Adevenure Club question....

[wdwfamily]

Hi Folks,

 

We will be cruising in December on the Enchantment w/ 4 kids ages 5, 5, 8 and 10. In talking to them about the adventure club, my 8 year old, who is very shy and gets stressed very easily which triggers migraines said that he wouldn't go "alone" to AO and wants to go w/ his brother if he does go. Does anyone how strict they are on the age groupings? Could my 8 year old join his brother in the older group? Or vice versa?

 

Thanks :)

 

~Karin

[shipoflove]

When we cruised on the Freedom last fall, my two older kids were the same ages as yours 8 & 10. We wanted them to be in the same program and they allowed it. :) Hopefully they will do the same for you.

[Onessa]

Any decision to allow exceptions to the age group is up to the Adventure Ocean staff. Pre-warn the 8YO that the staff may request that he tries one day with his age group so that the staff can observe his readiness to move to the older age group.

 

Alot of w/o/n they allow moves has to do with the number of kids on board and staffing, so if AO is very busy that week or if a staff member has the week off and folks are covering age groups that they may otherwise not work with, they may have to decline your request.

 

Whatever the case, I've disovered that it works best if you get your childen acclimated to AO early. Most of the kids there do not know anyone else either -- so the first couple of sessions are the time when kids make friends and stuff.

 

Good luck!

[CaptData]

A doctor's note will go along way here too. If there a medical reasons then the staff will try to help.

 

My 5 yr (at the time) Granddaughter was also shy and a boy pushed her in the late morning (accident not intentional). she was allowed to go to her 9 yr old sister's group for a while to calm down. At the time T was the size of a three year old so she was very small and the boy who was tall for a 5 year old did not see her. They became friends after she was with her sister for the hour. My daughter had given a doctor note about T and her sister. she has since gotten over her shyness.

[Ocean State]

I agree with the advice of having your children go to the orientation at the Adventure Club, and have them go to the club early in the cruise to make new friends. Even if it's for a short time, like 30 or 60 minutes. Since your children are close enough in age (8 and 10), it shouldn't be a big problem.

[wdwfamily]

Thanks for your replies!

 

We decided we wouldn't promise my 8 year old AO at all and that we would see what we could arrange. He suffers from migraines at a minimum of twice a month and on a cruise ship will not be the place for one as they can last up to 48 hours for him. Best to avoid the stress trigger if we can :) As long as he knows it isn't gaurantee'd, he'll be fine, even if his siblings going and he doesn't.