Celebrity Kids Program

[daveyal]

Cruisebunny...Thanks ,I did not know that, sounds like fun. I am sure she will have a great time!

[fred ferdlap]

1) Does anyone have the Daily program schedule for the kids club?

2)What is the one price fee for all the pay times?

3) Can anyone give more details of the times which are pay on the solstice? lunch dinner i get that, but what about the times we are in port late?

 

Just trying to figure the break even point for the one price.

[Riksha]

The Basketball court is for anyone to use...doesn't have to be just the kids club! I have seen guys up there playing as well.

 

That's perfect for us! I didn't realize that Celebrity was more adult oriented, but our boys are pretty well behaved (better in public than at home, of course), and are pretty good eaters so I"m not worried about the formal nights or anything. I think they should be fine with the basketball, table tennis, and lawn activities. Thanks again for the info!

[cruisebunny32]

Fred...The $6/hour fee is for the 2 hour lunch and dinner breaks and for each night after 10pm. Depending on the cruise...sometimes the nights were free the first night and the formal nights...one cruise it was just one formal night. I do not recall how much the flat fee was, but I was thinking it was around $125 but it might have been more...so don't quote me on that. We did not use this, since we had not paid near that much on previous cruises. It worked out that if the child was there most of the pay times, you would get a discount, versus paying $6/hour.

 

I do not have a daily program, but would be happy to answer any specific questions.

[jaycor]

We are also on the feb 15/09 solstise sailing with a 12 year old daughter.

Will she be with the 9-11 or with the older kids?

 

she is abit young for her age so am abit worried about her being with the kids 15 and older.

some sites say that there is a 12-14 group and 15-17 group yet others say only one group for 12-17

 

Think this cruise might have alot of kids because of presidents week.

 

alos looking for any recent kids program sheets for her age group

 

thanks alot

[wantogonow]

(LONG time reader.. First time poster, on here! :))

 

We will be on the 2/28/09 Century sailing with our 2 boys ages 7 and 9 and have been wondering some of the same things... seems as if I see different age breakdowns for the kids groups depending on which site I am on. Doesn't really matter to me as I am sure they will be fine and have fun whether together or apart and probably won't spend all that much time in the kids club, but sometimes I feel a little better when they are together to keep an eye on eachother!

 

I figure there may not be many children on this cruise since it isn't during a typical school break time -- or is there a Winter break on the East coast during this time frame?? Not sure as we are in MI and being the bad parents that we are, :p we just take them out of school.

 

So what kids of things might we expect for the Kids Club/Fun Factory on the Century? The last time we crused this ship was 10 years ago so it was pre-kids and pre-renovation. The only cruise the boys have been on was RCCL (Enchantment) this past Summer for a family reunion and they LOVED it although they didn't spend a lot of time in the kids club.

 

Just keep heaing how adult oriented everything is and almost didn't book it for this reason but got a good deal and figured anywhere on a ship is better than sitting in school anyday, right?!

 

I'm sure I will be asking lot more questions now that I took the plunge and posted!!

[cruisebunny32]

jaycor...My kids are not in the teen group yet...so I really can not comment. I would guess if you ask if she can go with the 9-11 group that they would be able to tell you yes or no. They may not be as many kids and they combine groups in this case. I know that when my neice and nephew went a few weeks before Easter that they still met some kids their age and really had fun. Solstice has the X-club for teens and it has a coffee bar I believe..they also have disco nights some times.

 

wantogonow (love the name)-Century will have similar programs as M-class, except the room is not as big, so they have events other places...they go to the cafe or to another room to do things. We have not used he kids programs on the C-class ships..but this is what I am told. The programs are cruiseline wide. Some people may be on spring break, as some school district use different times. If there are less kids they get more 1:1 time and are more flexible with what they can do. They probably ask them what they want to do. They also had Wii last year on the Summit and Guitar Hero. So they will find something! They have lots of stuff going on all day on the ship...trivia, bingo, cooking demos etc. I would hope they could find something interesting that they like.

