Kids Club

[mommynurse]

I will be taking my kids 8&9 on our first cruise next month. They are slowly getting interested in the kids' activities..but mom has a couple questions:

 

1) I see they are in different categories of ages. How much will they be split up for activities?

 

2) Do I have to pay extra for the craft type projects? I believe I've read something about sand art and I saw another poster's kids doing a "build a bear" type thing.

 

3) Are they too young for some fun salon services? I think there is a generation Y or something like that spa but I think maybe for older kids?

 

4) Is there ANY good reason for them to have charging privilages??

 

Any other ideas on things I can do to surprise them, make it special? They are helping plan excursions but maybe something fun/special on the ship itself? (they are both girls BTW)

[LHP]

They will love Camp Carnival.

 

 

Build a Bear does cost extra...but they do a lot of crafts that are free like painting tshirts and stuff like that.

 

 

As for the age grouping.....this question is asked on every ship on every cruise as least once....so it is a very common request....and the "official" answer is ..... MAYBE!!

 

The age group rule is 6-8 and 9-11....however, as we all know, there are always exceptions to the rule. There is no way to guarantee that they will make an exception. Sometimes they will...sometimes they won't...but if they don't...there is a very good reason.

 

Your age group is the one that they are the most accommodating with...so that is the good news. (Under the age of 2 and Club 02 are the two strictest age limitations.)

 

This is what I suggest ....go the Camp Carnival orientation and ask if they can be placed together. Just understand that IF the answer is no....they have a valid reason. It could be that one age group is already overloaded...they won't add extra children.

 

Have a great cruise!!!

[spaceflower77]

I am VERY interested in CC, too. Mine are 3 and 8. They do NOT need to be together! :) However -- I have several questions and would LOVE it if other parents would get on here and "spill..." We want details!

 

Jack (8) really wants to do the volcano building... is that something they do on each cruise???

 

Have you let them eat dinner with CC and how was that? Do they just go to the Lido buffet?

 

Has anyone cruised with their young kids while the ship did Halloween or holiday stuff? We're sailing over Halloween and while I'm truly excited for them, I'm not sure what all to expect. Like, do we need to take them trick or treating or do they do it with CC? (How nice is it that the ship offers that, anyway!)

 

Any and ALL information is thoroughly appreciated! Please feel free to share your tips and "insider" information, as we didn't have our kids on our last cruise and are wondering what to expect.

Thanks!

[obx_fintoo]

Have you let them eat dinner with CC and how was that? Do they just go to the Lido buffet?

 

Any and ALL information is thoroughly appreciated! Please feel free to share your tips and "insider" information, as we didn't have our kids on our last cruise and are wondering what to expect.

Thanks!

 

I can only with your first question and your younger child. They generally have a segregated area (one side of the Lido buffet) for Camp Carnival dining that has kid friendly options - nuggets, fries, etc.

 

Our DD has cruised twice (3 and 4yrs). She loves CC especially the "late night" activites! From 7 to 10pm each night they have fun things to do. For the 2-5 group they do face painting, bubble dances, story time, etc. and usually end by watching a cartoon. After 10pm there is a hourly 'baby-sitting" fee that is charged to your S&S card. I believe it is $6/hr for two children. DD has stayed past 10 a few times (because when I came to pick her up she said no, thanks!) LOL

 

For the younger age group, you will be issued a pager when you sign up for CC. You or your husband can sign the kids in and must show the counselors that you have the pager for the youngest. You can list the other spouse (or one grandparent if they are traveling with you) as able to pick the child up, but that person must have the pager when they pick them up. You will also present your S&S card.

 

There is TONS of more info on the Special Interest Family Cruising boards on this site. Check them out! And have a blast on your cruise! The kids will love it and Mom and Dad can relax some too!:D

[LHP]

I am VERY interested in CC, too. Mine are 3 and 8. They do NOT need to be together! :) However -- I have several questions and would LOVE it if other parents would get on here and "spill..." We want details!

 

Jack (8) really wants to do the volcano building... is that something they do on each cruise???

