Age breakouts for kids clubs

[arinie17]

We have booked our first family cruise for January on the Oasis! Very excited and nervous! Hoping all goes well. Question regarding the kids clubs. My son is 11 and my daughter is 8. According to their info, they would be split into two different programs. Can we request to have them put in the same one?

 

Thank you in advance!

[ONECRUISER]

Possible, but won't know until on board. As such age difference tough though, you want the older kid with younger kids, probably don't want younger with older kids. But it's up to Royal kids program employees to approve. Had same issue and my kids did fine separated after first visit there, just like school but more fun. Just make sure you go there first day to talk with Program

[Thorben-Hendrik]

You can request but quite often this will not be allowed....:(

[Grandma Dazzles]

Probably not. That’s a pretty big age difference. Moving kids is usually left up to the staff on board and is often dependent on the number of kids. Keep in mind there can be hundreds of kids on board.

 

Recommend checking out the kids program/staff when you first board.

[renata102]

We have booked our first family cruise for January on the Oasis! Very excited and nervous! Hoping all goes well. Question regarding the kids clubs. My son is 11 and my daughter is 8. According to their info, they would be split into two different programs. Can we request to have them put in the same one?

 

Thank you in advance!

 

You can request whatever you want , but I doubt they will allow it

[gerif]

Would your son really want to be in a group with six year olds?

[arinie17]

Thanks everyone! We'll just have to ask when we get on board. Here is where I'm hoping they will wiggle a little bit.... Online it states:

Our specially designed Explorers program (ages 6-8 years) is packed with exciting cruise activities for kids, which includes themed parties. Voyagers (ages 9-11 years) will explore a range of activities that puts the "cool" back into learning.

My daughter is 8 but will be turning 9 on February 12 and we travel on January 20-27 so hoping they will allow her into the 9-11 group. If not, unfortunately I can pretty much guarantee that she won't participate. She pretty much will only do these types of things if her brother is with, very clingy.

[renata102]

Thanks everyone! We'll just have to ask when we get on board. Here is where I'm hoping they will wiggle a little bit.... Online it states:

 

Our specially designed Explorers program (ages 6-8 years) is packed with exciting cruise activities for kids, which includes themed parties. Voyagers (ages 9-11 years) will explore a range of activities that puts the "cool" back into learning.

My daughter is 8 but will be turning 9 on February 12 and we travel on January 20-27 so hoping they will allow her into the 9-11 group. If not, unfortunately I can pretty much guarantee that she won't participate. She pretty much will only do these types of things if her brother is with, very clingy.

 

They look at the age of children when they board. MY kids have celebrated a few bdays on cruise. They didn’t move up a level. THeir age remained the same the day they boarded according to the rules of the ships

[smplybcause]

From every post I've seen on here, the only movement they'll allow is down not up. So it would be your son down to your daughter's age range. Though as he's a few years past that, experience I've seen posted on here shows they'll move you down if you're within a year of the limits.

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[hdm81]

Thanks everyone! We'll just have to ask when we get on board. Here is where I'm hoping they will wiggle a little bit.... Online it states:

 

Our specially designed Explorers program (ages 6-8 years) is packed with exciting cruise activities for kids, which includes themed parties. Voyagers (ages 9-11 years) will explore a range of activities that puts the "cool" back into learning.

My daughter is 8 but will be turning 9 on February 12 and we travel on January 20-27 so hoping they will allow her into the 9-11 group. If not, unfortunately I can pretty much guarantee that she won't participate. She pretty much will only do these types of things if her brother is with, very clingy.

 

It depends if the 9-11 age group is full. Similar situation happened with our family. My daughter was almost 9 but our family friend on the cruise with us was already 9. They allowed her to move up because there was room in the 9-11 age group and the 6-8 age group was packed!! Good luck! My kids love the kid's RC programs!!

[cb at sea]

The activities really are "age appropriate"...the kids will have much more fun in the right grouping. They do "see" each other occasionally...and they will have tons of time outside of the clubs to be together. Take them on the 1st night so they can meet others that will be in the groups....that way, everyone is "new".

[RCCL Fan]

I'll add my two cents.

 

My daughter turned 9 the week we boarded Allure this year.

 

She was super excited to move up in rank.

 

Well --- just so happened the 9-11 year old group was 95% boys

 

Lots of dodge ball and rough housing that was NOT her cup of tea.

 

Normally my kid ADORES Adventure Ocean, but every time we went up there, she was playing alone in the corner, and the other 2 girls were from a family together and told her they didn't want to play with her. My daughter was always ready to leave when we came up there, which is also not usual. She just wasn't enjoying.

 

So we asked that she be moved down, after all she was only 9 by a day or two.

 

It required discussion at a Adventure Ocean staff meeting and manager approval before it could happen. It was not a simple thing.

 

Of course --- as luck would have it they approved her, but on Day 3 another little girl showed up in the 9 year old group, and she was from the next suburb over from our town and magically all was fine and my kid didn't want to move anymore.

 

I didn't know how to break it to the staff, but they beat me to it, saying "We think she finally found a playmate in the 9 year old class"

 

So my long answer --- the staff literally has to discuss --- once you get on board. They're flexible, but it's a case by case basis, and despite all the planning you do, they may get on board and change their minds after all.

 

:-)

[jptoz]

They will split up groups 6-8, 9-11. But I will say that after 10pm the groups will be combined. Has been like that on every RC I have taken so far.

[Host Jacquelyn]

It sounds like one of those YMMV scenarios, where different people are reporting different experiences. I would say be prepared for not switching and then you will be pleasantly surprised if they do allow. The fact that she will be 9 within a month works in your favor.

[arinie17]

The activities really are "age appropriate"...the kids will have much more fun in the right grouping. They do "see" each other occasionally...and they will have tons of time outside of the clubs to be together. Take them on the 1st night so they can meet others that will be in the groups....that way, everyone is "new".

 

I like the idea of going on the 1st night so they can get a feel for it and see what it is all about. And the fact that everyone else is new too. Great idea, thank you!

[arinie17]

I'll add my two cents.

 

My daughter turned 9 the week we boarded Allure this year.

 

She was super excited to move up in rank.

 

Well --- just so happened the 9-11 year old group was 95% boys

 

Lots of dodge ball and rough housing that was NOT her cup of tea.

 

Normally my kid ADORES Adventure Ocean, but every time we went up there, she was playing alone in the corner, and the other 2 girls were from a family together and told her they didn't want to play with her. My daughter was always ready to leave when we came up there, which is also not usual. She just wasn't enjoying.

 

So we asked that she be moved down, after all she was only 9 by a day or two.

 

It required discussion at a Adventure Ocean staff meeting and manager approval before it could happen. It was not a simple thing.

 

Of course --- as luck would have it they approved her, but on Day 3 another little girl showed up in the 9 year old group, and she was from the next suburb over from our town and magically all was fine and my kid didn't want to move anymore.

 

I didn't know how to break it to the staff, but they beat me to it, saying "We think she finally found a playmate in the 9 year old class"

 

So my long answer --- the staff literally has to discuss --- once you get on board. They're flexible, but it's a case by case basis, and despite all the planning you do, they may get on board and change their minds after all.

 

:-)

 

Thank you for sharing, that is helpful to know. She is not one to try something new without her big brother, guess it's a second kid thing, always having a built in playmate. And to be honest, I always have mom guilt of not having them with us every minute of the day on a vacation. But it sounds like the programs are really good so hopefully they will like it.