10 yr old checking himself out of Camp Carnival

[cruznkate]

My family will be sailing on the Triumph in July and I have been reading up on the Camp Carnival since we've never cruised with the kids before. It states in the FAQ that kids 9 - 11 can check themselves in and out of Camp Carnival unless the parents state otherwise. My 10 year old is VERY trustworthy and I really don't have a problem with him heading over to Camp Carnival on his own (though I don't want him wandering the ship aimlessly) but I'm concerned with him checking himself out because I can't figure out how he would find us when he does. I know we could set up meeting places for specific times (assuming he'd have a watch) but what if he gets bored or doesn't feel well. Any suggestions or am I over thinking this?

 

-cruznkate

[cb at sea]

Yes, you're overthinking it! You'll likely be at the pool, or casino...(or some other spot that you'll tell him about!)....if your plans change, either leave a note in the cabin or a message on your cabin phone (there are "house phones" all over the ship!) so you can let the others know where you might be.

Or, plan to meet at such and such a time for lunch, a snack, etc.....

If he doesn't feel well (is he likely to be ill?) then have him head for the cabin...you'll find him!

[crusinmama06]

I was on Triumph last June and I had the same issue so I must be an overthinker too. ;) I gave my daughter the privledge with the strict instructions that she couldn't use them. It went like this....

 

"Your dance is over at 10pm -- I'll meet you outside the lounge door at 10pm and walk you back" :D

 

Yes I trust my daughter, its everyone else I have a problem with. :p I had the schedule and I knew where she was suppose to be at what times. I checked in frequently so if she wanted to leave, she could simply wait and then tell me.

[bdink921]

I did exactly what cruisinmama did with my 10 y.o last year. I gave him sign out privileges so that he could participate in the scavenger hunt (I saw them during it--they were having a blast) but would meet him at the end of whatever he was doing. It worked out fine.

[crusinmama06]

I did exactly what cruisinmama did with my 10 y.o last year. I gave him sign out privileges so that he could participate in the scavenger hunt (I saw them during it--they were having a blast) but would meet him at the end of whatever he was doing. It worked out fine.

 

 

Exactly! It was that pesky scavenger hunt that I had to give my daughter sign out privileges for the whole cruise ;):D

 

No sign out privileges means no scavenger hunts. :) My daughter would have never forgiven me. ;)

[Randisoko]

Exactly! It was that pesky scavenger hunt that I had to give my daughter sign out privileges for the whole cruise ;):D

 

No sign out privileges means no scavenger hunts. :) My daughter would have never forgiven me. ;)

 

I'm having trouble with this as well, another over thinker, I guess.

 

Can you tell me a little more about the scavenger hunt, please? Are they supervised?

[ckekjhaze]

We were on the Triumph last July with our 11 yo twins and 13 yo. I didn't think the scavenger hunt was that well supervised. Some of the kids were annoying running around bothering people. My twins had sign out priveleges but usually they were with us, or at a specific activity and I picked them up after. They did participate in the late night party, and if you choose to sign up for this- it costs extra- they will bring your child back to the cabin when it's over.

 

One point- we had late seating which we loved, but the kids missed out on a lot of activities because they had dinner with us. The first night we ran around for the registrations and meet and greets for Camp Carnival and Circle C and had to rush to dinner for 8:15.

[crusinmama06]

Can you tell me a little more about the scavenger hunt, please? Are they supervised?

 

You may not want me to tell you about this. I had some issues with this. Before we left, I debated and debated and debated some more about this. I was told that they were totally safe. They stay out of the cabins. They will be in groups.

 

So, I relent and give my daughter the priviledges with instructions to stay out of the cabins.

 

The first scavenger hunt goes off without a hitch. There are FOUR scavenger hunts on the camp schedule :eek:

 

So here I am standing on my balcony with some fellow CCers and in comes running my darling 9 year old with some camp carnival buddies trailing behind her. :eek::eek::eek: I said "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??????" She hands me the Camp Carnival scavenger list and sure enough it says "swim suits boys and girls, shorts, sunglasses, beach towel, long pants, pillow....."

 

So she says "We need all of these things and we knew we could just get it in one of our cabins" :)

 

Which she was RIGHT, however.....now I wanted blood from the Camp Carnival counselors because they sent the 9 year olds out with a list of items to get and knew they would have to get it from cabins.

 

So to answer your question -- no, they aren't supervised. There are a few different scavenger hunts. It all depends on which one your child does. It depends on the counselor. It just depends.

 

 

And I had to have yet another conversation with my daughter about NOT going to the cabins.

[Randisoko]

You may not want me to tell you about this. I had some issues with this. Before we left, I debated and debated and debated some more about this. I was told that they were totally safe. They stay out of the cabins. They will be in groups.

 

So, I relent and give my daughter the priviledges with instructions to stay out of the cabins.

 

The first scavenger hunt goes off without a hitch. There are FOUR scavenger hunts on the camp schedule :eek:

 

So here I am standing on my balcony with some fellow CCers and in comes running my darling 9 year old with some camp carnival buddies trailing behind her. :eek::eek::eek: I said "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??????" She hands me the Camp Carnival scavenger list and sure enough it says "swim suits boys and girls, shorts, sunglasses, beach towel, long pants, pillow....."

 

So she says "We need all of these things and we knew we could just get it in one of our cabins" :)

 

Which she was RIGHT, however.....now I wanted blood from the Camp Carnival counselors because they sent the 9 year olds out with a list of items to get and knew they would have to get it from cabins.

 

So to answer your question -- no, they aren't supervised. There are a few different scavenger hunts. It all depends on which one your child does. It depends on the counselor. It just depends.

 

 

And I had to have yet another conversation with my daughter about NOT going to the cabins.

 

Oh gosh! Now, I am worried all over again! I keep flip-flopping on the sign-out privileges. We still have 43 days until we cruise, but I have already started talking with her about NOT signing out except for the scavenger hunt.

 

How many are in a group? How long did they usually last?

 

Thank you so much for your information. It helps knowing another mother's perspective.

[crusinmama06]

Oh gosh! Now, I am worried all over again! I keep flip-flopping on the sign-out privileges. We still have 43 days until we cruise, but I have already started talking with her about NOT signing out except for the scavenger hunt.

 

How many are in a group? How long did they usually last?

 

Thank you so much for your information. It helps knowing another mother's perspective.

 

Yeah my daughter didn't sign out, except for those hunts. I met her at designated times.

 

How many are in the groups depend on how many are on your cruise. There were 3 in her group at the moment I saw her running into the cabin to get the scavenger items.

 

Ohhhh and I almost forgot, on one of the scavenger hunt's list.....A TOWEL ANIMAL! Well where are they going to get a TOWEL ANIMAL but in the CABIN. Holy moly I almost had a coronary! :eek:

 

The hunts are 45 minutes long. There are a few different ones -- there is the "Photo Hunt" they do with cameras. There is the "Dress the Contestant" where one person in the party needs to be dressed in certain items -- that is one that required all of the items on my daughter's list. And then there is the normal scavenger hunt.

 

Here is a recent schedule below -- you can see the Dress the Contestant listed at 2:30 on Saturday...

 

 

[A&Jfamily]

Oh gosh! Now, I am worried all over again! I keep flip-flopping on the sign-out privileges. We still have 43 days until we cruise, but I have already started talking with her about NOT signing out except for the scavenger hunt.

 

How many are in a group? How long did they usually last?

 

Thank you so much for your information. It helps knowing another mother's perspective.

 

Well, the best advice I can give you is to start letting her have a little freedom now. Once they hit 12, there is no camp in the morning, and there is no such thing as sign-in/out. I am running into that on our next cruise as my DS will be 12 yo and 1 m.

 

The scavenger hunts are done in groups of 3-4 and last about 30 minutes.

 

When he was almost 10, I gave him the sign-in/out privileges. We started by having him leave me on the Lido deck and walk to camp. He got 1/2 way there and came back to check on me - Just to make sure I was where I said I would be.:D That made me feel a whole lot better because I knew he was taking it seriously and a little caution is good for the soul. He was allowed after a day or so to leave camp and go to our room - with a stop for ice cream on the Lido. He could be no place else. It is really easy to check on them.

 

He too has specific intructions not to go in other peoples rooms. He did bring 3 kids with him to our room, looking for stuff, but the others waited in the hall. I reminded them all not to go into each other's rooms - sorry if I over-parented your child for you!

 

I am glad that I have given him the privileges - he will be well prepared on this 5th cruise, to go it on his own, so to speak. Of course, there will be no wandering the ship, and the same rules will be in place - with me, camp, ice cream or the room. No exceptions. Breaking a rule = loss of privilges for the remainder of the week and confinement in the cabin for the day of the violation. Trust me - he won't break the rules as the price is too high.

