Transatlantic Experience?

[braysmommy]

I put a hold on this cruise based on everyone's responses. My son will be 8 and my daughter will be 4.

We have a deposit in for it too.

 

[cruiser21]

We did an EBTA while back and the hardest part was 3 days in a row losing an hour. By the end of the cruise we were waking up at lunch time and completely missing breakfast. Granted you lose the same if you fly...it just felt easier to make the adjustment all at once vs. an hour a day.

The crew did comment on our trip that they had never seen seas as calm as ours.

I love this itinerary, but this is the reason I didn't book it. I've flown to Europe several times. I usually sleep 12 hours the first night and then I'm good to go. Dragging it out for 6 days doesn't sound that appealing. I'm also a morning person. I love getting up at sunrise and drinking my coffee. Waking up at 10am would be a vacation killer for me. Plus were on pacific time so I'm down 3 hours before the cruise even starts. I wish they'd do a WBTA that had this good of a itinerary.

 

[godde8ss]

We have a deposit in for it too.

Awesome. Any kids in your sailing party?

 

[JW9DVC]

So for the sleepovers. That means the kids clubs are open later? I'm sure some kids would want to leave when they had to sleep?

My kids would think it was awesome to have a camp out. Anymore info on this?

 

[bbel]

So for the sleepovers. That means the kids clubs are open later? I'm sure some kids would want to leave when they had to sleep?

My kids would think it was awesome to have a camp out. Anymore info on this?

It's called coast to coast campout.
One side is open all night, but check-ins stop at midnight, and from midnight all self-check privileges are suspended until the morning.
It's a programme that starts at around 9pm. I've worked 5 (I think) throughout Panama and transatlantic crossings, and each times the themes have varied. But they're usually put in teams and around every hour an different character comes to join in, games, dance parties. They do team banners, chants, camp songs...
At around midnight they have pizza then move to the club for the night, get a bedtime story (the last one I did it was rapunzel) then go to bed with a movie. Yes they all sleep. The last one I did, all 100 kids were asleep within an hour and slept through till around 8 when breakfast is served, and that was with an hour back.
Suddenly there's an influx of 11 and 12 year olds that no ones seen all cruise.

The last couple of years, you've had to be 5 or older and had to get a ticket (free) from PA, they say they cap it at 100, but they nearly always go over (some kids don't turn up and quite a few others don't stay). Then before the night they get a bag delivered to the stateroom to bring their stuff in.

The next day, deck 5 is very quiet...

 

[bbel]

So for the sleepovers. That means the kids clubs are open later? I'm sure some kids would want to leave when they had to sleep?

My kids would think it was awesome to have a camp out. Anymore info on this?

Like I said, it's called Coast-to-coast campout.

Not to be confused with the programme that happens every cruise (and I think on every ship), sometimes more than once, called 'Campout'.

 

[wombat_5606]

Like I said, it's called Coast-to-coast campout.

Not to be confused with the programme that happens every cruise (and I think on every ship), sometimes more than once, called 'Campout'.

What is the "Campout".

 

[bbel]

What is the "Campout".

The 'every cruise' campout? It's a programme that's usually 45 -60 minutes long. It varies depending on the ent hosts, but the basic idea is that the kids go to 'camp', usually split into 2 dorms or camps, and just do challenges against each other: that's the bit that varies, team chants, team dance, scavenger hunt, team games, relays, go 'fishing'. It's quite a chilled programme, and it's not one of the most popular, but it's always hilarious!

I just wanted to point out the difference because I didn't want anyone to read about the over night camp, see campout on the navigator and get disappointed. During the last TA I did, we had a kid rock up to campout with all their overnight stuff because they thought they'd changed the day, luckily they hadn't missed it and it was a couple of days later.

 

[wombat_5606]

The 'every cruise' campout? It's a programme that's usually 45 -60 minutes long. It varies depending on the ent hosts, but the basic idea is that the kids go to 'camp', usually split into 2 dorms or camps, and just do challenges against each other: that's the bit that varies, team chants, team dance, scavenger hunt, team games, relays, go 'fishing'. It's quite a chilled programme, and it's not one of the most popular, but it's always hilarious!

I just wanted to point out the difference because I didn't want anyone to read about the over night camp, see campout on the navigator and get disappointed. During the last TA I did, we had a kid rock up to campout with all their overnight stuff because they thought they'd changed the day, luckily they hadn't missed it and it was a couple of days later.

