranean cruise in AQ (pre-baby) and my 10 and 12 year old niece and nephew ate there without issue.

 

There has never been a prohibition of children in Aqua Class but there was a rule that only two people per cabin are allowed making it much less likely that there would be children in Blu.

[Wonders10]

Honestly, I appreciate everyone's comments but I feel like I need to keep defending myself and I'm not going to. We all have to agree that we have different opinions in babies and young children on cruises and that's what makes the world go round. I wish you all happy and safe cruising.

[GottaKnowWhen]

Honestly, I appreciate everyone's comments but I feel like I need to keep defending myself and I'm not going to. We all have to agree that we have different opinions in babies and young children on cruises and that's what makes the world go round. I wish you all happy and safe cruising.

 

 

Actually, I don't think you've been at all defensive. You've just explained and amplified and I for one appreciate your point of view. I started traveling on ocean liners (no cruise ships then) at a very young age, am sure I annoyed more than a few other passengers!

 

The main take-away for me is that you are a good parent with a good kid. I would be happy to be on a future cruise with you and your entourage! However, some parents, some kids... Not so much.

[LMaxwell]

Why would a baby be on a cruise. No logical reason except convenience for parents if they are bringing their own babysitters.

 

 

Because it is a family vacation. That's how families build memories together and can enjoy spending time together away from the pressures of work and hectic home life.

 

You may want to consider private charter yachts or an adult charter cruise.

[LMaxwell]

Honestly, I appreciate everyone's comments but I feel like I need to keep defending myself and I'm not going to. We all have to agree that we have different opinions in babies and young children on cruises and that's what makes the world go round. I wish you all happy and safe cruising.

 

When our son was 8 months old we took a 4 day cruise WITHOUT him. Yes, we could enjoy going to the late shows and having some drinks; but we missed him so much. He stayed with grandma and grandpa, but it was so much work for them that I felt guilty about it and never really could relax.

 

At 10 months old we took him on a 4 day cruise and had such a great time as a family, and like your experience, the crew was just bonkers about him and I was very happy we had our first family vacation. A cruise was actually "easy button" to me because there was no packing up the car, schlepping somewhere, being far from a hotel room at nap time, deciding where to go to dinner, etc.

 

Stop defending yourself on cruise critic. There are too many people with blinders on and axes to grind. Don't tell them that you didn't dress the baby in evening chic; they may burst a blood vessel. And last I checked they didn't pay one red cent for your cruise!

 

edit: In fact we had such a great time that we are now going on a 7 day cruise in just 2 weeks time; WITH grandma and grandpa. They are at the opposite end of the ship and a different deck; because they are on vacation too, not there to babysit. That is still our responsibility as parents. It will be a wonderful mutli-generation family cruise. I am looking forward to it a lot.

Edited March 26, 2016 by LMaxwell

[LMaxwell]

 

You also know about a couple of horrific cruises we had when next to a crying baby next door, or a ship overun with kids, whose parents totally abdicated control. Knocking on doors in the middle of the night, etc, etc.

 

So I appreciate being able to say, it is never about a few quiet kids on board. A couple of babies that bother no one and are ogled over.

 

Fair enough; that would annoy me as well. Oblivious parents and agitated children are a bad mix.

 

But to call out OP when that's clearly not the case and you weren't impacted is wrong, IMO.

[LMaxwell]

But...she did have a rough afternoon when attempting to go down for a nap. She was in the cabin next door with my mom, and I had NO idea she was crying and fighting her nap until she told me an hour or so later.

 

We had the same situation one day. This worked for us; it may work for you; we put our 10 month old into the umbrella stroller and took him outside to the exterior promenade / lifeboat deck. The breeze and sound of waves hitting the ship instantly calmed him down and put him right to sleep. I swear he went down for every nap on the ship like that faster and easier than at home!

 

We did not have a balcony cabin otherwise I would have tried the same out there.

 

Seems people have an issue with the oblivious parents who don't tend to their children and are attacking you under the same guise, but the way you describe things you sound very conscionable and like you are on top of things and aware of your baby and considerate of others.

 

When we went to the dining room we requested a table in the back, away from others, because we weren't sure how he would do in a busy and hectic environment. Turns out he did fine, and we were in a section without other diners, except one night they sat a couple near us and the guy immediately started with the "baby comments". Just like this norwegian fellow in here. My baby never made a peep. The only whining and carrying on came from one person...

[emo]

Well, this thread certainly derailed quickly!

 

OP- if you're still following, I did have a few baby related cruise questions for you; it's hard to tell at this point but I think that was the original intent of this post ;)

 

I assume you requested a pack and play in the room, did Celebrity provide fitted sheets for it? Did the room attendant leave it set up all day or was it put away when the room was made up?

