Safety aboard cruise ships is on the top of the agenda for all the family

Safety for baby

Safety is a major issue these days and not much happens in the industrial, the commercial or the public world which does not have a kind of health and safety tag attached to it. That is certainly true and perhaps more so when it comes to things for children, so anything that promotes that aspect of the industry is more than welcome. In places such as the safe baby toys site there are plenty of items which are reviewed and vetted for safety. With a large influx of products from the far East, there is the potential for cheap badly made toys to get into the market, and that’s exactly where they will be found – in the car boot sales and the Sunday market stall of the big cities.

There are umpteen dangers hidden in soft toys and the like for the very young so the safe baby toys which are allowed in to the mainstream shops would be the first to be considered.

The well drilled cruise passenger

Safety is another big issue in the transport business, with a most recent recommendation being the use of seat belt on public coach services. Safety information on trains and of course we are very used to the mandatory safety rules on board an aircraft. The one area where the safety issue is also a part of the standard procedure is in the cruise business. Passengers can get on a cross channel ferry and simply take their seat and listen to the safety announcement. However on a big cruise ship such as those which sail under the flag of Royal Caribbean cruises, passengers have to attend a full lifeboat drill.

This involves the correct use of a lifejacket, how to board one of the launches which are slung alongside the sides of the vessels, and the zones each group of passenger should report to in the case of an emergency. In typical navy style (remember that the staff who work on the high seas and the Mediterranean cruises are in the Merchant Navy, and follow the same procedures as the Royal Navy) everything is carried out with military precision. Panic is the biggest fear, and the potential for ship guests to be running all over the place. Calm is required, but in truth its very rare for there to be mishaps at sea, but in such a weather dependant business, you never know.

Number One priority

So safety comes as the number one priority and the same applies to safe baby toys which have to be carefully inspected before being allowed on open sale. The most stringent country for this is America, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia. The UK comes under the general European Union rules, so in some ways there is a double check on baby toys. The standards vary in all parts of the world, and it has to be said that China and some of the eastern countries are less than stringent about such things. It also applies to other parts of the world and happy holiday makers on Celebrity cruises may well be tempted by some of the cheap merchandise in the markets of Bridgetown, Barbados. It’s best to look for safety labels and if there are none then leave it alone. Cute it may be, but dangerous baby toys can kill, that’s a fact.

But even some approved products can be found to be dangerous. There was a case recently where a specially adapted sleeping pillow for cots was the cause of several baby deaths in America. So even the most carefully assessed items can prove to be fatal. On board the cruise liners there are professional child care staff and of course a full quota of medical experts. So if a baby has swallowed something untoward then there is help at hand very quickly. That help can be on board, but in the case of something like the Norwegian cruises, the ships are very close to land for the entire journey, making medical assistance more convenient. Ships have helicopter landing areas, so in a real emergency a passenger could be airlifted to a hospital very quickly. It’s not a bad idea to look at the insurance particulars as you would with any holiday, just to check what is covered and which services are included.

Dislodging the fish bones

Another danger for the youngest and oldest passengers is food. The chances of getting food poisoning on board a quality ship are very remote, but fish bones can be very awkward if lodged in the wrong part of the throat. The young baby is not likely to be tucking into some fresh salmon or local cod and the catering staff are well used to preparing special meals for the youngest passengers. But again, it’s the unexpected that always has to be considered. On the very best of the Celebrity cruises, the odds are reduced to almost zero as every eventuality is looked at in advance. A ship is an extremely well run operation from the Captain and his bridge officers to the cabin deck steward who looks after the guests.

Minimum age for sea travellers

There is a minimum age for infants on the ships which sail the seas, and in the case of Princess cruises that age is 6 months old. Young enough to get into trouble though and scare parents when a spike of metal comes out of the soft toy. Given the fact that these ships do sail all over the world there is that possibility of buying a baby soft toy which obviously hasn’t been checked by the EU, the USA or Australian authorities. The regulations for age vary from one operator to another, and even from destination to destination. The overriding rule is that any passenger under the age of 21 has to be accompanied by someone of at least that age. That’s for the aforementioned safety reasons and the launch drills.

The fact is that a good number of cruise passengers are well beyond 21 years of age and are content to sit in the English style lounges of the P&O cruises ship sipping a gin and tonic before dinner. That’s not to say there are not fun style cruises and the industry has changed considerably in that respect. But there are still the stalwarts of the cruise business who may take the ship to Australia rather than fly. It’s just so much more relaxing, with gourmet food, and fantastic personal attention.

Family fun at sea

The philosophy adopted by MSC cruises is interesting in terms of children and families as they have made that their target customer. The youngest of travelers on their ships is the same but they have a very different approach to the family cruise which they see as a fun experience. They have children’s play rooms which like the government authorities have been cleared as safe for the kids, and that includes the pink bunny which is labeled under safe baby toys. This company has the some of very biggest cruise ships at sea, so they are well versed in dealing with high numbers and young passengers. As with the other cruise liners the children have to be accompanied by an adult, although once on board a vessel they can head straight for the mini golf on deck 13, the video lounges or the surpervised play rooms,. That’s a load off the parents mind, as they can relax knowing the kids are safe in some part of the ship.

Small ships, great facilities

The smaller ships of Fred Olsen cruises have great facilities, quality dining and a full entertainment program. That will include specialist invited lecturers, so when the ‘Black Watch’ makes for the volcanic islands of Iceland, passengers already have some knowledge from the expert. That can cover the wildlife and in this case probably the Westman Islands which are home to the worlds largest colony of puffins. The company has its headquarters in Ipswich, so they are very familiar and knowledgeable about the type of cruise British nationals go for. But their itineraries are some of the most comprehensive. As they have smaller vessels they can head up the Amazon and the Rio Negro, take the short cut through the Panama Canal, and nip into any Norwegian fjord at will.

Cruises go from all locations, and can be taken as and where is convenient. That can be Hong Kong, Miami, New York or Sydney. But as a starting point many of the European based companies choose to set sail from the Mediterranean ports of Barcelona or Venice. In the case of the British embarkation point the vat majority are cruises from Southampton. That’s fairly convenient for London, and even for the people from the northern locations, the port is not difficult to get to. Travelling with infants is always something of a tricky experience, but with having bought some well made safe baby toys online, then all will be well for a safe and memorable voyage.