Toddlers on Celebrity?

[ejgonz2]

Hi, I've never sailed on Celebrity before and my wife and I are thinking about doing a cruise in fall/winter 2011 (out of Bayonne, NJ) and bringing our toddler (will be ~18 months). I know we can't take advantage of the youth program.

 

Our question is about Celebrity and its typical clients in general. Will we be out of place with a young toddler? Will, in general, people be annoyed with a little one around? We want to enjoy our vacation and don't want to be "those people" that everyone gives dirty looks too because our daughter is disrupting their vaca.

 

Thank you!!

[miched]

You have to be the judge.

 

Use common sense which is a debatable term because what is common?

 

If the toddler is crying no one wants to be around or disturbed by that not even the parents. People want to dine in peace and quite, they also want to be able to enjoy a show without being disturbed and it is also courtesy to the performers.

 

I am sure that passengers would also like to be able to sit on a balcony without having to listen to constant crying or the parent constantly rattling something to keep the toddler amused.

 

Be considerate of other people and think of how you would react or feel if it was someone else's toddler.

 

If the toddler is not a constant crier and usually content than there shouldn't be a problem but if it is a constant cryer, than that is the same to be expected on a cruise. There have also been many babies that behave better than adults. Most times it is not the baby it is the inconsideration of the parents.

 

Since you are concerned about it I am sure there wouldn't be a problem because you are aware of how others may feel.

 

 

 

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[bellybutton530]

You should be aware that there is no kiddie pool on Celebrity ships; and children that age are not permitted in the pools. You might have to opt for a suite for the child; only suites have bathtubs. The RS and PH suites have hot tubs on the balcony, in addition to the whirlpool tub in the bathroom. Of course, they are pretty expensive.

 

Good luck.

[ejgonz2]

Thank you both for the responses.

 

Our question is really about the typical Celebrity cruisegoer. If its mostly couples and singles without kids, then we'd probably reconsider the idea of going on this cruise.

 

If kids her age aren't allowed in the pools, then that says a whole lot.

[junglejane]

I agree with Miched's comments. Just use common sense and be considerate of others (especially don't let your toddler run loose in the dining room at dinner -- that's a pet peeve). There are always some people who give dirty looks to families no matter what, and there are a few posters on these boards who wish there were no children on Celebrity cruises. But most people just want to enjoy their cruise without others intruding on that enjoyment, whether it's a crying toddler or drunken adult.

 

The rule about children in pools is simply a requirement that they be out of diapers (no swim diapers either) and fully toilet trained, so that there are no "accidents" that require shutting down the pool to sanitize it. I'm not aware of any cruise ship pools that permit kids in swim diapers. Enjoy your cruise!:)

[Lois R]

Hi,:) have a really nice story for you. I was on cruise in January 2010

(Summit to the Caribbean) and on our roll call was a couple from

Michigan. They were traveling with their daughter, who was in the

age bracket you are asking about. I have to say, Olivia was the hit

of the cruise:D. She was very well behaved and both parents were

(are) terrific too.

I think they brought an inflatable pool with them for their balcony and

used it instead of the ship's pool. Of course both parents were out

there with her:)

 

I don't have any kids but I see them on every cruise. Probably not nearly

as many as other lines but they are there;)

[miched]

Hi,:) have a really nice story for you. I was on cruise in January 2010

 

I think they brought an inflatable pool with them for their balcony and

used it instead of the ship's pool. Of course both parents were out

there with her:)

 

I don't have any kids but I see them on every cruise. Probably not nearly

as many as other lines but they are there;)

 

 

I wonder how they emptied the pool? I wouldn't want to be in the balcony below. :eek:

 

 

 

 

.

[Tapi]

If kids her age aren't allowed in the pools, then that says a whole lot.

 

Kids that are not potty trained are not allowed in the pools of ANY cruise line. Its a hazard and a violation of US health codes.

 

We have a 20 month old who will be taking his third cruise in october. His first cruise was on Carnival and it was pretty challenging. There was pretty much nothing for him to do. While there were many passengers who were very nice to us, there were also many that were plainly annoyed and rude to us and our baby.

 

The second cruise was on Royal Caribbean and it was amazing! They have the Royal Babies and Tots nursery open from 8am until midnight. In addition, they have The Baby H2O Zone, specifically for kids in diapers (it's a temperature controlled shallow pool with water sprays and special plumbing ). There's a carousel (which our son loved), The Dreamworks experience (featuring the characters from Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and Shrek) as well as shows and activities specific to the littlest guests. They even had a 24 hour Adventure Ocean TV channel in the cabin!

 

Keep mind that we were on the Allure of the Seas, and the offerings for babies/toddlers on Royal Caribbean vary from ship to ship.

[ghstudio]

Hi, I've never sailed on Celebrity before and my wife and I are thinking about doing a cruise in fall/winter 2011 (out of Bayonne, NJ) and bringing our toddler (will be ~18 months). I know we can't take advantage of the youth program.

