Celebrity Edge Retreat with a baby?

[JustAPilot]

So we are looking at booking the sky suite on the Edge with our 8 month old baby. Anyone here traveled in the Retreat with a baby that can advise us on some of the perks and if it’s worth it? The attraction here is the private deck, butler service, in room suite dining if baby is fussy ect..

 

I guess the question is how baby friendly is the Retreat if we have a stroller, tendering at ports do we get priority? Does the main dining room provide a high chair? Do they provide a crib in the room if requested? I read they have baby sitting services if you want to go for dinner and someone can watch them while they sleep for example? 

[Georgia_Peaches]

You won’t find many babies on board but I think Celebrity does what it can to accommodate the occasional infant. You can request a crib and high chair and baby sitting service is offered on a limited basis. I wish I had been more adventurous with cruising when our children were young. If booking a sky suite you can reach out to the Retreat concierge pre-embarkation and they will assist you with all of your needs. 

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, JustAPilot said:

So we are looking at booking the sky suite on the Edge with our 8 month old baby. Anyone here traveled in the Retreat with a baby that can advise us on some of the perks and if it’s worth it? The attraction here is the private deck, butler service, in room suite dining if baby is fussy ect..

 

I guess the question is how baby friendly is the Retreat if we have a stroller, tendering at ports do we get priority? Does the main dining room provide a high chair? Do they provide a crib in the room if requested? I read they have baby sitting services if you want to go for dinner and someone can watch them while they sleep for example? 

 

We took our then 7 month old son on our first Celebrity cruise many years ago.  I know the dining room had high chairs available for use.  In fact after the first night, the wait staff had the high chair all set up at our table and ready to go.

 

I don't really know about the crib.  We brought our own Graco Pack N Play with us to use as a crib.  I have yet to see any hint of a ship supplied crib in all my cruises.

 

Here is a flyer on in-suite babysitting: link

[JustAPilot]

Thank you so much for that I appreciate your feedback and link to the babysitting. 

[Cap_D]

Our first cruise was in a Sky Suite with a toddler on Edge (Gordon), and then on Apex.  So, I can't speak to having a baby on the ship, but by way of observation, general experience close to when we had a baby and reading a lot of these boards.  Retreat will definitely be worth it.  The additional layer of dedicated service, points of contact that are coordinating behind the scenes, and other aspects of the experience should be helpful for many reasons.

 

A couple thoughts:

 

If there's a choice, I suggest a room near the forward elevators, so you have easier access to Luminae, Retreat Deck, and Retreat Lounge. 

 

The Butler will be helpful as a single point of contact, and able to follow up on things while and if you have your hands full.  They will work with the Retreat hosts/concierges, as in some cases it's that team that handles certain requests.  They also can coordinate with maitre ds and take responsibility for breakfast delivery, which will be helpful as no doubt it maybe hard not follow up yourself.   

 

In Luminae this will happen anyways, but get to know the team asap, and you may like the table in the section behind the host station.  There's about 6 or fewer tables, and a partition/wall dividing it from the rest of the dining room.  I suspect that area will be suggested, and it's a bit more private. 

 

At Luminae, if full dinner is too long before you feel you need to change things up or return to your room, I suggest thinking about preordering apps, or dessert or arranging for dessert to go as soon as you order.   Dinner can stretch on if you allow it, and in our experience with a toddler we didn't ways make it all the way through. 

 

The tub in the Sky Suites will be functional.  It's a unique shape with a lot of room. 

 

You will get priority for poets with tenders to get off, and there will be a note with directions. Usually it's meet in a designated spot, and then staff escort and coordinate so you don't have to wait on designation gateway for very long. As a practical matter, your group will be less than a general group  that is also waiting. Returning may be different, but perhaps you can ask and others may be understanding. 

 

Check and double check the fridge situation, if you need one.  Many have said the room fridges are actually chillers, and so aren't cold enough for milk storage, medicine, etc.   Butler will be part of this process, but hopefully it can be addressed before you arrive. 

 

I am not sure what pieces of baby equipment they have onboard, but I would bring what you normally bring in terms of pack and play, etc., covers, sheets, fav blanket, etc.  Even if they have it, the home scent will be helpful.  There's no limit on luggage.  

