So -- Where did the all the kids go ????

[DisneyElf]

Not trying to start a flame thread here...... BUT it is interesting that the number of kids on the August Repo keeps changing.

Back in May -- several of us were informed that the Capt., Cruiseline Staff & Kids Programs assured all the May cruisers that there were going to be 1200 kids aboard. This was announced as a definite fact.

What is puzzling me is that the cruiseline staff made this annoucment when a lot of the orig. bookers of the cruise had the 60 day cancellation mark vs. the newer 90 day cancellation. Are they trying to make one cruise better than another ? Just wondering what there motivation was for the announcement.

According to one member of our cruise - the actual headcount for kis on board will be 700 or less (lower than a reg. DisneyCruise -but higher than the May Repo cruise).

Please note -- though I do sail without kids - I fully expect to see them onboard - and having fun (kinda of fun watching their expressions with Mickey & Friends), and it wouldn't bother me if we had 1200 or 100 kids onboard the ship.

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

Sorry - but I'm really confused with what you are trying to say...

Not trying to start a flame thread here...... BUT it is interesting that the number of kids on the August Repo keeps changing.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?



Back in May -- several of us were informed that the Capt., Cruiseline Staff & Kids Programs assured all the May cruisers that there were going to be 1200 kids aboard. This was announced as a definite fact.

So, this sentence says there will be 1200 on board for May?



What is puzzling me is that the cruiseline staff made this annoucment when a lot of the orig. bookers of the cruise had the 60 day cancellation mark vs. the newer 90 day cancellation. Are they trying to make one cruise better than another ? Just wondering what there motivation was for the announcement.

According to one member of our cruise - the actual headcount for kis on board will be 700 or less (lower than a reg. DisneyCruise -but higher than the May Repo cruise).

How can this 700 or less number be higher than the May repo of 1200 that you listed above?



Please note -- though I do sail without kids - I fully expect to see them onboard - and having fun (kinda of fun watching their expressions with Mickey & Friends), and it wouldn't bother me if we had 1200 or 100 kids onboard the ship.

So...if I can try to decipher your question...maybe there are fewer kids in the August Repo because I'm sure more parents would be willing to take their kids out at the end of a school year vs. the beginning of a new year. Just a thought. But one of your comments also makes me think you think there are more kids in August than May.

 

[tvguy]

Sorry - but I'm really confused with what you are trying to say...




So...if I can try to decipher your question...maybe there are fewer kids in the August Repo because I'm sure more parents would be willing to take their kids out at the end of a school year vs. the beginning of a new year. Just a thought. But one of your comments also makes me think you think there are more kids in August than May.

Not sure what the question is either, but, I would think there would be more kids on the August cruise because many schools don't start until September, and many year round schools take August off too.
I saw most schools, because DD starts school a week from today,( the 18th) and the last day of school isn't until May 25, so she would not have been able to go on either..........we don't take her out of school for doctors appointments, not about to take her out for a vacation!!!

 

[mmouse37]

I think the OP was trying to state that so many people back in May kept saying as fact that the August repo would have 1200 kids on it...from reports directly from the staff onboard during the May repo.....and it turns out that the number was definately wrong....and the more accruate number now is around 700. I think the OP was confused why DCL would make a comment like that to folks onboard the May repo when the final payment date had not even been reached yet and we all know numbers constantly change.

MJ

 

[kcashner]

I suspect that the numbers changed as people were unable to make the total payments and had to cancel ressies. This cruise was VERY popular from the day it was announced. I saw it on line at 8 pm, but because I wanted to talk to a live person before booking, I saw my costs increase by $800 by 9 the next morning. I didn't realize that DCL was staying open late that first night just for this cruise.

I'm on the cruise and delighted to be there...but I've also seen lots of availability open up over the last few months. I'm in the only cabin I could get at the time I called--my preference would have been to either be one step higher or one step lower. I've seen both of those categories open, but at a higher price than I'm paying.

Where I think I'm going with this is that I suspect some families with kids initially booked and then either looked at the school calendar (at the time I booked, ours wasn't released) or had money issues. Either of those would hit families with kids more than adults alone.

