Quick question about kids

[Cruisin_Mo]

I have never traveled with a young child on a cruise. The child is 5 and she is booked in our cabin and her parents are booked in a different cabin across the hall. Does the sail and sign card act as a room key for a child that age? If so, can they turn it off upon request?

 

TIA

[deelightfull]

10 years ago I went cruising with a 5 y.o. Now he's 15!  I'm trying to remember, but I don't think there's ever a reason for the 5 y.o. to hold their own sign and sail card, except for the 15 seconds it takes to sign on and off the ship each time.  The rest of the time it's with Mom (or Dad). 

 

I presume you'd rather your friends can't walk into your room freely? I honestly don't know if they can remove the capability to unlock a certain room door.   I'm interested to hear the answer. Also interested to hear why the child is booked into your room.  Some sort of discount available only to you and not their parents is my guess.  But I'm curious!

[kelkel2]

Honestly, I do believe our kid’s key did open our door. I very rarely had my kids cards with us unless we were leaving the ship, but I wouldn’t be able to even guess if that’s something they could turn off. 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

The kids cards do open the doors. 

 

Our youngest first cruised when he was 2 years 10 months. The card opened the door, and, as the poster above said, the only time he handled the card was to get on and off the ship.

 

Of course, while handing it to the crew member to scan his card to get on the ship, he drops it, and it ALMOST fell into the water.  Someone made a great catch at the last moment.  

 

Unless the kids are old enough to walk around the ship on their own (and thus need to have access to the cabin, as well as make purchases if they have the privilege as well), the cards can just stay in the safe unless leaving the ship at ports.

[Cruisin_Mo]

 

2 hours ago, deelightfull said:

10 years ago I went cruising with a 5 y.o. Now he's 15!  I'm trying to remember, but I don't think there's ever a reason for the 5 y.o. to hold their own sign and sail card, except for the 15 seconds it takes to sign on and off the ship each time.  The rest of the time it's with Mom (or Dad). 

 

I presume you'd rather your friends can't walk into your room freely? I honestly don't know if they can remove the capability to unlock a certain room door.   I'm interested to hear the answer. Also interested to hear why the child is booked into your room.  Some sort of discount available only to you and not their parents is my guess.  But I'm curious!

Yes, it was about $500 cheaper to add her to our cabin. She's my grand niece, so family. I'm in the room with my sister, her grandma, on a casino rate, lol.

1 hour ago, kelkel2 said:

Honestly, I do believe our kid’s key did open our door. I very rarely had my kids cards with us unless we were leaving the ship, but I wouldn’t be able to even guess if that’s something they could turn off. 

 

1 hour ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

The kids cards do open the doors. 

 

Our youngest first cruised when he was 2 years 10 months. The card opened the door, and, as the poster above said, the only time he handled the card was to get on and off the ship.

 

Of course, while handing it to the crew member to scan his card to get on the ship, he drops it, and it ALMOST fell into the water.  Someone made a great catch at the last moment.  

 

Unless the kids are old enough to walk around the ship on their own (and thus need to have access to the cabin, as well as make purchases if they have the privilege as well), the cards can just stay in the safe unless leaving the ship at ports.

I thought she needed her card for Camp Ocean, is that not right? Because if not, then she wouldn't need her card on the ship.

[scottasp]

It was at one time once you got on board you go to guest services and have them make her a card for her parent's room. Carnival doesn't care where you sleep.

[wemjam]

5 hours ago, scottasp said:

It was at one time once you got on board you go to guest services and have them make her a card for her parent's room. Carnival doesn't care where you sleep.

This is correct.  If you have her booked in your room now, when you get on board simply go to guest services (with her there) and ask them to switch her to the other room her parents are in and issue a new card.  They will issue a new card for her that will only work on their room (not yours).

 

We do this all the time when we cruise with other people and have them "booked" in rooms a certain way for price/benefit reasons.  Once on board they can easily switch the person to the correct room.

 

PS:  When setting up your onboard spending account you can opt to give them "no purchasing" power as well for younger children. 

 

It has been quite a while since we cruised with our boys as children but I do not specifically remember them requiring their card to be in Camp Carnival.