 

I am really glad that cruising allows this for the kids. I think it is a basically safe environment (yes I know there are all types on board potentially) and your kids need to learn how to handle responsibility and freedom - in a way that can be closely monitored. I worry for those kids whose parents won't let them go anywhere unattended, even when they are 16 years old - how will they ever survive on their own. At 16, I was driving a car, going grocery shopping, picking up the dry cleaning, and doing whatever else mom needed done. I also signed myself out of school every afternoon around 2 to go practice golf at our club. I was to be home by 5.

 

At 10, you have 6 years to get your child ready for driving and the real world. Camp sign-in/out is a great place to start.

[cruisehunter]

went last year with my son also ten. we brought hand held radios to keep in touch with worked great was even able to find my wife one day. :)

[Asil65]

A&Jfamily- Is it carnival that does away with sign out priviledges at 12. We will be on Princess and I have a 10 and 12 year old. Not quite sure how to work this. Bringing the kids with us on Princess for the first time. I hadfn't thought about all of the logistics. I think the scavenger hunt would be fun for them. Going in the cabins should not be encouraged.

[RoadTripFanatic]

went last year with my son also ten. we brought hand held radios to keep in touch with worked great was even able to find my wife one day. :)

 

This! There is NO WAY on this Earth I would allow my child to sign themself out of camp carnival without one. It's not that I don't trust my child. I do. It's the other people on the ship I don't trust.

[Cruisin' Chick]

My daughter was 8 on her last cruise and Princess gave the parents of 8 to 12-yr olds whether they can sign themselves in, out or both. I wrote no signing in/out on her form.

 

One day my hubby and I were eating lunch in the buffet and we heard a familiar voice. It was my daughter and one of the counselors on the scavenger hunt. The kids were paired up to go out and "collect" passengers, but since my daughter didn't have signing out privileges, she had to go with the staff member. The way the scavenger hunt was set up was that each team was given a list of characteristics to look for and have passengers sign off on them. My girl had only a few left so hubby signed off on "plays chess." I couldn't in all honesty sign off on the two remaining ones -- hates pineapple and wears dentures -- so she went off in search of other passengers.

[doctordi]

Sounds like my 9 yo wont be doing the scavenger hunts! No way I'm giving him sign out privledges. I'm not thrilled with him moving into the 9-11yo group, but no way is he going to walk around the ship unsupervised. He tends to wander and he'd be lost in a heartbeat.

[ALEX122495]

We were on the Miracle and my daughter was 10 at the time . Their camp Carnival was on the upper deck and you need to walk down a hallway of about 20 rooms to get there. I didn't like the idea that she would go by herself so I always dropped her off. I was also leary of having her sign herself out ,but she is not much of a joiner and only wanted to do a few crafty type things. So I gave in and let her sign herself out but she had to call the room and be sure her father, brother or I was there. Then she could leave. She also called me when she got to the elevator. Then one of us would watch for her from the door on our floor. She knew if she didn't get an answer she had to stay put until we came for her or she reached one of us .We knew about how long she wanted to stay when we left her there to begin with. We had no problems at all.

I trust my daughter but it only takes 10 seconds for a crazy:( to do something so I tried to keep track and give her some freedom. I am not one of those parents who lets their children run around unsupervised all the time, it just isn't in me .I did let her and her 12 yr old brother go places together on the ship,but they have to tell me where they are going and keep their cell phones on them for emergencies.

 

This year they are 13 and 15 so I will have to see how it goes since the teen club so different and they can just drop in when they want.

[kelbre]

We'll be sailing on the Carnival Glory in April and our daughter is 11 and son is 8. I'm undecided about sign in/out priviledges yet. The past two cruises when she was 6 and 9, she would never have wanted to leave as all her friends were there with her. This year, I'm afraid that if I don't give her sign out priviledges, she might miss out on spending time with her friends. Is the scavenger hunt the only time they can use the sign in/out priviedge?? Or is it a general thing for the kids at this age group? I would never give my son (8) the sign out priviledge. Like many, I also would worry about them going into each others cabins, soooo not allowed! We'll have to discuss these concerns with her and decide. Also, does anyone know if there will be an orientation for camp carnival on the first night?? If anyone has a link to the Glory carnival capers, I'd love a link to them. Thanks!