sas80 Posted March 27, 2007 #1 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Has anyone ever used in room babysitting with RCCL? Has anyone ever used it specifically on the Spledour? Either way - what were the ages of your children when you used the babysitting service? Were you pleased with the babysitting service? We are about to depart on the Spledour this saturday with our 6 month old. We were planning to get a babysitter from 8:30 to 10:30 every night so we could go to dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miksilver Posted March 27, 2007 #2 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I havent used the in-cabin babysitting on the Splendor, but I did on the Mariner with my then 14 month old. All in-cabin babysitting on RCCL is by off-duty workers. If you know what times you want the in-cabin sitter, (and it looks like you do :) ), make the purser's desk your first visit after getting on the ship and book a sitter right away. They will ask you what days and times you wish to request a sitter -- there are no guarantees on RCCL and the good ones go fast that's why you should know your schedule ahead of time and get to the purser's desk first thing. I think that if you submit the entire cruises sitting schedule at the same time they offer it up to the crew and they have to accept the entire schedule so you have the same sitter every night. When I asked the purser if I can add addtional babysitting times later he told me that they might not have a sitter and there would be no guarantee that it would be the same person I had before. My DH and I were very pleased with our sitter -- she was a grandmother and you could tell she just loved children and missed her own. My DD loved her as well and would run up to her when she saw her working on the ship! Just remember to have cash available to pay the sitter each night -- you are not allowed to "put it on the card". I love using the babysitting services on both Carnival and RCCL to get some alone/adult time with my DH. Good luck cruising with your 6 month old, our DD's first cruise was at 6 1/2 months and it was wonderful :D. IMO it's the perfect baby age to cruise and vacation -- not mobile yet, really starting to take in the world around them, don't have to worry about what to feed them, can't talk back to you yet...:rolleyes: Hope this helps! Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted March 27, 2007 Author #3 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I havent used the in-cabin babysitting on the Splendor, but I did on the Mariner with my then 14 month old. All in-cabin babysitting on RCCL is by off-duty workers. If you know what times you want the in-cabin sitter, (and it looks like you do :) ), make the purser's desk your first visit after getting on the ship and book a sitter right away. They will ask you what days and times you wish to request a sitter -- there are no guarantees on RCCL and the good ones go fast that's why you should know your schedule ahead of time and get to the purser's desk first thing. I think that if you submit the entire cruises sitting schedule at the same time they offer it up to the crew and they have to accept the entire schedule so you have the same sitter every night. When I asked the purser if I can add addtional babysitting times later he told me that they might not have a sitter and there would be no guarantee that it would be the same person I had before. My DH and I were very pleased with our sitter -- she was a grandmother and you could tell she just loved children and missed her own. My DD loved her as well and would run up to her when she saw her working on the ship! Just remember to have cash available to pay the sitter each night -- you are not allowed to "put it on the card". I love using the babysitting services on both Carnival and RCCL to get some alone/adult time with my DH. Good luck cruising with your 6 month old, our DD's first cruise was at 6 1/2 months and it was wonderful :D. IMO it's the perfect baby age to cruise and vacation -- not mobile yet, really starting to take in the world around them, don't have to worry about what to feed them, can't talk back to you yet...:rolleyes: Hope this helps! Kim Did you hire a babysitter for your 6 month old? If not, did you just bring the baby to dinner in the dining room or did you skip the sit down dinner? Thanks for all the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miksilver Posted March 27, 2007 #4 Share Posted March 27, 2007 When my DD was 6m, we cruised on Carnival and I did use the group babysitting at night from 10pm on. From 7pm (or so) til 10pm we would go back to the cabin and do her nighttime routine. She was so tired from all of the fun during the day she would fall right asleep. Then we would carry her up (still sleeping) to the children's club where a pack-n-play would be waiting for her. One thing that we learned is that if we put a blanket over the top of the pack-n-play it would make it easier for her to go to sleep. We have used that trick quite a lot ;) . We have made almost every single dinner with my DD in the dining room on the 2 cruises we have taken with her and will continue to do so with the third upcoming cruise. We have eaten out with my DD since she was very, very little and she has grown up going to restaurants. She has even sat through some 3-hour meals before (not always the little angel, but doing well for her age :o .) At that age, she was GREAT to take out -- a new toy would keep her happy and she wasn't mobile so was content to sit there at the dinner table with us. Oh, and the waiters loved to pick her up and carry her around the room with them playing with her. Now, my DD's just turned 2 and she's a little bit more to handle, but is still learning how to behave at a dinner table and restauarant. The BEST thing about being on the ship with a baby/toddler is that if, for some reason you have to leave the table there is always food to get -- either at the buffet or room service! Remember that most of the crew members are away from their families for long periods of time and they miss their own small children. I've travelled quite a bit with my DD (trips to England and Egypt as well as cruising) and every time I worry about how the trip will go for her she does so well and I am so proud! Now, every child is different with different temperments, but if you travel with them early then that is what they learn and how to adapt to the different situations. I don't always agree with the "children must not travel until they are a certain age" arguement -- if they don't travel when they are babies and children, then how are they to learn the proper behavior when they get older? Again, just my opinion...:) Good luck! Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 27, 2007 #5 Share Posted March 27, 2007 RCCL will NOT allow a 6 month old to use in-cabin sitting. The minimum age is 1 year. They made that change about 6 months ago. I HOPE you read this before you leave. I don't want you to get there and be disappointed. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted March 27, 2007 Author #6 Share Posted March 27, 2007 RCCL will NOT allow a 6 month old to use in-cabin sitting. The minimum age is 1 year. They made that change about 6 months ago. I HOPE you read this before you leave. I don't want you to get there and be disappointed. :( Thanks! We are still going to inquire after it....as you know, policy and perogative differ from ship to ship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julienatul Posted March 27, 2007 #7 Share Posted March 27, 2007 We took our then 7 month old last April on Grandeur of the Seas. They would not even take the request for babysitting at the pursers desk. They have to input the birthdate of the child and the computer wont even gtake it if its less than 1 year:rolleyes: We were told, sorry it has to do with the insurance policy they have. We had late seating for dinner and we would just go to the cabin in the evening, do her bedtime routine and put her to sleep in the stroller reclined with the rayshade canopy extender over the top to make it dark. She never woke even once at dinner!!! It was great and we saved the money on the sitter! I will be happy to answer any questions you have about cruising with a 7 month old. It was such a great trip we went again at a year with her and she will be on her 3rd cruise in May at 19 months. Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted March 27, 2007 #8 Share Posted March 27, 2007 OK, just wanted to make sure you were aware and fully prepared for a backup. This was one rule I've NEVER seen broken on RCCL. If they allow you, you know you'll have to come back and tell us....no doubt. ;) :D Have a great cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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