Petition NCL (2 year olds in Kids club)

[GirlWriter]

We did an NCL Med cruise when our son was 1 1/2. He's 3 now, so we are not affected by the new policy, but if it had been put into place prior to our Med cruise, it would not have changed our decision to cruise with NCL. We took advantage of the Under 2 Zoo play area (which he enjoyed immensely) and took turns watching him if one of us wanted to go off and do something on the ship (there were 3 of us -- myself, DH, and 19YO DS, which made it easier than if it had just been 2 of us).

 

We had a blast as a family on that cruise.

 

We were happy to make the adjustments required to have him along, including limiting our dining to the buffet and room service for most meals. We did do the MDR once for dinner and Cagney's once for breakfast and once for lunch but found that the little guy got too restless and antsy. It was no big deal for us to adjust and go to "Plan B" for meals. (We're not "foodies" anyway, so the buffet was perfectly fine for us.)

 

All in all, the bonding we experienced as a family and the memories we all have of that vacation were worth it to us. (I know the baby doesn't "remember" it per se but thinks he does because of all the photos with him in them. :))

 

So, even if NCL does not budge on this new policy, I hope you (OP) give them a try anyway. It might make for a more "limited" sort of cruise for you guys, but it'll be a great cruise anyway, and he'll only be "under 3" for a very, very short time.

 

Hope this helps.

[che5904]

I noticed a couple of people stated "bring Grandma along to babysit." If you think in-room babysitting is expensive wouldn't paying for another cabin (200% for a single or double if Grandpa coming) would be even more expensive? Not sure how many grandmas & grandpas are willing to shell out thousands for the honor of coming along & watching the little one. - lol.

 

You see that statement posted on almost every thread where children are discussed. Don't get me wrong I have 4 little ones (grandchildren) that I love dearly but I really would not consider paying for a vacation "just to be the built in babysitter" for my grandchildren.

 

Most of the grandma's I know work full time

 

Exactly, you'd think working grandparents didn't require vacations once they reached a certain age.

[che5904]

Hopefully you will think I am kind in my opinion. I do not want to offend you and truly want you and your family to enjoy your cruise.

 

I was a little surprised by your idea of a petition. When I think of that means I think of citizens wanting to be heard on a democracy such as a municipality, wanting to enact or overturn a law. Personally I do not think a petition is the way to approach a business such as NCL.

 

This is a new decision. NCL does not owe us any explanation why they make a policy change. On the other hand if enough people respond they might reconsider or offer an alternative. Two incidents come to mind. 1. When NCL pulled the bar setup enough of us asked them to reconsider. They did! Ues it is even more expensive, but it is an optional thing anyway. I prefer it as I can mix my own to meet my own dietary restrictions. And I prefer a weak drink, so the bottle lasts longer. 2. When NCL tested opening the Haven to ALL suites on a test cruise it ended up resulting in being a disaster. The Haven was anything but.

 

Who knows, maybe there are so many more small ones cruising they were just busting at the seams with occupancy. Maybe it has been really tough on the kids crew workers dealing witheeting the needs and challenges of two year olds. Maybe it is that few who ruined it for many by distegarding beepers.

 

At least you know ahead of time. As my parents had three in diapers maybe you need to take turns. I know that doesn't leave a lot of time for you two alone together but there will be other cruises. And one day soon that little one will be running all over the ship with friends and you will be wondering where all the time went.

 

Well said Donna.

[che5904]

We did an NCL Med cruise when our son was 1 1/2. He's 3 now, so we are not affected by the new policy, but if it had been put into place prior to our Med cruise, it would not have changed our decision to cruise with NCL. We took advantage of the Under 2 Zoo play area (which he enjoyed immensely) and took turns watching him if one of us wanted to go off and do something on the ship (there were 3 of us -- myself, DH, and 19YO DS, which made it easier than if it had just been 2 of us).

 

We had a blast as a family on that cruise.

