Hi Christine,
Welcome aboard! You are getting a jump start on planning your Disney cruise, and I say BRAVO to that! Disney Cruise Line's Youth Clubs are one of the main reasons why my kids love sailing with Captain Mickey and his crew. They always make new friends and gain so much independence and confidence that it makes me well up with tears of pride.
During your Online Check-In, you will be able to register your pirates-in-training for
Oceaneer Club and
Oceaneer Lab. Here's something to celebrate: because of their ages, all your mouseketeers will be able to hang out there together! It's like an at sea Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!
You are correct that they must be 8 or older to self check in and out of Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab. But that does require you to give written permission for them to self check, which can be done either online, at the cruise terminal, or when they first go to the clubs.
I'd definitely recommend you visit the Youth Clubs during the Open House hours because those are the only windows of time where adults are actually allowed in for tours. Hey, that was the only time I got to pilot the Millennium Falcon on the Disney Dream since it's located in the Oceaneer Club!
13 years old is the minimum age for someone to be named a designated adult to sign out a sailor from the Oceaneer Club or Oceaneer Lab. So in your case, the 7-year-old may not check herself out, and the 12-year-old is not quite old enough to do it. So either you as parents or another designated adult have to return to sign this youngest pirate out.
If any of your buccaneers is either 11 or 12, then they can also hang out in
Edge, the tween club. No sign up for Edge is required. If you have given Disney Cruise Line permission for them to self check out from Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, then they can move over to Edge with ease. My son thought he was king of the world at 11 and 12 because he had so many Youth Clubs to choose from!
If your older kids have phones, I would encourage them to keep in touch with you using the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app free onboard texting feature. That way, if they move from the Oceaneer Club to Edge or go off with friends to explore the ship, you can have that peace of mind knowing where they are. My kids love the freedom that they have on Disney ships, and they know that part of the deal is communicating their whereabouts to us. Hey, they know the rule: if mama's happy, then everybody's happy!
As you continue to plan for your adventure at sea, please come back with any other questions you may have!
Happy Sailing!
Sherry