 

Have you let them eat dinner with CC and how was that? Do they just go to the Lido buffet?

 

Has anyone cruised with their young kids while the ship did Halloween or holiday stuff? We're sailing over Halloween and while I'm truly excited for them, I'm not sure what all to expect. Like, do we need to take them trick or treating or do they do it with CC? (How nice is it that the ship offers that, anyway!)

 

Any and ALL information is thoroughly appreciated! Please feel free to share your tips and "insider" information, as we didn't have our kids on our last cruise and are wondering what to expect.

Thanks!

 

If Carnival does as they did last year, you WILL have Trick or Treating (Costume contest) etc on one night of the cruise. I "think" this starts with the October 13th cruises...but don't quote me on that.

 

We have done one Halloween cruise and it was WONDERFUL.

 

Camp Carnival has been caring for our sons since they were 5 and 8 and every age group has been fabulous. They are now 17 and 20. Our youngest has Autism and they have been perfect with him. They can't give one on one care....but they have always gone above and beyond with him. Even Club O2 is handled so well...he literally gets to be a :normal: kid for a week!!

 

I am going to hate it when he turns 18!!

 

The volcano thing is something they have started since my boys were that age...but Carnival is pretty consistant with their activities....so I am "guessing" they would have it on this ship as well.

 

When our boys were that age, they did not offer dining at CC every night...so I can't address that. I did see lots of little ones last week eating on Lido and having a great time...so parents must love that option.

 

Hope you have a GREAT cruise!!

[gelo7]

4) Is there ANY good reason for them to have charging privilages??

 

I can't think of any good reason for them to have charging privileges, and if they lose the card:rolleyes: :eek:

[LHP]

Here is the announcement about the Halloween parties this year.

 

They will be having them!!! woo hoo

 

 

No Tricks, All Treats...

Sailings October 11th - October 31st

Halloween is the sweetest time of the year for kids. What could be more fun than dressing up and cruising the neighborhood? Carnival knows! Starting on cruises that depart in mid-October and running through Halloween, Carnival will offer its third annual "Frightfully Fun" evenings aboard every "Fun Ship."

 

Kids enrolled in Camp Carnival can join in costume contests and trick-or-treat throughout the ship. Adults, bring your own costumes, too, for your own contest and other activities!

 

Costume Contest for all ages

Family Trick or Treating (More Candy than Ever)

Big Screen Movie - Featuring the 80's Classic "Ghostbusters"

Halloween Dance Party

 

From the homepage if you click on the link to SPECIAL OFFERS and change the last part of that web address from default.aspx to frightfully_fun_2008.aspx (after specials/) you should be able to find the page.

[LHP]

4) Is there ANY good reason for them to have charging privilages??

 

I can't think of any good reason for them to have charging privileges, and if they lose the card:rolleyes: :eek:

 

You do need to be aware that kids with charging privileges can get tokens in the Arcade from a machine if they put their card in and can type in their date of birth...up to $5 a day!!!

 

So if you don't want this to happen, make sure you don't give them charging privileges or make sure you tell them not to do this!

[seashell36]

Has anyone cruised with their young kids while the ship did Halloween or holiday stuff? We're sailing over Halloween and while I'm truly excited for them, I'm not sure what all to expect. Like, do we need to take them trick or treating or do they do it with CC? (How nice is it that the ship offers that, anyway!)

 

We cruised with our kids two years ago during Halloween. Our kids were 4 and 9 at the time. We had to take them trick or treating ourselves. They give the kids a scavenger hunt/treasure map and a bag for the candy. The kids follow the map and meet camp counselors at various places on the ship. At the end of the map is a Halloween Party for the kids. Parents watch the costume contest and a couple of games and then the kids can go from there to camp for the rest of the evening if they want to. It is really fun for the kids and parents. My kids can't wait for our cruise, so they can see what new things they have to do.

