Age group rules for Splash Academy?

We are sailing soon on the Escape with our 8 and 10 year old children. It is highly unlikely they will agree to Splash Academy if separated. Anyone have experience with this? I'd like to have them both in the 6-9 age group.

No exceptions are made, unless the child has a birthday during the cruise, but there is some play time together (Freestyle Free Play):

Here are the details from the FAQ: https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/family-cruises/youth-programs/faq

Children are registered for and placed in the appropriate age group based on their date of birth at the time of sailing for quality programs. Certain hours within the programs, called Freestyle Free Play, are designated for friends and siblings to play together. When Freestyle Free Play is not in session, children are placed in their appropriate age groups for programming. No exceptions will be made to age bump to a different age group. Please check the Splash Academy Activity Program for the Freestyle Free Play activities and time slots.

As said, NCL not flexible on age groups. Not sure when sailing "soon" is, but if it is a sailing with few kids they tend to do some cross group activities if there are few kids onboard.

As above, no exceptions will be made. However there is plenty 'free play' where the different age groups play together. My daughter and her cousin who are like sisters have been in different age groups (9 months apart) 3 times and it's never been an issue. They still love going.

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As above, no exceptions will be made. However there is plenty 'free play' where the different age groups play together. My daughter and her cousin who are like sisters have been in different age groups (9 months apart) 3 times and it's never been an issue. They still love going.

This free play varies greatly ship to ship, cruise to cruise. For instance, on Getaway, the 10-12 age group is upstairs from the younger groups. According to my son, they never mixed with the younger groups during the entire cruise (and he was in the club basically every minute they were open every day.) It's not just automatic that they will mix during free play.