Thank you. I'm traveling this year with my granddaughter and I would have probably made an error without your explanation. I appreciate the information.

 

[bbel]

Thank you. I'm traveling this year with my granddaughter and I would have probably made an error without your explanation. I appreciate the information.

No problem.
They usually only advertise it in the navigator on the first day, but still never really explain it, so some people miss it until the day of and then have a crazy rush around.
The best thing to do would be to ask a YA CM, when you're first onboard and they can let you know about tickets and where to get them if needed.
I left a couple of months back now, and although not much changed in my 3 years, everything could have completely changed in the last week. So while I've done a few of these, by the time you get onboard it could equally be completely wrong haha.

 

[cruiser21]

No problem.
They usually only advertise it in the navigator on the first day, but still never really explain it, so some people miss it until the day of and then have a crazy rush around.
The best thing to do would be to ask a YA CM, when you're first onboard and they can let you know about tickets and where to get them if needed.
I left a couple of months back now, and although not much changed in my 3 years, everything could have completely changed in the last week. So while I've done a few of these, by the time you get onboard it could equally be completely wrong haha.

Were there many teens on the cruise?

 

[michellekcm]

Suddenly there's an influx of 11 and 12 year olds that no ones seen all cruise.

We thought it hilarious when we dropped our daughter off and all these kids who had spent the whole cruise at Edge were lining up with their parents to get bands and register for the clubs so they could do the sleepover.

 

[bbel]

Were there many teens on the cruise?

Percentage wise, compared to the other kids club, yes, there's more than normal.
But there's usually around 300-400 0-18 year olds on the whole cruise. (On a normal Caribbean cruise on a classic ship there's usually around 700-900 for the club/lab alone)

 

[cruiser21]

Percentage wise, compared to the other kids club, yes, there's more than normal.
But there's usually around 300-400 0-18 year olds on the whole cruise. (On a normal Caribbean cruise on a classic ship there's usually around 700-900 for the club/lab alone)

We're about to do our 15th DCL cruise and 22nd over all. I'm familiar with the amount of kids on board. I just wasn't sure about the longer cruises. We've done one long cruise on DCL and that was Hawaii, but my kids were in the club at the time, and there's always a lot of kids under 10 on the ship. We did a European cruise on another line and there were very few kids, but my son made a friend for life. We've been on DCL cruises with thousand+ kids and he hasn't made any lasting friends. 300-400 kids on a Disney cruise sounds Awesome. I'm still considering this cruise. I'm waiting to see the WBTA. I'm sure my 13 year old would love the sleep overs.

 

[bbel]

We're about to do our 15th DCL cruise and 22nd over all. I'm familiar with the amount of kids on board. I just wasn't sure about the longer cruises. We've done one long cruise on DCL and that was Hawaii, but my kids were in the club at the time, and there's always a lot of kids under 10 on the ship. We did a European cruise on another line and there were very few kids, but my son made a friend for life. We've been on DCL cruises with thousand+ kids and he hasn't made any lasting friends. 300-400 kids on a Disney cruise sounds Awesome. I'm still considering this cruise. I'm waiting to see the WBTA. I'm sure my 13 year old would love the sleep overs.

Well in that case, it will feel like a lot less onboard, but there's a completely different vibe, and the teen areas are even more chilled then normal. They're more of a meet up place, especially on the sea days, most kids will just head to Edge/Vibe once there up and hang out up there. On the longer cruises Ive seen groups of teens hanging out in various places around the ship, just sitting chatting in groups, or playing card games. I feel there's no real pressure for them to form friendships quickly because they have so long onboard, that in a way they make friends quicker.

Unfortunately though, a 13 year old wouldn't be able to take part in the sleepover as its offered for the Club/Lab kids. But Edge and Vibe have extra activities too, such as themed parties, homecoming and Edge/Vibe takeovers.

 

[griffindesign]

We're about to do our 15th DCL cruise and 22nd over all. I'm familiar with the amount of kids on board. I just wasn't sure about the longer cruises. We've done one long cruise on DCL and that was Hawaii, but my kids were in the club at the time, and there's always a lot of kids under 10 on the ship. We did a European cruise on another line and there were very few kids, but my son made a friend for life. We've been on DCL cruises with thousand+ kids and he hasn't made any lasting friends. 300-400 kids on a Disney cruise sounds Awesome. I'm still considering this cruise. I'm waiting to see the WBTA. I'm sure my 13 year old would love the sleep overs.

