Toddler on Freedom 12 Jun Western Caribbean

[ilovechefmitch]

Hello! Looking for advice. We will have my whole family plus my parents on this cruise. So, 4 older adults, 3 young adults (25 yr old and 2 19 yr olds) a teen (15) and the two littles who are 4 and 2.5. The youngest is at that weird age between when he can really do anything. He can't participate in the kids program bc he isn't young enough and not fully potty trained (we are working on it but not super hopeful it will happen before we leave).

 

Looking for advice on what to do with the "baby". I know he can't really do any of the water stuff which is tough. (Don't get me wrong, I get why, but it still stinks). I've heard from some friends that some people bring a blow up toddler pool and put it on the balcony? Do people really do this? Am I crazy for thinking about doing it? Anything else to consider when cruising with little kids and "big" kids?

 

Is internet really necessary? I would prefer not to shell out like $500 for internet for a week....

 

Thanks!!!

[reallyitsmema]

Hello! Looking for advice. We will have my whole family plus my parents on this cruise. So, 4 older adults, 3 young adults (25 yr old and 2 19 yr olds) a teen (15) and the two littles who are 4 and 2.5. The youngest is at that weird age between when he can really do anything. He can't participate in the kids program bc he isn't young enough and not fully potty trained (we are working on it but not super hopeful it will happen before we leave).

 

Looking for advice on what to do with the "baby". I know he can't really do any of the water stuff which is tough. (Don't get me wrong, I get why, but it still stinks). I've heard from some friends that some people bring a blow up toddler pool and put it on the balcony? Do people really do this? Am I crazy for thinking about doing it? Anything else to consider when cruising with little kids and "big" kids?

 

Is internet really necessary? I would prefer not to shell out like $500 for internet for a week....

 

Thanks!!!

 

Freedom has a baby splash area for kids that are not potty trained so you only need the blow up tub for bathing if the toddler doesn't do well in a shower. If you have a suite, there will be a bath tub, otherwise, it is only a shower.

 

Freedom also has a Nursery that the toddler could go to, for a fee.

[Argana]

I just got off of the Independence of the Seas (same class as Freedom) with my 7 year old and my just-turned-three son. He is not potty trained fully yet either, so we used swimmers and kept to the baby pool. The bad thing is, the huge H20 splash park for kids is right next to it, and my son wanted nothing to do with the baby pool...he wanted the splash park. So we only visited it once during our 5 night cruise.

 

I'm not sure what ports you are going to, but we went to Labadee and Jamaica, and he loved the beaches. In Jamaica, we went to the Rose Hall Hilton for the day, and he liked the pool and the beach there.

 

We were in a grand suite, so we had the bathtub, which was nice.

 

When we got on board, we registered him with the baby club, but we never used it. The facility and staff seemed nice, but our 7 year old (who is autistic) didn't like the club for his age group, so we just kept the kids with us the whole time.

 

The baby club is a pay-per-hour service, and it is based on a first-come-first-served basis, so if you are going to think about using this, go register as soon as you get on board.

[Argana]

 

Is internet really necessary? I would prefer not to shell out like $500 for internet for a week....

 

 

I heard Freedom will have VOOM by your sailing, so i would say yes...that is, if your kids are bringing their phones/tablets. We had the slow internet, which worked okay for our needs because a lot of their interactive books and games on their tablets required that initial handshake with the internet to get the book/game started.

 

I don't believe it will be $500 either. Just pay for one or two devices and just log in/out when not in use to share the internet.

[Clarea]

I heard Freedom will have VOOM by your sailing, ....

Freedom has VOOM right now.

[Argana]

Here is a picture of the baby pool. Notice how my son is looking at the cool splash park in the background? I spent most of my time chasing him down to keep him in the baby pool.

 

[Lerin]

You still have 2 months-potty train him!

[saltycat]

So no diapers allowed in the splash zone?

[Argana]

You still have 2 months-potty train him!

 

If they are't ready, they aren't ready. Believe me, I tried everything to train my son before the cruise, but he still has accidents, so he is in pull-ups, so couldn't use the H20 zone. :(

[reallyitsmema]

So no diapers allowed in the splash zone?

 

Swim diapers are only allowed in the baby splash pool that was shown above. The rest of the H20 zone is off limits.

[Hypbmxgurl]

Oh.wow the little.ones can't use the splash zone either.

[Hypbmxgurl]

I have a feeling this is going to be a PITA with a 5 year.old and 1 year.old that we have. Me.and husband only see eachother 1 night a week as it is. Going to be annoyed if we have be split up most the trips because the two kids can't do anything together

[Argana]

I have a feeling this is going to be a PITA with a 5 year.old and 1 year.old that we have. Me.and husband only see eachother 1 night a week as it is. Going to be annoyed if we have be split up most the trips because the two kids can't do anything together

 

My 7 year old was playing in the splash pad part with my husband watching him, while I watched my 3 year old in the baby pool. We were able to stand near each other. :D The good news is that the kids get worn out after an hour or two, so then you go back to your room and put them down for a nap. Then you have some time together with just the two of you. ;)

[LMaxwell]

Is internet really necessary? I would prefer not to shell out like $500 for internet for a week....

 

 

Do you need it for work? If not, don't get it. I always skip internet on a cruise if I don't absolutely need it. Disconnecting for a few days feels great and if I don't need to spend the money, better off in my pocket.

[gerif]

Do you need it for work? If not, don't get it. I always skip internet on a cruise if I don't absolutely need it. Disconnecting for a few days feels great and if I don't need to spend the money, better off in my pocket.

 

Agreed - we've never used it, even with free C&A minutes.

[Kdamghani]

We noticed that the h2o zone was for potty trained kids only so we potty trained our 21 month old so we could enjoy the h2o zone when we go on Indy in 3 days. You have time. Potty train him and you'll be able to enjoy the pool. I only hope they don't kick us out thinking our daughter isn't potty trained due to how little she is. Will they? She won't be using a swim diaper.

 

Pro tip: tick tacks were our bribe that worked. ;-)

[Argana]

We noticed that the h2o zone was for potty trained kids only so we potty trained our 21 month old so we could enjoy the h2o zone when we go on Indy in 3 days. You have time. Potty train him and you'll be able to enjoy the pool. I only hope they don't kick us out thinking our daughter isn't potty trained due to how little she is. Will they? She won't be using a swim diaper.

 

Pro tip: tick tacks were our bribe that worked. ;-)

 

I actually saw kids in swim diapers using the H20 splash zone, but I'm a stickler for policy, so I wasn't going to violate the policy. I don't think they will kick your daughter out, because they didn't do it when diapers were clearly visible. FYI - we tried skittles and he still has accidents.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Argana

[Hypbmxgurl]

Why won't they allow swim diapers anyways ? Is it because they are afraid the diaper will explode or did it take the ONE kid to poop 😂

[Clarea]

Why won't they allow swim diapers anyways ? Is it because they are afraid the diaper will explode or did it take the ONE kid to poop 😂

It's a USPH regulation, there are very restricted situations where swim diapers are allowed.

[gerif]

Why won't they allow swim diapers anyways ? Is it because they are afraid the diaper will explode or did it take the ONE kid to poop 😂

 

Swim diapers do NOT contain ecoli - think fecal tea if you will. Ecoli might make an adult slightly I'll but can kill a small child or someone with immunity issues. It's happened at land-based water parks and they are heavily treated with chemicals that cannot be used on a ship. The baby zones have totally separate filtration systems. If I were to see a totally selfish airhead bring a diaper clad little one into a pool where they do not belong, I would demand that they be removed. It's my grandchild 's life they are endangering.

[MommaBear55]

It's a USPH regulation, there are very restricted situations where swim diapers are allowed.

 

And the rules on ships are very different than those at public pools on land. The acceptable level of coliform product (fecal material, aka poop) is much lower. If they cannot shock the water with chemicals, they actually have to empty and refill the pools. I am going to steal someone else's phrase- think of swim diapers as fecal tea bags.

 

It is rare for a 22 month old to be toilet trained. Generally it is a girl. The average age is 26-28 months, with boys being on the later end. And that is for daytime dryness. Very normal for nighttime incontinence right through age 4, and often later.

Edited April 26, 2016 by MommaBear55

[Mary521]

We've used the nursery for kids under three. Yes you need to pay but it's much cheaper than a babysitter at home. $6/HR during the day and $8/hr at night. They give you a phone so they can reach you anywhere on the ship just in case. We had good luck with the staff on Freedom, they were all very nice.

 

The pool thing is tough especially with it right there. My son wanted to use the big kids pool very badly. One thing that helped is bringing toys to play in the baby splash zone. Those are allowed. But if there is anyway to train him by then, even just for daytime, try! It will be much easier. It's our goal for our next cruise where my son will be just over 3.

 

Agree with poster above, unless you need Internet for work or a home situation don't get it. It's one of my favorite things about the cruise that we are all without our devices :)

[BLAMBKY]

Freedom has a baby splash area for kids that are not potty trained so you only need the blow up tub for bathing if the toddler doesn't do well in a shower. If you have a suite, there will be a bath tub, otherwise, it is only a shower.

 

Freedom also has a Nursery that the toddler could go to, for a fee.

 

(This gave me a giggle this morning, my son is now 17) I would suggest trying the shower out ahead of time:p My son was a new 3 on his first cruise and I did not think of the shower part. My husband took him in the shower with him....man, was he pissed off! He pitched the biggest fit like I had not seen before or after! Yes, I am surprised that security was not called but then again, my husband made it the fastest shower ever! :D Crazy thing is he loved them from that point on... Crossing my fingers that he is trained in time. It could still happen. Another funny is while training we encouraged him to take off his bottoms by himself and he ended up streaking across the pool deck! :eek:

Best wishes and enjoy your memories made, one day they will make you wistful for the past.

Edited April 26, 2016 by BLAMBKY

[Hypbmxgurl]

Omg the shower part worried me.lol thank god we are connected to friends with a tub!

[LMaxwell]

Omg the shower part worried me.lol thank god we are connected to friends with a tub!

 

Comes with me on every cruise. Makes bathtime easy. If you have a balcony the baby can splash in it too.

 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Garanimals-Inflatable-Baby-Bathtub/19757212