New ncl kids camp policy (Live from the GEM)

[Kingofwylietx]

Why would you hit the roof? Just get there early enough now you know the rules, if it is a capacity issue then there's nothing they can do about it.

 

LoL! I agree...hitting the roof will do nothing if there is a capacity issue. I don't think the very nice people you intend to berate/embarrass/humiliate can do anything to change a policy while you are standing there. If you mean, by hitting the roof, that you are going to cause a huge scene...that is not a nice thing to do to someone that is powerless to help you. I hope I'm wrong, that would be quite mean-spirited.

[Cel_cruise]

Why would you hit the roof? Just get there early enough now you know the rules, if it is a capacity issue then there's nothing they can do about it.

 

 

I think I would 'hit the roof' more about the 76 capacity limit - I would expect a limit of 30ish for the 3-5 kids, and then a limit of 70ish for each of the next two groups (2-3 staff per group at 25-30 each...think gradeschool class size for each staffer). This would still be a limit, but much less likely to be breached (~170 kids per session). That's what Guest Services would hear from me about. And it would be worse if I also had to stand in line for 30 minutes each session - if we were going to get turned away, It would be easier to NOT be in line and just show up for the drop off queue.

[CavalierX]

LoL! I agree...hitting the roof will do nothing if there is a capacity issue. I don't think the very nice people you intend to berate/embarrass/humiliate can do anything to change a policy while you are standing there. If you mean, by hitting the roof, that you are going to cause a huge scene...that is not a nice thing to do to someone that is powerless to help you. I hope I'm wrong, that would be quite mean-spirited.

 

You know, "hitting the roof" could mean writing an angry letter to Corporate. Why do some people feel the need to pick on those who are expressing their frustration with this new policy? Leave her alone.

Edited May 25, 2015 by CavalierX

[3PrincessMommy]

11 DCL cruises and have NEVER been turned away from a kids club - that includes a sold out Christmas sailing that was literally half kids.

 

Going on our first NCL cruise on the Jade in October - not a peak kids time (our kids get a school break in Oct) - and really hope that we don't have to wait in line for tickets only to be told no space. (And not a big fan of the waiting for tickets idea regardless.) Our kids aren't the planning types - they just want to head down to the club to see what's going on and meet other kids.

 

We know we've been spoiled with DCL, so maybe this is just NCLs way of ceding that market share. We'll see in Oct.

[motleyfan]

I think I would 'hit the roof' more about the 76 capacity limit - I would expect a limit of 30ish for the 3-5 kids, and then a limit of 70ish for each of the next two groups (2-3 staff per group at 25-30 each...think gradeschool class size for each staffer). This would still be a limit, but much less likely to be breached (~170 kids per session). That's what Guest Services would hear from me about. And it would be worse if I also had to stand in line for 30 minutes each session - if we were going to get turned away, It would be easier to NOT be in line and just show up for the drop off queue.

 

Sorry Norwegian has their own system and does not implement yours lol

[motleyfan]

11 DCL cruises and have NEVER been turned away from a kids club - that includes a sold out Christmas sailing that was literally half kids.

 

Going on our first NCL cruise on the Jade in October - not a peak kids time (our kids get a school break in Oct) - and really hope that we don't have to wait in line for tickets only to be told no space. (And not a big fan of the waiting for tickets idea regardless.) Our kids aren't the planning types - they just want to head down to the club to see what's going on and meet other kids.

 

We know we've been spoiled with DCL, so maybe this is just NCLs way of ceding that market share. We'll see in Oct.

 

Maybe your kids will have to adjust, or maybe they will lose out to the kids who are the waiting types. Either way if they say there's no room tell them your kids are not the waiting types lol.

[StolidCruiser]

The cult of NCL is strong in this one and its wasted on pointless drive by posting that do nothing.

 

Excellent choice of words!

[legion3]

Maybe your kids will have to adjust, or maybe they will lose out to the kids who are the waiting types. Either way if they say there's no room tell them your kids are not the waiting types lol.

 

Don't tell people what to do with their kids. Just be quiet.

[xcell]

This happened to us on the breakaway over the March break - 1100 kids on board or something higher I think. Capacity limit...so we went early if we wanted/or the kids wanted to go to the kids club.

 

Funny thing is after 30 min, the kids club called and said our kids wanted to leave....they were bored...maybe due to their age...transitioning out of the younger age group.

 

They did hold the kids club in other venues but not sure my thoughts about sending my kids to the dance club (not sure what it was called sorry) for 3 hours.

[legion3]

This happened to us on the breakaway over the March break - 1100 kids on board or something higher I think. Capacity limit...so we went early if we wanted/or the kids wanted to go to the kids club.

