Toddler Tips for Explorer of the Seas

[CTJammer]

We just returned from a five day cruise to Bermuda on Explorer with our 16 month old. Prior to going on our trip, I visited this site repeatedly for help in what to expect. I decided to post for the first time to share some of what we learned on our trip. This not meant to be a full trip report, just a summary of items of interest to parents of babies or young toddlers.

 

Strollers: I recommend bringing an umbrella stroller. We purchased one specifically for this trip, as we were worried that our full size stroller would be a tight squeeze in the ship’s corridors (we were right). We used it for walks on the deck, when the baby was asleep at our mealtime, and on shore. Having a stroller with a one-handed fold was very helpful. It allowed us to fold the stroller and carry the baby when the wait for an elevator on the ship was too long, and also to use the Bermuda bus system. The drivers asked that we stow the stroller in a bin at the front of the bus, which would not have worked if the stroller was not folded. When not in use, we stored the stroller in the folded position in the corner of our room by the balcony door.

 

Highchairs: The quality and condition of the highchairs available on the ship were poor. We encountered several chairs with missing or broken safety straps; one night, our waiter tried to convince us to secure the baby by tying the clip-less straps together! However, we always managed to get one with a working strap, although it sometimes took more than one try. The highchairs were generally pretty battered, and it was hit or miss as to whether they came with a tray. We brought a rubber mat that suction cups onto the table for the Windjammer and Johnny Rockets, which eliminated the need for a tray, but it could not be used in the formal dining room due to the tablecloths. I handed food to the baby in the dining room.

 

Dining Room: We requested a table for two (three!) for dinner and our request was honored. It was nice not having to stress out about others’ reactions to our baby’s table manners (or lack thereof). The only downside was that things were quite cramped at the table with a highchair and plates for three. Also, our neighbors had a difficult time getting out of their chairs (although they were courteous about it and we were quick to move the baby as necessary). The baby loved Johnny Rockets (the grilled cheese and the dancing) and the Windjammer was sufficiently loud and busy to keep her entertained at breakfast and lunch. In all the dining areas, the crew was very friendly to the baby and eager to make sure she was taken care of.

 

Food: There is a lot of food to choose from on the ship and we generally found food the baby would eat. The formal dining room offers a kid’s menu with chicken fingers, mac and cheese and other typical kid items. The first night I ordered two items (meat and pasta) and got two huge plates of food with fries. Thereafter, I asked for a serving of mac and cheese, a single chicken finger and whatever vegetable was being served that night. This worked very well for us. After I ordered a fruit cup for the baby two nights in a row, the fruit was there waiting for us when we arrived on the following nights. The Windjammer has fresh fruit, pasta, bread, oatmeal, sliced cheese and eggs available. Also, milk is available in the dining room and Windjammer. Keep in mind that if your baby regularly eats yogurt, the only yogurt available is non-fat—not what you want for a baby—and we weren’t able to find any cottage cheese. We probably would have brought our own yogurt and kept it in our fridge if we had known as the baby is a little fussy about her dairy! We brought our own crackers for the baby to eat as a snack, although we often used the small boxes of Cheerios available in the Windjammer at breakfast as well.

 

Stateroom: We booked a balcony stateroom. We requested a Pack n Play, but brought our own (given the conditions of the highchairs, I am glad we did). The requested PnP was not in the room when we arrived, which was fine. If you are going to use RCCL’s PnP, you may want to call to confirm beforehand. Our steward said she saw our PnP, and asked if we needed sheets (which was nice, even though we brought our own). She moved the coffee table into the closet and we set up the PnP in the front of the couch. Although it was a little cramped, it was definitely workable. I highly recommend using a PnP—it gives you a safe place to stow a crawler/walker, which is important because the small size of the cabin makes it hard to have all of the things you don’t want the baby to have out of reach. I also recommend bringing a shoe organizer for the bathroom door. With toiletries for two adults and a baby, the organizer was very handy. Like the waiters, our steward and the other stewards we saw in the corridors were very friendly to the baby. The baby loved the towel animals!

 

Pools: As is made clear on RCCL’s website and these boards, babies are not allowed in any pools. We saw one mother allowing her toddler to splash in the water slide area, but that was it.

 

Fisher Price Program: This program was not what we expected. I thought it would be like a Gymboree class, with a theme, songs, stories, etc. Instead, it basically was comprised of a bunch of Fisher Price toys in a specific theme on a play mat. There was no organization to it, although an Adventure Ocean crew member sat in the room. Also, the program is not held in the children’s area; it is held in Cloud Nine on Deck 14. Be aware that the room is not childproofed--the planters, which were on the floor, were full of small stones used as mulch and there were tables and chairs with sharp edges—and that given its location on the ship, it can be tough for a baby to walk on a rough sea day. An open play time is also offered, which is identical to the age-based programs, but with no Adventure Ocean crew member present.

