Celebrity reflection with a 22 month old?

[thebooth]

My husband and I are trying to decide what to do on spring break this year and Reflection seems to have some great deals. I was wondering since Celebrity tends to be a more mature crowd, if it's appropriate to bring a 22 month old. Also, do you know if they have a splash pool for kids that are not potty trained (like RC does)?

[turning46]

Well, people who adore children and people who, well, dont, come in all age groups, so I wouldn't necessarily say Celebrity is out because of it's "mature" clientele. There are plenty of doting grandparent types who love seeing the little ones toddle around.

 

However, there will probably be fewer other young families on board. As far as a splash pool, I believe some people have seen staff bring out shallow "kiddy pools" for toddlers. You may have to ask a pool attendant for one.

 

Good luck, and have a fun vacation, whatever you decide.

[kitty9]

There is no pool on Celebrity like on RCI. If not trained, no swimming.

 

Unfortunately, there is no kids program for a 22 month old. And yes, there is no problem bringing a child that age on the ship. Just realize that unlike other lines where they have the age of 2 for kid's programs, Celebrity does not. They have toddler time, for about 45 minutes per day, where you can take the child to the kid's area, but you stay with them.

[20pluscruises]

My husband and I are trying to decide what to do on spring break this year and Reflection seems to have some great deals. I was wondering since Celebrity tends to be a more mature crowd, if it's appropriate to bring a 22 month old. Also, do you know if they have a splash pool for kids that are not potty trained (like RC does)?

 

While there is no kid zone for that age, they do have babysitters (for a price) if you need a bit of time alone. They also have a blow up pool they will bring out to the pool side by request.

Edited January 14, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[20pluscruises]

There is no pool on Celebrity like on RCI. If not trained, no swimming.

 

Unfortunately, there is no kids program for a 22 month old. And yes, there is no problem bringing a child that age on the ship. Just realize that unlike other lines where they have the age of 2 for kid's programs, Celebrity does not. They have toddler time, for about 45 minutes per day, where you can take the child to the kid's area, but you stay with them.

 

I also want say thank you for being so considerate of your fellow passangers in regards to the pools / hot tubs.

 

FYI...ask ahead of time for the blow up pool...they will fill it early in the morning so the water has time to warm up a bit. On the reflection the size of the blow up was (guestimate) 4 ft by 1 ft deep...they do not fill it to high.

[WestLakeGirl]

Lots of good tips can be found on the Family Board, too

[Bababooey Land]

My husband and I are trying to decide what to do on spring break this year and Reflection seems to have some great deals. I was wondering since Celebrity tends to be a more mature crowd, if it's appropriate to bring a 22 month old. Also, do you know if they have a splash pool for kids that are not potty trained (like RC does)?

 

we have taken celebrity several times with young kids. perfectly ok. there is no splash pool. they do have toddler time at least 1x per day and will also let you check out toys. babysitting is not guaranteed and by request only once you get on the ship.

 

good luck and enjoy!

[deise17311]

Just a thought...most cruise lines are having sales these days and there are so many choices that are super kid friendly (Disney, carnival,RCCL) why not save yourself the stress and go there....we are on Reflection now with 70 children....it's seems an older crowd (which we like)

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Celebrity is a great cruise line but not so much for the under three crowd. They can't take part in the Fun Factory yet and won't be able to use the pools. I would recommend Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and the Freedom Class Royal Ships for this age because they do offer a babysitting program called Royal Tots, there is a waterplay area for kids in diapers and it is just a more casual, noisier ship where you won't feel out of place with a tot. That would be my suggestion.

Edited January 14, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[phoenix_dream]

My opinion (and I have been sailing with my now 27 year old son since he was 3) is that it is certainly possible to sail with a 2 year old on Celebrity, but it is not the best choice. You will get the assistance you need from the staff, but they really don't cater to young children, and you will definitely be in the minority if that matters to you. On these boards you may get some vehement (and possibly less than polite) requests to keep your kid off the ship as Celebrity is known (and desired) for their more upscale, refined atmosphere, but that aside, as a mother of a highly cruised child myself I honestly feel a better choice is a more child friendly line. But if you decide to choose Celebrity, I'm sure you can work it out. It is a great cruise line.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Yeah my advice is coming from a parent who did sail Celebrity with her son at age six months, thirteen months and then took a break from cruising because it ceased to be enjoyable for Mom! I didn't take him on another cruise until he was 3 and 3/4 years old. That one worked out well and we have cruised Celebrity again and again. Once the child is old enough to go to the Fun Factory- you'll love Celebrity. Your child will never want to leave that place. I think they put crack cocaine in the punch! Just kidding. The kids are addicted to the Fun Factory. I think it's the best program at sea and my son concurs. Now that he is older and has been on various cruise lines- he says Celebrity is the perfect mix of fun and relaxation! That's coming from a thirteen year old.

