Bored Kids?

[bsailing]

We are cruising on 6/23 on Triumph. First time with our boys ages 16, 14, 11, and 10. The closer we get to our sailing date, the more nervous I get that we are going to end up with a bunch of bored boys. And that's no fun for anyone. Will there be enough to do to keep them occupied? Help!

[susie8862]

We are cruising on 6/23 on Triumph. First time with our boys ages 16, 14, 11, and 10. The closer we get to our sailing date, the more nervous I get that we are going to end up with a bunch of bored boys. And that's no fun for anyone. Will there be enough to do to keep them occupied? Help!

OMG.....NEVER..EVER..EVER. :):o:)

[firefly333]

If your boys are bored, it must be a stage they are going thru?? Most teens can make their own fun and find peers to hang out with.

 

When I was that age, give me a pool and I was good.

[Bibble]

There should be plenty to keep them entertained and occupied!! I would stop stressing about that part right now and start stressing about which DOD will be your favorite!

[Disneycruisers]

Good gosh as soon as our daughter gets on the ship we do not see her again until it is time for diner. If your boys can not find something to do on the Triumph there is definitely something wrong with them.

[momof4boys]

I don't think you have a thing to worry about. Our first cruise in 05, our boys were 11, 15, 18, and 21, and trust me......they had a blast!! They were addicted as quickly as were.

 

Going on our fifth cruise this year......adding in 2 daughter in laws and a girlfriend. :)

[larkz]

The only way I can imagine kids being bored on a ship is if they lacked imagination or personality, or if they had been there / done that and lived a life of indescribable fulfillment to which a cruise could never compare.

[cb at sea]

If they tell you they're "bored" on this cruise, it would certainly be the last one I'd pay for!

No...they will not be bored...I'm pretty sure that's impossible!

[rob352]

My kids get mad at me when we make them spend time with me and my wife and cry the last night of the cruise because the don't want to leave there new friends DON'T WORRY :D

[cruiserguy11]

We are cruising on 6/23 on Triumph. First time with our boys ages 16, 14, 11, and 10. The closer we get to our sailing date, the more nervous I get that we are going to end up with a bunch of bored boys. And that's no fun for anyone. Will there be enough to do to keep them occupied? Help!

 

No they won't be bored. Do you know how many bars there are onboard?

 

Just kidding ... lol.

 

The problem will be the opposite in my opinion .... getting them away from their new friends/locations and back to their cabin or ontime for your family meals.

[RuthlessBoss]

Good gosh as soon as our daughter gets on the ship we do not see her again until it is time for diner. If your boys can not find something to do on the Triumph there is definitely something wrong with them.

My thoughts exactly

[Rosesgt]

No they won't be bored. Do you know how many bars there are onboard?

 

Just kidding ... lol.

 

The problem will be the opposite in my opinion .... getting them away from their new friends/locations and back to their cabin or ontime for your family meals.

 

My DW and I are taking our 9 year old granddaughter on the Fantasy on the 23rd.

We're a little nervous that she'll be bored, but are pretty sure that she'll have the time of her life.

[RAVI360]

We are cruising on 6/23 on Triumph. First time with our boys ages 16, 14, 11, and 10. The closer we get to our sailing date, the more nervous I get that we are going to end up with a bunch of bored boys. And that's no fun for anyone. Will there be enough to do to keep them occupied? Help!

 

BORED!!!!!!!!!!!!!....my 13 y/o son turns in to a guppy vampire on a cruise......he stays in the pool with his new BEST friends AND NEVER SLEEPS:eek:

[RuthlessBoss]

The only way I can imagine kids being bored on a ship is if they lacked imagination or personality, or if they had been there / done that and lived a life of indescribable fulfillment to which a cruise could never compare.

Or, going through texting withdrawal:D

[SadieN]

Get them to the Club meeting on the first night.

[chipmaster]

What kind of boys are they, the kind that bring :D or the kind that bring :rolleyes::eek:...

 

As my boys got older they actually enjoyed the camps more....

 

We are cruising on 6/23 on Triumph. First time with our boys ages 16, 14, 11, and 10. The closer we get to our sailing date, the more nervous I get that we are going to end up with a bunch of bored boys. And that's no fun for anyone. Will there be enough to do to keep them occupied? Help!

[Catrin]

We have two boys.. now 17 and 13... who have been on 9 cruises now! My oldest.... goes to the Orientation the first night, and we never see him again. He is excited to just "chill out" with his new friends!

 

My middle son had a hard time at age 11 - Camp Carnival was too "babyish" for him.. and he was a bit bored that year. But since going into Circle C, he has had a blast the last two cruises. Once again, he finds friends and hangs out with the younger teens.

