Kids programs on Explorer?

[Loralie]

Hi Everyone...new to the boards here,

 

I have 2 boys who will be ages 11 and 9 at the time of the cruise I WANT to go on (have not booked yet due to $$). Can you tell me how the kids programs are on the Explorer for their ages? Any other advice for our family of 4 would be great. We took a crusie 12 years ago for our honeymoon on Monarch of the seas and I am sure so much has changed since then.

 

TIA,

 

Lolralie

[Nliedel]

We were on the Mariner and the programs on all the RCI ships are virtually the same.

 

1. Get two adjoining cabins in the bottom of the ship. It works out about the same as a really nice cabin higher up. No balconey but the privacy you get as a married couple is MORE than worth it. You are not tripping over one another. Heaven! (not to mention that one of my kids has stinky feet!)

 

2. The kids program is so darn good that my kids mutinied and refused to go into port with us! Darn kids. Saw the Caribbean from the windows of the dining room!

 

3. The kids may be too tired for dinner with you OR will want to eat with their new friends at AO. We solved our "family time" dilemma by always having breakfast together in the dining room. So relaxing and lovely.

 

The kids programs will keep them busy but it's not just busy stuff. They play a lot of games and do some really fun stuff. They play hide and seek in the Dragons Lair (really strict rules about where they go in there) and in general just have a ball. The games and fun are really age appropriate so the older one will not think it's too babyish. It's a lot like Summer Camp according to my, wise beyond his years, 8 year old.

 

My 6 year old says his favorite part was the games. They were really fun. He is a shy kid who does not normally join anything. I cannot say enough good about the program.

 

We did hire an in room sitter (your 11 year old will be beyond this and want to stay at AO) because the boys, 6 and 8, were too tired to stay up. Something that never happens in real life. Come to think of it most nights I was too :)

[Sadfam99]

We will be on EOTS next Sunday, can't hardly wait. My kids are 6-10-13, I'll try and give some input when we get back. I heard it should be a blast.

[Aussie4]

Hi there,

We boarded the Explorer on 30/10/05 with our 4 y.o. and 7 y.o. and they adored Adventure Ocean, the amenities and staff were wonderful and we also could not get them to look at islands because there was too much to do.

We usually dropped them off at 9am after breakfast - picked them up at 12 noon as AO shut for a while, back at 2.00pm. and pick up at 5.00pm. Return at 7.00pm. and pick up at 10.00pm most nights.

For $10.00 per hour you could leave them there until 1.00am.

When we did go on shore excursions my kids stayed on board and the staff took them out for lunch to the cafe on The Promenade.

On the formal evenings AO would take the kids to Johnny Rockets for dinner (no charge).

A brilliant set up and learning as well as playing - our 7 y.o. was teaching us about DNA one night.

Although discouraged by RCCL staff we did tip the staff of Adventure Ocean.

When you go please say hello to the fellow Australian Staff - Bad Ben, Mad Mary and Limbo Linda !!:D