 

We were happy to make the adjustments required to have him along, including limiting our dining to the buffet and room service for most meals. We did do the MDR once for dinner and Cagney's once for breakfast and once for lunch but found that the little guy got too restless and antsy. It was no big deal for us to adjust and go to "Plan B" for meals. (We're not "foodies" anyway, so the buffet was perfectly fine for us.)

 

All in all, the bonding we experienced as a family and the memories we all have of that vacation were worth it to us. (I know the baby doesn't "remember" it per se but thinks he does because of all the photos with him in them. :))

 

So, even if NCL does not budge on this new policy, I hope you (OP) give them a try anyway. It might make for a more "limited" sort of cruise for you guys, but it'll be a great cruise anyway, and he'll only be "under 3" for a very, very short time.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Our children, now grown. Had vacationed with us from the time they were born. Never did we go anyplace that had children's drop off programs, so I really can't say whether I would have utilized it if they were that young. Probably not. But I don't judge anyone who does.

 

We totally took advantage of the family bonding time / family vacation and have so many memories from them. I do understand parents needing a break but we just had Grandma and Grandpa take them for a weekend and went away for the whole weekend to reconnect or do adult things.

 

OP, I can't really say I understand why parents really "need" this during the "family" vacation. But if you feel that strongly about it, I seriously think your best recourse is to write a letter to NCL expressing your concerns. If your feelings are in the majority they would at the least revisit whether their decision was a sound one.

[dwjoe]

Why not pay to bring a baby sitter along? Or maybe suggest a fee based nanny service. I wonder how many ship personal would moonlight for an extra $5 hr doing this? This is why you bring gramma along with you or leave the baby/toddler home with her. A 1-2 year old will never remember a trip.

Not financially realistic to bring along your own private baby sitter, and not everyone has the option to leave the child with a relative. Some people like to vacation with their children, notwithstanding your judgement about 1-2 year olds not remembering.

 

As I have been told when I did not like something and have told others maybe NCL is not for you, each line has a niche. As one whose kids are now older I like not having as many little kids on my trips and that is why I am not sailing Disney...

But NCL used to offer supervised activities for 2 year olds, and according to this thread, other lines still do. It's a bit premature for the "NCL is not for you, try Disney" dismissive.

[karen_cpa]

I would think this move, coupled with the decision to charge 3rd passenger fare for the under 2 set, is a clear sign that NCL is moving away from this age demographic. Makes sense to me - a 2yo isn't spending money in the casino or the specialty restaurants, but IS counted towards the maximum capacity of the ship.

 

Would NCL rather have 50 2yo's on board or 50 adults? I think from a financial standpoint, the answer is pretty clear. Discourage the 2yo's and you have more room for the spenders.

 

 

With that said - we took DD on the NCL Dawn the day after she turned 2. She wasn't toilet-trained, but I jumped when that buzzer went off. Sadly some parents did not. If DD didn't want to stay, we didn't force the issue, but there were definitely some sad little faces in the Club that week.

 

2yo's are a LOT of work so I can definitely understand the move away from this demographic, but if I had a cruise booked, I can certainly understand the disappointment.

[softsands]

Then why bring the little darlings along if you feel the need to ditch them? :confused:

 

John

 

An ignorant question.

[dwjoe]

My comment is in no way narrow minded, it is seeded in many years here at CC when this or similar topics come up with the same rationalizations over and over again. Also being on many cruises seeing little darlings running wild while parents hang by the pool because they know their little darlings can't go far because they are in the middle of the ocean.

So your comment is based on other threads not involving the OP, and unrelated issues you had with other parents .... but is not narrow minded. :confused:

 

NCL can in no way consider every possible situation that people can dream up so don't assume they are not caring about "you" just because "you" don't fit into their considerations.

Nobody in this thread is trying to claim an individual exemption based on their unique personal circumstances. Your perception of that is totally misplaced.