Edited April 28, 2023 by wemjam

[deelightfull]

7 hours ago, Cruisin_Mo said:

I thought she needed her card for Camp Ocean, is that not right? Because if not, then she wouldn't need her card on the ship.

Hmmm....I can't remember if that's right, (I know my 15 year old signs himself into the teen club on a piece of paper, NOT with his card) but even so, an adult would still have to be there to sign her in and out. Even at Carnival, 5 year olds can't sign themselves out. 😁 (9? 11? Regardless, it's not 5)    So it wouldn't matter, mom or dad still have the card in their possession.  But when it's time to get off the ship at port they're very insistent that everyone hold their own card while scanning off and on the ship, for about 15 seconds, and then it gets handed back to the responsible adult.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

7 hours ago, Cruisin_Mo said:

 

Yes, it was about $500 cheaper to add her to our cabin. She's my grand niece, so family. I'm in the room with my sister, her grandma, on a casino rate, lol.

 

I thought she needed her card for Camp Ocean, is that not right? Because if not, then she wouldn't need her card on the ship.

They do not need their card for camp ocean, unless the child has self sign out privileges (but minimum age is 9 i think). Authorized adults need their cards to sign in and out. Not the child's card. 

 

5 year olds do not need their card on the ship. 

 

As for room switching, Carnival doesn't care which room she actually sleeps in.  However, there is a good chance the parents' cabin does not have an extra bed.  Yours will. 

 

You can check a deck plan to see if parents room has a third bed.

 

If you do switch, probably no need to go to get a spare key for her as she won't use it anyway. 

 

 

[Drazil65]

Also, she will have to wear the muster wrist band being she is under the age requirement (under 12???).  You would probably want her registered for muster information under her parents cabin I would think?   

[kelkel2]

9 hours ago, Cruisin_Mo said:

 

Yes, it was about $500 cheaper to add her to our cabin. She's my grand niece, so family. I'm in the room with my sister, her grandma, on a casino rate, lol.

 

I thought she needed her card for Camp Ocean, is that not right? Because if not, then she wouldn't need her card on the ship.

The kids never took their cards to camp ocean. You, or whoever picks them up does. So when you check in online for your cruise it’s going to ask you to register the child for camp. And when you do that it’s going to ask you who’s allowed to pick them up. So that’s what you’ll need your card for. To verify you are the allowed person. My kids never had their cards with them unless they were leaving the ship. Then you do need it because every single person needs to ding on and off. 
As far as camp ocean goes, they make little name tags for the kids that they leave there and put on any time they’re checked in. 

[Cruisin_Mo]

Thank you y'all so much for your help. We usually wait until day 2 for visits to guest services, so we'll lock her card up until then.

[Sailin_Pirate]

9 hours ago, scottasp said:

Carnival doesn't care where you sleep.

Not true , but you do you.

 

[mjkacmom]

37 minutes ago, Sailin_Pirate said:

Not true , but you do you.

 

Why do you think they care? We have 5 kids so always have to book 2 cabins and then go to guest services to get extra cards. Representatives explain when booking that a parent needs to be booked in each cabin but it doesn’t matter who stays in which cabin.

[TexasJohn82]

Took a 5 and 11 year old last summer (taking them again this summer) here are a few notes:

 

• They need their card to get on and off the ship at ports, they scan their card and then a parent card they are roomed with, so make sure you are there when they get on and off the ship as we had issues with kids in different rooms with different parents (they still let us one time but they had to look up the rooms were connected so it was more of a hassle)
• They do not need their card for Camp Ocean but you need it to scan them in and out
• You can ask for a ghost card for the room at guest services as long as both parties are there, but you can't "move" them to the other room

[wemjam]

6 minutes ago, TexasJohn82 said:

Took a 5 and 11 year old last summer (taking them again this summer) here are a few notes:

 

• They need their card to get on and off the ship at ports, they scan their card and then a parent card they are roomed with, so make sure you are there when they get on and off the ship as we had issues with kids in different rooms with different parents (they still let us one time but they had to look up the rooms were connected so it was more of a hassle)
• They do not need their card for Camp Ocean but you need it to scan them in and out
• You can ask for a ghost card for the room at guest services as long as both parties are there, but you can't "move" them to the other room

Incorrect.  You most certainly can move them to the other room (if the room is configured for sleeping enough people).

