Current Youth Activities CM -- Ask me anything!

[CMontheseas]

Quick question CM. IF the kids are in the Club/Lab during the time blocked out for dinner, are there still activities and things for them to do? I ask because we have second dinner seating and there is a day where my wife and I will need the kids to be in the clubs from 4:30 until about 6. They obviously won't be eating dinner in the clubs, so I want to make sure they will be able to just hang out and play even though most kids might be eating dinner? Probably a stupid question, but I'm an OCD planner.

Yes, but when dinnertime starts in the Club/Lab, don't expect any programming or games to be happening. It's meant to be a downtime period to prevent the kids from being tempted to be distracted from the meal (A lot of health and safety restrictions in the space only allow them to eat within a certain area for a designated period of time).

A movie is usually played and the children are encouraged to sit together in the same area watching whether they are eating or not; slides, gaming systems and some playrooms tend to be closed. So it COULD be fairly boring if you're not eating during dinnertime, so make sure your kids are prepared for it! However as more kids finish their meal, things will be opened up for them to use.

What special craft/ activities will there be on the Dream Holiday time cruise. We are leaving on the 1st. ? Also how do I make sure that whatever crafts my 3 y/o does I get. I feel like he missed out on bring things home. He would never have gotten the little green DCL bag if I hadnt ask ? Makes me wonder what else he did we didnt get.
Thank ahead of time! Specially for all your time!!!

Our holiday craft programming depends on the manager of the space and whether they wanted to dedicate any programming specifically for it, or if it's just something a CM came up with on the fly. (Note that on the Disney Dream....this is less likely to happen than on the other ships!)

What I recommend is that every time you come to pick up or check up on him, for him to show you anything he made during that time. Bring a pen with you so you could make sure you write his name/stateroom on it somewhere for easy identification. Ask a CM if there's a place they normally keep crafts to be claimed, but it's much better if you take it with you right then; (crafts tend to get 'borrowed' or recycled by other kids for their own art!)

If you're concerned about missing out on some of the things certain kids get, make sure you speak to a Manager in the department. Say that on a previous cruise you felt like you missed out on receiving things and would like to make sure you knew when the kids would get stuff during this cruise. They should be able to give you a heads up to things scheduled over the new few days that would result in goodies!

 

[Julz226]

Male characters whose costumes we have include: Captain hook, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Peter Pan, Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, Captain America. This depends on availability from ship to ship, there tends to be far more dresses and captain hook jackets than any of the other costumes!

As long as he's happy, I'm not concerned so long as it's not going to rock the boat there He loves to play pirates too. At the moment he's sporting a "Jake" headband, a toy hook, a Jack Sparrow earring, and his favorite super hero cape.

I'm glad to hear Disney has a policy in place instead of leaving it up to CMs to use their own judgment, because while most recognize that a child is just playing, we did have a substitute teacher at his school one day who told several of the kids that it was bad for little boys to wear dresses... Had some crushed and confused preschoolers for sure.

Thanks so much for taking your time to answer all of these questions. My husband was laughing at me as I sat up for two hours reading all 30-something pages. I know my son is going to LOVE our upcoming trip. He's seen pictures of the club and is now counting down days till we arrive (good thing he can count to 100) and my husband and I are going to love having some one-on-one time too, but I know I'll be the panicky mom at least for the first morning he's in there.

 

[CatManDoo]

Ok CM, let's say the president of DCL comes to you and says "CMontheseas, give me 5 things you would change about DCL and they will be done," what would they be?

 

[CMontheseas]

Ok CM, let's say the president of DCL comes to you and says "CMontheseas, give me 5 things you would change about DCL and they will be done," what would they be?

Oh what a question! Catches me off guard a good week before I sail away again! But I did some thinking and here it is. If Karl Holz was to ask me to change 5 things about DCL?


1) Hire more staff for the Youth Spaces. I know we're already so much bigger as a department relatively than the other ship companies, but for very good reason. A lot of our strain comes from understaffing (which happens more often than not), which is a big part of why we end up working so many hours. If this additional staff was even just to help us out by taking on lunch-serving duties and cleaning up and taking our trash, it would alleviate so much stress on the CMs. We're trained and hired to have our attention be focused on the kids, not on food-service and housekeeping!


2) Provide more opportunities for growth in the company. I know many fellow CMs were dismayed to find out that DCL doesn't give out references for employment, nor is it attached to the rest of the Disney company in a way that we could branch out and grow from the Cruise Line. So technically, the only avenues to continue upwards and onwards is on the ship for us. At no point during my time with the company has there been any indication that we could ever move on to gaining land-based employment. We aren't any closer to getting placements in the Parks or becoming Imagineers or performers from our work on the ship . And on that note...


