Kids club-open at port?

[Magic4Four]

My DH and I are thinking about booking a 3day cruise in February. We have 2 DDs that will be 5 and 3. We want to take advantage of the kids club. Our question - when the ship goes to port, is the kids club still open if one decides not to get off the ship? I heard the RC ships practically close down when the ship goes to it's port.

 

[mommasita]

Unlike other lines, DCL does not close the kids clubs during the day. Only at night, and that is 12 and sometimes 1am....

Keep in mind that your pager does not always work while in port...

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

The clubs were open on the Wonder a couple of weeks ago during our Nassau stop (8/20). CC may be a different story, though, since they need to staff the island, too.

mk

 

[mommasita]

The clubs were open on the Wonder a couple of weeks ago during our Nassau stop (8/20). CC may be a different story, though, since they need to staff the island, too.

mk

While the ship is in CC, the clubs are on the island....Scuttles Cove it is called.

 

[SnowWhite2]

Unlike other cruise lines, DCL will feed your kids lunch and dinner if they are in the clubs during that time of the day. They take them to the buffet at Topsiders/BBB (During dinner) which would be set up with kid friendly food or they take them to Animator's Palate or Parrot Cay (during lunch).

 

[CM_Mom]

The clubs are open on the island at Scuttles Cove but close for an hour in the late afternoon to move the staff back to the ship. The times will be listed in the kids Navigator. This is especially nice since it lets the adults do excursions if you wish such as the parasailing or nature walk or kayaking or just relaxing on the Adult beach at Serenity Bay.

FYI, Scuttles Cove has some water play but they do NOT take the kids to the beach. If you want your kids to experience the beach, you have to take them yourself.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

I am not trying to at all and some of my fellow DISers are going to flame me....... We were told on our 1st DCL cruise that it is not recommended that you leave your kids in the clubs while you are in ports of call for safety reasons (with the exception on CC island). The reason being you do not have immediate ability to get your kids if you are needed. Sometimes the pagers do not work in the ports and if you need to be tantered back to the ship, this takes a little bit of time. I know people do it, but it is not recommended. Actually the last time we were in Cozemel, a guy ran to catch the boat to take him back to the ship and the CM told him he needed to wait for the next boat. He threw such a fit saying he needed to get his kids from "daycare", that we got off the boat and gave him our spots and waited for the next boat to take us back to the ship. The CM then looked at us and said, this is what happens when you break the rules and leave your kids on the ship and go to the ports. He then thanked us for being so kind. So, the answer to your question is yes they are open during ports of call. I will be honest and say, we have never looked for the recommedations in writing, because my DH and I will NEVER leave our kids on a ship while we go place our feet on the land of another country. 4 cruises later, we still keep them with us. Just My Opinion

 

[wwwosie]

Tinkerbell mom,
Some nice thoughtful comments. IMHO I wouldn't be gone all day, but for an hour or two... I might try it.
DD is 10 and of course she would not be allowed to check herself out of the club that day.
Still pondering whether I will even get off the ship in Nassau...
thanks for your opinion, some food for thought...

 

[yndygo]

Thanks for that atinkerbellmom - I was wondering b/c I've seen other people ask.
Since our DD is 4 1/2 I didn't feel comfortable with the thought of leaving her anywhere that we weren't 'just right down the hall' -- I suppose it would be different if your child(ren) was over 10, b/c at that age, they could pretty much sign themselves out and go to the cabin...
But I never knew what to say when people asked about the pagers reaching off the ship.

I think you handled that answer very diplomatically!!

 

[JsMom2]

I usually leave my DD onboard while I go shopping for a few hours. There are lots of kids in the club while the ship is in port. On the Med cruise my DD and I went ashore together, but there were still lots of people who left their kids onboard. So I don't think that CM was right when he said that the man had "broken the rules." He may have meant that the guy didn't go back when he was supposed to get a child from Flounders and he was late (the only reason that you'd HAVE to pickup a child.)

Also keep in mind that lots of folks have cell phones that work worldwide. If so, you can give that number to the Youth Activities team.

Definitely a personal decision that depends upon your child, whether or not you have to tender in, and even your child's mood that day!

 

[Chipfan]

You can absolutely leave your children with us in the Oceaneers Club and Lab if you would like to go into port on your own. Just be aware that your pagers are not guaranteed to work once you step foot off the ship and even if you have a cell phone that works world wide we have no way to call you from the ship we do not have an outside phone line. Many children are left in the Club/Lab for the day while in port. When the ship is at Castaway Cay you can leave them at Scuttles cove between 9-3 and then the Club/Lab is open from 4-12. Your pagers will work on Castaway so be sure to bring them with you just incase. Hope this helps and let me know if there is anymore information you need

 

[atinkerbellmom]

You can absolutely leave your children with us in the Oceaneers Club and Lab if you would like to go into port on your own. Just be aware that your pagers are not guaranteed to work once you step foot off the ship and even if you have a cell phone that works world wide we have no way to call you from the ship we do not have an outside phone line. Many children are left in the Club/Lab for the day while in port. When the ship is at Castaway Cay you can leave them at Scuttles cove between 9-3 and then the Club/Lab is open from 4-12. Your pagers will work on Castaway so be sure to bring them with you just incase. Hope this helps and let me know if there is anymore information you need

I am happy you posted that. I see you are a CM. I have no problems admiting I do not know everything. I am only repeating what I was told. I can not be responsible for what others do and I am happy that works for them. I guess the orginal posters questions was answered. I still would not leave my kids on the ship where I was out of contact and go to another country. You never know what could happen to you while you are out. What happens if something happens and you miss the ship? If you have to fly into the next port of call the next day, who keeps your kids over night? Grant it, I am one of those people whom always thinks of possibilities and am proactive and not reactive, but I also check my pager frequently while on CC if my kids are in SC, because I can not keep it on me in the water. So thank you for posting it and it answers the question. I do have one question,;what if something does happen to a kid while a parent is in port? How is that handled or has this never happened?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am happy you posted that. I see you are a CM. I have no problems admiting I do not know everything. I am only repeating what I was told. I can not be responsible for what others do and I am happy that works for them. I guess the orginal posters questions was answered. I still would not leave my kids on the ship where I was out of contact and go to another country. You never know what could happen to you while you are out. What happens if something happens and you miss the ship? If you have to fly into the next port of call the next day, who keeps your kids over night? Grant it, I am one of those people whom always thinks of possibilities and am proactive and not reactive, but I also check my pager frequently while on CC if my kids are in SC, because I can not keep it on me in the water. So thank you for posting it and it answers the question. I do have one question,;what if something does happen to a kid while a parent is in port? How is that handled or has this never happened?

You can book DCL sponsored excursions and for example book flounders at the same time.

The ship won't leave without you and if the excursion is running late--the ship knows.

For non-DCL excursions...

 

[Chipfan]

If something happens while you are in port and your child is in the club/lab we will do whatever needs to be done. If your child is injured a manager will bring them down to the medical center if they are sick depending on the situation the same thing may happen or they will be given a mat to lay down on. We will do whatever is necessary to make your children comfortable until you get back on board we will also page you and you will get it when you return within range of the system

 

[atinkerbellmom]

You can book DCL sponsored excursions and for example book flounders at the same time.

The ship won't leave without you and if the excursion is running late--the ship knows.

For non-DCL excursions...

I am not talking about being out on DCL booked excursions, I am talking about doing the port on your own. You are trying to tell me, the ship will wait for everyone that is not back on the ship? Not including the DCL excursions. If this is the case, I would love to hear those words from another CM. The ship gets fined big time if they do not leave on time.

 

[Chipfan]

The ship will make announcements for people that have not returned to the ship by all aboard but they will not stay in port waiting for those people to get back. Very very rarely are people left behind. That being said normally all aboard is usually 1/2 hour before the ship will leave port. They will not wait though for everyone to get back unless it is an excurison that is late but that normally doesnt happen either

 

[LAWalz23]

Chipfan, I know this is off topic but can you tell me if a 9 year old boy would need his sneakers to participate in any of the Kids Clubs activities? My nephew thinks he might need them but Sis doesn't want to pack them. Thanks!!

 

[Chipfan]

It would really depend on the type of sandals he was wearing and what hes comfortable doing in them. The 8-9's and 10-12's play on the Sports deck a lot. They play a lot of dodgeball and as long as he doesnt mind playing in sandals then its not a problem. He wont be required to wear sneakers but will need to have shoes on at all times as long as hes comfortable doing sports in sandals then its not a problem at all.

 

[LAWalz23]

Thanks, Chipfan! He has a pair of Teva sports sandals that he would live in if my sister let him. And Sis will be be so happy that she doesn't have to pack his sneakers.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am not talking about being out on DCL booked excursions, I am talking about doing the port on your own. You are trying to tell me, the ship will wait for everyone that is not back on the ship? Not including the DCL excursions. If this is the case, I would love to hear those words from another CM. The ship gets fined big time if they do not leave on time.

NOWHERE did I EVER say that. So no, I wasn't trying to tell you anything of the sort.

I was speaking SPECIFICALLY about DCL booked excursions and NO cruiseline will EVER leave you behind if you are on an excursion that THEY organized that happens to be running late.

I have no idea why you jumped to the conclusion that you did and no reason why I take great offense except that I am having a moody day.

The question is what would happen if you left your kids and you didn't make it back on time--I said for DCL excursions--they WILL wait for you...for non-DCL I had no idea what they do with the kids.

The ship would have no idea what you are up to on excursions you book on your own which is why I didn't take the time to repeat that I was referring to DCL excursions where they will be notified if your tour is running late.