First Camp Carnival experience for 2.5 yr old

[sddeva]

Hi,

 

I'm going on a 3 day cruise on the Elation with my husband and son. My son is 2.5, and this will be our first cruise where he is old enough for Camp Carnival. I'm looking for info on what to expect...I couldn't find a lot on the Carnival site.

 

I'm wondering how they group the kids together by age, and what kinds of activities they'll have for him. I'm a little worried about the separation, since he's rarely been watched by anyone but me...but when he is watched by someone else he does fine as long as he has fun things to play with.

 

Thanks for any info!

[crusinmama06]

I keep some of the camp carnival capers at the link in my signature.....

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Camp%20Carnival%20Capers/?start=all

 

He will be in the 2-5 year old group. My youngest loves camp carnival. They do everything from coloring backpacks to making t-shirts. Bubble dance parties. Doing build a buddies (like build a bear, additional charge applies). Meeting fun ship freddy.

 

They also have kid camp dinners at the Lido deck buffet. They block the area off for the kids and have kid friendly buffet foods.

 

I am sure he will have a blast.

[ata1976]

DS was 2y3m for his first experience w/ Camp Carnival. He loved the first night orientation when we were there. :rolleyes:

We went and dropped him off the first morning and that lasted about 30 minutes before they called and said come get him. He was crying and wanted his mommy. They said we could try again and bring him back a different day, but we never did.

DS is definitely a momma's boy. My mom watched him until he was 19 months then he started at daycare. He cried for about 4-6 weeks every morning. I made DH take him instead of me because it just upset me.

 

DS will be 3y3m on the next cruise and we are already talking about going on the big boat and playing with new friends and toys. :D Hopefully it works out a little better this year.

[lucigo]

My son has been on Carnival 9x, and I can tell you once he started preschool it was much easier. His first time after age 2 was on the conquest and it was a pretty big area. They allowed one of my older kids to sit with him and play with a toy for a while to get him comfortable, but it really still didn't last too long. The next time was on the Celebration. The kids area on that ship was in the back and just below a sundeck so I was able to hang out there and watch the wake and relax while I watched the stairs for my then escape artist to emerge. He never did thank goodness, but he did scream until they figured out he loved video games..and then they let him play computer games and video games and he was happy. After he started preschool at age 3 (because he has autism) he did much better and actually enjoyed playing in CC.

 

My suggestion to you is that if he has a favorite toy go ahead and bring it. They will give you a cell phone so if they have any problems they can get ahold of you. Each child is different. If he is used to being away from you it probably won't be a problem. Bring some toys for him to play with in your room, a portable DVD player, and some table toys for dinner just in case he doesn't want to leave you.

 

Another suggestion for you...the cabin door are easy to open, they have a bar that you just pull down and it opens. Even if locked they still open from the inside. Even "normal" kids at this age remember where the pool is or the ice cream bar and may try to wander be careful to put something in front of the door if you are in the shower or sleeping, etc.

[sddeva]

Thanks for the tips!

 

The Carnival Capers were especially helpful. I noticed that it looks like Camp Carnival is closed for a while around dinnertime. We requested the early seating, but I'm wondering now if we should switch to late seating. We'd like to leave our son at Camp Carnival so we can have "alone" dinners (assuming he is enjoying camp), but it looks like camp may be closed during the early seating?

[crzgrl66]

My advice is to just be flexible. It has been 3 years since our 4 day Carnival Cruise so things may have changed, but my DS who was 2yr8mos at the time did not enjoy it. If your little one is not used to a daycare setting then I would have the first visit be very short, maybe 20 minutes. If he does okay with that then you can lengthen the time. I totally agree with PP, bring toys and favorite movies with you. You will have a great time, just maybe not as relaxing as you imagine.

[Tgianco]

2 things I would recommend for the OP:

 

1. Have someone babysit your boy, just to get him used to others watching him. Go on a date night or catch a summer matinee.

2. Go to the Orientation the first day. We went there first thing (before lunch in the Lido, etc), checked him in, introduced our boy to the staff and played with him in Camp Carnival.

