children's club

[cruisertobe]

I am travelling with 3 kids (4,8, 10) in December and wanted to know how I can find out about the hours of the children's adventure club. My travel agent acted as though the hours are not set. I am most concerned about the evening hours as my kids do not really want to go to the dining room everynight, although we certainly do!!! We are signed up for late dining currently. We are hoping the kids club is open by that time. Does anyone know if this is true or where I can find out prior to the cruise? FYI, we are going on the Splendour Dec 5-10. Any additional information you have regarding this boat and travelling with kids is appreciated. Although this is my first post I have been reading the board for months.

[bobbie0253]

Adventure Ocean is usually open for the night session at 6:30-7:00 until 10:00. You will be able to feed them, send them to AO and enjoy a kid free dinner for sure. If you want to spend more time kid free, just pay the late night fee a couple of nights. ($5 per hour per child)

 

We give our kids a set amount to spend on their seapass card. They almost always spend their money on "late night".

 

AO is also open (free) on port days if your kids want to stay on the ship instead of going to the port of call with you. We did this once in Key West. Mainly because we were only going to be walking around town and shopping.

 

Bobbie

[luckymbt]

Have no worries Cruisertobe, you kids will love Adv. Ocean. Our daughters have been on several cruises, each since age 2 , now nearly 5 and 10 and love their program. The consulors are great.

When you board the ship they will have a table set up, the kids must now wear a colored bracelet for safety reasons. This is good if you are a parent, they are just looking out for your kids, but if you are the kid , with a scratchy bracelet on for 7 days.....not so good, make sure they put it on loose so you can remove it at nite, esp. for the wee ones.

The times of the program vary somewhat but are fairly regular, You will receive under your door the kids "compass" for the next day, or pick one up near the pursers desk.

I don't have a scanner ,,,so here is an example of a day in Grand Cayman

Morning Activities 7am-12, pick up for lunch or kids can stay and have pizza that day w/ staff. Afternoon activities 1pm-3:45 it says parents please pick your child up by 4pm. Evening Activities 7pm-10pm. please pick up by 10pm or sign up for Late Nite, $5/hr, which lasts until about 1am.

Activities depend on age, maybe storytime, crafts, movies, dodge ball, face painting,funny science experiments, scavenger hunts etc.

My kids have never spent any money at A.O. , maybe the older ones play video games, pin ball???

At any rate, some nites they have dinner w/ the staff, you must sign up ahead of time.You can normally drop off or pick up at any time in between the "active times" they will usually tell you if they have taken a "field trip" on the ship , say to the movie theater etc. you maynot pick up or drop off at these odd locations.

Late seating will be fine, my husband always likes the girls to have dinner w/ us. Usually they nap pre dinner . The wait staff is great about quickly bringing the kids their dinner, they are always anxious to get to the program, which has usually already started, no problem, it's a quick sign in process, so dear hubby and I take turns excusing ourselves from dinner for a quick few minutes and runthe kids up.

Your kids will enjoy it, they have pirate nite, PJ nite, talent shows and many other fun things.

We have always gotten a beeper, when they were very young, so the staff ocould page us for any reason. This is just peace of mind for us grown ups!!

This was long, but I can't say enough, I'll be glad to answer any more questions, more briefly , I hope.

[brcris75]

I am so glad to have found your post. We will be on the Splendour Dec. 5-10 with our soon to be 9 year old. (He will be 9 the end of Nov.) This is his first cruise on RCI but he's been on 3 Carnival cruises and absolutely loved the kids program on there. I'm sure it will be the same on this one. Is your 10 year old a boy or girl? I know they will be in the same group. Not for sure what the break down is on RCI but the age groups on CCL were 6-8 and 9-11. I think it may be a little different on this one. Does anyone know? Also, does anyone know RCI's policy for checking them out? On Carnival 9 year olds were able to check themselves out. I'm not sure I really like that....

 

Come check out my Roll Call and get accquainted!

[luckymbt]

The age breakdown is the same, 3-5, 6-8, 9-11.

Last cruise my daughter was 8. We had the OPTION of ok'ing her to sign in and out on her own. Did not do that then. She is nearly 10 now, so when we go in Dec. we will re-eval that. I too have mixed feelings. She is mature and trustworthy, but I like the peace of mind knowing exactly where she is.

[brcris75]

I'm with you luckymbt. Ours is mature and trustworthy too, but you just can't be too safe when it comes to your kids!

[cruisertobe]

Robbie,

 

The two older ones (8, 10) are boys. I am getting very excited!

[PelicanBill]

I can add a little more here, just off the Voyager last week.

 

Ocean Adventure was open on port days from 1/2 hour before excursions begin until sail time at least, or to 4 or 5 pm, then again 7-10pm plus late night 10-1.

 

On Sea Days it was typically 9-12, 2-4 or 2-5, then 7-10 plus 10-1 late night.

 

No extra charge for anything except late night 10-1, $5 per child per hour, or late pickups. No need to sign up ahead for late night hours.

 

There is a grace period up to 14 minutes but then you are charged $1 per minute for late pickups after closing times.

 

You are not charge for late pickup after 10pm if you are coming straight from a show that has just let out. The shows often finshed between 10 and 10:15, and oyu can go straight up and pick up without paying the late night charge.

 

3 nights of our 9 day cruise there was a Kids Dinner at Johnny Rockets, held 6pm-7pm - we did not utilize it. No extra charge but you must sign up ahead.

[brcris75]

PelicanBill: Do you know if they had any late night parties for the kids? ON Carnival they had an "All Night Party" one night from like 10pm to 3am. It cost $26 per child. They had a deck party and all kinds of activities for them. If anyone fell asleep they got their faces painted! DS loved it and is really hoping they have it on this cruise.

 

cruisertobe: I am getting very excited too. And it's great to know there will be kids Dylan's age there. Where are you from? We live in Arkansas.

[brcris75]

Does anyone have a copy of the Compass (I think that's what it is called) for the Splendour?

[coast2coast]

I found this link on Cruiseclues.com for the compass. This is the "regular" compass. Did you want the kids' compass?

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/63013441MnLzlp

[brcris75]

Yes, I forgot to put "kids" in there. Thanks for this one too though. It's been so long since we've been on RCI I'm anxious to see what it offered! I can't wait to go!

[EBFURR]

coast2coast mentioned cruiseclues.com. This is an excellent site to find information on Cruise Compasses, menus, etc. for most any ship. As usual, the CC posters come through with helpful information.

 

By the way, a good TA would have tried to find the information for you.

[brcris75]

coast2coast mentioned cruiseclues.com. This is an excellent site to find information on Cruise Compasses, menus, etc. for most any ship. As usual, the CC posters come through with helpful information.

 

By the way, a good TA would have tried to find the information for you.

 

Thanks, I'll check it out! And yes, my TA would have found it out for me but I try not to bug her with things I can do on my own. She's always doing extra things for me-- she's also my sister! :)

[EBFURR]

Oh, your sister, huh? No wonder you are not getting the Red Carpet treatment! She is probably busy with her "paying" customers. ;)

 

When you said "My travel agent acted as though the hours are not set.", I thought, boy she is really not getting much help from her TA!

[RN7997]

I have been reading what all of you wrote about the kids program. We are looking into a cruise for April 2, 2006 on AOS. My husband and I cruised last April on Majesty but my kids did not come. Now that we want to cruise longer we want them to come. As far as the late night childcare there, do they have an are where the kids can fall asleep till we pick them up or is it all activities. My boys will only be 6 and 8 when we sail.

Thank you,

Chrissy PA

[brcris75]

Oh, your sister, huh? No wonder you are not getting the Red Carpet treatment! She is probably busy with her "paying" customers. ;)

 

When you said "My travel agent acted as though the hours are not set.", I thought, boy she is really not getting much help from her TA!

 

Actually, that was Cruisertobe that wrote that about her TA, not me...

And, sadly, as good a TA as my sister is, I still haven't gotten a free cruise. Hmmm... maybe I should have been nicer to her when we were kids! LOL

 

 

RN7997: I don't know how it will be on RCI but on Carnival they had mats for those who got sleepy, and plenty of activities for those who didn't.

[jamadeliz]

I did not know we can leave the kids on board and go on an excursion. Is this true for all ages?? I have 3 yo twins and a 6 yo.

We are going on Legend in Dec.

 

Thanks!

 

Maria

[jamadeliz]

I did not know we can leave the kids on board and go on an excursion. Is this true for all ages?? I have 3 yo twins and a 6 yo.

We are going on Legend in Dec.

 

Thanks!

[jamadeliz]

I did not know we can leave the kids on board and go on an excursion. Is this true for all ages?? I have 3 yo twins and a 6 yo.

We are going on Legend in Dec.

 

Thanks!

[brcris75]

We've always taken ours with us in port so I don't know the hours, ages, etc, but yes you can leave them. Maybe someone else knows more details?