How different is Camp Carnival offseason?

[bbrme]

We will be on the Valor the week after Thanksgiving with DD7 and DS9. We took a similar cruise at the same time last year on NCL and there were very few kids so they combined the 6 - 11 year olds into one group. Im wondering if Carnival has the same issues with very few kids at this time and how they change the Camp Carnival program because of it. We have been looking at old Camp Carnival schedules and my kids are really excited. I would hate to get their hopes up if the same kinds of things wont be offered the week we cruise.

[A&Jfamily]

We will be on the Valor the week after Thanksgiving with DD7 and DS9. We took a similar cruise at the same time last year on NCL and there were very few kids so they combined the 6 - 11 year olds into one group. Im wondering if Carnival has the same issues with very few kids at this time and how they change the Camp Carnival program because of it. We have been looking at old Camp Carnival schedules and my kids are really excited. I would hate to get their hopes up if the same kinds of things wont be offered the week we cruise.

 

I would be shocked if there are not tons of kids - this is a prime cruising week for families. Same for Disney - like 2nd busiest week of the year!

[MamaParrotHead]

we sailed that same week last year on Glory and my kids had fun. It wasn't mobbed with kids but there were enough to make it fun for them.

[MamaParrotHead]

I would be shocked if there are not tons of kids - this is a prime cruising week for families. Same for Disney - like 2nd busiest week of the year!

 

Really? I wonder why that is. I'd think it'd be one of the quietest since everyone's had Thanksgiving off and are back to work/school.

[bbrme]

we sailed that same week last year on Glory and my kids had fun. It wasn't mobbed with kids but there were enough to make it fun for them.

 

Did they keep the 6-8 and 9-11 groups seperate or did they combine them into one group? DH and I are having a battle over whether DS can do the scavenger hunts and I dont want to even bring it up if it wont be an issue.

[MamaParrotHead]

Most of the time they kept them separate. I told my DD (who had just turned 10 at that point) up front that she wouldn't be signing herself out ahead of time and exactly why. She was fine with it and she didn't even bring up the scavenger hunt so they must not have made a big deal out of it (or DD just didn't think it was a big deal).

[bbrme]

Thanks for your help. The problem for us with the scavenger hunt is that this is the kind of thing that DS gets really excited about and DH thinks its a good way to let him have a little freedom in a "closed environment". And they both think I am an overprotective mother :o

 

So do they run the full Camp Carnival schedule - all the different activities - if there are only a small number of kids? DD is excited about a lot of the crafts and other activities that we've read about on some of the camp carnival schedules but the ones Ive seen look like they are from summer cruises. She wasnt very excited about the kids club on NCL because they played lots of very active games (DS loved it) but didnt do the more low key things she likes to do - crafts, coloring, dolls, etc.

[MamaParrotHead]

Yes, as far as the kids told me, and they attended Camp on sea days and evenings, it was "ad advertised". They did make a cool Camp Carnival tshirt (they colored and had the kids in their groups sign the backs). Face painting, dancing, other drawing and such. I didn't hear about any of the activities being cancelled or anything.

[MamaParrotHead]

Thanks for your help. The problem for us with the scavenger hunt is that this is the kind of thing that DS gets really excited about and DH thinks its a good way to let him have a little freedom in a "closed environment". And they both think I am an overprotective mother :o

 

I think it could be just me, but a ship with 5000 other people on it (passengers and crew) isn't much of a "closed environment". There are so many nooks and crannies a kid could be pushed in, kept in, etc. on that ship it'd take days to find them. Also, remember that although they may do "background checks" on the crew (although there was a story recently about a crew member being booted off of one of the Carnival ships bc he was openly viewing kiddie porn on his laptop), they surely do not on the passengers. Who knows what kind of freaks and perverts are buying cruise tickets these days. I've been called a lot worse than "overprotective" and I'm OK with living with that if it keeps my kids safe. I would much rather that than something (God forbid) happen and play the "I told you so" game with my spouse. Obviously, it's up to you. But it's been my experience that following my "mommy gut" hasn't lead me astray as of yet.