 

Funny thing is after 30 min, the kids club called and said our kids wanted to leave....they were bored...maybe due to their age...transitioning out of the younger age group.

 

They did hold the kids club in other venues but not sure my thoughts about sending my kids to the dance club (not sure what it was called sorry) for 3 hours.

 

Exactly what happened, you were turned away or had to wait in line for a ticket each session?

[cruisebie]

But I don't think it is similar to the other recent changes where in all cases there is some link to making more money for the cruise line. I can't think of any way that the change discussed in this thread leads to more money for NCL.

 

Limiting to 76 kids means they will need fewer camp counselors. Since these employees are not part of the DSC, they must be paid a little more by NCL. Fewer workers = more money in NCL's pocket. It's a direct line to making more money that doesn't depend on a passenger to buy something.

[hpecorari]

Limiting to 76 kids means they will need fewer camp counselors. Since these employees are not part of the DSC, they must be paid a little more by NCL. Fewer workers = more money in NCL's pocket. It's a direct line to making more money that doesn't depend on a passenger to buy something.

 

However, without this service they will have less people in the Casino, playing Bingo,those 'bar hopping thingies' (I forget what they're called), and I'm sure more things I haven't mentioned.....as they won't have anyone to care for their children to allow them to do these things.

 

Harriet

Edited May 25, 2015 by hpecorari

[tvguy72]

I just left the kids mangers desk 2 min ago and they are finding out more. It is 100% in effect at least on the gem. Picture attached.

 

 

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It's going to get UGLY!!! So stupid.

 

THX.

[tvguy72]

However, without this service they will have less people in the Casino, playing Bingo,those 'bar hopping thingies' (I forget what they're called), and I'm sure more things I haven't mentioned.....as they won't have anyone to care for their children to allow them to do these things.

 

Harriet

 

Pub Crawl?

[legion3]

However, without this service they will have less people in the Casino, playing Bingo,those 'bar hopping thingies' (I forget what they're called), and I'm sure more things I haven't mentioned.....as they won't have anyone to care for their children to allow them to do these things.

 

Harriet

 

But those would be the reactions not the action. NCL might not consider that when they act to cut cost in one way it might have an adverse reaction elsewhere.

 

Or perhaps they think parents will take their kids on the pub crawl and to the casino and to Bingo. How would the non kid people like that?

[MCAT48]

76 is such a low number. I've never seen the kids club on the gem only the teens center. The breakaway I would assume is larger than the gems so I wonder what their cut off may be? If this is going to be happening it will make me reconsider taking the young one on a cruise this summer. He really enjoyed the kids club but if there is a possibility he wouldn't get in it wouldn't be good.

 

I wonder if the number will rise once school is out of session and there are even more kids on board..

 

I get that there is a limit to people in a room but that's such an odd number. Also it should be broken up between age groups . No 11-12 year old would want to stay in camp if a majority of the kids that got in were in the lower age groups.

[NLH Arizona]

76 is such a low number. I've never seen the kids club on the gem only the teens center. The breakaway I would assume is larger than the gems so I wonder what their cut off may be? If this is going to be happening it will make me reconsider taking the young one on a cruise this summer. He really enjoyed the kids club but if there is a possibility he wouldn't get in it wouldn't be good.

 

I wonder if the number will rise once school is out of session and there are even more kids on board..

 

I get that there is a limit to people in a room but that's such an odd number. Also it should be broken up between age groups . No 11-12 year old would want to stay in camp if a majority of the kids that got in were in the lower age groups.

Not having small children, I don't know the answer to this, but wonder is there a rule about the number of children per staff member?

[Cel_cruise]

Not having small children, I don't know the answer to this, but wonder is there a rule about the number of children per staff member?

 

 

I'm sure that there is a limit per staff member - but in classrooms and other cruise lines, that limit is ~16 for the under 5s, and 30 for the over 5s. This would tell me NCL has dropped staff to a single counselor per age group per session....

 

I guess I would be curious how many counselors are present in the kids club at one time? Is it only 3 or more than 3? And what if 50 under 5s show up first in line?

[hpecorari]

Pub Crawl?

 

Yep, that's it, thanks! I guess you can tell I'm not a drinker! LOL

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

But those would be the reactions not the action. NCL might not consider that when they act to cut cost in one way it might have an adverse reaction elsewhere.

 

Or perhaps they think parents will take their kids on the pub crawl and to the casino and to Bingo. How would the non kid people like that?

 

True, but them cutting their costs by doing this.....

and them not making them money they once did....

which is actually better?

