Cruise Review and recent experience traveling with kids < 3 years old / Family Suite

[wendyvp]

Below is a review I just posted on the Royal Caribbean board but thought it might be appropriate for the family cruising thread too.......... See parts about Voyagers Aqua Babies & Tots Programs / In Cabin babysitting / Royal Family Suite. I haven't brought our boys on a different cruise line yet so it is completely about our recent experience on Royal Caribbean, but it may help someone :)

Here is my quick review from the Royal Caribbean Voyager 5/20 sailing to the Western Caribbean. Please let me know if you have any questions. This was my 6th cruise on RCCL and 2nd on the Voyager. I traveled with my husband (both of us mid 30’s), my mother and my two sons (2.5 and 1 years old).

 

Departure on Friday May 20 – We traveled from near Albany, NY down to the Bayonne port easily by car within 3 hours. It was simple to find, easy to drop off bags/people and convenient parking. My husband took the shuttle bus back to the check-in terminal because it was raining, but it is within walking distance. We went through the x-ray machines and checked in with the priority desk (because we are platinum members and had a suite), but I think it would have been easier in the regular lines. The person that checked us in was new (2nd day I believe) and had us filling out additional paperwork, even though it was already completed online beforehand. But shortly we were on our way to the ship via the shuttle bus.

 

Stateroom – We had a Royal Family Suite (cabin 9394) in the aft of the ship. It was ready before 1:00 PM. It is a nice cabin with lots of room to hold the five of us. It is not very “suite-like” though. Meaning that it doesn’t look very pretty – basically like any other outside or inside rooms (not like the more upscale suites). But it does have a lot of storage room (a walk in closet), two bathrooms (one off the master bedroom with tub and one off the hall), a good size living area, nice size master bedroom with ample closet space, small 2nd bedroom but room for 4 single beds (including the pull-down beds – no TV though), table with chairs and a large balcony. My mother and oldest son stayed in the master bedroom (they had to share the king size bed since it doesn’t break apart) and we took the smaller bedroom and put in a ship’s pack-n-play for our youngest son with us. It all fit fine. The balcony is quite large with lots of chairs and a table. It is sort of divided but much larger than we ever had before. We got lots of sun back there too, but not a lot of wind to make it cooler on the hot days. I do have to say that after a couple days we noticed quite a lot of soot on the chairs. Our porter, Victor, did not clean them off (I don’t think he ever went out on the balcony). But we didn’t ask him too. We should have, but instead put towels down on the chairs we wanted to sit on. And the furniture on our balcony has certainly seen better days. Other balconies near us looked like they had newer furniture but I shouldn’t complain at all since we were lucky to get this cabin. We could see easily into the balconies below us and the ones above us had a nice view of us, but that was fine. It was a hike to the elevators but with the amount of food we ate, we needed that. Overall we enjoyed the room with the extra space. The kids could sleep in the bedrooms while the adults stayed up later in the living room. It was hard to do that in a regular room.

 

Food – We enjoyed the food, especially in the dining room. It wasn’t outstanding but still very good (especially the appetizers). My husband, who doesn’t usually overindulge on food (maybe it is my cooking!) actually got a second entrée almost every night. Our waiter and assistant waiter were great and frequently anticipated what we’d like before we ever asked. We were in the Magic Flute dining room on the fifth floor. I have sat on the main floor (3rd) before and think I prefer that, but this was nice too. We didn’t bring our children to the dining room any of the evenings (see babysitter section below), but many parents did and everyone seems very well behaved. We enjoyed having the adult time with our tablemates (which were great!). We went to the Windjammer each day for lunch, which was fine but a bit tiring by the last day. There were some long lines on some days with some slow people, but you just had to remember you were on vacation and certainly not in any rush. I heard the dining room had a great breakfast, but we opted to get room service each morning. The last morning we went to the windjammer (no room service available) and did enjoy it.

 

Attire - We had two formal nights (Sat and Thurs) and the rest were listed as casual. There were not any smart casual nights for us, which was surprising since our documentation listed there would be two such nights and we packed accordingly. Most people dressed nicely with only a few exceptions of people wearing jeans or shorts in the dining room (unfortunately no on stopped them with this).