[spaceflower77]

Thanks everyone! Wonderful responses so far! My son has some aspergers issues, so thanks to the mom who told me about her autistic son, it's nice to know they go above and beyond with special needs kids. And I'll be checking out the special interests section now, too... hadn't thought of that. :) I guess we won't need to bring our trick or treat bags, either! How convenient :)

[BambiRumsey]

My daughter has been on at least one cruise a year since she was 4 and she's now almost 10 so I have a bit of experience with various age groups.

 

Something to keep in mind that has not been mentioned here is the 9-11 age group can sign themselves out of Camp Carnival (if you sign the permission form at the beginning of the week). We tried it for the first time this summer on RCCL and it was not horrible. Just made sure she knew where to find us when she was leaving (in hind sight walkee talkees would have been a nice thing to bring that trip).

 

We also allowed her to have charging ability this past cruise and that also worked out well. She is not a video gamer so no fear there - most her purchases were smoothies she got herself on her way from kids club to meet us. We got her a beaded lanyard with a clear plastic pouch and she kept her card there.

[LHP]

Thanks everyone! Wonderful responses so far! My son has some aspergers issues, so thanks to the mom who told me about her autistic son, it's nice to know they go above and beyond with special needs kids. And I'll be checking out the special interests section now, too... hadn't thought of that. :) I guess we won't need to bring our trick or treat bags, either! How convenient :)

 

Here is a post that I wrote about our experiences with cruising with a son with AS.

 

Cruising with a Special Needs Child

 

As the mother of a son with a form of Autism, we have cruised for over 10 years (starting when he was 5, almost 6 years old). When we first started cruising with him, there was not much known about Autism and the wide spectrum it contains.

 

There are some recommendations that I, as a Mom, would give any parent considering cruising for the first time with a child with Autism.

 

First and foremost, know your child! Know what they can and can not handle and keep these limitations in mind when planning this vacation.

 

The planning starts when you book your cruise. Contact the “special needs” department of your cruise line. With Carnival, it is

 

specialneeds@carnival.com.

 

Think about all the considerations your child will need. Again, (and I will say this many times) we (as parents) must be realistic. No cruise line is going to provide one on one care. No cruise line’s Children’s Camp can keep a child that is violent or aggressive towards the other children. The cruise line must take the safety and well being of the other children into consideration.

 

However, fortunately, that is just about the only limitations. Again, all references from now on will be about Camp Carnival, since this is the only cruise line we have cruised on with him.

 

Some considerations are as follows:

 

For us, our son can not sleep in an Upper. So it is important that we book a cabin that has a couch/bed (along with the two twins) or book a ship where a cot is allowed. Some of the newer Carnival ships do not allow cots to be brought in.

 

Another consideration for us is our table in the formal dining room. Our son is not comfortable eating around a lot of strangers. We get a table for four (for our family) to accommodate him. We always get the early (5:45pm) dinner seating. Try to keep your routine as close to “home” as possible. If eating with others is not a problem, then simply let the folks know the first night that your child has a form of autism and what to expect. That makes everyone comfortable right from the start.

 

 

Another consideration may be the “age group” your child is placed in. If your child is 9 and you know they are not ready for that age group, you can request they be placed in the 6 -8 age group. However, make sure you get this in writing from the special needs department.

 

Whatever accommodations need to be made for your child, be sure to list them completely.

 

 

Unless you live very near a port, travel to the cruise will require a tiring drive or an airline flight. Both can take its toll.

 

I always recommend driving or flying in a day ahead. This way, your child has a chance to rest up before boarding the ship. Embarkation can be a very stressful time for a child that does not deal with chaos well. Some cruise lines (like RCCL ) may offer a “disability” check in like they do with older folks in wheelchairs. We have never had to ask for this, because we are Platinum and get VIP Check In automatically. Generally, they will allow the disabled person (or child) and one attendant (parent or guardian) to go through VIP with them. If VIP is going to be necessary for your child, I would make sure I have it IN WRITING from the Special Needs Department. That will mean less confusion on Embarkation Day.