 

General tips:

 

We weren’t able to find a changing station anywhere on the ship. We would go back to our room for diaper changes. We brought scented plastic bags for messy diapers, both out of courtesy for our cabin steward and to keep the cabin from smelling like a dirty diaper!

 

We brought our own dish soap and washed our sippy cups and placemat in our stateroom sink and dried the items on a towel on the desk in the room.

 

We typically use plastic bibs at home, but didn’t want to deal with washing them on the trip. We bought a package of Bibsters (disposable bibs) that worked very well (they even have a pocket to catch food).

 

We brought a small bottle of Chlorox Anywhere Spray (available at Babies r Us). This was great for cleaning a variety of items—the rubber dining mat, toys that fell on the deck of the ship, and highchairs.

 

We packed all items we thought we would use up during the trip in a cardboard box (diapers, wipes, bibsters, food). At the end of the trip, the box can be thrown away.

 

The crew will dote on your baby. Our baby was greeted with smiles and requests for high fives everywhere we went. The crew was very nice, as were the large majority of passengers. Be ready for a lot of people wanting to talk to and touch the baby.

 

We let the baby run during the day in Maharajas lounge. There is a wide open dance floor and ramps that the baby enjoyed running up and down. However, on some days the art auction is held in the lounge. At these times, we let the baby loose in the Chamber, which is totally empty during the day.

 

Be ready to be flexible. We tried to attend the shows, but often had to leave early because the baby was ready for bed. We tried to give each other time alone each day to sit by the pool, go to the spa/gym, etc. We brought our baby monitor so we could sit on our balcony after the baby went to bed at night and enjoy a drink together.

 

In short, we thought this was a decent trip for a couple with a toddler. The crew was incredibly nice to us and wonderful to the baby. However, RCCL would do well to buy some new highchairs and add some new programs—especially as babies pay the same third person rate as any other passenger. We may try Disney next to check out the other end of the spectrum!

 

CT Jammer

 

Grand Princess 8/01

Adventure of the Seas 8/02

Sovereign of the Seas 2/03

Voyager of the Seas 8/04

Grand Princess 4/04

Windjammer Legacy 4/05

Windjammer Polynesia 8/05

Windjammer Polynesia 2/06

Explorer of the Seas 7/08

[susanbratwurst]

CTJAMMER, your situation is very similar to ours from what it appears by your cruise history. My husband and I cruised a fair amount before having our son and last October (when he was 13 months old) we took him on a 7 night cruise. Unfortunately I didn't do my research..it was on Azamara where there were no highchairs and no cribs. (see my review under Azamara Quest) We still had a great time and I agree with you about being stopped ALOT by crew and passengers who wanted to hold our son. I always obliged (particularly when it was a crew member who wanted to hold him, as I realized that the crew members who wanted to hold him probably had baby's of their own that they were missing!

 

If you cruise again before your child is potty trained I HIGHLY recommend a blow up pool out on the balcony. It was a lifesaver for us, and even the Azamara passengers who I'm sure were less than thrilled with a 1 year old on that cruise couldn't help but laugh when we were in port and they could see him out there taking his morning swim!

 

Thanks for the great post, you brought up some excellent points

[Merion_Mom]

We just returned from a five day cruise to Bermuda on Explorer with our 16 month old. Prior to going on our trip, I visited this site repeatedly for help in what to expect. I decided to post for the first time to share some of what we learned on our trip. This not meant to be a full trip report, just a summary of items of interest to parents of babies or young toddlers.

 

Strollers: I recommend bringing an umbrella stroller. We purchased one specifically for this trip, as we were worried that our full size stroller would be a tight squeeze in the ship’s corridors (we were right). We used it for walks on the deck, when the baby was asleep at our mealtime, and on shore. Having a stroller with a one-handed fold was very helpful. It allowed us to fold the stroller and carry the baby when the wait for an elevator on the ship was too long, and also to use the Bermuda bus system. The drivers asked that we stow the stroller in a bin at the front of the bus, which would not have worked if the stroller was not folded. When not in use, we stored the stroller in the folded position in the corner of our room by the balcony door.

 

Highchairs: The quality and condition of the highchairs available on the ship were poor. We encountered several chairs with missing or broken safety straps; one night, our waiter tried to convince us to secure the baby by tying the clip-less straps together! However, we always managed to get one with a working strap, although it sometimes took more than one try. The highchairs were generally pretty battered, and it was hit or miss as to whether they came with a tray. We brought a rubber mat that suction cups onto the table for the Windjammer and Johnny Rockets, which eliminated the need for a tray, but it could not be used in the formal dining room due to the tablecloths. I handed food to the baby in the dining room.

