16 month old/cabin question

[sweet&sassy]

I'm traveling on the Liberty in November and have a balcony cabin. However I've been reading different posting about how the cabin/bedding is arranged for 3 person in a cabin. It's just my husband, my 16 month old daughter and myself. I guess I'm afraid of laying her on a pullman all by herself if that is what our cabin is offering instead of a sofa bed. Someone please help me and give a little info on how secure these beds are.:eek:

[Sue L]

You can get a crib/pack n play for your baby I believe. You might want to go to the "family board" to get exact details.

[bbrad8]

sweet&sassy: We have cruised w/ our GS since he was 6 months old. You will not want to put your daughter 16 month old daughter in a Pulman bed. She will be sleeping about 4-5' off the floor in these beds!!!

 

As Sue L said, reserve a Pack N Play w/ RCI for her to sleep in. If you are in a balcony cabin, there is plenty of floor space for her at night to use the Pack N Play. She will be very secure. Just remember to bring your own sheets for her. Otherwise, the only sheets RCI has are twin size that they will fold as best as possible.

 

Bruce

[Ivanova]

do you have a stateroom number? have you verified if it has pullman for the 3rd berth? it might have a sofa bed instead. you can check the deck plans on the cruise line's website to verify this.

[flagger]

If you have a sofa, though it is not a bed, your 16 month old could still sleep on it. We had the sofa of our sofabed made up as a bed for our then 15 month old on our Alaskan cruise. We also purchased a collapsible bed rail that just fit inside a 28" rolling bag that we put in place at night under the cushions. Safety first makes it. I had a picture I posted long ago, but it worked just fine. By 15 months, my DD was toddling and could climb down (And did) from the sofa just fine, but the rail added an extra stop from her rolling onto the floor.

 

It is something to consider instead of the pullman.

[It'sRC4ME]

You can also turn the sofa around so that the open side faces the wall and the back and arms make sides so she can't roll out. Should work nicely as long as your concern is just rolling, and not deliberately trying to get out of the bed.

[spealex]

We are travelling on a hump cabin on 9/1 with a 20 month old. My recommendation is the Pak and Play. They can rent it to you but since I live in Miami, I am taking my own. I am a little unsure about how well they clean these things. Question, since I am taking a pak and play, the attendant does not have to do anything for the baby, do I I pay the full tip amount for a baby as I would an adult, RCCL recommends doing this:( , who will not use any of the attendants services? (obviuosly if I see that the attendant does tend to something for my child I have no problem tipping). Im not trying to be cheap but I dont see the point in tipping someone just because the the baby is registered in my room but will never require an attendants services.

[Sue L]

We are travelling on a hump cabin on 9/1 with a 20 month old. My recommendation is the Pak and Play. They can rent it to you but since I live in Miami, I am taking my own. I am a little unsure about how well they clean these things. Question, since I am taking a pak and play, the attendant does not have to do anything for the baby, do I I pay the full tip amount for a baby as I would an adult, RCCL recommends doing this:( , who will not use any of the attendants services? (obviuosly if I see that the attendant does tend to something for my child I have no problem tipping). Im not trying to be cheap but I dont see the point in tipping someone just because the the baby is registered in my room but will never require an attendants services.

 

Yes, IMO you should give the tips for the baby also. Yes they are doing things for them. They are cleaning your whole room, not just yours and hubby part and leaving the baby's part untouched. They are cleaning the bathroom for all of you. You are paying full price 3rd rate for the baby so they consider them a person in there whether they are a baby or 15. Make sure you bring baby food and all the diapers you will need because this stuff is not available on board. I wish you a happy cruise.

[Ivanova]

Im not trying to be cheap but I dont see the point in tipping someone just because the the baby is registered in my room but will never require an attendants services.

Babies often cause more work than older children or adults. I'm not saying your child will, but don't assume that because your child is under 2 he/she will not create work for your stateroom host. So, yes, I'd say tip the suggested amount (or more if the stateroom host is aweseom) for all passengers in the room, regardless of age.

