CMontheseas
Oceaneer forever
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2013
Hello, I recently met some of you lovely Disboards folk during my last contract on board, and they encouraged me to set up a Q&A for prospective guests & parents! (We found that there's A LOT of information that isn't quite as readily available, that could potentially make your trip better for allll of us. 
)
I just came back fresh from the ship (We can't access Disboards or many blogs on our crew internet on board!) , so feel free to ask away!
======FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS======
(It's a long thread, so why don't I save many of you from asking again!)
My child is under 11, can they go to Edge?
The answer to this doesn't quite matter if your kid is 10 1/2, or 10 3/4 or 10 6/9ths, nor does it matter too much if there will be older siblings of Edge age range (11-14) in the space. The managers will be the first and final say on whether youth aged under 11 will be given any flexibility to be accepted into Edge, which can change from cruise to cruise depending on the age group populations currently on board. Note that some managers may be more lenient towards this age requirement and instruct the Counselors to allow them in right away, and some may be more strictly compliant with the age limits and instruct Counselors to inform guests that we cannot allow them into the space. Counselor CMs are trained to first encourage the child to try out the Oceaneer Lab activities, and inform a manager before making any decisions! Also consider: is my 10-year old mature enough to keep up with 13 year olds on scavenger hunts around the ship? Will they feel comfortable at the homecoming teen dance? Are they naturally outgoing with older children?
My child is under 14, can they go to Vibe?
Similar to the Edge question above, it will ultimately be up to the management. What tends to happen is that prospective Vibe 13-year olds will be asked to spend time in Edge and demonstrate maturity and show that they may be a bit more advanced than what Edge can provide, especially if the current Edge population for the cruise is mostly 11 year-olds. Consider whether your 13 year old will fare well hanging out with high school aged kids, and will fit in at the Vibe social nights. Do they tend to maintain good relationships with older teenagers? Will they still enjoy themselves if for that cruise, Vibe is mostly 17 year olds discussing and preparing for college? Are you comfortable with the idea of your 13 year old dancing with 17 year olds? However, once your child turns 18, they will no longer be allowed to remain in the space. They will be considered an "Adult" and thus no longer eligible for Vibe. If this happens during the cruise, this has been contested in the past with varying results, depending on when they turned 18 and how adamant the parents were to the Cruise Director and the MYA -Manager of Youth Activities (you can read about it in the thread).
My child is under 3, can they go to the Oceaneer Club or Lab?
**UPDATE** NO child under 3 may be admitted into the Oceaneer Club nor Lab. Additional counselors have been specifically tasked with meeting their entertainment needs in the Nursery, allowing them to still enjoy their time without having to be an infant.
{Not unless they fulfill the following requirements:
-Are fully potty trained (can use a toilet and undress themselves independently, must not wear diapers or pull-ups.)
-Are capable of speaking and communicating their needs to an adult who is not in their family
-Are independent (i.e.: will not spend the entire time in the space crying and waiting by the front gate due to separation anxiety)
-Are well socialized and do not demonstrate any fear of Counselors and will be able to follow instructions.
-Are generally within 2 months of turning 3 years old.
This is the general guideline we follow when approving children under the age requirement into the space - which might seem like a tall order for toddlers, but there are indeed tons of 2-year olds who possess all of these qualities and have matured and grown quite rapidly! So don't fret if your 2-year old doesn't quite match up, kids mature at different rates.
If a Counselor is ever in doubt about the eligibility of an under-3 into the space, they will ask for a Manager to come speak with the family and have a look at the child.}
My child is over the age of 3 and is not fully potty-trained, can they still go into the space?
We are required to accept any child between 3- 12, regardless of whether they are potty trained. Once they fall within our age group, you may have them in diapers and pullups (we have had many cases of children with bowel issues, or late potty-training, or developmental delays needing this!). We will ask you to check on them frequently as we aren't allowed to change them ourselves.
My child is allergic to peanuts/sensitive to gluten/cannot eat pork products/cannot come into contact with eggs/is allergic to shellfish/cannot touch synthetic fibers/reacts negatively to fluorescent lighting/has asthma/is temperature sensitive to cold water/is prone to seizures/will have an anxiety attack when in contact with the color red
*Note all of the above are actual things that have been listed under our medical alerts!
Make sure that when you register your child, that you indicate anything you can think of that you need to cover your bases. Counselors who feel a parent hasn't been thorough enough will double-check with you whether it's ingestion or tactile, or by proximity. The severity -whether anaphylaxis or mild sensitivity. If it's acceptable while it's in the room. Whether an Epipen or inhaler is required or administered (an additional form will have to be filled out to keep it in the space). Can your child make or eat baked goods? Can they eat ice cream desserts? Can they touch marshmallows or playdough? The more information you can provide, the better (and it saves a CM calling you up later on to check!)
*For more severe or dire medical alerts it is best to get your Mickey bands early on embarkation day so that Counselors have time to relay vital information to the rest of the team at our meeting, prior to Sail away*
*Disboards members requested I make this, so here's a link if you wanted to read: *
TOP 10 THINGS PARENTS SHOULD/SHOULDN'T DO ON A DISNEY CRUISE
The 5 Successful ways to Prepare your Child for their first time in the Club
)I just came back fresh from the ship (We can't access Disboards or many blogs on our crew internet on board!) , so feel free to ask away!
======FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS======
(It's a long thread, so why don't I save many of you from asking again!)
My child is under 11, can they go to Edge?
