New to cruising with kids. A little help?

[leisuretraveler223]

So leaving on Allure on Sunday with fiance, her parents, my mother and her four kids, ages 10, 12, 13 & 15.

 

As a previously childless cruiser, I was always aware, but indifferent to the youth programs. Now with four kids ages 10-15, I want to know what to expect.

 

What do we do the first day? Do I have to register them there in some specific capacity? Will they all fall into the same group or are there ages to disparate? What do you suggest I encourage them to do to make the most of the experience?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Wendyland]

Have them show up the first day. That's when kids meet and form groups to hang out with the rest of the cruise. Make sure you also go over safety like not going in other people's rooms. Kids that age usually have the freedom to check themselves out of the kids club and walk around together.

[rum & monkey]

Go get them registered first thing and also get ALL of the waivers signed for all the activities onboard (usually first day they have all the waivers in the youth area & they punch their sea pass card with different shaped punch for each waiver). They will not all be in the same age group. The earlier the 13 & 15 year old go the more likely they are going to participate in the youth activities. At that age it becomes real clicky right away. The kids that are there in the beginning become friends real quick and kids that go later are more likely not to go back because they feel like a real outsider. They should all be an age where they can sign themselves in and out of the kids club. My youngest is 14 now so I don't quite remember but I think at 10 you have a choice if you give them permission or not to sign themselves out so you may be able to put a restriction on the 10 year old.

[crosby99]

The 10 ten old will still be part of Adventure Ocean.You will need to sign up for this and the is usually an open house first afternoon. I can't recollect whether RC stopped all under 12s being able to sign themselves out of Adventure Ocean.

The 12, 13 & 15 are all part of the teen/tween clubs which are on the opposite side of the ship to AO.....This does not need sign up you are a member based on your age. Depending on number of teens the may be different activities for the 12/13 and the 15 year old but they do merge at times. My daughter (12) preferred it when we were on Allure than Harmony as the were more kids around her age and the teen section was more split between younger and older teens/tweens. An added thing the 12 year old will like is with RC they don't need to wear a muster station wrist band which other lines make all under 13s do. The will be activities to get to meet each other for teen 1st evening.

I have some further information about this on my blog.

[Nemomof3]

The 12 & 13 will be together and all three older ones can check themselves in and out. I don't have experience on the younger one. Make sure they go the first night, they will make friends. On our cruise there weren't many kids so 12-17 were all together and actually they all hung out in one big group and only attended about half the planned events. Dos of the time they played ping pong or swam.

[danp]

Just a word of caution,if the father of the kids is available you must want to get a letter from him saying that he oked this taking the kids out of state.We take our grandchildren on a cruise and we were told years ago about this.On NCL hey have a form that you can fill out and print and have the father sign it.

[leisuretraveler223]

Just a word of caution,if the father of the kids is available you must want to get a letter from him saying that he oked this taking the kids out of state.We take our grandchildren on a cruise and we were told years ago about this.On NCL hey have a form that you can fill out and print and have the father sign it.

 

Thanks. Father is around, but mother has sole physical and legal custody. So no one else has the authority to say so.

[Merion_Mom]

So leaving on Allure on Sunday with fiance, her parents, my mother and her four kids, ages 10, 12, 13 & 15.

 

As a previously childless cruiser, I was always aware, but indifferent to the youth programs. Now with four kids ages 10-15, I want to know what to expect.

 

What do we do the first day? Do I have to register them there in some specific capacity? Will they all fall into the same group or are there ages to disparate? What do you suggest I encourage them to do to make the most of the experience?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Your mother has four kids, ages 10, 12, 13 & 15?!?!?!?!?

[Jenjer]

Make sure the kids especially teens go to the first night activities to make friends. My DD could not live without on ship texting to make it easy to get ahold of her and she can communicate with her friends. The phones all go into airplane mode so no international charges.

 

We have clear expectations/rules with our kids. Examples they eat dinner with us each night, shows are a option. Curfew times. Budget. They can charge on their sea pass cards in the arcade that can get expensive. Since my kids don't drink soda we allow them a couple of virgin drinks a day. We check the room bill everyday so no end of the cruise surprise. Never allow to go into someone's room or even down the room hallways.

 

Allure is a great ship if you think they will like the flowriders bring suits(and sunblock) when you board so they can go after lunch before luggage arrives.

[leisuretraveler223]

Your mother has four kids, ages 10, 12, 13 & 15?!?!?!?!?

 

LOL!

 

 

"Let's eat Grandma!"

 

"Let's eat, Grandma!"

 

Punctuation saves lives!!!

[danp]

Thanks. Father is around, but mother has sole physical and legal custody. So no one else has the authority to say so.

 

OK happy sailing