Is baby food provided?

[Mona Lisa]

It seems like a crime to charge full fare for a baby plus gratuity and yet meals are not even provided. My sister-in-law will be bringing her 6 month old on our family cruise. Does she have to pack a suit case of formula and baby food jars? Shouldn't they have jars of Gerber? Our TA said they do but it costs extra. Anyone with any experience in this arena?

[Phamer55]

I would want to know too as will be bring our 11 month on our cruise in November. When we went on HAL in 2001, our oldest (was 11 months) was provided free baby food on the cruise (but no diapers).

[wyatt earp]

im not sure i ever rember seeing baby food or nappies on board, but then there were never many young families on board, mainly, with respect, the mature types.

[gkeyes1008]

Yes go to Princess.com..Click on the link where you fill out your immigration papers. Thee is an icon for special services along with the immigration and excursions. The other day while picking my excursions I clicked on the special services and it had there if you needed baby food.. I was glad to see that as when we sailed with my grandson we brought all that with us....

[cruisingbug]

According to the Cruise Answer Book, baby food is available upon request (look under "special diets" section).

 

They shouldn't be charging full fare and gratuity for a six-month-old, though - gratuities are only charged at $5 a day for 3-12 year olds, and up to 12 months is just port charges and no gratuity from what I've read. Although, we sailed in Alaska with a couple with a 9-month-old and they said they paid full fare, so maybe it depends on the itinerary.

[cruzbabe]

According to the Cruise Answer Book, baby food is available upon request (look under "special diets" section).

 

They shouldn't be charging full fare and gratuity for a six-month-old, though - gratuities are only charged at $5 a day for 3-12 year olds, and up to 12 months is just port charges and no gratuity from what I've read. Although, we sailed in Alaska with a couple with a 9-month-old and they said they paid full fare, so maybe it depends on the itinerary.

Now that's an interesting point about $5/day for 3-12 years olds... I always travel with my now 10 year old and have always been charged the full $10/day.

[cruisingbug]

Now that's an interesting point about $5/day for 3-12 years olds... I always travel with my now 10 year old and have always been charged the full $10/day.

 

Sorry, sorry. My bad - that info is for Norwegian. I got confused.

[cruzbabe]

Sorry, sorry. My bad - that info is for Norwegian. I got confused.

No Problem!

[doliver]

"When we went on HAL in 2001, our oldest (was 11 months) was provided free baby food on the cruise (but no diapers)."

 

 

 

If HAL started providing free diapers to everyone who needed them on their ships, their cruise rates would have to go up dramatically!

[Toto2Kansas]

[quote name=doliver

If HAL started providing free diapers to everyone who needed them on their ships, their cruise rates would have to go up dramatically![/quote]

 

ROFLMAO - Am I taking that to mean what I am thinking? ROFL

[donna5]

ROFLMAO - Am I taking that to mean what I am thinking? ROFL

That DEPENDS on what you're thinking? :D

[Toto2Kansas]

LOL Donna, YEP, you read my mind. :D

[can786]

Regarding the availability of baby food onboard... When I was on the Golden in June there was a couple travelling with their 8 month old. We overheard the mother complaining about the fact that they had requested baby food in advance and had a confirmation that it would be onboard for them but when they boarded the ship they were told there was no baby food. The kitchen staff was making baby food for each meal by pureeing regular foods. I'm sure it probably tasted a lot better than the stuff that comes out of a jar! I made my own baby food (the main courses anyway) when my kids were little and was always in a jam when we travelled since they refused to eat baby food from a jar except for the fruit varieties.

[Toto2Kansas]

If I were traveling with a very young child, I don't think I would ever rely on the cruise line to supply the childs baby food. Children are normally used to certain kinds and I would hate to be stuck on a ship for an entire week with a cranky child because they did not like the food that was offered. I would also take at least the bare minimum I would need for the child with me. Just my thoughts.

[regnig]

LOL Donna, YEP, you read my mind. :D

 

Oh god, some of us must think alike! :D

[Mona Lisa]

Thanks everyone! I guess she'll be packing jars of baby food, bottled water and formula. Like can786 mentioned, she doesn't want to risk a week dealing with a cranky baby by upsetting the baby's normal diet.

 

Personally, I think the Cruise Personalizer special requests section is a joke. We requested several things such as: certain fruits in our room, no robes, and I remarked that we would be celebrating my husband's 40th. Our room steward had no knowledge of what we listed. Why offer it if it is ignored?

 

So, I certainly wouldn't trust the "special services" for the baby food. Why does Princess charge full fare for a 6 month old? Looks like an easy way to make money off of folks who want to celebrate a family vacation with their whole family.

 

Oh, and I work in Geriatrics so I totally get why you all are LYAO. :p

 

Thanks,

Lisa

[beckers]

"When we went on HAL in 2001, our oldest (was 11 months) was provided free baby food on the cruise (but no diapers)."

 

 

 

If HAL started providing free diapers to everyone who needed them on their ships, their cruise rates would have to go up dramatically!

 

 

:D :D :D :D LOL

[wrp96]

Why does Princess charge full fare for a 6 month old? Looks like an easy way to make money off of folks who want to celebrate a family vacation with their whole family.

 

A lot of the lines charge full fare even for babies because for Coast Guard purposes a passenger is a passenger no matter the age. They only have so many seats available in the life rafts. Say the ship is full but there is a 3rd and 4th berth available in your room. Say you want to add somebody to room. Well, even though there is a bed available, they can't put another person on board because they have reached the maximum allowed. So if you are on a full sailing, your baby could be preventing an adult that would be spending money in the casino, on drinks, etc. from sailing.

 

I'm not saying it's a great excuse, but there it is.

[Ethel5]

OH NO

 

 

I just thought of a joke...........

[Ethel5]

I'm gonna get into trouble here.......

 

 

No I can't it will get pulled and I'll get barred from the boards.......

 

 

But it starts with "What does 70 year old ***** ***** like?

 

And the answer (done with a shrug of the shoulders) is "DEPENDS"

[Mona Lisa]

I enjoyed it....

[Mona Lisa]

:eek: I think I filled in the blanks correctly. My mind is always in the gutter anyway. Cute, real cute....

 

Of course I am only half the age of a 70 year old. It won't be funny in 35 more years.

[kryos]

Thanks everyone! I guess she'll be packing jars of baby food, bottled water and formula. Like can786 mentioned, she doesn't want to risk a week dealing with a cranky baby by upsetting the baby's normal diet.

Personally, I'd be checking on the availability of food as soon as I boarded, and would be screaming up such a storm if I was told it was unavailable that they'd be sending a crew member to Walmart for these items for my child. What a load of crap! They charge you a fare for the baby ... even if it is third person in the cabin fare, thus they should be expected to provide food (and that includes baby food or formula) for the child. They should be reading the Personalizer and responding to the requests in there.

 

Now, of course, if the infant wasn't being charged a fare, that would be a different story.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[cruisingbug]

Personally, I think the Cruise Personalizer special requests section is a joke. We requested several things such as: certain fruits in our room, no robes, and I remarked that we would be celebrating my husband's 40th. Our room steward had no knowledge of what we listed. Why offer it if it is ignored?

 

 

We experienced the same thing - steward acted as if he knew nothing of our fruit bowl/robe request. We'd hoped the bowl would be in the room when we arrived, as we'd experienced on previous cruises, but we had to fill out another form and didn't get the fruit until Day 2.

 

By the way, the Answer Book says that although baby food is provided, formula is not, so be sure to bring your own if baby's on the bottle.