[BKFlowerMound]

I think Celebrity is a great cruise line for families with children -- particularly during school vacation time like Spring Break when there will be hundreds of children on board. But . . . the kids clubs do not accept children under three and even then they have to be fully potty trained. So, if it were me, I would wait to experience Celebrity until your little one gets to be 10 months older.

 

I'm not suggesting that you're going to want to park your child in the kids club the whole time on board. But the clubs -- on all of the family lines (including Celebrity) -- are fun for kids; places that the kids want to be. With no splash pool available and no kids club, your child will be totally dependent upon you for entertainment. You need a break and a vacation too. While I hate it when people suggest another cruise line (which some do for what I consider to be evil purposes), you might want to consider another line that offers more options for a toddler.

[luv2brk]

We sailed on the solstice when our little guy was 18 months old. I did some research at the time and none of the cruise lines offered organized activities for the under two crowd. Kids in diapers are also not allowed in pools on any cruise line. Basically we chose celebrity for us and we were happy we did. We aren't really carnival people and royal Caribbean would have been fine but much more expensive. I read through the reviews and understood celebrity to not be very kid friendly but once we were aboard we didn't feel that way AT ALL!

 

Celebrity does allow you to accompany your child while they play at the kids club. If possible I would highly recommend a balcony room. We bought a small blow up pool (the kind that fit into bath tubs)and spent tons of time on our balcony. The staff were tripping over themselves to accommodate our little boy and literally followed him thru the ship. We found a lot of staff that had kids around his age at home and just wanted to be around him. It made my heart sink a bit and he had to warm up to the attention. Our dining room servers had milk and a special snack/appetizer at the table when we showed up. We didn't make it thru dessert most nights but that was mostly not to push him since he did about an hour to an hour an a half very well. On port days he had the grassy area completely to himself which was just awesome for him. We really did keep him mostly out of sight bc like I said he is very active and we are considerate of others. We did have a wonderful time. Of course traveling anywhere with a toddler is an experience!

[cruisinforabruising]

My wife and I took our 10 month old on the Reflection last year and had a great time. We were unable to use the sitter service because he was too you but that's what grandpa was for. The staff went out of their way to accommodate us to the point where they puréed fresh baby food for him. We got an alcove for 2 days and rented out (free) some toys from the kids area and he had a ball on the grass. Take advantage of the sitter service and have a formal night to yourself. Get a small inflatable pool for your child and the staff will have no problem filling it. Most of adjust your expectations on what you are going to be able to do and you will have a great time. We understood that there may be nights that we couldn't eat at the MDR and had a great time at the buffet. Enjoy.

[teecee60]

Once the child is old enough to go to the Fun Factory- you'll love Celebrity. Your child will never want to leave that place. I think it's the best program at sea and my son concurs. Now that he is older and has been on various cruise lines- he says Celebrity is the perfect mix of fun and relaxation! That's coming from a thirteen year old.

 

Your son seems to have developed a superior sense of discernment. :cool: :D

 

It must come from similarly good parenting skills. :) ;)

[cruisegirl1]

There a fewer children on Celebrity than on other lines, but since your child will be with you most if not all the time, it does not matter how many children are on board or the age of other passengers. There are those who detest children on board any ship, clearly not remembering they were children at one time.

 

Celebrity is a family friendly line and you should sail them if the ship and itinerary are to your liking.

 

No splash zone. Children and not supposed to be permitted on the pools but we saw several diapered children/toddlers ( and even saw a parent remove a diaper before taking the baby to the pool) every day on a recent the Eclipse cruise. I am CERTAINLY NOT advocating you take a non potty trained child in the pool – just telling you sadly what I saw. (just a note - not all RCCL ships have the splash zone so if that is important to you - make sure you select the right ship.

