does RCCL 'shut down' kid pool/activities when few kids onboard??

[josask]

I just read on another post that if the number of kids is low, RCCL will shut down the kid's pool and possibly even their programs for kids.

Has anyone else experienced this? to what degree?

We are quite nervous that our kids will be some of the few on the our 10 day cruise on the Jewel in 2 weeks. I know they will be fine, but it sure would be a lot more fun for them if the pool is open and the activities still run.

TIA

[cb at sea]

I don't think they would "shut down"...the employees who work the kid's club are still there, and have to be paid....they'll make them work!

I've never heard of them shutting it down unless a certain # of kids were aboard!

[frayedend]

I think their will be plenty of kids in 2 weeks. We are going that week on Carnival. It's MLK week and most kids have 2 days off. That makes it a great week to pull kids out of school.

[Lisou]

I was on a western med cruise with RC this past Oct and since there were less kids, they cancelled some activities to combine a wider age range. My 6yo dd was still delighted and well entertained throughout the cruise. I was also speaking to the youth program staff and asking them about this issue for future cruises and they assured me that even if there was one child on board, the youth program would still be running. I also brought this up with the gentleman who was responsible for future bookings and he assured me that these were professionals hired to entertain kids on board and were obliged to organize activities even if there was only one child on board and that the quality of the care and activities would not be compromised...Have a good trip...I`m sure your kids will love it!

[VikkiGarcia]

We have sailed Royal when there was 23 and 54 kids on board. There was some switching around of age groups and with such few kids they did let the kids change up some of the activities. There were on 3 teens on our Panama Canal cruise. They still met nightly and had a devoted councelor for my son and the 2 others aboard.

[Flipflopsnfrozendrinks]

We were on the Jewel with 11 kids onboard (including our 2), and it was wonderful. It was our kids first cruise, and they have been addicts ever since. They really got to know the counselors and the program was a more tailored feeling toward the kids that were there. The kids pool (with the slide)has certain hours it is open, and it was never closed during those hours. We have always taken longer (10+ night) cruises, during school so there are never very many kids onboard. I think our kids really like that aspect. All that will change this year though. We are taking a 7 night during vacation...we shall see how this goes...LOL.

Have a great trip, Jewel is still our family's favorite ship!

Kim

[mrspjotter]

We sailed on EOS the 1st 2 wks of Feb last year and there were 65 kids on board it was great as it was our 1st cruise so the kids had chance to get to know how it all works without too many kids being there.

 

As someone else has said some of the age groups were combined and a few of the shows that the kids put on were cancelled as probably only 1/4 of the kids on board went to the AO.

 

The only downside was that on our way back to Bayonne as the following week it was our half term in the UK and I think a holiday for you guys in the US schools too there were 1300 kids getting on and they closed the AO pool area for maintenance to get it ready which we were really annoyed about! The weather was great on the way back and the kids missed using the pool - the weather was lousy on the way down to the caribbean so the kids couldn't use the pool so it would've been better to close it then!