[MLAW]

JAYCOR, I don't know if the Millennium is different but we were on the holiday sailing. My daughter, who turned 12 during the cruise was in the 10-12 group. The groups were 3-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 13+. My older daughter was in the teen group. The core group that traveled in a pack the entire cruise were 13-16. They all seemed to be well behaved and I didn't hear any concerning stories (I would of heard because I hear more than I want to sometimes). Despite that I would not have wanted my 12 year old with the teens. Their activities often did not start until 10pm and went until 2am every night. My teen was never allowed to stay out that late but many others did.

[wantogonow]

Thank you so much, cruisebunny32!! That makes me feel some better. I just keep scouring the Century reviews on here and NO one is mentioning the kids program at all!

 

Our boys are very easy going and will be happy with anything, but even after seeing pix of the Fun Factory, I still keep picturing a dark room with a card table and some staff person who doesn't want to be there rolling their eyes when we come in as that means they won't have the night off!! :p

[cruisebunny32]

MLAW...thanks for posting stuff on the teen program!!!;)

 

wantogo...No problem. I felt the same way as you did...that is why I started this thread 3 years ago...to give info on the kids program. I am glad it has lasted as long as it has. Post here when you get back! As for the counselers...they are mostly college age kids (I can say that now....LOL) and they really seem to love their job! In fact, I would have to say that most of the employees that I have met in the 11 plus cruises I have been on have been very nice and accomodating. They all seem to like their job. (this was not the case on the Glory-we heard employees complaining). Some of the counselers we have seen on other ships and they remember the kids! That is nice! since we only cruise once a year.

Edited January 22, 2009 by cruisebunny32

[sarafinadh]

Whew! That was quite a read! I am sure much already written still applies but I want to bump this up and see if there are any newer experiences to be reported.

 

I am particularly interested in the X club.

 

The Alaska cruise that we are taking this July will be on the Millennium.

 

There will be a 12 year old, a 14 year old, both boys, and a 16 or 17 year old girl in our party.

 

Our daughter will have just turned 19, but will be spending time with her younger cousin. They are rooming together. Our daughter is pretty unsophisticated socially and might be interested in joining in with the teens if her cousin does too.

 

What kind of experience would be expected for this age range?

Edited December 16, 2011 by sarafinadh

[megessey]

So grateful for this thread! We were also worried about the Celebrity not being kid friendly. We were on the Solstice before our daughter was born -- she's 3 1/2 now and we haven't been on a cruise since. Most of our friends and family say we're crazy for thinking of taking her on a Celebrity -- "she'll be bored and you'll be stuck with a cranky toddler!"

 

This thread reassures me we're making the right choice. Thank you!

[neoncandle]

Our 3.5 year old did not like the kids club mostly because the other kids were bigger and he would sometimes be pushed around by them. I dont doubt that he will like it more when he is older. Often the 3-5s were combined with the older kids- even on a cruise full of kids in the summer.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I just did Infinity in July and Summit in August. There were many kids on both sailings. They did not combine the smaller ones with the older ones- except for the lunches and dinners (which are for a fee) and for late night babysitting (after 10PM)

 

I have had no bad experiences on Celebrity and my son has gone through all the age groups now. He has grown up on Celebrity and loves the Fun Factory.

 

I did have a bad experience in summer on Princess. They do have the small kids in with the older ones- as does Holland America in summer.

 

The best kid clubs IMO are Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean and Celebrity's Fun Factory. We've done all the mainstream cruise lines including Disney(can be overwhelming because so many kids), Cunard (great with tots, not as good with kids 9-17), Holland( boring), Carnival (too many kids), Royal (great), NCL (too many kids), Princess (mixed, good and bad experiences) and Celebrity(fantastic).

Edited September 1, 2012 by rebeccalouiseagain

[Hawaiidan]

I had no idea how heavily booked the ship is with families with kids from 8 mos to 19 years. I think the prices are really encouraging anyone with a child to come..

 

It seems there are two distinct groups, those have the belief that cruises are a form of adult entertainment and those who think it is a family vacation.

