Babies On Board! - Panic!

[2BoysMom]

Hello
I was really excited when I booked this cruise. I'm going with DH and twin boys who will be almost 16mos. old at the time of cruise. Other family members are going as well.
I'm now terrified all of a sudden about bringing the boys along. I think I got a little freaked out when I discovered (after paying-in-full) that I only had 8 hours available to me for Flounders Nursery (even though we have to pay for it). I also wasn't expecting that the boys would not be able to go into the pool. I understand why the risk can't be taken, but it is a shame b/c when my guys go into a pool they wear two baby diapers. Now I feel like, My Gosh! What am I going to do with them??

Could I get some help and support from the experienced DCL takers? Could you give me advice on what kinds of things I can do? I also have a few questions: 1) Are strollers allowed on board? Double ones?
2) If there is room available in Flounders....do they ever let you book more than 8 hours (we're doing a 4 day in Aug.)?
3) How did you handle feedings and bottles? Is there a refrigerator in the room? Is it the standard mini-bar size?

Thanks Everyone. Any help and support would be greatly appreciated.

-Donna
2BoysMom

 

[lindakmonty]

It'll be ok, they are allowed in the pool, its just one ear of the mickey pool just for the little ones has running water through it.

you are allowed to go into Flounders with your little ones and play with them at times as well as leave them at times too. not sure about the more than 8 hours thing though sorry...

you can take single or double strollers. I took my Maclaren and it was perfect!

it is more like a cooler in the room. you can have room serv. deliver milk everyday or bring a cooler... or run up to deck 9 for drinks. I took my son first when he was 18 months and we had a blast. You'll love it! relax and enjoy your cruise. maybe a night for mom and dad at Palo would be a great added touch for sure!

 

[alikat99]

Ok, let me try to help. I brought my oldest DD when she was 2. We were so busy on the 7-day, that we actually didn't go into the pool at all. And, we didn't even miss it. And, like someone else said, there is a place in the pool, one of the Mickey ears, so they can play in the running water.

As for Flounders, you are limited initially to 8 hours in Flounders. However, you can be put on the waiting list and if they have room, they will call you. We did this for every night of our 7 night, and EVERY night they called us with room. So, I wouldn't worry too much, unless there is an unusually high number of under 3s, you should be fine!!

For strollers, yes you can bring them on board. You can bring a double stroller, but they are quite large and might be tough to "store" in your room because even when they are folded up, they take up a lot of room. Otherwise, maybe you can get 2 small umbrella-type strollers.

There is a cooler in the room. It will keep things cool, but not super-cold. It should be fine for bottles. But, if your twins are going to be 16-months, maybe you can try to wean them off of bottles by then to sippy cups. That's what we did with our youngest at 12 months and she did fine. Either way, you should be fine.

Have fun!!!

 

[grlzmom]

Our twins went on the Magic at 16 months and had a great time (they will be doing their fourth cruise this November to celebrate their third birthdays)

Flounders was great. We took advantage of family playtime (where you can go in and play with the toys with your kiddos) and signed up for dinner time slots as well. We took the babies to eat with us at 6 and then when they were finished eating either me or dh dropped them off at Flounders and we enjoyed the rest of our meal

Flounders was so accomodating to us. We told them we may be interested in additional slots if available and they would call us each night and let us know about open times the next day. We felt very comfortable leaving the babies there and they really doted on the twins. They did little handprint fingerpaints, polaroid pictures, etc. I am a sahm and the kids arent ever left with anyone but me or dh so I was a little worried, but the CMs in there are wonderful. They are used to making babies feel comfortable and parents too. They would page me to let me know that one had fallen asleep or that one hit the other (ugh).

Our room steward brought us a regular mini fridge for milk after seeing the twins and our two year old and we would go up to Topsiders each night and get some milk (the little cartons) to get through the p.m./early morning.

We took our peg perego aria twin (side by side) and it fit everywhere. Very light weight, easy to fold and doesn't take up much room in the stateroom (fit in the closet with door closed) It also fit in the dining room when they were sleeping.

We had the coffee table removed from our staterooms to give us more space and the babies ended up doing a combination of sleeping in the pack n plays and sleeping on the bottom bunk (sofa bed) with a bed rail. By the end of the week we found the sofa bed was much more comfy for them and no problems with them falling out with the bedrail in place.

We always have two connecting staterooms because we have other kids and had plenty of room for the two pack n plays but it might be tight if you plan on setting up two in one stateroom, and having the coffee table moved out really does help.

Definately go to dinner at Palo. You deserve to relax for two hours

Feel free to pm me if you have some questions I can help you with.

 

[lbgraves]

Just wanted to add that side by side double strollers probably wouldn't fit well in the elevators. I would check the measurement before taking one onboard & not being able to use it.

 

[mmouse37]

Side by side will fit...barely....and it will be tough to turn the stroller around. You will have to wait for several elevators to get an empty one so you will fit. My suggestion would be two umbrella strollers or a borrow a front/back double stroller....and avoid the mid ship elevators...they are always the busiest!!!

MJ

 

[grlzmom]

I agree about checking the measurements of your stroller. The elevators are small and any kind, either side-by-side or front/back that is too big is going to be a pain with the elevators and trying to wheel it in and out of the stateroom.

Our side by side (peg) was much easier than the previous front/back (Graco)we had. It fits through standard doorways and no problems whatsoever turning it. We still take it vs. two umbrellas and our twins will be three soon.

We also always either use the front or aft elevators.

I would not go with two umbrella strollers that don't recline since napping in the stroller at that age is still pretty common. Mine tend to nap a little more in the heat.

 

[2BoysMom]

Wow. Thank you ladies, Thank you so much. I'm feeling so much better. Besides the Flounders and pool questions that I had originally posed to you, I thought I had also heard that I would not be able to have a stroller! I was really starting to panic.
I'm feeling much better and am starting to feel excited again. If anyone thinks of anything else, please add it on here. Knowledge is Power! And I'm all for feeling Powerful.

-Donna

 

[2BoysMom]

Whoops. I did have a question. Does DCL provide the bed rail? or should I bring one? Does it reach the full length of the bed?

Thanks,
Donna

 

[scrappy910]

Donna,

This past February we went on a family cruise with RCCL. My 4 yr old granddaughter and active 14 month old grandson were part of the group. We tried to help out some with the kids so our DD and DSIL could have some cruise time to themselves. RCCL's nursery times were very limited. The hardest time was dinner. Two hours to eat does not work well with a little one (and even some older people). He did have fun having food fights with my BIL who normally set across from him. Other than dinner time he had a great time. The servers were great about having food ready for him when he arrived. Then my niece would take him for walks in the stroller when he would get to ansey (sp).

You will have a great time. Hopefully some of your family will help you out so you can have some time without the boys.

Carol

 

[lbgraves]

Whoops. I did have a question. Does DCL provide the bed rail? or should I bring one? Does it reach the full length of the bed?

Thanks,
Donna

They have the nice meshed Graco bed rails. They are the full sized ones that you get in the store. Your host will put it up each night.