 

A good stroller with shocks or good rubber tires will be helpful at the ports.  Big fan of the baby jogger city mini gt2 all terrain, with a fan.  You'll find plenty of places to stow it in your room (I don't quite think it's like a scooter people leave on the hall in alcoves.  

 

On the retreat deck, there's many good places to make homebase around then solarium roof. It's less busy, and there's a few places for wind and shade, although that will be variable. 

 

You may find one parent (if both are traveling) stays in the room in the evening and the other explores.  Don't forget to put the breakfast order out while you both are able to make selections or have a standing order even if also going to Luminae or the OVC (for something different, though busy).

 

The back of the OVC near the pizza is a great area for families, strollers, less cross traffic, and nice aft view.  I think I've seen high chairs tucked away, but check.   Eden Cafe on sea days is another option, and the staff will help carry or bring food to a table.  There's outside seating, but very sunny and possibly windy.  

 

The Club when not in use has a balcony level with really awesome soft seating and banquettes that may be a helpful, darker, and quieter place to sit, and possibly coral a crawler (just check where outlets may be, please).  There is also a bar on the first level, and it's staffed with servers or being prepped at various times during the daytime around some of the activities.  The balcony should not get crowded, however. 

 

Book an early seating at Eden for dinner.  There is an accessibility elevator the maitre d will help with.  Don't chance the stairs.  

 

Reminder, there won't be baby supplies on board (diapers, baby meds, etc.).  

 

Not a reason to not go, but just observations that seem relevant:  On Deck 14 when walking from then solarium to the elevators, be careful, wear flats, and ideally do not carry your baby by hand.  Use a carrier or stroller...or avoid.  We have seen slip and falls as the floor gets slippery.  Also, if on the main resort deck or mast grill, test the chairs before sitting down if you're holding your baby.  We have seen a chair leg give out on an adult.  

 

I hope you will find all of the staff helpful and many things easier than if on land or another resort. 

 

Have a great cruise.  

Edited June 15, 2023 by Cap_D

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

4 hours ago, Cap_D said:

Our first cruise was in a Sky Suite with a toddler on Edge (Gordon), and then on Apex.  So, I can't speak to having a baby on the ship, but by way of observation, general experience close to when we had a baby and reading a lot of these boards.  Retreat will definitely be worth it.  The additional layer of dedicated service, points of contact that are coordinating behind the scenes, and other aspects of the experience should be helpful for many reasons.

 

A couple thoughts:

 

If there's a choice, I suggest a room near the forward elevators, so you have easier access to Luminae, Retreat Deck, and Retreat Lounge. 

 

The Butler will be helpful as a single point of contact, and able to follow up on things while and if you have your hands full.  They will work with the Retreat hosts/concierges, as in some cases it's that team that handles certain requests.  They also can coordinate with maitre ds and take responsibility for breakfast delivery, which will be helpful as no doubt it maybe hard not follow up yourself.   

 

In Luminae this will happen anyways, but get to know the team asap, and you may like the table in the section behind the host station.  There's about 6 or fewer tables, and a partition/wall dividing it from the rest of the dining room.  I suspect that area will be suggested, and it's a bit more private. 

 

At Luminae, if full dinner is too long before you feel you need to change things up or return to your room, I suggest thinking about preordering apps, or dessert or arranging for dessert to go as soon as you order.   Dinner can stretch on if you allow it, and in our experience with a toddler we didn't ways make it all the way through. 

 

The tub in the Sky Suites will be functional.  It's a unique shape with a lot of room. 

 

You will get priority for poets with tenders to get off, and there will be a note with directions. Usually it's meet in a designated spot, and then staff escort and coordinate so you don't have to wait on designation gateway for very long. As a practical matter, your group will be less than a general group  that is also waiting. Returning may be different, but perhaps you can ask and others may be understanding. 

 

Check and double check the fridge situation, if you need one.  Many have said the room fridges are actually chillers, and so aren't cold enough for milk storage, medicine, etc.   Butler will be part of this process, but hopefully it can be addressed before you arrive. 

 

I am not sure what pieces of baby equipment they have onboard, but I would bring what you normally bring in terms of pack and play, etc., covers, sheets, fav blanket, etc.  Even if they have it, the home scent will be helpful.  There's no limit on luggage.  

