Review: Splendour of the Seas 5 night and 6 month old

[sas80]

Let me first say that we had an excellent time! We had JS 8080.

 

The bedding on the Splendour is FABULOUS! All nice and soft, with a duvet over what seems like a a down comforter...comfy cozy!

 

We brought along the excersaucer, the breast pump, a small cooler for breast milk storage, the graco stroller and the front carrier.

 

We used the front carrier for embarking and disembarking the ship and both times we put the small cooler and a soft sided carry on in the stroller and collapsed the excersaucer (removing and packing the toys) and put the excersaucer on top of the stroller. We carried the diaper bag and breast pump on and off as well. It wasnt the most unencumbered situation but we managed just fine.

 

Columbia has a diaper bag that is in a backpack style. It isnt as compartmentalized as other diaper bags, but it holds just as much as the rest of them. It also frees up your hands and arms to be able to put the diaper bag on your back!

http://www.toysrus.com/sm-columbia-baby-backpack-with-ripstop-trim--pi-2266865.html

 

Medela also has a backpack style breast pump carrier. Again, frees up your arms/hands/shoulders. No "readjusting" of the pack at all.

 

We used the Graco Stroller both on and off the ship, in ports. We used the front carrier on the ship sometimes.

 

The excersaucer was invaluable when we were in the room and the baby needed something to do while we got ready or just chilled ourselves. It was cumbersome to get on and off the ship but proved to be an invaluable piece of luggage!

 

Or 6 month old has been a babywise baby since about 2 weeks after he was born. As a result we always know when it is time to feed him and when it is time to put him down for a nap. This always makes it easy to anticipate his needs. He typically becomes fussy right around his usual nap time.

 

I must say that I was disappointed that our pack n play was not in our room when we arrived (2 pm ish). We called on it and were told it would be up shortly. However, after a day of traveling, the baby needed a nap right then, not "shortly" (where "shortly" actually ended up translating to "a few hours later") So we put a blanket and some towels into the bathtub and napped him there!

 

I was also very disappointed and upset that there was not a life jacket available in our cabin when we arrived that fit our baby. The one that was finally delivered to our cabin (about 15 minutes before the muster drill) was for the "Splash Zone" and was clearly inadequate (in terms of fit) in the event of an actual emergency. It seems like life jackets for infants on the Splendour are an after thought..... We are cruisers so we are looking into buying our own.

 

We had 2 days at sea and 2 days on port.

 

Port was Cozumel and Costa Maya. Really, there is nothing to do in Cozumel except water related activities. Since I didn't want to expose the baby to full sun like that (even with block on) we opted to do some shopping and get some lunch in Cozumel.

 

We got off the ship around 10 am in Cozumel. Baby wakes to eat at 6 am and then naps from 7:30 to 9 am so we figured we would nap him good before we got off.

 

We took a taxi to the forum shops, walked the forum shops and the frontage road, did some shopping and had lunch at Pancho's Backyard. The baby napped in the stroller for about an hour before lunch.

 

Since my superpower at the moment is making breast milk, during port days, I always fed the baby wherever we were. As usual, people tried hard not to notice, but they did. I am immune to it all by now. So the baby had lunch first, in Pancho's backyard, and then we ate.

 

After we were done it was around 1 pm. My husband really wanted to get the baby a sippy cup because the baby likes drinking out of our water glasses. So we walked about a mile to the big supermercado. The baby slept most of the way in the stroller. I was surprised because it was a bit hot. We had him covered from the sun with a blanket over the stroller.

 

Then we took a taxi back to the ship. We got back on around 2 pm and napped the baby until 3 (when he typically gets up to eat). We napped too!

 

In Costa Maya we all got up and were off the boat by 7:15 am in order to meet David and Ivan for the Mayan Ruins Tour.

 

The tour was great. Really interesting stuff! The tour guides were extremely helpful to us as well. We arrived at the ruins at about 9 am and they let me stay behind in the van, with the motor and air conditioning running, and feed the baby for about 25 minutes. One of the tour guides simply came back to get me and lead me to where everyone else was.

