Kids club turning kids away when full capacity on NCL?

[Gabruska]

I was about to book a NCL Thanksgiving cruise coming with our kids. Never cruised with NCL before, so when I was doing research I found thread about NCL kids club turning kids away after full capacity (75) kids. I would hate that our kids would be turned away. It would be a deal breaker and I would go back to Carnival. We like Carnival but Tampa port is more convenient for us and there isn't Carnival cruise leaving Tampa for the dates we need. I was hoping to try NCl, but this might just change my mind.:confused: Thank you for any experience you would have with this.

[Golfin55]

All cruise line kids camps are capacity controlled. It's a first come, first served system. On holiday and other peak time sailings. It is the norm to have the be a real possibility. Carnival is no exception.

[Gabruska]

All cruise line kids camps are capacity controlled. It's a first come, first served system. On holiday and other peak time sailings. It is the norm to have the be a real possibility. Carnival is no exception.

 

Really? I read that NCL put a new policy in place this year about the capacity, but Carnival never turned kids away they just hire more staff. Of course I understand the capacity of a room is limited, but they can take the kids play ball etc. it's not like they stay all in that room. I think it's all about how many staff members they have available? I am just interested in someone experience with this on any cruises. Were you ever turned away due to capacity? Thank you

[Moby0215]

I'm not sure what answer you are looking for. Definition of full capacity means that they cannot accept any more people.

 

 

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[Gabruska]

I'm not sure what answer you are looking for. Definition of full capacity means that they cannot accept any more people.

 

I know what full capacity means.

Question is if it ever happened to you? Looking for a real experience here, how often does it happen....That's all.

Thank you

Edited October 16, 2015 by Gabruska

[Jenjer]

They can not really hire any more staff at sea and those are the days it would be the fullest. I am sure Carnival has a max occupancy and the how many kids per worker rule. If they don't I wouldn't want my kids there. Images of 1 person with 100 kids comes to mind.....sort of lord of the flies

 

We have never had out kids turned away on any ship or any sailing including spring break, we have never sailed at Thanksgiving.

[abe3]

Maybe if you get turned away you can spend quality time with your children as a family and not have to sweat the small stuff.

[Jenjer]

On one cruise we where on in early June a few years back. I had a long conversation with a adventure ocean worker it was on Freedom a RCL ship.

 

She told me all about her adventures in kids club she did say that they do know ahead of time how many kids they will have and what ages. They do split the kids down a bit more for the activities and run 2 different activities. First kids in go with a worker go play basketball. Next set stays in adventure ocean.

 

She told me the sailing after ours had over 1,000 kids they had maxed out on people. They could not sell any unsold rooms since the ship was full. Makes sense but I had never thought of it that way. Life boats hold 3000 souls so only 3000 souls can board no matter if they are in 1500 rooms or 750 rooms.

 

On any sailing kids club could be full. Thanksgiving would be high risk time for that to happen. If that would ruin your trip, not being able to drop the kids off for a few hours. Cruising may not be the best choice for you.

 

We where on Quantum my DD was doing the trapeze. One of the workers shift ended and he went to jump off into the landing cushion, but he was still attached to his safety harness and wrenched his back bad. Poor guy he was really hurting. We noticed less hours of trapeze for the rest of the week, since they where down a worker. So it could happen on any sailing and any activity.

[Sauer-kraut]

To the OP

There was another thread that asked this same question and the person came back and said there was no problem with Splash Academy turning them back and even though they were sailing at capacity.

 

Just make sure you register them the first day and you probably won't have any problems.

[Cj_wants_to _sail]

We are taking our first NCL cruise on the Star sailing November 1.

 

You will probably have already made up your mind on what you are going to book before we return, but when we do get back, I can share the Kids Club schedule and what the line ups were like so you can try to plan a little if that helps. It won't be the same as a holiday sailing, but may provide a frame of reference.

 

The Kids Club is important to us too as our DS needs his time with other kids or he becomes pretty cranky. When we sailed Carnival we made sure to get to the Kids Club early, as some days the lineup got pretty long and I don't know if everybody was allowed in.