 

Trivial question, but If you requested baby food from the special needs department, did you receive jars or pouches? Our daughter doesn't really eat baby food any more (she'll be 15 months old when we cruise next month), but I did request a small amount to use as snacks when we're off the ship. The pouches would be so much more convenient!

 

I think that's all the questions I have for now... But feel free to post any other helpful tips you might have. Anything you brought along that was helpful, or didn't bring that you wish you did? We've cruised plenty before kids, so we know what to expect and we chose a cruise over a land vacation because of how much easier it will be (not looking forward to a 10 hour flight though!). The only thing that could make it easier still would be if we were cruising with a baby the age of yours instead of a young toddler. She's a different little person than she was 6 months ago!

[teecee60]

PS, babies can't go in any of the pools.

 

Babies are NOT SUPPOSED to be in any of the pools for health reasons related to urine and fecal material introduced by children who are not potty trained. ;)

 

Unfortunately, there are MANY unacceptably irresponsible parents that ignore the rules that are put in place to maintain a safe and healthy environment. :mad:

 

Unfortunately most cruise line staff members are so worried about the potential negative consequences of enforcing those safety rules, that quite often absolutely NOTHING is done about a truly disgusting and potentially HAZARDOUS situation. :(

Edited March 26, 2016 by teecee60

[Wonders10]

Well, this thread certainly derailed quickly!

 

OP- if you're still following, I did have a few baby related cruise questions for you; it's hard to tell at this point but I think that was the original intent of this post ;)

 

I assume you requested a pack and play in the room, did Celebrity provide fitted sheets for it? Did the room attendant leave it set up all day or was it put away when the room was made up?

 

Trivial question, but If you requested baby food from the special needs department, did you receive jars or pouches? Our daughter doesn't really eat baby food any more (she'll be 15 months old when we cruise next month), but I did request a small amount to use as snacks when we're off the ship. The pouches would be so much more convenient!

 

I think that's all the questions I have for now... But feel free to post any other helpful tips you might have. Anything you brought along that was helpful, or didn't bring that you wish you did? We've cruised plenty before kids, so we know what to expect and we chose a cruise over a land vacation because of how much easier it will be (not looking forward to a 10 hour flight though!). The only thing that could make it easier still would be if we were cruising with a baby the age of yours instead of a young toddler. She's a different little person than she was 6 months ago!

 

We did request a pack and play...they didn't put a sheet, just folded. Sheets and a blanket. That made me nervous and luckily we brought a crib sheet which worked fine.

 

We didn't request food, just brought our own, but I'd imagine they'd be very accommodating.

 

We brought a much smaller stroller which helped maneuver through the crowds and narrow hallways.

 

Request a high chair too. They were hard to find all over the ship.

 

I'll try to think of something else but feel free to ask questions!

[pete_coach]

Geez, did the OP's comments about her enjoyment of the cruise ever go sideways?:confused:

 

Wonders10, glad you had a good time and do not let the negativity prevent you from going again. Perhaps some of the complainers are the same ones that have issues with babies regardless where they are, in restaurants, on airplanes or, wherever. I think what they have is called misopedia.

 

Anyway, my question is, did you have to pay for the baby on the cruise? I have heard that the cost is significant, regardless of the fact that the child does not partake in any of the meals etc. What were you able to get ? Did you let them know it was a baby? Did they provide any "baby essentials"? A crib in your cabin? Did you have to bring everything for the baby or did they have baby "stuff" available? I have family in the exact situation and are going on a cruise and had to pay quite a bit for their, what will be at the time, an 8 month old as well.

Edited March 26, 2016 by pete_coach

[Wonders10]

Geez, did the OP's comments about her enjoyment of the cruise ever go sideways?:confused:

 

Wonders10, glad you had a good time and do not let the negativity prevent you from going again. Perhaps some of the complainers are the same ones that have issues with babies regardless where they are, in restaurants, on airplanes or, wherever. I think what they have is called misopedia.

 

Anyway, my question is, did you have to pay for the baby on the cruise? I have heard that the cost is significant, regardless of the fact that the child does not partake in any of the meals etc. What were you able to get ? Did you let them know it was a baby? Did they provide any "baby essentials"? A crib in your cabin? Did you have to bring everything for the baby or did they have baby "stuff" available? I have family in the exact situation and are going on a cruise and had to pay quite a bit for their, what will be at the time, an 8 month old as well.

 

Oh yes, we paid for her. The same amount as an adult, double occupancy. They knew it was a baby. Luckily, we got the specials with free drinks, obc and gratuities. They offered to have diapers and wipes, for a fee but I didn't inquire as I figured the price would be outrageous and I also use pampers (they use Huggies). There is one public bathroom, near the kids club with a changing table so we just went to the room when necessary. Request a high chair and pack and play before you go! They will make food or supply it if you ask but again, we didn't partake, just brought our own stash of everything. Never ever did I feel out of place, despite some of the comments to the contrary. I think we actually received some of the best service we've had in our cruises. Enjoy!

[pete_coach]

Oh yes, we paid for her. The same amount as an adult, double occupancy. They knew it was a baby. Luckily, we got the specials with free drinks, obc and gratuities. They offered to have diapers and wipes, for a fee but I didn't inquire as I figured the price would be outrageous and I also use pampers (they use Huggies). There is one public bathroom, near the kids club with a changing table so we just went to the room when necessary. Request a high chair and pack and play before you go! They will make food or supply it if you ask but again, we didn't partake, just brought our own stash of everything. Never ever did I feel out of place, despite some of the comments to the contrary. I think we actually received some of the best service we've had in our cruises. Enjoy!

 

Thanks so much for the information. OBC is good, gratuities for a baby that does not use the amenities and free drinks ...not so good:)

Especially thanks for the tip on asking for the high chair and "Pack an Play" before hand. I will get my Daughter to ask.

[emo]

Geez, did the OP's comments about her enjoyment of the cruise ever go sideways?:confused:

 

Wonders10, glad you had a good time and do not let the negativity prevent you from going again. Perhaps some of the complainers are the same ones that have issues with babies regardless where they are, in restaurants, on airplanes or, wherever. I think what they have is called misopedia.

 

Anyway, my question is, did you have to pay for the baby on the cruise? I have heard that the cost is significant, regardless of the fact that the child does not partake in any of the meals etc. What were you able to get ? Did you let them know it was a baby? Did they provide any "baby essentials"? A crib in your cabin? Did you have to bring everything for the baby or did they have baby "stuff" available? I have family in the exact situation and are going on a cruise and had to pay quite a bit for their, what will be at the time, an 8 month old as well.

 

 

Hello,

 

We don't actually cruise with our child until next month (hence why I'm on this thread asking for the OPs advice), and our daughter is slightly older at 15 months so some of our experience will be different. But I did want to mention that if you contact special_needs@rccl.com (which you'll need to do to request a pack and play anyway), you can ask them for a baby food order form. They will provide jars of baby food and formula no charge. We did order a small amount of baby food that is supposed to be in our room at embarkation, so I'll try and remember to update when we return on how that works out. It's strange though, the special needs department did not mention that I could order diapers and wipes (even for a fee), or anything about a high chair. So maybe some of that depends on the ship or itinerary.

 

Also, as far as the cruise fare was concerned, we are not in AQ and our baby is traveling as a 3rd guest in our cabin, so we did get a slight discount on her fare. It was the same as a 3rd passenger would pay, regardless of age. No extra OBC, but I think she gets a non alcoholic beverage package and some internet time ;). Obviously all of that could vary based on what promos are being run at the moment.

[emo]

We did request a pack and play...they didn't put a sheet, just folded. Sheets and a blanket. That made me nervous and luckily we brought a crib sheet which worked fine.

 

 

 

We didn't request food, just brought our own, but I'd imagine they'd be very accommodating.

 

 

 

We brought a much smaller stroller which helped maneuver through the crowds and narrow hallways.

 

 

 

Request a high chair too. They were hard to find all over the ship.

 

 

 

I'll try to think of something else but feel free to ask questions!

 

 

Thank you! The sheet and blanket make me nervous too so I think I'll just throw a pack and play sheet in the suitcase.

 

Good tips about the high chairs too, I didn't even think of that. I don't think we're interested in having one in our room, but did you even have to ask in the dining room? We're doing select dining in the MDR, so I hope after the first night they'll keep one handy for us. How did things work out in the Oceanview and the Aquaspa Cafe?

 

Also, I think you mentioned it in another post, but I didn't consider changing tables either. No big deal, sounds like we'll be heading back to our cabin to change diapers as well.

 

We just got a travel stroller for this trip, and although I don't like it nearly as much as our regular one, I know it will be very convenient to have on the ship and in port.

 

Thanks again for all the advice!

[Wonders10]

Thank you! The sheet and blanket make me nervous too so I think I'll just throw a pack and play sheet in the suitcase.

 

Good tips about the high chairs too, I didn't even think of that. I don't think we're interested in having one in our room, but did you even have to ask in the dining room? We're doing select dining in the MDR, so I hope after the first night they'll keep one handy for us. How did things work out in the Oceanview and the Aquaspa Cafe?

 

Also, I think you mentioned it in another post, but I didn't consider changing tables either. No big deal, sounds like we'll be heading back to our cabin to change diapers as well.

 

We just got a travel stroller for this trip, and although I don't like it nearly as much as our regular one, I know it will be very convenient to have on the ship and in port.

 

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

We didn't use high chairs all the time but the night we asked for one in Blu, they had to hunt one down and it was in the Tuscan Grille. At the buffet, we just kept her in the stroller but I saw a few floating around sometimes. Usually you needed to ask someone to find it. AQ or not, I think they are just not used frequently.