 

Not that there weren't a couple of challenging drop offs, but they can get a hold of you. The hours are 9-Noon, 2-5 and 7-10, so you'll see your son a lot but get a good amount of adult time, too. The hours are extended for the ports if you're off the boat.

 

Some are skittish about leaving their kids on the ship, but everyone at Camp Carnival are very well-trained, seem great with the kids and (pretty sure about this) CPR-certified. Personally, I felt better leaving my kids on the ship than taking them off in a foreign port.

[NanciRDH]

You've already gotten some good advice here, but I'll second all of it. 2 of my 3 kids started cruising on Carnival at age 2, the other was older, but she was a tough kid, so we didn't cruise when she was younger. All of them loved camp more than being with the family, even if it meant missing pool time, how weird is that? lol We've always made family dinner a priority, but would rush the youngest one a bit, and one of the grownups would run her to camp between courses, and we'd enjoy dessert and coffee by ourselves. Knowing what you'd like them to eat, and ordering it immediately helps, just let your waiter know the first night, and they'll do this for you no problem.

[Kingisacruiser]

Thanks for the tips!

 

The Carnival Capers were especially helpful. I noticed that it looks like Camp Carnival is closed for a while around dinnertime. We requested the early seating, but I'm wondering now if we should switch to late seating. We'd like to leave our son at Camp Carnival so we can have "alone" dinners (assuming he is enjoying camp), but it looks like camp may be closed during the early seating?

 

Looking at the Capers (so graciously provided by cruisinmama06). The 2-5 year olds eat dinner between 6 pm and 6:45 pm. So don't change your seating.

 

Cruisinmama06-Thank you for the capers. I am contemplating 3 of the 4 kids in CC. Two would be in the 2-5 y/o group, 1 would be with the 12-14 year olds and one would stay with us (too young to attend). The activities look interesting (especially for the 2-5 year olds). I was wondering how I would entertain them on the at sea days)

[crusinmama06]

Thanks for the tips!

 

The Carnival Capers were especially helpful. I noticed that it looks like Camp Carnival is closed for a while around dinnertime. We requested the early seating, but I'm wondering now if we should switch to late seating. We'd like to leave our son at Camp Carnival so we can have "alone" dinners (assuming he is enjoying camp), but it looks like camp may be closed during the early seating?

 

You could switch to late seating but what if he doesn't like Camp Carnival? Then he will be forced to go to dinner with you from 8pm - 10pm and if he is anything like my kids, by that time he will be too overly tired to sit through the meal if necessary.

 

Since you don't know how he'll react to Camp, I would leave the dinning time at early dining. The kid meals starts at 6pm sometimes. So chances are, if he likes it, you can just go drop him off at the kid dinners and head off the early dining on your own. But if he doesn't like it, then you are stuck bringing him to a late meal - which won't be enjoyable for anyone. :(

 

Cruisinmama06-Thank you for the capers. I am contemplating 3 of the 4 kids in CC. Two would be in the 2-5 y/o group, 1 would be with the 12-14 year olds and one would stay with us (too young to attend). The activities look interesting (especially for the 2-5 year olds). I was wondering how I would entertain them on the at sea days)

 

On sea days, as Tink so elequently expressed, my kids beg to go to Camp Carnival and I have to beg them to come back out and go to the pool with me. :eek: On Sea Days, we go to breakfast as a family, the kids go up to Camp Carnival. I pick them up for lunch, then they want to go back to camp. I pick them up in the afternoon, go to the pool and then get ready for dinner. At which point they ask to go to camp, again. :cool:

 

The only problem you are going to run into is that Carnival doesn't have pool facilities for babies in diapers. So since you said you have one "too young to attend", you would have to consider bringing a blow up tub or pool for the baby to splash around in on sea days.

[jam82]

I know I will be in the minority on this one, but we ALWAYS do late seating with our 2 year old. However, 8:15 is about dinner time at home. As an infant we brought him with and fed him. He was usually good and by that I mean he was quiet and didn't bother others. Now, he usually goes to camp during most of the hours it is open. He loves it. He doesn't go to daycare and has never had a babysitter aside from Grandma and Grandpa. Each child is different. I am waiting for the day we show up at CC and he has a fit. I hope it never comes, but I won't be surprised if it does.

