First

Have a hold on 2 side by side Superior Ocean View Staterooms on the Feb 6 sailing of Sovereign of the Sea. There will be 7 of us traveling, including 4 kids (14 months to 12 years). I checked the historical data for the Bahamas for February. The average high temp is 77 degrees. I understand that the temp is unpredictable, but assuming it's in the mid to high 70's, just wondering if it will be too cold with the ocean breezes to enjoy time on deck as well as the beach in Nassau that time of year. Will snorkeling be out of the question? (We live in Arizona so are used to warm weather.) Have never cruised before. Enough to keep the 4 kids busy? Also, I noticed the solarium and pool are right above our cabins. Too noisy at night? The reservation agent said the pool closes at 10:00, but I've heard otherwise. We wanted a Grand Ocean View Suite, but was concerned about posts complaining of noise from the Windjammer Cafe one floor up. One silly question: anyone know if baby monitors work on board? (Thought we could have the baby's Grandma in the cabin right next to where the baby is sleeping in the evenings while my husband and I enjoy the ship. Will a monitor work?) Anyone know if RCCL allows babies and a 3 year old that aren't potty trained to play with the toys in the play area if a parent is there to supervise? The reservation agent didn't know... Thanks so much!!!

babyathome

Why don't you go on a Disney cruise, or leave the kids at home. This taking little babies and toddlers on a cruise is really stupid.

yikes

Geez......maybe you should stay home and potty train your THREE year old!

maryann

I'm exhausted just reading your plans, what alot of trouble for a trip to the Bahamas! You,also, mentioned, you are from Arizona. On top of all the cruise questions, you have to fly, too.<BR><BR>Do yourself a favor, if you are coming all that way, pick a longer cruise. The Bahamas as an only destination, is not worth it!<BR><BR>Put Grandma and the baby together for the night, don't worry about the monitors.<BR><BR>The kids will have plenty to do. The weather is just like Florida, cool.<BR><BR>My opinion, take a longer cruise, the airfare is the same. You are trying to manage this for all those people, GOOD LUCK, I mean that kindly.

grandma

Please tell me why GRANDMA should get stuck being the baby sitter. She probably earned a vacation more than the kids.

maryann

Talk to your daughter, she wanted you to babysit. As a Grandma, I would sit for an agreed upon amount of time, then go out to party.<BR><BR>Everybody should have fun.

jean

And I sure would not have a baby alone in one cabin with grandma in the next cabin - baby monitor or no baby monitor. How foolish in todays world.

edie

ok....as far as the monitor, have the granny in the room with baby. <BR><BR>re the play area: No babies at all in any play areas on the Brilliance. had to be at least 2 i believe to do their kids program, maybe three...and i also am pretty sure that the kids had to be potty trained, so that would eliminate your three year old. <BR><BR>also, no babies in diapers in ANY of the pools, including the kiddie pool. IMHO, that is a good thing b/c tons of icky things get transmitted that way. BUT....any kid who is potty trained is NOT going to hang out in the 12 inch kiddie pool, so with that rule in place, even having that kiddie pool is a waste of deck space. <BR><BR>also, they offer babysitting for kids over the age of 1. don't know the cost. <BR>

Paul Therault

If the baby monitor is the type that plugs into the wall, it wll not work.

mms

What a bunch of horrible replies. First off - if I am ever blessed with grandbabies I will be thrilled to baby sit- however, I would probably be a nervous nelly and insist on being in the same room with the child. <BR><BR>Second, we used a baby monitor to help us watch over my disabled mother-in-law on a Celebrity cruise last summer - it worked fine.<BR><BR>Third, I have to agree about the Bahamas - Personnaly the Bahamas are not my favorite place to visit AT ALL! We are from Colorado and for our next cruise we are just planning to cruise out of Galveston - easy flight nice places to visit - Key West, Cozumel and Belize - But we are mainly going to relax on the boat.<BR>Finally, from my understanding (no first hand experience - youngest child traveling with us was 10) Children in Diapers aren't allowed in any of the children's programs or play areas or in the pools. For the kind of money it would take to go on a cruise to the yucky Bahamas - I would probably just fly to FLorida, rent a Condo and enjoy the kids and family.<BR>

