Dining with baby

[EugeneD]

It's been a while since I bought my upcoming RCI cruise, but I think baby in tow meant having to opt for the early dinner seating. Can someone confirm that being the only option? I can of course appreciate the late diners wanting time away from kids, and am happy to confom, if that's the case. Also, silly question, but are strollers allowed -- or do you have to use the high chair? Again, if strollers block the path of waiters, no problem, happy to conform, just wanted to mentally prepare.

 

Also a little worried about making the early time on port days, would we have time to change, feed her (she's mostly breasfed), and still make our early seating, etc.. I imagine you can't be more than 10-15min late, or there won't be enough time to clear tables for the late diners, correct? If you miss it by more than that, I imagine your only option then would be the Windjammer? In the past, we've always done anytime dining / freestyle cruising / as you wish dining on HAL, Norwegian, Princess respectively -- so we didn't have to think about it.

 

Thanks.

[sharktums]

You may want to post your questions on the 'Family Board' as you'll get responses to your actual questions as opposed to a bunch of people that will just tell you to leave the baby at home!!!

 

That being said, you can choose any seating, as long as you are courteous to those around you, the baby is not a big deal. Depending on your seating arrangements you will probably be able to bring the stroller, again just check out your assigned table before dinner and see if it will work.

 

Depending on the ship you still may be able to choose My Time Dining instead of traditional. Also, depending on the age of the baby in room babysitting (or the nursery if you're on Oasis) is an option if you'd like to have a baby-free dinner.

 

I would never be more than 10 minutes late to dinner, it's such an inconvenience to your wait staff and the other tables they are serving as well.

[massfriends]

Switch to My Time Dining...it would be perfect for your situation. You can go to the dining room any time between 6 pm and 9:30 pm. You can request a table for 2 and they will seat you at a location where the stroller won't be a problem...:)

 

Have a great cruise!

[njoyndride]

Just went with friends who had a 14mo baby. We did MTD with a 6:45 dining time. It was late enough no rush coming back from port and early enough for the little one. There would have been plenty of room for a stroller but she spent the entire dinner in a highchair being treated like the princess that she is by the wait staff. It was a very good experience for everyone.

[crusinmama06]

I agree with everyone else. Switch to My Time Dining. Then you won't have to worry about the rest of it. ;)

 

To answer a few of your questions, no there is no rule that babies/kids have to do Main Seating. For my family, its easier to do Main because the kids would be asleep in their soup in they had to wait till Late Seating. But in your case, it might be a benefit for the baby to be sleeping during dinner. :)

 

Being late to dinner not only throws your table off the schedule but also the entire section. So you want to try to be on time if you stick with Main Seating.

 

I have seen strollers parked out in the hallway in front of the doors but that doesn't mean that there wasn't room. The parents had the tots sitting in high chairs.

[Ken Greco]

After ten cruises I understand your question about dining with your baby but you must understand that the dining rooms are very crowded and people sit near each other. If you baby cans sit for the hour to 1/2 hour without complaining bring him or her along. But if the baby starts making a fuss and crying for the entire time of the dinner; its best you eat in anther place on the ship. It is just difficult to have a conversation with strangers when there are babies crying right next to you.

[Morecruisesplz]

After ten cruises I understand your question about dining with your baby but you must understand that the dining rooms are very crowded and people sit near each other. If you baby cans sit for the hour to 1/2 hour without complaining bring him or her along. But if the baby starts making a fuss and crying for the entire time of the dinner; its best you eat in anther place on the ship. It is just difficult to have a conversation with strangers when there are babies crying right next to you.

 

Maybe you should ask for a table for 2 if you are concerned? The baby paid the same price for the cruise you did and he/she isn't even getting to enjoy the Caribbean chicken! (How in the world would a parent know before dinner if the child was going to cry the entire time, maybe for just 10 minutes or not at all?)

[cryce]

We are cruising in 3 weeks with our 6 month old. We have 6pm seating. We are planning to use the highchairs provided. We have a large extended family traveling with us so lots of willing laps to keep him entertained. We will keep him at the table for as long as he is happy, and then one of us will probably sneak away before dessert to take him back to the cabin and settle him for the night as he's got a fairly well established bedtime routine that we will try to keep to.

