Tell me about RCCL and babies (1 yr olds)

[krmlaw]

Help!

 

Do they have portable cribs or anything you can have placed in your room?

 

What else might I need to know?

 

We will be sailing on Oasis in Oct 2010 and hopefully have a 1 yr old my then.

 

Thanks!

[guk]

Hi, yes they do have pack and play's that you can request for your room for baby to sleep in, just a word of advice check out royal carribean's up to date policies on travelling with a baby as know they've recently lowered the ages, sorry for being a pain we're getting married in april 09 and have booked to go on indy in the nov and will have to put trying for baby on hold for this reason.

[crusinmama06]

Oasis will allow babies 6 months and older. So you are fine there. ;)

 

There will be a new Nursery on Oasis. We don't know if they will charge yet or not. But it is for kids 6 months up to 36 months.

 

There will be a Baby Zone so the baby can splash in the water.

 

They will charge you the full 3rd person rate for the baby. That throws some people for a loop so I am just warning you in advance. ;)

 

Pack N Plays - yep

 

Get a balcony so you can put the baby down to nap or to bed at night and you can go outside for some adult time. If you stay with an inside or window cabin, you will have to nap when the baby does.

 

By 1 year old, you can switch to regular milk (if the ped clears it obviously). Milk is free and available on the RCCL ships.

 

By 1 year old, the baby will probably be on some table foods. There will be lots of soft foods, fruits and veggies for the baby to eat. Most take baby food and bring the majority of it back.

 

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. :D

[krmlaw]

You guys are the best!

 

Next question, I thinking of booking 2 rooms, one balcony for 2 people and one across the hall for 2 people.

 

We'll put our older son (who will be 17 by then) in the room across the hall and then add one of us to that reservation. Then have the baby and the other one of us on the balcony room.

 

But can we put the pack and play in our room, instead of the one across the hall?

[crusinmama06]

You guys are the best!

 

Next question, I thinking of booking 2 rooms, one balcony for 2 people and one across the hall for 2 people.

 

We'll put our older son (who will be 17 by then) in the room across the hall and then add one of us to that reservation. Then have the baby and the other one of us on the balcony room.

 

But can we put the pack and play in our room, instead of the one across the hall?

 

Yes, they won't care where the pack n play is. The crappy part is that you will have to pay full 1st and 2nd rate for everyone in your family if you get 2 cabins.

[krmlaw]

Well that ok. I had orginally booked it as all in 1 room, but its only $160 more for 2 rooms. So I am def going to change it.

 

I do think it stinks that a baby is full fare.

 

And im excited about the nursery onboard!!!

[beachchick]

Well that ok. I had orginally booked it as all in 1 room, but its only $160 more for 2 rooms. So I am def going to change it.

 

I do think it stinks that a baby is full fare.

 

And im excited about the nursery onboard!!!

 

I understand, but I also try to look at it from the cruise line's point of view (business and financial, of course). Every single person on the ship, from babies to the great-grandma who's coming along to help with the baby, is counted toward the total number of pax that the cruise line is allowed to have on the ship for each cruise. There are no "lap babies" allowed on cruise ships, and the cruise line doesn't have discretionary authority to allow "just a few extra" pax onboard. (It all has to do with the life boat capacities and is highly regulated.)

 

As well, a significant amount of cruise revenue comes from the "extras" onboard (casino, alcohol and other non-included beverages, excursions, etc.). It can be reasonably assumed that babies will not be contributing to this revenue, which is critical to keeping the basic cruise fare down. That lower revenue is somewhat offset by the cruise fare. Although the under-2 crowd doesn't make use of as much of the facilities and offerings onboard as other pax, they still require work for the crew (e.g., taking out the diapers, setting up the bed, bringing specially prepared food, cleaning up after dinner).

 

I think it's nice that some cruise lines offer reduced fares for young children and that most have periodic "Kids cruise free/for reduced fares" on certain itineraries, but I never assumed that our DD would be free or cheaper. It's always a nice bonus though.

 

beachchick