Kids' Club, dinner and dressing up

[mammel123]

Hello everyone,

 

This winter we're taking our daughter on her first cruise - 7 nights on Crown Princess. She's 4, and we want her to be able to enjoy the kids club but at the same time have time together as a family.

 

I am wondering how people do dinner: Go to an early dinner together while the club is closed then take her there for a while after? And if on a night we want to eat alone, take her first to the buffet then eat while she's there?

 

On formal nights we'd like to eat with her - will she miss anything in the club that's special for formal night? Do they play after in their fancy duds?

 

I recall seeing a post that we should make sure to take her to the kids' club the first night out so she gets to know everyone. Do you think this is important?

 

Thanks for reading to the end - it's a long post!

[crusinmama06]

I like to have family dinners on the ships, mainly because my hubby works during dinner time and we don't get to spend dinners together alot. No, my kids don't miss anything in the club at the time.

 

We do early seating.

 

We do sign up the first night, just to get it out of the way. I guess as the kids get older it gets to be more important to allow them to go to the mix and mingles on the first night so they can make friends. The younger kids will make friends no matter what. ;)

[CeleBrat]

mammel123--

 

If you go over to the Princess forum on this site and ask, someone may be able to post the Princess Patters for that ship for their kids club. Then, you can know in advance which nights the Club will be closed during dinner, and which nights they will offer a kids dining night. You will also be able to plan what to do on formal night as all the ships have different types of activities.

 

We have sailed Princess, but not with kids.

 

During our family cruises, the kids always eat with us, then have the option to go to the club after dinner. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Their decision is always based on what is being offered in the club. Movie night--not to popular with my kids. Art and crafts--YES!

 

Lastly, we usually hit the mix-n-mingle for the club on the first night when it is offered so we can see how the counselors are. Usually though, we've found that there are a lot of kids at the m-n-m, so there isn't really a great opportunity for them to get to know anyone specific Rather, they find their cruise buddies the next day, on their first visit to the club (usually a day at sea).

 

Hope that helps!

 

CeleBrat

[ncmomof2]

And if on a night we want to eat alone, take her first to the buffet then eat while she's there?

 

Haven't been on Princess, but Carnival has a least a couple of nights where the kids can eat together at the kids club -- our DD aways thought it was great to go to the Lido and pick whatever she wanted without our...input :rolleyes:...and eat with the other kids.

[mjmalino]

On our princess cruise last year there was one night where the kids camp had dinner. They held it at 7pm when the camp re-opened and they had half of the horizon court closed to be used solely by kids camp. On that night, we went to dinner when the kids went to eat with the camp. On other nights, we ate an early dinner (usually around 5:30-6:00) together and then took the kids to the camp when we were done, if they wanted to go. We had anytime dining, so it worked well that we could arrange our dinner in such a way.

[sunandseagirl617]

We were on Princess in December with our two kids, 8 and 14. We ate dinner together at 6pm. My daughter could not wait for the kid program! The kids dinner took place on formal nights from 6-7pm. My daughter attended 1 kids dinner on the 2nd formal night, but she joined us the rest of the nights!! Part of the reason my kids enjoyed the dining room was the waiter treated them so well! He always remembered the perfect chocolate milk!!

 

Even though it was anytime dining, we used the same table every night because we had a great view and a great waiter!!

 

Your kids will love it!!

[mammel123]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

Lily LOVES to get dressed up, and loves to eat out, so going to dinner with Mommy and Daddy is a good thing (for all of us). I think she'd be beside herself if she didn't get to eat with the grown-ups on formal night.

 

But when you're 4 going on 12, these things seem to matter a whole lot and I want to get it right, She sometimes has a hard time fitting in so the mix 'n mingle thing would be great.

 

Now, if only I can find her enough twirly dresses so she can have a different one every night :rolleyes:

[ripley4]

We did this about a year ago my 4 year old son, 2 - 4 year old nephews, 2 nieces 5 and 7....they loved the kids group. We had them through the full dinner only one night but most nights we had them come for appetizers at which point they ordered their main meal...they ate desert during our main meal and then after that one of us ran the group up to kids club really quickly before enjoying coffee, desert and converstation...we did it over and over except the nights kids club did kids dinner in which we took them - GOT THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!!!:D

[crusinmama06]

The Princess Patters are here if you are interested...

 

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Princess%20Patters/