 

Illness – We know that there were several dozen people sick on the ship with us but didn’t see any. And publicly didn’t announce that anyone was sick. Health information was put into the Cruise Compass each day as a reminder though. They were very vigilant about making sure you sanitized your hands before entering any of the dining rooms. It always created very long lines to enter the dining rooms (they need more sanitizing machines) but it is a small price to pay to avoid getting sick. We also saw a lot of the crew cleaning the common areas (handle bars, elevator buttons, etc.). We heard that they were almost going to cancel the midnight buffet because illnesses, but gladly they didn’t. They did cancel one of the dancer/singer shows because of many “injuries” but I had heard it was due to the illness getting around. But again, we didn’t worry too much about it and just washed our hands frequently.

 

Ports – We had been to most of the ports before (except Freeport), and had done most of the main attractions, so we didn’t book any excursions. Instead we got taxis and saw some different sights and beaches.

 

Labadee – Our young boys really enjoyed the new splash park they added ($5 per kid for the day). It wasn’t huge but perfect for the young set. And we rented floats ($10 each) for the ocean. RCCL also puts on a nice BBQ. We really enjoy that island.

 

Ocho Rios – We opted to go to the Dolphin Cove for a couple hours to see the dolphins and other animals. They didn’t have any swims or touch reservations left (we should have booked through the ship), so we walked through the Tropical Trail to see the lizards, birds, goats, etc – which the boys enjoyed. And then we went for a little swim in the water, but it was very rocky and I would recommend water shoes. It is a tiny beach but OK. I wouldn’t plan on spending much time there but it helped on a very hot day. I think the Falls are the best to visit (without little kids) but we had done that on a previous cruise. After lunch back on the ship, my children stayed with their grandmother and my husband and I went back to out visit Margaritaville and the shops nearby. That was a fun experience – mostly young drunk people from the Princess ship that was also docked that day in port.

 

Georgetown, Grand Cayman – Anyone that hasn’t been there before, I would highly recommend doing the stingray excursion and getting in the water with them. We did that on the last cruise and it was wonderful! This time we went to the turtle farm by taxi (not too big, ½ hour stop, but you can pick up some of the turtles). Then we played in the water at the Seven Mile Beach (across the street from the Marriott Courtyard) for an hour or so. The island was really hit from the hurricane and you can still see lots of damage, but the main tourist areas and shops look nice and are up and running.

 

Grand Bahama Island – We took a taxi to Lacaya Beach and went shopping and to the beach for a couple hours. It is a nice beach (much rougher than Labadee or Ocho Rios) but still pretty. We had to be back on the ship by 1 PM that day, since it was a short stop.

 

If you book through the ship, make sure you do it early or online beforehand. We checked a couple days before a port and most were already booked up.

 

Ship - There really is a lot to do on this ship. We ended up doing more relaxing than activities this time though. My husband did the rock wall last time and really enjoyed the sports bar. My mother went to all the art auctions and got some great pieces.

 

Aqua Tots / Aqua Babies – Since I have two children under the age of three they couldn’t participate in any of the main kid’s programs. But RCCL did have 45 minute classes each day. My youngest (13 months old) went to a class at 9:30 AM with me in the High Note lounge on the 14th floor, and then I switched kids with my husband and brought my oldest to the next class at 10:30. They offer the classes every day – even when we are at port but I heard not many show up on those days (we didn’t). It was nice to get a chance to have the boys play with other kids their age, but the classes are a bit less structured than they could be. They do a song, read a book for the Tot classes and then bring out some Fisher Price toys to play with. About 10-15 minutes later, they would change toys, and then do it again a little while later. Then the tots got to color at the end and all had a song to sing. They do have different toys each day (based on a theme). I recommended to them afterwards that they might want to add a couple more songs, games, etc., since it seemed like the kids get bored playing with the same toys for such a long time (a phone or truck can only last so long). But overall I am glad they at least added this program and it was fun for the boys to play with different toys and the other kids. And for the parents to get a chance to talk during this time too. They put a little aqua babies/tots “compass” with the next day’s activity in your room each night, so you can see what the theme is and what toys they are going to play with and playtips for home.

 

Shows – The Comedian Tony Daro was funny. We liked his humor. The second night was the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. My husband yawns at these shows, but they do put on a decent show. The Quest game was hilarious, but I would recommend getting there early. It is very popular. The Love and Marriage show was really funny too. Night five was the ice show for us, which was wonderful! Another night was Greg Bonham, who is an energetic singer and trumpet player. The magicians were amusing (very 80ish in style) but entertaining. RCCL cancelled the Rhythm & Rhyme dance/singing show – and brought in Jeff Harris, the juggler, a night early. He was good and funny but it was a lot of juggling. The last night was the comedian Jim McCue which my husband recognized and thought was funny (I thought he was OK). He had a lot of one-liners and fed off asking the audience their occupations, etc. They also showed part of the Cruise in Review DVD and brought a lot of the crew up on stage.

 

I did hear (maybe just a rumor) but due to the injuries/illness/whatever with the dancers/singers that they were canceling all these type of shows on the next Bermuda sailing that left today.

 

CyberCabin – We brought a laptop and tried to get this working ($120 for the nine night cruise) but it just didn’t happen. We got tech support to try to help us but it may have been our laptop (incompatibility). Who knows. We did hear others that had similar problems. We ended up just using the regular computers to check e-mail. We did return the cybercabin kit for a full refund the second day when we gave up.

 

In Cabin Babysitters – We opted to get a babysitter each night from 6PM to 10PM so we can go to the dining room and shows without the boys. This gives us lots of family time each day and a couple hours of undivided attention for them from someone else who gives them dinner (we get room service for them), gives the a bath and puts them to bed around 8 PM. Everyone seems to enjoy it. We had the same great babysitter for each night (Edita), so it was consistent for us and the kids. My mother watched the boys after 10 PM on a few nights so we could go out and get a drink or see a game show. The babysitter cost for the two boys was $8 per hour, but we tipped her a bit more each night.

 

Concierge Service – This was the first time we got to enjoy the concierge service and lounge. It is a nice room with comfy chairs, appetizers and drinks from 5:30 – 8:30 and a great concierge gentleman named Drazen. He was a great help to us (excursion advice, earlier departure times, etc.) and just a pleasure to talk to. They also have continental breakfast in there and DVDs/CD’s to rent. There was a DVD player in our room so we got one for the kids. Get there early in the cruise for that since the DVDs go fast and there isn’t a set return date. We stopped into the lounge each evening after dinner for a drink and to read a magazine before heading to the show. We also got some treats in our cabin a couple nights because of our suite status (chocolate covered strawberries, fruit plate, etc.).

 

Departure from ship – We hit the windjammer for breakfast around 7:30 and were out of the room by 8 AM. We got to wait in the Magic Flute Dining Room (due to platinum status) and were off the ship around 9:30. We had the earliest departure status, which was lucky. We got the shuttle to the warehouse with the baggage to find our bags and go through customs. That place is quite a mess but it is organized by departure color. However every bag is black and very hard to distinguish. I would recommend getting color bands, or bright labels or something so you can find your bags easier. There were porters there to bring the luggage out front which was helpful. My husband ran to get the car and we were quickly loaded up and on the road. Besides trying to find our black suitcases (I think I am going out to buy yellow bags soon), and a bit of a wait to clear the ship with customs so everyone could get off, it wasn’t too bad. We were home in upstate NY by 12:30 PM.

 

Overall it was a nice cruise on a great ship and we are looking forward to our next one soon.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Wendy

[Terpnut]

Our family had the same cabin on Explorer in 9/01, travelled with our 9 mo old son & 2 1/2 yr old daughter and my parents, so we know EXACTLY what it's like to travel with two little ones! :D

[JCSM-Mom]

Thanks for the information on the AquaTots. I was planning on taking my two kids when I travel in November. My DD will be 17.5 months and my Son 3, I was planning on just taking them both to Aquatots (even though they say 18 months), do you think this will work? I was thinking the aquababies may be a bit too 'baby' (if there is such a thing) for a 17.5 month old! Plus, we could all be together.

 

I am also planning on having an in room babysitter each night. Glad to hear it work out. I was going to take my kids to the buffet or order room service and have the sitter come around 7, but I'm wondering if I should have her come sooner so I have time to get ready myself....hmmmm.

[wendyvp]

jcb-mommy -

 

i think the AquaTots class would work for both your children. I agree that the AquaBabies class may be too young for your 17.5 month old. They don't have a list of kids and their ages nor do you have to sign-up ahead of time. You just show up on the days you want to.

 

I went to the earlier dinner (6 pm) so I had the babysitter come right when we wanted to leave and she gave my kids their dinner (i ordered it from room service beforehand). But if you think it may be too crazy beforehand, it might be nice to have a few minutes to get ready. Plus you'll have some time to watch the babysitter and your children play together.

 

Have a great time!

wendy

[JCSM-Mom]

I am signed up for late seating dinner (is it 8 or 8:30?), anyway, I thought I could have the kids mostly settled by then.

 

Good idea on 'watching' the interaction a bit before I leave. I can tell right away if my son doesn't like someone (he usually likes pretty much everyone). That's the great part about toddlers, they don't bother hiding their true feelings about things!

[ILvBeingMom]

Wendy,

We will be going on the VOS in Jan, staying in same cabin. I've heard that you have a minibar with free water and soda in that cabin. Is that true?

[wendyvp]

ILvBeingMom -

 

We had a normal fridge/cooler in the living room. I don't think it was much bigger than fridges in other cabins (two or three little shelves). And it wasn't extremely cold, but cool enough to keep the kid's milk and water cool. As far as the water/soda being free, I wasn't aware of this. Our stateroom attendant said we could remove the contents of the fridge so we could keep the boy's snacks/drinks in there, and he didn't mention anything being free. I also didn't see any sign or memo indicating that either. If it was, we missed out! Since we didn't end up using the original RCCL drinks, we couldn't compare the costs on our bill.

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise. It is a great cabin for a family or group. We are going on the Explorer in June and didn't book early enough to grab one of these cabins. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy!

 

Wendy

[ILvBeingMom]

Hi Wendy,

 

Was curious if you stayed on deck for the sail away party or went inside to watch the parade I've heard so much about on the sites?

 

Do they have several parades during the week.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

Laurie:D

[wendyvp]

Laurie -

 

We actually sailed during dinner time (early seating), but my husband went up on deck to take pictures of us going under the bridge in NY. It was amazing. And the welcome parade was later on that night, I believe. We did see the Mardi Gras parade too in the promenade. The promenade is such a great feature of the ship. We are going on the Explorer in June to the eastern caribbean out of NY and even though it is almost the same as the Voyager, we are excited just to be back on that type of ship. It definitely spoils you. Enjoy your cruise and let me know if you have any more questions.

 

wendy

[ILvBeingMom]

Wendy,

 

I'm sorry to keep bothering you...my kids actually have a question. They are excited at the fact that there is an ice cream bar....is this one of the extras? Or is it include in our price of the cruise?

 

What about a coffee place? Do they have one that's included or is it extra?

 

I know that they have a place where the kids can get pizza (have been reading out that).

 

Thanks again for your help. Can't wait to hear about your explorer trip!

 

Laurie:)

[wendyvp]

Laurie - The last time I was on the Voyager there was a free frozen yogurt machine up on the pool deck. I don't know if it had sprinkles or anything else to make sundaes. My son enjoyed going up on deck each afternoon with his grandmother to get their special treat. The machine used to be down in the Promenade but it moved up and is in a lttle more remote location now. It wasn't very elaborate (just a machine in a corner) but served its purpose. They also sell Ben & Jerry's ice cream in the Cafe Promenade. Not sure of the price, but not included in the cruise fare.

 

The Voyager served free coffee & tea again in the Cafe Promenade (along with the best oatmeal/raisen cookies! and other treats/sandwiches), but also offered a premium blend there for a premium cost (again, don't remember the cost). My husband did just fine with the free stuff.

 

No problem with all the questions. I enjoy reliving the cruise and can't wait for the next!

 

wendy