Baby food

[Dawniepoo]

We are taking our 7 month old on the Gradeur next month as was wondering if anyone knew if they supply baby food. Those little jars are pretty heavy to lug aroundknif we don't have to that would be great.

[crusinmama06]

Hmmmm, good question. My daughter was exactly 7 months old when we went on the Disney Magic. I basically bought the plastic gerber baby food containers and took those with us. I also just took things like fresh fruit and cooked veggies and mashed it myself (like bananas and peas, etc)

 

I didn't have a hard time finding things for her to eat although they didn't offer baby food. I just ordered her things off the menu and mashed them.

 

I've never seen it offered on any of the RCCL ships.

[evy123]

We were on a Princess cruise with our 8 month old. We brought a majority of the jars that he would need onboard but around the middle of the cuise we were running low (DS went through some kind of I-need-to-eat-everything-in-sight phase). We requested some baby food and we were brought whatever they had. Many of the choices were not what DS was accustomed to eating (mangoes, papaya, etc).

 

So, if RCI does provide baby food, it may not be much of what your baby likes. We simply restocked our supplies at a grocery store in St. Thomas.

 

I do feel for you because we did bring an awful lot of "stuff" for the baby. The one great thing was only having to unpack once :D .

[l929]

Celebrity provides baby food and they are owned by the same company as RCI. Call the special needs number and see. We went on Celebrity 2 years ago, I told them what brands and kinds as well as formula and baby cereal and it was all waiting in my room when we boarded, for free! (Well we did pay for the cruise....)

[Kerry's Girls]

Princess sent me a form asking how many jars of fruit/veggie/meat baby food we needed so they could have it delivered to the ship. It was on board and delivered to us as needed.

 

Best,

Mia

[blndee77]

I think I heard you can also ask the waiters to puree some veges or some fruit fresh for you.

[amylynn254]

I will be making a longer post soon. I just came off the Sun Princess with my DH and 1 yo DD. They told us that they would have plenty of baby food on board for DD (she was the only "baby" on board) But by day 3 of a 11 day cruise they had run out of her ususal favorites. she had a diet of french fries and icecream for a few days as a result of not liking the food that was offered. We were to get baby cereal for her and none was ever found. She has a pineapple allergy that was known by the M'D yet all they had to offer was "tropical fruits" juice with you guessed it pineapple in it!!!!:mad: :mad:

 

More to come later...still collecting my thoughts....:confused:

Not a happy mom

 

AmyLynn

[mahdnc]

Celebrity provides baby food and they are owned by the same company as RCI. Call the special needs number and see. We went on Celebrity 2 years ago, I told them what brands and kinds as well as formula and baby cereal and it was all waiting in my room when we boarded, for free! (Well we did pay for the cruise....)

 

When we cruised with our then 7 mo old son aboard a Celebrity ship (Century) back in 1996 we could not get baby food arranged for us in advance like that. But back then, kids under 2 yrs old cruised for free. The dining room though, made alot of fresh baby-like food for us--apple sauce, etc.

[renata102]

I alreayd requested fresh fruits and veggie steamed as well as steamed chicken (he will be 11 months so a little older) .. They are MORE than happy to provide that food. For younger ones you can ask if they could puree it. I seen it done and they will be MORE Than happy to help you.

[l929]

When we cruised with our then 7 mo old son aboard a Celebrity ship (Century) back in 1996 we could not get baby food arranged for us in advance like that. But back then, kids under 2 yrs old cruised for free. The dining room though, made alot of fresh baby-like food for us--apple sauce, etc.

 

 

I would have prefered the free cruise and did without the baby food and formula!! I think he cost $5 or 600! They didnt give us that much baby food......

This was in 2004 on the Summit (awesome ship!)

[dosi]

Just bring a baby food grinder and you can make whatever you want in about 5 seconds!!!

[Celebrity Bride]

Hi, I was on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas last year with my 11 month old. They did not supply any baby food, but if you request it in advance (and confirm with the maitre'd on the first night), they will puree food for your child. The puree is whatever is on the menu though, so if you are looking for chicken, it will not be plain chicken, it will have whatever spices etc that they add for the regular menue. They did bring 3 large dishes of puree each night... 1 veggie, 1 meat and 1 apple sauce. What they don't tell you before you get on the ship though, is that they will only serve puree for dinner, in the dining room. Not at lunch or at the alternatate (including the buffet).

