QV for Infants (& general info on the Play Zone)

[CTM55]

We have just returned from a 2 week Med Cruise on QV with a one year old. I really struggled to find up-to-date info before we left, so here’s an up-to-date account (July 2009) – hopefully it will be useful to others:

The Nursery

We received a welcome letter in our cabin immediately upon boarding from the nursery asking us to register after the lifeboat drill.

We registered our little boy – filled in several forms & received more information.

The nursery is open from 9- 12, 2-5 and 6 – midnight every day except the first & last night. On the first night, they don’t open until 8pm and on the last night they shut at 10pm.

If you are on a Cunard trip – such as Rome, they will keep your child all day & provide meals. Otherwise you are expected to collect your child after each session.

Children from 1 year to 6 years were accommodated with 2 programmes, aged 1- 3 years and 4-6 years.

They have 4 travel cots in a dedicated quiet room and can accommodate up to 3 more in the main nursery if needed. There were quite a few babies on our cruise, but the extra cots weren’t ever needed. We requested that our little one be allocated a cot each evening – and the same one was kept free for him each night. We were asked to bring our pram along at night – so that they could be used to settle the infants if needed. We were on second dinner & so we would take him to the nursery in his PJs each evening around 7.30. If he wasn’t tired, he could play for a while & then the staff would put him to bed (we provided a sleeping bag) or we could settle him before we left for dinner.

Children were signed in and out of the nursery and we were given a pager each evening when we left him in their care. Older children were expected to use wipes for their hands on entering the nursery.

All toys were cleaned after each session and the whole nursery is cleaned at the end of the cruise.

There is also a secure outside play area with cars, trikes, balls, playhouse, castle and a climbing frame. This area can also be used when the nursery is closed.

There are changing facilities in the nursery – but you are asked to provide your own wipes, nappies etc (there are some available for emergency changes!). Staff will change nappies.

There were 4 nursery nurses on our cruise and on some days staff from the Teen Zone were also in attendance, but were always overseen by a nursery nurse.

On sea days the nursery operates on a drop-in basis. But on port days you are asked to book a place the night before if you want your child to attend (so that the correct staff numbers could be allocated).

We didn’t leave our little one during the day, but we were made very welcome when we attended the sessions with him & made use of the toys & facilities. There was a very good selection of toys.

There was a group of 6 year old girls on our cruise & the programme provided was fantastic – I can’t wait until my little chap is old enough to join in.

The Cabin

A cot was provided in our cabin and we choose to keep this up all of the time – we had a balcony cabin & it wasn’t as cramped as I had feared! We were also provided with bin-liners for the bathroom bin to put used nappies in (we did put them in nappy sacks first). We were provided with 3 face cloths & 3 bath towels.

Be warned – the shower head is fixed & this did make life difficult!!

Our cabin steward was brilliant and he accommodated his cleaning schedule around morning naps!!

Our cabin steward was happy to put cups/spoons/bowls etc through the dishwasher. We’d leave them out as we went for dinner & they would be done when we returned.

Food/Lido

A high chair was provided on each visit to the Lido with a smile!

The staff made a great fuss of our little chap & nothing was too much trouble.

The savoury food selection was fantastic and we were never short of options for chicken/fish dishes, lots of vegetables and cheese & bread was plentiful. If you need food whizzing this can be done – we didn’t need this option.

About half way through the cruise we were offered baby food. We didn’t need the savoury jars, but the desserts did come in useful and this was the only area that we struggled with for a one year old.

There was a fantastic variety of fresh fruit – strawberries, cherries, grapes, kiwi etc.

We had taken on board a box of emergency supplies – not knowing how we would get on and so we did raid this for desserts.

Hot milk can be obtained from the drinks station at any time.

There is a children’s tea from 4.45 – 5.30 – ask if you can’t find it. It does chicken nuggets/fish fingers/pizza/grilled chicken/a pasta dish/mashed potato/fries etc. (The only draw back is that it was a very similar menu each evening). There was also jelly and fruit salad. Our little one developed a liking for strawberries & if we asked a few were always found for him even if not on display.