 

A good stroller with shocks or good rubber tires will be helpful at the ports.  Big fan of the baby jogger city mini gt2 all terrain, with a fan.  You'll find plenty of places to stow it in your room (I don't quite think it's like a scooter people leave on the hall in alcoves.  

 

On the retreat deck, there's many good places to make homebase around then solarium roof. It's less busy, and there's a few places for wind and shade, although that will be variable. 

 

You may find one parent (if both are traveling) stays in the room in the evening and the other explores.  Don't forget to put the breakfast order out while you both are able to make selections or have a standing order even if also going to Luminae or the OVC (for something different, though busy).

 

The back of the OVC near the pizza is a great area for families, strollers, less cross traffic, and nice aft view.  I think I've seen high chairs tucked away, but check.   Eden Cafe on sea days is another option, and the staff will help carry or bring food to a table.  There's outside seating, but very sunny and possibly windy.  

 

The Club when not in use has a balcony level with really awesome soft seating and banquettes that may be a helpful, darker, and quieter place to sit, and possibly coral a crawler (just check where outlets may be, please).  There is also a bar on the first level, and it's staffed with servers or being prepped at various times during the daytime around some of the activities.  The balcony should not get crowded, however. 

 

Book an early seating at Eden for dinner.  There is an accessibility elevator the maitre d will help with.  Don't chance the stairs.  

 

Reminder, there won't be baby supplies on board (diapers, baby meds, etc.).  

 

Not a reason to not go, but just observations that seem relevant:  On Deck 14 when walking from then solarium to the elevators, be careful, wear flats, and ideally do not carry your baby by hand.  Use a carrier or stroller...or avoid.  We have seen slip and falls as the floor gets slippery.  Also, if on the main resort deck or mast grill, test the chairs before sitting down if you're holding your baby.  We have seen a chair leg give out on an adult.  

 

I hope you will find all of the staff helpful and many things easier than if on land or another resort. 

 

Have a great cruise.  

I'm not the OP, but this is one of the most informative and insightful posts I've read on this site in quite some time. Thank you for putting this together 🤩

 

I was totally expecting to read someone say one of the following by now and am glad I haven't:

"Look into Royal Caribbean, they cater to kids"

"The Retreat is not suited for children"

"Leave the baby at home with a sitter"

 

I'm sure the crew find it refreshing to see a baby onboard and will take every opportunity to assist with specific needs.

[chemmo]

15 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

I'm not the OP, but this is one of the most informative and insightful posts I've read on this site in quite some time. Thank you for putting this together 🤩

 

I was totally expecting to read someone say one of the following by now and am glad I haven't:

"Look into Royal Caribbean, they cater to kids"

"The Retreat is not suited for children"

"Leave the baby at home with a sitter"

 

I'm sure the crew find it refreshing to see a baby onboard and will take every opportunity to assist with specific needs.

Agree! So nice the number of people on this site that will really make the effort to help others…

[SbbquilterUT]

You can arrange for a Pack and Play that will be in your cabin - do bring your own sheets.  

[hcat]

sky suite tub is very deep and slippery..suggest u bring a small blow up baby tub.. 

[Whinenowine]

7 hours ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

I was totally expecting to read someone say one of the following by now and am glad I haven't:

"Look into Royal Caribbean, they cater to kids"

"The Retreat is not suited for children"

"Leave the baby at home with a sitter"

 

 

Yeah, I agree.  Breath of fresh air.  

 

However be prepared for some dirty looks on board.  On our first time on the Edge my youngest child was a VERY well behaved 10yr old who had the temerity to go into the Retreat Pool to cool off.  I was amazed by how many sidelong glances she got from fellow passengers.  To be sure these represented a minority of the passengers, but many more than I would have expected.  To a person, on the other hand, the crew bent over backwards to accommodate us.  

[jelayne]

55 minutes ago, hcat said:

sky suite tub is very deep and slippery..suggest u bring a small blow up baby tub.. 

I found the tub/shower on the E class ships to be shallower than on the other classes of ships. I certainly found it easier to step into.    It is however bigger around so a blow up tub is a great suggestion.

