NCL: New Youth Program

[NJ Johnny]

This is not the case with the present NCL Kid's Club. Children two and over can be left with the Club and parents receive a beeper if diaper changes need to be made so that the parents attend to their own child's diapering. They participate in the 2-5 grouping. Now with the new plan, what happens to the 2 - 3 year olds? As I said in a previous post, a child a few weeks short of three should not be grouped with six month infants and on previous sailings of the ships we were on, NCL always had the Under Two Zoo for those parents that cared to participate with their child under two, anyway. The way I read the media announcement this is a real step down for the 2 - 3 year olds not to have a special drop off grouping in the actual club. They are a left out group.

[gaylemh]

This is not the case with the present NCL Kid's Club. Children two and over can be left with the Club and parents receive a beeper if diaper changes need to be made so that the parents attend to their own child's diapering. They participate in the 2-5 grouping. Now with the new plan, what happens to the 2 - 3 year olds? As I said in a previous post, a child a few weeks short of three should not be grouped with six month infants and on previous sailings of the ships we were on, NCL always had the Under Two Zoo for those parents that cared to participate with their child under two, anyway. The way I read the media announcement this is a real step down for the 2 - 3 year olds not to have a special drop off grouping in the actual club. They are a left out group.

 

I called NCL last night. The person I spoke with really didn't know anything about it. They were just reading what I had read online. He told me that he would see if he could find out about the 2 year olds, when the main office was opened on Monday, and get back to me. I hope that the new program still includes drop off for 2 year olds. I need to make final payment by the

14th, and as I said before, the 2 year old program was the reason I booked with NCL. I'll let everyone know, as soon as I hear something.

[NJ Johnny]

I called NCL last night. The person I spoke with really didn't know anything about it. They were just reading what I had read online. He told me that he would see if he could find out about the 2 year olds, when the main office was opened on Monday, and get back to me. I hope that the new program still includes drop off for 2 year olds. I need to make final payment by the

14th, and as I said before, the 2 year old program was the reason I booked with NCL. I'll let everyone know, as soon as I hear something.

 

 

Thank you so much for contacting NCL. I'm waiting for their answer and have also booked three mini-suites for our children and their families on NCL because of the Kids Club groupings also. We have two 5 year old grandchildren and two younger grandchildren. The two boys at the time of the sailing will be three and the other one just short of three by a few weeks. The Kids Club and the age groupings was the main reason for booking this summer with the entire family. Hope to hear a positive answer soon or that the new Club won't be implemented until after our July sailing on the Star.

[tiskismet]

So I guess my kids (10 and 8) will be guinea pigs when we cruise aboard the Gem at the end of February. My kids are big fans of Kids Club and usually participate a lot. Can't wait to see it!

 

Marie - Can I ask if you have girls or boys? We will be on the Gem on the 26th of Feb, and we're hoping to hook up our 9 yr old daughter a playmate.

 

Happy cruising!

[staceyeileen]

Wow! We are sailing with our 2yo next month. We were debating between NCL and Carnival because of the 2yo age minimum on both lines, but now I am SO glad we picked Carnival. I'd be freaking right about now. We waited until he turned 2 specifically so he could participate in the free kid's programs.

[CruiseBoston]

This is an significant issue for my May trip too. I am suddenly very anxious about it, as we chose the timing to allow both kids (ds 2 and dd 4 by then) to participate in a drop off fun-for-them program, and the great bonus was that NCL Kids' Crew would have had them grouped together. Though they both have some childcare each week at home, I am still the primary caregiver, and honestly the vacation is much less enticing to me without a guarantee of a few hours to myself each day during daylight hours. We happily did it when the oldest was our only child and one year old, but that wasn't what I have been picturing for this time.

 

Anxiety aside, I cannot imagine NCL doing a program *enhancement* in which they are investing millions in order to better save families with children that was designed in such a way as to remove services from the youngest age already served. With that in mind, I read the announcement as adding all sorts of fun camp-like activities for those 3 and up, and, for the 6 months to just-before-3-year-olds, a situation more like daycare, which is more structured free play than 30 minute set activities or scavenger hunts or such. If that is true, it would be a huge selling point for there to be age appropriate drop-in care for little ones as young as 6 months, which is as young as NCL currently allows on board.