Afternoon tea had sandwiches and our little chap was happy with these at teatime.

We didn’t take him to the main dining room, but high chairs are available.

Laundry

The free laundry facilities come in very useful! We over packed!!! Next time, I would take 4-5 days worth of outfits and that would be plenty for the little chap.

Photos

We took our little chap for his photo taken twice, each time around 6.15pm – it was nice & quiet and the photographers were brilliant. If you ask in the morning they can tell you which backdrops will be available that evening.

In general

The staff and other guests made a great fuss of our little chap. There were lots of children & teenagers on board – first 2 weeks of the English school holidays. They were well behaved & supervised by their parents. We thoroughly enjoyed out trip and we will take him cruising again with Cunard.

Happy to answer any questions.

[jfhandel]

Looks like were on the same cruise...! Glad to hear you enjoyed it as much as we did.

 

The Cunard kids facilities were indeed good, particularly the night nursery. In amongst the big cruise lines, Cunard and P&O are really the only ones to offer this sort of thing for the under 2s. I have no idea why this should be the case, as this was a huge plus point for us on both this and our last cruise.

 

For a company that doesn't chase the family market, I think Cunard is an excellent family cruise line - they were offering first child sails for free for future cruises, for good measure!

[Auxi]

I would like to express my gratitude for your post. My wife and I are sailing Cunard in December with our 15 month old son. Though we are sailing aboard QM2, I'm conifdent the on board facilities and service should be comparable. It is nice to know what to expect and that the voyage you experienced was positive.

 

Regards.

[kath00]

Wow, thank you so much for this detailed information. I am so surprised at the accomodations Cunard takes with infants! It is rare and much appreciated by tired (and sometimes desperate parents) who need a break for their kids to enjoy being an adult again.

 

Do you have any info on older children's activites? I have a 5 and 10 year old and we were not going to bring them on the cruise at all. But your description is making me think twice about having them come along since they are mature and well behaved. That said, I don't want them to be bored stiff.

 

Katherine

[CTM55]

Hi Katherine

 

I have the programme at home for the 1-6 year olds. If you let me have your email address, I will scan it and email it to you.

 

I don't have the "Zone" programme - but there were lots of kids on our cruise and they all seemed to be having a great time! The Zone was busy and the Teen Staff seemed very friendly and when I did sneak at peak at their programme it looked good.

[cclarke12]

Hi CTM55

 

Thanks for this review. I had also picked it up on another website too. We have cruised with our son on other cruise lines but had never really considered Cunard with children. Now we have a new baby it sounds like the facilities will be perfect for them both, and have booked for next year when they will be aged 4 and 1. Thanks again for such a useful and positive review :)

[seoras]

Thanks SO much for posting this thread!!!!

 

We are travelling on QM2 next month and you have reassured me greatly.

 

The only thing i worry about now is puddings. I thought there might be mousse, yogurt, custard etc available at lunch and dinner times? If not i think i might order some jars of puds.

 

Is the hot milk available for my wee boys bedtime bottle? 7pm?

 

Also my boy has a light/sound show when he goes to sleep........do you think i could use that in the nursery.....if there weren't any other babies in at his bedtime!

 

If your little one was asleep after you had dinner did you manage to keep him asleep as you returned to your cabin?

 

Will my little boy be allowed in the pool with a swim nappy on?

 

TIA

[nitwit]

Thanks SO much for posting this thread!!!!

 

We are travelling on QM2 next month and you have reassured me greatly.

 

The only thing i worry about now is puddings. I thought there might be mousse, yogurt, custard etc available at lunch and dinner times? If not i think i might order some jars of puds.

 

Is the hot milk available for my wee boys bedtime bottle? 7pm?

 

Also my boy has a light/sound show when he goes to sleep........do you think i could use that in the nursery.....if there weren't any other babies in at his bedtime!

 

If your little one was asleep after you had dinner did you manage to keep him asleep as you returned to your cabin?

 

Will my little boy be allowed in the pool with a swim nappy on?