The answer to this doesn't quite matter if your kid is 10 1/2, or 10 3/4 or 10 6/9ths, nor does it matter too much if there will be older siblings of Edge age range (11-14) in the space. The managers will be the first and final say on whether youth aged under 11 will be given any flexibility to be accepted into Edge, which can change from cruise to cruise depending on the age group populations currently on board. Note that some managers may be more lenient towards this age requirement and instruct the Counselors to allow them in right away, and some may be more strictly compliant with the age limits and instruct Counselors to inform guests that we cannot allow them into the space. Counselor CMs are trained to first encourage the child to try out the Oceaneer Lab activities, and inform a manager before making any decisions! Also consider: is my 10-year old mature enough to keep up with 13 year olds on scavenger hunts around the ship? Will they feel comfortable at the homecoming teen dance? Are they naturally outgoing with older children?
My child is under 14, can they go to Vibe?
Similar to the Edge question above, it will ultimately be up to the management. What tends to happen is that prospective Vibe 13-year olds will be asked to spend time in Edge and demonstrate maturity and show that they may be a bit more advanced than what Edge can provide, especially if the current Edge population for the cruise is mostly 11 year-olds. Consider whether your 13 year old will fare well hanging out with high school aged kids, and will fit in at the Vibe social nights. Do they tend to maintain good relationships with older teenagers? Will they still enjoy themselves if for that cruise, Vibe is mostly 17 year olds discussing and preparing for college? Are you comfortable with the idea of your 13 year old dancing with 17 year olds? However, once your child turns 18, they will no longer be allowed to remain in the space. They will be considered an "Adult" and thus no longer eligible for Vibe. If this happens during the cruise, this has been contested in the past with varying results, depending on when they turned 18 and how adamant the parents were to the Cruise Director and the MYA -Manager of Youth Activities (you can read about it in the thread).
My child is under 3, can they go to the Oceaneer Club or Lab?
**UPDATE** NO child under 3 may be admitted into the Oceaneer Club nor Lab. Additional counselors have been specifically tasked with meeting their entertainment needs in the Nursery, allowing them to still enjoy their time without having to be an infant.
{Not unless they fulfill the following requirements:
-Are fully potty trained (can use a toilet and undress themselves independently, must not wear diapers or pull-ups.)
-Are capable of speaking and communicating their needs to an adult who is not in their family
-Are independent (i.e.: will not spend the entire time in the space crying and waiting by the front gate due to separation anxiety)
-Are well socialized and do not demonstrate any fear of Counselors and will be able to follow instructions.
-Are generally within 2 months of turning 3 years old.
This is the general guideline we follow when approving children under the age requirement into the space - which might seem like a tall order for toddlers, but there are indeed tons of 2-year olds who possess all of these qualities and have matured and grown quite rapidly! So don't fret if your 2-year old doesn't quite match up, kids mature at different rates.
If a Counselor is ever in doubt about the eligibility of an under-3 into the space, they will ask for a Manager to come speak with the family and have a look at the child.}My child is over the age of 3 and is not fully potty-trained, can they still go into the space?
We are required to accept any child between 3- 12, regardless of whether they are potty trained. Once they fall within our age group, you may have them in diapers and pullups (we have had many cases of children with bowel issues, or late potty-training, or developmental delays needing this!). We will ask you to check on them frequently as we aren't allowed to change them ourselves.
My child is allergic to peanuts/sensitive to gluten/cannot eat pork products/cannot come into contact with eggs/is allergic to shellfish/cannot touch synthetic fibers/reacts negatively to fluorescent lighting/has asthma/is temperature sensitive to cold water/is prone to seizures/will have an anxiety attack when in contact with the color red
*Note all of the above are actual things that have been listed under our medical alerts!
Make sure that when you register your child, that you indicate anything you can think of that you need to cover your bases. Counselors who feel a parent hasn't been thorough enough will double-check with you whether it's ingestion or tactile, or by proximity. The severity -whether anaphylaxis or mild sensitivity. If it's acceptable while it's in the room. Whether an Epipen or inhaler is required or administered (an additional form will have to be filled out to keep it in the space). Can your child make or eat baked goods? Can they eat ice cream desserts? Can they touch marshmallows or playdough? The more information you can provide, the better (and it saves a CM calling you up later on to check!)
*For more severe or dire medical alerts it is best to get your Mickey bands early on embarkation day so that Counselors have time to relay vital information to the rest of the team at our meeting, prior to Sail away*
*Disboards members requested I make this, so here's a link if you wanted to read: *
TOP 10 THINGS PARENTS SHOULD/SHOULDN'T DO ON A DISNEY CRUISE
The 5 Successful ways to Prepare your Child for their first time in the Club
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Yay blocks!) And that obviously, looks super babyish. Heck if I was her age, a slide and a mini-kitchen playset wouldn't be selling points to be in a kids club.
demand that their child be in Edge (with the tweens). Hate to say it, but with anything really, make enough of a stink and bring it to the Cruise Director, then they start making exceptions. The managers will never offer this to you outright, and it would have to be after continued proof that your child tried to like the Lab/Club for more than an hour and had zero fun. Sad to say, but making a big scene and screaming at our gate in front of other parents also tends to do the trick. And then you have these 10 year olds at the homecoming dance sitting in the corner. Happens quite often!
(I mean, we have to anyway, but when we're thought about, it makes everything worthwhile.)
Sadly I don't quite see them all gathering and sharing things as a department like others might (it might be a cultural thing!)
