RCL, can I bring a travel cot?

[bluesharpie]

Just exploring sleeping options for my 4YO. We are traveling in a month on the RCL Explorer for 5 days and have an oceanview with pullman beds. I have seen threads about pack and plays and cribs and using the couch as a bed. I already have a Regalo Travel cot that folds up and fits in a bag (like the camping chairs).

 

He could sleep in bed with us, on the couch or on the floor but I was wondering if anyone has brought a portable bed. My travel agent seemed to think I couldn't bring it b/c of hazard restrictions but it's much smaller than a Pack and Play...

 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Regalo-My-Cot-Travel-Bed/4433186

 

Just wondering if anyone has ever used one?

 

Thanks:)

[cb at sea]

Why would you need to? If you get a cabin with the proper number of beds, there's no reason to bring your own.

The additional bed will be put away every morning, and brought out in the evening by your attendant....so you won't have it in the way all day long. I would choose the sofabed...low to the floor, and let him use it...

[Julienatul]

For our 4 yr old we use the couch (makes into a twin bed) underneath the cushions is a twin mattress or if our cabin has an upper bunk we pull the mattress off and place it on the floor underneath the bunk since we are afraid to let her sleep up high just yet. No need to bring your own, use whats in the room already.

[bluesharpie]

Thanks for your reply. To clarify, we don't have a sofabed, just a sofa. Our cabin has 2 pullman beds for my 6YO and 4YO. I'm not putting my 4YO in the pullman so he will have to sleep with us, on the floor, or on the sofa (not sure how big it is in an oceanview) or one of us sleep in a pullman. He still needs bedrails so I was wondering if a portable travel cot would be allowed since my son has already slept on one last summer at the beach.

 

Since we are driving to the port and can easily put a luggage tag on the cot, I was looking for feedback whether they might be allowed:)

[reallyitsmema]

Since you already own it, you are driving to port and your son has slept on it, I would absolutely bring it. You should be able to set it up in front of the couch, if it didn't fit, you could have the coffee table removed. Some have had little ones sleep on pullmans with no issues, but I would be more comfortable with a 4 year old sleeping a little closer to the floor too.:)

[tamsocal]

Thanks for your reply. To clarify, we don't have a sofabed, just a sofa. Our cabin has 2 pullman beds for my 6YO and 4YO. I'm not putting my 4YO in the pullman so he will have to sleep with us, on the floor, or on the sofa (not sure how big it is in an oceanview) or one of us sleep in a pullman. He still needs bedrails so I was wondering if a portable travel cot would be allowed since my son has already slept on one last summer at the beach.

 

Since we are driving to the port and can easily put a luggage tag on the cot, I was looking for feedback whether they might be allowed:)

 

I don;t think anyone from the cruiseship will tell you that your son cannot sleep in the cot. We are cruising this sept and the twins will be 3yrs-- they will not be sleeping in a pulldown/upperbunk with or without a bedrail. They also move around alot so not even sure that I am going to be ok w/ the sofabed-- even if it fairly low to the ground -- last cruise the 6yr old slept in sofa bed & there was a big gap at the top of the bed that I would not be ok w/ the toddlers sleeping in--

Agree that there are plenty of options that might work for you that are already on the ship-- I think we will be making a bed from the upper bunk mattress & placing on the floor or using the sofa cushions. Not certain at this point but do know we will make something work :). I like the cot!

[bluesharpie]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. When I first found these boards in April and saw the Pullman pictures, I knew DS wouldn't be sleeping there but my travel agent seemed adamant that RCL would not allow my cot.

 

After reading here about pack and plays and strollers, I can't understand why a fold up cot would be rejected. I will bring it and see how it goes.

 

tamsocal, it worked really great last year with DS when he was 3 and he moves alot in his sleep. It needs to be padded underneath b/c of the bar (though DS didn't notice it). I just used a cribsheet over the top and a towel over the bar.

 

:)

[cclarke12]

Have you thought about a ready bed? Our 4 year old would never fit into a travel crib but I am not that comfortable about the upper berth. He has a ready bed which is an inflatable air bed with a built in cover, and it packs into a small bag. It is great and can easily be found on ebay in UK. Much lighter than a travel crib

[crusinmama06]

I am with YOU. There is no way my 4 year old would sleep "up top"

 

Sorry, I don't know your TA, but I have never seen anything from RCI that has ever banned travel cots. A bigger hazard is a 4 year old falling from a 6 foot upper bed and cracking god knows what. :eek:

 

What's the worse that could happen. You get to the port and they say "What's that?" -- You answer "a travel cot"

 

And they say "Oh, sorry, we'll have to confiscate that until the end of the cruise"

 

No harm, no foul. ;)

 

And just to be sure -- I did a search on the Royal Caribbean web site and couldn't find anything banning travel cots. :D

[jerin]

I've never heard of any bans on them. I'm not sure what your TA heard or where, but I say bring it -- chances are the steward will even make it up like a bed for you, if not, they'll make up a mattress on the floor.

[EmiGirl826]

I went on an RCI cruise with my parents a couple of years ago and even at 24 there was NO WAY I was going to sleep on the pullman bed. So, we asked our cabin steward and he put the mattress in the floor and made it up every night for me and put it back up the next day. :) Even as an adult I was comfortable in the floor.

 

 

Have fun on your cruise!

[Marie51]

It seems that instead of a cabin with pullmans what you really need is a cabin with a sofa bed for your 2 children. I shared a cabin with my 2 young grandchildren and they fit on the sofa bed with no problem. Is it possible for you to change your cabin? I don't know why your travel agent didn't book you into this in the first place.

[bluesharpie]

Marie51- I'm to blame for the cabin, I get seasick so we booked a low deck in the midsection so Pullmans were what we had to choose from. (I've cruised a few times before so chose a cabin based on my past experience). The cabins with the pull out couches seemed to be on the upper decks in the suites or already booked. At this point, the cruise is sold out anyway:)

 

Criusinmama, thanks for looking for me. I couldn't find anything either and was wondering if my TA knew something I didn't (the Explorer is her fave ship b/c of Bermuda so she's been on it several times).

 

You're all right, worst case is it gets confiscated or not used:) It is smaller than most umbrella strollers:D I will talk to my cabin steward about a mattress on the floor, thanks all for the suggestions!

[sharktums]

Just to give you piece of mind, I brought our Regalo Travel Cot on the Mariner of the Seas in January and had no problems at all.

[tankersbabe]

We took our Regalo cot on the Monarch...no problem. Just tagged it at the pier and sent it along. It arrived with the rest of the luggage.

 

Of course our son didn't sleep in it...he ended up between us every night. But I digress...LOL!