3) Allow Cast/Crew Members to move up internally. Speaking from my department's view, many of us become dispirited and much talk happens when our management comes from external sources. These are people who aren't familiar with the product and have to make decisions about the spaces and our work without having experienced life on board, let alone working as a Disney CM before. I'd view this more positively if it wasn't a big problem for youth activities already!



4) A day off. Where the disconnect between our Disney counterparts on land and shoreside exists is that for them at the end of the day- they can go home, have privacy, exist in their own space for a few hours. We don't. There is no weekend. There is no calling in sick because you're feeling under the weather (unless you have an illness that can be proven by our ship doctor). We spend most of our conscious, living time at work. Work = Life on board, for everyone up to the Cruise Director and Captain.*with the exception of mainstage cast who often get full days off of no performances on some ships. Back in the day, they used to award CMs who received excellent guest feedback and peer votes a day off on a monthly basis. This gave us so much incentive to work for it, and make so much magic. For staffing reasons, this went away. Whyy!?! Even just for one day, for one person a month?



And lastly..
5) The ability to speak freely about things we'd like to see changed. When you're on board, you simply can't. There isn't even a direct way to connect with our shore-side leaders without going through the channels of our upper management. It's frustrating because we sometimes don't feel like we can do anything to make things better or more efficient, because it hasn't been approved by DCL on land. CM ideas don't seem quite as valued, and even when the execs come for a visit on board they make a big deal about randomly selecting various CMs from different departments to have a meal and be able to speak their minds... while their managers are present. A hotline, and email address, anything like that would be wonderful.




I don't think they're unreasonable, I came into it thinking I'd ask for grandiose wishes to be granted (guest staterooms for the crew!) - but really these are just some honest things I'd love for him to look at.

 

[TheLanes]

CatManDoo is Karl!!!

 

[papertraveller]

On our next trip, we'll be sailing with two cousins, aged 15 and 8. Will the parents be able to give the 15-year-old approval to pick up the 8-year-old from the club?

And on a completely different note, I'm fascinated by life at sea. Thanks for the information about the roles on debarkation day. Do the people in similar positions tend to spend time together in what little time off you have, i.e. do youth activities people tend to stay in a group, room staff in a group, etc.?

 

[lbgraves]

On our next trip, we'll be sailing with two cousins, aged 15 and 8. Will the parents be able to give the 15-year-old approval to pick up the 8-year-old from the club?

Posted earlier.

......
What you're referring to is Pick-up Authorization also known as "Authorized Adult" in order to retrieve any non Self-Check child out of the space. Sadly, this is only granted to guests 13 and older (even if they're not technically adults!).

...

 

[CMontheseas]

On our next trip, we'll be sailing with two cousins, aged 15 and 8. Will the parents be able to give the 15-year-old approval to pick up the 8-year-old from the club?

And on a completely different note, I'm fascinated by life at sea. Thanks for the information about the roles on debarkation day. Do the people in similar positions tend to spend time together in what little time off you have, i.e. do youth activities people tend to stay in a group, room staff in a group, etc.?

Yes absolutely, they can! Anyone 13 and over can be authorized to pick up a child.
*Thanks lbgraves!


As for your other question...I suppose you mean in terms of friend groups?

It's a funny thing the way it works, but if you only knew how similar it is to high school groupings. Think of that map in Mean Girls (because we always refer to it when we're in the crew mess), and it's eerily telling based on where everyone sits who also hangs out together in port!

-Beverage team/bartenders/baristas all tend to hang out together and have wild parties! They're the sort to go all out on extravagant evenings in port when there are overnight opportunities.

-Housekeeping/Engineering/Deck staff tend to come from the same countries and hang out on their own below deck.

-Dining Room/Galley Staff tend to split off and make friends based on nationality from what I can tell for the most part.

As for us, Youth Activities/Cruise Staff/Characters/Entertainment/Photography tend to bunch up as we're usually the youngest 20-somethings on board and all English-speaking.

At the very top of the hierarchy seem to be the Remy's dining room attendants, and the mainstage performers. Depending on the ship/contract, sometimes the most gracious and charming people, sometimes the most entitled. (Luckily I never saw them as the latter during my time!)

Of course there are the occasional exceptions to the rule, interdepartmental marriages happen this way .

 

[CarolyninCO]

Before I ask this question, I just want to make it clear that I am happily married.

A few days ago I caught an old episode of The Love Boat. For those of you not as old as I, it's a fictional show from the 80's that took place on a Princess Cruise ship. The main characters were the doc, bartender, cruise director, Captain. Anyone else remember this show?

It seems like every episode showed one of the crew was, how to say this...having relations with a passenger. Especially the doc. I imagine (if it happens at all) it's less so on DCL, but there's no Carnival CM here I can ask!

So I guess my question is - do crew members ever "get personal" with passengers?