[jam82]

We will be on the Valor the week after Thanksgiving with DD7 and DS9. We took a similar cruise at the same time last year on NCL and there were very few kids so they combined the 6 - 11 year olds into one group. Im wondering if Carnival has the same issues with very few kids at this time and how they change the Camp Carnival program because of it. We have been looking at old Camp Carnival schedules and my kids are really excited. I would hate to get their hopes up if the same kinds of things wont be offered the week we cruise.

 

We cruised Carnival on December 3rd last year and there were less kids than I've seen at other times of the year. Granted, we just used the 2-5 kids club, but things went on as scheduled. Carnival is very big on crafts. On every one of our cruises on Carnival (10) there has been face painting, t-shirt making, sand art, hat making, bag coloring and other crafts daily. My son isn't all that big on making crafts, but he enjoys being able to have a memento of his trip.

[bbrme]

Thanks for the info. DD will be very excited about the crafts.

[Julienatul]

There are always kids!! We sailed a few weeks ago and the 6-12 age group had at least 20-25 kids in the camp room at any given time. My cousin's girl was in that group and there were always plenty of kids and things to do and it was off season.

[babyblue78]

How many kids would you expect to be onboard in February? We are booked on Freedom for 6-day Western embarking on 2/6/11. We will have DD2 and DS4 with us, and another 4 year-old with the group. I am hoping that there will be plenty of kids, but not a mad-house. What should I expect??

[jam82]

We sailed on the Freedom last February and there were plenty of kids on board in the 2-5 age group. Sorry, I can't give you a number, but there were always lines to drop off and pick up. It wasn't a mad house, but it was a big group.

[babyblue78]

Thanks for the feedback! I don't want huge numbers, I just didn't want an empty Camp Carnival either. :)

[Naomi John]

Did Conquest over the Easter/Spring Break and Triumph the week after Easter/spring break. DD age group 6-8 both cruises. Both 7days, 3 stops, western itenerary.

 

The actual Easter break had more children participating in camp, good, large couselor to child ratio, bad. I don't think DD even learned the couselors' names. Going the week after the Easter break, DD not only knew the names, a couple times the couselor's would be upset if she was picked up too early.

 

During the Spring Break, 20-30 children at one time in her age group. She never got to know the other children. The cruise the week after I think the most at one time was 10.

 

She did enjoy the camp both times, however I noted she wanted to be there more often when there were less children participating. They also combined the two groups more often, as her "best friend" on the ship was a 10 year old girl. She would be waiting for us to come check DD out.

 

I think the children got to know each other more and interacted with each other outside of camp more. On sea days most would not go to the afternoon session of camp. DD had plans to meet with her friends at the slide or the mini golf etc. in the afternoons. Us parents, who got to know each other through the children at sign in/out, would just find a good look out spot on the lido and have them check-in between activities. By the end of the first sea day, we, the parents, knew each other's names, room numbers, dinner plans, etc. On the Conquest, nope, didn't happen.

 

I would compare it to close-knit neighborhood. Deck chairs be the homes, kids checking in with at least one parent to advise where they were all going, that parent would relay to the others, and kids staying together having a great time. Each parent taking time to discipline the children, (which wasn't needed too often), without the confrontation of "my child can do no wrong" attitude, (you know what I mean). DD was even invited to go on an excurtion (sp?) with another family. We already had plans, but it was nice.

 

DD has a total of 5 cruises with us, (2 four nights and one five night).

I used the two above as one was a "peek" time for families as the other was not. Hope it helps.

[lisaann]

We were on the Valor last week! :) The ship was at capacity, we were told, with 3,000+ guests. Only approximately 300 were 17 or under. My son is 6 and there were times he was alone in Camp Carnival! (in the 6-8 age group) I guess they have parties at 10:00 some nights and you need to sign up in advance. Those parties were all cancelled due to low interest. I'm sure the number of children on each cruise varies wildly, but we were surprised by how few children we encountered.