Tell me about RCCL's pgm for 4yr old

[AKDeputyDog]

Hi -

We are booked on the Serenade of the Seas for March 2008. Our daughter will be about 4 at cruise time. Looking for some general info such as -

1) anything I need to know before we go

2) what had you wished you'd known about the kids program

3) what hours does the program operate

4) anyone leave kid in program while they did an excursion

5) did your child enjoy the program

6) anything need to be done right when we get on the ship regarding the program

 

Thanks in advance.

[crusinmama06]

Click here and look for the AO 3-5...it has our compasses from our trip on Freedom. You can get an idea of the activities...

 

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Royal%20Caribean%20AO%20Compass/

 

You will be given a cell phone (or possibly a pager) for your daughter.

 

There is a whole thread here at this board that talks about leaving the child onboard (I personally wouldn't do it)

 

Know about the RCCL "3 strikes program"....if they give 3 strikes for "innapropriate behavior" and "potty accidents" then your child will not be allowed back into the program.

 

The slumber party (after 10pm) is $5 per child per hour.

 

You have to get your child their "YEP" bracelet AS SOON AS you board. There will be a table set up somewhere on the ship for this (for us it was almost RIGHT inside the door). The YEP bracelet must be worn by the child the entire cruise and will have the family's muster station number on it.

 

Then later on in the evening, you will register your child at AO. But there is no drop off the first night (some ships DO have drop off after 10pm for the slumber party, fees apply)

[EggDropErin]

I also have some more info in my signature. Feel free to check it out. It came directly from this year's RCI Travel Agent Guide.

[timcar]

cruisinmomma06

Thanks for the posting of the programs, that is great to see. I have a question, how strict are they with the age range. Are the kids in basically the same place. I will have a 5 and 1/2 yo and a 7 yo. I am just worried that my 5 yo will think she is with babies and want to be with her brother who will be with the 6 to 8 yo. Would I be able to put my daughter in with the 6 to 8 yo or would she be too young for them?

Donna

[crusinmama06]

cruisinmomma06

Thanks for the posting of the programs, that is great to see. I have a question, how strict are they with the age range. Are the kids in basically the same place. I will have a 5 and 1/2 yo and a 7 yo. I am just worried that my 5 yo will think she is with babies and want to be with her brother who will be with the 6 to 8 yo. Would I be able to put my daughter in with the 6 to 8 yo or would she be too young for them?

Donna

 

I hate to say it but in that case they probably won't put your youngest up to the next level. In the cases where the child is turning the next age in a few weeks, then yes maybe. They do what's called a provisional 24 hour test run. If the child does fine in the next level, then the child can stay.

 

I can tell you though...with having children in BOTH of those groups. There are more 5 year olds than 3 year olds in the 3-5 group. And the stuff the 3-5 year old group did was over my 3 year old's head alot of the time.

 

I have never been on the Serenade so I don't know if they can see eachother in AO. I know on Freedom they could...there was just a net dividing them and my oldest could talk to my youngest.

 

Just prep the 5 year old and tell her how much FUN it will be to be an "Aquanaut" and her big brother gets to be an "Explorer" ;) I bet if you don't tell her there are 3 year olds in the class, she won't notice too much.

[momonthego17]

I am in the same boat (sorry, bad pun) with 2 DDs at 7 & 5 and our last cruise my then 4 year old wasn't thrilled to be separated from her older sibling, but she got over it. Also, there are times that they are together, like on Coco Cay in the combined AO on the beach and in the Pirate show so that helps.

Having said that, I'm sure I will come up against some angst with my youngest DD on our upcoming cruise. Oh well.:rolleyes:

BTW, on our cruise to Nassau, we took the DDs to Nassau to see the Pirate Museum and then they were hot & tired, so we took them back to the ship where they had fun and we went to Atlantis for a while. They did fine in AO, but it's up to your comfort level about leaving your kids on board while you do an excursion.

I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise!