Oceaneers Club/Lab - Age for check-in/out privilege?

[sadiecatie]

Just wondering, at what age have others allowed their kids check-in/out privileges at the Oceaneer’s Club/Lab on cruises? Our daughter will have just turned 9 on our next cruise, and she’s definitely interested in some expanded responsibilities and privileges. I’m an over-protective mama (I recognize this!), and trying to make sure I’m balancing making smart choices for her safety with letting go and letting her have some freedoms. (She is a very responsible kid - a rule follower, if we set down ground-rules, I have no doubt that she would follow them).

So just wondering, at what age have you let your kiddos have check-in/out privileges at the kids clubs? And when you’ve allowed it, what rules/procedures have you put in place for where your kids can go/what they can do when they’re “on their own”?

 

[PAGA2003]

Our son had privileges on our last cruise at 12 (he hadn't been on DCL since he was 5 so this was the first opportunity). For us though I wouldn't have let him do it before 11 because I don't really think it would serve a purpose. At 11 they can bounce between Oceaneer's and Edge so I feel like that age, at least for our family, it makes sense.

The rules we had were no going in another stateroom or inviting anyone into ours and we always had to know where he was. If he left a club or activity he had to message us with where he was heading. We also always established a meeting time before he headed out.

 

[unrequited23]

My oldest turned 10 on embarkation day of our first cruise. At the time his little brother was 7.5. I didn't want to give one checkout privileges and not the other. Once my oldest learned his way around the ship and knew our room number/recognized the magnets, he volunteered to get all of the morning coffee/sodas/snacks from the pool deck. He enjoyed the responsibility and the freedom. The kids will be 2 years older on our next cruise and will both be able to check themselves out. We are basically going to follow the rules the PP listed above. Though I'm more worried about my kids checking themselves out, grabbing an ice cream and watching tv in the stateroom.

 

[Girl of the South]

What’s wrong with ice cream and a Disney movie in the cabin? That’s what I’d do!!!

 

[LadybugsMum]

My twins are 9 and I did not give them check in/out privileges since they don't have phones/smart watches they can use to contact me. We haven't done a cruise since they were 3.5 and we're doing a 3 night cruise on the Wish in a couple weeks. It's just not long enough for me to give them that freedom and I'm just not comfortable doing it yet.

 

[CisforCookie991]

When we were first supposed to go on a Disney cruise, the kids were 8 and 5, and we would not have been comfortable with the 8 year old checking himself out. Then covid happened, and by the time we finally got to go on that cruise, they were 11 and 8. We gave them an old phone with the DCL app (it was a really old phone that could basically only handle that one app due to space and battery issues. I also made the homescreen a note that said "if found, please turn in to the guest services desk for stateroom xxxxx" just in case they lost it) and told them they could self-check but they had to stay together and they had to let us know where they were going. Other rules like stay in public areas only, no running, no screaming, etc. They really only used the privileges to go to/from the kids club from meals and back to our room. I don't think they wandered around by themselves at all. But the key was having the phone so they could communicate if they have to. It came in really handy the first day - we didn't know that the first time the kids check in, an adult has to go with them to verify the info. The kids went up and then messaged us in the app that someone had to come up and talk to the castmember at the desk.

 

[Calantha]

I strongly debated this for DS (8) for our cruise leaving on Saturday (it will be #7 for us, and 3rd on Fantasy). I do have an old phone for him to have, but while I'm reasonably confident in his own decision-making in the absence of outside pressure, I am not so confident if others (adults or children) are involved. So, he can go on his own, but no checking out on his own yet. Next summer when he is 9 and we go with the whole family (12 people), I'll probably allow it, but not yet.

 

[tee11]

Disney's required age for check in/check out is 8+ years old. However, you as a parent decide.

We granted permission at age 10 for the first time, but considering it sooner for our youngest.

An old phone (in a cross body satchel or similar) is helpful, and I like the PPs suggestion to put up a home screen that says "return to guest services for stateroom XXX" - we will do this next time!

 

[reneetm]

This idea of the phones home screen is so incredibly helpful. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[BarlowFamily]

DS8 was really excited to check himself into the club on our cruise this summer. We did not allow him to check himself out. He was happy to just have the privilege to go in on his own. We booked a room on Deck 5 forward since we wanted to allow him to do this. DH or I always checked a few minutes later that he was in the club. Just scanned at the desk to make sure he got there okay. On our upcoming EBPC cruise, we may skip that step He doesn't have a device yet and I'm not sure when we'll be comfortable with him having one or using the checkout privilege. I really like the idea for the Lock Screen message. Thank you.

 

[CisforCookie991]

I'm glad everyone is loving the home screen tip!

My other phone related tip: we have boys and we were on a Caribbean cruise, and most of their shorts don't have pockets. We found very few options that didn't look like a purse, and we ended up getting a running belt with a zipper. They ended up wearing their sweatshirts everywhere but putting the phone in there, but it was the best option for us and they could wear it under their shirts.

