New ncl kids camp policy (Live from the GEM)

NLH Arizona · May 25, 2015

I remember there being the same issue during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break. Here was one post I found:

#17 Report Post Old March 24th, 2015, 04:10 PM

FitchburgWIFamily FitchburgWIFamily

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: Fitchburg, WI

We sailed the same week 2 years ago and didn't get this email, and we are sailing next week and did get this email. The email is a little alarming at first, but you have to parse it out:

1: All parents are encouraged to register for the Splash Academy and Entourage programs as soon as they board the ship.

Bullet 1 says: do the paperwork and sign up before kids club and entourage open. This doesn't mean cancel your brunch and board early, since getting them signed up is just the paperwork....see bullet 3 for more information. I think they are just encouraging everyone to do the paperwork before they try to drop off the first time

2: Due to the high volume of children and teenagers you could experience slight wait times at registration, drop off and pick up. Please have yours and your child's key card available.

Bullet 2 says: Expect to wait in line. There were waits during drop off and pick up when I sailed two years ago...sometimes we would wait 10 minutes or so to drop off. So, plan ahead and leave yourself plenty of time before your reservation or your show.

3: Splash Academy and Entourage are offered on a first come, first served basis yet strictly follows fire code capacity protocols. In the event, maximum capacity is reached, drop off cannot be guaranteed. We apologize for the inconvenience however the safety of all guests is our top priority.

Bullet 3 is the kicker: each and every day, kids are coming and going from kids club. There is a maximum capacity, and no matter when you enrolled (bullet 1), when you go to drop off, if there is no room at that time...you can't drop off. This never happened to us two years ago in our kid's age group (dolphins), but if it did, I totally get it. I would NOT want them to take in more kids than they could safely monitor or than the room was designed to hold.

Not all kids are going to go every night, every afternoon, or every day. I know my kids went in an out depending on if the activity offered interested them. So, maybe, worst case scenario, when you go to drop off, you have to wait until someone else wants to leave before you can drop off.

Hope this helps.

legion3 · May 25, 2015

I remember there being the same issue during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break. Here was one post I found:

#17 Report Post Old March 24th, 2015, 04:10 PM

FitchburgWIFamily FitchburgWIFamily

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: Fitchburg, WI

We sailed the same week 2 years ago and didn't get this email, and we are sailing next week and did get this email. The email is a little alarming at first, but you have to parse it out:

1: All parents are encouraged to register for the Splash Academy and Entourage programs as soon as they board the ship.

Bullet 1 says: do the paperwork and sign up before kids club and entourage open. This doesn't mean cancel your brunch and board early, since getting them signed up is just the paperwork....see bullet 3 for more information. I think they are just encouraging everyone to do the paperwork before they try to drop off the first time

2: Due to the high volume of children and teenagers you could experience slight wait times at registration, drop off and pick up. Please have yours and your child's key card available.

Bullet 2 says: Expect to wait in line. There were waits during drop off and pick up when I sailed two years ago...sometimes we would wait 10 minutes or so to drop off. So, plan ahead and leave yourself plenty of time before your reservation or your show.

3: Splash Academy and Entourage are offered on a first come, first served basis yet strictly follows fire code capacity protocols. In the event, maximum capacity is reached, drop off cannot be guaranteed. We apologize for the inconvenience however the safety of all guests is our top priority.

Bullet 3 is the kicker: each and every day, kids are coming and going from kids club. There is a maximum capacity, and no matter when you enrolled (bullet 1), when you go to drop off, if there is no room at that time...you can't drop off. This never happened to us two years ago in our kid's age group (dolphins), but if it did, I totally get it. I would NOT want them to take in more kids than they could safely monitor or than the room was designed to hold.

Not all kids are going to go every night, every afternoon, or every day. I know my kids went in an out depending on if the activity offered interested them. So, maybe, worst case scenario, when you go to drop off, you have to wait until someone else wants to leave before you can drop off.

Hope this helps.

No it doesn't help. And as it says it didn't happen during those busy times either.

75 kids? That's it? cruizinisthebest on CCL board said it best.

Oh my this sounds awful if true. Wow. Imagine being #77 in line, "sorry, your kids can't come in. Check back in case another kid hates it and gives up their spot."

