camp Carnival

ellen zachariia · **11-2-2009, 8:14 PM**

My husband and I just booked a 8 day cruise on carnival for this summer. This will be the 1st cruise with dd-4 and ds-8 and I was wondering if anyone has had experience having there kids in camp carnival. Is the camp openned when the boat is in port or do you take your kids with you. Please advise.

jbowman6827 · **11-2-2009, 11:11 PM**

We are going on our 3rd cruise in about 3 weeks with Carnival. My girls now dd13 and dd15 went on their first cruise when they were 7 and 9 yrs old. They had a blast! The counselors play games, have dances, video games and many other activities. They love it! They are signing up for their age groups this time as well because they have so much fun and meet some great people their age. The counselors are wonderful and so nice and willing to answer any questions that you may have at any time.

When you are in port, they gave us the option of leaving the kids with their group or taking them with us. They also offer excursions at each port for the children in their own age groups. This way they can go with children their own age and parents have an opportunity to spend time on port without the children. I personally take my children with me on each port as I wanted to share each new place that we visited with my girls. Camp Carnival is a wonderful extra on the cruise tho. My girls wanted to stay with their friends all the time and this gave my husband and I plenty of time to do things on the ship with and without the girls.

I hope this helps and that you have a great cruise!!

dmmiller · **11-3-2009, 8:41 AM**

We leave in 80 days to go on our cruise on the "dream". Cant wait!
We'll be taking our 3 boys and using camp carnival for the first time. I've been doing
alot of reading on cruise critic about camp carnival and it sounds wonderful. Like jbowman said,
you can choose to leave them on the ship at the ports of call, or take them with you.
I'm going to take them with us for 2 reasons... 1. I want them to explore the islands and see this very different way of life (learning experience) and
2. if we for some reason, miss the ship.. they'll be sailing without us, alone.
Also, Camp carnival has some weird hours during the sea days. They are only open for a few hours here and there thru-out the daytime, and then reopen for dinner and stay open thru-out the evening. I'm sure the kids will be occupied with the slides/pools, so no biggie

ellen zachariia · **11-3-2009, 10:38 AM**

Thank you. I keep getting conflicting reports about Camp Carnival hours. We are taking the western carribean cruise and will be in Costa Rica, Cozumel and Limon Panama and we would love to take the ferry through the canal buy the excursion is very expensive and I do not know if camp carnival would be opened the 7-8 hours we will be in port. If anyone has taken this cruise with kids before please post.

guardado4 · **11-3-2009, 5:08 PM**

I haven't been on that exact cruise, but I went on the 7 day Mexican Riveira cruise. Usually the Camp Carnival would close at lunch time on At Sea days, but the days we were at port we could choose to leave our kids on the ship or take them with us. My kids loved the camp so much we rarely ever saw them. At dinner they begged to eat dinner with the other kids, so my hubby and I got to go to the nice dinner by ourselves. Great vacation for everyone! Your kids will love it!

If you are concerned about the hours they will be open, I highly recommend calling Carnival's customer service. They have been very helpful to me in the past and they might be able to help you out with your questions about that particular ship.

kjunea · **11-3-2009, 7:01 PM**

My son has been in Camp Carnival twice, once at age 5 and once at age 6. In CC, that is two different age groups and he loved both of them! They have so many activities and toys to play with, he had a blast. The Counselors are awesome (we tipped them $40 at the end). On sea days, it closes for about 2 hours at lunch, where parents can bring babies under the age of 2 to play.

We chose to leave him during some port days at CC, but only if we were on a ship sponsored excursion or if one of us was close by. They will also feed them for dinner if you want a quiet dinner without a bouncing kid. (Try the dinner club, it is awesome!) Most of the time, our son begged to eat with his friends, not us!

Also, they will deliver special cookies to your room for them, as well as a little robe. And your child will wear a special arm band the entire cruise that will have your muster station on it.

If you have anymore specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. I probably have some of the old Camp Carnival activity papers around.

June

ellen zachariia · **11-4-2009, 3:38 PM**

Thank you everyone. We are so excited about this trip. Working on gettng passports. I already made a reservation for the supper club and I would love to leave the kids on board one day so my DD and I can take a ferry through the panama canal. The problem is it is an 8 hour excursion and we will be 1 hour away from the ship. This is a carnival excursion which is the only ones my husband will dol. I will be grateful for all your advice any past travelers.

kjunea · **11-5-2009, 7:01 AM**

Don't worry, if you are doing a Carnival Excursion. They won't leave without you! My rule of thumb is, if it is a long excursion, take the ship sponsored one. If it is a short excursion, or just going to the Beach, etc., check for recomendations on the Cruise critic port of call boards and save some money!

Trust me, you and the kids will have a great time! My husband had to be reluctantly talked into a cruise. Now he is hooked! I had cruised 10 times before we were married on several different lines. He's only been on Carnival, but he won't consider anything else! (Well, he keeps showing me articles about the Oasis of the Sea, so he might change his mind).

Have a great trip! I'm jealous! I've never been to the Panama Canal (yet!)