 

We also brought a food grinder and our own supply of food, baby juice and water (for formula) with us, so it worked out ok for us.

 

 

Jenn

[lgmtseawa]

This thread has been timely... we are going on our cruise (Carnival Conquest) in 3 weeks, and my 2 year old, who has delays in eating (among other things) because he is chromosomally enhanced (Down Syndrome :-), has a 10-12 jar per day baby food habit! (We've been working and working on getting him to do more table foods, but he seems to have an aversion to textures, not at all untypical for DS.) It's good to hear about the possibility that they will puree some food for him in the dining room; maybe we won't have to take quite so many jars with us!

 

I'm also hoping they will have yogurt and applesauce on board -- is that an unrealistic assumption? (I know he'll eat some ice cream, but that can't be his whole diet for a week!)

 

Finally, it seems at least some folks have actually had the good luck of the ship providing food in jars... How did that work, how'd you get it set up, and does anyone know if Carnival will do that? (I've got a call in to someone at Carnival, but haven't heard back, and my TA is just now getting OFF the Conquest; can't ask her to call til tomorrow...) Did you still have to bring your own for going off-ship, or did they provide enough for you to do that?

 

For those of you who've brought jars of babyfood with you, how did you pack it? a separate box well-padded? or scattered throughout your luggage (well-wrapped)? We have an extra day in Houston before our cruise and were thinking to buy the food and diapers down there so we at least didn't have to fly them, but we've still got to figure out how to get them onto the boat.

 

Thanks for all the information so far, and for any suggestions/answers to my specific questions!

 

Carolyn

[Dawniepoo]

We have our jars wrapped in a plastic bag inside a carryon that my dh has to carry. Not an ideal situation, but we felt we needed to carry them on in case our luggage gets lost. We also are packing my son's formula in our carryon.

[CruisinFinsUp]

I read on another post that boxes of diapers can be taped with a handle and put your cabin info on them at put them with your luggage at the port to be taken to your room. Never done this, but what if you were to get a box of diapers, open the plastic inside packages so the diapers are "loose", pack into the box the PLASTIC baby food containers cushioned by the diapers (you'll have extra diapers to carry on :rolleyes:) tape it all back up, and have the box taken up to your room.

 

Also, folks talk about the rolling coolers that they roll on board as carryon (make sure cooler is small enuf to fit thru carry on xray - watch restrictions) and instead of beverages, fill it with baby food.

 

I would take along everything you need. Between baby's normal fussiness plus the stress of being in a new environment, you don't need "strange food". Plus, even if you "pre order" baby food and they tell you it will be there, its too easy for an error to occur and it not happen - then you would not have what you expected to have. Now that plastic containers are available, its much easier and lighter than the glass containers!! PLUS you have space for souveniers when you get off!!!!:D

[Kerry's Girls]

I did exactly what the previous poster suggested, except I didn't worry about making a handle. I checked three boxes of diapers at the ship along with my luggage and in the middle of each box I had some breakables sealed in plastic bags so I would ruin the diapers if anything cracked. I just taped on the same luggage tags provided by the cruise that go on the luggage. Make sure you bring a role of packing tape and something to cut it with. Then I just broke the boxes down as I used them and had them taken out with the trash. Buying everything once you land sounds like the best idea since airlines are limiting luggage.

 

If you post on the Carnival board, I'm sure someone can tell you if yogurt is offered at the breakfast buffet - that's where I would get my stash (on Princess they also offered yogurt on the room service breakfast). It's such a staple that I'm sure they'll have it, but someone there can confirm. I wouldn't be sure about the applesauce though.

 

Have a great time!

 

Best,

Mia

[Lady Hop]

I just got off the phone with a Carnival rep and inquired about requesting baby food. He said Carnival did not provide baby food and he'd been there 6 years and never has. I had read on these boards about some people getting food delivered to the ship but I guess they werent on Carnival.

 

He read me in there terms where it listed foods they didnt provide and there were only two things. They will not provide Kosher meals or baby food and formula.

