Kids club on port days

[I&MsMom]

Hi! I tried to ask this on the family thread, and I'm still not clear, so here goes:

 

I know you must sign up the day prior, and I know there is a charge. My question is this: when you sign up, do you have to commit to a time (say 3 - 5)?

 

My concern is that I won't always know in advance when/if we'll want to use the camp on port days. We always plan shore excursions with the kids. We've sailed another line which didn't require us to sign up in advance.

 

For example, say we've planned on Paradise Beach in Cozumel. We get there in the am and its pouring buckets and windy. Well, the kids would optimally go to camp until when, and if, it cleared and the wind died down so tendering wouldn't be so hectic. But how do I know in advance when that will be? Conversely, if I sign them up to spend an hour there before dinner (say 4 - 5) and it's absolutely beautiful at the beach and they don't want to leave a minute before we have to, can I just not take them? Would I be charged for the time - which I can see that NCL would feel that was fair, as presumably they make staffing decisions based on how many children are signed up.

 

Another camp related concern is that I have read that they will cancel the group babysitting if not enough children are signed up. Has anyone experienced this?

 

I don't mean to over-complicate. I'm just not sure how the logistics are handled. BTW, I called NCL twice, and even they aren't clear on it (one rep told me I could cancel after I'd signed up, but I had to do it within 24 hours, or I would be charged...well, I'm signing up the day before, so I'm not sure what that means...)

 

Anyway, any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[seasonedtraveler]

hello! not sure if this is the same on all NCL ships, but when we signed up for group sitting on port days, they asked for a start time, but did not make us stick to an end time...probably for the sake of staffing. one day, we dropped our son off at 2pm instead of 1pm (we signed up for 1pm), but we only charged for 2pm-5pm, NOT 1pm-5pm. when i asked the gal at the center, she said that if our son was the ONLY CHILD signed up at 1pm, but didn't show up til 2, then we would have been charged starting from 1pm, but since other kids were already there, and they already had staff assigned, there was no penalty. if you think about it, it makes sense.

[seasonedtraveler]

oh, i also forgot to mention...that same day, while we were dropping off our son at 2pm, a family w/2 kids came in, who had NOT signed up the night before (it's the NIGHT BEFORE that you have to sign up, not 24 hours prior, so by 10pm the NIGHT BEFORE, which is the end of Kid's Club for that evening)...since they had enough staff, they allowed the family to drop off their 2 kids...so i guess it all depends on staffing!