Welcome aboard, Julianne!
Disney's Youth Clubs are the best at sea! My kids cannot get enough of the activities and events there. One day they're marching around for Toy Story Boot Camp, the next, they're doing crafts with Tinkerbell, decorating cupcakes, learning how volcanos work and exploding their own, or training with the Avengers. Honestly, they wouldn't leave the clubs if we didn't come to pick them up! One time, when my daughter was four, I went to pick her up and couldn't find her! I walked by her four times and didn't recognize her until the fifth pass by, as she was all dressed up with a Snow White costume from the Pixie Hollow area, and was also decked out with a chef's hat and plastic gloves and apron as she decorated cupcakes! Ha! She was in heaven!
The counselors in the clubs and nursery are happy to have your kiddos stay with them while you and your husband head off in the port for some exploring. You'll want to let the counselors know you'll be off the ship and leave a good contact number, and be sure your phone works out of the country in the port you'll be visiting, just in case, especially if you're not on a Disney Port Adventure. I always feel more secure on
Disney's Port Adventures than just wandering the port on our own or booking a third-party adventure because the ship always knows where we are and can more easily reach us through our adventure guide. Similarly, the adventure guide can reach the ship should our adventure be running late so we don't miss the boat! Keep that in mind when you leave your little guys for fun in the clubs while you are out exploring, and then book the best adventure you see!
Have fun planning, Julianne, and please stop back with any other questions you might have as you count down to your cruise vacation! We're happy to help!
Marcy