 

We just used a regular crib sheet and it was fine. Ours felt wobbly, not like it would collapse or anything but if our DD was standing at all, I would be nervous. I'm sure they could have replaced ours if I asked.

[SusieV]

With regards to ordering the baby food, I can tell you that when I cruised with my son at 14 months, they had the high chair and pack n play all ready for him, but the food order had gotten lost and no one had any idea we had made that request. They were unable to accommodate it at that point but did offer to make him whatever he wanted to eat. Fortunately at 14 months it wasn't much of an issue but it was disappointing to expect to have something waiting and not find it there. If I had a younger baby who was on formula, that would have been a serious issue.

 

I've taken my son at 14 months and at 3, and we're planning to take him again this year at 7. As long as your kids are well behaved, the staff make a huge fuss of them and it is a great time. The only issues are the kind that you have every day at home anyway- someone has to be in the cabin when you take the child to nap or bed, so days of staying out till all hours enjoying that drink package don't really work. I generally bring my mother along because she is early to bed anyway, so she shares a room with my son so that I can enjoy more adult pursuits :)

 

Honestly, though, I wouldn't take a child in the mobile but not really verbal stage, say between 1-2 1/2. That cruise was really stressful and not as enjoyable because it was tough to keep him entertained, and he wasn't allowed in the pools but wanted to go. Also, little kids can't go to the Fun Factory without parents until they are three and toilet trained. Those things aren't issues anymore and we have much more fun when we go.

[DancerOT]

I just wanted to say Thank You!! to those that answered some important questions. Next year, we are traveling with my niece who will be 16 months old at the time. We chose a X cruise as this is a gift/celebration of my grandmother's 90th birthday and X is her cruise line of choice. We are trying to make certain we take care of everything appropriately prior to the cruise so the information provided by several of you has been very helpful.

[Katemusical]

Thank you for your advice. I'm pretty nervous about sailing with my 17 month old next month. I wrote the email address to address the highchair issue. We already had a crib reserved for our room.

[kitty9]

Like SusieV, we had the experience of ordering baby food for my goddaughter when we cruised with her, and they had nothing. They used the excuse that they never got the order, but we had the form and the email with us to prove to Guest Services that we did order the food.

 

Lesson learned, you absolutely cannot count on the cruise line to have the baby food you ordered. Luckily, an early stop had a Walmart and we were able to go there to buy her baby food.

[vuildog]

Because there are many of us who dont see babies as blessings on cruises. Many of us who have had our holidays ruined because someone next to us thought it was a good idea to bring one. Why would a baby be on a cruise. No logical reason except convenience for parents if they are bringing their own babysitters.

 

If you see celb cruise ships as Ships R' US, I wonder how long it would be before you would look for ships that have hardly at all, so you and your babies can have peace and quiet from the others.

 

Then your best vacation/holiday option, would be an adults only resort!

 

Cruising should not be on your radar.

[Nashna]

Wonders 10...please do not listen to all those grumpy people who posted on CC. I find it admirable that you were able to pull off a great cruise with a baby. It is not surprising that many staff members went out of their way to be helpful. There is nothing as cute as a well behaved baby and perhaps they were missing their own children at home. Babies are sweet, charming, loud, nasty, and prone to be naughty when they are tired or hungry...just like adults. I did not have the luxury of taking my children on a cruise when they were babies. Having triplets caused us to shy away from enclosed venues such as restaurants and cruise ships until they were much older. However, when they turned 21, over their college spring break, we took them on their first cruise. Fortunately, we picked Carnival which allowed them to party hearty. I dare say that they caused more commotion than three crying babies ever could.

[hcat]

Another thread has been discussing how folks bathe the little ones...blow up bath tub or ?

Wondering how OP and others handled this...just read through quickly here so sorry if I missed it..

[bhughey]

I am happy to hear you had a great experience and I thank you for sharing your thoughts. As a 40-ish couple with no kids, we do enjoy the more adult atmosphere of Celebrity, but I have absolutely zero issue with your bringing a baby on board or to the dining room, Blu, etc. We have friends contemplating a cruise on X (their first!) with their infant and I would hate for them to read the comments from some of the curmudgeons on this thread.

 

*edited to add... the only people (persons) who have ever made me shake my head due to their godawful, rude, entitled, oblivious behavior on a cruise - have always been full grown adults.

Edited July 15, 2016 by bhughey

[illiniwahoo]

I'm so glad that you had such a good experience!

A warning to all you baby-haters out there: celebrity didn't issue refunds for pregnant women who couldn't travel becuase to the Zika outbreak. They issued credit good for two years - so expect to see more babies on board for the next 18 months or so! We probably wouldn't have cruised with a baby under 3, but we definately are going to do it now! I'm glad the OP had such a good experience. I hope we do too!

 

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