 

Dining Room: We requested a table for two (three!) for dinner and our request was honored. It was nice not having to stress out about others’ reactions to our baby’s table manners (or lack thereof). The only downside was that things were quite cramped at the table with a highchair and plates for three. Also, our neighbors had a difficult time getting out of their chairs (although they were courteous about it and we were quick to move the baby as necessary). The baby loved Johnny Rockets (the grilled cheese and the dancing) and the Windjammer was sufficiently loud and busy to keep her entertained at breakfast and lunch. In all the dining areas, the crew was very friendly to the baby and eager to make sure she was taken care of.

 

Food: There is a lot of food to choose from on the ship and we generally found food the baby would eat. The formal dining room offers a kid’s menu with chicken fingers, mac and cheese and other typical kid items. The first night I ordered two items (meat and pasta) and got two huge plates of food with fries. Thereafter, I asked for a serving of mac and cheese, a single chicken finger and whatever vegetable was being served that night. This worked very well for us. After I ordered a fruit cup for the baby two nights in a row, the fruit was there waiting for us when we arrived on the following nights. The Windjammer has fresh fruit, pasta, bread, oatmeal, sliced cheese and eggs available. Also, milk is available in the dining room and Windjammer. Keep in mind that if your baby regularly eats yogurt, the only yogurt available is non-fat—not what you want for a baby—and we weren’t able to find any cottage cheese. We probably would have brought our own yogurt and kept it in our fridge if we had known as the baby is a little fussy about her dairy! We brought our own crackers for the baby to eat as a snack, although we often used the small boxes of Cheerios available in the Windjammer at breakfast as well.

 

Stateroom: We booked a balcony stateroom. We requested a Pack n Play, but brought our own (given the conditions of the highchairs, I am glad we did). The requested PnP was not in the room when we arrived, which was fine. If you are going to use RCCL’s PnP, you may want to call to confirm beforehand. Our steward said she saw our PnP, and asked if we needed sheets (which was nice, even though we brought our own). She moved the coffee table into the closet and we set up the PnP in the front of the couch. Although it was a little cramped, it was definitely workable. I highly recommend using a PnP—it gives you a safe place to stow a crawler/walker, which is important because the small size of the cabin makes it hard to have all of the things you don’t want the baby to have out of reach. I also recommend bringing a shoe organizer for the bathroom door. With toiletries for two adults and a baby, the organizer was very handy. Like the waiters, our steward and the other stewards we saw in the corridors were very friendly to the baby. The baby loved the towel animals!

 

Pools: As is made clear on RCCL’s website and these boards, babies are not allowed in any pools. We saw one mother allowing her toddler to splash in the water slide area, but that was it.

 

Fisher Price Program: This program was not what we expected. I thought it would be like a Gymboree class, with a theme, songs, stories, etc. Instead, it basically was comprised of a bunch of Fisher Price toys in a specific theme on a play mat. There was no organization to it, although an Adventure Ocean crew member sat in the room. Also, the program is not held in the children’s area; it is held in Cloud Nine on Deck 14. Be aware that the room is not childproofed--the planters, which were on the floor, were full of small stones used as mulch and there were tables and chairs with sharp edges—and that given its location on the ship, it can be tough for a baby to walk on a rough sea day. An open play time is also offered, which is identical to the age-based programs, but with no Adventure Ocean crew member present.

 

General tips:

 

We weren’t able to find a changing station anywhere on the ship. We would go back to our room for diaper changes. We brought scented plastic bags for messy diapers, both out of courtesy for our cabin steward and to keep the cabin from smelling like a dirty diaper!

 

We brought our own dish soap and washed our sippy cups and placemat in our stateroom sink and dried the items on a towel on the desk in the room.

 

We typically use plastic bibs at home, but didn’t want to deal with washing them on the trip. We bought a package of Bibsters (disposable bibs) that worked very well (they even have a pocket to catch food).

 

We brought a small bottle of Chlorox Anywhere Spray (available at Babies r Us). This was great for cleaning a variety of items—the rubber dining mat, toys that fell on the deck of the ship, and highchairs.

 

We packed all items we thought we would use up during the trip in a cardboard box (diapers, wipes, bibsters, food). At the end of the trip, the box can be thrown away.

 

The crew will dote on your baby. Our baby was greeted with smiles and requests for high fives everywhere we went. The crew was very nice, as were the large majority of passengers. Be ready for a lot of people wanting to talk to and touch the baby.

 

We let the baby run during the day in Maharajas lounge. There is a wide open dance floor and ramps that the baby enjoyed running up and down. However, on some days the art auction is held in the lounge. At these times, we let the baby loose in the Chamber, which is totally empty during the day.

