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Less structured kids clubs


momto2js
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We have cruised on many lines and for the most part the kids programs have offered a good diversion and the ability for the adults to take a mid-afternoon sea day nap. Most recently we have cruised on NCL and for my youngest (now 8) it has been a total miss. The NCL program is so structured, and if you don't like it... well tough. My kids day to day lives are pretty structured so on vacation they want a little more flexibility and down time.

 

We are considering a last minute trip on Oasis this fall. Do you find the kids program on RCI more flexible? Do the kids have some choices if they don't like the main activity?

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I think it all depends on how busy they are and how many kids are in the program. In my 2 cruise experiences with RC they had a bit flexibility but overall they are responsible for your child. They may let them sit out a game or something. There was free time as well so they could draw, play ges etc...

 

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Disney has one of the LEAST "structured" clubs going.... if that's out of the budget, then your child doesn't have to stay in the club when they aren't doing something to suit them! RCI puts out a kid's newsletter, so you know what activities there will be each day in the clubs.

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Disney has a huge age range (3-12) so their clubs are the most unstructured, as CB has stated.

 

I was on Princess with my 2 year old son when there were only 9 children onboard. The kids club staff told me they needed to be extremely structured during the previous cruise, since it was over christmas and there were 150 kids on board. They said they were glad we'd sailed on this one since they had time to help my son. For our sailing, they had a lot of free time so they were able to give him support to help him do whatever it was he was interested in. There were set arts and crafts and activities, but if a child wanted to do something else they were more than welcome to make that choice.

 

I'd make sure that you are sailing during the school year, and then things will be calmer and they will have more time to help your child.

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  • 1 month later...

My 5yos at the time really enjoyed the kids club on MSC (Divina). They women they had working it were fantastic. Physically it wasnt has impressive as NCL or obviously Disney, BUT they had a wide range of things kids could do and when my daughter just wanted to chill and do crafts they could do that too. May favorite part is THEY take the kids to the shows in the theatre every night. My kids had better seats than i did most nights. They kids got their faces painted and made crafts to decorate themselves in the theme of the show, and would walk through the ship hand in hand singing all the way the theatre. as they made their way through lounges and hallways everyone would clap for them. My kids really enjoyed it and I was impressed with the staff they had. Don't discount MSC for a family...oh and kids sail free...always :)

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  • 10 months later...
We have cruised on many lines and for the most part the kids programs have offered a good diversion and the ability for the adults to take a mid-afternoon sea day nap. Most recently we have cruised on NCL and for my youngest (now 8) it has been a total miss. The NCL program is so structured, and if you don't like it... well tough. My kids day to day lives are pretty structured so on vacation they want a little more flexibility and down time.

 

We are considering a last minute trip on Oasis this fall. Do you find the kids program on RCI more flexible? Do the kids have some choices if they don't like the main activity?

 

 

We were on the Oasis this past summer and their kid's club is GREAT! We had tons of time without our daughter - not that we got rid of her ... she WANTED to go. The kids club even will take them to dinner as long as you have them checked in by 4:30. One cool thing we discovered is that after dark, you can go to the front port side hall that passes the kids club, there is a door to the balcony which is over the bridge. Not only is this a great way to see the front of the ship, go out on the wings of the ship, and see the ocean, (but it's windy), but you can see into the kids' club, but the kids cannot see out. Great way to check in on your kiddos, without them seeing you!!! ;p;pMy 8 year old had a blast and asked to stay late (after 10 it's $7/hour or something like that). Totally worth it if you want to go to a late show or something. Have a great time - and tell Lady O we miss her!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

We had a "meh" reaction from our kids at the RC kids club. We were travelling with my boys (then 7 and 9) and my nieces (then 6 and 8), and they went once and didn't want to go back to kids club. It was all structured play with games and lots of fun stuff going on, but I think they just wanted to hang out with cousins and chillax together. So... it was a swing and a miss. This same group of kids couldn't get enough of the Princess kids club - they LOVED it and begged to go back all the time. Disney was also a winner with this same group.

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