Taking our 7mth old on Mariner of the Seas

[tacori]

Anybody have any good advice for us? Should we take our own pack n play of should we use the ships? I'm just concerned on the cleanliness! Have any other passengers made rude comments about bringing an infant or is everybody pretty cool about it?

[crusinmama06]

You can bring your own sheets to cover up the pnp. I don't think they can ever get those things truly sanitized.

 

Rude comments, generally no. The majority of cruisers are VERY friendly. We've only had two comments in 10 cruises WITH the kids. One woman said that she felt bad for my kids because they would probably rather be somewhere else. Yeah, they were on a tender getting ready to go swimming with dolphins - those poor, poor neglected children. ;)

 

Then the other, wasn't directed AT us. But during the pirate parade, the kids were being loaded into the elevator by the AO counselors. Some woman walks past the elevator and says "I came on this cruise to get away from THAT!" And I said, loud enough for her to hear "Funny, I came on this cruise to get away from cranky old people, yet, here you are!" :D

[tacori]

That's too funny!! Thanks for your help.

[imsulin]

Rude behavior on both sides.

 

Tacori, you really should be more concerned about the MANY other things you'll need to bring with you, since you can't get them once onboard. Is this your first cruise? I've read your posts, and you seem to be more concerned about the cleanliness of the ship's P&P (which is not an automatic thing - you have to request it) and an inflatable pool, which you don't know how to fill or empty. Will you be bringing your 7-month old to the MDR? Which seating? Will you bring his own food and will you need a high chair? You know, of course, that you should pay tips for your baby. It's just SOP. What about shore excursions? Some of us are actually trying to help you!

[tacori]

:)We already called RC and reserved a high chair for early seating in the dining room.

[tacori]

We will stay on the ship except for Cabo!! We don't want to worry about a car seat! Will bring a stroller into Cabo.

[imsulin]

Did you reserve a Pack & Play? You need to, unless you bring your own. Items like diapers, bottles, baby food, etc., are not sold onboard. You can get things like juices, yogurt, oatmeal, etc. You might want to stuff a lot of plastic shopping bags and bring them to wrap dirty diapers in, even though your (very small) trash can is emptied daily. The cabins and bathrooms are tiny! Nowhere near the size of a hotel room. Also, don't expect to find any drop-down changing tables in any of the public restrooms or anywhere else. They won't be there. What kind of cabin do you have? The bathrooms are very small, and the shower can only hold one person at a time...tiny! (We had a balcony cabin on the Jewel.) Even though it's Feb., the ports can be pretty hot. Your US health insurance will not be accepted on the ship at all, and not even onshore. If you receive any medical services, you have to pay up-front, and then hope your own insurance will reimburse you. It often won't, if you're not covered outside the US. This is why it's important to buy trip insurance. If you get stuck in Mexico - for whatever reason - you'll need Passports (including the baby) if you have to fly back to the US. It's a lot for you to consider, especially if this is your first cruise, and especially if you're bringing a baby.

[tacori]

RC said a birth certificate is sufficient. If there are no changing table in the bathrooms, where do you change your kids other than your cabin?

[galimeyer]

You'll have to go back to your cabin. Changing your child in a public place isn't recommended. I have 2 kids (21 months & 5 months) and I would never dream of changing them anywhere but my cabin.

[imsulin]

RC said a birth certificate is sufficient. If there are no changing table in the bathrooms, where do you change your kids other than your cabin?

 

The certified state birth certificate is sufficient for embarking and debarking from the SHIP. My point was that if you have to FLY back home from Mexico for any reason, you will need Passports. (think I said this in my previous post) RCI will confirm this. You'll have to change your baby in your cabin, which is why I suggested bringing a lot of plastic grocery bags to wrap them in, because both your cabin and trash can are very small. This is to avoid the "stinky" factor. Don't know if this was mentioned previously, but your baby will not be allowed to enter any of the ship's pools, even with swimmies. The seas can be a bit rough and rocky along this route, so you may want to check with your Pediatrician about some kind of medication for seasickness, just in case your baby is affected. Also, I can't stress enough the importance of trip insurance. If you or baby got sick or injured before the cruise and you couldn't go, you would get your money back. If you're flying to/from the Port of Embarkation, your air fare would be refunded. (Most airlines have non-refundable tickets). Otherwise, you are under RCI and airline penalties. More importantly, you would be reimbursed for medical expenses incurred outside the US. Call your health insurance company to find out if you even have coverage outside the US. If you are, you'd still have to pay up-front, and then be reimbursed. Once again, your US health insurance will not be accepted aboard the ship or in Mexico. Your baby is also expected to pay the same amount of tips as an adult. It's much easier to pre-pay them. Ask your cabin steward to clean out your cabin fridge, so that you can store items your baby might need. (If you use anything in the fridge before it's cleared out, you'll be charged for it). There is a hefty charge for bottled water - check the RCI Board to see if you can bring your own. The water in your cabin (sink, shower, toilet) is desalinated sea water. OK to drink, though not a great taste. There are no on-board self-laundry areas, but RCI will be glad to launder anything you need- for a price. These are things you need to know and consider ahead of time when cruising with a baby, so you don't get too many unforseen surprises during your cruise.