 

Of course it would be more convenient to just drop off whenever, but it is worth it to me to plan and stand in line if I need to to get a spot.

[KeithJenner]

I have never had any problem at Splash Academy. We sail exclusively at holiday times (Easter for the last two years and also during August for the past three years as well as during UK holiday time in the spring on the Med three times).

 

Pretty well every time, we got an email warning about capacity in Splash Academy, but never any problem getting in.

[Gabruska]

Maybe if you get turned away you can spend quality time with your children as a family and not have to sweat the small stuff.

 

 

as for Quoted above.... Thank you for your smart remarks and since you don't know our family your comment was unnecessary....yes we do spend quality time with our children every single day and we certainly will on the cruise. Kids club is not for us to dump our kids in it's for their entertainment they absolutely love it there. I just don't want to disappoint our kids if they wouldn't be able to join the activities by kids club.

 

Thank you everyone else for the helpful info.:)

[NLH Arizona]

The policy is not new. I remember posters posting about in last year. If I recall correctly, only one or two posters ever reported being turned away.

[monkeybone]

as for Quoted above.... Thank you for your smart remarks and since you don't know our family your comment was unnecessary....yes we do spend quality time with our children every single day and we certainly will on the cruise. Kids club is not for us to dump our kids in it's for their entertainment they absolutely love it there. I just don't want to disappoint our kids if they wouldn't be able to join the activities by kids club.

 

Thank you everyone else for the helpful info.:)

 

Ignore that poster. If you are going on the BA I would be worried also if I had small kids.

 

It leaves from NY so it will be too cold for the outdoor pool and activities a few day out of your cruise. They do not have an indoor pool, bumper cars or any indoor activities for kids if they don't make into the kids club.

 

They do have an arcade but that gets boring and pricey.

[cmdchiefthom]

Just make sure you are first in line at the Kids Club for registration as soon as it opens on your day of embarkation. Last April, aboard the Sun, it was either 1 or 2 and there was line and around a half hour wait to get our grandkids registered.;)

[djmess]

To the OP,

 

Yes you will find judgmental people on this board when it comes to kids. They either have never had any, or are so old they have forgotten what it was like to have younger children.

 

We all have wonderful quality time with our kids both on vacation and at home. When on vacation, like you said, our kids do tend to like to socialize with peers.

 

I think they send out an email to cover their butts on peek time cruises. A couple years ago we sailed at Thanksgiving. We did stand in line early for the times my child wanted to go to the club. Not necessarily because of capacity control, but because he wanted to be there at the beginning. We never got turned away, but say in the evenings, I think that would be the time when capacity may be reached and the possibility of turning people away could come into play. Go early and you should be fine.

 

Have a wonderful cruise. NCL kids club is great. My kid is now 12, so he just can't wait until he is 13 and able to be a part of Teen Club.

[Bird in Jersey]

I was about to book a NCL Thanksgiving cruise coming with our kids. Never cruised with NCL before, so when I was doing research I found thread about NCL kids club turning kids away after full capacity (75) kids. I would hate that our kids would be turned away. It would be a deal breaker and I would go back to Carnival. We like Carnival but Tampa port is more convenient for us and there isn't Carnival cruise leaving Tampa for the dates we need. I was hoping to try NCl, but this might just change my mind.:confused: Thank you for any experience you would have with this.

 

My last few cruises on NCL were sailing with a large number of children(out of NY). They sent an e-mail suggesting that you arrive on time for activities. We have never been turned away. My last cruise in April my nephews age group was the largest(6-9 year olds) and they used the disco-split his group in 2). We were able to sign up for the kids clubs while in port. The kids clubs are popular, but I met many people who said their kids hated it. Sailed on one cruise when there was not enough 13 year old and they were combined. I would not let this fact be a deal breaker. My last three cruises were during spring break time.

[GORDONCHICK]

My son had been in splash academy several times. We only cruise at peak times because that's when school is out. Never been turned away. He's in the teen's club now.

