2 1/2 year old

[oklamomof4boys]

I have a friend going on a cruise with a daughter who will be 3 four months from the cruise. Do they ever allow a potty trained 2 1/2 year old in the kids club? I'm guessing they don't but I told her I would ask. Also is there ever a time they let a 2 1/2 visit the club with a parent? Finally, how much is the nursery?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have a friend going on a cruise with a daughter who will be 3 four months from the cruise. Do they ever allow a potty trained 2 1/2 year old in the kids club? I'm guessing they don't but I told her I would ask. Also is there ever a time they let a 2 1/2 visit the club with a parent? Finally, how much is the nursery?

Oceaneers Club/Lab is for 3-12 year olds. Fully potty trained. That means that they must be able to undress, use the toilet, clean up, redress and wash hands by themselves. Club/Lab CMs are not allowed to assist in any way.

You can take your 2 year old to the Club and talk to the CMs there. Sometimes, if the Club/Lab is not full (a full load onboard the ship) they will allow a trial run. If sucessful, the child can stay.

Remember, the area is not just for smaller children, so be aware that there will be 11 & 12 year olds playing in the same areas.

Open House hours in the Club/Lab occur generally for 1 or 2 hours once or twice a day. At these times either the Club or the Lab will be accessible to families (with an adult in attendance) to participate in the activities. Whichever side is having Open House, the other side will be in Secure Programming for those parents who still wish to just drop off their child.

I believe the nursery is $6.00 per hour. I'd recommend going ahead and booking nursery hours precruise, in case you need to use it. You can cancel onboard if you get the child into the Club/Lab.

 

[peachygreen]

The nursery is $6/hr. The have open house times, typically in the mornings where you can bring younger children in to play. They do sometimes let independent potty training <3 year olds in the club, but that is typically those within a.month or shop of their birthday. You can ask and they may or may not allow it. I wouldn't count on it though.

 

[Golden Rose]

We used the open house times a lot with our almost 2 year old DD on our cruise in November. Our 7 year old DS adores his little sister, and didn't want to go without her, so we spent a fair amount of time there with both of them. She is potty trained, but not potty independent, and she is small for her age; there was no way we or they were going to consider letting her go alone.

We did use the nursery several times for her. She is very advanced for her age and used to hanging out with older kids, so she really preferred the Oceaneer's Club. She was climbing up the pirate ship and going down the big slide in the Club fearlessly; she adored it. She also enjoyed doing the crafts in the Club. Honestly, I think she liked it better than her brother did. She put up with the nursery. I think she liked the attention from the adults, and they let her eat, which is always a hit, but she preferred the activities in the Club.

She'll still be 2 on our next cruise, but she'll be within a month of turning 3, and I'm going to really try to get her in the Club. If the nursery was boring to her at her 2nd birthday, I can't imagine how she'd put up with it right at her 3rd. I suspect she'll still be small, which may worry staff, though.

As others have mentioned, my understanding is that if space is available, they will work with the families of potty independent almost 3 year olds. I don't know how close to 3 the child has to be, and I know they evaluate on a case by case basis.

 

[tgch123]

DCL told me if my 2.5 year old was potty trained he could go to the club.

 

[violetmonarch]

At first, I was excited for my DS4 to go to the OC, but since he still needs help with potty, I guess I cannot allow him to go?

 

[lanejudy]

At first, I was excited for my DS4 to go to the OC, but since he still needs help with potty, I guess I cannot allow him to go?

The Club/Lab does not have CMs who can assist with pottying in any way. They do require that the children be fully potty-trained - that means pulling down/up clothing, belts/buttons/zips, hand-washing, etc. That said, you MAY be allowed to have a non-potty-trained 4-year-old attend in pull-ups if you agree to return regularly (like hourly or so) to take him for potty breaks. Speak with the CMs at open house on embarkation day. It may depend on how many children are on your particular cruise whether they can accommodate a special need.

 

[quickcat]

The poster who hit on the fact that there is 10 - 12 year olds playing in there too is the reason I did not send my 2 year old. She was only one month from turning 3 and fully potty trained when we went last Jan but the older kids are in there running around and having fun, not looking out for a 2 year old. Older kids just have a completely different 'play' style then a 2 year old does.
Just depends on the size of the 2 year old and how they will deal with older children playing with them.

 

[violetmonarch]

The poster who hit on the fact that there is 10 - 12 year olds playing in there too is the reason I did not send my 2 year old. She was only one month from turning 3 and fully potty trained when we went last Jan but the older kids are in there running around and having fun, not looking out for a 2 year old. Older kids just have a completely different 'play' style then a 2 year old does.
Just depends on the size of the 2 year old and how they will deal with older children playing with them.

That is a man fear of mine. I told my mother that I think we should just plan on trading the kids between us if we want to do something solo, and not rely on the kids clubs. Oh, well...