NCL first time with 3 kids

[EuroFamily]

We are taking a Baltic cruise in Summer 2020. We just did a cruise on Princess to Mexico and it was great and were  without our kids. We were initially thinking of booking Princess for the family Baltic cruise but after researching more of NCL Escape, there seems to be a lot more kid friendly activities - ropes course, water slides. Though, I’m not sure how much water activity on the ship will happen in the Baltic because it’s colder.

 

How is NCL with younger kids -5-10 years old? It’s a 9 day cruise with 6 ports so we are only at sea 2 full days. Thanks!

 

 

[Linda the Book Lover]

5 minutes ago, EuroFamily said:

We are taking a Baltic cruise in Summer 2020. We just did a cruise on Princess to Mexico and it was great and were  without our kids. We were initially thinking of booking Princess for the family Baltic cruise but after researching more of NCL Escape, there seems to be a lot more kid friendly activities - ropes course, water slides. Though, I’m not sure how much water activity on the ship will happen in the Baltic because it’s colder.

 

How is NCL with younger kids -5-10 years old? It’s a 9 day cruise with 6 ports so we are only at sea 2 full days. Thanks!

 

 

My DD and I took my DGD on POA. She loved it (she fits into the age group). She asked to go the kids club as we left it up to her. Our days were port intensive but once having gone she asked to go after dinner. She had a great time and on our next cruise she asked about going again. We peeked in one time (ok nervous grandma) and she was running and enjoying herself with her new friend and playing games. 

 

[EuroFamily]

4 minutes ago, Linda the Book Lover said:

My DD and I took my DGD on POA. She loved it (she fits into the age group). She asked to go the kids club as we left it up to her. Our days were port intensive but once having gone she asked to go after dinner. She had a great time and on our next cruise she asked about going again. We peeked in one time (ok nervous grandma) and she was running and enjoying herself with her new friend and playing games. 

 

thank you for sharing! Did you feel comfortable leaving your GD in the kids club? Are they watched, is it secure? My kids have only been on a Disney Cruise for comparison. 

[smplybcause]

All the cruise lines kids clubs operate similarly. Signing the kids in/out by someone on the approved list (unless the kid is either old enough to do it themselves meaning in the teen group, or a tween given permission to sign themselves out). As long as they're not in the oldest/teen group (which I think starts at 12?) that is more Laissez-faire since they can sign themselves out, there's people in the kids club watching them and organizing activities. 

 

From what I've read around cruise critic, I think the only thing unique to Disney is the "phones" they give you that work around the ship. And I got the impression that Disney is a bit more structured activities than other lines. 

Edited October 17, 2019 by smplybcause

[Linda the Book Lover]

Just now, EuroFamily said:

thank you for sharing! Did you feel comfortable leaving your GD in the kids club? Are they watched, is it secure? My kids have only been on a Disney Cruise for comparison. 

I felt as comfortable as most when leaving children with strangers. My DD and I discussed  letting her go to the kids club at length and decided it would be her decision as this was a "family cruise" which for us meant being together. The area is secure as there is someone at the desk to check in and check out. They wear a wristband and a loud noise goes off if a child leaves the area. We did learn after my granddaughter took off the waistband as she said it was scratchy to her that the child has to keep the waistband on even when not in the club or you are charged for a new one. NCL did not charge us and her band was replaced. There are several people watching the children and we both felt ok leaving my DGD there especially after she met a friend and had such a good time and telling us all she did during her time there. 

 

I have never sailed on Disney or with children so I have no comparison to share with you. We are planning another POA trip this time with my DS, DDIL and their children as well as my DD and DGD and decided that if they want to go to the kids club it will be alright. My DD and I are taking my DGD with us on a 4-day Carnival next year and if she asks to try the kids club she will be able to go.

 

The sad news, is unfortunately we can never be 100% sure. Recently Disney did have an issue with an employee in their kids club and he goes to trial at the end of this month. 

 

[dexddd]

We did the Baltics with our kids June of 2010 when kids were 12 and 8.  Then it was a 12 night trip but they've since shortened those trips to 9 with fewer sea days.  We've also sailed Escape recently.

 

The weather was on the cooler side so pool time is probably going to be somewhat limited.  The other thing, with all the great ports, we were really busy and had some long days so really not a ton of time to do stuff on the ship or kids clubs.

We did get lucky though, the folks next door had kids the same age so our kids had a blast in the kids clubs and around the ship with their new friends.  However, most of that was on the extra sea days we had.

 

While it was a smaller ship than Escape, we only had 50 kids on our sailing.

[Albinroo]

We did a Baltic cruise this past summer on the Getaway with 3 kids. We had previously looked at princess and were hesitant to try NCL but were really happy with the cruise and the ship. The only thing we weren't that happy over was the kids club, nothing wrong with is safety-wise, we just didn't feel that the staff were that interested in our kids, then 3 and 5. On the other hand they don't speak much English so I'm sure it's a lot easier if they do, and we had a really good cruise anyway, even though we stayed mostly on the ship. The weather was chilly, but it can also be very warm during July,  and our kids used the pool and splash park almost every day anyway. 

[EuroFamily]

1 hour ago, Albinroo said:

We did a Baltic cruise this past summer on the Getaway with 3 kids. We had previously looked at princess and were hesitant to try NCL but were really happy with the cruise and the ship. The only thing we weren't that happy over was the kids club, nothing wrong with is safety-wise, we just didn't feel that the staff were that interested in our kids, then 3 and 5. On the other hand they don't speak much English so I'm sure it's a lot easier if they do, and we had a really good cruise anyway, even though we stayed mostly on the ship. The weather was chilly, but it can also be very warm during July,  and our kids used the pool and splash park almost every day anyway. 

Thanks for your experience, it’s helpful!