Hi Wendy,

I'm the Editor of WeJustGotBack.com, a family travel web site. I'm a big fan of yours and your blog (particularly after one of your readers tipped to our site regarding a review of skiing at Copper Mountain).

I've been following your family cruise with great interest. The most recent entry made me laugh, because I've heard similar experiences so often. We bring up many of the pitfalls of cruising with small children in this article on kid-friendly cruises. (http://www.wejustgotback.com/default.aspx?mod=cruisekids). In it, we actually recommend waiting until kids are at least 3--or even better, kindergarten. This article was one in a series for which we interviewed dozens and dozens of readers who'd cruised with small kids. All sorts of downsides emerged--the no-swim-diapers policy in the pools was just the beginning. Parents cited the ultra-tight cabins, the loooong corridors (meaning toddlers spend their time in the stroller), waiting in lines to do just about everything, the lack of flexible babysitting (group babysitting that BEGINS at 10pm? Sounds like heaven, eh?), and on and on. One mother of 2-year-old twins described her cruise as "being in Hell."

Of course, there were exceptions. The parents who brought babysitters/inlaws/entourages seemed to remain more upbeat. But then, of course they did. Any vacation with small kids is easier with an extra pair of hands.

As a consumeristic site, we try to advise parents on not just where they'll have some fun, but at what kid's age will you get the best *value*. What a difference that simply waiting a year or two can make.

Keep up the great blogging!

Cheers,
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher
WeJustGotBack.com

It scares me a bit, that has a travel journalist you spent hours researching the Celebrity website for information pertaining to diapers and swimming pools. I go to the Celebrity website and it took me no more then a minute to find this:

"** United States Public Health Department Policy (USPH) prohibits persons who are not toilet trained or use diapers, pull-ups or swimmers from using pools or whirlpools. Royal Caribbean is exploring ways to provide swimming options to those who are not toilet trained. To determine if USPH approval has been received and such a capability is available on a particular ship, please contact the ship's Guest Relations Desk."

It is listed under Before Your Cruise -> Guest Conduct Policy.

I am sure that the information is also listed with the cruise documents, and on the brochures.

So I don't buy the excuse that you didn't know beforehand. Especially someone who is supposed to be travel savvy.

I MUST respond to Kleach17's comment. I totally disagree with you that the policy is easy to find on Celebrity Cruises' Web site. The policy is not listed in any of the sections where intuitively it should be. It's not under:
(1) Onboard Experience
(2) Entertainment & Activities
(3) Onboard Activities
(4) Youth Program
(5) Fun Factory
(6) Toddler Time
(7) Before Your Cruise: Frequently Asked Questions
(8) FAQ's: Age Requirements
(9) What activities will be available for my children onboard?
(10) Youth Activities/Family Activities
. . . to name just a few.

To get to the section you cite where the policy is stated, one must click on "Guest Conduct Policy" and scroll down 27 paragraphs, past these headlines:

Guest Conduct Policy
Safety and Security
Guest Conduct
Verbally Abusive or Offensive Language
Inappropriate or Abusive Behavior
Unsafe Behavior
Discourteous or Disruptive Behavior
Smoking
Curfews
Disembarking A Ship
Parental and Guardian Responsibility
Alcohol
Prohibited Items
Items with Heating Elements or Open Flames
Drugs or Other Illegal Substances
Weapons, Explosives or other Dangerous Items
Health and Environment
Hand Washing
Illnesses and Isolation of Guests
Celebrity Cruises's Save the Waves Program and Trash/Waste
Dining Areas Dress Code
Dining Rooms Specialty Restaurants
Resort Deck Cafe

After all those headings that have nothing to do with toddlers, one finally arrives at the "Age Policies" section, where there is a list of shipboard facilities and the age requirements for using them.
Under "Fun Factory Facilities" (which includes the kiddie pool), it says merely "Ages 3 through 17." It says nothing about swim diapers not being allowed.

You cite the footnote under "Pools" that states, "Royal Caribbean is exploring ways to provide swimming options to those who are not toilet trained. To determine if USPH approval has been received and such a capability is available on a particular ship, please contact the ship's Guest Relations Desk." What this means is that before you can find out if there is a swimming option for your child who wears swim diapers, you must have already purchased your cruise, since you can't contact the ship's Guest Relations Desk until you are already onboard. How unfair is that?!

Wendy Perrin

Wendy - I love reading your column in CNT and am thrilled to have come across this thread in your blog. As the editor of a blog about luxury travel for parents, www.childofleisure.com, I am constantly looking for ways to include my toddler (and soon-to-arrive infant son) in my travels. While I don't want to "inflict" my children (who are, thus far, actually well-behaved but we'll see what happens with the next arrival) on every hotel in the world, I don't see why I should have to completely give up my lifestyle now that I am a parent. Part of the reason we have yet to go on a cruise is that the cruise lines seem very vague on just how far they will go to accommodate families. It's as though they don't want to ban you BUT...they'd really prefer you didn't come, certainly not with infants or toddlers. Your post confirms my feeling. The only one you can seem to feel completely at ease with is Disney (and is that really true or am I just assuming that because of the brand?). Please continue to keep us posted about any news you come across (and I'll be plugging you in my blog too! I love your column...)

Leian