asylem Posted February 10, 2020 #1 Share Posted February 10, 2020 We have gone on 10+ cruises in the past 15 years, but here's my dillema... i'm hoping someone can help! We have a 7 year old, 4 year old, and 6 month old. We're looking for a cruise that has kid drop off programming (not for the 6 month old), but want our 7 and 4 year old to be together. Those two are inseparable, they won't go to programs without eachother! Every cruise line that I've checked so far has two age groups, 3-5 and 6-9 separate kids programming. No one has any drop off programs for 4-7 (or 4-8) or whatever the case may be. It seems no 4 year olds overlap with anything older than 6 year olds. Does anyone know of ANY cruise lines that have overlapping ages for a 4 and 7 year old?? Or even better, any advice to keep the kiddos together on the ship but away from us parents for a day or two?? I could certainly use a break lol. Thanks in advance!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perditax Posted February 10, 2020 #2 Share Posted February 10, 2020 https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/onboard-activities/oceaneer-youth-club/ From what I understand, ages 3-12 can mingle in there. Not a parent myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted February 10, 2020 #3 Share Posted February 10, 2020 1 hour ago, asylem said: We have gone on 10+ cruises in the past 15 years, but here's my dillema... i'm hoping someone can help! We have a 7 year old, 4 year old, and 6 month old. We're looking for a cruise that has kid drop off programming (not for the 6 month old), but want our 7 and 4 year old to be together. Those two are inseparable, they won't go to programs without eachother! Every cruise line that I've checked so far has two age groups, 3-5 and 6-9 separate kids programming. No one has any drop off programs for 4-7 (or 4-8) or whatever the case may be. It seems no 4 year olds overlap with anything older than 6 year olds. Does anyone know of ANY cruise lines that have overlapping ages for a 4 and 7 year old?? Or even better, any advice to keep the kiddos together on the ship but away from us parents for a day or two?? I could certainly use a break lol. Thanks in advance!! As noted DCL has Oceaneer's Club/Lab for ages 3-12. There are (sort of) separate areas within the space for what used to the the different age levels - Club, ages 3-7, and Lab, ages 8-12. But any child in the space can participate in any of the activities, regardless of age. Time was the Club and Lab were separate, but there were a lot of parents who felt their kids had to be together that they complained. Now the complaints are about 3 year olds being "run over" by the big kids there. You can't satisfy everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted February 11, 2020 #4 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Disney is about the only one...and most kids prefer OTHER kid's clubs on other lines, because of that. I know the 7 year old and 4 year old aren't together in school....and I'm sure they can deal with a little separation for an hour or two on a cruise vacation! They will have ample time to be together with you, as a family! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitkat343 Posted February 11, 2020 #5 Share Posted February 11, 2020 (edited) It's no guarantee, but if you sail during the school year on an itinerary that doesn't normally attract a lot of children, all the youngish kids are likely to be grouped together. We sailed to the Panama Canal leaving on January 10th, sailed to Norway from Southampton in mid-May (the British schools heavily fine parents for missing school, and British schools were still in session at that point) and traveled to Guatemala and Honduras and Costa Maya on HAL in late January. On those three cruises which were each different lines (Princess, Cunard and HAL) all of the children under 13 were grouped together since there were about 10 kids on each of those sailings. There is no guarantee, but I believe that it is unlikely that there would be strict age grouping if there were only 2 or 3 kids in each age range. On our summer cruises when schools were out (Baltics, Alaska) there was strict age grouping and a ton of kids. It might be possible for your 7 year old to be moved down to a 3-6 year old group, but they might find that really boring and resent being the oldest child in that group. Your best bet is to ask the kids club staff politely when there are no other parents around, and they may choose to accommodate you, but there is no guarantee that a child will be moved to a different age group (you are more likely to get permission for a kid go down than up) Edited February 11, 2020 by kitkat343 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gi_pam Posted February 11, 2020 #6 Share Posted February 11, 2020 It's been a few years, but when we cruised NCL, they had "Freestyle Freeplay" times (or something) where the kids' center was open for all ages, no real groups, just a few low key activities going on and kids could join in wherever. We cruised with 4 kids (mine and my sister's kids) between the ages of 7 and 11 and that was the only time they were all able to be together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegoaliegirl Posted February 11, 2020 #7 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Princess cruises has 3 ages groups for their kids clubs. The youngest group is ages 3-7. Then it is 8-12. So while your oldest is still 7, then they will be in the same group as the 4 year old. My kiddos absolutely love Princess and the kids clubs. They do a great job with them and there are so many activities for them all day (with lunch and dinner breaks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asylem Posted February 11, 2020 Author #8 Share Posted February 11, 2020 3 minutes ago, thegoaliegirl said: Princess cruises has 3 ages groups for their kids clubs. The youngest group is ages 3-7. Then it is 8-12. So while your oldest is still 7, then they will be in the same group as the 4 year old. My kiddos absolutely love Princess and the kids clubs. They do a great job with them and there are so many activities for them all day (with lunch and dinner breaks). YOU SAVED MY LIFE!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegoaliegirl Posted February 11, 2020 #9 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Just now, asylem said: YOU SAVED MY LIFE!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are so very welcome. My kids are 6 and 8 and our last cruise was in Aug and they still ask at least every other day, if not daily, when their next cruise is. That gives you an idea of how much they loved their 2 cruises they've done so far on Princess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ardsley1967 Posted February 17, 2020 #10 Share Posted February 17, 2020 I am planning a family cruise for 18 of us. The kids will be 16, 14, 12.5, 13, 11,9, 6, and 4 Mynonly concern is that the 14 and 12.5 year old are sisters. I’m looking at a Royal Caribbean cruise and their information indicates the 12.5 year old won’t be able to join her 14 year old sister in the teen club. There seem to be so many activities on board, but the parents seem to think this arrangement won’t work. I’m looking for advice and feedback from people who have had this situation. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitkat343 Posted February 17, 2020 #11 Share Posted February 17, 2020 6 hours ago, Ardsley1967 said: I am planning a family cruise for 18 of us. The kids will be 16, 14, 12.5, 13, 11,9, 6, and 4 Mynonly concern is that the 14 and 12.5 year old are sisters. I’m looking at a Royal Caribbean cruise and their information indicates the 12.5 year old won’t be able to join her 14 year old sister in the teen club. There seem to be so many activities on board, but the parents seem to think this arrangement won’t work. I’m looking for advice and feedback from people who have had this situation. Thank you I'm sorry - it is extremely unlikely that a cruise line would allow a 12.5 year old into the teen club, because teen clubs often have less supervision than younger age kids clubs and if anything happened to her they'd be liable. It is possible they'd let the 14 year old age down, but it the 14 year old probably wouldn't be too happy being with preteens. How do the parents feel about letting the children go around the ship together? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahacca Posted February 17, 2020 #12 Share Posted February 17, 2020 13 hours ago, Ardsley1967 said: I am planning a family cruise for 18 of us. The kids will be 16, 14, 12.5, 13, 11,9, 6, and 4 Mynonly concern is that the 14 and 12.5 year old are sisters. I’m looking at a Royal Caribbean cruise and their information indicates the 12.5 year old won’t be able to join her 14 year old sister in the teen club. There seem to be so many activities on board, but the parents seem to think this arrangement won’t work. I’m looking for advice and feedback from people who have had this situation. Thank you Carnival has Circle C that is ages 12-14. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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