 

[lbgraves]

A few days ago I caught an old episode of The Love Boat. For those of you not as old as I, it's a fictional show from the 80's that took place on a Princess Cruise ship. The main characters were the doc, bartender, cruise director, Captain. Anyone else remember this show?

You're not that old. I use to watch that every Friday night when babysitting, followed by The plane! The plane!

 

[CMontheseas]

It seems like every episode showed one of the crew was, how to say this...having relations with a passenger. Especially the doc. I imagine (if it happens at all) it's less so on DCL, but there's no Carnival CM here I can ask!

So I guess my question is - do crew members ever "get personal" with passengers?

Oh goodness no. Never ever. That's probably the worst thing any of us could ever do with a guest after killing them!
(*nor did I intend for that to read as though they'd be getting personal with someone they've just killed haha!)


But no, this isn't just frowned upon, it results in immediate dismissal and inability to work on board for DCL ever again! The exception would be I suppose, if your significant other was sailing on the ship and you were currently working.....but even then perception by the other CMs is everything.

The one story I did hear of it happening during my time....that CM was terminated at the following port and sent home. Now they work for DVC!

 

[cgolf]

Quick question, I dropped off some magazines at the oceaner lab on the magic Monday and they didn't appear to know what to do with them, is the magazine thing vary ship to ship?

Cgolf

 

[luxurycruise2]

Our DD will be 8 years old 2 weeks from our sail date. Can she do self ck out/in kids clubs? She is an experienced cruiser and our DS 9 years old will be there. Thank you!

 

[CarolyninCO]

You're not that old. I use to watch that every Friday night when babysitting, followed by The plane! The plane!

Thank you for making me feel like I'm not alone. Fantasy Island! LOVED that show. I wish my classic tv channel ran those.

Now they work for DVC!

Funny! Thank you for answering all of our questions...even the silly ones.

 

[CMontheseas]

Quick question, I dropped off some magazines at the oceaner lab on the magic Monday and they didn't appear to know what to do with them, is the magazine thing vary ship to ship?

Cgolf

Oh my, I'm so sorry that happened -must've been a bit awkward! Did you say they were a little gift you thought they might like? (Also, do you remember who it was?)

I'll double check online with my Magic cohorts, it also could've been a relatively new CM who had no idea what to do with guest presents/ that we were allowed to accept them (many people get quite intimidated in their first month)!

 

[CMontheseas]

Our DD will be 8 years old 2 weeks from our sail date. Can she do self ck out/in kids clubs? She is an experienced cruiser and our DS 9 years old will be there. Thank you!

Yes. Anyone 8 years old and over may be given Self-Check privileges.

 

[cgolf]

Oh my, I'm so sorry that happened -must've been a bit awkward! Did you say they were a little gift you thought they might like? (Also, do you remember who it was?) I'll double check online with my Magic cohorts, it also could've been a relatively new CM who had no idea what to do with guest presents/ that we were allowed to accept them (many people get quite intimidated in their first month)!

I said something along the lines of I heard that you can use magazines or something like that, didn't mention gift, which could have been where I goofed up. Was a little awkward, but hopefully they kept them and put them to good use. Also this trip DD was not with us so I had no idea who the CMs were in the kids clubs, but the new clubs looked awesome when we stopped in at an open house. DW who works in child care was very impressed with how the nursery was setup.

Just curious when we are on the Fantasy in January, which I think you are on, is their a better way for me to drop these off, that will be less awkward? I am a huge introvert, so this normally is not something I would do, I have issues with talking to people I don't know, had hoped I would outgrow it, but at 39 I have lost hope We will have more then, only had a few this trip.

Cgolf

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh goodness no. Never ever. That's probably the worst thing any of us could ever do with a guest after killing them!
(*nor did I intend for that to read as though they'd be getting personal with someone they've just killed haha!)

and ew.

 

[CMontheseas]

I said something along the lines of I heard that you can use magazines or something like that, didn't mention gift, which could have been where I goofed up. Was a little awkward, but hopefully they kept them and put them to good use. Also this trip DD was not with us so I had no idea who the CMs were in the kids clubs, but the new clubs looked awesome when we stopped in at an open house. DW who works in child care was very impressed with how the nursery was setup.

Just curious when we are on the Fantasy in January, which I think you are on, is their a better way for me to drop these off, that will be less awkward? I am a huge introvert, so this normally is not something I would do, I have issues with talking to people I don't know, had hoped I would outgrow it, but at 39 I have lost hope We will have more then, only had a few this trip.

Cgolf

Not to worry! The best way then I think for your next trip, would be to bundle them up and attach a little note!

"To the Counselors, for all the hard work you do. Perhaps a little light reading for you to share during your long days at sea. Keep it up! -Cgolf"

 

[vedlin71]

Can my 4 and 3 year old granddaughters use arm floats in the pools on the ship?