Current Youth Activities CM -- Ask me anything!

[CatManDoo]

I'll be there!

Pretty sure you'll be onboard for our Fantasy cruise on 2/22. If so, how would I recognize you? I'd love to be able to say hello and thank you in person for all of your wonderful advice.

 

[Candy Apple]

Nope, we have housekeeping as part of our petty Officer privileges. They make our beds for us even though I don't think they necessarily have to (I've known them to skip not-so-nice CM cabins)!

And even if we don't make our bed, it would take an incredibly insufferable officer to make anyone fail cabin inspection for their sheets! Instead, what they're looking for in our cabin inspections are contraband, liquor, traces of smoking in the cabin (zero tolerance), fruits or vegetables or fruit, any dairy products, dirty carpets, and...oddly enough....stickers! Yep, a glow-in-the-dark star sticker can get us the same amount of discipline as a bottle of rum!

So, who gets the Petty Officer priveleges? Is the rest of the crew responsible for their own housekeeping? What can you keep in your tiny room? Are crew even allowed to smoke? Thanks for helping us learn about crew life as well as Youth Activities. It's a fun way to pass the time while waiting for our next cruise!

 

[CMontheseas]

Hi! My DD will be 4 1/2 years old on our next cruise. She felt a little overwhelmed the one day we left in the club at 3. My question is if she goes to a CM and asks for her parents will they call or message us that she is wanting to be picked up? I am hoping she will enjoy the club more on her own this next cruise, but if not I want to make sure she has an easy way to let us know to come and get her.

Oh absolutely! Typically when a child feels like she's ready to leave, they come up to us at the front gate and tell us and we send a message to your wave phone straightaway.

"________ would like to be picked up from the Oceaneer Club. Thank you"

 

[CMontheseas]

Cool Thanks, We are in state room 8008, heard we can sometimes catch a glimpse of the officers on the outside of the bridge from our veranda when the ship is docking.... kind of figured about pictures on the bridge (security).

Oddly enough, while they no longer do bridge tours, I've spotted guests taking photos on the bridge with the Captain and sitting in the chair, the whole shebang. Not sure if you have to be something like super-super concierge or have some really good connections for that!

 

[Disneygirl8574]

We are sailing the Fantasy in just about 3 weeks. It is our first Disney Cruise and are very excited.
Our DD is 10 (she turns 11 in April). I am worried that she is going to think the club/lab are going to be to babyish. I am NOT wanting her to go to the Edge, but am curious how the older kids do in the club/lab. How do you keep them engaged and entertained?
Also traveling with DD 13 who will be in the Edge and I am worried it is going to cause problems after DD 10 sees the Edge she will want to go there too. Any advice? Thanks in advance!

 

[CMontheseas]

Pretty sure you'll be onboard for our Fantasy cruise on 2/22. If so, how would I recognize you? I'd love to be able to say hello and thank you in person for all of your wonderful advice.

I've been thinking about this too; everyone's been private messaging me to ask the same sort of thing, but I don't think there's really any way to do it without putting myself at risk on board! (Remember as soon as I begin my next contract I'm back to being under a lot of scrutiny, rules etc. I wish it weren't so!)

My favorite character is Rapunzel, as I've lightened my hair while I was at home.

 

[CMontheseas]

So, who gets the Petty Officer priveleges? Is the rest of the crew responsible for their own housekeeping? What can you keep in your tiny room? Are crew even allowed to smoke? Thanks for helping us learn about crew life as well as Youth Activities. It's a fun way to pass the time while waiting for our next cruise!

If you poke around enough online, you can actually find a document that outlines the privileges of Disney Cruise Line staff at different levels! Not allowed to post it up here in case they think I uploaded it.

But Petty Officers are Youth Activities, Merchandise, Cruise Staff, Performers, Characters, Port Adventures, Techs, Musicians. People you more or less see more of around the ship during your time on board.

The rest of the non-officer crew are below this rank and do not get housekeeping, can end up in communal cabins of 4-6 people. What we're allowed to keep in our rooms is very basic, we can have water, soda cans, packaged candy bars or chip bags, some pictures from home, posters (all of these need to be put up with magnets or risk getting taken down), DVDs, shoes. Gosh I'm trying to think of more things but it really seems like not a lot! Oh stuffed animals and blankets too!