 

Of course, if he had a major meltdown we would leave promptly. Not only for the sake of others enjoying their dinner, but we surely won't be enjoying ourselves if he's fussy.

 

Fingers crossed this goes OK for us.

[Morecruisesplz]

We are cruising in 3 weeks with our 6 month old. We have 6pm seating. We are planning to use the highchairs provided. We have a large extended family traveling with us so lots of willing laps to keep him entertained. We will keep him at the table for as long as he is happy, and then one of us will probably sneak away before dessert to take him back to the cabin and settle him for the night as he's got a fairly well established bedtime routine that we will try to keep to.

 

Of course, if he had a major meltdown we would leave promptly. Not only for the sake of others enjoying their dinner, but we surely won't be enjoying ourselves if he's fussy.

 

Fingers crossed this goes OK for us.

 

Thank you. And I doubt you would need another cc poster to tell you when to take your baby from the table. (Some people just like to rule the world. We have 5 grandchildren from 22 months to 10 and enjoy cruising with them. Those who think cruise ships are just for adults are wrong.)

[StaceyCT]

Those who think cruise ships are just for adults are wrong.

 

Thanks for sticking up for us cruising families, FredMD. And you're right, babies pay the same for the cruise as anyone else - no child discount on RCCL!

 

Those of us with kids were child-free at some point, and we do recall not being fond of others' crying babies (heck, sometimes we're not too crazy about our own kids when they're throwing a fit ;)).

 

Trust that the parents will take reasonable care of their kids, and also trust that on a ship of 2000-3000, there will be some children onboard. Also some rude people of all ages - try not to get your knickers in a knot :).

[temple1]

I have rarely heard a crying child in the dining room or Windjammer while on a cruise so I don't think it is the problem some are trying to imply.

 

For your original question about early vs late, the other option as others pointed out is the MTD. That way you and your family can work out what time is best for all of you. That also allows members of your group to dine at a different time if they have plans different from the rest of the family one night.

[threecats]

Those of us with kids were child-free at some point, and we do recall not being fond of others' crying babies (heck, sometimes we're not too crazy about our own kids when they're throwing a fit ;)).

Unfortunately, that doesn't always seem to be the case.;)

 

To the original question, I think you should go with whatever fits your and your baby's needs best, regardless of what others think is the appropriate time. From observing friends and their children, it seems to me, that most babies travel best, if their eating and sleeping schedule stays close to what they are at home. So, if his/her dinner time at home is 6 pm, go with main seating. If it's closer to 8 pm, go with late seating. Or, to be really flexible, MTD might be the best choice, as others have suggested. If you go with fixed seating, it might be a good idea to see the Maitre D' after boarding, to make sure there is enough room at your table to park the stroller. They can always switch you to a better suited location, if necessary.

 

Just be considerate to those around you, please, and leave the dining room, if the baby should start fussing during dinner.:)

[threecats]

I just re-read the original post, and it seems you do NOT want/need to feed the baby during dinner. So my suggestions don't quite fit:o, but I think you get the idea to choose whatever works best for you.

[threecats]

I have seen early seating as early as 5:45 pm on some ships, so you might really be better off with MTD. I am sure the stroller will be no problem, as they don't take up more space than a wheel chair, which can be accomodated, just not at all tables.

[steponboard]

 

I imagine you can't be more than 10-15min late, or there won't be enough time to clear tables for the late diners, correct? If you miss it by more than that, I imagine your only option then would be the Windjammer?

 

Thanks.

Be ontime, there is no grace period and you hold up the waiter who has 16 people to take orders from and serve.

[EugeneD]

I just re-read the original post, and it seems you do NOT want/need to feed the baby during dinner. So my suggestions don't quite fit:o, but I think you get the idea to choose whatever works best for you.

 

Correct -- she will eat at 5:30p and again at 8:30-9pm as per her land schedule. She goes to bed around 9:30p.

 

Funny, I remember replying to this effect this morning, but my post seems to have been deleted.

