Camp Carnival

[Mtngirl]

This Is The 1st Cruise Where I Will Be Taking Chidren With Me - My Nephews (ages 7 & 11). Can Anyone Tell Me About Camp Carnival And If They Take The Children To Dinner Or Do They Go With The Adults. If They Go With Adults To The Dining Room, What Is The Dress Code For The Children? I Would Appreciate Any Information Anyone Has On Camp Carnival.

[EngIceDave]

Either or.

 

Can eat with you, or eat with Camp Carnival group, on most nights...

 

I don't think they do that every night...can't remember

[winking_chick]

My understanding - and this is our first cruise too...meal times are pretty much family time. I believe the camp is closed during meal times and they are not a complete source of child care. PM childcare is $6hr. available until 3am. Would like to know what PM childcare includes (any activities)?

[nybumpkin]

Ernie - Our experience has been that kids can dine with Camp Carnival every night except the first and the last. No dress code; the dinner is in the Lido buffet. If they dine with adults in the dining room (we have our kids with us most nights), they are expected to observe the same dress code as adults. Aside from formal nights, for boys long pants and a collared shirt/crew neck (not a tee) shirt will work.

 

Our younger sons are 6 and 10, and they enjoy Camp Carnival. It is open mornings until 12 or 1, then afternoons until around 4, and again for dinner and after dinner until 10. One note for you if you're bringing boys without parents: make sure you have a notarized form from the parents giving you permission to take your nephews on the cruise (as well as a document giving you permission to have them receive medical treatment if necessary). There's lots of information about these forms on the "family cruising" board.

 

Hope this helps - if you have other questions, feel free to ask!

[LHP]

My understanding - and this is our first cruise too...meal times are pretty much family time. I believe the camp is closed during meal times and they are not a complete source of child care. PM childcare is $6hr. available until 3am. Would like to know what PM childcare includes (any activities)?

 

 

Childcare is $6 per hour (4$ per hour for additional children) from 10PM until 3AM. They basically watch movies etc.

 

My sons have done Camp Carnival for years and while they are "to old" now..they have always enjoyed themselves. I have always felt comfortable with the level of care which has been excellent from ship to ship.

 

In the old days, the only times the children did not eat with parents was on formal nights. However, I understand that has changed. Our sons always ate with us (even on formal nights). And yes, they were always properly attired with suits on formal nights and khaki's and polo shirts on informal nights.

[serene56]

On the Miracle and Liberty camp was closed from 5 til 7:30 except formal nights. that is when the kids can eat with parents. Camp is closed from noon til 2 daily also.

 

Most kids eat with their families... its a great time to get the kids to try some new foods they never experinced. Example-- order a soup like the strawberry soup and let them try it.

 

Dress code is the same for kids as it is for adults.

 

I would never trade my family dinner on a cruise for anything-- It was truly the best.

[momanddad]

ernie, my kids loved cc. my son was 5 and my daughter was 15. we picked them up for dinners and dress was church clothes. nothing fancy. we are going again in 34 days. hope this helps.

[jbags58]

We brought our 11 year old (was almost 12) with us the last time and I couldn't believe it was $6 an hour! They had a late nite event till 3am that we were going to let him stay but changed our minds and picked him up at midnight.

 

THey had told us that at this age they could sign themselves in and out so we were cool with it...but then they said no not at night so I wasnt about to get up at 3am to go get a kid out. He did not like it at all. Said it was boring. They had puzzles and video games of which he thought were too young for him.

 

I did have him join the kids up on deck a few times playing basketball and such. He survived but alas we learned this....

 

When bringing kids, travel with others with kids or bring a friend.

 

We do NOT cruise during normal school vacations and so there weren't many kids at all on board in May. Luckily for us it was only a 4 day cruise. It was also March, crappy weather in Mexico so we spent about an hour or two on the deck so he could swim and use the slide.

 

I think camp carnival would be great for young kids though or maybe if there were more kids.

 

Do they NOT charge for using it during the day? I thought it was all the time. Hmmm..oh well live and learn we did!

 

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

[Mysticks1]

We brought our 11 year old (was almost 12) with us the last time and I couldn't believe it was $6 an hour! They had a late nite event till 3am that we were going to let him stay but changed our minds and picked him up at midnight.

 

THey had told us that at this age they could sign themselves in and out so we were cool with it...but then they said no not at night so I wasnt about to get up at 3am to go get a kid out. He did not like it at all. Said it was boring. They had puzzles and video games of which he thought were too young for him.

 

 

My daughter was 11 last November on the Conquest and she absolutely loved Camp Carnival. She did the late night party two times. If I remember correctly it was around $26 per night. We did not have to pick her up at 3AM. A counselor escorted each child to their cabin and made sure that they made it inside safely. They played lots of games including scavenger hunts throughout the ship (in groups). She also had dinner with them several nights. She met friends there that she still keeps in touch with via email.

[sunkey1]

We've taken our kids (9 & 11) on three cruises, their next will be in November. From our experience, dinner is one of the times we enjoyed the most as a family. Our kids would not miss a chance to eat in the dining room, they loved every minute of it. After the last cruise we realized that dinner is one of the few times our kids will really want to spend "quality time" with us. Of course, after dinner, they were ready to head to Camp. My son also did the late night party and as the previous poster said, the counselors dropped him off at the cabin at 3, he showered and quickly got into bed. That was one of the highlights of the trip for him. For our cruise in November my husband and I have already accepted the fact that dinners and port days will be our "family" time - otherwise I know the kids are going to want to be spending a lot of time with their friends. It's really the best of both worlds as it also gives my husband and I some couple time as well.