[Kerry's Girls]

RC said a birth certificate is sufficient. If there are no changing table in the bathrooms, where do you change your kids other than your cabin?

 

Just because other have made the mistake before - make sure you have a Certified birth certificate - not the souvenir you get at the hospital.

 

I either a) brought my twins back to the cabin for changes (we had a cabin near the elevator and it never took long) or b) changed them in the stroller in the bathroom.

 

If you're going to Puerto Vallarta, there is a great resort within a quick walk, the Krystal Vallarta. I've walked it with a stroller many times. Kid wading pool, umbrellas at the pool and on the beach, etc. $20 per adult which is then credited to you in food and drinks (they have great food).

 

Best,

Mia

[beachchick]

The certified state birth certificate is sufficient for embarking and debarking from the SHIP. My point was that if you have to FLY back home from Mexico for any reason, you will need Passports. (think I said this in my previous post) RCI will confirm this. You'll have to change your baby in your cabin, which is why I suggested bringing a lot of plastic grocery bags to wrap them in, because both your cabin and trash can are very small. This is to avoid the "stinky" factor. Don't know if this was mentioned previously, but your baby will not be allowed to enter any of the ship's pools, even with swimmies. The seas can be a bit rough and rocky along this route, so you may want to check with your Pediatrician about some kind of medication for seasickness, just in case your baby is affected. Also, I can't stress enough the importance of trip insurance. If you or baby got sick or injured before the cruise and you couldn't go, you would get your money back. If you're flying to/from the Port of Embarkation, your air fare would be refunded. (Most airlines have non-refundable tickets). Otherwise, you are under RCI and airline penalties. More importantly, you would be reimbursed for medical expenses incurred outside the US. Call your health insurance company to find out if you even have coverage outside the US. If you are, you'd still have to pay up-front, and then be reimbursed. Once again, your US health insurance will not be accepted aboard the ship or in Mexico. Your baby is also expected to pay the same amount of tips as an adult. It's much easier to pre-pay them. Ask your cabin steward to clean out your cabin fridge, so that you can store items your baby might need. (If you use anything in the fridge before it's cleared out, you'll be charged for it). There is a hefty charge for bottled water - check the RCI Board to see if you can bring your own. The water in your cabin (sink, shower, toilet) is desalinated sea water. OK to drink, though not a great taste. There are no on-board self-laundry areas, but RCI will be glad to launder anything you need- for a price. These are things you need to know and consider ahead of time when cruising with a baby, so you don't get too many unforseen surprises during your cruise.

 

You can. Great points and suggestions, BTW.

 

beachchick

[Mack2]

Just as a side note, on the passport vrs birth certificate tangent....

We have my kid's first passports... they are SO CUTE!

 

Basically, the youngest we ever got one for them was around 12 months... going up to Canuckistan to visit family in Toronto.

 

I dunno... I'm just tickled by it.

[imsulin]

Just as a side note, on the passport vrs birth certificate tangent....

We have my kid's first passports... they are SO CUTE!

 

Basically, the youngest we ever got one for them was around 12 months... going up to Canuckistan to visit family in Toronto.

 

I dunno... I'm just tickled by it.

 

I'm tickled by "Canuckistan"!! First time I've heard that! (Will tuck it in my brain along with other cool sayings like New Joizey) On another side note, when my grandkids were born, instead of sending the cutesy newborn outfit that might last a month, I sent money for Passports, which they both have and have used! Enjoy your trip to Toronto, eh?

[queenL]

Anybody have any good advice for us? Should we take our own pack n play of should we use the ships? I'm just concerned on the cleanliness! Have any other passengers made rude comments about bringing an infant or is everybody pretty cool about it?

 

I sailed on the Mariner years ago. It was a great cruise. That was in my pre-kid phase, so I wouldn't remember any details about kids on that particular ship. I would bring a pack and play before I let my daughter sleep in the ships pack and play. But then you are talking to someone who packs their own sheets on every trip. :) That said, I haven't brought ours with us on any of our cruises. We were going to bring our pack and play and then I found out that the airline wanted $50 each way to check it. So, we put her in the bed with us instead. If you decide you want to use the ship's pack and play just bring along some lysol wipes, clean it out really good, then bring your own pack and play sheets to place in it. There are plenty of people who use the ship P&P's with no problems.