[PTC DAWG]

Now imagine everyone in the Retreat with an 8 month old.  Does that sound like fun?  

[George C]

My last beyond cruise there were two small dogs there were kept in a baby carriage 😁😁, 

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, Whinenowine said:

Yeah, I agree.  Breath of fresh air.  

 

However be prepared for some dirty looks on board.  On our first time on the Edge my youngest child was a VERY well behaved 10yr old who had the temerity to go into the Retreat Pool to cool off.  I was amazed by how many sidelong glances she got from fellow passengers.  To be sure these represented a minority of the passengers, but many more than I would have expected.  To a person, on the other hand, the crew bent over backwards to accommodate us.  

Unfortunately not everyone is considerate (and yes, I know this can apply to adult behavior as well).  On a recent cruise in a suite there was a baby - I'd estimate 9 months or so.  He would fuss and cry off and on and the parents just sat there in Luminae with him.  I'm not anti-kid.  I sailed with mine from the time he was 3, but I was always considerate of those around me.  If he started fussing at dinner, he was marched out and kept out until he could calm down.  These parents seemed to be of the "I paid for the cruise so I'll do what I want" variety.  Thankfully it sounds like the OP is not that type of person.

[BridgeMates]

10 minutes ago, George C said:

My last beyond cruise there were two small dogs there were kept in a baby carriage 😁😁, 

They have been on numerous cruises with those dogs......guess they're "comfort" animals.

 

[George C]

24 minutes ago, BridgeMates said:

They have been on numerous cruises with those dogs......guess they're "comfort" animals.

 

We were at Luminae for lunch and there were just seated , the next person to be seated told waiter don’t sear us anywhere near the dogs , I understand celebrity charges over 100 a day for each dog .

[Whinenowine]

38 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Unfortunately not everyone is considerate (and yes, I know this can apply to adult behavior as well).  On a recent cruise in a suite there was a baby - I'd estimate 9 months or so.  He would fuss and cry off and on and the parents just sat there in Luminae with him.  I'm not anti-kid.  I sailed with mine from the time he was 3, but I was always considerate of those around me.  If he started fussing at dinner, he was marched out and kept out until he could calm down.  These parents seemed to be of the "I paid for the cruise so I'll do what I want" variety.  Thankfully it sounds like the OP is not that type of person.

Yup, absolutely a two way street!

[JustAPilot]

Thank you everyone for the great suggestions. We would also not feel comfortable sitting in Luminae while baby is fussy so no we wouldn’t be those parents. This would be a Med cruise and we like the ports, Haven on NCL has priced themselves out on this one and Celebrity looks like a really great product. 

[cruiserchuck]

2 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Now imagine everyone in the Retreat with an 8 month old.  Does that sound like fun?  

No, it does not.  I was in a cabin next to an infant on a Celebrity cruise many years ago, and I could not enjoy my balcony due to the crying from the infant.  
 

On my next Celebrity cruise, there was an infant next door.  I went to the reception right after heading the crying, and convinced them to move me.  The cruise was not very full, so I do not know what would have happened if there were not a lot of vacant cabins.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Now imagine everyone in the Retreat with an 8 month old.  Does that sound like fun?  

When you're not paying for an adults only experience, why have that expectation? Just because you pay more for a Retreat room does not grant you a kids free experience. 

 

Go with Viking, Virgin, or Oceania if that's what you're looking for.

Edited June 15, 2023 by NorthStarStateCruiser

[kwokpot]

6 hours ago, jelayne said:

I found the tub/shower on the E class ships to be shallower than on the other classes of ships. I certainly found it easier to step into.    It is however bigger around so a blow up tub is a great suggestion.

Really? I found the tub/shower combo on E-Class Sky suites awkward and treacherous to get in and out of. The issue is there's no properly placed grip bar to use when you're entering and exiting the tub. Instead you need to hold onto the right side glass panel and step up and then down into the tub. I would NEVER allow my elderly parents use that tub! 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/category-detail.php?c=2888

https://images.app.goo.gl/Bfhhk5i4DnfXiV256

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by kwokpot

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Really? I found the tub/shower combo on E-Class Sky suites awkward and treacherous to get in and out of. The issue is there's no properly placed grip bar to use when you're entering and exiting the tub. Instead you need to hold onto the right side glass panel and step up and then down into the tub. I would NEVER allow my elderly parents use that tub! 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/category-detail.php?c=2888

https://images.app.goo.gl/Bfhhk5i4DnfXiV256

 

I guess we will disagree.  I find the tub shower combos on the S & M to have higher sides making stepping in more difficult. Of course if you tall it is easier.

