Babysitting and Camp Carnival

[supermom78]

Hi all, I'm very picky about leaving my DS (3 1/2) with strangers. What are the qualifications of the carnival staff who work in the camp carnival group as well as the in-room babysitting. Has anyone had any negative experience with any of the staff when dealing with the kids?

 

I guess I'm just an over-protecting mom, but I worry about leaving him with strangers and people I don't know.

 

We are sailing on Carnival Pride leaving on 9/17 (only a few days away) and I figure I should ask around to see what other people thought of the babysitting service and camp carnival.

[caribbean dreams]

I have been leaving my daughter to play in Camp Carnival for many years, the staff is qualified and you can check on them or hang out in the playroom with them anytime you want, they take good care of them and only the parent that checked them in can get them out. I have had nothing but great experiences with them. I don't think Carnival has private in room baby sitting unless it is something new they have started.

[JackieH]

I understand the hesitation of leaving your kids with strangers. I feel the same way. I have 3 kid, and none of them have ever been in daycare. My youngest just turned 2 in August. We sailed on the Valor the week after her 2nd birthday. I wasnt quite sure how she would react to Camp Carnival...The first night they have a welcome aboard party with all the kids and counselors. I suggest any parent go to that with their kids. You can meet all the counselors and talk to them. For the 2-5 age group they give out cell phones for the parents to keep with them. This way if there is a problem they can call you immediately. You are also free to call and check on your kids at anytime. The first couple of nights, my 2 yr old loved it there, she would push past the gate to get to the play area. After that.. well we would get nightly phone calls that she was crying. I dont think it was the staff, I think my newly 2 yr old just wasnt use to that type of setting. Im sure she was confused why she was being left night after night. It was no problem. We would go pick her up, and take her to the shows with us. She loved the shows, the lights the music.

[calgary-cruiser]

Have you had the evening group babysitting on Liberty? If so, was it positive or a negative experience.

[Macguyver]

We've never done the in room babysitting. We find that we are usually too tired to go out after the kid's programs end for the day and are happy to retire to our cabin and watch an in room movie or just go to sleep! *L* But I can vouch for Camp Carnival. The staff is all highly trained and need to be working in a field related to child care/education from what I understand. But judging from my daughter's reaction to her "camp", they are fantastic. She loved it there. She also has never been in day care, yet every morning would be up at the crack of dawn and raring to go to camp. When we sailed with Carnival last, they had family activities as well as age group activities to participate in. Can you imagine how thrilled she was when she got to pop a water balloon over my head? And talk about hearing laughter at the Dads during the ice cream contest from all the kids when the Dad's put their ice cream bowls on their heads and recited "Iggy Ziggy, iggy ziggy, I'm a wiggy piggy oink oink oink"

 

I"m not sure if the link will work, but this is directly to Carnival's info on Camp Carnival on their website. http://www.carnival.com/onboardexp_home.aspx