 

My suggestion is to be there to drop your kids off as soon as they open, even if they're not going to stay the whole time.

[abe3]

as for Quoted above.... Thank you for your smart remarks and since you don't know our family your comment was unnecessary....yes we do spend quality time with our children every single day and we certainly will on the cruise. Kids club is not for us to dump our kids in it's for their entertainment they absolutely love it there. I just don't want to disappoint our kids if they wouldn't be able to join the activities by kids club.

 

Thank you everyone else for the helpful info.:)

 

 

Sorry if I sounded snarky, but I probably should of said it this way. I have read many posts in the past that parents worry about if there will be space in the kids club. I have a 6 year old and he has been on 4 cruises with us. There are more important things to worry about than space in the kids club. We have never been turned away because of lack of space and that is not saying it would not happen, but I am pretty sure 99% of the time you will be just fine getting your children into the kids club when you want some time to yourselves. But if by chance it happens and you can't get them into the kids club just roll with it and have a good time being with your family. Nothing to get yourself all worked up about nothing. Have a great cruise and your children will love the kids club just like mine does!

[Kingmaker_inc]

We sailed during March Break, and the Gem was loaded with kids. We never had a problem having ours attend the Kids Club.

[tammyjw305]

We also went during one of the two Spring Break weeks. There were lines at drop off and something for pick up, but we were never turned away on the Jewel from Houston. They did ask people to start picking their kids up 30 minutes before closing because they wanted time to process them all out before their assigned break time.

[buzzygirl1]

I see that you have many replies to your question about the kids clubs and I don't want to complicate any of your requests. We sailed Breakaway the second week of August this past summer, so yes, it was crowded with many kids as NY schools were not back in session yet. What we can tell you is, that at the PIER check in in Manhattan NY, there were desks there for kids club registrations and info. Our grandson who is 13 , was traveling with dad and us, his grandparents, went to the desk " It was marked SPLASH Academy , so was a bit confusing for registration of " teen Entourage club" but he and Dad stood in the line to register him. Got registered THERE even before boarding the ship and received a copy of the weeks schedule so they could look it over and see what interested him before he even got on the ship. As he was traveling with no other teens, he made friends the first night, we barely saw him during the week as he was off " hanging out" with his new friends and still will tell everyone " that's the best vacation I have had " and he has been to Disney World 3 times. So, my suggestion is, if there is a " sign up desk" at the pier, SIGN UP your kids there and not wait to do it on board, this may ASSURE you that your kids will not be turned away ? As there is no way to " reserve" kids in a kids program ahead of time that I am aware of only this way to do it before boarding.

[Golfin55]

Really? I read that NCL put a new policy in place this year about the capacity, but Carnival never turned kids away they just hire more staff. Of course I understand the capacity of a room is limited, but they can take the kids play ball etc. it's not like they stay all in that room. I think it's all about how many staff members they have available? I am just interested in someone experience with this on any cruises. Were you ever turned away due to capacity? Thank you

 

 

Yes, we were on the Carnival Destiny a few years back. It was thanksgiving week. Ship was packed as expected. Our kids were too young for the camp. But my Sisters kids were 8 & 10. It was either 2 or 3 days, they were at capacity, and had to turn kids away.

 

Parents were lined up down the corridor an hour before they opened to secure a spot. It was an exceptional amount of children that week. I suppose they could not secure more staff, since the other ships were busy as well.

[cadien]

On our spring break cruise they turned kids away, yes. 1,000 kids and a capacity of 68. They did put the 10-12s in a separate room and often took the 6-9s outside. But they still had to cut off. You could always come back periodically to see whether enough kids had left.

 

Also note that some activities required close toed shoes. No sandals.

[Gabruska]

Thanks guys for all the replies. I hope this will help others to answer some questions ....we have made a decision and actually ended up booking RCCL and little shorter trip to be back for Thanksgiving dinner with our family in Florida. Hopefully this one will not be so crowded. But either way I know we will have a blast as always on a cruise. Happy Cruising