 

Anyway, thanks all for the tips on stroller, she definitely still prefers that to the high chair. And thanks for the tips to go with MTD -- either I was not sure RCI had this option, or our TA led me to believe I was ineligible for this option with a baby. My TA today told me to just call RCI directly, which I will try to do again (need to dig up that booking#).

 

PS -- that's one of the reasons for posting here vs. family forum, is I couldn't remember what RCI's policy would be for strollers & MTD w/baby, etc. But I have since been reading that board for more general advice -- thanks for that tip as well.

[EugeneD]

Be ontime, there is no grace period and you hold up the waiter who has 16 people to take orders from and serve.

 

 

Thanks -- we have a party of 6, and planned to try getting our own table, but I didn't realize even then, other diners nearby are going to be held up by being 10-15min late. I've never had assigned fixed time seating before -- used to freestyle aka anytime dining. So forgive my ignorance -- I certainly woudn't want to disrupt the flow. It sounds like with 6 people, baby, and our accustomed to freestyle, I absolutely need to try to change to MTD.

[temple1]

Thanks -- we have a party of 6, and planned to try getting our own table, but I didn't realize even then, other diners nearby are going to be held up by being 10-15min late. I've never had assigned fixed time seating before -- used to freestyle aka anytime dining. So forgive my ignorance -- I certainly woudn't want to disrupt the flow. It sounds like with 6 people, baby, and our accustomed to freestyle, I absolutely need to try to change to MTD.

 

You won't be holding up the other tables in the section, but you will be throwing the service team off by being on a different schedule.

 

The TA might not have brought up MTD because you are required to prepay gratuities. That means for all in your party.

 

For your stroller - I would stop by the MTD station when I board and discuss with the maitre d the best way to handle seating. You're correct about worrying about the stroller being in the way - and as a former waitress, I always worried about people who put strollers at the end of a table or a baby carrier on a bench seat because of a fear I would drop or spill something on the child. The staff can work with you for the most comfortable way to seat your family.

[beachlovergirl]

On our last cruise I overheard the maitre d telling a couple with a baby stroller that the strollers were not allowed in the dining rooms.

[truffles2]

I have rarely heard a crying child in the dining room or Windjammer while on a cruise so I don't think it is the problem some are trying to imply.

 

 

Since you have rarely heard one, you cannot imagine how annoying it can be. Last cruise on Freedom there was a crying toddler close to us who screamed the entire time--every night. The parents were oblivious. The surrounding tables were furious.

[SingingPixie]

Since you have rarely heard one, you cannot imagine how annoying it can be. Last cruise on Freedom there was a crying toddler close to us who screamed the entire time--every night. The parents were oblivious. The surrounding tables were furious.

 

I can't imagine that the parents of the child in question would be the type to ask questions on a message board about how best to handle their child in the dining room without inconveniencing others. The very fact that the OP is asking for this type of advice indicates that he isn't the type of parent to be oblivious to his screaming child's effect on those around them.

[RetireeWannabee]

Since you have rarely heard one, you cannot imagine how annoying it can be. Last cruise on Freedom there was a crying toddler close to us who screamed the entire time--every night. The parents were oblivious. The surrounding tables were furious.

 

No one said anything to this family after it continued night after night? Well, then, those surrounding tables got what they failed to prevent and/or correct.

[bplazo]

No one said anything to this family after it continued night after night? Well, then, those surrounding tables got what they failed to prevent and/or correct.

 

Just curious, what should one do in this situation?

[threecats]

No one said anything to this family after it continued night after night? Well, then, those surrounding tables got what they failed to prevent and/or correct.

If the parents didn't act of their own accord, there was very little others could have done. They were probably the same kind as my brother, who scolded everybody, that tried to coax his brat out of one of his public screaming fits, with the words "my son is allowed to scream".:eek: Luckily, most parents have more sense than that.:)

[temple1]

Just curious, what should one do in this situation?

 

Thge only thing that can be done, won't be done. People in the area should speak to the head waiter or maitre d about the child. The staff should politely suggest to the parents that they could take the little one for a walk. But we all know they won't.