 

People on this form often tell people you have to go get a second card that is a "ghost" key (as you put it) that just works as a door key, and carry around two cards.

 

That is not the case.  Once you are onboard you simply have to go to guest services and advise them that person "X" is moving to room "XXXX" and would like a new Sail and Sign.  They will reissue a new sign and sail card and destroy the old one.  The person moving and someone from the room they are going to have to be present to do this.

 

We swap people in rooms all the time doing it this way.  It is often advantageous for one reason or another to book a room with certain people in a certain way (as this poster indicated why, it saved them money).  Once on board you can make any physical changes you want. (Obviously they still aren't going to let you put young kids in a room by themselves if you tried that, but in this case the child would simply be moving to the room with their parents).  Again, as long as the parents room accommodates three people they are fine.

 

PS:  OP - if the parents room doesn't happen to accommodate 3 people but you guys would like to be able to do this, if there are still enough rooms open on your sailing you could try finding rooms that would work and switch.  As long as you are staying in the same category of room (6C, 6B, etc.), you can switch the actual room numbers you are in and shouldn't incur a penalty/cost.

[dallasdan]

My DW and I have really good casino offers right now and have booked 2 cruises with another couple.  Me in one room and my wife in the other room.  Once on board we went to guest services and switched rooms and received new sail and sign cards.  Super easy.  No need to carry around an extra key card.  The only issue is the luggage.  Just tag the luggage to room not the person.

[Cruisin_Mo]

1 hour ago, wemjam said:

Incorrect.  You most certainly can move them to the other room (if the room is configured for sleeping enough people).

 

People on this form often tell people you have to go get a second card that is a "ghost" key (as you put it) that just works as a door key, and carry around two cards.

 

That is not the case.  Once you are onboard you simply have to go to guest services and advise them that person "X" is moving to room "XXXX" and would like a new Sail and Sign.  They will reissue a new sign and sail card and destroy the old one.  The person moving and someone from the room they are going to have to be present to do this.

 

We swap people in rooms all the time doing it this way.  It is often advantageous for one reason or another to book a room with certain people in a certain way (as this poster indicated why, it saved them money).  Once on board you can make any physical changes you want. (Obviously they still aren't going to let you put young kids in a room by themselves if you tried that, but in this case the child would simply be moving to the room with their parents).  Again, as long as the parents room accommodates three people they are fine.

 

PS:  OP - if the parents room doesn't happen to accommodate 3 people but you guys would like to be able to do this, if there are still enough rooms open on your sailing you could try finding rooms that would work and switch.  As long as you are staying in the same category of room (6C, 6B, etc.), you can switch the actual room numbers you are in and shouldn't incur a penalty/cost.

The parents are in a two person interior, and there are no three or more person interiors available on this sailing. So you are saying that she can't officially move to her parents' room because of that? My only concern is they have a "lack of knocking" etiquette and I wouldn't want my nephew and niece walking in if I'm in a state of undress. If we can't change her key, we'll just lock up her sail and sign card. My only experience with this is two 2 person cabins and switching around, which was no problem, We just waited until the second day after the lines at guest services died down.

[wemjam]

9 minutes ago, Cruisin_Mo said:

The parents are in a two person interior, and there are no three or more person interiors available on this sailing. So you are saying that she can't officially move to her parents' room because of that? My only concern is they have a "lack of knocking" etiquette and I wouldn't want my nephew and niece walking in if I'm in a state of undress. If we can't change her key, we'll just lock up her sail and sign card. My only experience with this is two 2 person cabins and switching around, which was no problem, We just waited until the second day after the lines at guest services died down.

I don't think they will let you "legitimately" put more people in the room than it will hold.  Now she can sleep in there if she wants to of course, but official switching and adding her with a new sail and sign card as an extra person to a room meant for 2 could be an issue.

 

PS:  Depending on the ship a 2 person interior isn't going to have anywhere for her to sleep unless she is going to sleep in the same bed with her mom and dad.  Most interiors do not have a couch even (again depending on ship)

Edited April 28, 2023 by wemjam