[spealex]

Thanks for the input. I agree kids can be more of a handful than adults ( I am learning this now as a parent) and I will tip the attendent. I am always a good tipper. I know the salaries and life conditions these "employees" endure, I am just a bothered by how RCCL comes right out and tells you to tip full amount, even for a 4 week old. Tipping is a sign of gratitude, expressed after being given a good service. On cruises however, tips are the salary, and its not like the cruise is a rock bottom deal either. I just believe with these automatic tips and such, the service industry knows they are getting their tip, its almost as guaranteed as a salary. Service suffers as a result. Why work harder. Before I anger anyone as they think of their amazing experiences with attendants I will say, I appreciate them as much as anyone else and I have never stiffed someone on a good tip for their services, I just think that cruise lines inflate their profit by having their "employees" depend on us buying 10 drinks, a cookbook and whatever else so they can get an honest paycheck. Sorry of for the rant. I will tip well, even more for a job well done. But I will also not tip if service is that poor.

[powelweb]

To the OP- when we sailed with our DD when she was 13 months, the pack and play from the Ship worked fine- I just brought crib sheets from home, for sanity and comfort purposes.

 

On our last cruise, DD was just over 3, but even though we had a sofe bed in the cabin (which took up enormous space), she preferred to sleep in her Dora blow-up sleeping bag that we took from home. DH took care of the inflation (thanks goodness), and she slept in her sleeping bag- think little tiny aero bed- on the floor next to my side of the bed. worked great for us.

 

to Spealex- RCCL does not come out and tell you to tip the full amount for a 4 week old, as i don't believe they permit infants under 3 months to sail.

[cb at sea]

If you have a pullman, they have safety rails available. Just ask for one!

[sweet&sassy]

Thanks for all the advice, I called RCCL and I definitely have a pullman for the third berth. So I will be getting the pack and play because I have a very vibrant little girl that gets into everything if you let her. I guess I will be bringing my own sheets and my own sanitizer to sanitize it. Thanks again.:D

[katiel53]

Thanks for the input. I agree kids can be more of a handful than adults ( I am learning this now as a parent) and I will tip the attendent. I am always a good tipper. I know the salaries and life conditions these "employees" endure, I am just a bothered by how RCCL comes right out and tells you to tip full amount, even for a 4 week old. Tipping is a sign of gratitude, expressed after being given a good service. On cruises however, tips are the salary, and its not like the cruise is a rock bottom deal either. I just believe with these automatic tips and such, the service industry knows they are getting their tip, its almost as guaranteed as a salary. Service suffers as a result. Why work harder. Before I anger anyone as they think of their amazing experiences with attendants I will say, I appreciate them as much as anyone else and I have never stiffed someone on a good tip for their services, I just think that cruise lines inflate their profit by having their "employees" depend on us buying 10 drinks, a cookbook and whatever else so they can get an honest paycheck. Sorry of for the rant. I will tip well, even more for a job well done. But I will also not tip if service is that poor.

 

I don't believe that small children can even be allowed by RCI to be in a pullman. It's a bed that pulls down from the ceiling. I thought the child had to be six years old at least or something like that to use one. Your problem is solved though with getting the Pak N Play.

 

RCI doesn't have an automatic surcharge that are considered tips. There is nothing added to your account UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO. The employees work for tips with the exception of the bar waiters/tenders where an auto tip is added. Your stateroom attendant and dining room people get tipped by what you give them. So, they do work harder to get the tips. I think you have RCI confused with other lines that automatically charge a service charge daily and I guess in some cases can be removed.

 

The cabin steward will be doing work for your child whether you realize it or not. What did you plan to do with dirty diapers? What did you plan to do with snack food wrappings that you might bring for him/her? Are you bringing any toys that might end up on the floor? Many things that you/I take for granted because we do them daily will be done by someone else. In many cases, babies and young children are far more work for the stewards.

 

Now that you know that RCI doesn't bill you automatically, sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy your cruise.

[spealex]

To the OP- when we sailed with our DD when she was 13 months, the pack and play from the Ship worked fine- I just brought crib sheets from home, for sanity and comfort purposes.

 

On our last cruise, DD was just over 3, but even though we had a sofe bed in the cabin (which took up enormous space), she preferred to sleep in her Dora blow-up sleeping bag that we took from home. DH took care of the inflation (thanks goodness), and she slept in her sleeping bag- think little tiny aero bed- on the floor next to my side of the bed. worked great for us.

 

to Spealex- RCCL does not come out and tell you to tip the full amount for a 4 week old, as i don't believe they permit infants under 3 months to sail.

 

What they say is that everyone in the cabin should tip the full amount.