We were on the 2016 EBTA and two of mine were in vibe (ds was turning 15, and dd had just turned 17). They said there were probably about 70 when everyone came, but there were maybe only 30 or so regulars. They said they made friends quickly and the kids on it were all very friendly. My daughter still keeps in touch with several of the kids, and we are planning to get together with some this summer. My son doesn't keep in touch as well, just because he is not big on a lot of texting and messaging. It was a great experience for them.

 

[cruiser21]

We were on the 2016 EBTA and two of mine were in vibe (ds was turning 15, and dd had just turned 17). They said there were probably about 70 when everyone came, but there were maybe only 30 or so regulars. They said they made friends quickly and the kids on it were all very friendly. My daughter still keeps in touch with several of the kids, and we are planning to get together with some this summer. My son doesn't keep in touch as well, just because he is not big on a lot of texting and messaging. It was a great experience for them.

70 is a lot. There were probably only 20- 30 kids in the Edge on our Galveston cruise in December. I'm glad your kids enjoyed it. Sounds like fun.

 

[GPaLarry]

We did a b2b Med/Trans last year. On the second leg there were only 200 kids, behind the scenes tours, special scavenger hunts for adults and other stuff to make it a very special cruise. We did not have kids, so not too familiar with the kids clubs, except for an adult sloppy science session that we attended that was fun. Best benefit was setting the clocks back almost every night.

 

[coloradocutie]

We did the EBTA last year with a 3 year old and a 7 year old and I feel that it has spoiled us for life! As others have mentioned, there are far less children (there was a little less than 300 on our sailing compared to 1000+) and as a result, the character experience we had was amazing! There would be characters scheduled to be out, but no one in line to see them... so when my little ones came up, they got extra special "Oh, yay! Its a child!" interactions. Tons of great memories that way. And it was so nice not being on a cruise where it was so crowded. The pools (when it was warm enough to go in the pool) never had more than 4 children in it... such a contrast to our last Fantasy sailing where it was a mosh pit of people and you could barely see the water.

I found that losing an hour a day was a WONDERFUL way to get adjusted to the time zone change that we would need once we arrived in England. We just woke up at the same hour each day and napped as needed, but when we arrived in Europe we were awake and not jet lagged and ready to go.

But one thing that I was not expecting, is that the fellow cruisers are very different than any that I had experienced before- and it was delightful. We found that most other cruisers were sailing for the joy of cruising, not to consume the ports. As a result, we felt like we had joined a little community... everyone was so nice and friendly. We made many new friends and we would find ourselves talking to other cruisers about how their day was, or other experiences they had had, saying "hi" in the hall everywhere we went...something that we had never experienced- even on a Disney cruise- before. It was a wonderful way to spend the two weeks.

I hope that you enjoy your cruise! Consider doing the next cruise afterwards as a B2B. I wish we had!

 

[godde8ss]

We did the EBTA last year with a 3 year old and a 7 year old and I feel that it has spoiled us for life! As others have mentioned, there are far less children (there was a little less than 300 on our sailing compared to 1000+) and as a result, the character experience we had was amazing! There would be characters scheduled to be out, but no one in line to see them... so when my little ones came up, they got extra special "Oh, yay! Its a child!" interactions. Tons of great memories that way. And it was so nice not being on a cruise where it was so crowded. The pools (when it was warm enough to go in the pool) never had more than 4 children in it... such a contrast to our last Fantasy sailing where it was a mosh pit of people and you could barely see the water.

I found that losing an hour a day was a WONDERFUL way to get adjusted to the time zone change that we would need once we arrived in England. We just woke up at the same hour each day and napped as needed, but when we arrived in Europe we were awake and not jet lagged and ready to go.

But one thing that I was not expecting, is that the fellow cruisers are very different than any that I had experienced before- and it was delightful. We found that most other cruisers were sailing for the joy of cruising, not to consume the ports. As a result, we felt like we had joined a little community... everyone was so nice and friendly. We made many new friends and we would find ourselves talking to other cruisers about how their day was, or other experiences they had had, saying "hi" in the hall everywhere we went...something that we had never experienced- even on a Disney cruise- before. It was a wonderful way to spend the two weeks.

I hope that you enjoy your cruise! Consider doing the next cruise afterwards as a B2B. I wish we had!

I wish I could take enough time off to do a B2B after a transatlantic, but sadly, I can't! I will put it on the wish list! I will be sailing with a 8 and 4 year old, so, this is SO great to hear.