Small World Nursery Questions

I have a 10 month old baby and we'll be sailing on the Fantasy.

What hours do you recommend dropping the baby off? I want to plan the hours accordingly since it sounds like there is an allotment (but I've also read if there is space you can book for more hours).

Do they provide bottled water for formula? Or would I have to use the filtered water on the ship? I don't think I have time to stop to buy bottled water.

How does the food work? I've read that you can get food pureed...is this only at dinnertime in the dining room? Should I bring my own jarred/packets of baby food? What if my baby is eating table food...do I bring that too? Do they provide snacks like Cheerios for little ones? Or should I just feed my baby myself?

Do the rooms have fridges? We have a veranda room if that matters.

Thanks!!!

All cabins on the Fantasy have real refrigerators.

You can book up to 18 hours in the nursery in advance, and can add more time on the second day of the cruise if there is time available. The idea is to allow everyone to have some time before anyone gets tons of it. They try really hard to be flexible and allow you to change times during your week. Cost is $9 per hour for the first child in a cabin. IF you reserve times that you decide to not use, be sure to cancel in advance or you will be charged.

"They" supply no food, or formula. If you want the child to have food while in the nursery, you must supply it. They will feed what you bring.

You can get milk from the buffet or room service and keep it in your room fridge. There are Kellogg's O cereals on the buffet (not General Mills Cheerios). Staff will supply mashed or pureed table foods at the buffet or main dining rooms. There is a very limited supply of baby food in jars for purchase in the gift shops. VERY LIMITED. Have you ever looked at what is in baby food? Tons of additives and chemicals in some brands. The only time my daughter had canned baby food was when we traveled for my grandfather's funeral. Otherwise, I made her baby food by doing a puree of normal table foods and freezing it in ice cube trays--very easy to pop out a couple cubes of different things for her meals. You can use the same idea on the ship, but they will happily make you the puree with no additives. (no work for you!) Many foods you can smash at the table as well. YOU can tell them what you'd like to have as a puree and they will do it--veges, fruits, meats...all your choice.

If you feel the need for bottled water, you can buy it on board. Last time I checked, it was $35 for the same case that sells for $4 at my local grocery. You can also buy smaller amounts. Talk to your pediatrician--many 10 month olds are no longer using formula. Theories continue to swing, but kids generally come off formula somewhere between 6 and 12 months.

As to what hours to reserve...if you are doing spa or adult dining, book those times in the nursery. THen think of when you want to be alone. You have no way to know whether your child will think the stage shows are amazing and giggle delightedly at them or whether they will scream. Some parents think that enjoying dinner without the child is amazing while others find it much easier to feed the child while the rest of the family is eating. Some people like to drop off the kiddo at nap time and go enjoy pools, etc. while others think that it is a total waste to pay $9 per hour for the kid to sleep elsewhere--they enjoy their balcony while the child naps in the cabin.

Do be aware that dinner times and evenings tend to be busy booking times--if you think you may want these, they are good to book ahead. Do you have other kids? Do you need to consider their schedules when booking nursery time?

Not have time to buy bottled water? How are you getting to the port? If you don't have time for a 15 minute Target or grocery stop, perhaps think about whether you are flying in too late! I would strongly recommend coming in a day before, even if that "day" is a late afternoon or evening flight. All sorts of things can happen to delay a flight. OK, I might do a "day of departure" flight IF it is a direct flight and there is at least one later flight that will still get me there on time if something happens to the first flight.

In all fairness, I have a cruise booked with a 6:30 am direct flight. BUT there are 2 later flights that will still get me to the cruise on time if that first flight has a mechanical issue, a weather issue, or whatever. I'm convinced that they sometimes cancel that early flight just because it isn't full enough to suit the airline! I don't normally book "day of" flights, but arriving at the airport at 8:30 with an "all aboard" time of 4:00 seemed safe to me. (it isn't a winter cruise) This is not normally something I do or recommend, but there were some extenuating issues and this seemed the best solution. If it were not a direct flight, I wouldn't even consider it!

Thanks for the info!

I will just do the pureed foods on the ship or cut it up into tiny pieces. One less thing to pack! Sometimes baby food is just easier for us when travelling or in a pinch. I'm going to ask my pediatrician if she thinks filtered water is ok to use for mixing the formula.

We are arriving the day before the flight but of course won't have a car. We are booking private transportation but the only thing we really need to buy is the bottled water and lugging it with the kids and luggage can be a pain. I'm also going to ask the transport if we can make a quick stop though; I was also wondering in case the transport wouldn't let us stop or charge a large fee (in case that $35 bottled water may even out, but of course we don't want to pay that!).

Thanks for the info!

 

I will just do the pureed foods on the ship or cut it up into tiny pieces. One less thing to pack! Sometimes baby food is just easier for us when travelling or in a pinch. I'm going to ask my pediatrician if she thinks filtered water is ok to use for mixing the formula.

 

We are arriving the day before the flight but of course won't have a car. We are booking private transportation but the only thing we really need to buy is the bottled water and lugging it with the kids and luggage can be a pain. I'm also going to ask the transport if we can make a quick stop though; I was also wondering in case the transport wouldn't let us stop or charge a large fee (in case that $35 bottled water may even out, but of course we don't want to pay that!).

Just a little clarification - the water onboard is processed the same as most bottled waters - reverse osmosis and filtered. So, it's basically the same thing you're going to get if you purchase bottled water.

Great...thanks for that info!

Most private car services that operate to the port include a 15 or 30 minute stop at a location of your choice--typically Target, a grocery, or an adult beverage outlet. Check your contract as this is usually a part of the service.

There are 2 types of water on the ship. When in US ports, the ship will fill their water storage tanks with the local "city" water. This will happen in Port Canaveral. They do not fill their tanks in any island or foreign ports, but choose this option in the US because it costs less for them to buy the water from the municipal supply than to make it on the ship. However, the storage tanks do not hold enough for a typical voyage, so they also make water from sea water. This is processed by reverse osmosis and then filtered. This water is used for all cooking, cleaning, filling pools, etc. on the ship as well as for drinking.

Bottled water also comes from 2 sources. These are the exact same sources as above--they take well/spring water and process it by reverse osmosis or they fill their bottles with municipal water.

Obviously, verify with your pediatrician, but the water is identical to most bottled waters.

Your servers are happy to provide you with boiled water if that makes you feel better (they will take the ship's water and boil it.)