'Limited Babysitting Hours Under 2' Carnival Q

[RizzoLee]

Hello! After a long cruise hiatus, we're looking at booking a short cruise soon. We have two kids, ages 18 months and almost 4.

 

Stuck between CCL and RCCL. Carnival mentions 'limited babysitting hours under 2 years'. Anyone have an idea what that means? I can't get a straight answer, and this is the deciding factor between lines for is. We'd like a night out!

[RSLeesburg]

Hello! After a long cruise hiatus, we're looking at booking a short cruise soon. We have two kids, ages 18 months and almost 4.

 

 

 

Stuck between CCL and RCCL. Carnival mentions 'limited babysitting hours under 2 years'. Anyone have an idea what that means? I can't get a straight answer, and this is the deciding factor between lines for is. We'd like a night out!

 

 

Which ships are you considering?

 

 

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[RizzoLee]

Enchantment or Ecstasy, I believe.

 

 

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[RSLeesburg]

Enchantment or Ecstasy, I believe.

 

 

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OK. Enchantment has nursery, which offers babysitting for under three, and Adventure Ocean for over 3. On RCI, they offer i rom babysitting, but it's not guaranteed. They have crew members (Guest Services employees I think), who volunteer to do this. So, you request babysitting, and they see if anyone wants to do it that night - if so, you get two babysitters @ $19 per hour. If not, you are out of luck. I am not sure if Carnival works the same, but it sound like it might, which is why you could not get a straight answer (i.e., it's offered, but not guaranteed). I have been on Grandeur, which was sister ship to Enchantment before she got stretched - I would definitely recommend her! I have not been on Ecstacy, so cannot comment on that ship.

 

 

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[RSLeesburg]

PS: I should also mention that nursery is for-fee. I think $6 per hour before 10pm, and then $8 per hour after 10pm.

 

 

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[RizzoLee]

Thanks!

 

I dug deep and across CCL offering sitting between 10pm-2am in the kids club, but that seems like torture for all parties. :)

 

 

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[RSLeesburg]

Thanks!

 

I dug deep and across CCL offering sitting between 10pm-2am in the kids club, but that seems like torture for all parties. :)

 

 

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I don't know much about Carnival, but those sound like the kids club hours, which would be, I believe for 2 and up.

 

 

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[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

We used carnival a a year and bit ago. You could stop by and play in the kids club during regular hours but could not leave the little one un attended. After 10 pm there is a fee drop off 10 to 2 am it was on our ship carnival liberty. We only did it a few times over the cruise and had no issues. They don't change diapers so you are aware.

[LilMissScareAll]

This is what I've found while searching for Carnivals sitting service:

Carnival night owl is the babysitting service after 10p until 1a. It's 6.75/hr plus tip (15%). The do change diapers as long as the child is small enough to fit on the changing table. They have PnPs for infants.

(No actual experience yet. Baby's first cruise is in april. Found info on the carnival website forum)

Edited January 26, 2015 by LilMissScareAll

[Lerin]

This is what I've found while searching for Carnivals sitting service:

Carnival night owl is the babysitting service after 10p until 1a. It's 6.75/hr plus tip (15%). The do change diapers as long as the child is small enough to fit on the changing table. They have PnPs for infants.

(No actual experience yet. Baby's first cruise is in april. Found info on the carnival website forum)

Yes, this is correct.

We've used it with no issues whatsoever.

Each time they had "night owls" for older kids in 1 area, and then babysitting for little ones (either under 2, or kids who were sleeping) in a separate area. Very quiet, safe and peaceful.

 

They have a few hours in the morning that are for parent/child interactions and parents can go with under 2s to a few select events.

 

Yes, they do change diapers.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Lerin

[JinxyB]

Carnival will change diapers and pull ups and will also bottle feed an infant. On sea days you can either play with your under 2 or drop off babysitting for a fee in camp carnival from 8 AM- 10AM only. On port days they will offer a 4 hour block of time for paid babysitting in camp carnival for under 2's. It was $6.75 per hour as of 2013. Carnival does not offer in room babysitting. I don't know much about the nursery program on RC but can answer questions regarding Camp Carnival (my son has been on 6 carnival cruises at age 3!).