Edited June 16, 2023 by jelayne

[chemmo]

We became very friendly with a couple on Equinox one cruise who had a ten month old baby girl. At breakfast time they ordered their evening meal and told the waiter the time they would be arriving meaning that as they sat down their starters and first drink were immediately served. The little one also had a plate of finger food she could enjoy independently. As their starters were cleared a dish of something or other would be brought in for parents to feed to the little one then as the parents mains arrived the little one had a couple of small toys on the table. Depending on how settled the little one was they either stayed for dessert or had it sent to their room. It really was an excellent bit of choreography by both parents and staff. I write this simple so that the OP knows there are ways around the meal being too long for a little one to sit still…
 

As others have said the staff were fantastic! Most of the guests were welcoming too. Most evenings as I was dining I would also be playing peek a boo across the room with ‘the little princess’ as the waiters called her. Unfortunately, as others have said, not all guests were pleasant. One guest in the Retreat Lounge started complaining to me about ‘that baby’ being allowed in the Retreat Lounge expecting me to agree. Unfortunately for her I said I couldn’t wait for the little one to arrive as I loved my evening cuddle!

 

Also as a side note on another ship there were two couples both with toddlers (2ish) and most nights you saw one or the other couple but rarely both. One couple each evening seeing to both children and the other being free. That seemed to work well too.

[docsneeze]

We are presently on Apex staying in the retreat with a 5 year old.  Having cruised for 10 days so far, we have had a great experience.   The staff at Luminae become well acquainted with your family and take extra steps to accommodate your needs.  They serve the children early and put us in a pleasant but relatively inconspicuous area of the dining room.  There is only one or two other children, both infants probably similar to your child in the retreat on this sailing.  No issues we have seen at any time.

 

     We had one or two days in which our child became slightly restless due to length of meals but we time it for him to go to the Kids Club at 7 pm and then finish our meals.  He loves the Camp at Sea club here so can't wait to go.  We quickly and quietly take him out of the restaurant way before his "playfulness" becomes disruptive.

 

     The other guests seem to enjoy having our son around although I am sure there are a few who don't.  Nevertheless, the Luminae experience has been very good.

 

     Our butler, Gwen, has been very helpful.  She went out of her way to get children's drawing materials, snacks, and other things to accommodate our 5 y/o.  We wish we had similar services available when our son was an infant on previous cruises.  All of the wait staff have gotten to know our son and have made it pleasant for everyone in the setting of a largely adult crowd.

 

     As mentioned previously, the kids club is great and was actually preferred by our son relative to a Disney cruise we took one month ago.  There are very few families but everyone seems to watch out for each other.  We did not use the retreat much as our son wanted to stay in the kids club but it was a nice area to relax and read or whatever.  We had a trip to Iceland so did not experience Retreat pool but thought it was nice that Celebrity extended family hours from 4 to 11 in the evenings.  Only saw one family in the pool ever and they were enjoying themselves without being disruptive.

 

     Ship is beautiful, food is very good, and the crew has been excellent.  We also had concerns about taking our child on Celebrity after reading some of the comments on these boards.  Thankfully, we did not experience any negativity.  Our son was well accepted by almost everyone, fellow cruisers and staff. 

I think you and your family will have a wonderful time.  Enjoy.

[Sigyn]

I would highly advise it, simply based on the aggravation I had with our son when he was 21 months old on a cruise we took in 2009. It's a lot of extra work to travel with a baby or toddler, even, in our case, with friends we had traveling with us for extra adult hands. So having a butler and extra services available will be very helpful to you. Personally, I never cruised again with our son until he was 15 years old, but that was just me. He cried at every dinner because he was so exhausted by the end of the day and so we couldn't have a single meal together in the MDR. I felt like crying, too!