Babysitting aboard the Inspiration? BTDT?

[ginacc]

We'll be going on our very first cruise in August, and we're taking our (then) 1 year old son (not ready to be away from him for that long.) I know that Carnival offers babysitting services at a fee for children under 2, just in case we want some alone time. Has anyone ever used the babysitting services on the Inspiration, and if so, exactly how does it work? Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[LHP]

We'll be going on our very first cruise in August, and we're taking our (then) 1 year old son (not ready to be away from him for that long.) I know that Carnival offers babysitting services at a fee for children under 2, just in case we want some alone time. Has anyone ever used the babysitting services on the Inspiration, and if so, exactly how does it work? Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

I have never used this (since we did not start cruising as a family until the boys were 5 and 8) however, I caution anyone who is thinking that "hiring a babysitter" on Carnival is "automatic". That is not the case.

 

Any parent bringing a child under that age of 2 needs to be prepared to have that child with them the entire time.

 

There have been several threads today that talk like they expect a "sitter service" for children under 2. Hiring a "sitter" would depend on one of the Camp Carnival counselors wanting to earn some extra bucks. I am sure it does happen, but it is not the norm. Babysitting kids under 2 is not a requirement. So be prepared to be the parents the entire cruise and on excursions in port.

[ginacc]

whoops, duplicated my post.

[boaterette]

They have babysitting service from 10:00 pm to 3:00 am I whink it is $6.00 per hour. The above poster keeps putting that on all the threads but she is wrong.

[ginacc]

I have never used this (since we did not start cruising as a family until the boys were 5 and 8) however, I caution anyone who is thinking that "hiring a babysitter" on Carnival is "automatic". That is not the case.

 

Any parent bringing a child under that age of 2 needs to be prepared to have that child with them the entire time.

 

There have been several threads today that talk like they expect a "sitter service" for children under 2. Hiring a "sitter" would depend on one of the Camp Carnival counselors wanting to earn some extra bucks. I am sure it does happen, but it is not the norm. Babysitting kids under 2 is not a requirement. So be prepared to be the parents the entire cruise and on excursions in port.

 

This is what we were told by the Carnival phone rep, and this is what is listed on the Carnival website:

 

"Babysitting services for Under 2's are available each evening from 10pm-3am as well as our Family Play Times on Sea Days and during freeplay times on port days. All babysitting services for Under 2's are charged at babysitting price ($6.00 an hour)."

 

That doesn't seem like something the counselors do to "earn extra bucks," it sounds like policy to me.

 

Has anyone had any experience with the hourly babysitting services Carnival offers, specifically on Inspiration?

[LHP]

They have babysitting service from 10:00 pm to 3:00 am I whink it is $6.00 per hour. The above poster keeps putting that on all the threads but she is wrong.

 

"All these threads"?? I post them on TWO threads to parents who need to know that children under 2 do NOT have a priority. The 10pm to 3AM is available IF children over the age of 2 have not filled up the spaces. If they are sailing in the summer time, this could be a problem with 800- 1000 children on board. They also need to be aware that these services can vary from ship to ship. The larger ships have more room and staff ... however, if someone is sailing the Celebration or Holiday...this could be an issue. With the Fantasy class ships, their area is sufficient but not huge.

 

The other thread was written by a parent that expected a babysitter to come to their cabin. This is not going to happen.

 

I have read to many complaints from parents of young children under the age of 2 that were furious that there was no "babysitting" services for their little ones after they had been promised this was possible. Their main complaint was that it was just for 1 to 2 hours a day, when it was available...usually during a time when nothing else is going on. Perhaps these complaints came from smaller ships, but I firmly believe that parents need to be prepared for what can "actually happen" and not just what someone "says" can happen.

[GoinCruisin]

This is what we were told by the Carnival phone rep, and this is what is listed on the Carnival website:

 

"Babysitting services for Under 2's are available each evening from 10pm-3am as well as our Family Play Times on Sea Days and during freeplay times on port days. All babysitting services for Under 2's are charged at babysitting price ($6.00 an hour)."

 

That doesn't seem like something the counselors do to "earn extra bucks," it sounds like policy to me.

 

Has anyone had any experience with the hourly babysitting services Carnival offers, specifically on Inspiration?

 

Don't worry... as it says on Carnivals website, and as Carnival told you, they DO have babysitting service... it will be in the playroom and it is $6/hour. The couselors are not allowed to take "side jobs" :rolleyes: LOL... so don't worry about trying to find someone willing to make extra bucks... There isn't private babysitting, but there is group babysitting... good luck!!!

[big_duck]

"Babysitting services for Under 2's are available each evening from 10pm-3am as well as our Family Play Times on Sea Days and during freeplay times on port days. All babysitting services for Under 2's are charged at babysitting price ($6.00 an hour)."

 

Just to make sure you understand, Family Play Time is not babysitting. It means a parent goes to CC with the child.

[LHP]

Just to make sure you understand, Family Play Time is not babysitting. It means a parent goes to CC with the child.

 

This is exactly the kind of information that parents need to know.

 

What concerns me is what "someone tells them on the phone" and what actually happens on the ship can be two very different things. People go expecting certain things and then are disappointed when they don't happen. For example, on one of the ships (I believe it was the Valor) babysitting was only from 10pm - 1pm and not until 3am. This was reported in a review. That is clearly not what the Carnival website says.

 

One thing that parents need to know is that this is an area that is not consistant from ship to ship. And can be affected by many factors like the number of staff available on this cruise and the number of children.

 

Although it seems that Carnival is "coming around" on this issue of infants. Not to many years ago, they offered nothing for those under the age of 2.