 

We "four wheeled" it around the ruins with the stroller. The baby was very good until around 11 am when he started getting fussy (nap time). so we covered the stroller with a blanket to make it dark and strolled him around the area (nice and bumpy) until he went to sleep. The we rejoined the tour. Just about noon the baby woke up and started fussing and, since it was lunch time for him, I went back to the van, turned the motor on, and fed him.

 

The tour was over by that time anyways.

 

Everyone came back to the van about 12:30 pm and we left ot head back to the ship.

 

I think I liked/appreciated days at sea days much more this trip. With sea days and children you are not required to be anywhere at any particular time. With the ruins tour we were up at 5:30 am and rushing to get everything done so we could get off the ship in time.

 

With days at sea we could feed the baby at 6 am and then, when he went back down for a nap, so could we! Plus, it is infinitely easier to get the baby back to the room for naps when he starts to get fussy and is in need of a nap.

 

RCCL has a policy about not allowing babysitting for kids under the age of 1 year old. I explained to the lady that was helping me that it was only for 2 hours every night, so that we could go to dinner, and that the baby would be asleep the whole time. I am not sure if it was my persistance or the fact that it was dinner hours or the fact that the baby would be sleeping the whole time that made her change her mind, but she seemed to understand and put the request in for us.

 

We were able to arrange babysitting for 4 of the 5 nights, from 8:30 to 10:30 pm, so we could go to our late seating dinner. The baby goes down at 8 pm every night and typically doesn't wake up until we get him up at 6 am. Sherri came by and, literally, sat with him for 2 hours.

 

I can honestly say that our infant did not disturb anyone on the ship, ever. He had no public meltdowns because we listened for his cues and promptly took him to nap when he needed it.

 

We are just the type of parents that feel that a well napped baby is a happy baby and a happy baby can be enjoyed by everyone.

 

Not to mention the fact that we were blessed with the laid back sleeper model when it comes to babies...

 

We have another cruise scheduled for August and, based on the results of this cruise, we are really looking forward to it!

[As You Wish]

It sounds like you were well prepared for cruising with your baby, and it paid off well for you. I'm glad you had such an enjoyable cruise.

[leighuf]

Great review! My son is 5 weeks old and we're also following the Babywise model. Our first cruise with the baby is in January (he'll be 10 1/2 months). My hubby and I are experienced cruisers, so it'll be interesting to see how our first cruise as a family turns out. I'm already looking for ideas and advice. Your review shows me that it CAN be done and everyone can have a wonderful time. I look forward to your next cruise review as well. :)

[ElsieToo]

Many thanks for your review. We're curently trying to decide upon a Mediteranian cruise with a 12 mo old and reading positive experiences with infant cruisers always helps. ;)

 

A question for you - did you have a long haul flight before your cruise? DS is developing predictable naps now at 4 months, but I'm worried about how he'll do with an 8/9 hour time change. We live on the west coast and are thinking about the Splendour cruise on 11/24 out of Venice, which means we'd have to travel first from CA to Italy, and having never had a 1 year old before I don't know how he'll respond.

 

Also, would you think it a good bet that I could coerce some babysitting services during dinner since my DS wil be literally two weeks shy of 1 yr old when we cruise?

[sas80]

Many thanks for your review. We're curently trying to decide upon a Mediteranian cruise with a 12 mo old and reading positive experiences with infant cruisers always helps. ;)

 

A question for you - did you have a long haul flight before your cruise? DS is developing predictable naps now at 4 months, but I'm worried about how he'll do with an 8/9 hour time change. We live on the west coast and are thinking about the Splendour cruise on 11/24 out of Venice, which means we'd have to travel first from CA to Italy, and having never had a 1 year old before I don't know how he'll respond.

 

Also, would you think it a good bet that I could coerce some babysitting services during dinner since my DS wil be literally two weeks shy of 1 yr old when we cruise?

 

We did not have to change time zones like that!

 

As far as the time change is concerned, you are just going to have to tough it out..... It may or may not be difficult getting your baby to switch day for night...

 

I do think it will be a good bet that you can get babysitting services. When they ask you how old your baby is, simply respond "one year".

 

Happy Sailing!