 

I think they will never agree except to disagree because beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

 

I myself am in the former group, and as a parent would never have dreamed of taking my kids on a cruise... as I do not beleive its age appropiriate and distorts a childs value sustem.. and totaly changes the dynamics of the cruise experience. But thats me, Guess its back to Regent and Oceania because to me I am willing to pay for an adult vacation.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I feel just the opposite. If I didn't have kids- I doubt I'd cruise at all. I find that they are a wonderful vacation for families because you have so much to offer the children. While they entertain everyone (happy child= happy Mom).

 

There are lots of adult type vacations that I can think of that wouldn't interest my kids and when the youngest goes off to college- then I'll be going to other places, where I don't need a youth program to keep my child happy and entertained.

 

Beside the youth program on Celebrity, which most kids love and want to be there all the time- you practically have to pry them away- there are swimming pools, hot tubs, ping pong, trivia games, pictionary, name that tune games, presentations- Brent Nixon( Alaska cruise Naturalist) is beloved by my son now (and me)- we bought his DVD series onboard as well, the Comedy shows which are family friendly, the illusionist (certain sailings) or a magician, etc.

 

The venues onboard like Bistro on Five is great for kids- they make the food fresh and made to order and Qsine are perfect for kids- 4 and over.

 

We have done great ship excursions as well that appeal to the whole family.

[O2cruise_again]

Whew- quite a long thread so I hope I'm not repeating information. Both my 5 and 7 yr olds love the Fun Factory. Something that is not advertised... if your child has a condition that may cause you concern, call X ahead of time (special services, I think). My son was diagnosed with high functioning autism right before his 3rd cruise. I was reluctant to take him to the Fun Factory but since he'd attended Fun Factory on a previous cruise, it would have disappointed him not to go. Special services told us to board early and speak with the Fun Factory staff and they were wonderful. They also had a limited number of pagers available so I had that extra piece of mind and my son had a wonderful vacation. Thankfully, he had no ASD issues, but I was paged because he got seasick one morning.

 

Regarding a poster's comment about value system- agree to disagree. IMO, it's all how you handle it. My kids understand that cruising is special and they are saving up "behavior points" towards their next cruise. The oldest has also asked his grandma if he can do some chores for her to help him save- at age 7! And although there are people less fortunate than us all around, it didn't hit home to my boys until we were driving in a Caribbean village and they saw children with less than what they have. We had a great conversation about being thankful for what we have but also appreciating the things money can't buy (son was surprised that the children were happy playing without toys). Prior to the trip, we show them the ship's route on a map and teach them a few easy facts about the places we will visit. On Eclipse, we spent a lot of time using the giant globe. The kids were learning and didn't even realize it. We did enough activities for a Cub Scout belt loop. Then there's the opportunity for my kids to practice the table manners they learn at home. And learning to order from a menu. And remembering to say thank you to the ship's crew. All this and we get to do it as a family. For us, it's the best kind of vacation.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I'm not sure what value system would become impaired by cruising. My children have always had exemplary manners. They are so caring and sensitive toward others. Because they have traveled the world and been with people of all different strokes and nationalities- the gift of travel has created well-adjusted, openminded kids who don't have to go-go- go constantly like so many video game addicted children of today.

 

The other message it sends to kids is that they are lucky in life. They meet and talk with the crew members and see how hard people from other countries have to work to make the same amount of money that people in the US make working normal 8 hour work days with weekends off.

 

My son Patrick is a hard-working, straight A (ok he got one A- this semester) law student now. He has traveled on his own dime all over Europe at the age of 18. Something other kids would feel intimidated to do.

 

I can't see the downside to cruising. It costs the same amount of money as renting a beach house for a week- where the kids never meet anyone outside of the tri-state area and the highlights are putt-putt golf and the boardwalk. I don't think that exactly expands their horizons.

