Kids Clubs or Not?

[wyomom2]

First cruise early December. Eastern Carrib. Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Two kids - 10 and 12.

 

Can anyone tell me about the kids club? My kids are low key, easy going, and sometimes rather shy. They would not, on their own, search out a kids group. We'd like to introduce them to the kids clubs while on board ship.

 

I've heard great things about the staff on board ship for kids. Cabin stewards and everyone so kind and helpful for the kiddos. All crew members going out of their way to be friendly and accomodating to kids.

 

Any ideas and thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks.

[Berk987]

We're on the NA on 12/5/10. Our kids enjoy Club HAL but they are younger. 2008 on Eurodam kids were 3,4,4. 2009 on Westerdam kids were 4, 5, 5. You get the idea. This year there will be 6 kids travelling in our family from age 7M to 6. 4 out of the 6 are old enough to enjoy the club. We leave them there an hour here and there. Some parents leave their kids there all day.

 

Bigger kids have the computer games. Younger kids like mine do more crafts and game. Movie night in the evening where all groups are combined. If you're going before xmas there will be less kids and that is the BONUS. That is why we don't cruise doing school holidays. Last year there were 35 kids onboard. We had 4 of them which was more than 10% of the kid population. Love it. Your kids will have fun and it might be better if they are a bit shy to be in a smaller group. If might not be as comfortable if there were 50 kids that age around. Enjoy and have a great time. BTW...on HMC there are two water slides for the kids to enjoy. No huge but kind of fun. Located at one end of the beach, near the dock area.

[betonic]

We have been on several HAL cruises with my son who's almost 11 and he loves Club HAL. Of course, he's an only child so any time he can find someone to play with (other than his parents) he's pretty happy. We have also never taken him on a cruise during holiday weeks so the amount of kids is usually very low. I agree with the previous poster that the smaller groups are better.

 

Have a great cruise! I'm sure that your kids will have lots of fun.

[KarenandBruceG]

We're on the NA on 12/5/10. Our kids enjoy Club HAL but they are younger. 2008 on Eurodam kids were 3,4,4. 2009 on Westerdam kids were 4, 5, 5. You get the idea. This year there will be 6 kids travelling in our family from age 7M to 6. 4 out of the 6 are old enough to enjoy the club. We leave them there an hour here and there. Some parents leave their kids there all day.

 

Bigger kids have the computer games. Younger kids like mine do more crafts and game. Movie night in the evening where all groups are combined. If you're going before xmas there will be less kids and that is the BONUS. That is why we don't cruise doing school holidays. Last year there were 35 kids onboard. We had 4 of them which was more than 10% of the kid population. Love it. Your kids will have fun and it might be better if they are a bit shy to be in a smaller group. If might not be as comfortable if there were 50 kids that age around. Enjoy and have a great time. BTW...on HMC there are two water slides for the kids to enjoy. No huge but kind of fun. Located at one end of the beach, near the dock area.

 

The kid's club is on the uppermost deck (aft I think).

 

Berk! we'll be there too. Check in on the roll call section - there are a lot of people chiming in now who will be on the cruise. We're thinking about an informal get-together after the muster! Look forward to seeing you there!

[Lizzie1213]

My children have been enjying club HAL since 1st and 3rd grades. They still like the Loft now that they are teens.

[cb at sea]

Make sure they go at the 1st opportunity....you don't want them to feel like the "new kids", if they go late in the cruise....Let them meet everyone when everyone is still "new"! That way, they fit right in!

[sargenet]

Back when my son was 4 we sailed on the Westerdam...just for a 3 day cruise. HAL was the only big cruise line I had not sailed on. I really, really enjoyed it. My son enjoyed the few evenings he was there and did not want to leave. Kept bugging me about what time he could go back each night!

 

Fast forward to today. He is 7. We are sailing over the week of Thanksgiving. I did a lot of research since he had not been on a cruise since his HAL adventure. I really wanted to go on HAL again... more for me. I just enjoyed the experience more so than other cruise lines.

 

After much consideration..we are sailing Navigator. Big Big Ship! I have been on large and small ships. My husband however has not! Carnival Fantasy and Majesty of the Seas are the only cruises he has experienced. So we are doing this cruise for the family and the experience of the larger ships! Plus we scored a large aft balcony cabin!

 

Ok..all this being said... I am back to looking at HAL for my son's spring break. Seems like HAL has 3 ships sailing that weekend! Friday the Westerdam is sailing and I am really interested in sailing on her again!

 

I worry though....I know HAL was good with low levels of kids. I just wonder how they will handle a lot of kids if they sail that week! I am hoping since it leaves on a Friday it won't be as bad!!

 

Anyone sail HAL over spring break? We are considering the week of March 12th?

[bepsf]

The kid's club is on the uppermost deck (aft I think).

 

As with all HAL Vista/Signature ships, Club HAL/Loft is located on Observation Deck aft of the central staircase/elevators and ahead of the funnels.

On the Signatures, this is one deck below the Tamarind/Silk Den.

Look at the HAL site and Deckplans to more specifics.

[Debbie&Chaz]

Club Hal is great! Our son is very shy. We have gone to Alaska on HAL the last three summers, and one of the biggest reasons for the repeats is Club HAL. He was 8 on our first cruise, and 11 this summer. Each cruise has been better than the previous for his enjoyment. He was very sad to leave the Amsterdam this summer. His comment was that he had never made so many friends. I credit the Club HAL staff.