11-2-2009, 8:14 PM	#1
ellen zachariia Member Joined: Sep 2006 Location: West Palm Beach Fl. Posts: 385	My husband and I just booked a 8 day cruise on carnival for this summer. This will be the 1st cruise with dd-4 and ds-8 and I was wondering if anyone has had experience having there kids in camp carnival. Is the camp openned when the boat is in port or do you take your kids with you. Please advise.

11-2-2009, 11:11 PM	#2
jbowman6827 Member Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 80	We are going on our 3rd cruise in about 3 weeks with Carnival. My girls now dd13 and dd15 went on their first cruise when they were 7 and 9 yrs old. They had a blast! The counselors play games, have dances, video games and many other activities. They love it! They are signing up for their age groups this time as well because they have so much fun and meet some great people their age. The counselors are wonderful and so nice and willing to answer any questions that you may have at any time. When you are in port, they gave us the option of leaving the kids with their group or taking them with us. They also offer excursions at each port for the children in their own age groups. This way they can go with children their own age and parents have an opportunity to spend time on port without the children. I personally take my children with me on each port as I wanted to share each new place that we visited with my girls. Camp Carnival is a wonderful extra on the cruise tho. My girls wanted to stay with their friends all the time and this gave my husband and I plenty of time to do things on the ship with and without the girls. I hope this helps and that you have a great cruise!!

11-3-2009, 8:41 AM	#3
dmmiller Member Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 9,103	We leave in 80 days to go on our cruise on the "dream". Cant wait! We'll be taking our 3 boys and using camp carnival for the first time. I've been doing alot of reading on cruise critic about camp carnival and it sounds wonderful. Like jbowman said, you can choose to leave them on the ship at the ports of call, or take them with you. I'm going to take them with us for 2 reasons... 1. I want them to explore the islands and see this very different way of life (learning experience) and 2. if we for some reason, miss the ship.. they'll be sailing without us, alone. Also, Camp carnival has some weird hours during the sea days. They are only open for a few hours here and there thru-out the daytime, and then reopen for dinner and stay open thru-out the evening. I'm sure the kids will be occupied with the slides/pools, so no biggie

11-3-2009, 10:38 AM	#4
ellen zachariia Member Joined: Sep 2006 Location: West Palm Beach Fl. Posts: 385	Thank you. I keep getting conflicting reports about Camp Carnival hours. We are taking the western carribean cruise and will be in Costa Rica, Cozumel and Limon Panama and we would love to take the ferry through the canal buy the excursion is very expensive and I do not know if camp carnival would be opened the 7-8 hours we will be in port. If anyone has taken this cruise with kids before please post.

11-3-2009, 5:08 PM	#5
guardado4 Shopaholic Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 360	I haven't been on that exact cruise, but I went on the 7 day Mexican Riveira cruise. Usually the Camp Carnival would close at lunch time on At Sea days, but the days we were at port we could choose to leave our kids on the ship or take them with us. My kids loved the camp so much we rarely ever saw them. At dinner they begged to eat dinner with the other kids, so my hubby and I got to go to the nice dinner by ourselves. Great vacation for everyone! Your kids will love it! If you are concerned about the hours they will be open, I highly recommend calling Carnival's customer service. They have been very helpful to me in the past and they might be able to help you out with your questions about that particular ship.

11-3-2009, 7:01 PM	#6
kjunea Born Shopper Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Nashville Posts: 815	My son has been in Camp Carnival twice, once at age 5 and once at age 6. In CC, that is two different age groups and he loved both of them! They have so many activities and toys to play with, he had a blast. The Counselors are awesome (we tipped them $40 at the end). On sea days, it closes for about 2 hours at lunch, where parents can bring babies under the age of 2 to play. We chose to leave him during some port days at CC, but only if we were on a ship sponsored excursion or if one of us was close by. They will also feed them for dinner if you want a quiet dinner without a bouncing kid. (Try the dinner club, it is awesome!) Most of the time, our son begged to eat with his friends, not us! Also, they will deliver special cookies to your room for them, as well as a little robe. And your child will wear a special arm band the entire cruise that will have your muster station on it. If you have anymore specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. I probably have some of the old Camp Carnival activity papers around. June

11-4-2009, 3:38 PM	#7
ellen zachariia Member Joined: Sep 2006 Location: West Palm Beach Fl. Posts: 385	Thank you everyone. We are so excited about this trip. Working on gettng passports. I already made a reservation for the supper club and I would love to leave the kids on board one day so my DD and I can take a ferry through the panama canal. The problem is it is an 8 hour excursion and we will be 1 hour away from the ship. This is a carnival excursion which is the only ones my husband will dol. I will be grateful for all your advice any past travelers.

11-5-2009, 7:01 AM	#8
kjunea Born Shopper Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Nashville Posts: 815	Don't worry, if you are doing a Carnival Excursion. They won't leave without you! My rule of thumb is, if it is a long excursion, take the ship sponsored one. If it is a short excursion, or just going to the Beach, etc., check for recomendations on the Cruise critic port of call boards and save some money! Trust me, you and the kids will have a great time! My husband had to be reluctantly talked into a cruise. Now he is hooked! I had cruised 10 times before we were married on several different lines. He's only been on Carnival, but he won't consider anything else! (Well, he keeps showing me articles about the Oasis of the Sea, so he might change his mind). Have a great trip! I'm jealous! I've never been to the Panama Canal (yet!)