Kids Holiday Gifts from RCL

[Inshape]

What did RCL give to the kids that were cruising over the Christmas time period? What were the big prizes for the ocean adventure tickets that the kids get for going to camp? Also, from which ship were you on, would like to know what they gave on Mariner in particular... thanks!

[tupper]

I don't have an answer on the Christmas gifts, but my kids didn't get anything for their tickets on the Mariner the week of 12/11/05. They said the counselors said the tickets were just for fun. They were a little disappointed, as their first cruise (with Carnival) they came home with T-Shirts to color,and backpacks and captain's hats (for the younger kids) and that was just for showing up-no tickets or competition required.

[shrimp0]

We were on the Explorer in February 05... at that time, they had stopped giving out the tickets for each visit to the Ocean Adventure. However, the whole family can earn ship shape bucks by attending various family activities. These can be turned in for visors, cups, hats etc... more adult type things too. ( not just inky the octopus). I like it much better without the tickets at ocean adventure. this way, the kids who stay for longer time periods are not "getting anything less" then the kids who come and go through out the day. Not that my son likes to be there the whole day... but there are some activities he really looks forward to. ( it becomes much for for the enjoyment of the activity then the pursuit of the toy.. kwim?)

[Jill0526]

We were on the Navigator over Christmas. All the kids received basically the same thing. The youngest kids received a magnetic board with inky magnets that had a small erasable white board at the bottom. The next oldest age group received the same magnetic board with an Adventure Ocean theme that had a cork board in place of the white board. The teenagers received the same magnetic board with a Fuel theme (teen disco) that also had a cork board.

 

The boards were all the exact same size and shape and they were all wrapped in festive paper. The people handing out the gifts were confused. My 10 year old daughter received the teenager gift.

 

Adventure Ocean no longer gives out tickets. When you register for Adventure Ocean on the first night, the youngest kids received a stuffed Inky, the 6 - 9 year olds received a RC sling backpack and the 10 - 12 year olds received a RC cd case. No more prizes.

 

Jill

[cryscruiser]

I'm not a kid, but when I returned to my room on the Sovereign, Christmas Eve, there was a nicely wrapped RC beach back pack. It was a nice surprise, which I waited until Christmas morning to open.

[Mabers]

I'm not a kid, but when I returned to my room on the Sovereign, Christmas Eve, there was a nicely wrapped RC beach back pack. It was a nice surprise, which I waited until Christmas morning to open.

 

Got the same thing (they weren't back packs) on the same ship.....but the bags were just lying on the bed! Love them tho'....very handy to have.

[ramsanti]

We were on SoS for their Holiday Cruise. Santa made a visit on the ship coming in from CoCo Cay via the lifeboats. My kids (9 & 11) got the metalic boards. I believe the smaller kids got something from Fisher Price?? Not sure on that one, but I thought I heard the Counselors mention it.

 

As for the Tickets, my kids were very disappointed with the counselors on the SoS, as were we. They continued to mention the tickets and turning them in to win some prizes, but on the last night, when they went to ask about them, the prize was that they were special friends of the counselors. I know the younger kids were disappointed and I made a point to mention this in the Survey. Other parents were upset at this too.

 

The kids did get other items during the cruise, but my daughter especially wanted an Inky. None were sold in the store so we asked and the counselor would sell me one although they were being given away to the younger kids on the cruise. She also missed out on the coloring pillow cases and the counselors would not give or sell me one. Overall, I was very displeased with these counselors. I've been on 3 other RCCL ships and this is the first time we've had problems with the AO program.

 

Ramon Santiago

[suzycruiser]

Hi!

We were on Explorer over Christmas (12/23-1/2) and my kids both got the magnetic boards. They are nice, but no big whoop.... However, we did not get anything in either of our staterooms and were quite disappointed! I had been told by several people (travel agents, past guests and some of you all!) that we would get a gift delivered to our stateroom Christmas night. Was anyone else onboard The Explorer and if so do you have any idea as to why they discontinued this? It was kind of a bummer and the way I look at it, we paid a pretty penny and it would have been nice for them to acknowlege the holidays.

Thanks!

[terri23]

We were on Splendour for Christmas and we (adults) got nothing. It was a little disappointing considering that I had read everyone would get a (token) gift.

 

However, the ship's decorations were nice (we decorated our cabin, too) and the Christmas eve caroling in the centrum was festive.

[tupper]

Gosh...I thought I heard in the past that they gave the kids cd players or something like that to the kids for Christmas. The "boards" seem like a huge step down if this is true. My kids didn't get a "registration gift" either. We did miss the formal meeting which I think was held at the same time as another "main event", but we did stop by the first night and nothing was given to the kids then or at any time. I thought I heard that they used to at least, give lanyards.

[Inshape]

What a difference 2 years make i guess. I liked the incentives of the tickets to get them to go to AO. Otherwise they are all too happy to hang by the pool with us or do other things. We picked MOS to do other things together, but there is always room for an hour or two a day for them to mingle with kids. So what you are all saying is no prixes at the end for accumulation of tickets. That is too bad, they liked that.

[ramsanti]

Yes, after 3 other cruises, the kids knew that the more you went and listened the more points you got. The counselors made such a big deal about awarding points on this cruise, that you'd think they'd get something really nice. But on the last night to be told you only got to be a special friend to the counselors for all those points is not rewarding at all. It only leaves a bad impression on the next counselors and those kids returning will only act differently because they know they'll get nothing at the end.

 

It's the same with all of us, you're told to work hard to get a bonus or something thereabouts and then when it's time to get that hard earned award, you get a "oh yeah, THANKS..."

 

My survey reflected that and I hope to hear from RCCL on it.

 

Ramon Santiago

[zdmmom]

Hi All,

We sailed on the Brilliance 10 night 12/23/2005-1/2/2006, and the kids got the magnetic boards from Santa, as well as a gift(inky, visor, or cd case) during the registration time for Adventure Ocean. During the cruise my 9yr old son, received a couple of nice prizes for the scavenger hunts, and a T-shirt, my 2 daughters didn't get anything else during the cruise or at the end.

As far as Gifts for the adults, nothing, nada, zip, and like suzycruiser said we paid a pretty penny for that cruise, like 3 cabins of $$$$. We are a family of 5, so right there is 2 cabins, then we took my MIL.

Last year on the Mariner, we got a nice rolling duffle bag w/ a camera bag. So, of course we were a little disappointed, as well as a Platinum level member I talked with.

It sounds like most of the other cruises went the same way.

Happy Sailing,

ZDMMOM

[nerak]

We were on the Serenade last week for Christmas and received a RCI duffle bag...just one. Our steward said it was a gift only for suites and only one per suite. It'll make a great gym bag for me.

[Inshape]

We got the tote bags and the kids got the metal magnetic boards when they registered. What is Mariner now giving? ANything different?