Meet & Mingle for Kids On RCI- How Important is it?

[Wilda]

Can someone please explain to me what is the purpose of the Adventure Ocean Meet and Mingle on RCI? I understand that it takes place on the first night of the cruise. Is that when we register? I assume it gives us an opportunity to meet the counselors and meet some of the other kids, correct? Do the kids do anything that night?

[szubieta]

They just meet each other. My son isn't shy, so this is to help the shyer children and probably helps ease the parents too. I know when my son started daycare, I went and spent a few hours to see how all the children interacted. Made me feel better, even though my son acted like he had known them for years. He's young, 5 yrs old, and it's easy now. I want to meet the counselors and see how they interact with the children.

 

As for registration for AO, I have heard we can do an early registration or at the M&M.

 

That night is only the M&M and registration, from what I've heard and read.

 

Here's a link to Cruisinmama06's link for childrens activities, click on the "Royal Caribbean AO Compass" in the grey box to the left:

 

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/

 

hope this helps... Sandy

[PattyW]

It's my understanding that the older the child is, the more important the first night of AO becomes. Many of the tween/teens do not rely on AO for all of their entertainment, and being at the first night of AO gives the child the greatest chance of meeting new friends to hang out with at the pool, etc for the rest of the trip.

 

For younger kids, it is as you describe: a chance for kids to meet, for parents to register the child and to meet the counselors and get a better understanding of the program. On the first night of our cruise, the counselors did do a little bit of programming - it was a science experiment, I believe. You can, of course, skip this night and register your child another time.

[CanadianTwosome]

I don't think it's a matter of shyness or age; what we've found on our cruises (since we started cruising with a child) is that the first night is when ALL (or at least most of) the kids go (on any cruise line). Some of the kids then decide that they don't want to go back, and if your child doesn't go that night, they have missed the opportunity to meet them.

 

Kid's clubs can vary depending on the mix of children on the ship and the counsellors, among other things. On the NCL Dream, our daughter went to the Kid's Crew about four times... the first night, the last night, and a couple of times in between when her friend was seasick. Other than that, she and her friend spent every waking hour together away from the club. On that last night when they went back, there was another girl their age there who saw them and exclaimed, 'Oh, I'm so happy to see girls my age tonight!!' She had missed the first evening and the opportunity to meet the two girls, otherwise she could have hung out with them for the rest of the cruise instead of being miserable as the only 'big girl' in the Kid's Crew.

 

On the Star in January, our daughter loved the Kid's Crew and the counsellors and we never saw her if we weren't in port or at a meal. She went to almost all of their organized activities and cried the last morning because she was going to miss it. Because she hadn't spent much time there on the Dream, though, it took a bit of cajoling to get her to attend the first night's meet, and she was certainly glad she did. Next January I know she'll be chomping at the bit to get in and see the Kid's area and meet the counsellors and other children on board. She may or may not choose to spend much time there, but I know she'll never miss a first night. :)

 

So... bottom line in my opinion is 'YES', that first night is important! :)

[Wilda]

This is great info to have- thanks! We are cruising in early December so the ship won't be crawling with kids, but I do anticipate a "sprinkling" based on the roll call. Will make it a priority on the first evening to check it out.