Please Help - Carnival Pride and Teens

[vavasmom]

I am considering booking the Carnival Pride out of Baltimore next year just after my daughter gets out of school (6/27). Based on what I have read my DD -who will be 14 - will be in the Circle C group (12 -14). She has cruised before and always had a great time.

 

We have mainly RCCL experience (plus Disney) and have had wonderful experiences with AO and their programs. I looked at the Capers the Michelle has linked on-line - unlike RCCL the activites seem to vary by ship. I looks like there is some type of party each night - it is usually a dance party. I am trying to understand what else they offer - especially sea days. The activities listed appear to end at midnight (one place on the Carnival web site said 1am). Does anyone have any experience with the teen program and/or activities on the Pride (or a ship similar in size and itinerary). Anything else I should know before I book?

[nybumpkin]

Hi - We're sailing on Carnival Pride on 7/4 and will have our 14 YO son with us. He's done Circle C on our past two cruises. Our cruise this past July was on Carnival Miracle, Pride's sister ship. I find that while the specific activities vary depending on the group's director, there is an overall similarity in the programs. They do tend to end at midnight or 12:30 a.m. Here's a sample from our July cruise for the sea days:

 

1st sea day: activities started at noon. Psycho Skipbo Challenge; Show Off Your Creative Side; Discover the World; Battle of the Sexes trivia; Guitar Hero Rock Concert; Pre-Party Patrol Chill-Out; Circle C Prom Night; Have You Ever?; Teen Kickback. There was a break from 5-8:30 p.m. and activities ended at midnight.

 

2nd Sea Day:activities started at noon. Board Game Bonanza; Toya's Ultimate Scavenger Hunt; Outburst; Murder Investigation; Brain Crammers; Hip- Hop Dance Class; Hello Again/Music Countdown; The Funniest Game You will Ever Play!; Movie Madness. Again, a break from 5-8:30. The activities ended "late."

 

3rd Sea Day: activities started at noon. B.F.F. Bracelet Making; Take Me Out to the Ball Game; We Scream for Ice Cream; Ice Cream Social; Magical Illusions; You Choose!; So...How You Doin?; Put Yo Stunna Shades On and Snow Cone Blast; Never Have I Ever...and Teen Kickback. Break from 5-8:30, activities ended at 12:30 a.m.

 

4th Sea Day: activities started at noon. Mid-Day Movie and Craft; Toya's Ultimate Challenge remix; Psycho Skipbo Challenge Round; Apples to Apples; Last Day Memories; Farewell Fiesta; Teen Kickback. Activities ended at midnight.

 

My son generally picks and chooses his activities (he would have absolutely no interest in "BFF Bracelet Making.":rolleyes:) If there's something that doesn't interest him, you'll usually find him on the sports deck. And he also enjoys some "down time" in the cabin in the later afternoon.

[vavasmom]

nybumpkin - Thanks for all the details.

 

If I end up booking we will be most likely be getting off the ship the day board. I don't expect my DD to want to attend all activities either - she didn't on RCCL but the teen club has been a great forum to meet other kids to hang out with and do some fun activities. After all, who at 13 or 14 wants to be with mom all week:eek:.

 

I looked at the cruise you are going on - the itinerary is very interesting but I don't think I can make it work out with leave at work. The July 4th week is very popular (as opposed to the week before)

[nybumpkin]

I looked at the cruise you are going on - the itinerary is very interesting but I don't think I can make it work out with leave at work. The July 4th week is very popular (as opposed to the week before)

We picked this week because it sails to Half Moon Cay. It was one of our ports on our Miracle cruise and it's absolutely the nicest beach we've visited. Plus, since DH and I have July 5 as our holiday, we only have to take 4 days off from work.:cool:

 

Our kids have always found plenty of other kids to pal around with and things to do - with our oldest (he's now in college), we joked that we saw him for meals and shore excursions! With the middle son (the one now in Circle C), we had one day on our February cruise where we actually had to hunt him down for dinner - he was having such a great time at Circle C he lost track of the time!

[wone3]

NYbumpkin- thanks for the rough ideas of the activites for the teens.....my dd will be 13 and this will be all of our first cruises. We are doing the same trip as you but in mid August so I'd love to hear what you thought etc. about the stops and such.

 

Anything that you think I should know otherwise?

[nybumpkin]

NYbumpkin- thanks for the rough ideas of the activites for the teens.....my dd will be 13 and this will be all of our first cruises. We are doing the same trip as you but in mid August so I'd love to hear what you thought etc. about the stops and such.

 

Anything that you think I should know otherwise?

I'll post a review when we return! We've been to Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay before, haven't been to Freeport. Grand Turk has a nice beach area right by the ship, but it's crowded and I thought the swimming area was too rocky. I think this time we're going to walk farther down the beach and try to find Jack's Shack, which I've read about on the Grand Turk board.

 

Half Moon Cay is absolutely gorgeous. We rented a cabana for the four of us - it's a bit pricey at $225, but I figured we'd spend close to that if we booked an excursion for four.

 

I would recommend that DD go to the Circle C registration and get-together on the first night (you will need to complete and sign a registration form for her) so she can start meeting other kids right away.

[wone3]

Thanks for the ideas...I did the preregistration online for her already but we do plan to go the orientation just so she can see everything and we know also.

 

200 days and we will be on deck!!! Can't wait!