 

TIA

 

 

 

Puddings aren't a problem either. You can have whatever you like, the staff will get it for you. We were also in a balcony cabin in April. We took the travel cot down each morning and the stewardess would make it up during the evening when she did our bed.

If you're having a good time and it gets a bit close to picking up time, the staff are flexible for a tip. Just make it once or twice a trip. I did this on QE2 when we left tenerife at midnight for the last time and we could go to the sailaway party.

Glenn.

[nitwit]

As for the swim nappy, the answer is no. I noticed the sign when I was already in the pool with my little one but didn't get into trouble.

Glenn.

[mumoftwo]

Was the night nursery only for babies?

 

On P&O children up to 6 (I think) can use it - we carried our two (then 4 and 5 - worked off the dinner, removed heels first though) back to the cabin - they either stayed asleep or woke but were then immediately able to go back off.

 

It would be great for us if they could go to sleep in the nursery rather than watch a movie whist we are at dinner (daughter might drop off during the film, but son won't) - doing a westbound TA they are going to want to fall asleep earlier and earlier as we go west and potentially will still wake up early in the morning - which will not make a great holiday if they did not get to bed until 11!

[nitwit]

Was the night nursery only for babies?

 

On P&O children up to 6 (I think) can use it - we carried our two (then 4 and 5 - worked off the dinner, removed heels first though) back to the cabin - they either stayed asleep or woke but were then immediately able to go back off.

 

It would be great for us if they could go to sleep in the nursery rather than watch a movie whist we are at dinner (daughter might drop off during the film, but son won't) - doing a westbound TA they are going to want to fall asleep earlier and earlier as we go west and potentially will still wake up early in the morning - which will not make a great holiday if they did not get to bed until 11!

 

 

 

I don't know if I've misunderstood you but you can't leave your babies overnight. It's everybody out before 12.

Glenn.

[seoras]

I don't know if I've misunderstood you but you can't leave your babies overnight. It's everybody out before 12.

Glenn.

 

I don't think the pp thought kids were left overnight.

 

My little boys normal bedtime is 7pm but i imagine he might not settle in new surroundings. I'm hoping they might be able to amuse him, keep him happy until after dinner and then we can settle him in our cabin, but like you say it wont make any difference to his am wake up time, he will no doubt be up at 8am as usual!!!

[CTM55]

Sorry haven't logged on for a couple of days:

 

Yogurt - it's available at breakfast, but if you ask they will get it for you at anytime.

 

Hot milk is available at anytime from the drinks station.

 

The nursery staff were great - I'm sure that you could use your lights/sound mobile.

 

Our little one stirred when we collected him, but we managed to get him to the lifts, down to deck 5, along the corridor and into our room and he would go back to sleep!!

 

Babies with swim nappies are not allowed in the pool - but I did see several!

 

We left our travel cot up because of daytime naps - but our cabin steward did ask what our preference was.

 

The nursery was open for 1 - 6 year olds. But the cots in the quiet room were only for babies. For the older ones they had a movie & large bean bags in the main nursery room.

 

We were on late dinner & our normal bedtime is 7pm, but on the cruise this became 8ish (due to the hour change & different surroundings). I'm sure that the staff would be happy to play with your little one until you get back from dinner.

 

Enjoy your cruise - we had a fab time & have booked for next August on QM2.

[seoras]

Thanks again, all very helpful!!

 

Just one last Q, custard or chocolate mousse?? Any chance of getting this at lunch/dinner time?

[CTM55]

Hello!

 

At lunchtime there was always a hot dessert & this usually had custard. There were various homemade mousse like desserts (some were fruit based) at lunchtime.

 

I don't know about dinner time - sorry. Our little one had tea around 5 - 5.30 and this coincided with afternoon tea & the childrens tea.

 

Our little chap developed a passion for strawberries & these were always found for him when we made a special request at tea time.

 

I'm sure if you ask, most things can be found or perhaps produced for the next day.

 

Have a fabulous time.

 

I'd be interested to hear how you get on on QM2 and if anything is different in preparation for next year!

[mumoftwo]

Will update you on Qm2 when we get back - we are booked for next year too - Norway and the arctic circle.