 

I have yet to have anyone make any anti-child comments to my face. In fact, my experience has been the opposite. Many people came over to talk to my daughter and ask her age etc. I think a lot of people on cruise critic feel comfortable being rude because of the anonymity. Most of them wouldn't have the guts to make those comments in person.

[cryce]

We are taking our 6.5 month old on Mariner in a few weeks so I can report back to you after our cruise with any tips or insight.

 

We are bringing our own pack n play - we are staying overnight in LA before the cruise and the hotel can't "guarantee" that they will have a crib available for us. So we'll lug ours down. Maybe it's silly but I just wouldn't want him sleeping in the ship's one anyways for cleanliness reasons.

 

Just a tip - I found a padded, organic cotton mattress cover for our pack n play (fits like a fitted sheet) that helps make the mattress a little more comfy. It folds into a little carrying case for travel. Whether you bring your own or use theirs, it's a nice touch.

[AlohaGirlAtHeart]

Wow, sounds like some people really hate to see families cruising together, how sad...

 

Are infants really not allowed in the pool? Is this for all ships/cruises or only specific ones? How old do they have to be to swim?

[hbsprite]

Anybody have any good advice for us? Should we take our own pack n play of should we use the ships? I'm just concerned on the cleanliness! Have any other passengers made rude comments about bringing an infant or is everybody pretty cool about it?

We took our 6 month old on a Carnival cruise when he was 4 days past the allowed age. We didn't experience any rude behavior directed at us because we had a baby. Quite the opposite, in fact. Most people stopped to coo over him and ask about him.

 

We brought a small (3 feet diameter) inflatable pool with us, found an out of the way area with some lounge chairs, and filled up the pool to let our little one splash in. That kept him occupied for hours and allowed us some time to relax and read.

 

Dinner for us was the most difficult, as he was not old enough (at 6 months) to sit in a high chair so we brought him in his infant car seat. For obvious reasons, he wasn't too happy to sit in his car seat for 2 hours during dinner. On most nights, we would simply switch off. One person would hold him while the other ate, and vice versa.

[Carolin]

Wow, sounds like some people really hate to see families cruising together, how sad...

 

Are infants really not allowed in the pool? Is this for all ships/cruises or only specific ones? How old do they have to be to swim?

 

Your child will need to be potty trained to use the pools. No swim diapers.

[crusinmama06]

Wow, sounds like some people really hate to see families cruising together, how sad...

 

Are infants really not allowed in the pool? Is this for all ships/cruises or only specific ones? How old do they have to be to swim?

 

The cruise lines are mandated not to allow babies in pools.

 

There are 6 ships that have baby water splash areas and that's it. So if this is important to you, then make sure you book on one of these ships...Disney Wonder & Magic, Royal Caribbean Freedom/Liberty/Independence/& Oasis of the Seas. They are the only ones that have the variance to allow non-potty trained infants/toddlers in one baby splash area.

[beachchick]

Wow, sounds like some people really hate to see families cruising together, how sad...

 

Are infants really not allowed in the pool? Is this for all ships/cruises or only specific ones? How old do they have to be to swim?

 

Most people think it's great to see families with children cruising together. (I specify "families with children" only because that isn't the only definition of family.) What most people do not like is when parents do not take care of their children (like allowing babies to scream and scream in the dining room or other public spaces without removing them from the area) or when they decide cruising = a break from parenting (e.g., allowing their children to run around the dining room or theater, etc. and basically letting them do whatever the heck they want with no consequences and no thought for how it affects the other passengers). We've been lucky to never experience truly bad behavior by children onboard, but if we did, we'd be more likely to blame the parents who haven't bothered to actually be parents.

 

As for pools, crusinmama06 is (as usual) spot on. It's not anything to do with age, but rather with potty training. Swim diapers are not allowed in cruise ship pools because they are much smaller than most land pools, not heavily treated like public pools, and swim diapers do not keep in bacteria and other pathogens, just "solid" matter.

 

beachchick

[kitty9]

Tacori, you mentioned that you're only getting off at Cabo, but be prepared. On my last two cruises the water was so rough that they did not permit anyone in wheelchairs or with infants younger than 1 to use the tenders. They said it was too dangerous.

 

The only time we've said anything about infants was when we were next door to a family with twins who cried every single night between the times of 2am and 6am. Don't know if the parents tried to do anything but those kids sure had a set of lungs on them. We didn't get much sleep at all on that cruise. Otherwise, there's no problem with bringing an infant on a cruise.

[Travalerie]

We used coverplay for our last cruise. We had enough stuff to bring so finding this was worth the $50! It has breathable sides. It really put me at ease. I then just used a pillow case over the pad and was good to go.

www.coverplayard.com