Anyone been on the Oasis of the Seas? Particularly a balcony room on Boardwalk?

Is Royal Caribbean daycare good/safe?

• My father-in-law is taking us on a week long cruise on Oasis of the Seas. Our kids will be almost 2 and 6. Does anyone have any experience with the daycare services on board? I have a very hard time trusting and leaving my children with anyone, but would love to have a couple times during that week in which to spend some alone time with my husband since it happens so rarely. Also, we are staying a grand suite (balcony). Are those safe for children? Do they just have bars or is it like a glass-type panel that comes up to about chest height for adults? Thanks. :)

• Answer:

  I cannot answer this question based on personal experience with kids being watched by the cruise ship staff. However, I do know that the young people that Royal Caribbean hires to work with the kids in the Adventure Ocean programs on ships are professionally trained people, not just someone hired off the street to babysit. This is on Royal web site about Adventure Ocean: " You can feel confident leaving your children with us because every member of our Adventure Ocean staff holds a college degree in education, recreation or a related field and has experience working with children ages 3-17. " And this is from a current job announcement for the Youth Staff, " In addition to other requirements, potential candidates should have one year physical fitness and/or recreational sports instruction background with resorts, sports facilities or related recreational facilities." These are the general work requirements: "Regardless of the position for which you are applying, to qualify for shipboard employment you must have a valid passport, and the ability to: * Obtain a C1D visa (unless you are Canadian or a US citizen or resident) * Pass RCCL's pre-employment medical examination. * Obtain relevant itinerary-driven visas (i.e. Schengen). * Pass a criminal background check." So from this it appears that they take care to hire good qualified people. In my many cruises on Royal I have talked with parents who had kids in the Adventure Ocean programs and they were not worried about their safety while there and the kids for the most part loved the activities so much that they don't even want to leave for meals and other activities. I suggest leaving your 6 year old in Adventure Ocean for a day to see how he/she likes it. Then decide whether you want to leave the child there again. For a 2 year old As I read the programs a parent or guardian must be present http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experiencetypes/home.do?#/?detail=546&wl=0 Now if you are concerned about the in cabin babysitting service, I just don't know about that. The balcony cabins (and we ALWAYS get a balcony), have a glass wall right below the railing with a very small space, about 2/3 inches, between the railing and between the floor. A young child could not squeeze between the bottom and floor or between the partitions separating the balconies. However, I would not recommend leaving kids on a balcony at any time; they might get the idea to put a chair by the railing and climb up on it.