Edited September 2, 2012 by rebeccalouiseagain

[megessey]

Regarding a poster's comment about value system- agree to disagree. IMO, it's all how you handle it. My kids understand that cruising is special and they are saving up "behavior points" towards their next cruise. The oldest has also asked his grandma if he can do some chores for her to help him save- at age 7! And although there are people less fortunate than us all around, it didn't hit home to my boys until we were driving in a Caribbean village and they saw children with less than what they have. We had a great conversation about being thankful for what we have but also appreciating the things money can't buy (son was surprised that the children were happy playing without toys). Prior to the trip, we show them the ship's route on a map and teach them a few easy facts about the places we will visit. On Eclipse, we spent a lot of time using the giant globe. The kids were learning and didn't even realize it. We did enough activities for a Cub Scout belt loop. Then there's the opportunity for my kids to practice the table manners they learn at home. And learning to order from a menu. And remembering to say thank you to the ship's crew. All this and we get to do it as a family. For us, it's the best kind of vacation.

 

Best.Comment.Ever ;)

[OneStrangeGuy]

Thanks for the very helpful information.

[A Sixth?]

I used to travel with a couple and thier kid who hated the kids program on "X"

 

They never actually enrolled the boy in it. but they just knew it was no good. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Edited September 2, 2012 by A Sixth?

[wilson4]

Hi

I just wanted to add a little bit about the mixed experience we have had. Last year we were on the Equinox and my twins were 11 years old. Their experience of the clubs was absolutely fantastic and they wanted to be there whenever possible. Sadly this year, the experience was very poor. The twins had just turned 12 when we sailed on the Eclipse and were put in a group with up to 17 year olds. This mix just did not work. Activities seemed very overcrowded and chaotic compared with the year before. The twins are usually very outgoing but after trying the club a few times, my daughter felt really intimidated and out of place and did not want to return. My son did go there on a few more occasions if there was an activity he liked but it was nothing like the previous experience.

I have given this feedback to Celebrity and feel they should keep the 12 to 14 year group apart from the older teens, particularly when there is such a large group. There is such a vast difference between a 12 year old and a 17 year old.

Our experience may be limited to the Eclipse and to our particular sailing and may not be the same for other Celebrity ships but I felt it was worth a mention as it is making us rethink our next cruise options.

[junglejane]

Hi Wilson4. I think that 11-12 is a difficult age with these programs. Our DD#2 turns 12 in March. For our Christmas cruise on Princess, she will not be eligible for the teen program because theirs is 13-17. When DD#1 was 12, she felt too old for the kids program because the 9-12 group was usually full of 9-10 year olds. DD#1 stopped using the teen program at age 12 and waited until she was 13 and could go to the Princess teen program. I'm hoping that DD#2 will have a better experience because on a Christmas cruise there will presumably be more kids her age in the Princess 9-12 group.

 

For our Silhouette cruise in March, DD#2 turns 12 on Day 2 of the cruise. I'm pretty sure she will be allowed to participate in the teen program if she wants to, because in my experience Celebrity will let you move up within their program classifications if your birthday is during the cruise. But I'm not sure that DD#2 will have a good time in the teen program. She is not very independent and will likely be intimidated by the older teens. At the sametime, DD#1 will be 16. She'll be trying to make some new 16-17 year old friends and won't want a bunch of 12 year olds tagging along.

 

Ideally, they should keep the 12-14 year olds together but separate from the older teens. But sometimes for staffing reasons they lump them together, which I agree is not good. 12 year olds shouldn't be hanging around with 17 year old strangers.

[wilson4]

Hi Junglejane

Thanks for you views, I totally agree. I can see that the older teens need need space from the 12 year olds as much as vicaversa.

We have also had a great experience with both Princess and Celebrity when the children were younger.

On the Eclipse, the 12 year olds no longer have an identification bracelet for the muster station and some activities started at 11pm!!! I felt it was just too much of a jump from the nurturing environment for 11 year olds.

I hope Celebrity take this on board. The clubs have very much been a key part of the cruise experience for both us and the children and I am trying to work out if we would be better with a different cruise line or if it would be the same everywhere.

Have a great time on your planned cruises. I would be very interested to hear any news about how the age groupings are arranged.

[oldsouthcruisingfamily]

Thank you for the review of the kids program! We're going on our first Celebrity cruise in February.

Edited January 8, 2014 by oldsouthcruisingfamily