 

Once you are on the ship, the cabins are generally ready by 1:30pm. This is an excellent time to familiarize your child with their new living arrangements for the next week. If your child is tired, a nice nap may be in order. Our son always takes a nap for about an hour after we arrive. Once he has done that, then he is ready to leisurely walk around the ship and get familiar with it. I can not stress enough how important it is for the parents not to get overly excited during this time. My husband and I take a very low key approach and keep a very calm manner.

 

Your next hurdle will be the Muster Drill around 4PM. Again, any time there are a large crowd of people and chaos, this may trigger some anxiety. RCCL has a special location for children with Autism. I do not know if Carnival does. We have always just handled it ourselves. I look and see where our Muster Station is. If it is where we are simply going to be seated…like a large lounge or theater…then we arrive early to get a spot near the door. Our son prefers being by the door. If it is where we are going to be standing outside against a wall, then we wait to the very last minute.

 

Our son usually wants to go back to the cabin after the Muster Drill to relax and calm down. We always have the early dinner seating 5:45PM, so going back to the cabin gives him a chance to get ready for dinner.

 

Depending on the age of your child, Camp Carnival orientation is usually around 7pm.

 

Club O2 (15-17) generally meets up around 5:00pm.

 

If your child is in Camp Carnival, I recommend that the parent attend the orientation and fill out the one page information sheet. This is where you reiterate the needs your child will have. These counselors do not know your child, so you must be specific. The more you tell them about your child, the better equipped the counselors will be to handle whatever situation may occur. These orientations are generally full of kids and can be chaotic, so I used to attend and have my husband stay outside the door with our son until it was over. Then I would bring our son in and introduce him to his counselor.

 

Again, this is where parents must be realistic. For example: when our son was Camp Carnival age, he LOVED the Swim Parties they would have. The water was over his head and he could not swim. The counselors offered to take him, but I felt that was putting an undue burden on them with so many other children to watch. So, I would go with him. That way, he got to attend these Swim Parties he loved so much and the counselors did not have the added burden of watching a special needs child that could not swim. I was there to watch him.

 

Over the years, the counselors and I have worked together to provide the best and safest cruising environment that we could. Again, they can not provide one on one care. And they can not care of a child that will harm other children. But, other than those two restrictions, Camp Carnival has exceeded our expectations time and time again.

 

Later on during the evening on Embarkation Day, generally around 8:30pm, Camp Carnival has a Sail Away Party. This is for children AND their parents. And it gives a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to get to know their counselors a little better. However, there is loud music and a lot of chaos…as parties for kids can be…so we always hung out by the door. Depending on your child’s level of tolerance for chaos…you can decide how “involved” you want them to be in this celebration. However, afterward, do take one more opportunity to have your child talk with the counselor they will have.

 

Camp Carnival starts at 9AM the next morning. And this first day is really a matter of playing it by ear. Camp Carnival (and I am sure other cruise lines) have the beepers so that the parents can be reached at any time. There is a deposit that is fully refunded when the beeper is returned and no charge (at least on Carnival) for this service.

 

I can only relate the experience our son has had. The counselors have always been attentive. Our son has panic attacks around mascots and after Funship Freddie was introduced in 2003, we thought we would have to stop cruising. But the counselors worked with us to assure as little exposure to FF as possible…and they still do. We have actually been able to use this cruising experience as a learning tool to teach our son how to remove himself SAFELY when a mascot appears. And now he has learned that he can be on the same ship as Funship Freddie and still have a good time. Each cruise has our son watching FF more and more. He still won’t get near him, but now he can view him from a distance without panicking.

 

Usually by the first day, we are on a good schedule that allows for our son and ourselves to have a wonderful cruise. Now he is 16 and goes to Club O2 and I can not praise those directors enough. This is an awkward age for any child, much less one with special needs and these directors have performed nothing short of miracles. On more than one cruise, our special needs son has gotten to be a “normal kid” for an entire week…thanks to the hard work of the Club O2 director, the entertainment staff, the Camp Carnival staff and the Cruise Director.

 

It has been a few years since our son was in Camp Carnival and I know there are probably some additional tips and hints that I have forgotten…so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at musicalcruiser@hotmail.com .