I travel with a child...but personally, I love off season cruising. The ship is booked full of toddlers and preschoolers, which means more bodies, fewer where I want to be!

 

[mom+3girls]

Question:

How do you find out how many kids, teens etc. are going to be on your cruise?
Is there someplace you can go online to find out?
Or was this something special done just for the Repo cruises?
thanks

 

[DisneyElf]

Thanks MJ for clarifying my post ....


Mom+3Girls -- when one of our members was arranging an onboard activity - she asked if they had a headcount. Usually this information is not released.

 

[webray]

I would guess the numbers had changed because people can't come up with final payment also. It is easy to do the 250 per person deposit..but getting the rest is the hard part.

Still don't see your point either..we always cruise without kids. And actually, even though we had low number of kids on our may repo cruise..the last 4 days of the cruise they were totally bored..running all over the place, yelling screaming. You don't see this on the 7 day cruises.

 

[ivanova]

My nephew (17) changed schools and starts Aug 18th -- he'll go to school 2 days and then miss 2 weeks for the repo cruise

I think there might be a case of a lot of families finding out the Aug repo cruise actually did conflict with school after all, and it might have led to SOME cancelling.

 

[jrabbit]

I think the OP was trying to state that so many people back in May kept saying as fact that the August repo would have 1200 kids on it...from reports directly from the staff onboard during the May repo.....and it turns out that the number was definately wrong....and the more accruate number now is around 700. I think the OP was confused why DCL would make a comment like that

Well, lets see, "Why would DCL make a comment like that" Because they "always" make comments like that - at least with regards to Castaway Cay. Every time we've been there, I always hear that the weather is the best that it's been in the past 3 weeks. Gotta be a standard "line" and the psychology of it is to make you feel like you're getting something special.

 

[jweiss]

My kids haven't gone any where....they're both be onboard and I'm sure will find a way to make up for the 500 kids who won't be able to make it!!!! Any one who needs a kid fix..... I'm not selfish and am willing to share. You can even take your pick... hormonal 14 yo, or toddler with an early case of the "terrible two's"!!!!

 

[DisneyElf]

Hmmm.. I'll pick the terrible twos -- can't be anyworse than my youngest nephew Brian (don't turn your back on him). He loves jumping headfirst into the pool wearing his Nemo swimmies.... doesn't matter if you aren't ready for him. He is great with giving the animals kisses.

And before anyone gets worried - our backyard is 100% fenced - pool is above ground with a float placed between the stairs and the pool water -and he knows he can't go up the steps without an adult(too big of a step for him). But , once you are in the pool -- he jumps - he is learning now how to do the doggy paddle and blow bubbles. BUT he is never left in the backyard unattended.

 

[DisneyElf]

Well, lets see, "Why would DCL make a comment like that" Because they "always" make comments like that - at least with regards to Castaway Cay. Every time we've been there, I always hear that the weather is the best that it's been in the past 3 weeks. Gotta be a standard "line" and the psychology of it is to make you feel like you're getting something special.

The point of my post is just that - and some of the May Cruisers took DCL's comments to be carved in stone. One member of that cruise actually took it to a personal crusade level and pm'd almost all members of the August Repo cruise. The implication is that our group would not have as good of a cruise due to the fact the ship would be overun with 1200 hundred kids.

Personally I feel that with more kids on board - each child will have additional chances to find friends and not be bored since there is no one who is their age or shares their interests. I think DCL arranges it that way when they limit the # of kids of each age allowed onboard - and will stop allowing the booking of kids when the age group is filled.

Not flaming anyone -- but I do think our group deserves an apology, not expecting it though.

Please note - I am not going to name the person who did this - and this is my last post on the subject.

 

[underdesea]

Wow, DisneyElf, your last post brought the thread to a screaming halt, huh? I never did understand the whole "competition" aspect among a few of the cruisers. My DH and I don't have children, and the number of kids on board doesn't matter to us. This will be our sixth DCL cruise, and we are just excited to be east-bound. We never even gave "the kid factor" a thought when we booked, nor have we ever thought "whose cruise will be better." We loved watching the Magic cruise the Canal in May and reading the trip reports, and we can't wait for next Saturday!