Ocean Adventure club questions

[jandjfun]

I am taking my grandaughter (5 yrs) on her first cruise. I am sure she will want to go to the kids club. I have accepted the idea but I have some questions.

We are going on the Mariner May 16th in case this matters.

 

I read that parents of 4 yr olds and younger get beepers, but I want one too. I want her to be able to get ahold of me anytime she wants. How do I make sure I get one?

 

When do they have the orientation for the kids club? I know it's the first day/night, but when? I won't have a schedule until I get to the room, and I don't want to miss the orientation.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give me. I have never cruised with a child before and quite frankly, I am a little nervous.

[Gator0178]

I am taking my grandaughter (5 yrs) on her first cruise. I am sure she will want to go to the kids club. I have accepted the idea but I have some questions.

We are going on the Mariner May 16th in case this matters.

 

I read that parents of 4 yr olds and younger get beepers, but I want one too. I want her to be able to get ahold of me anytime she wants. How do I make sure I get one?

 

When do they have the orientation for the kids club? I know it's the first day/night, but when? I won't have a schedule until I get to the room, and I don't want to miss the orientation.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give me. I have never cruised with a child before and quite frankly, I am a little nervous.

 

I have cruise several times with my 2 kids. Most recently in Jan of this year. All you need to do is ask and they will give you a beeper. You will have to sign for it because if you lose it, they will charge your seapass card for it.

 

When you board the ship there will be a kids table where they will give your GD a arm band and have you sign her up for the kids program. This last cruise we didn't go to a "orientation". We just showed up at the kids' program the first night.

 

Relax, she'll love it!

[jandjfun]

great! I want to go to the orientation because I have never done the "kid cruise" before, and I don't want her to miss anything.

So as soon as we board we will go to a kids table then right?

[brenderlou]

Yes, as you board, you will be directed to the kids table so your granddaughter gets her wrist band that she must wear the entire cruise (shows the muster station in case of an emergency). We have never been able to sign our daughter up for camp at this table, just get the wrist band....but people from Adventure Ocean are working the table to let you know about orientation hrs, etc.

When you get to your cabin, you'll also have a kids cruise compass for her age group with all the info as well for day 1 (and you'll get one every day of the cruise along w/ your cruise compass).

We were on the Jewel a couple of weeks ago and orientation was in the evening at 8:00pm, where you met all the counselors and we signed up our daughter for camp. It ws a mad house with all the tired parents & kids. You really aren't missing anything except listening to all the counselors talk about themselves and thier education. Everything you need to know is on the kids compass and you can sign up your granddaughter the 1s time she goes to camp which is alot easier. They do usually just have an "open house" the first day so you can go and see the facilities.

[jandjfun]

OK great!! Thanks so much for the help. I am an experienced cruiser, but this kids stuff is all new to me!! :eek:

And don't worry, I have already explained that the hot tubs are for sitting still and usually only adults, there will be no running around getting in everyones way. And all the rest of the stuff. Just good ol' fun!!!!:D:D

[crusinmama06]

Just to clarify, you can get a pager (or Dect phone, pending on ship) -- you gdaughter is in the youngest group. She'll be in the 3-5 year old group. So you will get a pager (or dect phone) :D

 

The compasses are at the link in my signature. The acitivities are similiar fleetwide. So just look at the age, not necessarily the ship.

[swiss2619]

One of the children in our group cruising on the Explorer this summer will be 2 wks short of 3 years old. He has been in a nursery school setting five days a week this entire past year. Will they allow him in the 3 year old group for Adventure Ocean? He is in a 3 year old group at his regular school now and prior to that was in daycare. I told his parents I would ask all you cc posters first to see if anyone knew. Secondly, do the children have to attend this every day or just the days the parents' wish them to? Thanks for any responses.

swiss

[sailinglisa]

As he is not 3 years old, he will not be allowed in AO.. They are VERY strict on that issue (it's a liabiliity issue and that is what their insurance says). And even if he is 3 y/o, if he is not completely potty trained and self sufficient in toileting, etc., he will not be allowed in A). They must be 3 y/o, completely potty trained and totally self-sufficient. No pull-ups allowed.

[jandjfun]

Just to clarify, you can get a pager (or Dect phone, pending on ship) -- you gdaughter is in the youngest group. She'll be in the 3-5 year old group. So you will get a pager (or dect phone) :D

 

The compasses are at the link in my signature. The acitivities are similiar fleetwide. So just look at the age, not necessarily the ship.

Thank you. I will hope for lots of 5 yr. olds. Seems a little strange to have 3-5 yr olds together. There is a huge difference in their ability. But I am so glad that I would get a pager!!

[crusinmama06]

One of the children in our group cruising on the Explorer this summer will be 2 wks short of 3 years old.

swiss

 

No, sorry. The child must be 3. And actually, even if the child turns 3 on the cruise, then they would wait until the day the child actually turned 3 to allow them into AO. This is why we did the Freedom of the Seas sailing 3 days after my daughter turned 3 and not the one that she did turn 3 on. ;) I knew how strict they were and I booked the cruise accordingly.

 

Thank you. I will hope for lots of 5 yr. olds. Seems a little strange to have 3-5 yr olds together. There is a huge difference in their ability. But I am so glad that I would get a pager!!

 

Well it's not that strange to have 3-5s grouped, on Carnival they have 2-5s ;). The 8 year olds in third grade (6-8 is the next group) might consider the kindergartners "babies" so I guess its all the way you look at things. :D

[Wilda]

Janet, I hear you loud and clear. We took our own kids all over creation and never batted an eyelash...but when it came to traveling with our grandson it is a whole different ballgame for us (responsibility wise) because it is not our child.

 

We did the orientation the first time we cruised with him on Liberty because we wanted to make sure we understood how AO worked. I think it started at 5:30 or 6:00, sometime after the muster. I know we had early dinner seating on that cruise and we did make it to dinner on time. It wasn't extremely informational for us, but it did dispel a bit of the apprehension our 8 year old GS was feeling. After dinner we made our way to AO, met the counselors, played Connect 4, signed him in, and in general got him acclimated with the room. That visit allowed him to meet some of the kids in his group which meant that the next morning there were some familiar faces.

 

We signed him in the next morning and checked back after about 1 1/2 hours and he didn't want to have anything to do with us:D We've had great experiences with the counselors and the programs they offer and typically have to drag him out at the end of every session!

 

Enjoy!

[jandjfun]

No, sorry. The child must be 3. And actually, even if the child turns 3 on the cruise, then they would wait until the day the child actually turned 3 to allow them into AO. This is why we did the Freedom of the Seas sailing 3 days after my daughter turned 3 and not the one that she did turn 3 on. ;) I knew how strict they were and I booked the cruise accordingly.

 

 

 

Well it's not that strange to have 3-5s grouped, on Carnival they have 2-5s ;). The 8 year olds in third grade (6-8 is the next group) might consider the kindergartners "babies" so I guess its all the way you look at things. :D

ya, you are probably right. I checked out the compasses for the groups, and I think Katie could get frustrated with some of the things the older group was doing. On the other hand, she could get bored with the younger groups activities but if thats the case, I will just keep her busy myself. But I do think the younger group is a better fit all around. Thanks!!

Janet, I hear you loud and clear. We took our own kids all over creation and never batted an eyelash...but when it came to traveling with our grandson it is a whole different ballgame for us (responsibility wise) because it is not our child.

 

We did the orientation the first time we cruised with him on Liberty because we wanted to make sure we understood how AO worked. I think it started at 5:30 or 6:00, sometime after the muster. I know we had early dinner seating on that cruise and we did make it to dinner on time. It wasn't extremely informational for us, but it did dispel a bit of the apprehension our 8 year old GS was feeling. After dinner we made our way to AO, met the counselors, played Connect 4, signed him in, and in general got him acclimated with the room. That visit allowed him to meet some of the kids in his group which meant that the next morning there were some familiar faces.

 

We signed him in the next morning and checked back after about 1 1/2 hours and he didn't want to have anything to do with us:D We've had great experiences with the counselors and the programs they offer and typically have to drag him out at the end of every session!

 

Enjoy!

I know!! Isn't it funny how we are more protective of our grandkids than our own children!! I remember sending my daughter to girl scout camp for a week without me the summer between first and second grade. I would NEVER do that with my grandkids!! LOL. Well, I am sure everything will work out just fine. Katie is looking so forward to AO and I will be fine too I guess. I plan on taking her ice skating and roller blading, mini golfing and all the fun stuff the ship has for us to do together, so she will be one happy little girl. I'm sure.

Thanks everyone!!:D

[Jo and Rob]

What activities do Adventure Ocean do around the ship? Or do they always stay at the kids club?

[theplanner2010]

Except for swimming time, my 4 year old wanted to be there every minute it was open...she loved it!

[theplanner2010]

What activities do Adventure Ocean do around the ship? Or do they always stay at the kids club?

 

They can go have dinner at Johnny Rockets with the staff one night.

 

One night there was a Pirate Parade where they decorated bandanas and had a parade all through the Promenade. It was the cutest thing

[swiss2619]

No, sorry. The child must be 3. And actually, even if the child turns 3 on the cruise, then they would wait until the day the child actually turned 3 to allow them into AO. This is why we did the Freedom of the Seas sailing 3 days after my daughter turned 3 and not the one that she did turn 3 on. ;) I knew how strict they were and I booked the cruise accordingly.

 

 

 

Well it's not that strange to have 3-5s grouped, on Carnival they have 2-5s ;). The 8 year olds in third grade (6-8 is the next group) might consider the kindergartners "babies" so I guess its all the way you look at things. :D

Thanks for the info! - appreciate it!

swiss

[tigerfan2000]

We were concerned about our 5 year old being in the 3-5 group as well. It was PERFECT for him, he loved it. There were other 4-5 year olds, the staff does a wonderful job with the kids and their activities. If you want a phone or a pager be sure to ask for one, one was never offered to us and we never asked, I guess it didn't cross my mind! He was begging us from the time we got on the ship to go to "kids club" as he called it and went everyday. We were on the Freedom and the staff was awesome!