 

So, I am hopeful. And I am grateful for knowing about cruise critic and to those who have already contacted NCL, so I can let the sudden anxiety go for a bit, subscribe to this thread, and wait to hear when others learn the facts. Thank you all in advance!

[kj55]

Any answers from NCL my final payment is due jan 24 and I will not take my 21/2 on a cruise if there is no appropriate drop off program for him.

[gaylemh]

Any answers from NCL my final payment is due jan 24 and I will not take my 21/2 on a cruise if there is no appropriate drop off program for him.

 

I called last weekend, so far no response.

 

What ship are you on? I'm on the Gem, the first ship to get the new program.

My final payment is due to the TA on the 14th. I'm paying for 3 mini suites for my family, and I just hope they have a drop off program for my 2 yr old grandson.

 

I'm going to call again tomorrow when the corporate offices are open. Hopefully I will be able to get an answer.

[kj55]

Thanks for doing the legwork. I am on Epic in April but I'm not sure how and when it will roll out to the other ships. The whole reason we booked NCL was for drop off for the 2-3 year olds. Really hope that doesn't change or I will be so mad I switched from Freedom of the Seas!

[gupsmom]

My guess is that the 2 yr old's will have a drop off program. What I'd wonder more about is whether it will be free? Disney has had a nursery all along (but it has a small fee) and now RCI has added a nursery on their 2 newest ships. I think NCL is following suit.

 

I know everyone is different, and my youngest is now 4 so it isn't an issue for me anymore, but I would have rather seen my 2 yr old in an area with younger kids than in with 5 yr olds. My twins, at 2 yrs old, would have been trampled by kids that were 3 yrs older (they were/are tiny). They probably would have been intimidated too.

 

Jess

[JMHAM1]

This is good news! We were looking for a cruise to take all the kids for the first time and this sounds great. Now if NCL would cruise the Caribbean in the Summer, it would be a WIN-WIN because flying 2 adults and 6 kids anywhere is expensive.

[sparks1093]

Looks like a move in the right direction but it's obvious that they can't accomodate every family requirement regarding the age breakouts.

[kj55]

Just wish there were more facts available. I had an experience with the Disney Magic nursery last year when my son was 15 months and it wasn't good. They didn't have characters and activities like the kids club just babysitting in a small room in front of the tv. I don't mind paying but I want the same type of experience as the kids club. 2 and 1/2 and 6 months old don't mix as well as 2 1/2 and 4.

[gupsmom]

Just wish there were more facts available. I had an experience with the Disney Magic nursery last year when my son was 15 months and it wasn't good. They didn't have characters and activities like the kids club just babysitting in a small room in front of the tv. I don't mind paying but I want the same type of experience as the kids club. 2 and 1/2 and 6 months old don't mix as well as 2 1/2 and 4.

 

We used the nursery on DCLwhen the twins were 8 mo, 14 mo, 2 1/2 and opted to keep them "down" in the nursery when they had just turned 3....so, 4 times at various ages between 8mo and 3. Thankfully, at that time, DCL was flexible. On the flip side, at 3 yrs old they went into the 3-5yr old's on RCI. They had a lot of fun, but the counselors would get annoyed if the kids did not want to participate in group activities. There is a big difference in behavior between a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old...and in ability to stay focused on some of the group activities. Likewise, not every 3 yr old is the same. For my youngest (the twins), they were much happier, as a new 3 yr olds, in the nursery playing with the counselors in a much less chaotic and structured setting than they were trying to keep up with the 5 yr olds (and they are my youngest of 5 kids so it's not like they weren't used to being with other/older kids), but my 3rd child was very ready for the club on Carnival at 2. By 3 1/2, the twins were ready for the big kid clubs.

 

Since every kid is different, no matter what age brackets a cruise company sets, somebody is bound to be unhappy.

 

Jess

[justcake]

Sounds good except for the age groups. I have 12 & 14 year old girls who look the same age. Because NCL groups 12 year olds with the younger kids our summer cruise to Bermuda this year will be with RCI, HAL or Celebrity. I know you are never going to make everyone happy with the age groups but I wish that there wasn't such a strict rule with regard to the age groups. My 12 year old will turn 13 within weeks of our cruise date but NCL will not allow her to join the other group. And, if you have a birthday during the cruise you have to choose 1 group or the other and can't switch halfway through. Oh well.....

[gaylemh]

Thanks for doing the legwork. I am on Epic in April but I'm not sure how and when it will roll out to the other ships. The whole reason we booked NCL was for drop off for the 2-3 year olds. Really hope that doesn't change or I will be so mad I switched from Freedom of the Seas!

 

Weren't you on our roll call for the Gem 4/8? Did you change your cruise?

[kj55]

We were and we did change. Just decided Epic was good to try for our first NCL cruise. We were originally booked on Royal but switched because they had kids club for my then to be 2 1/2 year old on NCL! We looked at changing again but nothing really good from Carnival out of Miami for our dates and our flights are long booked. So no matter what happens Epic it is. Hope we don't have to bring the 2 year old to all the shows and specialty restaurants lol.

[gaylemh]

NCL got back to me this afternoon. He assured me that there will be a drop off program for 2 year olds. I asked him to confirm with an email. The following email was received. (I deleted the names)

 

I got the feeling that they really don't know what programs are going to be available, or when they will actually start, but there will be drop off of the younger kids according to the guest services rep.

 

Now time to pay for my cruise.

 

Please be advised that your 2 year old son will be accommodated in the Drop off Program in the event the Nursery is not operational at the time of your sailing. If the Nursery is operational at that time, the nursery will be offered to the 2 year olds.

[NJ Johnny]

NCL got back to me this afternoon. He assured me that there will be a drop off program for 2 year olds. I asked him to confirm with an email. The following email was received. (I deleted the names)

 

I got the feeling that they really don't know what programs are going to be available, or when they will actually start, but there will be drop off of the younger kids according to the guest services rep.

 

Now time to pay for my cruise.

 

Please be advised that your 2 year old son will be accommodated in the Drop off Program in the event the Nursery is not operational at the time of your sailing. If the Nursery is operational at that time, the nursery will be offered to the 2 year olds.

 

 

Thank you for getting back to us. I am still confused though. Does this mean that the 2 to 3 year olds will be dropped off for the 3 to 5 year old program as in the past, or put into a separate two year old program? If a nursery is operational then would they be put in with the 6 month to 2 year olds? And is this nursery program, although inappropriate for children almost three, still free?

[gaylemh]

Thank you for getting back to us. I am still confused though. Does this mean that the 2 to 3 year olds will be dropped off for the 3 to 5 year old program as in the past, or put into a separate two year old program? If a nursery is operational then would they be put in with the 6 month to 2 year olds? And is this nursery program, although inappropriate for children almost three, still free?

 

I'm sailing in April. The way he was talking he wasn't even sure if the program would be in effect yet. If it hadn't been started yet. The program would still be as before, 2-5 year olds. If it already started, the 2-3 year olds would be with the nursery program. I didn't ask if there would be a charge, and I don't think he would have know the answer. Either way he told me there would be a drop off program for the 2-3 year olds. I hope he is right.

I just made my final payment.

[NJ Johnny]

Thank you again. Have a wonderful cruise. Enjoy every minute with your family. Please report back to us what's happening when you return. Carol

[kj55]

Thank you so much for the information. Hope they don't have time to implement the Epic nursery by April! :-)

[cruiser4801]

Per the Miami Herald:

 

The changes will start in mid-February aboard Norwegian Gem and continue to the rest of the fleet with completion likely by fall.

[oklaviking]

I just know my 3 year old grandson will have a blast in the kids crew.

 

 

[ttnc4me]

Curious....what are the breakdowns of ages for the kid's clubs now?