StayFrosty

Welcome to the message boards.
All cruise contracts on all cruise lines have provisions that permit itinerary changes.  Regardless who you cruise with, this is always a possibility.  
Keep that in mind when you book your next cruise on another cruise line.  

Add another one to the "Unofficial" RoyalCaribbeanBlog Group Cruise!

Add another one to the "Unofficial" RoyalCaribbeanBlog Group Cruise!

Will also be my honeymoon cruise.

Come on June 24
 

It was up in the air whether this was going to happen or not. So I was just excited that I was able to book it that I wanted to share my enthusiasm!

Students’ last day = May 29th!

Students’ last day = May 29th!

I am a teacher and I will be on the cruise with 20 family members. Woohoo!!!!! I need this cruise. Have fun. 

Hello everyone,
I have been enjoying these live blogs for over a year so I thought I would contribute. So let's start with some background.
Who: Me and my wife (Teachers!)
What: A cruise on the newly refurbished Navigator of the Seas
When: June 24-28, 2019 + flying in the day before.
Where: Nassau and Coco Cay
Why:  We just booked this trip (practically last minute!) as we decided we wanted to have a getaway before we think of expanding our family but didn't want to spend too much time away from our lovely toddler-aged daughter.  Why not bring her, you ask? Well, even though people have shared wonderful experiences that they have had with their young children on board, it was not the type of vacation we were looking for.  We have done short cruises on Enchantment and Majesty before and wanted something more modern but on a short cruise and Navigator fit the bill nicely.  If they wouldn't have upgraded and larger ships on these itineraries, I don't think we would be doing a cruise (someday our child(ren) will be older and we will do a longer cruise)!
Excursions: Nothing planned.  Maybe the flight sim for me in Nassau and a massage for my wife.  We were big fans of the "rustic" Coco Cay and were hesitant about all of the upgrades to the island.  But after hearing such glowing reviews, I am excited to give it an honest try.
I am excited to try all of the new amenities on Navigator: Bamboo Room, Lime and the Coconut, Playmakers (Team Drink Package), the waterslides, FlowRider, escape room, and ice skating. We might even try some specialty dining for the first time.  Maybe Hooked for lunch and Jamie's for a dinner?
56 days to go! I'll leave you with a "historical" photo of Coco Cay.

It was up in the air whether this was going to happen or not. So I was just excited that I was able to book it that I wanted to share my enthusiasm!

Hello everyone,
I have been enjoying these live blogs for over a year so I thought I would contribute. So let's start with some background.
Who: Me and my wife (Teachers!)
What: A cruise on the newly refurbished Navigator of the Seas
When: June 24-28, 2019 + flying in the day before.
Where: Nassau and Coco Cay
Why:  We just booked this trip (practically last minute!) as we decided we wanted to have a getaway before we think of expanding our family but didn't want to spend too much time away from our lovely toddler-aged daughter.  Why not bring her, you ask? Well, even though people have shared wonderful experiences that they have had with their young children on board, it was not the type of vacation we were looking for.  We have done short cruises on Enchantment and Majesty before and wanted something more modern but on a short cruise and Navigator fit the bill nicely.  If they wouldn't have upgraded and larger ships on these itineraries, I don't think we would be doing a cruise (someday our child(ren) will be older and we will do a longer cruise)!
Excursions: Nothing planned.  Maybe the flight sim for me in Nassau and a massage for my wife.  We were big fans of the "rustic" Coco Cay and were hesitant about all of the upgrades to the island.  But after hearing such glowing reviews, I am excited to give it an honest try.
I am excited to try all of the new amenities on Navigator: Bamboo Room, Lime and the Coconut, Playmakers (Team Drink Package), the waterslides, FlowRider, escape room, and ice skating. We might even try some specialty dining for the first time.  Maybe Hooked for lunch and Jamie's for a dinner?
56 days to go! I'll leave you with a "historical" photo of Coco Cay.

Once you are past security the United terminal is nice. 

Once you are past security the United terminal is nice. 

Once you are past security the United terminal is nice. 

Pretty sure that is the end of the dock.  They don't need the dock to go the whole length of the ship.  There are tie off points beyond the end of the dock structure to help secure the ship.  Here is an example from San Juan.  
And another from Roatan.

It’s legit.  
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/03/16/first-look-new-offerings-perfect-day-cococay

Looks like they have it back under control but man, that looks like a rough day. 

We started taking our daughter on cruises when she was 7 months and again around 18 months and she’s always loved them. New things to see, and best of all the crew all seem to love a happy baby. So many of them have children back at home, that they’d do special things for Addie. Every night in the MDR they’d bring freshly made baby food and other treats. We never subscribed to the “babies schedule” mantra so Addie was always flexible with heading ashore and nap times. She even got her first tooth on a cruise  
 
 

Do not forget to take into consideration the bath situation.  Most rooms only have teeny showers, so you need to pack a blow-up bathtub if the babies won't handle a shower well.  The showerhead does come off as a hand held to make it a little easier on you.

Hello,
i am heading on a cruise this summer with my will be 10 month old. We were not going to go but my parents, brother and my 12 YO niece and 15 YO nephew convinced us. I think it’s gojng to be great to have my parents willing to watch her at times during the day and hopefully at least one evening. My main concern right now is on port days, we want to spend some beach times where we’re going but trying to find out the best ways to go about it. I am a first time parent so this whole experience has been a wake up call but it’s been a great journey and I’m looking forward to taking our first family vacation with my family while family as well. Good luck and let us know how your experience turns out, I will make sure to do the same.

Probably not a popular idea but..... You could wait until they are 3 and able to enjoy Adventure Ocean and give you a break as well.  We cruised when one was old enough for Adventure Ocean and the other was not.  It gave us some quality alone time with our youngest but would have been nice to be be able enjoy even an hour or two a day with just adults.  If you are booking it for now, consider your ship.  Some have the nursery that you could utilize while others don't have any option for kids under 3.  Also they won't be able to use the pool which was a big deal for our little guy and we didn't realize until after we had booked.  So try to find a ship with a splash area and nursery or wait and do something land based until they're 3 would my advice having gone on a ship with a young one with no splash area and no nursery (Explorer).

A day on a ship with an 18 month old is not much different than a day on land at home with an 18 month old. 
Your schedule is dictated by them.  They are in control. 
At home you can't go grocery shopping when you want to, you do it around their nap schedule.  You may not realize it at home but you find a way of planning and performing your day around their needs and schedule.  It just short of happens.    
On a ship you might have plans for a day of lounging by the pool or exploring a port but forget making plans.  You'll need to follow their mood and needs.  That could work out well or if they are cranky from having their routine interrupted by the muster drill that might work out not very well.   
Also keep in mind their immune system isn't as robust as ours.  We are constantly bombarded by germs and viruses but most of us fend them off and never know it.  A toddler doesn't have the same germ fighting capacity and an ear ache or sore throat can make your cruise very stressful.  Even teething can be a pain for everyone involved.  At home it's easy enough to run to a store and buy something.  Not so on a ship.  

Our son was about that age for his first cruise.  I can not say enough about having an inside stateroom.  It was so dark and quiet that napping for him and us was perfect.  The cruise was more about all of us recharging a little.  
Routine was breakfast, play or just explore the ship during the morning, short break before lunch, Lunch, then EVERYONE nap, a little playtime in the afternoon, dinner and then bed.  Playtime could be splash pad/pool, briefly exploring port or one of the ships activities.  We did put him in the babysitting/club for one adult dinner.  
ETA - that was our one an only inside stateroom and it worked for that cruise.

Maybe because the ship is destined for 3/4 day cruises they figure there will be few diamonds etc?