RCCL, Independence of the Seas, 16mth old baby, QUESTIONS!!!

[axlebolt]

Hi,

I've been browsing the forums for a bit but still have loads of questions mostly to do with taking a toddler on a cruise (14nt med 9thMay)

 

 

Am I right in thinking that the day nursery won't take a 16mth old?

Will we be able to use the pool in the H20 zone with our son?

Are the baby changing facilities around the ship?

Will we be able to take our son on excursions and will the cruise line provide child seats or will we have to try and bring our own?

What are the RCCL cots like?

What food will there be for our son? At the moment we are just getting him to eat more solid food but for the most part everything is blended/ mashed.

Do we have to pay a subsidy for our son in Portifino and Chops?

Are towels provided in the room?

At the moment we are on the 3rd floor beside the night club – will we hear much noise?

How early can you eat at night?

Is there anything else it would be handy to know before hand.

 

 

Ermm I think that's it, hopefully someone will be able to answer some of the questions

Thanks

~AB

[cb at sea]

There are baby-changing stations in all public bathrooms.

If you're on a bus for an excursion, you'll have to hold your child--no seatbelts! Cabs--bring your own seat. Check for age restrictions on excursions--some have them!

The ship can "puree" any food you want. If your child eats bottled food, bring it.

A 16 mo shouldn't be in the specialty restaurant---hire a babysitter for that night. Everyone--you, the child, the other diners, will appreciate it.

There are bath towels and pool towels. No need to bring any.

If you book early (main) seating for dinner, that's at around 6pm---give or take 30 minutes. If your ship offers My time dining---you might want to do that...then it's your choice of time.

Unless the ship has facilities for swim diapers (I think there's a "splash zone" on your ship) diapered folks aren't allowed in the pools.

[brenderlou]

I don't know about Indy but when we were on the Jewel. Kids in swim diapers/not potty trained were not allowed in the kids swim area (that was seperate from the main pool) and it was always being watched by a pool attendent.

I may be wrong but I don't think a 16 mo old would be allowed in a speciality restaurant and honestly, you don't want to do that. The speciality restuarants that we've experienced are quiet, geared for adults and meant for a retreat from the main dining room. Also, the dinner last longer......I agree with the previous poster, not a place for a 16 mo old. If the ship has it, get a babysitter if you go.

[crusinmama06]

Hi,

I've been browsing the forums for a bit but still have loads of questions mostly to do with taking a toddler on a cruise (14nt med 9thMay)

 

 

Am I right in thinking that the day nursery won't take a 16mth old?

Will we be able to use the pool in the H20 zone with our son?

Are the baby changing facilities around the ship?

Will we be able to take our son on excursions and will the cruise line provide child seats or will we have to try and bring our own?

What are the RCCL cots like?

What food will there be for our son? At the moment we are just getting him to eat more solid food but for the most part everything is blended/ mashed.

Do we have to pay a subsidy for our son in Portifino and Chops?

Are towels provided in the room?

At the moment we are on the 3rd floor beside the night club – will we hear much noise?

How early can you eat at night?

Is there anything else it would be handy to know before hand.

 

 

Ermm I think that's it, hopefully someone will be able to answer some of the questions

Thanks

~AB

 

--No - no nursery for the 16 month old. But you can hire an in cabin sitter for the evening. Go to the Customer Relations Desk to book. Limited availability. Fee applies.

 

--Your son can go in the Baby Zone, not the entire H20 zone. The Baby Zone is a small area off of the H20 zone.

 

--Yes he can go on excrusions as long as there isn't an age minimum on the tour (there often are age minimums). No they won't provide car seats. That;s up to you to bring one.

 

--Lots of different food choices. I never had problems finding something my kids would eat at that age.

 

--Chops/Portofino is the ADULT dining venue on the ship. They do accept younger children in the earlier reservations (before 7pm). But it is a 2-3 hour meal. I couldn't imagine being able to entertain him that long.

 

--Bath towels - in the cabin. Pool/Beach towels - available at the H20 zone and at the Main pool. They will scan your sea pass to get the pool towels.

 

--I haven't heard anything about noise from the night club

 

--Main seating is at 6pm in the dining room. But you can eat earlier in other dining venues.

[crusinmama06]

I don't know about Indy but when we were on the Jewel. Kids in swim diapers/not potty trained were not allowed in the kids swim area (that was seperate from the main pool) and it was always being watched by a pool attendent.

 

ALL Freedom class ships have a Baby Zone. ;) And the Oasis and Allure will have one as well. Enchantment also has a splash zone for babies.

This is the one on Indy...

 

 

[lilrere]

Somehow I just lost my whole long reply:mad: so this one will be short!:D Just off the Indy with 13 month old. Food was OK my son ate chicken mashed potatoes and a veggie every night. Along with applesauce you must ask for applesauce in the windjammer. Splashzone was fun didn't understand why the larger part could not be filtered since it is just a few inches deep. Our son wanted so badly to play in there but we did obey the rules:D It does make it hard if you have one child in diapers and one not. Essential to bring........grandmom! She booked late and the handicap rooms were open to the public it was HUGE compared to our room and so my son had room to play and his crib fit no problem. he slept great in the crib. He loved looking out the window. We had a oceanview room and it would have been a tight fit if my mom had not decided ti come. All in all it was fun and I will answer any questions you have

[lilrere]

ALso they do have a fisher price play group 3 times a day. Ages 6-18 months and 18-36 months. They were flexible with ages and times. We only went once since we were with my DH family and they all wanted to spend time with my son. We had a group of 14 and only one child so he got lots af attention! You have to stay with your child. The day we went there was about 15 kids. It is a good time to meet other parents and for the babies to play!

