Camp Carnival while in port

[Freezin' in Minny]

I will be going on the Carnival Victory on 1/30 with my DH and 2 sons age 7 and 2 1/2. My husband and I are considering leaving our sons in camp while we are in Jamaica. My question is are we charged a babysitting fee for the time that my kids are in camp during port days. I was under the impression that camp was open and free even while in port. There was recently a review on the carnival boards where someone claimed to have been charged for leaving his kids in the program while in port. The only thing that I can think of is that if you leave them in during lunch time (normally closed) that you would be charged. Any thoughts?

[cruisinqt]

If you're going to Montego Bay, Jamaica, take them along with you to Sunset Beach Resort. They have an all inclusive that's $20 for adults and $10 for kids. It includes all food, sodas, alcohol, use of kayaks, paddle boats, snorkel equipment, volleyball, and any other stuff they have to offer. Our family of 4 had a blast there!:D But if you're docking in Ocho Rios it's really too far to drive and it might be better to leave them on the ship.

 

Our last cruise was on the Carnival Conquest this past November. They offered free child care at every port of call, but you had to sign them up for it a day or two before you got to that port.;) Perhaps the person who said they were charged didn't sign up ahead of time and that's the reason they were charged because they had to hire extra help for the larger no. of kids. Also, you have to be back on the ship and get your child at a specific time. Perhaps the person who said they were charged didn't get back at the specified time. Maybe they went and took a nap or gambled before they picked their kids up and got charged. :(

 

The time frame they gave you for babysitting while in port was very ample. If you were in port for 8 hours, you got 8 hours of babysitting. But I noticed at several ports that you got back on the ship right around dinner time. The children's area is closed at that time. So if someone was late picking their children up and someone in the kids area had to keep the place open and miss dinner, I can see how they would charge you a late fee.

 

You might call Carnival or your TA and ask them this question, as I've heard that each ship is different. But we've sailed Carnival several times and they've always offered free babysitting at each port. I think it's a standard rule with Carnival. I really suspect that the person who posted that they were charged did something that incurred an extra charge that wouldn't have happened if they'd obeyed the rules.:rolleyes:

[estherhead]

It should be free. We left our kids one day in port and it was free. If they got charged they should have contested it.

[Freezin' in Minny]

Thank you both for the replies. It confirmed what I thought was true.

 

 

Crusinqt: Thank you so much for the suggestion. We will be in Ocho Rios and not Montego Bay, so Sunset Beach in not an option.:( DH and I are thinking about going to Dunn's River Falls, so I'm afraid the kids would not be able to make the climb. Besides, I have heard some negative things about Jamaica so I don't feel too bad about leaving my little men on the ship. Luckily we were able to find some fun family excursions at our other ports Cozumel and Grand Cayman.:)

[cruzinrn]

You will have a great time on the Victory. It is a beautiful ship. Loved the look of the main buffet room.

 

I have sailed on numerous Carnival ships and my children have loved Camp Carnival and from what I understand now is that Port sitting is free. What a wonderful addition to their already great program. We sailed the NCL Dawn in June and will sail again in February. My kids liked the Dawn's Kids Crew but preferred Camp Carnival. It also could have had something to do with the friends they met. I also liked the idea of free port sitting because NCL does not offer it and the day I left my kids onboard it cost me a bundle.

Have a great time!!:)