Camp Carnival

[iluv2preemies]

Carnicrew,

 

Thanks for all your answers. We will be traveling on Carnival Spirit June 28 and are planning to use Camp Carnival a little. A pair of grandparents will be traveling with us. Our children will be 5yrs and 8yrs old at the time. I'm hoping they will let the 5yr old in with my older one she will be 5months from turning 6yrs. What do you think? I'm afraid she won't stay unless she can be with sissy.

 

Lisa

[billyandted]

My nephew has Special Needs & will be 6 (going on 7 in June) while cruising in March. My grandson will be 5 & we would want them both in the same group.

Would it be a problem to move my nephew down a group?

By Special Needs I mean attention deficit problems that are controlled quite well with medication.

Are there Walkie-Talkies available so that his parents can be called if he becomes a problem?

Thanks for coming on to give us an informed answer.

[carnicrew]

It is not likely that a 5 and a half year old would normally be allowed to move up to the 6-8 group. but the spirit alaskan run is generally not that busy with kids so it is possible that an exception could be made. What you would have to do is when you register, speak to the director. If your child is allowed to move up they will be put in that group on trial. If they do well with the activites then there is no reason why she wouldnt be allowed to stay there. But there is no guarantee that she can be moved up, it is at the discretion of the director. I suggest preparing your daughter with the idea that she will have fun in the 2-5 group, that way she'll be prepared to go in alone, but if she is allowed to move up then Hooray!!Bonus!!!

[carnicrew]

My nephew has Special Needs & will be 6 (going on 7 in June) while cruising in March. My grandson will be 5 & we would want them both in the same group.

Would it be a problem to move my nephew down a group?

By Special Needs I mean attention deficit problems that are controlled quite well with medication.

Are there Walkie-Talkies available so that his parents can be called if he becomes a problem?

Thanks for coming on to give us an informed answer.

It is highly likely that your nephew will be able to go with the younger kids. the director is the only one who can make this decision, but in my experience this has never been an issue since he is only 6. Much older kids can't move down, but 6 should be fine.

Yes there are walkie talkies to rent or buy, but what we provide for the parents of younger kids is pagers, so if something is wrong, or the kids just dont want to stay any longer, we can get a hold of you! The pagers are generally for children under 5, but if you request one, one can be signed out to you, free of charge.

[kanda]

I too would like to thank you for all the information. I do have a question regarding dinner. We have requested 6:15 dinner and will be traveling with our 3 year old. I know he will not be cooperative through an entire dinner, so how do you suggest we work that around camp hours? Do most kids remain in the dining room throughout dinner? Is it rude for us to leave the dining room before the meal is over? I'm just not sure about the dinner schedule. Thanks again. By the way, we'll be on the Triumph, sorry we won't get to meet you!

[carnicrew]

On the triumph Camp carnival holds a kids only dinner at 5:45 every night (except the first and alst day of the cruise) in the South Beach Club (buffet area) on the first formal night however it is at 7. You can sign your kids in at the south beach club at 5:45 and the couselors will serve the kids food, from our child friendly buffet line (hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, mac&cheese, pizza, fries, etc...)Dinner in the formal dining room can be difficult for kids to sit through, but I also know that the waiters in there are great with the kids, they have a special childrens menu there and know exactly what they like! So it comes down to it, it's whatever works best for you, you can take them with you to the formal dinner, or drop them off with camp carnival and the counselors will take care of it all!

[Suburban Drudgery]

I read that some crew on the boats don't get a wage but tips only and some make 50.00 a day plus tips. This sounds so low to me, how can anyone live on this wage.:rolleyes:

[Suburban Drudgery]

I read that some crew on the boats don't get a wage but tips only and some make 50.00 a day plus tips. This sounds so low to me, how can anyone live on this wage.:rolleyes:

[carnicrew]

Most get paid a daily wage. I personally get paid daily, and do not receive much from tipping. But there are certain dept's that have no salary and depend on tips, so the more they sell, the more money they make. And 50$ a day is very good when you consider that we have no expenses on board, no rent, no food costs, no power/water bills to pay. Plus as non- US citizens we do not pay taxes on our pay. So it all evens out in the end. Although in some countries the pay can buy you a lot more, as a canadian I would like to see the wages go up a bit, but im not complaining!

