18 year old teens - activities?

[Ken Greco]

My son has been on 9 cruises and he turned 18 on our last cruise last year. He did not get alcohol on the ship but off the ship many clubs such as Senor Frogs and Jimmy Buffetts does not card so the 18 year olds will drink. If you let them go with friends off the ship to the bars they will drink, kind of a right of passage. Just tell them to be careful and have them be with friends

[silentbob007]

How strict are they about 17 year olds getting into clubs if they're with their parents? She won't be drinking, but she likes to dance and would like to spend time with her sister. I know she won't be interested in the "teen club". I just wondered if it makes a difference if she's with us and so close to 18!

 

When it comes to getting into the disco they are generally very strict. The 17 year old will have a different SeaPass from the rest that will immediately make it obvious to the doormen that she is under 18. This is one of those situations where they don't (at least officially) make exceptions for the close-to-18 crowd because then where is that new line drawn?

[apk1389]

they are very strict about letting kids 17 and under into the disco. I saw situations on my last cruise where they had secruity at both entrances looking at any one who did not look age appropriate. Remeber one thing each seapass card can be scannned for the picture of the holder. I saw kids taking there older siblings card to get it, watch them get scanned and asked to leave because they did not look like the picture

[sldcruiser]

Are there any activities after 10 pm that my 21 year old and 17 year old can do together? My 17 year old will be 3 weeks away from turning 18 and this cruise (Serenade of the Seas) is her high school graduation present. I understand the need for being strict about the age limits for the clubs and teen programs. I'm just curious if there's anything else they can both do at night. On Princess, I remember they had late night movies but I don't recall seeing anything like that on this ship. Any suggestions?

[mahimahi1414]

I haven't sailed RCI in awhile but here's my .02 about the 18-20 group.

 

My last RCI was when I was 15. I will say that I know people 18+ snuck into the teen nightclub through the back door and just stayed there. Also I was propisitioned multiple times if I wanted to buy any alcohol from various guys (and this was when was 15 and looked younger) so to think that someone 18+ would have to go looking on a cruise with as many youth as RCI is mildly deluded (that was when the drinking age was 18 though so it might be different now).

 

When I was 16 and on Holland America I went in the night club pretty easily (granted it was an Alaskan cruise with few teens). Once I was in I just associated with mostly over 18s and no one ever said anything to me. I even had conversations with the bartenders and some activities directors and they never questioned my age.

 

Last year (when I was 18) I went on an Xmas cruise on Celebrity. I'm pretty outgoing and I explore the ship A LOT. That entire cruise I met maybe 6 people my age. My brother and cousin were 15 and 16 so I went to the teen club with them at times. Again I walked right in and nobody really cared although I did see a couple 18/19/20 year old guys get kicked out of it. I would go to the nightclub occasionally and there most of the people were in their early 20s and out of college. I hung out with them and it was never an issue getting them to buy me drinks. There were a few 18-20 year olds there who mostly kept trying to bribe the bartenders (usually unsuccessfully) but they gave up pretty early. I also had a 17 year old friend walk right past security without an issue but I knew a fair amount of others who failed. My other cousin (also 18 and a lot less outgoing) felt uncomfortable with people older or younger than her so she stuck around her parents. During the day, I'd see if the teen club was doing anything I find fun (i.e. dodgeball or some sports since otherwise the sports deck was empty) or do adult activities (such as going to the art auctions, team trivia, name that tune etc.).

 

It is a tough age group but my advice is to just go with the flow and meet people. If they go to a night club and sit down with a bunch of people in their 20s, it won't be long before another teenager does the same and you can find a group that way. If they want to do the teen activities, don't be obnoxious, show up drunk, make it widely known you are too old to be there, or try to hook up with underage girls and the cruise people usually won't mind you are there. Especially if one is still in high school, they'll likely understand. The last thing the staff wants is some sheltered hs junior doing shots of 151 with a guy she met two hours earlier. On my last two cruises I had trouble meeting kids my age because there weren't any but I had a great time with people of similar interests (from trivia and the art auctions) or I just settled a couple years older or younger.

[El Mono]

My "ADULT" will be just 18 a few weeks before we sail. And I'm not really sure how many children you have but in the "nightclubs" there will be other ADULTS that are actually adults and have plenty of experience and that is not what I want for my 18 yr old daughter who will be just out of her junior year of highschool ! She is not in the military has never killed anyone and will not have ever voted. And as her mother I know that she would much rather be in a teen club with her sister than in a bar. Thankfully I have raised her to be a good girl. God Bless your children!!!

 

Thanks for blessing my children :) I also try to raise them to be good children that can handle themselves in life, that includes not to overprotect them.

Life is hard, and its not going to help them if their parents solve every single problem they might get or every quarrel they get into with their schoolfriends.. This is of course not the same thing as don't help them when its really needed. I feelt I must clarify that before the lynchmob strikes again:p

 

It will still be some 8-10 years before my children might want to try to sneak into the nightclubs to drink though..

Personally I would prefer them to be together with us in the nightclub meeting people AND having a drink under controlled conditions.

I belive teens must learn how to consume alcohol moderately from their parents, and not from their friends:rolleyes: I would have no problem buying my 18 year old a drink or have a glass of wine or a beer together. I would not buy a whole keg of beer if they should have a party, but thats another thing.

 

I think the poster "mahimahi1414" is right on the subject. In real life people meet and hang around with other people regardless of if there is a 3-5 or more year age difference. A 18 year old woman CAN hang around with a 22 year old, without it being something strange. Just as she can meet a 17 year old.