And also should share: most of the time, the 11 year old carried the phone around and he was really good about responding to the buzzes and getting back to us within a few minutes every time we messaged them. There was one day the 8 year old desperately wanted to carry the phone so we let him. YMMV, but our 8 year old successfully responded to 0% of the messages. He said he never felt the buzzes. Pretty sure that wasn't the phone's fault.

 

[sadiecatie]

DS8 was really excited to check himself into the club on our cruise this summer. We did not allow him to check himself out. He was happy to just have the privilege to go in on his own. We booked a room on Deck 5 forward since we wanted to allow him to do this. DH or I always checked a few minutes later that he was in the club. Just scanned at the desk to make sure he got there okay. On our upcoming EBPC cruise, we may skip that step He doesn't have a device yet and I'm not sure when we'll be comfortable with him having one or using the checkout privilege. I really like the idea for the Lock Screen message. Thank you.

I like the in-between step of allowing them to check in on their own first - I might think about this for our next cruise. Our daughter doesn't have a phone, and I know we could set up an old spare, but not sure if I want to try that yet. This sounds like a good stepping stone so they can start having the freedom of at least navigating to the club on their own.

 

[otten]

Just wondering, at what age have others allowed their kids check-in/out privileges at the Oceaneer’s Club/Lab on cruises? Our daughter will have just turned 9 on our next cruise, and she’s definitely interested in some expanded responsibilities and privileges. I’m an over-protective mama (I recognize this!), and trying to make sure I’m balancing making smart choices for her safety with letting go and letting her have some freedoms. (She is a very responsible kid - a rule follower, if we set down ground-rules, I have no doubt that she would follow them).

So just wondering, at what age have you let your kiddos have check-in/out privileges at the kids clubs? And when you’ve allowed it, what rules/procedures have you put in place for where your kids can go/what they can do when they’re “on their own”?

Our oldest was 8 when we did our 14 night Panama cruise. We didn’t start out with self check out privileges but around 5-6 days in when we knew she was comfortable with navigating the ship we changed it.

 

[otten]

Just fyi self check in isn’t limited by age.

 

[tee11]

DS8 was really excited to check himself into the club on our cruise this summer. We did not allow him to check himself out. He was happy to just have the privilege to go in on his own. We booked a room on Deck 5 forward since we wanted to allow him to do this. DH or I always checked a few minutes later that he was in the club. Just scanned at the desk to make sure he got there okay. On our upcoming EBPC cruise, we may skip that step He doesn't have a device yet and I'm not sure when we'll be comfortable with him having one or using the checkout privilege. I really like the idea for the Lock Screen message. Thank you.

So I wasn't aware that you could differentiate: Allow self-check-in (they know where to go, and you can f/u that they arrived), but not self-check out (potential issues to meet up again in a timely manner, etc.). This is really helpful and we will consider!

 

[otten]

So I wasn't aware that you could differentiate: Allow self-check-in (they know where to go, and you can f/u that they arrived), but not self-check out (potential issues to meet up again in a timely manner, etc.). This is really helpful and we will consider!

You actually can’t. All kids have self check in privileges. It’s self check out that you can opt into once your child is 8 or older.

I suppose you could check at Oceaneers about removing self check in but I don’t know that that would be possible. You’ll get a notification on the app when the child checks in.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Our oldest was a rule-follower when he was younger, and we let him check himself in and out on his first cruise which was at age 8. We made sure he knew where our room was and where he could and could not go. Also the very strict rule about no one in our stateroom and he could not go in anyone else's stateroom. Saw him several times with friends who could also check themselves out eating chicken tenders or ice cream on the pool deck. He really loved having that freedom. It was a big part of his enjoyment of the cruise I think.

 

[CisforCookie991]

I suppose you could check at Oceaneers about removing self check in but I don’t know that that would be possible. You’ll get a notification on the app when the child checks in.

I remember reading somewhere that part of the reason the self check-in exists universally is so if kids get lost, they have a safe place they can go that's easier than remembering where the stateroom (or any other place) is.

He really loved having that freedom. It was a big part of his enjoyment of the cruise I think.

My kids would agree with this 100%. They said they loved the cruise more than any other trip because they can have more freedom there.

 

[sadiecatie]

You actually can’t. All kids have self check in privileges. It’s self check out that you can opt into once your child is 8 or older.

I suppose you could check at Oceaneers about removing self check in but I don’t know that that would be possible. You’ll get a notification on the app when the child checks in.

I think of it less as something you're officially opting to allow with DCL (I get that it's not a thing, self check-out is), but something that we as parents can allow - so far, when my daughter has wanted to go to the club, we take her. Allowing her to start making her way there on her own could give her some more confidence in navigating the ship (and let us see how that goes before allowing self check-out). It is nice to know you'll get a notification when your child checks in, though!

 

[kirstyfly]

I just did our online check in for our first family cruise in December yesterday.

I must say I was surprised with the let them check themselves out opition. I would get lost on the boat so don't want my miss just turned 8 checking herself out.

She also does not have a phone or smart watch etc..

I feel better knowing she is inside the club. (in saying that we aren't going to have her in there all the time, after all it is a family holiday so want to make some family memories too).