And crew are longer allowed to smoke anywhere on board except for this one dingy room below decks, and in one corner of the crew pool where guests can't see us. Originally when I started, CMs were allowed to do so in their rooms with approval by all of the roommates but you can imagine how bad that is in such a cramped space!

 

[CatManDoo]

We need some sort of sign. Like maybe I'll walk into the clubs and go around to the light-haired CMs whispering "it's a cold day for aquaducking," then you can whisper back "the acme hen sots thumbsup2) fly backward at midnight."

 

[Julz226]

Oh absolutely! Typically when a child feels like she's ready to leave, they come up to us at the front gate and tell us and we send a message to your wave phone straightaway.

"________ would like to be picked up from the Oceaneer Club. Thank you"

So on that note, do you call parents as soon as a child starts asking for them? My son (who will be four when we're on the Fantasy in March) will often ask when I'm coming back at school. He's not upset. He's usually having fun (heck, he's told me to go away and come back after recess) but he's inquisitive and wants to be kept in the loop. The teachers tell him I'll be back in a little bit and he happily goes on with his day.

Also how much is a younger child allowed to cry before you call parents and say they have to get the child? I was a kindergarten teacher and often we'd have a child or two who had waterworks every morning, but they cleared up quickly and the child had a good day after... Is there an attempt to calm those children and get them engaged, or are the parents immediately called? I know a friend who cruised on Carnival and as soon as a child cries, the parents are called. She spent the whole cruise with her five-year old because she could never get her through the door till the final day. That last day someone was on staff who took pity on her, talked the little girl into joining her in a game, and her mom was finally able to sneak out to the casino for a few hours.

 

[CMontheseas]

So on that note, do you call parents as soon as a child starts asking for them? My son (who will be four when we're on the Fantasy in March) will often ask when I'm coming back at school. He's not upset. He's usually having fun (heck, he's told me to go away and come back after recess) but he's inquisitive and wants to be kept in the loop. The teachers tell him I'll be back in a little bit and he happily goes on with his day.

Also how much is a younger child allowed to cry before you call parents and say they have to get the child? I was a kindergarten teacher and often we'd have a child or two who had waterworks every morning, but they cleared up quickly and the child had a good day after... Is there an attempt to calm those children and get them engaged, or are the parents immediately called? I know a friend who cruised on Carnival and as soon as a child cries, the parents are called. She spent the whole cruise with her five-year old because she could never get her through the door till the final day. That last day someone was on staff who took pity on her, talked the little girl into joining her in a game, and her mom was finally able to sneak out to the casino for a few hours.

Good question!

Back in the day apparently, the idea was that CMs were encouraged to distract the child and not call the parents right away. This seemed to work, just as you said - as it would only last for a little while. In fact, some senior CMs who've worked there for 5+ years still follow this.


But increasingly, there are more and more complaints of very irate parents coming in saying "Why didn't you message me as soon as my child wanted to leave?" "My child said she asked several times to leave, I expect a message each time so I know that she wants me!" Lots of complaints. Enough for parents to be able to threaten action on the department!

This was coupled with Cruise Directors and Disney higher-ups finding that having crying children asking to leave remaining in our space was not good "Disney show" for a place the children are supposed to be eager to enter. And...as far as guest complaints go. When there are enough, they're forced to change policies.

So, we're expected to send you a message right away in order to help cover ourselves by being able to prove that we've contacted their authorized adults. Whether a parent will come and respond to this, will be up to them. A lot of parents actually have started to add in the child's notes "Please do not message or call me if they request to leave.", so you're free to do that if you wish!

As you can imagine with Disney, they do not want us to appear in any way as though we are keeping any children with us against their wishes!

 

[BJJR]

Not sure if you will be on by the 30th, but my girls, Jaylyn and Rylee, will be on board. Rylee will turn 9 on the 30th.

 

[love5pets]

I"ve enjoyed reading this so much...thanks for taking the time to answer so many questions.