 

Our question is about Celebrity and its typical clients in general. Will we be out of place with a young toddler? Will, in general, people be annoyed with a little one around? We want to enjoy our vacation and don't want to be "those people" that everyone gives dirty looks too because our daughter is disrupting their vaca.

 

Thank you!!

 

I think this is a situation where you want to find a ship that really has facilities to take care of a toddler. That will give you some alone/away time and will give the toddler a much better experience then sitting around the pool, but unable to go in. Having said that, Celebrity might not be the right cruise line...at this point in your family's life. However, there are always a few baby's/toddlers on every cruise I've taken.....so you really have to decide what's important to you....and your child's temperament because if folks get angry, they will be angry at you, not the child....

 

Certainly when your child gets older and can attend the youth programs, Celebrity is a great choice.....

[Lsimon]

We've also traveled with friends when their toddler was not quite one, and again when she was 2 1/2 and then when she was close to 3. Things have always worked out great but she is, overall, a very well behaved child.

 

I'll also echo Lois's observations: The staff just loves kids and they'll help you considerably and provide you and your toddler with lots of attention. Many staff miss their own children and love to see any kids. Your toddler may also become the "hit of the cruise".

 

Also, you CAN take advantage of the kids club. They don't have a program for kids that young and you can not leave your toddler there, but you can take your toddler there to play as long as you stay with him/her and supervise them. On one of our cruises they even had a small inflatable pool in the kids club area where parents of toddlers could fill the pool and use it with their toddler then empty it when they were done - but I don't think this is a normal feature and wouldn't expect it to be there.

[Cruiser Susie]

We have traveled with friends from the UK; they have been bringing their daughter on cruises since she was 10 months old. On her first cruise, she was the biggest hit with the staff; the assistant maitre'd would carry her around the dining room at the end of our meal and she would make the "grand tour." At the end of the cruise, after the last formal night, they saw many pictures of her with other cruisers, all dressed in their finery, as was their little girl. They were very aware of how she behaved (she travels phenomenally well, btw) and when it was time for a nap or quiet time in their stateroom, off they would go. They were able to take her into the kids' club, but had to stay there with her; she loved going there. (this was on the second trip we took with them when she was about 28 months old) They brought an inflatable pool with them and used on their balcony... it was very shallow and they could carry it and empty it in the shower. It had a canopy that shielded their daughter from the sun. This past spring, just before her third birthday, was great... she again had a great time, and we all enjoyed her company. She is going on another cruise next month, without us :( , on a different cruise line; it will be interesting to hear how that trip goes!

 

If your little one is a good traveler, good sleeper and not a picky eater; if he/she will adapt to lots of strangers wanting to say hello and will enjoy the sea days as well as the beaches and towns, then you will all enjoy your trip. The only caution I would make is thinking about if she/he were to become ill... would you be comfortable with the ship's medical facilities? Lots of people travel with their children on Celebrity... and have a great time. I hope you have a phenomenal time if you decide to go... you will be on a brand new ship and it should be a wonderful trip.

[Lsimon]

We have traveled with friends from the UK; they have been bringing their daughter on cruises since she was 10 months old. On her first cruise, she was the biggest hit with the staff; the assistant maitre'd would carry her around the dining room at the end of our meal and she would make the "grand tour." At the end of the cruise, after the last formal night, they saw many pictures of her with other cruisers, all dressed in their finery, as was their little girl. They were very aware of how she behaved (she travels phenomenally well, btw) and when it was time for a nap or quiet time in their stateroom, off they would go. They were able to take her into the kids' club, but had to stay there with her; she loved going there. (this was on the second trip we took with them when she was about 28 months old) They brought an inflatable pool with them and used on their balcony... it was very shallow and they could carry it and empty it in the shower. It had a canopy that shielded their daughter from the sun. This past spring, just before her third birthday, was great... she again had a great time, and we all enjoyed her company. She is going on another cruise next month, without us :( , on a different cruise line; it will be interesting to hear how that trip goes!

 

If your little one is a good traveler, good sleeper and not a picky eater; if he/she will adapt to lots of strangers wanting to say hello and will enjoy the sea days as well as the beaches and towns, then you will all enjoy your trip. The only caution I would make is thinking about if she/he were to become ill... would you be comfortable with the ship's medical facilities? Lots of people travel with their children on Celebrity... and have a great time. I hope you have a phenomenal time if you decide to go... you will be on a brand new ship and it should be a wonderful trip.

 

Wow, a similar experiance to mine! Do I know you from some place? :rolleyes:

[Lois R]

I wonder how they emptied the pool? I wouldn't want to be in the balcony below. :eek:

 

 

 

 

.

 

I don't think this couple would dump the water out on the balcony

below:eek::rolleyes:. It was not a large pool at all so they probably brought it

back in the cabin and emptied it into the shower but I do not think

any other passengers would be getting wet.

