Ever Experience A Cruise With Your Kids And Not Enough Other Kids On Carnival

[cruiser3175]

I know this has been discussed but I don't feel I've gotten my answer.

 

I am booked on a Nov 13 cruise for 5 days and will be traveling with my two daughters, ages 12 and 8. They love meeting new friends.

 

I am worried about the cruise, being specifically the week before Thanksgiving break, not having many children on board.

 

What are your experiences with traveling at off times with children? Are there always a good number of kids on Carnival ships? And if there weren't many or any at all, how did your kids feel about it?

 

When I booked with Carnival, I did ask how many kids on this sailing and they said there was no way to know.

 

Thanks for your replys.

[dolphins76]

We were on a cruise with our 3 kids and the cruise it self only had 32 kids on it. The kids had a blast....The camp really keeps them busy and makes it fun for them.

[Terpnut]

I know this has been discussed but I don't feel I've gotten my answer.

 

I am booked on a Nov 13 cruise for 5 days and will be traveling with my two daughters, ages 12 and 8. They love meeting new friends.

 

I am worried about the cruise, being specifically the week before Thanksgiving break, not having many children on board.

 

What are your experiences with traveling at off times with children? Are there always a good number of kids on Carnival ships? And if there weren't many or any at all, how did your kids feel about it?

 

When I booked with Carnival, I did ask how many kids on this sailing and they said there was no way to know.

 

Thanks for your replys.

Where do you sail from, on what ship and what is your itinerary? My guess is that you will have plenty of kids on board--just not nearly as many as a holiday week.

 

As for knowing how many kids will be onboard, Carnival definitely has this information based on current bookings and passenger birthdays--they're just not telling you. They have to know exactly how many kids (by group) there will be so they can hire enough Camp Carnival counselors, order enough supplies and make sure they don't overbook for the size facility they have! Of course the final number of kids will be far more accurate after final payment than before.

[cruiser3175]

Thanks for your replys. I am sailing November 13 from Jacksonville, FL to the Bahamas and Key West for 5 nights.

 

I think they will have fun no matter what. This is our 3rd cruise but the other 2 cruises were in peak seasons and there was, in my opinion, too many kids. Guess I'm being paranoid... being as I booked this very spontaneously and I am not spontaneous! :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

When we were on the Star Princess in 2/03, my daughter was one of three 5-yr-olds. The activities were pared down and kids grouped together in fewer groups. Last December there was over 200 kids on board and lots of activities. On our last night, the list of breakdown by age for the next cruise (starting Jan. 6) was already up and there would be just 32 kids altogether.

 

On our Carnival cruises, some of them were in the off-season before our daughter started school. I'm guessing that Carnival was the same way when there's fewer kids. If your child wants to be around a lot of kids, you may want to consider going when school is out. Your 8-year-old may end up with much younger kids in the kids program if there are fewer kids.

[Kev and Tam]

On our first cruise (2004) we left on November 1st and there were about 100+ kids aboard. The great thing about that is they all get to know each other so well. My daughter can still tell me every kid's name in her Camp Carnival photo!

Last summer (2005) we went in August. I think there may have been more kids *all ages* than adults. We decided not to cruise during summer break anymore for that reason. Maybe we got spoiled the first time.

I think they will be fine. Kids tend to always flock together regardless of age.

(P.S. The only names my kids remember from the summer cruise are kids we met who were CC members!)