 

Kids can't go into the Casino or do the pub crawl.

 

Truthfully, I don't travel with my kids...they are grown and I haven't yet traveled with my grandson. However, I do like the idea of the kids being occupied rather than all running around the ship! LOL

 

Harriet

[mking8288]

If this fleetwide change had an effective policy date of March, 2015 - where was the corporate communication to the booked passengers, specifically, those cabins with children or kids ? Not even a little onboard notice in the "Welcome Abroad" with the surprises - this is almost end of May ? >>> None. Okay, raise your hands if you still feel you can trust NCL in getting anything done right ...

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The busy summer season is coming with many, many more families & children sailing (KSF ??) on these milky runs - and, now this (pending further "official" NCL affirmation ... ) Since CC is a tiny fraction of the tens of thousands cruising weekly with NCL - others will remained clueless and this is going to be "fun" - or not - with hundreds of kids on the ships. Even if this doesn't affect some/many/most of us. On a somewhat selfish note - it should not "bother" us one bit, not a deal breaker as some say (think again, seriously now) - but for our nieces/nephews with kids, that's an entirely different story ... and, of course, I can't and won't speak for them.

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We were on the GEM with 500 kids on a typical winter cruise - small to average # for a given winter sailing - whereas one week earlier, 700 kids according to the ship's crew. But for the subsequent & fully sold out Nickelodeon theme holiday sailing, they booked 1,200 children & planned for it - and, it was not a problem and I most definitely don't recall hearing about kids camp being restricted to 75. AND, it makes absolutely no sense with this NEXT program.

-

What is this NCL senior management thinking and trying to accomplish, good grief ... in the name of safety and capacity management, have they lost their minds. It's been said before - don't under-estimate the influence of social media ... USA Today, a 2.0 travel followup could just pop up again. NCL, you really don't need any extra negative publicity and the continual silence isn't going to do any good, think !!

[cruisebie]

But those would be the reactions not the action. NCL might not consider that when they act to cut cost in one way it might have an adverse reaction elsewhere.

 

 

This. With many of the changes that NCL has implemented lately, this seems to be the case. They apparently didn't foresee that people would try to avoid the room service fee by bringing food back from restaurants and then put the no take out rule into place.

 

 

 

 

Interesting. I don't have the numbers of youth staff hired at the moment but my guess would be less than 15 on a Jewel class hip. Not sure how much they can really save through that.

 

How many ages groups are there--3 or 4? If they now can have 1 employee per age group, they are potentially saving salaries for 11 employees, whatever benefits they are paying and they don't have to feed or house them. Fleetwide that could be a pretty significant savings.

[JinxyB]

Wow, if this is true then I won't be choosing NCL to cruise with my child. I'm already annoyed at the changes regarding room service and food, and was on the fence if I should buy one of the future cruise certificate things on my Dawn cruise (I won't now). I don't think I will be sailing NCL anymore after my upcoming cruise. If I was bringing my child on the Dawn, I would cancel and choose another line-the kid's program is a deal breaker and I will not spend my vacation waiting in line.

 

I have sailed Allure and Oasis with my child and have never been turned away from their kid's club because of meeting capacity.

[LrgPizza]

Okay, I often try to look at the other side of the coin, even though for some reason that makes people angry.

 

First of all, hasn't there always been a limit to the number of kids that can be in the kids club? Prior to both of our cruises last year we received emails warning us that there might not be space due to the volume of kids sailing, and to arrive early, etc. That part isn't new.

 

It's logical and expected that there would be a limit to # of kids due to safety. I think everyone would agree to that. Do we have any idea what that number was before? Do we know that the number was reduced, or is it just now finally being posted so that people are aware?

 

On both of our cruises last year (Getaway and Epic), there was never a time when there were more than 75 kids in the club at one time.

 

There was almost always a line of people waiting to sign their kids in. If I'd gotten to the front after waiting all that time and been turned away, I'd have not been very happy that I wasted all the time waiting. Under this new system, it eliminates that (if I'm understanding correctly). You show up, you either get a ticket if there is space, or you don't if they are already handed out. Am I misunderstanding this?

 

I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but during the late night (for pay hours) in the club, the most kids ever signed up on either of our cruises (which were overflowing with kids) was 11.

 

FYI, we sailed summer and Thanksgiving on Getaway and Epic - both "high kid" times on family ships.

[jbiz]

T

 

 

 

So I still stick to safety concerns. Does anyone know how many youth staff is on board a jewel class ship like the gem? Even if they had other spaces to put kids like the theatre or other lounges not needed they still need staff for that as well.

 

 

Looks like the normal size staff from any of the previous sailings

 

 

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