 

The only drawback I saw is that the parents look really overwhelmed with all they have to bring/carry around on board. There were all kinds of bags hanging from strollers. Your excursion choices will also be limited

 

The advice to check out the family board is good.

 

Good luck,

M

Edited January 15, 2014 by cruisegirl1

[alaskagirl3]

We sailed on the solstice when our little guy was 18 months old. I did some research at the time and none of the cruise lines offered organized activities for the under two crowd. Kids in diapers are also not allowed in pools on any cruise line. Basically we chose celebrity for us and we were happy we did. We aren't really carnival people and royal Caribbean would have been fine but much more expensive. I read through the reviews and understood celebrity to not be very kid friendly but once we were aboard we didn't feel that way AT ALL!

 

Celebrity does allow you to accompany your child while they play at the kids club. If possible I would highly recommend a balcony room. We bought a small blow up pool (the kind that fit into bath tubs)and spent tons of time on our balcony. The staff were tripping over themselves to accommodate our little boy and literally followed him thru the ship. We found a lot of staff that had kids around his age at home and just wanted to be around him. It made my heart sink a bit and he had to warm up to the attention. Our dining room servers had milk and a special snack/appetizer at the table when we showed up. We didn't make it thru dessert most nights but that was mostly not to push him since he did about an hour to an hour an a half very well. On port days he had the grassy area completely to himself which was just awesome for him. We really did keep him mostly out of sight bc like I said he is very active and we are considerate of others. We did have a wonderful time. Of course traveling anywhere with a toddler is an experience!

 

I cruised on HAL with an 18-month old with no problems. We did an Alaskan cruise, so were bundled up when outside and therefore the pool/hot weather was not an issue. We did not bring him to the indoor pool at all, so he was none the wiser. My husband and I would take him for loooong walks/runs! throughout the ship at all hours. He did just fine in the MDR and one of the staff (Mr. Minty) would always reward him with after dinner mints as we left. We cruised with my parents and 3 older children. We would plan ahead as to which of us would leave the dining room early if need be. We brought our diaper bag with plenty wipes, fruit snacks, dumdum suckers, and just a couple favorite but lose-able toys. Matchbox cars were our ticket. In the evenings, my husband had a fabulous routine--he found a nice lounge with a marvelous singer (Doug) and he enjoyed a scotch while Evan played close by with his couple toys. Hardly anyone was there and they all loved him, so he was allowed a bit of freedom. He was part of the show one evening AND--Doug did have to announce to the crowd of 10 or less that his diaper needed changing! As this poster said, the staff LOVED him and went out of their way to entertain him! He did nap for 2-3 hours every afternoon. We brought a battery operated baby monitor with us. My recollection is fuzzy now, but I think that it worked at times. At any rate, we did leave him alone for short periods of time (an hour at most) while he napped and we enjoyed a cocktail alone together. Otherwise one of the 4 adults volunteered to sit in the cabin and nap or read while he slept. There is so much to look at and navigate on the ship--you child will be worn out! The blow-up pool filled up early is a GREAT idea. If you remember, as others have said, that or implied, that children are to be seen and not heard, you'll be fine! And after a day or two when everyone realizes what an awesome mom you are, they'll cut you some slack if a breakdown occurs! :D

[packyourpixiedust]

Hi! Don't listen to the Scrooges telling you to stay off Celebrity because people don't like kids... My thoughts are though that Celebrity would be tough for 22 months. We are cruising Celebrity with my 7 month old this weekend (for which I am not yet packed- augh!) so I am not anti-celeb with kids. However I won't pick it for when my kid is more independent - so not for the next 2 years. There is not enough (in my opinion) for the little toddlers to do. The 45 minutes of play time and the lack of a splash pad just make things complicated and potentially boring for the little ones. I am saddened by this fact because Celebrity is the best line out there. So next winter we might do Breezes resort (because I am slightly too impatient to wait until the baby is over), or a Royal Caribbean cruise, or possible even Carnival. carnival has several ships that would be good for little ones. Some of the clientele is irritating but I find the food better than RCI. So those are my two cents. Let us know what you decide. :)