[KEPE]

JMO, but I think 2 can be a tough age. Some kids at this age can be a little difficult to understand, many are not potty trained, most don't comprehend when you tell them mommy will be back in an hour. I think a room full of 3-5 y/o would require less one on one and could be handled more like a group activity. So maybe it is a staff to child ratio? the more younger kids you have that require one on one supervision the more employees you need on hand.

 

I have a 4 y/o who will be 5 when we cruise for the first time with her. I haven't yet decided if we will utilize the kids club but I understand that some really enjoy it. I think if you are unhappy with the new policy you have a right to express that and let NCL know. If many do maybe they will reconsider but I'm guessing this wasn't a shortsighted decision on thier part. I'm sure much thought and consideration went into it.

[freddawgs]

FWIW, I spoke with an NCL rep a few weeks ago about this. We're cruising on the Star at the end of March, and daughter will be 3 in April. I simply asked if she'll be able to attend drop-off kids-club programs because the 2-3 band is the only one that doesn't seem to "fit" well in the structure of the program (at least the way my wife and I interpreted it). I was assured that she would be able to attend the drop-off program without a problem. Note that this was about three weeks to a month ago, so I don't know if things have changed. Plus, it was only one rep. I plan to call again in a month or two to double-check, before our final payment is due. :)

 

Having the "option" of the drop-off program is huge for us. We've cruised with our daughter previously and had no issue with not having a kid's club available. And, as other posters have mentioned, who knows if a child will even like the kids club. That being said, it would be wonderful to have an hour or two available on sea days to just sit and relax. I'm somewhat surprised by the posters saying, "If you want to drop your child off at a kids club, why vacation with your child?" That seems a pretty tough response. Do these posters feel the same way about hiring a babysitter for a night every few weeks to enjoy dinner or a movie with your significant other?

 

If anyone else puts a call in to NCL, let me know what they find out.

[cruzsnooze]

Maybe it will discourage those with small children from cruising which is fine with me. Nothing worse then a screaming / crying baby in the next cabin or in the dining room. Disney is meant for children so maybe they are the right alternative for the OP.

[conandrob240]

Even Disney, the absolute most kid-friendly cruiseline on the planet, has a 3 yrs old and above limit to their drop-off kid's programming. I agree with the posts that say 3 is a reasonable cut-off in terms of potty-training, listening to instruction, speaking ability, etc.

[canuckgal]

I don't think your petition will work (we are not citizens of NCL land, just customers!). It seems NCL has already decided to not cater to the young family demographic. You can vote with your dollars and take them elsewhere, but actually, by these decision they have made, that is what they are actually asking you to do.

[dwjoe]

Maybe it will discourage those with small children from cruising which is fine with me. Nothing worse then a screaming / crying baby in the next cabin or in the dining room. Disney is meant for children so maybe they are the right alternative for the OP.

I find this response slightly rude.

 

It's one thing to say you understand why NCL is discontinuing supervised activities for 2 year olds and another thing to say you're glad they did it b/c there will be less kids on board.

 

Reverse this for a second. Suppose NCL had an AARP discount for several years and then discontinued it and some seniors on cruisecritic complained about it. How would it be received if a young parent posted (paraphrasing your own words) "I'm glad they got rid of the AARP discount, maybe it will discourage seniors from cruising, nothing worse than a grumbling old guy in the next cabin or dining room. HAL is meant for seniors so maybe they are the right alternative for you." (paraphrasing your own words). How does that sound to you?

[MSH from Norway]

........I think that some of you should try to think more outside your somewhat narrow "language-box".

 

More and more cruise-pax is non-english speaking!

 

One thing is to tell little 2 year old english-speaking Joe that your mother will be here shortly.

 

How are they going to tell that to kids who speaks only f ex french, german, spanish, dutch, scandinavian, chineese or what ever language???

 

What are your next suggestions??

A new childrens club for english-speaking children age 0 -2, or that only english speaking pax should be allowed on the ship???

[HokiePoq]

Most 3 year olds are day time potty trained. This may be the rationale to their thinking.