 

Be ready to be flexible. We tried to attend the shows, but often had to leave early because the baby was ready for bed. We tried to give each other time alone each day to sit by the pool, go to the spa/gym, etc. We brought our baby monitor so we could sit on our balcony after the baby went to bed at night and enjoy a drink together.

 

In short, we thought this was a decent trip for a couple with a toddler. The crew was incredibly nice to us and wonderful to the baby. However, RCCL would do well to buy some new highchairs and add some new programs—especially as babies pay the same third person rate as any other passenger. We may try Disney next to check out the other end of the spectrum!

 

CT Jammer

 

Please post this on the Family board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=111

[MrPete]

Your post brought back such cherished memories, even though we started our DD out at the ripe old age of 4.

 

Thanks!

[CTJammer]

Thanks for the positive feedback. The tub would have been a great idea, I'll have to remember that one for next time. We had a nice time, and given the prices I've seen for Disney, we may be back on RCCL next time.

[GatorGirl]

Thank you for posting this! My DD will be 15 months when we sail on the LOS. I didn't even think about changing stations in bathrooms...Good info on yogurt. My DD loves her yobaby. I will be bringing some on board in a small cooler.

 

Did you actually see the PnP? I really don't want to bring mine, so I'm curious if the PnP was clean. I will be bringing my own sheets and chlorox wipes, though.

 

If you think of anything else that should not be forgotten, please post!

[FinallyConvincedDH2Cruise]

I haven't brought DD on a cruise yet, but we have done a ton of traveling so I have a few comments.

 

Cruise ship or hotel, always bring your own PNP sheets. Most hotels I have stayed at take a large sheet and just wrap it around the mattress board. Call the specific hotel (not the 1-800 number) and verify if it is a PNP or a porta-crib (typically larger). We stay at Marriott hotels all the time and always had a Graco PNP. In San Francisco we were shocked to get an old porta crib that looked like a death trap.

 

Washing bottles and sippys- Avent makes a great bottle brush ($4), I don't use it at home anymore but it stays in my travel bag with a little bottle of dish soap!

 

Sippys- just started using Funtainers by Thermos last week. Expensive and heavier than a sippy, also can be hard to find (back to school section of Target) but they are awesome. This weekend was very hot out and hours later I looked in it and the ice cubes were barely melted. Not for babies but great for pre-school age.

 

Tub- I have a blow-up tub. I even use it at home and can use on the shower floor. We stayed at a very nice hotel in Chicago and was shocked to have no tub but instead a huge spa-like shower, glad I had it! Just hard to blow up, especially for the first time, bring a pump if you have it.

 

Baby pool- if you think you want to bring a baby pool for diapered kids, run and buy it now! Soon you will not find one depending on where you live! My DD's got a hole in it last week and finding a replacement was a pain.

 

Don't want to use their highchair, Fisher Price makes the Healthy Care booster seat, very light, has a tray, folds, and you can pack in a duffel bag. I used to bring it everywhere and flew with it a few times. We now keep a second one at my parents and been using it for two years now. We love it so much my Mom always buys one for her friends as a "grandma gift" when going to baby showers.

 

Bibs- I love bibsters but some kids rip them off. Built NY makes bibs out of wetsuit material. Can wash in the sink and dries very fast.

[nfmst2]

Thanks so much for this great info, I'm making lists as I sit here reading!

 

I would also love to hear from anyone who has seen the Pack and Plays, I'm a little concerned now because we weren't planning on bringing ours' but could make arrangements.

 

Thanks!

[Cheryl H]

Glad to hear you had a great time!!! We are preparing to take our 3 year old on a New England cruise in September.

 

We did Disney when he was 18 months old, then Niagara Falls at age 2.

 

Thanks for the report.

[CTJammer]

Thank you for posting this! My DD will be 15 months when we sail on the LOS. I didn't even think about changing stations in bathrooms...Good info on yogurt. My DD loves her yobaby. I will be bringing some on board in a small cooler.

 

Did you actually see the PnP? I really don't want to bring mine, so I'm curious if the PnP was clean. I will be bringing my own sheets and chlorox wipes, though.

 

If you think of anything else that should not be forgotten, please post!

 

I didn't actually see any of RCCL's PnPs, so it probably wasn't fair of me to assume they are in bad shape. But if the highchairs are any indication, you may not want to take the chance. Maybe someone else who has used one of RCCL's can chime in?

 

Good comment on the Fisher Price portable high chair. I have one I use all the time at home, but didn't think to bring it. However, it may have presented a problem at our table for two--there was no room for a third chair. Also, it wouldn't work at Johnny Rockets, as they have booths except at the bar.

 

Another note--we use a Buggy Bag highchair cover, which did not work on the RCCL highchairs, which were the molded plastic type (not the wooden type you typically find in restaurants).