But no doubt you would chime in to protect NCL's interests. Where's motleycrew?

Never even heard of this happening on Carnival.

Edited May 25, 2015 by legion3

legion3 · May 25, 2015

Our first cruise on the Conquest in 2010 had a lot kids on board, so many that my daughters age group had to meet in the main show theater ever day. Carnival seems to able to expand and contract the kids camps with ease. Maybe NCL needs to take a lesson from them.

From Mediccruzin on the Carnival board

WpgCruise · May 25, 2015

I'm just speculating and it is only my own guess but perhaps N.C.L. has conducted some internal audits of practices and found lapses relating to safety.

Perhaps some venues have been overcrowded when reviewed by the internal audit, and the result is N.C.L. is taking a harder stance on this area.

Overcrowding/Safety/Enough Qualified people to manage the Kids Activities and keep them safe in case of an emergency............................

This is only my opinion, based on nothing factual.

Cancruizer · May 25, 2015

Wow! Unbelievable! We have sailed during holiday times and March Break on Princess, Royal and Carnival and the line just hires more youth staff. No one is turned away! Clearly Norwegian wants to be the "no-frills" cruise line. They may have bookings now, but I suspect 2016-17 won't look to good for them! For anyone that is comparing Norwegian to Royal, Royal may cost a little more, but the value you get and the peace of mind and enjoyment you experience on your vacation will be well worth it!

NLH Arizona · May 25, 2015

No it doesn't help. And as you said it didn't happen during those busy times to either.

75 kids?

But no doubt you would chime in to protect NCL's interests. Where's motleycrew?

Never even heard of this happening on Carnival.

What does my post have anything to do with protecting NCL's interest. For God's sake, I remembered an email about the children's program from other times and thought I would post it. You are unbelievable, I didn't write the post all I wrote was: I remember there being the same issue during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break. Here was one post I found: and: Hope this helps. Everything else in italics was written by the poster who got the email. If you have an issue with what that poster wrote, then I suggest you find him/her and bring up your issue with them.

epaul78 · May 25, 2015

This is a deal breaker for me. We cruise because our kids enjoy it also. We don't cruise to stand in line for tickets and to be turned away. This is not a safety issue. It's a staffing issue that could be addressed by NCL.

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Completely agree! Our kids enjoy Splash Academy and love making new friends. They don't spend every waking minute there and we try to have a mix of family time and grown-up time with our vacations. One of the reason that we have enjoyed sailing with NCL is that our kids have had good experiences with the kids' program. If this happened to us, it would really put us off cruising with NCL in the future.

jbiz · May 25, 2015

I would NOT want them to take in more kids than they could safely monitor or than the room was designed to hold.

Hope this helps.

Not sure why people keep coming back to safety and room capacity. The ship is huge and if the room holds only 75, take a group to play basketball on the sports court, etc etc. This is not a discussion on safety or capacity but rather offerings for their customers, nothing more nothing less. Anyone going towards the safety and capacity topic is missing the point. Of course I would not want my kids in an over capacity facility, no one would.

(And not directed toward the quote above) They also only have enough food on the garden cafe buffet to feed 150 passengers. But don't worry though, there is other food around the ship for you to eat, but if you don't get a ticket, you will have to dine elsewhere ;-) So it's not like you will go hungry. Just kidding.

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NLH Arizona · May 25, 2015

Not sure why people keep coming back to safety and room capacity. The ship is huge and if the room holds only 75, take a group to play basketball on the sports court, etc etc. This is not a discussion on safety or capacity but rather offerings for their customers, nothing more nothing less. Anyone going towards the safety and capacity topic is missing the point. Of course I would not want my kids in an over capacity facility, no one would.

(And not directed toward the quote above) They also only have enough food on the garden cafe buffet to feed 150 passengers. But don't worry though, there is other food around the ship for you to eat, but if you don't get a ticket, you will have to dine elsewhere ;-) So it's not like you will go hungry. Just kidding.

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I didn't write that. I simply posted a post someone else wrote regard an email about the children's program. If you have an issue with what they said, look them up.

Here is their post, their post was in italics on my post where I copied theirs, my words were not in italics: