One week shy of age 3... No oceaneers club?

[Tashamu2004]

My youngest daughter will be 3 one week after our cruise, and is potty trained. Do you think they'll let her in the oceaneers club on the Dream with her older sister (5)? The timing is rotten I know!!!!

 

[lanejudy]

No. They used allow close to 3 and potty trained but no longer. This past winter DCL made a hard-line minimum age of 3 years old for the Oceaneers Club/Lab. Not even a day younger, as children who have their birthday during the cruise must wait for that day. You are welcome to bring her to the Club during open house times, which are typically scheduled for at least one hour per day in each of the kids' spaces. And of course, you can reserve Nursery time for her as well.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Tashamu2004]

No. They used allow close to 3 and potty trained but no longer. This past winter DCL made a hard-line minimum age of 3 years old for the Oceaneers Club/Lab. Not even a day younger, as children who have their birthday during the cruise must wait for that day. You are welcome to bring her to the Club during open house times, which are typically scheduled for at least one hour per day in each of the kids' spaces. And of course, you can reserve Nursery time for her as well.

Enjoy your cruise!

Okay thanks! I wonder if it's worth changing our dates...

 

[arlopop]

When we took our first cruise (in 2012) our youngest's bday determined our sail dates. We scheduled so that she had her 3rd birthday two days before we sailed. It's worth changing the dates.

 

[lanejudy]

I guess that depends on how flexible you can be with traveling (vacation days from work, flights already booked, etc.) and how important it is to your for both girls to be together. Also, you'll pay prevailing rates for a new cruise date plus I believe the 3 yr old may have a slightly higher fare than a 2 yr old. But it's definitely something to look into if important to you.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[bethy]

Okay thanks! I wonder if it's worth changing our dates...

In my opinion, YES.

But the main reason we take DCL vacations right now is that it's the only way I can get a true vacation and break from the kiddos. I love them to death but I do need a break now and then.

 

[Tashamu2004]

My husband is getting his MBA and so our cruise date was scheduled over a break for his school. His work schedule is super flexible. Is the flounders reef nowhere near as fun? Do older toddlers complain about going there? Since she'll be so close to 3 I feel like she'll be drawn more to the Oceaneers play area. Others opinions welcomed!

 

[michellekcm]

Our cruise in April this year my son was 3 1/2. Admittedly, he's probably a slightly young 3, but not too dissimilar to the others at his day care.

He went to the club all excited, but never lasted longer than 10-15 minutes before wanting to leave. So we ended up putting him in the nursery when we had brunch and a spa appointment. He loved it in there, and was much happier not being amongst a large crowd of older kids, and having much more attention from the counsellors.

 

[VFG]

It depends on your child. We took our 3 year, 4 month old son to the Club for scheduled activities and he loved it. We let him go to one a day for either 30 min to an hour. My son goes to day care and is pretty social. The club was great for him.

 

[quickcat]

He went to the club all excited, but never lasted longer than 10-15 minutes before wanting to leave. So we ended up putting him in the nursery when we had brunch and a spa appointment. He loved it in there, and was much happier not being amongst a large crowd of older kids, and having much more attention from the counsellors.

I agree with this poster.....when looking into the clubs for the 3+ range.....it's a lot of kids, up to age 12 that can be quite intimidating for a 3 year old. My 7 year old still wont go in

 

[Tashamu2004]

It depends on your child. We took our 3 year, 4 month old son to the Club for scheduled activities and he loved it. We let him go to one a day for either 30 min to an hour. My son goes to day care and is pretty social. The club was great for him.

My younger one is very adventurous and wants desperately to be a big kid like her sister. For example she will never play on the toddler equipment at the park, always the gyms rated for 5-12 year olds. Do you think she'd take to the big kid club more? I you tubed a video of flounders reef and it didn't look super exciting.

 

[schmass]

My son turned 3 halfway through our cruise last month. He was allowed in the club on his birthday, but not prior to that day. He liked it when he was there, but didn't spend a whole lot of time there over the next few days. Personally I wouldn't change the date of your cruise, although if her sister is going to be going to the club as well, it might be worth it.

 

[AZMermaid]

My son was 2 months shy of 3 and a super active kid. He's also tall- he was 40 inches on his 3rd birthday. Like he's the kid who climbs to the top of every piece of playground equipment as a tiny toddler. He'd jump from the moon if I let him. I thought he'd be bored to tears... but he LOVED the nursery. He went every day for 1-3 hours. Characters came by, they did crafts, played games, there were tons of toys. At the end, we got a huge packet with their crafts and pictures with characters. My experience is a little different because he is my older child so he was also with his toddler sister, but he was plenty entertained. I teach first grade and I know how rowdy a gaggle of 7 year olds can be, let alone 8-10 year olds. I was also much more comfortable with my 2 year old in a quieter environment. If your dates are rather set, I would keep it and not worry about it. If you can change and think your younger one would protest not being with her sister (and the older child is fine having her sister tag along) than I would change. But the nursery was so wonderful- if you can;t change the dates- she will likely be fine.

 

[Hundredacre]

Okay thanks! I wonder if it's worth changing our dates...

Definitely. It will be a completely different vacation.

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

Okay thanks! I wonder if it's worth changing our dates...

Another vote for changing. I would.

 

[The Sasquatch]

i think it all depends on the child. Some of our kids need to be forcibly removed from the clubs and some people's kids dont like it at all. If you think she will enjoy it and have the flexibility, I would switch. My daughter is on the side of going to the club as much as she possibly can. They are fantastic but I am sure the nursery is too.

 

[bumbershoot]

The 2 year old can have some (paid) time in the nursery, and then during Open House hours at the Club you can take her there, too. She gets access to both.

 

[usetr99]

My husband is getting his MBA and so our cruise date was scheduled over a break for his school. His work schedule is super flexible. Is the flounders reef nowhere near as fun? Do older toddlers complain about going there? Since she'll be so close to 3 I feel like she'll be drawn more to the Oceaneers play area. Others opinions welcomed!

I know when I was three, I was hiding in the bathroom because I did not want to leave, but other kids have a harder time making friends or miss their parents too much. But just be aware that now your three year old is with twelve year old. So is your comfortable with that, then I would say go with the Oceaneers play area just because it is fun and free. If your child doesn't like the club, there is still a whole bunch of family activities to do, like go meet the characters, seeing a new movie, or playing in the swimming pools.

 

[melwill530]

I think it is dependent on your child. If the child is more social and likes to interact with kids of all ages, change your dates. If not, keep them and go for the nursery.

 

[wl1117]

Another vote for changing. Especially since you said she's adventurous and wants to be a big kid like her sister. Our last cruise our youngest turned 3 on the 3rd day of the trip. She wasn't allowed in the club until that day. Those first 2 days were hard on her! She was so ready to catch her big sister! lol