[lolakat]

A 16 mo shouldn't be in the specialty restaurant---hire a babysitter for that night. Everyone--you, the child, the other diners, will appreciate it.

 

Everyone gave you good information but I don't totally agree with this one comment.

It is absolutely possible to go to specialty resturants with you child so long as you're prepared to take a walk if DC gets restless. We cruise on NCL where there is no babysitting option. DD goes to dinner with us in all the specialty resturants and it has never been an issue. If you can get a babysitter and that's what you want to do great. If not don't let the above post deter you from trying out the specialty options.

[wrp96]

Everyone gave you good information but I don't totally agree with this one comment.

It is absolutely possible to go to specialty resturants with you child so long as you're prepared to take a walk if DC gets restless. We cruise on NCL where there is no babysitting option. DD goes to dinner with us in all the specialty resturants and it has never been an issue. If you can get a babysitter and that's what you want to do great. If not don't let the above post deter you from trying out the specialty options.

 

Be aware that the rules for specialty restaurants on RCCL are different than on NCL. On RCCL children are only allowed in the specialty restaurants before 7pm (previously they weren't allowed at all). So the advice to get a babysitter if they want to eat at the specialty restaurants is good advice for RCCL.

[crusinmama06]

Everyone gave you good information but I don't totally agree with this one comment.

It is absolutely possible to go to specialty resturants with you child so long as you're prepared to take a walk if DC gets restless. We cruise on NCL where there is no babysitting option. DD goes to dinner with us in all the specialty resturants and it has never been an issue. If you can get a babysitter and that's what you want to do great. If not don't let the above post deter you from trying out the specialty options.

 

Sorry Lolokat but I agree with Wrona. The RCCL specialty restaurants are TOTALLY different than the NCL ones. On NCL, kids are welcomed into the specialty restaurants. They aren't really welcomed into the RCCL ones. It started out that it was for 13 and older ONLY. Then they loosened up a little and allow some exceptions before 7pm. ;)

 

There is no way I would feel comfortable taking a baby into Chops or Portofino on Indepenedence. :(

[sherry7]

ALL Freedom class ships have a Baby Zone. ;) And the Oasis and Allure will have one as well. Enchantment also has a splash zone for babies.

 

This is the one on Indy...

 

 

 

 

I just ran across this thread. Are these still valid rules for the Baby Splash Zone? I wasn't planning on taking our 8 month old in the pools, but if it's actually allowed in this particular area, I'd like to be prepared and bring a pack of swim diapers on the cruise. If it's not allowed, no big deal, as she won't know what she's missing anyway. ;) Thanks for any updated info. :)

[jerin]

Yes, there are still special areas for diapered children on the Freedom class (Freedom, Liberty, Independence) and Oasis class (Oasis and Allure) on RCCL. It's just a small area, but has special filtration to accommodate swim diapers.

[sherry7]

Yes, there are still special areas for diapered children on the Freedom class (Freedom, Liberty, Independence) and Oasis class (Oasis and Allure) on RCCL. It's just a small area, but has special filtration to accommodate swim diapers.

 

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified that we're going on the Enchantment, which was mentioned earlier in this thread as having a baby-friendly splash area. Does anyone know about that ship in particular please?

[sandytoes03]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified that we're going on the Enchantment, which was mentioned earlier in this thread as having a baby-friendly splash area. Does anyone know about that ship in particular please?

 

I thought I heard that Enchantment no longer has the baby swimming area. Maybe someone else can confirm this?

[crusinmama06]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have specified that we're going on the Enchantment, which was mentioned earlier in this thread as having a baby-friendly splash area. Does anyone know about that ship in particular please?

 

I thought I heard that Enchantment no longer has the baby swimming area. Maybe someone else can confirm this?

 

Yes, Sandytoes is correct. :D Enchantment has a small pool. However, non-potty trained babies/tots are no longer allowed in it. :( There was a time that they were. Then they changed the rules on Enchanment only. The Freedom and Oasis class ships still have a Baby zone.

[elephant98]

We sailed on the Liberty of the Seas, a sister ship, on a cruise that departed on Labor Day weekend.

 

On the Liberty, there were not changing stations in every public bathroom. Just in some of them, like one of the restrooms on the pool deck.

 

We took our 9-month-old son to Portofino's on the first formal night. Our reservations were for 6 pm, but they didn't seat anyone in the restaurant on that night until 6:30 pm for some unknown reason. (The buffet opened for dinner every night at 6:30 pm on our sailing, by the way.) Aside from our table of 5 people, there was only two other couples seated in the restaurant for the better part of an hour. For whatever reason, the place was empty. The waiters were very attentive and brought breadsticks, bread and some pasta for our son in advance of the appetizers. There was no charge for this. The meal was relatively fast, 1 1/2 hours tops.

 

Our son usually behaves well at the dinner table as long as he is being fed and has a toy to keep his attention. Had he gotten bored and/or started acted out, one of us would have excused ourselves and taken him for a walk in the stroller. In our case, taking him to Portofino's was no big deal for us and nobody, including other guests and the staff, were inconvenienced. The staff realized that even the most well behaved child can only sit for so long, so they brought out our courses promptly and it didn't feel rushed at all. Pretty much the same as our experience in the main dining room.

 

They are putting a nursery on the Liberty when it goes to drydock in January 2011 that can accomodate children under 2 (at an hourly cost), but I don't think that the Independence is scheduled for a drydock until some time in 2012.