Just curious ....I worked as a character at Disneyland many years ago. As a character I made substantially more money than most other employees, also was a member of the Screen Actor's Guild (union pay).

Is this the case with characters today on the cruise ships or the parks ?

 

[CMontheseas]

I"ve enjoyed reading this so much...thanks for taking the time to answer so many questions.

Just curious ....I worked as a character at Disneyland many years ago. As a character I made substantially more money than most other employees, also was a member of the Screen Actor's Guild (union pay).

Is this the case with characters today on the cruise ships or the parks ?

Oh wonderful! Who were you friends with?
As far as my sister and her Character friends, no they aren't part of the Screen Actor's Guild and don't make that much more money (then again she works at Disneyland Paris!)


From speaking with the characters on the cruise line specifically... they don't make that much more than we do. Granted they hold less hours than Youth Activities might, but still a lot of hard work and certainly nowhere near the resources they have in the Parks. Many of them openly remark about the vast differences between Parks vs Cruise Ship! When they understudy for any roles in the stage shows alongside the mainstage performers (who by comparison are paid VERY handsomely), they do not get paid any extra.


Hope that helps!

 

[love5pets]

thanks for the reply and info. Now we're off to Miami from LAX and will board my first Disney cruise tomorrow (Magic). Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[MandyGirl]

Just have to give a shout-out to the CMs working the children and family activities onboard! The hardest I have ever seen my first grader cry was after turning in her tracking band at the end of the Transatlantic cruise this summer in Barcelona. Deep, heartfelt sobs after making it back to our stateroom - and she never cries. She can still name her favorite CMs from Transatlantic 09/11 when she had just turned 5. We will be back onboard the Magic on December 4, and she does NOT know. It will be a total surprise (telling her when we board the plane it is to go to a beach... then after she sees the Magic in Miami will reveal the beach is Castaway Cay). So I have been showing her the Re-Imagined videos, pumping her up for 2014 Transatlantic which she knows we are booked for, and she saw Sarah and Laura on a video. She got teary eyed (again) and wanted to write them a letter. Last night I asked what was the first thing she would do when we board the Magic for our cruise in 2014, and she said "go to Kids Club and look for Sarah and Laura". Not food, not AquaDunk, not swimming, not play, and (gasp!) not hug Mickey.... but look for two specific CMs.

What does that say about the awesome CMs who devote countless hours, smiles, high-fives, etc to the families onboard?!? The amazing staff members onboard are truly what make the Disney experiences last a lifetime. Thank you to all of the CMs onboard!!

 

[joycsk]

Dear CM,

We are sailing on the Fantasy next summer. Our first on the larger ships, though we've sailed the Magic and Wonder previously. Before our last cruise, 8/12, I read a CM post stating that CMs rarely, if ever, received "salty" treats, and that was something they missed/craved. Based on that advice, I took along some cases of individually packaged pretzel sticks to the Club, Lab and Vibe. Is that still a good idea?

Thanks!

 

[CMontheseas]

Dear CM,

We are sailing on the Fantasy next summer. Our first on the larger ships, though we've sailed the Magic and Wonder previously. Before our last cruise, 8/12, I read a CM post stating that CMs rarely, if ever, received "salty" treats, and that was something they missed/craved. Based on that advice, I took along some cases of individually packaged pretzel sticks to the Club, Lab and Vibe. Is that still a good idea?

Thanks!

Oh we definitely have pretzel sticks in our crew shop, alongside those pricey Mickey-pretzels! But definitely, I'm sure the Counselors would be very grateful all the same!

 

[baileyhouse]

Hi - I was wondering if you could tell us about your experience about cruising on Christmas?
Any special club activities for the kids?
Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

 

[joycsk]

I can't say exactly what dates, but I'll be seeing ya there!


As for Edge, there are at least 2 in the space at any given time, generally 4-8 Edge-specific Counselors depending on the ship.

I presume you'll be off contract by late summer 2014?

 

[CMontheseas]

I presume you'll be off contract by late summer 2014?

Actually the way our contract lengths work out, Ill be halfway through another one by that time!