[Suburban Drudgery]

Most get paid a daily wage. I personally get paid daily, and do not receive much from tipping. But there are certain dept's that have no salary and depend on tips, so the more they sell, the more money they make. And 50$ a day is very good when you consider that we have no expenses on board, no rent, no food costs, no power/water bills to pay. Plus as non- US citizens we do not pay taxes on our pay. So it all evens out in the end. Although in some countries the pay can buy you a lot more, as a canadian I would like to see the wages go up a bit, but im not complaining!

 

Can we tip the camp workers? I would like to do this but don't know the rules. TIA:rolleyes:

[carnicrew]

Can we tip the camp workers? I would like to do this but don't know the rules. TIA:rolleyes:

Of course! tips are always welcome!!Most often parents tip the last night of the cruise, they just put it in an envelope and give it to the counselors when they pick up the kids for the last time!

I thank you for all the counselors on which ever ship you will be cruising on!!!:)

[bethinks]

I tried to go back and look, but couldn't find answer. Our DD went on Spirit in '01 when she was 6, now she's 11. Will she be able to sign herself in and out of Camp Carnival? She's very excited about having her own sign and sail card/cabin key, and we have a great holder for it. Worried about her just eating herself silly, she LOVES FOOD, alot like her mom. (Great metabolism though, unlike her Mom!~) What's your experience like with 11 year olds?

 

Hawaiideb (On Beth's boards @ work!)

[carnicrew]

I tried to go back and look, but couldn't find answer. Our DD went on Spirit in '01 when she was 6, now she's 11. Will she be able to sign herself in and out of Camp Carnival? She's very excited about having her own sign and sail card/cabin key, and we have a great holder for it. Worried about her just eating herself silly, she LOVES FOOD, alot like her mom. (Great metabolism though, unlike her Mom!~) What's your experience like with 11 year olds?

 

Hawaiideb (On Beth's boards @ work!)

YES! 9-11's can sign themselves in and out of camp, all we ask is that they write down when and where they are headed!! And eating yourself silly is one of the best parts about vacation!!!the 9-11 group really has a lot of fun activities plotted out for them. And they even get a special late night party, just for them (costs 26$ but is well worth the money, if you go to no other camp carnival activities make sure you don't miss out on the late night party!!)

[GoinCruisin]

I read that some crew on the boats don't get a wage but tips only and some make 50.00 a day plus tips. This sounds so low to me, how can anyone live on this wage.:rolleyes:

 

You are probably thinking of the stewards/wait staff... they basically work for tips with a MONTHLY salary of approx. $50 per month, not day... plus tips. there are many salaried workers onboard that don't work for tips, but may be tipped for great service. As for living off that wage, considering the countries where most are from, once tips are factored in, they make a decent living... There is a great show that runs on PBS from time to time called Back to the Floor, it is a documentary with Bob Dickinson, and he explains a lot of this, very good show.

[harmon25]

I have heard very mixed answers about this. I have just turned 18 and will be crusing in June. Am I banned from the activites for the 15-17 year olds? Do they check ages to even make sure kids are in that group? I am worried I will have no one to hang out with becuase the 17 year olds are in the O2 club. Can I join in despite being 18?

 

Thanks.

[carnicrew]

I have heard very mixed answers about this. I have just turned 18 and will be crusing in June. Am I banned from the activites for the 15-17 year olds? Do they check ages to even make sure kids are in that group? I am worried I will have no one to hang out with becuase the 17 year olds are in the O2 club. Can I join in despite being 18?

 

Thanks.

It is up to the club o2 director on that particular ship. Shouldn't be an issue though.

[harmon25]

What has been your personal experience? Have they allowed or have you allowed people my age (18) to participate?

[perkyvi]

Thank you so much for doing this - really appreciated by all of us parents, esp. inexperienced cruisers like me!

