EOS - AO for 13 year old

[jellybeantj]

Just looking for information/comments on the AO program for my 13 year old son? Thanks for your help!

[PVDCruiser]

Hi there!

 

I was on the Mariner, the Explorer's sister ship a year ago (from today!). I was around that age then. Now I just took a quick look at the deck plans of the Explorer, and the Adventure Ocean layout is slightly different. (Explorer has a waterslide, but not the Mariner. The Mariner, however, has The Living Room). Based on these differences, the programs might differ a bit but heres my opinion:

 

RCCL offers a great product for teens. There are plenty of things to do from 10AM-2AM every day. My friends and I had a BLAST!

 

I would highly recommend that your son goes to all the activites on the first night. This way most people on the ship don't know each other, so he'll be able to make friends more quickly.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[jellybeantj]

Thanks dandude22! Well, since you are the appropriate age.... One of my questions is that should he bring any formal attire? Would he have a choice to dine at dinner, or will there be something else for him to go to through the Adventure program.

 

This is our second cruise, but my son's first.

[PVDCruiser]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

 

I would bring the formal attire. I don't dress up much, so I really enjoyed the formal nights (good family photo ops too! :-D). On formal nights, he should (since RCCL has been more leniant lately) wear formal attire if he wishes to dine with you in the dining room.

 

If he doesn't want to dress up, the Windjammer is always open.

 

I only recollect Adventure Ocean bringing food out once during at sea day for lunch. It was basically stuff from the Windjammer, and I preferred the Windjammer because the food was out in the sun for a bit.

 

HTH,

[Tra4]

My son is also 13 and has been on 5 cruises. He actually likes formal night and dressing up for the photos and the looks from other passengers. We eat early and by 7, he is off, changed and at adventure ocean. If he doesn't like what they are doing, he walkie-talkies us and meets us for the show or hangs out with us.

 

However for the most part, we lose him to adventure ocean the entire trip. He takes time for the pool and wall climbing with DH, but he also has his friends there. I will let his friends hang out in our cabin while I'm on the balcony reading, but I don't allow him "roaming" time on the ship. He will absolutely love the trip!!