s318830 Posted January 21, 2008 #1 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I just got off the Jan 12th sailing of Liberty of the Seas. There has been some question lately as to whether Liberty of the Seas (no question about the other RCCL ships) still offered in-cabin babysitting after it was cancelled on the Thanksgiving cruise. I wasn't able to get a definitive answer before we sailed, so I was a bit apprehensive. We have a 19-month old and a 3 yr old. The 19-month old wasn't eligible for any of the Adventure Ocean programming, so if we wanted any adult-only time we were limited to babysitting. I went to the customer service desk and put in our requests. The next day we got our baby sitters confirmed for the whole cruise. Since we had early dinner, we requested 6pm-8pm. That worked out great. Also, the price we paid was not the $8/hr or $12/hr for 1-2 kids. We paid $10/hr for two kids. We got the same baby sitter for all the evening dinner hours we requested, which was nice. Our baby sitter was great. She was Julie from Costa Rica. Julie has a 2-yr old girl of her own back home living with the grandmother. Julie was great and my kids loved her. --Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted January 21, 2008 #2 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Thanks for posting about that! I know many parents are concerned about their upcoming cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winjos Posted January 25, 2008 #3 Share Posted January 25, 2008 We were on the same cruise as Debbie (just a few doors down actually) and we too used babysitting. However, guest relations told us $12 per hour. We have two kids 3 & 6. We paid each lady $25 for two hours of service. The kids liked Mirsa from Costa Rica. They also like Norma (can't remember where she was from). Both ladies were really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s318830 Posted January 26, 2008 Author #4 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Dani - Interesting... Guest relations didn't say anything about cost to me when I booked. I asked our baby sitter, she looked at a piece of paper, and she's the one who said $10. So clearly there's a lack of consensus, even on the same ship at the same time. Hmmm... We just paid her the $20 per night for our 2 hour dinners. We tipped her an extra $20 on the last night though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleeflicker Posted February 21, 2008 #5 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I know this is a crazy question, but I have to ask. Is there any concerns that I should know about leaving our 1 year old with a stranger. Security issues etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted February 21, 2008 #6 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I know this is a crazy question, but I have to ask. Is there any concerns that I should know about leaving our 1 year old with a stranger. Security issues etc? It's not a crazy question. I think everyone has this question. Only you know how comfortable you will be. The babysitters aren't part of the Adventure Ocean program. The sitters are staff members that want to make some extra money. Everyone who has used them comes back to report how wonderful the experience was. The sitters often have children at home who they miss and they love to play with kids. Most say that they tell the babysitters that they will be stopping back in from time to time. And most make surprise visits ;) All of the babysitters that I have read about on this site have been women. And no complaints have been made on this site. But only you know your comfort level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted February 21, 2008 #7 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I know this is a crazy question, but I have to ask. Is there any concerns that I should know about leaving our 1 year old with a stranger. Security issues etc? Yes, Absolutely! If you have concerns, qualms about security issues, etc in regards to leaving your one year old with a complete stranger then don't. Meanwhile the rest of us will be enjoying our dinners, shoes, time alone, etc, in relaxed silence. No problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted February 21, 2008 #8 Share Posted February 21, 2008 BTW - babysitting is alive and well on the Serenade and ocst us $10 an hour for one child. I don't know what it would have been for two children as they told me that DH was too old to arrange babysitting for :D The only way to "get around" the inconsistencies in regards to the fee they charge is to bring a print out of whatever is quoted on the cruise lines website. Otherwise, you have no recourse and have to go along with the fee they quote you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted February 21, 2008 #9 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Babysitting cost us $10 on the Serenade in January. They were adamant about how the prices had just changed. We are about to leave for the Voyager (the cruise that cruisinmama wont come on) and here is what I find on the RCCL website: I'm now going to email customer service and ask for a refund. I'm going to email customer service because I am SICK of the fact that RCCL's website is completely unreliable when it comes to information. It should be interesting to see what happens....! http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/familycruising/home.do;jsessionid=0000tS9Q7zr2m-2udR82UV67hCV:12h3g0fq2 Time for Mom and Dad As a vacation for the whole family, Royal Caribbean also provides quiet time for Mom and Dad. That can be during the day, while the kids are at their own Adventure Ocean programs, or at night, while the kids are with babysitters. Babysitting is offered both in a group setting, and individually in your stateroom. In stateroom babysitting must be booked through the Guest Relations Desk (Purser's Desk) at least 24 hours in advance. It cannot be booked prior to the cruise vacation and there is no guarantee that sitters will be available. The service is offered when personnel is available. Children MUST be at least 1 year old. Approximate Rate: $8.00 per hour for one or two children within the same family or $10.00 per hour for three children within the same family. Times and prices are subject to change without notice. Payment must be made in cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted February 21, 2008 #10 Share Posted February 21, 2008 We are about to leave for the Voyager (the cruise that cruisinmama wont come on) and here is what I find on the RCCL website: Times and prices are subject to change without notice. Payment must be made in cash. God only knows how much Genesis is going to cost us. So I have to be careful of how I spend the vacation money this year. ;) And good luck with asking for a refund...lol. See the line that says "Time and prices are subject to change without notice"? That's the legal equivilent to "we can do whatever we want whenever we want and you can't stop us" :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted February 21, 2008 #11 Share Posted February 21, 2008 God only knows how much Genesis is going to cost us. So I have to be careful of how I spend the vacation money this year. ;) And good luck with asking for a refund...lol. See the line that says "Time and prices are subject to change without notice"? That's the legal equivilent to "we can do whatever we want whenever we want and you can't stop us" :p I took that statement to mean that they can make changes to the babysitting prices and services whenever they want, at a moments notice BUT that prices and service changes would be updated on the website AND everyone (website, ships) would be in AGREEMENT. I do not take that to mean "we can charge whatever we want as soon as you are on the ship" I fully expected to see the RCCL website babysitting price change to $10 an hour soon after I got off the Serenade. At this rate they may as well change this description omit the published hourly rate and have the description read "Time and prices may be established through your guest relations representative, once you have boarded the vessel" That would be completely representative of what is really going on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas80 Posted February 21, 2008 #12 Share Posted February 21, 2008 In any case, this has been a fairly non-dramatic week.... (read: "in-laws haven't been in touch lately" :D:rolleyes:) I am feeling like I need some soapbox to stand on......;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted February 21, 2008 #13 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I took that statement to mean that they can make changes to the babysitting prices and services whenever they want, at a moments notice BUT that prices and service changes would be updated on the website AND everyone (website, ships) would be in AGREEMENT. HA! What dream world do you live in? This is the same cruiseline that printed and then RE-printed in their own brochure that the Junior Suites are entitled to concierge service :rolleyes: And this is also the same cruiseline that you can call customer service 10 times and get 10 different answers to the same question, requiring you to take the statistical average of each answer to come up with an answer that most closely resembles the truth. :p :D In any case, this has been a fairly non-dramatic week.... Oh I wish my inlaws would forget my phone number. But then they only live 3 blocks away so that wouldn't help. ;) (I guess I have to be nice to them since they are taking the kids for 4 days when we go to Tampa next week...woohoooo!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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