Children's activities when there are few children on board.

[ForeverAtSea]

Does Celebrity still offer some kind of children's programming when there are very few children on board?

 

We are thinking of taking our eight-year-old GD with us on a cruise that begins in the first full week of September. Children in our area go back to school on the Tuesday after Labor Day. She would only have to miss four days of school, and very little real education takes place on that first week, so we don't think that she will miss too much, and that she would have an opportunity to learn more by travelling that week.

 

Are there very many districts that are not in school by that first full week of September? If there are very few (or no) other children on board, will there be any activities in the Fun Factory?

 

We appreciate any information you may be able to provide in this area.

Edited March 9, 2015 by ForeverAtSea

[parallax]

I would not worry too much. There will still be kids on board, although not as high in quantity if school was not in session. She will get more attention from the staff and kids club program is very good. It is always open. My 7 year old had a wonderful time on a 12 day cruise of the Adriatic. I believe there were about 100 kids on board and she was able to make friends.

[cb at sea]

The activities will run as usual, whether there are 5 kids, or 500!

[wwcruisers]

Does Celebrity still offer some kind of children's programming when there are very few children on board?

 

We are thinking of taking our eight-year-old GD with us on a cruise that begins in the first full week of September. Children in our area go back to school on the Tuesday after Labor Day. She would only have to miss four days of school, and very little real education takes place on that first week, so we don't think that she will miss too much, and that she would have an opportunity to learn more by travelling that week.

 

Are there very many districts that are not in school by that first full week of September? If there are very few (or no) other children on board, will there be any activities in the Fun Factory?

 

We appreciate any information you may be able to provide in this area.

 

Just curious -- which cruise/ship are you considering? I only ask since one of our r/c'ers on the Infinity Pacific Coastal cruise is thinking of doing the same thing. I think their DGD is around the same age. :)

[GatorMomInNC]

Thanks to OP for asking this question, as I am worried about the same thing. We are doing an 11 night Alaska cruise starting 9/11/14, and am concerned that my 8 and 11 year olds will be practically the only kids on this cruise! I think there is one other family on our roll call. We are used to traveling off season because we have year round schools and are off at odd times (all of September, December and June, plus most of March). But we usually cruise Disney and even off season you will have a couple hundred kids.

 

I hope I am not hijacking, but I had some questions:

 

** I have heard that sometimes they will allow times where the kids can swim in the adult only indoor pool, but not sure if they will do that with so few kids on board?

** will they be flexible with the age groups with so few kids? My 11year old would rather hang out with 12 and 13 years old then 8 and 9 year olds, if there isn't anyone else his age.

**i am used to Disney where the evening shows are designed for the whole family. We cruised Holland America a couple years ago and not one show was kid-friendly. Can I expect the same on Celebrity, especially on a cruise with so few kids?

[Algebralovr]

We were curious about services offered a few years ago, so I wore my educators hat and went and asked on embarkation day. They expected 5 children that particular sailing, age 3 to 12. Activities were still planned by the staff.

[Leviathan2772]

We cruised last February with Celebrity on Reflection, not many kids at all. My wife and I took my brothers 3 kids - 18, 13 & 6 and 3 of their friends. The older girls did their own thing the entire cruise. The 13 and 6 yr/olds did the kid activities all day, every day. We only saw them twice a day, after breakfast and before dinner and that was it. The kids really enjoyed themselves. The kids staff was completely amazing. They didn't even want to leave the ship at port, and they didn't. It was great to have a babysitters for 4 boys for a week and still wonderful cruise. My brother nearly killed me when he learned I basically left his kids and their friends with the staff. Hey - they're still alive and it was the BEST vacation they have ever had - per kids.

[gek]

The activities will run as usual, whether there are 5 kids, or 500!

 

Kids, yes. Not so much for teens. My 16-year-old saw an activity that appealed to her on a recent cruise but when she turned up it had been cancelled due to lack of numbers. Same thing happened a few years ago on another cruise with minimal teens on board.

 

Younger children however seem to always have something going on no matter the numbers.

[kathynorth]

ForeverAtSea, you may want to double check with the school district to see if they've posted next year's calendar yet, just in case this influences your decision. For the first time ever, our school district is returning to school on Sept 1st instead of the day after Labor Day because Labor Day falls on Sept 7th, which would push school closing to the end of June. If we have a winter like the one we had this year, we wouldn't be able to meet the legally required days without cutting into vacation weeks.

 

Once in a lifetime experiences have educational and social value. If I only knew then what I know now. This may be a trip that your GD cherishes long after her school days are over.

 

Regarding kids programs, we were on a 15-night Panama Canal cruise this past Nov. There were just a handful of children on board and the kids program did indeed run. It was quite amusing to hear the comments each time the group paraded through. They all looked like they were having fun and I bet they received lots of individual attention.

[Hlitner]

They will still have some kind of kids program although one can debate the fun of such programs when there are few children. But if you are planning a Caribbean cruise you might want to also consider that early September is truly prime time for hurricanes.

 

Hank

[parallax]

Thanks to OP for asking this question, as I am worried about the same thing. We are doing an 11 night Alaska cruise starting 9/11/14, and am concerned that my 8 and 11 year olds will be practically the only kids on this cruise! I think there is one other family on our roll call. We are used to traveling off season because we have year round schools and are off at odd times (all of September, December and June, plus most of March). But we usually cruise Disney and even off season you will have a couple hundred kids.