 

I forgot about the Night Owl program but have never used it as my child does not stay up that late and he would never sleep in that type of environment. Pretty sure the hours are 10PM- 2AM and $6.75 per hour.

Edited January 27, 2015 by JinxyB

[RizzoLee]

Carnival will change diapers and pull ups and will also bottle feed an infant. On sea days you can either play with your under 2 or drop off babysitting for a fee in camp carnival from 8 AM- 10AM only. On port days they will offer a 4 hour block of time for paid babysitting in camp carnival for under 2's. It was $6.75 per hour as of 2013. Carnival does not offer in room babysitting. I don't know much about the nursery program on RC but can answer questions regarding Camp Carnival (my son has been on 6 carnival cruises at age 3!).

 

I forgot about the Night Owl program but have never used it as my child does not stay up that late and he would never sleep in that type of environment. Pretty sure the hours are 10PM- 2AM and $6.75 per hour.

 

 

Thanks, that's quite helpful!

 

 

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[cruzinlisa]

Just putting my 2 cents in here about Carnival's under 2s program. It is from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. and its basically babysitting while they sleep. We used it once or twice, but we were so exhausted by 10 p.m. after taking care of a busy 15 month old. Its like $6.75 per hour. They pretty much watch movies/nap. It is a nice break if you want to stay up and out late, but practically speaking- your baby is likely to be sleeping during some of that time and you might be tired.

[A&Jfamily]

Hello! After a long cruise hiatus, we're looking at booking a short cruise soon. We have two kids, ages 18 months and almost 4.

 

Stuck between CCL and RCCL. Carnival mentions 'limited babysitting hours under 2 years'. Anyone have an idea what that means? I can't get a straight answer, and this is the deciding factor between lines for is. We'd like a night out!

 

Just a thought...any chance you can wait 6 more months? I held out til my little one was 2 - and it was hard because he was 3 weeks shy of being 2 the first time I considered cruising. And please don't take this the wrong way, I love kids, and adore babies, and have zero issue with them going on a cruise. I'm just speaking from experience and if you can wait a bit, you will get so much more bang for your hard earned buck. You will actually get a lot of down time to relax - something I am sure you haven't had much of in 4 years.

 

At 2 they can go into camp, CCL will change diapers and they give pagers or phones so if there is an issue they can call; they paged us one time on the first cruise when DS had bad aim. By the time I got there, they had him in a spare pair of shorts, a t-shirt he got to keep and he was happy as a clam. They handled it perfectly and didn't make a big deal.

 

Whatever you choose, I still feel a cruise is about the best deal going for a family vacation.

Edited February 5, 2015 by A&Jfamily
typo

[RizzoLee]

Just a thought...any chance you can wait 6 more months? I held out til my little one was 2 - and it was hard because he was 3 weeks shy of being 2 the first time I considered cruising. And please don't take this the wrong way, I love kids, and adore babies, and have zero issue with them going on a cruise. I'm just speaking from experience and if you can wait a bit, you will get so much more bang for your hard earned buck. You will actually get a lot of down time to relax - something I am sure you haven't had much of in 4 years.

 

At 2 they can go into camp, CCL will change diapers and they give pagers or phones so if there is an issue they can call; they paged us one time on the first cruise when DS had bad aim. By the time I got there, they had him in a spare pair of shorts, a t-shirt he got to keep and he was happy as a clam. They handled it perfectly and didn't make a big deal.

 

Whatever you choose, I still feel a cruise is about the best deal going for a family vacation.

 

 

We don't want to pay airfare for her, but ended up deciding to drive anyways, so it's a moot point. We booked RCCL to hopefully take advantage of the private sitting. :)

 

 

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