Just got back from the Diamond......

....and the amazing thing is that I actually don't feel like I need another vacation to recuperate from this one. It was nice and relaxing.

 

I'll post my review when I get my kids settled--they are asking for food!!!!

I think I have forgotten how to cook!

 

But do post questions about the Diamond. I have Kid's patters for all 4 age groups. Mind you, these on-board activities are specific for Alaska cruises, not for the Mexican cruises, but I doubt basic activities will change too much. The kids' program people I talked to said that as less kids get on board in later sailings, they'll adjust the kids' programs according to the number of kids on board.

 

On this particular sailing, we had over 200 children under 17. 22 were between the ages of 3-5.

 

I'll post again later.

 

 

Jennifer

Welcome home, can't you just send the kids up to the Horizo.....oh sorry!

Nice to come home and and not ned another vacation. Looking forward to your review.

Welcome back Merela, we are in Seattle waiting for Sapphire and already starting our reviews.

Merela, could you please tell me the age breakdown for the groups??? Will be travelling with our 4&7 year in November and would appreciate any info incl the basic activities!!! What night (and how many nights) did they take the children for dinner - also what time??? (planning planning planning)

 

Thanks very much appreciated

 

Jane

Merela, what night were the kids' club dinners?

Welcome home!!

 

Can't wait to read your review. We are booked with another family to go on the Sapphire next summer up to Alaska. We will have 4 kids with us (ages 10, 11 and two 13 year olds). Would love all the info for the kids that you can share.

 

Evie

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=77384

 

 

I've also posted the answer to questions about kid's club here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=76417

 

Kid's dinner is 4th night (Skagway) and Pizza and Pasta night is the 6th day (Ketchikan-2nd formal night). It's from 7pm-8pm. But all kids' club opens from 7pm-10pm daily, but closes for dinner between 5pm-7pm. So you can essentially make dinner reservation everyday after 7pm if you don't want to eat with your children. Just bring them up to the kid's club at 7pm. You can always take them to Horizon court yourself around 5:30pm. I think most children under 6 will get hungry before 7pm anyway.

 

You can arrange for group babysitting after 10pm on formal nights. I think that's fee based.

 

I have a 2.5YO and a 5YO, so I don't know the dynamics of kids' club involving early teens, but teenagers make friends easily and they tend to stay in groups. Many teenagers carry their room cards on a lanyard around their necks. Many have soft drink sticker on their room cards. They do roam the ship by themselves. I think the ship is very safe since no alcohol is served to people under 21. Once they are in the kids' club, they can't leave unless a parent or someone their parents' have designated sign them out. Each parent will get a beeper to carry with him/her when they sign their child into the kids' club.

 

Let me outline some of the activities of each age group:

 

Pelicans 3-5

 

Paint t-shirts

Make paer bag puppets

Mini-olympics

free play

ice cream time

make bear and moose masks

sponge paint a bear,

marching bands

freeze dance

candy hunt (my DD's favorite)

storytime

Eskimo fishing

playdough creations

potato heads

colouring contests

ball pit fun--find stickers

sing songs

outdoor playtime

kid's disco

simon says

pj party

blow bubbles

mural mania

create an iceberg

make glacier worms

I spy games

candyland games

face painting

mummy wrap

make door hangers

making bead accessories

ice painting

card games

ice cream party

Lego challenge

board games

tricycling

photo opportunity

Movies "Mermaid" "Nemo"

bubble time

 

Pirateers 6-9

 

t-shirt painting

Movies "Scooby Doo 2"

Karaoke

jungle gym time

golf putting

ice cream party

games galore

making picture frames

ping pong challenge

write post cards

celebrity heads

deck games

body language

bingo

kids disco

making glacier worms

crab soccer

Uno

paper airplane competition

colouring contests

making beads

basketball and outside time

PJ party

Disney trivia

dodge ball

caricatures

pictionary

Jenga challenge

outside time

mini Olympics

ping pong challenge

last chance crafts

photo opportunity

 

 

Pirateers 10-13

 

t-shirt painting

Movie "Spiderman"

walk a mile

basketball shoot out

build your own rollercoaster

making Beadie babies

checkers and chess tournament

ice cream break

Princess pirateer Idol

Celebrity heads

Casino night (horse racing and black jack)

breakfast club

putt putt golf

Disney trivia

postcard writing

Taboo

Battle of the Sexes

Body language

name that Tune

chill out-jukebox time

Dance party

glacier watching

Spoons

Origami

Pictionary

Ping Pong

Chocolate bar trivia

Truth or Dare Jenga

Team games

Jewlery making

Game show night

Perfect friends

Pirateer feud

Princess pyramids

Twister

Caricatures

shuffle board/giant chess

Lanyards and keychains

Golf chipping

bingo

games

last chance crafts

crab soccer

card shark

e-mail exchange

photo opportunity

 

 

13-17 (Rap Sheets)

 

ice breaker

scavenger hunt

teens rule (disco/dance) 10:30pm-1am (Off Limits until 1am every night)

tour of the ship

scattergories

Jewlery making

basketball shootout

chocolate bar trivia

PS2 challenge on the big screen

Golf putting and ping pong

Outburst

Casino night

Dance party

hot chocolate and donut

game time

under the stars activities

Teen feud

Princess teen idol (talent show)

Celebrity heads

Pool volleyball

hot tub party

pictionary/playdoh

The dating game

Breakfast club (at 9am)

Disney trivia

golf chiping

making Lanyards or keychains

scavenger hunt

name that tune

Mafia

Taboo

Movie and Pizza night "50 First Dates"

Card games

Truth or dare Jenga

Battle of the Sexes

Princess Pyramids

Chess or checkers challenge

Sardines

Cranium

Spoons

Craft

Farewell dinner (8:30pm last night Victoria)

Games

e-mail exchange

paint t-shirts

 

-------------

I have no idea what some of those games are--what the heck are Spoons?!

 

Anyways, I didn't post every single item listed on the Kid's patters, but these will give you some ideas of whether your child will likely to participate in kids' club.

 

If your child make friends easily, they'll have tons of fun on board.

 

 

 

HTH.

 

Jennifer

 

p.s please post if you have any more questions.

My 8 year old loved the Kid's Club on the Diamond - especially the karoke and disco night. She is very outgoing and makes friends very easily. Just the opposite my 12 year old son only visited the Kid's Club a few times - he is alittle shy and more reserved, doesn't really like group activities - enjoyed exploring the ship on his own and hanging out with us. He really liked being able to go get pizza and pop whenever he felt like it!

I think alot depends on your own child's personality.

Thanks for the great review. We're doing a family cruise on the Sapphire Princess February 4 with our 6 year old granddaughter.

I thought I was reading a new review and discovered that this one is over a year old. ????

Hi Merela...I was wondering if you had the Patters for the Kids Zone...Pelican Princess in particular. I have a 4 yr old and I was trying to tell her about all the activities. We are going to Alaska and she is getting excited but apprehensive. Thank you so much! This really helps to have a parent put this on for other parents to see! :)

Cessna - this thread is from 2004 - I don't think the info you're looking for will be current!!!