 

I hope I am not hijacking, but I had some questions:

 

** I have heard that sometimes they will allow times where the kids can swim in the adult only indoor pool, but not sure if they will do that with so few kids on board?

** will they be flexible with the age groups with so few kids? My 11year old would rather hang out with 12 and 13 years old then 8 and 9 year olds, if there isn't anyone else his age.

**i am used to Disney where the evening shows are designed for the whole family. We cruised Holland America a couple years ago and not one show was kid-friendly. Can I expect the same on Celebrity, especially on a cruise with so few kids?

 

1. I believe that I read that the cruise line will open the indoor pool at specific times for the kids.

2. Yes, they will be flexible if there is not huge age gap.

3. I think there are one or two comic acts that will not be kid friendly. All the other shows should be suitable for kids. Celebrity will denote which shows are adults only.

[Essiesmom]

When I was 8 yrs old, I would not have wanted to miss those first four days of school. Meeting up with old classmates, meeting new ones, meeting the teacher, getting books...It was an exciting time. EM

[Kiran]

Just back from a ten day cruise on Equinox.

It was our february vacation plus 2 days out of school

 

20 passengers under 18

9 teens

 

Daughter 13 went to first day and there was one other 13 yr old girl but she was as shy as my daughter so no instant freinds there.

 

Little kids club stayed open. Many activities were combined so for family Bingo the little kids came to the teen side. By end of cruise teen side stayed closed mostly.

 

I will really really try to only take daughter on more kid freindly cruises or bring a freind with her.

 

 

We are waiting to see if our school district changes to before labor day start for next year.

 

My daughter would be totally stressed out to miss first days of school because she is so shy even though she would be glad to miss school any other time.

[GatorMomInNC]

1. I believe that I read that the cruise line will open the indoor pool at specific times for the kids.

2. Yes, they will be flexible if there is not huge age gap.

3. I think there are one or two comic acts that will not be kid friendly. All the other shows should be suitable for kids. Celebrity will denote which shows are adults only.

 

Thanks!

[waterbug123]

We are doing an 11 night Alaska cruise starting 9/11/14, and am concerned that my 8 and 11 year olds will be practically the only kids on this cruise!

 

I hope I am not hijacking, but I had some questions:

 

** I have heard that sometimes they will allow times where the kids can swim in the adult only indoor pool, but not sure if they will do that with so few kids on board?

** will they be flexible with the age groups with so few kids? My 11year old would rather hang out with 12 and 13 years old then 8 and 9 year olds, if there isn't anyone else his age.

**i am used to Disney where the evening shows are designed for the whole family. We cruised Holland America a couple years ago and not one show was kid-friendly. Can I expect the same on Celebrity, especially on a cruise with so few kids?

 

 

• For Alaska yes, there are usually some designated times when the indoor pool is opened to all.
  
• Combining age groups will likely depend on how many kids are on board and in what age groups. The 12-14 year old age group is often combined with the teens though. If that happens it is less likely that they'd let someone younger join them, but it will all depend.
  
• Sometimes the comedians' shows are clearly for adults only. Nothing in the routine song and dance shows that would be inappropriate for kids though, but I don't know that they are "designed for the whole family" in the same way a Disney show might be. When I hear a phrase like that I imagine a show that is really geared specifically toward kids more than adults and that won't be the case. I've never been on a Disney cruise though, and haven't attended a show in several years so take my comment with a grain of salt. ;)
  

[GatorMomInNC]

• For Alaska yes, there are usually some designated times when the indoor pool is opened to all.
  
• Combining age groups will likely depend on how many kids are on board and in what age groups. The 12-14 year old age group is often combined with the teens though. If that happens it is less likely that they'd let someone younger join them, but it will all depend.
  
• Sometimes the comedians' shows are clearly for adults only. Nothing in the routine song and dance shows that would be inappropriate for kids though, but I don't know that they are "designed for the whole family" in the same way a Disney show might be. When I hear a phrase like that I imagine a show that is really geared specifically toward kids more than adults and that won't be the case. I've never been on a Disney cruise though, and haven't attended a show in several years so take my comment with a grain of salt. ;)
  

 

Thank you for your input. I know it is Alaska but I think my kids would be disappointed in a cruise with NO swimming.

 

That is too bad about the kids club, I hope my 11 year old can make a friend his age on the cruise - he is at the age where he prefers spending time with friends more than family :-(

 

On HAL, we were asked and told the comedian was family friendly, but instead he was both inappropriate and, IMHO, offensive. Lots of jokes using ethnic stereotypes, drug jokes (seriously??). Ugh. And the musical numbers were so BORING. "Tonight's show we will sing songs from the 50s" or whatever. No plot or show, just one song after another. We gave up on the shows after a couple nights...

 

What I am hoping for on celebrity are magicians, jugglers, etc, that my kids will enjoy, or musical shows with some production flare - sets, costumes, plots.

 

FYI -- On Disney, the shows have amazing costumes and stage productions, so are great to watch for adults, but VERY, VERY Disney-centric and Disney character heavy for kids. They do have late night adult-only showings of the variety acts (comedians, jugglers, etc), but always a family one also.