Any chance letting a 7 year old into the 8-12 kids club?

Is there any chance of my 7-year old daughter being allowed into the Kids Club for 8-12 year olds? She will only have just turned 7 two months before the cruise. I know she would love to be with her brother and cousin in the 8-12 group if possible, but I don't want to get her hopes up if Crown Princess never allows it. My friend recently sailed on Carnival and they did make an exception for her daughter, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Once you board your kids will have a schedule of the upcoming activities planned for the cruise for their age group. Reviewing the activities planned will help you decide whether your daughter would have more fun in her own group or whether the older kids group activities would be age appropriate for her. Then if you still want to see the kids can all be together you can speak kids club staff and see if they will make an exception.

As a former 6th grade teacher, I don't think I would mix a primary grade student with a middle school age group. A newly minted 7 year old is in the second grade and a 12 year old is in the 7th grade. That is a very wide age span. They will have too many differences. Yes, some middle schoolers are very kind and gentle. But there are others that would prefer not to have a younger child present.

Just a personal/professional opinion. Please don't shoot the messenger.

Is there any chance of my 7-year old daughter being allowed into the Kids Club for 8-12 year olds? She will only have just turned 7 two months before the cruise. I know she would love to be with her brother and cousin in the 8-12 group if possible, but I don't want to get her hopes up if Crown Princess never allows it. My friend recently sailed on Carnival and they did make an exception for her daughter, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Don't count on it. I've seen posts from folks who said they were told the age limits were set in stone. Since you say your daughter will only have barely turned 7 I really wouldn't count on them letting her in with the older kids group. It doesn't hurt to hope but I really wouldn't put any effort into raising your daughter's hopes as the disappointment would just have more of an impact if she gets her hopes up. It's really not likely that the 12 year old kids are going to want a 7 year old in the mix.

Best of luck and enjoy your cruise.

I've seen many posts of that type of move being denied.

Not sure for a 7 year old, but my 6 year old grandson was not permitted to join his 8 year old brother. But would never hurt for you to try.

Hi , we have just returned from Crown Princess and there was no chance of changing . The play leader said she would look at it as my grandson was 7yrs and 9months and as the ship was busy with children . So my stock answer would be no particularly as she will only just be 7 .

Saying that my grandson had a great time with the activities tailored to his age and wouldn't have been very interested in some of the 8-12 yr old stuff on his sisters programme .

Some activities are repeated in both groups .

A couple of points

1) Princess public liability insurance would probably be invalidated should there be some form of mishap.

2) Health and safety jobs worth person either staff or passenger would love to kick off if one child is allowed to buck the system.

I agree that your child is too young for the older group.

my 6 yo wasn't even permitted to play in the jungle gym in the 8-12 yo group - with a parent present. He won't stay without one of us present anyway, and we simply wanted him to get some exercise, because all of our sea days were stormy.

Whoever put a jungle gym into the 8-12 yo room is an idiot. Caribbean Princess didn't have anything like that for 5-6 yo kids to play on. They had no equipment to burn the energy off.

Princess is strict on kids age groups.

Don't count on that happening.

We have requested our kids to be allowed together when they were young (2 different age groups) and we were turned down, on two different cruises so we stopped asking. Princess is very strict about the age separation of the kids groups. On occasion they will change the group age range based on the number of children there, but we've only seen that on holiday cruises.

It doesn't hurt to ask, but I've not heard of anyone that has been allowed to do that. I would not assume it is possible but if you ask and you are allowed, then great for you. We settled our youngest in by staying until he got comfortable in kid area, usually about 10 minutes. Then we'd let him know when we were returning. He wanted this detail from when he started in the kid area.

Quite a few years ago I was on a cruise over Easter, 900 kids on board, and witnessed an argument between two families traveling together and the head of the children's program. One of the parents had a child who was just under the age limit, but was told by her TA and a Princess rep that it would not be a problem, the younger kid could join the rest of the older kids. The person in charge stood firm and would not allow it. The mother was crying, saying if she had known this they wouldn't have booked the cruise, but to no avail.

So based on my observation, the answer is no.

I believe I've read that Princess's policy, if you want your kids together in a club, is that the older must "go down" to the younger group. Not the other way.