 

I am sure they will have fun.. and at bare minimum, it is Pizza and Ice Cream 24 hours a day!

 

Catrin

[txmom11]

Our daughter went on her first cruise at 15. She was mortified at going anywhere alone. Didn't want to go to Club O2, blah, blah, blah. We did not entertain her, just encouraged her to go do stuff. After the first day, yeah, that's right, the first day, :p, she was gone. Had the time of her life. Went with her new friends and had a blast.

 

Our youngest son was 16--we saw him at dinner (my rule) and there was this lump that was in his bunk when I woke early, but it didn't stay there very long. ;) He made friends and they ate breakfast in the MDR, went to camp, swam, and in general, had a great time. He enjoyed his excursions with us, probably because he had made friends with other teens who ended up with us.

 

Your boys will do fine. Have a great trip and have a DOD for me. My favorite is a Funship Special since that is what I have as soon as we board.

[lizptx]

Our first cruise was with our kids (15 and 11 at the time) and they were NEVER bored. Neither really participated in the kids club program and were still busy and having a blast all day and night. They made a ton of friends and 18 months later they are still in contact with them. We had to make rules about family time together, otherwise we would never have seen them!

[donandmelissa]

We have 3 boys (now 24, 21 and 15). We have been cruising since the youngest was 8. Before the first cruise, we had the same worry that you do. However, they have NEVER been bored! In fact, cruising is now their favorite vacation by far.

 

Here is our advice. Even if you have to drag the boys to the orientation for O2, Circle C or Camp Carnival (looks like you may have all 3), do it. Your kids my be uncomfortable and self concious, but the room will be filled with kids who feel the exact same way who were forced to go by their parents. Once your sons meet a few other kids, they will find their own fun.

 

You will have a great time. One of the best things about a family cruise is that you don't have to do EVERYTHING together. You get to have a family vacation and and adult vacation at the same time. We are hooked.

[mzloolue]

DH and I got stuck at a breakfast table with a family, grandparents, parents, and teenage boy who was acting bored and not happy to be on the ship.

This kid needed a serious attitude adjustment.

 

I really wanted to tell the kid off, but I didn't.

 

But I was really happy that I only had to be around the brat for one meal.

There is no way I would willingly have spent any more time with that brat.

[Herfnerd]

DH and I got stuck at a breakfast table with a family, grandparents, parents, and teenage boy who was acting bored and not happy to be on the ship.

This kid needed a serious attitude adjustment.

 

I really wanted to tell the kid off, but I didn't.

 

But I was really happy that I only had to be around the brat for one meal.

There is no way I would willingly have spent any more time with that brat.

 

Yikes - mebbe he was being forced to hang out with the 'rents rather than with people his own age??

[WOWGirl]

I went on Triumph with my two sons. I think the ages were 13 and 15 at the time. The 15 year didnt want to leave the room. The 13 year old found a girlfriend, had his first kiss, and made a lot of friends. He got out there and met people. However, when we were at port, the 15 year old went wild and had a blast, while the 13 year old just sat back and relaxed. Probably daydreaming on when he can get back to the ship and see his girlfriend.

 

We wanted them to both enjoy the cruise, but if our 15 year old preferred to sleep in and stay in the room, we let him.

 

However, the requirement was that we had breakfast together and dinner together.

[serene56]

My kids get mad at me when we make them spend time with me and my wife and cry the last night of the cruise because the don't want to leave there new friends DON'T WORRY :D

 

 

we make dinner mandatory - its the only time we see them during the cruise- sleeping doesnt count.

 

 

Its very important they go to the orientations for the kids program the first night.

 

 

(I had friends who took their 4 kids and they stayed in the room all day/night/ never venturing- what a waste of money that was

[Sailfish]

Kids who are social will always do well; those that aren't may struggle, regardless of age. Shy kids in particular do best with a cruise buddy - a friend perhaps who is also on the cruise with family.

 

Unlike Royal Caribbean, which has tons of competative sports activities, especially great if you have boys, Carnival tends to organize more social and indoor stuff. Many teens make new friends, but seldom attend shipboard activities organized by the cruise line. I am not saying Carnival doesn't do a good job, but I have found that those kids who are into being more active may not find Carnival as exciting. Carnival's newest ships are by far going have more stuff organized for kids. Little guys are not usually a problem - it's the 12 and up group that tends to have more issues. And yes, some kids do get bored. I stopped cruisng with our kids between the ages of 13-18 - they tend to be more high maintenance - middle school through high school.