[Kingisacruiser]

You could switch to late seating but what if he doesn't like Camp Carnival? Then he will be forced to go to dinner with you from 8pm - 10pm and if he is anything like my kids, by that time he will be too overly tired to sit through the meal if necessary.

 

Since you don't know how he'll react to Camp, I would leave the dinning time at early dining. The kid meals starts at 6pm sometimes. So chances are, if he likes it, you can just go drop him off at the kid dinners and head off the early dining on your own. But if he doesn't like it, then you are stuck bringing him to a late meal - which won't be enjoyable for anyone. :(

 

 

 

On sea days, as Tink so elequently expressed, my kids beg to go to Camp Carnival and I have to beg them to come back out and go to the pool with me. :eek: On Sea Days, we go to breakfast as a family, the kids go up to Camp Carnival. I pick them up for lunch, then they want to go back to camp. I pick them up in the afternoon, go to the pool and then get ready for dinner. At which point they ask to go to camp, again. :cool:

 

The only problem you are going to run into is that Carnival doesn't have pool facilities for babies in diapers. So since you said you have one "too young to attend", you would have to consider bringing a blow up tub or pool for the baby to splash around in on sea days.

 

The baby will have just turned 1 by the July trip and 1 1/2 for the November trip. So he will definitely be in diapers (unless I master that technique,where children are trained by 6 mos). So since that won't happen can you tell me a little bit about the blow up pool. How big should it be? Do I bring it and place it next to the pool while I am in the pool? How do I fill it with water? I'm sorry if these seem like lame questions.

[jrcuel]

By our August cruise our 2+ yr old foster daughter will be 2.5 years old. She spends weekdays with my mother and kids she watches. In July she will spend most weekdays with DW who is quitting her the job. The plan is for her to go to the local Y kids program for a couple of hours while we workout. Hopefully she will get used to being with different people and will not have an issue with CC. The issue for her is she does not do well with men until a long while after getting to know them. She will eat with us except the Supper Club. She has been taught how to behave when eating out. Any acting out and she leaves the dning room until she settles down. Nothing worse then a nice meal being interrupted by a screaming crying child who is not removed.

[GOLDENBONNY]

I keep some of the camp carnival capers at the link in my signature.....

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Camp%20Carnival%20Capers/?start=all

 

He will be in the 2-5 year old group. My youngest loves camp carnival. They do everything from coloring backpacks to making t-shirts. Bubble dance parties. Doing build a buddies (like build a bear, additional charge applies). Meeting fun ship freddy.

 

They also have kid camp dinners at the Lido deck buffet. They block the area off for the kids and have kid friendly buffet foods.

 

I am sure he will have a blast.

 

 

how dose it work?kids choose food by themselfs and how they bring it to table?I really worried about it ,my DD will be 2.3

[RENMama]

Our daughter will be almost 2.5yo at time of her first cruise. She doesnt go to daycare but I do go to the gym several days a week and she LOVES childcare there. Im not worried as I know she does okay without us and enjoys other kids.

 

If you have a shy child or a child who is in daycare now and unhappy (cries alot or has difficulty with seperation), then camp carnival probably is not going to be the place for them. I dont think a child temperment really changes much just because they are on vacation. :)

 

However, dont be afraid to TRY out the kids camps on board. The caregivers really are good and will NOT let an unhappy child go hours being unhappy. They WILL page you. Its not fair to the scared child, to the caregivers or to the other kids to let them cry.

We tried after hours care on the boys last cruise and our overtired toddler would not calm down. They gave him about 20 minutes and that was it.

[calikak]

I'm taking my just barely 2-year-old on the Splendor next month and will post back with suggestions after that. He's currently in daycare 5 days a week, so I'm not expecting extreme melt-downs, especially if there are toys he likes (anything with wheels will do these days). But if the meltdowns do happen, we will just roll with it and make other plans. We did an NCL cruise last fall when he was too young for the kids' club and it was an AWESOME vacation, so I am sure we'll make this one a great trip too regardless of how he likes the club.