[jerseygirl3]

I could have sworn Celebrity had a small children's pool at the back of the ship? Maybe only available on some of their ships?

[Lois R]

I could have sworn Celebrity had a small children's pool at the back of the ship? Maybe only available on some of their ships?

 

Hi,:) there was a pool on both Mercury and Galaxy in the AFT section.

But it was not a small children's pool but it was not giant either.

Those 2 ships did have a pool there so your location is correct.

None of the other ships have that set up anymore.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Kids that are not potty trained are not allowed in the pools of ANY cruise line. Its a hazard and a violation of US health codes.

 

We have a 20 month old who will be taking his third cruise in october. His first cruise was on Carnival and it was pretty challenging. There was pretty much nothing for him to do. While there were many passengers who were very nice to us, there were also many that were plainly annoyed and rude to us and our baby.

 

The second cruise was on Royal Caribbean and it was amazing! They have the Royal Babies and Tots nursery open from 8am until midnight. In addition, they have The Baby H2O Zone, specifically for kids in diapers (it's a temperature controlled shallow pool with water sprays and special plumbing ). There's a carousel (which our son loved), The Dreamworks experience (featuring the characters from Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and Shrek) as well as shows and activities specific to the littlest guests. They even had a 24 hour Adventure Ocean TV channel in the cabin!

 

Keep mind that we were on the Allure of the Seas, and the offerings for babies/toddlers on Royal Caribbean vary from ship to ship.

 

Love your location, Tapi! Wish I lived that close to a cruise terminal.

[Lsimon]

I wonder how they emptied the pool? I wouldn't want to be in the balcony below. :eek:

.

I'm pretty sure there is a drain area along the floor beneath the railing on all the ships. One would have to empty it slowly but it would work. Maybe we need a field trip to check out things out and be xetaiof this answer.:D

I could have sworn Celebrity had a small children's pool at the back of the ship? Maybe only available on some of their ships?

Even the regular children's pool in the kids' club area is only for children toilet trained and not in diapers.

[Sunshine424]

I'm pretty sure there is a drain area along the floor beneath the railing on all the ships. One would have to empty it slowly but it would work. Maybe we need a field trip to check out things out and be xetaiof this answer.:D

 

There is a drain by the edge of the balcony - my family checked on their last cruise so you can empty it slowly into the drain with buckets so it doesn't go onto other balconies. That is what we plan to do if we end up using the baby pool on our balcony. You just have to make sure you pour it all out at once - or that could be problematic.

[SusieV]

We took our 14 month old in December. He had a lovely time but it was not a relaxing vacation for us. He loved the Fun Factory toddler area (parents must attend with children) and the staff doted on him. We never put him in situations where he could not be expected to behave well. He goes to bed very early (6:15pm) so we couldn't do dinner in the MDR and we spent our afternoons doing child friendly activities.

 

As for looks; we only got one, when he was getting a chocolate chip cookie at Cafe al Bacio- and I couldn't care less. My son was very well behaved in public areas and the one time he was not, I removed him from the situation. He was not a disturbance.

 

My vote would be leave your toddler with Grandma and Grandpa if you can. They won't remember the trip and you'll have a chance to just be a married couple.

[kitty9]

When school is in session, the typical X cruiser is older, and not many kids are on board. Personally, I think Royal Caribbean is a better choice for toddlers, as some of their ships have baby splash zones for those kiddies who are still in diapers or pull ups. They also have the Royal Tots program, where you can take your little one and play for a set time every day. Not that X is bad for kids, but there are maybe some choices that are a little better, and have more to do, for little ones.

[flagger]

I keep seeing this thread and keep thinking they will be filming an episode of "Toddlers and Tiaras" on Celebrity.

[junglejane]

I keep seeing this thread and keep thinking they will be filming an episode of "Toddlers and Tiaras" on Celebrity.

 

My 10 year old is addicted to that show. She keeps asking me why she can't be in a pageant. I tell her it's because we spend all of our disposable income on cruises!:)

[CCATS]

The best toddlers on any cruise are the ones whose parents are taking good care of them, feeding them when they're hungry, giving them naps when they're sleepy, and not letting them cry by seeing to their needs. It can be done; just realize you guys are the parents and are responsible for keeping the child happy and not disruptive to the other passengers!! Good luck!!!

[Lois R]

The best toddlers on any cruise are the ones whose parents are taking good care of them, feeding them when they're hungry, giving them naps when they're sleepy, and not letting them cry by seeing to their needs. It can be done; just realize you guys are the parents and are responsible for keeping the child happy and not disruptive to the other passengers!! Good luck!!!

 

Sounds like the couple on Infinity who left their 2 5yr olds in the cabin

ALONE:eek: could take a bit of your responsibilty advice.....but I doubt

they would:rolleyes: (take it).