As a former 6th grade teacher, I don't think I would mix a primary grade student with a middle school age group. A newly minted 7 year old is in the second grade and a 12 year old is in the 7th grade. That is a very wide age span. They will have too many differences. Yes, some middle schoolers are very kind and gentle. But there are others that would prefer not to have a younger child present.

 

Just a personal/professional opinion. Please don't shoot the messenger.

Your post makes the most sense. I'd be more concerned with the older ones picking on the youngest one.(y)

If this is the ONE time that Princess actually has some rules, and enforces with consistncy, then I think this is a good thing.

(Unfortunately, this is not the case in many other situations re: children onboard)

And, it is not just because of the possibility of being picked-on or bullied.

This can happen with kids, regardless of how they are grouped.

I am not sure that a virtual 6 year old should be in with the older age group.

I wouldn't want the older kids in that family or group saddled with looking after a young child.

The princess kids and teen activities are geared to be age appropriate for any and all of the kids onboard.

Not to provide a venue to keep specific siblings, cousins, family groups, together.

IME, the child's chances are very slim. They're usually very strict about the ages. Once in awhile you'll get a more flexible kids' club leader, but when that's happened, they usually make the child go to their appropriate age group for one day "to try it". :confused: Then you have to approach the leader (if you can find her) again the next day and ask for the child to be moved.

No. She won't be allowed. However, she'll have a great time in the Pelicans club!

Do you really want the seven year old with the 12 year olds?

Do you really want the seven year old with the 12 year olds?

And do you really think it is fair to the 12 year olds? My son at 12 was 5' tall and 100lbs and an athlete to the core. He loved Princess because they were so active - they play dodgeball, soccer etc. He's great with little kids but should he have to spend his vacation toning down his energy so as to not hurt your child?

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As a former 6th grade teacher, I don't think I would mix a primary grade student with a middle school age group. A newly minted 7 year old is in the second grade and a 12 year old is in the 7th grade. That is a very wide age span. They will have too many differences. Yes, some middle schoolers are very kind and gentle. But there are others that would prefer not to have a younger child present.

 

Just a personal/professional opinion. Please don't shoot the messenger.

I agree with you....and it sounds like most of the other posters do too.

The other kids who don't know your daughter most likely wouldn't be thrilled with someone's little sister tagging along with them. Plus, if they allow one underaged kid in, that may set off other parents to bug them.

I wasn't a teacher, but helped in some elementary classrooms, as well as with a middle school drama program, and I can attest to the number of parents who raved about how mature (or behaved or talented or smart, etc) their kids are, and ended up rolling my eyes when I can see how delusional they were (I certainly knew my kid wasn't mature for her age).

And it could be, that big brother and the cousin would rather hang out with their new friends and would appreciate a break from sis.

Your chances are not very good.

Quite a few years ago I was on a cruise over Easter, 900 kids on board, and witnessed an argument between two families traveling together and the head of the children's program. One of the parents had a child who was just under the age limit, but was told by her TA and a Princess rep that it would not be a problem, the younger kid could join the rest of the older kids. The person in charge stood firm and would not allow it. The mother was crying, saying if she had known this they wouldn't have booked the cruise, but to no avail.

 

So based on my observation, the answer is no.

The people who told these parents their children would be able to move clubs over a holiday were very wrong. When the clubs are full, they cannot have any exceptions to any of their policies. Ever.

On our sailing leaving on January 10th of a 10 day partial transit in the panama canal, there were only 10 children on board. So all the kids (including my 2 year old who was there with my supervision) were together. If the clubs are tiny due to your sailing during school holidays, you have a much better chance. IF they are operating at normal capacity, it is highly unlikely but you can ask. And if you are sailing over a holiday, you don't have a chance. You can call princess prior to sailing to ask how many children are booked, but even if it is a small number of children there is no guarantee.

Not having do deal with parents wanting to move their children is exactly why Disney has 3-12 groups, but this creates a problem in which some younger children aren't comfortable staying in the Disney club since it is overwhelming for them (but others love being with their friends or cousins)

If they won't do it your way just send them to the dining room on their own.

Thanks for all the replies. Helps to know it isn't even worth considering/thinking about between now and then. I appreciate the feedback!