 

Hopefully my 10mth old daughter will be eating mostly table food by then.

[lgmtseawa]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

 

I just got off the phone with a Carnival rep and inquired about requesting baby food. He said Carnival did not provide baby food and he'd been there 6 years and never has. [...] He read me in there terms where it listed foods they didnt provide and there were only two things. They will not provide Kosher meals or baby food and formula.

 

I still hadn't heard back from either my TA or the person at Carnival I called, so thanks for the info! The booklet we had did mention no Kosher, but didn't mention the baby food. But, I think we'd already decided to carry it on ourselves anyway, mainly for the reason someone else mentioned, namely, what if an error is made and they forgot it?

 

Someone else suggested plastic containers of food, which would be good idea except they don't make all that many flavors in the plastic, at least not available where we are :( but I like the idea of wrapping at least some in the diapers.

 

We'll probably get them all in Houston (except what we need before the cruise), as we have plenty of time (we are flying down Friday night for a Sunday cruise). Just have to find a good store (if anyone knows a good grocery store between the Houston [iAH] airport and Galveston, I'd love to know! :) )

 

Carolyn

[Kaki321]

double post, oops

[Kaki321]

I am not sure which ports you are stopping at, but we were always able to stock up on baby food at port.

 

There are babies who live on the islands/ports, so many stores carry everything you need (albeit limited selection in some places).

 

Also, try WellWishers.com. They will also deliver baby food, diapers, etc. right to your cabin for you prior to sailing

[greenjello]

carnival did have yogurt at the breakfast buffet on the lido deck when we sailed on the Glory 10/03. They were the perfect size (about the size of the kids cups) for my then 10month old son. We are cruising again in May, this time in addition to my boys we will have our 11month old daughter with us. I use a food grinder for her alot at home and plan on bringing it with us for the cruise (we are also doing disney pre-cruise and a few days on the beach post-cruise) check out http://www.onestepahead.com and search for the kidco. food mill... it's only $13 and works great, will take up less room in the suitcase than jars of baby food..... plus I'm looking it as- I have to pay for her to go on the cruise, I plan on her at least eating the food since she's too little for the kids camp, pools etc. :)

[fauxpaz]

I just wanted to note that Celebrity sent me a confirmation which confirmed that they will be providing my DD's baby food and formula for my April cruise. I am still planning on bringing enough supplies to make it to the first port, but I am excited that I don't have to lug all of the supplies to the dock!!!

[lgmtseawa]

carnival did have yogurt at the breakfast buffet on the lido deck when we sailed on the Glory 10/03. They were the perfect size (about the size of the kids cups) for my then 10month old son.

Good to know about the yogurt.

We are cruising again in May, this time in addition to my boys we will have our 11month old daughter with us. I use a food grinder for her alot at home and plan on bringing it with us for the cruise (we are also doing disney pre-cruise and a few days on the beach post-cruise) check out http://www.onestepahead.com and search for the kidco. food mill... it's only $13 and works great, will take up less room in the suitcase than jars of baby food..... plus I'm looking it as- I have to pay for her to go on the cruise, I plan on her at least eating the food since she's too little for the kids camp, pools etc. :)

Actually we have that grinder and are bringing it with, as well as planning on asking them to puree food for him when possible. But he is extremely inconsistent with "table" foods, and more often than not cannot get enough in him just from ground up regular food. So, we still need jarred baby food as a fallback! But it's a good idea, and if you hadn't mentioned it I probably wouldn't have been thinking of it!

 

Carolyn

[mkdawnt]

Just an FYI, we did check with Wellwishers and they will deliver diapers, baby food and formula at a premium price, more than double what I buy it for at home... ouch, it is worth carrying or packing an extra box for the $$$.

[lgmtseawa]

Just an FYI, we did check with Wellwishers and they will deliver diapers, baby food and formula at a premium price, more than double what I buy it for at home... ouch, it is worth carrying or packing an extra box for the $$$.

I started to check there and it just looked like the kind of thing with a big markup... I found a Krogers (we usually shop King Soopers at home, a Kroger store) on Seawall in Galveston, not far from our hotel. We'll just get what we need for the cruise then (so we don't have to fly with the extra, at least).

Carolyn