QandA Posted April 16, 2007 #1 Share Posted April 16, 2007 we are planning our first cruise with our children.. DD age 12 and twin sons age 9... will all 3 be in the same group? do they even have a group for 12 year olds? is 9 too old for the camp to begin with? will they enjoy it? what do they do? and whats this i read about a sleep over? any info on camp carnival is welcome. thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennisLover Posted April 16, 2007 #2 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I can't remember the age groups for Camp Carnival (we are fresh off an RCI cruise), but I can fill you in on the "sleepover." It's towards the end of the cruise. For an extra fee, you can sign your kids up and they have activities all night for the kids; bring them back to your cabin in the morning. My son has participated in this (he's 11 now), but I have never let him stay all night. Just too brutal for me to handle him the next day (but that's just me). On Valor, I think I let him stay till 2 am (when I was done in the piano bar). On Liberty, I only let him stay till 11 or 12 midnight. (He wasn't too happy with me taking him off the b-ball court that night, but I just didn't want him up all night). It's organized and the kids seem to love it. Go to the Camp Carnival orientation on the first day, when you sign your kids up for the camp, and you will find out about the sleepover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin' Chick Posted April 16, 2007 #3 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Your 12 year old will be in a separate group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted April 16, 2007 #4 Share Posted April 16, 2007 The groups are 2-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12 - ? (not sure of the end age on the 12 group) So yes, your 12 will be in a different group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QandA Posted April 16, 2007 Author #5 Share Posted April 16, 2007 ok that helps. i guess what i want to know is.. is 12 too old for camp carnival? what is it a 12 year old would be doing during the day? do most kids this age want to go to camp carnival? or do they find that boring, and want to spend sea days on the water slide? i've read lots of post from people saying that thier 5, 6, or 7 year old loved it.. i'm just not sure mine will. the big waterslide, never ending ice cream, pizza and soda may make them not want to go to camp. i'm sure they would love that.. its just that the wife and i may not. so.. am i better off with a 12 year old in camp carnival? or let her have full run of the ship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abitaturbodog Posted April 16, 2007 #6 Share Posted April 16, 2007 We're just off the Valor with an 11 and 9 year old, so I can help answer some of your questions. Children aged 9 and up are able to sign themselves into and out of Camp Carnival if their parents will allow it. On the first evening, you'll fill out a form and decided if you want them to be able to sign themsleves in and out. Camp Carnival is not available all day long. There are times when it's closed for a couple of hours each day. Also, anytime after 10pm, you will be charged a 'babysitting' fee per child. There is not a sleepover party. One evening, there is a party until 3am. Your children are brought back to their cabins by the staff. There is a 12-14 and 15-17 year old group. We've cruised 3 times with our children and my personal experience is that they like to participate in some Camp Carnival activities throughout the week, but don't want to spend a lot of time there. We allow them to sign themselves in and out of Camp Carnival and they have to come directly to my husband or I to check in. We also bring walkie-talkies to communicate. They generally meet kids on the Roll Call board before we cruise, then once we're on board they have immediate friends. They get together and swim, play games, video arcade, eat sushi, explore, etc. But don't forget that you're on a family vacation! Have fun with your kids! For the most part, they'd rather play with you than at Camp Carnival! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QandA Posted April 16, 2007 Author #7 Share Posted April 16, 2007 thanx for the info everybody. it looks like i'll allow the kids to sign themselfs in/out so they can just go to the events they want to. and play on the slide other times. any other info from others is still welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cali-croozer Posted April 16, 2007 #8 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Definitely have your 12 year old go to the first night's sign up/meet and greet. She'll be able to make some friends to hang out with for the week and get the list of scheduled activities. From there, she can pick and choose which ones to go to (at that age group, there are at least several activities during the day and after dinner). The rest of the time will probably be spent with her new friends at the pool, slide, ping pong tables, etc. The 9 year olds should have a blast. Lots of activities in that age group. My youngest son was 11 on his first cruise and was always busy with camp and his new friends. He carried that schedule around all the time; even had to leave dinner early a couple of times (before dessert) because of an "important" event! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QandA Posted April 17, 2007 Author #9 Share Posted April 17, 2007 ok here is another question now.. is camp carnival open ever night at 7pm? i ask this cause my kids would be happy having pizza/burgers every night. then with alittle luck head off to camp for 7 and the wife and i can go for a quiet meal at 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRIBE1959 Posted April 17, 2007 #10 Share Posted April 17, 2007 K just back from Imagination and have 9-11 capers in hand. BTW my DS10 HATED Camp. example of eve activites-7-10 swim , races etc on Lido deck (pool open to all guests not just campers)7am-12pm play video games. close for lunch.2-5pm exercise and people bingo(run around ship getting certain types unsupervised) close for dinner repeat after 10pm charges apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balieyes Posted April 17, 2007 #11 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Another question. My only camper will be 3 - when we fill out the form will we also be able to add her Grandmother as someone who can sign her out? Will the grandparents be welcome to attend the family events through the camp? What about her little sister (she'll be 20 months) - can we bring her to the "family" social events the camp puts on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted April 18, 2007 #12 Share Posted April 18, 2007 ok here is another question now.. is camp carnival open ever night at 7pm? i ask this cause my kids would be happy having pizza/burgers every night. then with alittle luck head off to camp for 7 and the wife and i can go for a quiet meal at 8. Yes the camp opens every night at 7pm. On Formal nights, the kids formal dinner begins at 7pm on the Lido deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted April 18, 2007 #13 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Another question. My only camper will be 3 - when we fill out the form will we also be able to add her Grandmother as someone who can sign her out? Will the grandparents be welcome to attend the family events through the camp? What about her little sister (she'll be 20 months) - can we bring her to the "family" social events the camp puts on? Yes, Grandma can be added as a sign out person. I don't remember lots of "family events". There was only one I remember for that age group and it was Build A Buddy (like Build a Bear for $19.99) and they held it in one of the lounges. BUT, they also do it in the camp when just the kids are there. You can go to the camp anytime and ask to take out a Build A Buddy kit and you can take it back to your cabin and do it. Maybe someone else here will remember more family events. I don't remember any more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abitaturbodog Posted April 18, 2007 #14 Share Posted April 18, 2007 My kids were in the 9-11 group and they had only 2 or 3 family activities on board last week. One was the kid's talent show and I can't remember what the other was (they didn't want to participate I guess!) I wish that Carnival would have more family activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted April 18, 2007 #15 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Oh yeah I didn't think of the kids talent show. They rehearse with the kids, even the young ones and do a perfomance at the end of the week on the main stage It's really cute. A not to miss for Grandma. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warm Breezes Posted April 19, 2007 #16 Share Posted April 19, 2007 My DD was 9 on our last Carnival Cruise and DS was 12. DD participated in the talent show, Childrens Christmas program, and some scavenger hunts. She wanted to do the build-a-bear but everytime they listed it as an activity it ended up getting cancelled due to the materials not getting to the ship. She made a friend and seemed to enjoy the experience this time. On our Carnival Cruise previous to this she was 8 and went to the Childrens Bingo. She was not impressed and couldn't wait for me to come back and get her. She did not want to participate in Camp Carnival after that experience on that cruise. DS had no interest in participating in Camp Carnival in either of our previous two cruises. He did participate in a scavenger hunt on the last one - but was not impressed and had no desire to go back. He preferred to hang out at the pool, game room, mini-golf, basketball court, or ice cream machine. Each child is different. I would try to get them to try the club, but not force them to go back if they didn't like it. There is plenty for them to do with out it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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