 

As another poster said, dress the kids as you yourself are dressed. It doesn't have to cost a lot. I shop for my kids off season and get everything on sale. Consignments, Wal-Mart, Target all offer decent looking kids clothes at reasonable prices.

[jbags58]

Interesting about the difference in opinions here...makes me wonder if it was because of the time of year we sailed and that it was just one of the shorter fri-mon cruises to Ensenada. Might have been. Which is really a bummer because my husband and I did that to see how it would be on a 7 day.

Both of us said NEVER!! Of course never say never right? I think if it was a family thing and we were traveling with others it would be totally different. I felt like I had to entertain him most of the time. Hey dont get me wrong..I love taking vacations with my kids...but we have saved the cruising for just US!

 

Soooo to each his own I guess!

[sheteg]

This Is The 1st Cruise Where I Will Be Taking Chidren With Me - My Nephews (ages 7 & 11). Can Anyone Tell Me About Camp Carnival And If They Take The Children To Dinner Or Do They Go With The Adults. If They Go With Adults To The Dining Room, What Is The Dress Code For The Children? I Would Appreciate Any Information Anyone Has On Camp Carnival.

 

Was on Victory Aug 7-12th, our kids are boy 7 girl 9, they both used camp carnival. we gave them the list of activities and they circled what they wanted to do and we dropped them at those ones. We had them eat dinner with us every night and they ate from the adult menu..which is much better and heathier (with the right choices) than the kids menu. As for late night from 10pm to 3am there was a charge of $10/hour for both of them, they didn't stay past midnight except for the slumber party night, only our daughter stayed and it was until 3:30pm ($26) they dropped them back at our cabin you don't have to pick them up. They wore pants and shirt for dinner, our son wore t-shirts every kid was, except for formal night. Our son had on khakis & white dress shirt and our daughter a dress. Needless to say they both enjoyed the camp and the activities that they had. I found that after the first day they met kids their age and really wanted to do all the activities. just note: there are no swimming programs part of this camp on victory, may be different for other cruises.

[seamama1]

Camp Carnival is a good experience for the kids of all ages. Just keep in mind that it is not a daycare center nor a babysitting service. It is an activity center.

 

Babysitting is available in the evening for a charge but they don't operate as such during the day.

[ncgirl62]

We just sailed on the Inspiration 4 night cruise. My kids, 7 and 9 loved it. Could not wait to go back. They took them on scavenger hunts, dances, also had lots of arts and craft time. They made a ton of friends. Every where we went, they knew a kid or two! Dress code - if there was one, did not seem to apply during camp time. They only had dinner available on the captains dinner night, and lunch only available on the day we were in Mexico. I took them to dinner with us, dress code was same as adults, they loved it. The head of all the restaurants came over to every table every night, knew us by name and asked how everything was. The kids loved eating lobster, steak and all the excellent food that we had. It really made them feel like princesses. While at camp, we enjoyed some time without any kids. It was great! I did not let my older one sign in and out, they can do that in the 9 and older group.

[serene56]

How was your 9 year old able to participate in the scavenger hunts if he was not able to sign himself in and out?

[EngIceDave]

They go as a group.

 

Did the same with my son, then 6

[serene56]

I guess the group counselor goes with the kids who cant sign themselves out?

[hubofhockey]

I am another proponent of having the kids eat with us at dinner. Since cost is not an issue, why not let the kids enjoy ordering of a nice menu in the dining rooms? Do you want to pay all of that money for a cruise and leave your kids with chicken nuggets?

 

We were on the RCCL Enchantment of the Seas and my kids (8 & 6) really enjoyed dinners in the dining room and the desserts. I hope the food on the Liberty is comparable.

[Mtngirl]

THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSE. WE ARE NEIGHBORS. WE LIVE OVER IN ELLIJAY.

 

ERNIET:)

 

 

We've taken our kids (9 & 11) on three cruises, their next will be in November. From our experience, dinner is one of the times we enjoyed the most as a family. Our kids would not miss a chance to eat in the dining room, they loved every minute of it. After the last cruise we realized that dinner is one of the few times our kids will really want to spend "quality time" with us. Of course, after dinner, they were ready to head to Camp. My son also did the late night party and as the previous poster said, the counselors dropped him off at the cabin at 3, he showered and quickly got into bed. That was one of the highlights of the trip for him. For our cruise in November my husband and I have already accepted the fact that dinners and port days will be our "family" time - otherwise I know the kids are going to want to be spending a lot of time with their friends. It's really the best of both worlds as it also gives my husband and I some couple time as well.

 

As another poster said, dress the kids as you yourself are dressed. It doesn't have to cost a lot. I shop for my kids off season and get everything on sale. Consignments, Wal-Mart, Target all offer decent looking kids clothes at reasonable prices.

[Mtngirl]

THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S RESPONSES TO MY QUESTION ABOUT CAMP CARNIVAL. THEY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL.

 

ERNIET:D

 

This Is The 1st Cruise Where I Will Be Taking Chidren With Me - My Nephews (ages 7 & 11). Can Anyone Tell Me About Camp Carnival And If They Take The Children To Dinner Or Do They Go With The Adults. If They Go With Adults To The Dining Room, What Is The Dress Code For The Children? I Would Appreciate Any Information Anyone Has On Camp Carnival.

[buckeyeinmd]

We were on Glory 8/12-19 this month with our 7 & 10 year olds. They ate dinner with us. 7 yr old went to camp a lot and 10 year old didn't. I've got a copy of the camp capers for both age groups if you want to get an idea of what activities there are. If you give me an e-mail address, I'll send them to you.

 

Doug

8/92 Monarch of the Seas

3/93 Mardi Gras

3/03 Victory

8/06 Glory