 

I would think being potty trained should be a consideration. It takes a different level of care and sanitary provisions to change diapers. With all the precautions not to spread GI illness, I'd imagine you have identified the reason for no two year olds. It's also a different level of child care and entertainment for a two year old.

[emcelh]

I don't think your petition will work (we are not citizens of NCL land, just customers!). It seems NCL has already decided to not cater to the young family demographic. You can vote with your dollars and take them elsewhere, but actually, by these decision they have made, that is what they are actually asking you to do.

 

So you're saying then, because they raised the age limit to 3 they've decided not to cater to the young family demographic? I guess the same could be said for Disney then since their age limit for the drop-off program is also 3.

 

Isn't it possible that there may be another reason why the change was made? I'm quessing it has more to do with liability than anything else. Why do you think the staff can't change diapers?

[willysgrandma]

I would have shelled out whatever it took to go with my grandkids. I'd be delighted to be asked. You never know unless you ask the grandma and grandpa.

 

I noticed a couple of people stated "bring Grandma along to babysit." If you think in-room babysitting is expensive wouldn't paying for another cabin (200% for a single or double if Grandpa coming) would be even more expensive? Not sure how many grandmas & grandpas are willing to shell out thousands for the honor of coming along & watching the little one. - lol.

 

For the OP, I do think you should write NCL. Doesn't hurt, may not change things but you'll know you have voiced your opinion & if enough people do so it may cause them to revisit this decision after it is effect for bit to check the bottom line.

 

Parents with a little one need a vacation & an hour here or there to themselves if taking the little one along. Most of the grandma's I know work full time & although I have taken a weeks vacation to watch my granddaughter so her mommy & daddy could get away on a cruise together that is not always an option for many families for a variety of reasons. If NCL doesn't reconsider this option I would check out other cruiselines. Carnival's kids program seems to get many positive reviews & I'm sure Disney's is fabulous, though expensive.

[willysgrandma]

Perhaps looking at NCL with the other main cruise line programs will show you that NCL has joined in what other cruise lines, except for Carnival, are already doing. The only difference between NCL and RCCL and Disney is that with the latter two, they have a drop off nursery for a fee.

 

 

 

Otherwise, it’s for parents and children. For parents who do want some time alone, RCCL , Disney and Carnival would be better choices because they do offer drop off service for a fee.

 

 

If I were going to start a petition, it might be for NCL to have a drop off program for under 2 with a fee like RCCL and Disney do.

 

 

 

Here is what other cruise lines have:

Royal Caribbean: 6 mo – 36 mo – Royal Baby and Royal Tots parent/child program, Crayola parent/child workshops, drop off nursery day and night for $8 per hour.

Disney: 3 mo – 3 years - Flounders Reef Nursery, It’s A Small World Nursery. Delightful daycare center for children ages 3 months to 3 years, whose whimsical design was inspired by the classic Disneyland attraction. This nursery is available at an additional charge. It's a Small World Nursery is available at an additional charge—$6.00 per hour for first child and $5.00 per hour for the second child—and must be reserved in advance.

Carnival: Camp Carnival for kids 2 – 5 years, 6 – 8 and 9 – 11. At night, Camp Carnival Night Owls available for a fee.

Celebrity: Under age 3 – Toddler Time. Toddler time allows parents and toddlers to interact with other children their age. Fun Factory Staff members provide suitable toys for this age group, including LeapFrog® interactive toys. In accordance with USPH policies and standards, Celebrity has provided each ship with lavatory-based changing tables and baby wipes. Children participating in organized events must be fully potty trained; however, you can accompany your child to any organized activity if they're not.

Holland America: On Holland America ships, we provide a wide variety of exciting youth and teen friendly activities and facilities for guests ages 3 to 17. With supervised fun for our younger guests, the entire family can have the cruise vacation of their dreams.

NCL: Guppies: 6 mo. - 2 yrs. 6 months - (daily activities are offered for babies with their parents). They do offer group babysitting at night for a fee, but child must be 3 or older.