Bumping up a child in kids club?

[Asil65]

We are planning a big family reunion on the Grandeur next summer. MY daughter will be the youngest (age8) and the next closest cousins are 9 and 10. How flexible in RCI with placing my tall 8 yr old into the older group? I think the next age group is 9-11 yr olds. She would be really sad if her 2 older cousin were not with her. I might be really sad too. Ha Ha!:(

[andnickali]

It should not be a problem. When we were on Explorer last year we had the same situation with my 8 yo niece. AO had her participate in one session (I think it was a morning) and then they allowed her to move into the 9-11 with my boys. I think they have the child participate so they can observe any behavior issues that may not be associated with an older group of kids.

 

They also allow kids to move down levels, but do not require them to have a trial session first.

[Jeano222]

Kid's club are age specific, they know the child's age when you sign her up. I guess it's possible they would let her slide by in another age group, but some are very strict.

[Rala]

This has been addressed many times here on the boards. There doesn't seem to be any one set answer. It seems to depend on number of children in any given age group, maturity of the child wanting to move up, and the flexibility of the AO staff. You can only request that she be allowed into the older group and hope for the best. Good Luck!

[boulders]

Here is a recent thread from the Family Cruising forum. Adventure Ocean ages

 

In summer, I would think that it would be unlikely for there to be any flexibility. The cruise line will have the ages of the kids, so no fibbing!:p

 

Being in the younger group will give your dd a chance to meet other kids her own age. Meeting new people is one of my favorite things about cruising!

[Asil65]

Thanks for the answers. I guess I will take my chances. I certainly don't want to have a grumpy 8 yr old by my side the whole time because her cousins are in the other group.

[Asil65]

Thanks for the answers. I guess I will take my chances. I certainly don't want to have a grumpy 8 yr old by my side the whole time because her cousins are in the other group. I don't think she would have any trouble fitting in with that age group. Everyone thinks she is older than she is.

[Asil65]

Sorry about the kind of double post!

[RetireeWannabee]

Unless she's painfully shy, she should be just fine 'with strangers.' I would think it would be harder for her to fit in with older children than it would be to make new friends her own age while sharing common interests.

 

Being a couple years younger than my sister, she hated when I would "tag along" with her. Surely there would be some children in her group that are at a similar maturity level?

 

I would not mention it to any of the kids to keep from setting expectations you cannot control.

 

Good luck, I hope all of you have a great time and you experience no grumpiness from any in your party!

[BostonGal07]

Just returned from Mariner 8/26 and my 11 yr old was able to slide in with the 12-14 age group (she'll be 12 in Dec.) However, I did hear them tell a woman in front of me "no go" in putting her kids in the same AO group due to differing ages. Give it a shot - worst they can say is no.

[crusinmama06]

I like having my kids in different age groups but that's just me. They can do their own things and make their own friends. And if I don't dwell on it then neither do they.

 

But with that being said, on our last cruise, we sailed with friends. My daughter was in one group with the friend's son. The friend's daughter was turning the next age group in a few days. The counselors allowed her into the group on a "conditional" basis. She was able to stay in the higher age group for the rest of the cruise.

 

You just have to ask nicely and not demand anything. I saw a few moms trying to demand the age change and got nowhere. ;)

[Asil65]

I know how to ask nicely, Ill try that. Do you need to show some sort of proof of age when you sign up the kids? I suppose everything is in the computer system already. It sounds like ifthe higher age group does not have so many kids they may be willing to do it.

[abcmanzer]

Hi-

 

We are going on the Enchantment in late June and our 5 yo son will be turning 6 on the cruise. He tends to "hang out" with older kids around the neighborhood, so I am worried that they are going to force him into the 3-5 year old group. He will turn 6yo 3 days into the cruise.

 

Can we request that he be put into the 6-8 year old group?

 

Or can we fib about him turning 6 just before we board? (I realize they will have access to my son's passport but if we register with the cruise as turning 6 one day before boarding rather than three days after will they check/know?)

[crusinmama06]

You can't lie about the age because when boarding, the passport (or bc) age must match the registered age. They can deny you boarding if those ages don't match up. :eek:

 

And then the counselors have lists of the children on board with their age listed.

 

If your child is turning 6 ON the cruise, you shouldn't have a problem.

[abcmanzer]

 

If your child is turning 6 ON the cruise, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

Thanks for the reassurance-

 

I had read elsewhere that some (maybe Disney) were VERY firm about not bumping up kids even if they are changing age on the trip! We almost always travel to celebrate our son's B-Day and I worry that he won't want to go to the kid's club if he has to hangout with younger kids.

[crusinmama06]

Thanks for the reassurance-

 

I had read elsewhere that some (maybe Disney) were VERY firm about not bumping up kids even if they are changing age on the trip! We almost always travel to celebrate our son's B-Day and I worry that he won't want to go to the kid's club if he has to hangout with younger kids.

 

Yeah people around here SAY that but I have experience to prove the opposite. On Disney Magic, both MY daughter and our family friend's son were having birthdays ON the cruise. They both had the choice to go up or stay down. They both chose to stay down because on Disney, the lower age group had more interactions with the characters. The higher age groups had more computer/lab events.

 

On Carnival, the choice was the same, they could go up or stay down. They chose up.

 

On RCCL, as long as you are not trying to get a 2 year old into the 3 year old program (they are sort of strict about this). They allow the movement if the child is having the birthday ont he cruise.

 

So when we were on RCCL, we went the day AFTER my daughter's 3rd birthday so we could get her into AO. :D