Splash Academy Questions

[darkprayer]

Evening everyone!!!

I apologize if this question is buried somewhere in the archives but I just couldn't find the info I'm looking for.

So... here we go, the background! This cruise is a very special family cruise celebrating a lot of family things! Birthdays, Anniversaries and it's our Early Christmas gift for the whole family too! So, everything is planned as a family! We have booked Cirque of Dreams at 8:30pm on the first night because our UDP bonus. NCL says please be there no later then 8:15pm. Problem is, we also booked Cirque for our 2 kiddos (our son is 7 and our daughter will turn 10 on the cruise) and I have read all over CC that the kids NEED to be there the first night. I read on the NCL website that Splash Academy is open 8 to 10:30pm but I didn't read on NCL website that the kids HAD to be there the first night. I honestly, don't know if we can either rush before or rush after to get the kids signed up the first night because of the show.

Here's the questions!!!

1. DO.... the kids have to be signed up the first night??? Or can we sign them up the next day?

2. IF.... They have to be there the first night, does anyone what the early show time is? Since we are already booked it will now show me the other times.

3. OR....Do you think we make it to sign them up by rushing after the show? I've read that the Cirque is 90 mins long. It does give us 30 mins to hopefully exit the show and make it to the Academy. Not sure if it matters but we purchased Premium Seating. Thought maybe, we get to exit sooner then Standard Seating?

Thank you and I look forward to hearing answers soon!!

[russianmom]

You can sign them up as soon as you board or after muster. This is the only time "kids club" will be open for you to go in and look around.

They don 't NEED to be there the first night. I think this statement pertains to the older kids as groups are formed and then they hang out together around the ship.
I'm assuming since your kids are close in age to mine they will remain in the kids area and not be wandering about the ship with other children.

My kids have been too tired the first night and not gone and have been just fine.

As a side note I'm just off Breakaway and also did the later seating for Cirque. I feel like it dragged on a little too long. It was interesting to see but with slightly less LOUD music and a slightly shorter program it would have been even better. YMMV....

[Godiva830]

The "need to be there the first night" is mostly for the older teenage group. I took my niece's 8 & 10, on the Breakaway in August and they made friends all week long. They loved the kids club! They were in 2 different groups bc of their age. At night the club has different themes, spy night, Hollywood, pj's. Spy night my niece's wanted to wear black. The last sea day the kids put on a show in the theater and during the week they practice for the show. The older group (10) they did plate spinning. My 8 yr old niece also did the plate spinning bc they've been on so many cruises they knew how to do the plate spinning already and helped teach the trick and did sort of a solo at the show lol the girls had a lot of fun and always wanted to be in the kids club, especially at night during the themes.

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[darkprayer]

Thank you for the replies! Helped put my worries to rest! Since my daughter starts the cruise being 9 and then turns 10. She has the option of staying in the younger group. We're actually happy to keep her in the younger group and she rather likes being with her brother. Just a bit nervous, with the idea of my 10 year old signing herself out.


I think I may switch to the early Cirquw time just in case the "kiddos" are worn down aka Dad and myself. :D Edited October 13, 2014 by darkprayer

[Godiva830]

You have the option to not let the child sign themselves out. Before the counselor finished the sentence asking me if I wanted that option I said absolutely not lol I didn't let my niece's wander alone on the Breakaway. The ship is so big it's exhausting just to walk around, never mind trying to find a child. I saw many many parents by customer service and security with the kids pics bc the parents can't find their kids on board.

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[LrgPizza]

You definitely want to sign them up on embarkation afternoon so that you have an opportunity to check out the club, and also avoid crowds the first evening. As others have said, you won't be allowed inside any other time. If you go to the early Cirque show the first night, the club doesn't open until after it is over (8pm that night), so they could still go there after. On the first night they do getting-to-know-you games with kids and staff. Older kids and younger might form groups, but more importantly, the kids get to learn the names of staff and others, where they are from, tell about themselves, etc.

[darkprayer]

[quote name='Godiva830']You have the option to not let the child sign themselves out. Before the counselor finished the sentence asking me if I wanted that option I said absolutely not lol I didn't let my niece's wander alone on the Breakaway. The ship is so big it's exhausting just to walk around, never mind trying to find a child. I saw many many parents by customer service and security with the kids pics bc the parents can't find their kids on board. [/quote]


That's great to know that we have the option to say no to that! Maybe once we get on board and the kids find out that we're going on a cruise. I'll ask her what group she wants to go with.

Just way to nervous about the size of the ship and her running lose!