Peter

I think you can get those baby monitors that DON'T plug into the walls at Target - they hook up to an exercise bike that generates enough electricity to run the monitor. Its the "baby monitor friendly" type of electricity verses the unfriendly type that comes out of the walls.

gail

Re baby monitor. We have used several types in several places (but not on cruise ship) - the issue for us has been interference at times - from walky-talky, radio stations, other monitors. We were unable to predict in what location there would be problems or not - at my in-laws house in New Hampshire all we got on the monitor was the local TV station!<BR><BR>Agree with above poster about pools not being available to kids of diaper age - am also seeing that in some hotels. Do you want to fight with a toddler about not being able to go in the pool?

Greg

Yes you will have a lot of noise if you are below the pool deck and or near the Windjammer Cafe'.<BR><BR>Although the pool may be closed at 10p people still traffic that part of the ship constantly and you will hear every bit of it.

First

Thanks go Greg, Gail and Peter for your kind responses. To many of the others.... errrrrrrrrrrr!!! Why the nasty comments? I am a stay-at-home mom of 4 children. I love it. I gave up my career as a prosecuting attorney to raise my family. I NEVER dump the children on their Grandmothers. I NEVER ask them to babysit. (I hire someone for 2 hours a week so I can have time with my husband.) I frequently bring the children over to their Grandmothers' homes so they can visit. I ALWAYS stay there and supervise them so the Grandmas can have fun with them. (By the way, dear Granny, that many of you are so concerned about, lives in a home that I am buying for her and for whom I also pay living expenses. She spends her days at the pottery club and visiting with friends. Therefore, Granny is not always the one who needs the vacation...) We invited the Grandmother along with us on our trip, all expenses paid. SHE offered to help with the kids in the evening. My toddler will have turned 3 right before we sail. I know many, many, many 3 year old boys who aren't potty-trained. What is with you people??? PLEASE... stop the nasties.

Iknewit

Ahhhhhhh, you are an attorney. Well, that answers it all. Get a travel guide and read it. Please don't ruin other peoples vacations with babies on a ship!<BR><BR>

xxx

We did a cruise in February a few years ago. A cold front came through and on our day at sea back to Florida from Nassau we froze our patooties off! The sun was out, but even sitting up on deck in the sun wrapped in beach towels didn't help. It was in the 50s. Normally that wouldn't be bad, but not on a cruise where you want that hot weather!

techydude

Paul I would suspect that the plug in baby monitor works through inductive coupling. It shouldn't matter whether the ac system in the ship is fully regulated to be the correct frequency rate.<BR><BR>In English that means that the wiring acts as a natural antennae. In theory it should work better.

Paul Therault

Yes, but wouldn't you pick up interference from other cabins? And how about from 2-way radios if they are on the same frequency. <BR><BR>Our baby-monitor at home has picked up others talking. From where I do not know since houses in our area are quite some distance away.<BR><BR>Paul

techydude

Yes Paul there is always that risk with these units since they operate on common uhf frequencies. These frequencies are not regulated and therefore there is constant overlapping from others (multi-pathing).<BR><BR>Unfortunately your comment said it would not work. There is a difference.<BR><BR>These broad generalizations are the kind of thing that usually get you into trouble with your nemesis Peter.<BR><BR>So........Baby Monitors will work, but if there are frequencies (channels) that are close to yours you will pick them up to. If you must use it. Test it. Plug it in on a day you don't rely/need it and see what you hear.

Peter

Actually, Paul stated that "If the baby monitor is the type that plugs into the wall, it wll not work" insinuating that their are other types than those that plug into the wall and that they would work. So, just what are those other types that don't plug into the wall, Paul? P.S. Do you really have a baby monitor at home? For the great grand kids?<BR>