Do your kids use Camp Carnival?

[hlb76]

Please share your camp experiences with me. My kids loved it when they where younger as they have gotten older they don't quite as much. I'm just curious what ages still go to camp!

[MrPete]

I wouldn't have the heart to lock my kid up.

[Angelamu7]

Please share your camp experiences with me. My kids loved it when they where younger as they have gotten older they don't quite as much. I'm just curious what ages still go to camp!

 

My DD used it when she was 12-14 and we shall see if she uses it this next trip now that she is 15. She likes the come and go and pick and choose kind of thing.

 

On that note my son REALLY DISLIKES being with the babies and really is disappointed that he will be just shy of 12 years old on our next trip and cannot get away fromt he babies.

 

We try to find a 'friend' around his age on the ship for him to hang out with.

[mycomputer]

Mine went/are going and LOVED every minute!!!

They have LOTS of different activities for them....not like a "daycare" at all.:)

[hlb76]

I wouldn't have the heart to lock my kid up.

 

 

Nor would I! My kids when younger begged me to go to camp and pitched fits when it was time to leave! They loved playing w/ other kids and doing the activities.

Now they are older they pick and choose what they want to do. We love to have them w/ us as we cruise yet if they want to take advantage of camp we let them and enjoy some alone time!

[5waldos]

17, and he loves it. The O2 is more like a teen dropin center although they do have some actual activities. He meets people there and spends almost all of his time hanging out at the club. Even participates in the activities- very unlike his onshore self.

[Lady_Jag]

My DD's first cruise was on the Glory when she was 3 years old. She LOVED Camp Carnival and went daily. The counselors were very good to her and she made a lot of friends. She had a severe speech delay that we thought was apraxia at the time, so I was worried about her having communication issues in camp. Not only were my fears unfounded, but by the end of the week, we noticed a marked improvement in her speech! :D

 

DD's 2nd and 3rd cruises were last year on the Inspiration and Dream, respectively. She's 4, and wasn't as big a fan of going to camp, although she still LOVES the family welcome aboard dance party in the disco the first night.

 

On the last 2 cruises, we would take her to camp, let her see what activities they were doing, and then give her the choice to stay at camp and play, or hang out with us. (Except if we were going to the adult comedy - then she had to either go to camp or Grandma would babysit.)

 

Some things she chose to do, which she really enjoyed, were the Funship Freddy surprise party, candy bingo, and the bubble dance party. She usually hates face painting, which they do often in camp, but surprised me on each cruise by having her full face painted!

[serene56]

For our upcoming cruise in Feb - Our grand daughter will use the 2-5 but not all day-- and not all mornings or all afternoons.

 

We will look at the schedule and see what she wants to do.

 

Her activities are scheduled in 30 minute increments.

She will have dinner with us each night. SHe does not need to eat with "new friends" she can play with them earlier in the day. At least I will be able to know that she ate and wasnt busy playing.

 

In the past we have used camps for teens.

[onekewlchicky]

17, and he loves it. The O2 is more like a teen dropin center although they do have some actual activities. He meets people there and spends almost all of his time hanging out at the club. Even participates in the activities- very unlike his onshore self.

 

My 15 year old used & enjoyed it as well. When there wasn't something going on that he was interested in doing, he still hung out with shipmates which I was very surprised as he usually keeps to himself at home. I guess this was the one time he actually listened to mom saying "get involved in activities!"

[camorelli]

My kids are 5 and 7 and love to go! In fact, they prefer dinner at camp and night time activities with camp over hanging with us. They begged to stay for the late night dance parties! They hang with us at ports and at the pool during the day. but if a sea day is cloudy and rainy, they choose camp again.

[kelly11]

The boys loved it, they were 8 and 10 last year, we actually had to drag them away from it, they met plenty of friends and loved the activities but we always ate dinner together and took them with us off the ship for excursions

[LHP]

Between our two boys, they have used every age group.

 

Their use of each age group at the time was balanced with time spent with us.

 

A typical Sea Day...

 

we would get up and have breakfast. They would go play from 9AM-noon.

 

We would pick them up...have lunch....do the waterslide etc. and they would go play from 3-5pm....

 

We woupd pick them up ... have dinner....and they would go back and play until 10pm....

 

Port days....they would do activities in the port with us and usually just go to Camp Carnival after dinner.

 

We also used the AFTER 10PM babysitting service once or twice on a 7 day cruise.

 

Once the youngest got to be Club O2 age....he was always in Club O2 whenever it was open.....

[hfweather]

I let my soon to be 13 year old sign herself in and out. On our last cruise she really only went the first day, after that most of her time was spent at the waterworks area.

