Camp Carnival Phone Tip....

[my $.02]

Not sure if any of you do this but we found it to be REALLY conveinent on the last cruise.

 

Our sone was 2 and they gave us a phone to carry with us when we brought him the 1st day. Well, the phone actually works just like the ship's crew phones. THey have an actual extension and can be called from anywhere on the ship just by dialing the extension.

 

So, when wife would be by the pool, and i was with my son taking a nap, I would just call her to see where she was at. Same if I went out at night and wife was with son in room, always in touch.

 

Also, I THINK you can rent these from the ourser desk even if not in camp programs.

[TXHillbillyGirl]

So, you can keep the phone even when your child is not at camp? You just have to sign up for it?

We will have a 5 year old in camp and the phone sound like a nice thing to have.

Can you explain more about it?

[SnowWhiteNYC]

Thanks for the tip. We will be on the Dream in August with our new family, that sounds like it would be really helpful!

[crusinmama06]

Yes, this tip works for people traveling on Royal Caribean too. It will only work on those traveling on Carnival DREAM until Carnival upgrades the entire fleet to Dect Phones.

 

Let me explan. :D

 

Dect phones work like cell phones - sort of. They allow you to dial an extention - just like my $.02 said.

 

If you have a child in Camp Carnival in the 2-5 year old age group and you are traveling on Carnival DREAM - then they are using the Dect Phones to keep in touch with the parents.

 

On the older Carnival ships (haven't heard if Carnival has upgraded yet on any other ships yet, so if you have recently cruised and know they have upgraded, then please let us know) -- I think they are still using the beeper system on the older ship, so the above suggestion won't work.

 

I have had a chance to use the DECT phones on the RCCL ships, and they are pretty handy. So I would be interested to know if Carnival is allowing them to be rented at the pursers desk. If anyone knows, please post your experience. :D:D:D And price. :)

[TheresaR]

The only info I found about these phones on Carnival's Web site said they're for kids 2 and under enrolled in the kids clubs. Couldn't find anything that indicated you could rent them. Bumer - I was thinking this would be a great way to give my older kids a little freedom while still being able to keep track of them.

[Jasonmom]

I left my phone on the floor of CampCarnival when I bent to put my son's shoes on. I went back and they said they could not find it and i would have to pay for it (costs alot don't ya know). I went to their front desk and called my extension and guess what......ring...ring...ring. Guess it could have been an honest mistake.

[FabFam4]

They had the phones on Carnival Legend and the worked great for calling the cabin. They are primarily for families with very young kids in the camp but other parents got them when they requested them.

[Smithkids5521]

I hope all of the ships get the phones mentioned here. Everything that I have read about only mentions the beepers being given to parents (they would beep you if your child is crying and wants to leave, needs diaper change, etc).

 

I have heard of walkie talkies being rented, but not the phones. Perhaps if the ships will be upgrading to the dect phones, they will also offer them for rent instead of walkie talkies.

 

Take care,

Diana

[kr8z]

They gave us beepers on past Carnival cruises. We are hitting the Splendor in a couple of weeks and they have the phones. They are given to parents of kids ages 5 and under, or if you have a special needs child enrolled in camp.

[MyMoses]

Yep, we were just on the Splendor and had the cell phone too. I agree it was a nice way for dh and I to keep in touch too. Yes, you get the phone the first night and keep it for the duration of the cruise.

[YOWmom]

When we were on the Glory in January they were still using pagers, but one of the Camp Carnival staff told me that after this month's drydock they would be upgrading to the cell phones, so they should have them by now too.

[MNmomof4]

Carnival Sensation had phones identical to the ones on the Dream. They give them to the 2-5yr old group. It did come in handy on the ship. Luckily we never did get a call from Camp Carnival.

[my $.02]

We recieved our phone ont he first morning we dropped our DS off at camp, kept it the entire cruise.

 

They do say there is a $150 deposit, but it was never charged to our account.

 

As far as being able to get these from the purser desk, i could be mistaken but beleive i read about this as one of those "inside tips".

[highbridge5]

I got a phone when I checked in my 4 yo the first time and kept it the rest of the cruise. Never used it but the extention for CC was on a sticker on the back and they told me that it worked just like a house or room phone. I left it on and the battery got low and they traded it for another phone with a full battery.

 

hb5

[my $.02]

about charging on the DREAM....

 

They give you a charger to use. It is a standard plug in type just like a cell phone. Cherged it each night.

[crusinmama06]

My mind is MUSH. :rolleyes:

 

I had a DECT phone on CARNIVAL TRIUMPH last June. I had to go back and look at my review, but sure enough, there it is -- I had a phone.

 

So there's another ship using the phones. Sorry. ;)

[kidsfun]

We got a phone on Carnival Elation in December. They said they were for parents of 2-3 year olds. Wish I had thought to use it as OP suggested! Only thing, you had to have it w/ you when you checked the kids in, so one more thing to remember.

[babymomma]

We had a phone for my then 2 year old son on the Destiny in Sept. of 2009. we did not have to have the phone with us as long as we knew the # to sign him in with. I liked the phone idea so they can call you and tell you what is wrong. It may not be a big deal just the fact that the child had an acident and needs new clothes then you can take what is needed to cc and drop them off or change the child quickly then having to take the child all they way back to your cabin then back to cc. If your child likes cc like my son does. He is already asking to go to camp carnival and our Sept. cruise was his first cruise.

[md10074]

So are these phones only for the younger kids? The reason I ask is that my daughter , who will have just turned 7 at the time of the cruise, suffers from horrible anxiety. If she's around people she doesn't know, she won't talk except for maybe a word or two, just nods her head. Sometimes she's ok around other kids though, which is why I want her to try the camp. But how will I know if her anxiety kicks in and she's crying and wants to leave?

[crusinmama06]

md10074 - during orientation, go and explain exactly what you wrote here. Usually, yes, they are for the 2-5 year old age group. But they may make an exception in your case. If they don't, then you may want to ask if you can 1) rent them or 2) just check in with the camp frequently to make sure she is ok - maybe even as much as every 30 minutes on the first day, just make sure you hang back and she doesn't see you. Just peek in on her. ;) I tend to do that a lot. It puts MY mind at ease. :D

[md10074]

Thank you. I'll do that.

[2112]

They gave us a phone (with a charger) on the Carnival Valor last November for my 3 year old.

[ddgleason]

We are on Elation in 2 weeks. It seems as if most posters that got the phone had a 2 or 3 year old. My youngest will be 5. If they give them for that age group, would we automatically get one? Or do we ask since he is at the top of the age group? Someone said on the Elation they are only for the 2 or 3 year olds. Anyone know for sure? I will probably ask when we board anyway. (I really hope we get one!)

[lds26]

We were on the Freedom in November and we were also given a cell phone to use when we were on and off the ship. Our sons called us when they wanted to go and the staff was fine allowing them to call.

[ericrz]

On the Legend last week, we were told that all parents of 2-5 year olds get the phones, then parents of 6-9 year olds get them on an "availability basis" -- basically first come, first serve until they run out.

 

Great invention, and yes they work just like the crew phones. Can be called from any house phone on the ship.

 

What I didn't like is that our daughter was upset one night, and the Camp staff called our cabin phone (of course, we weren't in the cabin!) for half an hour before calling our cell phone. Whoops!