 

I read that there's a schedule of CC activities for a ship - we'll be going on Inspiration on 2/18 - does this come out daily and given to each cabin, or is the whole week spelled out? Are maps available so I'll know where to meet my 14-yr-old first-time cruiser? Do we sign up for CC as soon as we board the ship? Thanks!

 

Very excited...

[JimHam4]

Okay Carnicrew, I've read this whole thread and my curiosity is killing me!! My family (3 daughters, wife and I) sailed on the Triumph in May of 2005, were you working Camp Carnival then? If so my biggest compliments to you and your coworkers, my girls still talk about the times they had at camp and almost cry when the Carnival commercial comes on TV.:p Will you still be working on the Spirit a year from now? We are planning a trip for May 2007 on the Spirit and the girls would be thrilled to meet up with an old friend.

[mwebb]

I realize O2 is not part of Camp CArnival, but please tell the type of activities that they do. We're on the Legend in April during Spring break. Since it is an 8 day cruise will there be as many teens on board. Sailed Triumph in 03 & 04 and kids loved Camp Carnival

[ship99]

We try our best to appeal to all potential campers. The best thing for your son/daughter to do is give it a try. You can take a look at the schedule to see what activities appeal to him/her, and if he/she wants, he/she can come to just those activities! The good thing about the 9-11 group is they can sign themselves in and out of camp so if he/she doesn't like a particular activity he/she can go and come back when the next one that he would like starts. The schedule is made up of varying activities in an attempt to have things that appeal to different kids. But as the saying goes, You can't please everyone all the time!!! At least if he/she chooses not to stay in camp he will have an opportunity to meet other children his/her age, then he/she can have fun with them outside camp on his/her own time, doing what they like!

 

Sorry to make you he/she, I forgot to specify dd! Thank you for the information. :)

[carnicrew]

What has been your personal experience? Have they allowed or have you allowed people my age (18) to participate?

Most club o2 directors wont check your age unless you look much older, or much younger.

[carnicrew]

Thank you so much for doing this - really appreciated by all of us parents, esp. inexperienced cruisers like me!

 

I read that there's a schedule of CC activities for a ship - we'll be going on Inspiration on 2/18 - does this come out daily and given to each cabin, or is the whole week spelled out? Are maps available so I'll know where to meet my 14-yr-old first-time cruiser? Do we sign up for CC as soon as we board the ship? Thanks!

 

Very excited...

There is a schedule for each ship of the camp carnival activities, they are divided into age groups. On the day you board the ship, there will be a member of camp there to hand out fliers telling people the time of the orientation meeting to register for camp. At THAT orientation you will recieve the camp carnival caper(schedule) that is for the whole cruise. Maps are also handed out as you come on board, and are also available at the pursers desk!

[carnicrew]

Okay Carnicrew, I've read this whole thread and my curiosity is killing me!! My family (3 daughters, wife and I) sailed on the Triumph in May of 2005, were you working Camp Carnival then? If so my biggest compliments to you and your coworkers, my girls still talk about the times they had at camp and almost cry when the Carnival commercial comes on TV.:p Will you still be working on the Spirit a year from now? We are planning a trip for May 2007 on the Spirit and the girls would be thrilled to meet up with an old friend.

No I was not there, I joined the TI in July, But i do Know several of the girls who would have been there in may. Our contracts are only 6 months so I won't be on the Spirit next year either. I'm really glad you guys had such a good time!!

[JoeMini]

Many thanks to all of your help Carnicrew! It's people like you who take pride in your job, and make these cruise boards and planning your vacation so much better. Great answers!

 

On last year's cruise, we went without the kids, but we asked all the families who had kids, and they unanimously said the kid's absolutely loved it!!! My 10 year old daughter is already chomping at the bits to go to Camp Carnival. My 13 year old son is not so sure, but he's at that goofy age, but he'll give it a go I hope.

 

Couple Questions:

1. Do you work all day and night, or more likely get a "breather" from all the kids? God bless you with kids! :rolleyes:

2. What time does Camp Carnival start?

3. I know you don't know all the ships per se, but how's the program on the Conquest?

4. How many camp counselors are there or I guess assigned to a group of kids?