FYI - Carnival Kids Club

[CFFamily]

I just wanted to give a heads-up to anyone planning to use the kids club. We just completed our cruise on the Carnival Destiny and before I booked the cruise I not only asked my travel agent but I also called Carnival to ask if my youngest son would be able to use the kids club from about 8pm to 10pm while we were on board. He was 3 weeks shy from turning 2 and everyone assured me it would be no problem. Let me also say the only reason we choose to cruise was because of the babysitting offered and we wanted to be able to go out for 2 hours after dinner and enjoy the ship as adults.

We got on the ship and went to the initial meeting where you sign the kids up on Sunday night and we were told no, he could not attend. They said rules are rules which I would understand if I didn't contact Carnival ahead of time and they assured me it would be fine. We also asked at the pursers’ desk if there was any way we could even pay for a sitter for those 2 hours one night so we could celebrate our anniversary and they said no, rules are rules.

I might not be as bitter about this if someone could have shown a little compassion, a little understanding. Instead we were treated like pests, idiots who were wasting their time. Just one I’m sorry would have made me feel a little better about the whole thing.

So to anyone taking a cruise with an almost 2 year old, no matter what they tell you before they get your money, your child will not be allowed to use kids club once you board.

[Julienatul]

This is true on almost all cruiselines. They are rarely willing to budge on the age factor. I think it has to do with their liability insurance policies. You will hear about exceptions from time to time but they are very few and far between. I would go by what is printed in writing on their website right before sailing since policies change all the time.

 

We had the same thing happen to us on RCCL for babysitting when they up and changed their policy from 6mo- to 12mo for in cabin sitting right before our sailing. They wouldnt budge even though I called and specifically asked ahead of time and was assured it would be no problem.

 

We learned our lesson. In fact, we purposely booked our cruise for the week after our DD turned 2 on Carnival. Even if they turn two on the cruise most lines will consider the child the age they are on embarkation day. It's unfortunate that your travel agent and Carnival gave you false information especially since the policy is pretty clear on their website. I would write a letter to both Carnival and the head of your travel agency informing them of their missinformation.

 

Sorry you had a bad experience. Dont trust what they tell you on the phone, go by what is in writing.I hope you had a good Anniversary anyway.

 

Oh and for the future if your child continues to cry after being dropped of at camp even wheh they are of age, he will not be allowed to stay. Our DD is 3 and has yet to stay in camp more than 15 minutes and she goes to daycare everyday. When you travel with young ones you have to be prepared for anything. Sometimes that precious alone time we all want doesnt happen.

 

Julie

[mcfam5]

I agree with Julienatul, our experience has also been that the Camp Carnival staff holds pretty firmly to the rules about age limitations.

 

I can sympathize ~ my son has refused to go to Camp Carnival willing since he was first introduced to it at four years old. We spend lots of quality time together when we cruise!!! :)

[kitty9]

If you're a first time cruiser, you probably don't know the first rule of thumb about calling the customer service line for ANY cruise line is that chances are at least 80% that you won't get the right answer. Believe it or not, you could ask the same question to 10 different agents and get 8 different answers. They are known to not know or understand the rules of the company they work for. Most who post here would tell you, that the age rule for every cruise line is hard and fast, and that rule is: the age you are on the first day of the cruise is the age you'll be for the entire cruise. That goes for someone who turns 21 on the third day of their cruise. It doesn't matter--they will not be considered 21.

[NoelsCat]

Everything the PP's wrote is completely correct.

 

However, let me be the one who tells you that I am really sorry. I am sorry that you were given incorrect information. It really SUCKS. I hope you still had a great time and a wonderful anniversary.

 

Also, thank you for posting this -- you never know what other posters you may have helped prevent a disappointment.

[Aidansmommy2]

So sorry you got the wrong info. Camp Carnival is wonderful and our ds loves to go there (we can barely get him to leave:eek: ). I am pretty certain that even the under 2's are allowed after 10p.m during the paid babysitting time. I may be wrong about this though since our ds was always "of age" for our Carnival cruises. If this is the case though, someone should have informed you so you might still have been able to have some "adult time". Hope you enjoyed your cruise anyway!

Happy Sailing :)

Barb

[crusinmama06]

Yes I would be bitter too. But now I have a question....did they not allow your child into the Under 2's babysitting during the day or the group babysitting after 10pm at night?????

 

If not, please let me know. We try to keep the most up to date info around here and the info I have says that they will allow Under 2's during babysitting hours in the afternoon and after 10pm, for a fee ($5 per hour)

[CFFamily]

Yes, he was allowed into Kids Camp after 10pm but he’s too little to be out and about at that time of night and we wanted him snug in bed by that time. He was also allowed to go between the time we docked and noon but we were not comfortable leaving him on the ship while we went on the island.

What we thought we were going to have was something between 8pm and 10pm so we could hit the casino after dinner. Their loss really if we were not gambling.

Don’t get me wrong, we took this vacation to spend time with our kids; I was just upset that Carnival and my agent told me one thing and then what happened on ship was completely different. You are all right, I should have looked at something in writing but this was only my second cruise, the first with kids, and I just expected Carnival reps to be more…..well….representative of the facts.

I wanted to post this to warn anyone else that is thinking of doing a cruise with a child under the age of two. I want to help someone else avoid the same situation.

[crusinmama06]

Yes, he was allowed into Kids Camp after 10pm but he’s too little to be out and about at that time of night and we wanted him snug in bed by that time. He was also allowed to go between the time we docked and noon but we were not comfortable leaving him on the ship while we went on the island.

 

What we thought we were going to have was something between 8pm and 10pm so we could hit the casino after dinner. Their loss really if we were not gambling.

 

Don’t get me wrong, we took this vacation to spend time with our kids; I was just upset that Carnival and my agent told me one thing and then what happened on ship was completely different. You are all right, I should have looked at something in writing but this was only my second cruise, the first with kids, and I just expected Carnival reps to be more…..well….representative of the facts.

 

I wanted to post this to warn anyone else that is thinking of doing a cruise with a child under the age of two. I want to help someone else avoid the same situation.

 

 

Yep, you have learned a valuable lesson, the reps (pretty much at any cruise line) generally know less than we do here. ;)

 

I agree that I don't allow the kids on the ship when we are off of it and I pick up my kids by 10pm most nights, so you're right, after 10pm is way too late for a Under 2.

 

RCCL and Disney are the only cruiselines that cater to that age as far as babysitting at night (and Disney, during the day too)

 

RCCL has in cabin sitting at night.

 

Disney has flounders nursery.

[wrp96]

Michelle, Celebrity also offers babysitting like RCCL.

[sprstr68]

Thanks for posting. This is very frustrating, because we were told the same thing. My TA even had me on hold while she checked with Carnival...

[Karysa]

Two things: Sorry that this happened to you and I wish that we had been on your cruise because my 15 year old would have watched your two year old so that you could have had a few hours to celebrate your anniversary with your husband.

Karysa

[crusinmama06]

Michelle, Celebrity also offers babysitting like RCCL.

 

 

Ooops, I always forget about them...lol. :D