Cruising with an *ALMOST* 3 year old...

[awallbank]

We will be traveling on the Fantasy in April. My son will be one month shy of 3 years old. We wanted to do the Star Wars Day at Sea cruise, so we decided to go before he was 3.

Anyone know if there is any flexibility on the age for the Kids Club (not the nursery), Bippity Boppity Boutique, or Royal Court Princess & Prince Tea Party?

Also, we'd love to do a Dolphin Experience with him, but to interact with the dolphins the age limit is 3 and up. Any experience on how strict they are with the 3 and up rule? We will be in Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We will be traveling on the Fantasy in April. My son will be one month shy of 3 years old. We wanted to do the Star Wars Day at Sea cruise, so we decided to go before he was 3.

Anyone know if there is any flexibility on the age for the Kids Club (not the nursery), Bippity Boppity Boutique, or Royal Court Princess & Prince Tea Party?

Also, we'd love to do a Dolphin Experience with him, but to interact with the dolphins the age limit is 3 and up. Any experience on how strict they are with the 3 and up rule? We will be in Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

No, they must be 3 to use Oceaneer's. But you can take him there during Open House times. Pretty sure that BBB is firm with ages, also. Maybe not the Royal Court tea, but don't know for sure.

 

[lanejudy]

DCL is VERY strict on the 3-yr-old minimum age for the Oceaneers Club/Lab; even a child turning 3 on the cruise is not allowed into secured programming at the Club/Lab until the birthday. The nursery is available to "amost 3's" for secured programming, and you are welcome to bring him to Open House times at the Club or Lab anytime.

Port excursions through DCL are also very strict on age limits. You may be able to book the same excursion privately.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[awallbank]

Thank you! Do you know approximately when the Open House times usually are?

 

[TestingH2O]

There are usually open house times in each space each day.

Check out http://disneycruiselineblog.com to look at past Nabigators to get ideas about daily schedules.

 

[ctnurse]

They are strict and don't allow children in the club until they are 3. We have cruised when DD was 18 months and right after her second birthday. She spend time in the nursery everyday and it was great. A lot of the time on our 12 night cruise she was the only one in the nursery, the CMs said there aren't many under 3s on the longer cruises. With that being said, we are cruising this summer and DD will finally be 3 and will try the clubs. I just have my fingers crossed she will be potty trained.

 

[MNnice]

We sailed when my DD was 3 months shy of turning 3 but because she was fully potty trained & very capable of communicating they allowed her to be a part of the regular oceaneer club/lab...this was 4 years ago so maybe they have become more strict...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We sailed when my DD was 3 months shy of turning 3 but because she was fully potty trained & very capable of communicating they allowed her to be a part of the regular oceaneer club/lab...this was 4 years ago so maybe they have become more strict...

They have. A child must be 3 before being allowed in Oceaneer's.

 

[sparklinducky]

We were on the fantasy last fall and they told my friend they would take an almost 3 year old if they were potty trained. Hey youngest wanted to go with her sister, but she wasn't potty trained so in the nursery she stayed.

 

[luapgib]

We originally booked a cruise for just after our youngest turned 3. However they changed the cruise to a DVC cruise so we had to go about three weeks before he turned 3. We called and they stated that if he was potty trained and willing to go in without throwing a fit he would be fine. He was able to use the clubs. However he only would stay in about 20-30 mins at a time as a opposed to my other two who had to be dragged out.

 

[Weedy]

They began enforcing the rules about 6 months ago. Children cannot use the kids club until the day they turn 3.

 

[luapgib]

I guess we were lucky as our cruise was closer to a year ago. It is good to know that they have since updated their policy.