. Ahem, you didn't notice any crazy, did you?
Not one bit! I actually completely understand.
Let me first start off by saying that the kids clubs are so cool you actually wish they would let you play for a while. The counselors are so good at their jobs that the kids run from you to get to them by day two. Your child is very well protected and kept away from strangers which I very much was thankful for when my son was younger. Yes, a little overprotective, proud of it.
Our first cruise my shyest son was 8. He was not a frequent flyer of daycares and when he did go to one, he had his older brother with him at small daycare groups so they could stay together. I didn't think he would like the kids clubs and had actually no expectations to how much or if he would choose to go. I was fine either way. We missed him a lot that cruise.
He would hound us from daylight to hurry to get him to the club so he didn't miss "Whatever it was scheduled" and would sigh heavily when we forced him to come to the room to prepare for dinner and the show. He would then patiently
await us to take him back. He would then announce "Please don't pick me up until 1AM because we are having a sleepover" or "I won't be ready till midnight because we are making cookies". We would actually wait around till that time to pick him up.
He never chose to go swimming with us or to the movies with his brother who was 13 and very awkward in the teen room. So it was the 13 year old outgoing son that was more of the loner on that cruise.
We never saw a child scream or cry to be left in the clubs.
We never saw a child sulking or alone in a corner in the clubs.
My child had access to me anytime (Just to ask if he could have pizza with the kids because he thought he should ask).
He did activities that he would never have done in daycare but more along what he would do at a summer camp.
He loved, loved, loved it!
Do all children? No. As for Palo, I would book it for nights other than the first so you will have time to cancel it. Or maybe brunch on the sea day so you can have dinner with your son. Plan to do dinner and the theatre with him but remember he may want to ditch you for more fun and less sitting.
As for Nassau, we went to the aquariums and that was fun. It was some bus tour and then the aquariums but there was no water park there then or anything.
We are not huge beach persons. We did go onto Castaway Cay and we played with a tube with him as the older son went on a teen excursion. He played in the sand with some other kids. We ate then went back onto the ship.
That's my .02 worth.