 

The 3 year old absolutely loves Camp. I'd let her go from 10-noon, get her for lunch and a break, take her back from 2-4. Then usually kept her the rest of the day. Every morning the first thing she'd ask me is "Can I go play with the kids?"

[azbaby8062]

Between our two boys, they have used every age group.

 

Their use of each age group at the time was balanced with time spent with us.

 

A typical Sea Day...

 

we would get up and have breakfast. They would go play from 9AM-noon.

 

We would pick them up...have lunch....do the waterslide etc. and they would go play from 3-5pm....

 

We woupd pick them up ... have dinner....and they would go back and play until 10pm....

 

Port days....they would do activities in the port with us and usually just go to Camp Carnival after dinner.

 

We also used the AFTER 10PM babysitting service once or twice on a 7 day cruise.

 

Once the youngest got to be Club O2 age....he was always in Club O2 whenever it was open.....

 

That is pretty much like my son. He loves it. If he doesn't want to go, he doesn't. We go through the funtimes for the kids and he chooses what activities he wants to do. We leave in 41 days will totally be up to him if he chooses to participate. This time he will be 9 although I am not giving him the option of signing himself. I don't care if it is a ship. It is still a ship of 2500 people I don't know.

[PAcruiser25]

Our daughter has not wanted to stay at Camp Carnival yet - at age 3 or 4. She was interested in the toys there, and the counselors seemed super on her first cruise, pretty good on second. But not interested enough to be on her own without us.

[Redsfan]

I wouldn't have the heart to lock my kid up.

 

very curious as to why you are so negative towards the Camp:

 

-they interact with kids their age

-have fun interactive games

-are kept busy while on board rather than having to hang with Mom and Dad

-they are not locked up there, they move around the ship constantly

 

Nobody loves spending more time with their Kids than I but when we did our first cruise I had them check it out and let them know if not fun they can be with us...they loved it. You don't want them to have their own independence? Did they ever go to Summer camp? Sleepovers?

[kruncher7]

Just got off the Spirit today and can tell you my DS 11 and DD14 both really enjoyed Camp Carnival and Circle C. Camp Carnival had an all night party for my 11-y.o. We were shocked he made it til 4:15 in the morning (the counselors walk all the kiddos back to their rooms). He had a blast at the party! Our kids liked to pick and choose from the different activities. Circle C (12+) and O2 had a parasailing excursion in Cabo, although my daughter did not participate; we already had plans and that is out of my comfort level. Becca is from the states in Circle C and Camp Carnival had wonderful counselors (Love from the Phillipines being our fave!) Hope this helps! Have a wonderful trip! :)

[beckyk329]

I wouldn't have the heart to lock my kid up.

 

 

gezzz. it's not baby-jail! OMG!

My kids love CC!

I literally have to pull rank, "because I said so" to get them to eat dinner with us! ( actually the oldest, now 11, wants to ) Normally I make them eat at least 1/2 their meals has a family.

I consider myself a good mom... but on vacation, I don't have totes full of arts and crafts in my back pocket..., or a dance party, or face paint to turn them and all their little friends their favorite animal....

They have a wonderful thing going on, they actually let the kids have "their cruise". they have such a wonderful time, I really hate when I see people talking so negatively about it.:(

[MrPete]

To those that asked, my kid simply plays and makes friends with all the other kids that are not locked up.

 

And yes, if I would asked her, even at 4, she would love to play video games and eat nothing but candy all day long, if only I would let her.

 

Instead, she is told to "go outside and play".

[Name Of The Game]

Mr. Pete, why do you keep calling it "locked up"? It's not a punishment!

 

She'd probably have.....what's the word I'm looking for......FUN!

[MrPete]

You are the one trying to link locked up with punishment. Not me.

 

And she must already be having fun. She's been on 9 cruises and is always asking when the next one is.

[Name Of The Game]

Because the term "locked up" does sound like a punishment, does it not?

 

She's young and I assume a good girl now but when she's 12-16 wouldn't you rather she have some supervision instead of just wandering around with other kids you don't know?

[MrPete]

Another assumption. We are never removed from our kid in a specific area. If we are at the pool area, she has the run of that area. She is not allowed free run of the ship.....yet.

 

And ask your partner to put you in a place where you can't leave. While you're on vacation.

 

Then come up with your own coined term.

 

And you know the rest of the people you came with are somewhere else.

 

Again, I haven't used that word.

[Name Of The Game]

She could sign out if she wanted to.

[MrPete]

That point is moot for me, but yes, if you are 9 and the parents have given permission.

 

And some do.