Teen Programme on Royal Caribbean

[swinny123]

Could anyone give me information on what the Teen Programme is like on RC. My son will be nearly 16 when we take our first ever cruise on Adventure of the Seas in August.

Thanks in advance :-)))

 

 

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[xxHadleyxx]

I am not sure what type of information you are looking for.

 

The program is for 12 for 17 year olds. If there are a lot of kids, they might be broken into two groups: 12-14 and 15-17 (I would say in August this is fairly likely, we have never had the teens broken up in our 8 RCI cruises with our teens on board, but we sail more off season, and all in Europe).

 

Teens can come and go from the program at will--no one signs them in and out (ie, it is not babysitting).

 

On the ships we have been on, the programming runs in the later afternoon and evenings (until midnight or 1:00) on port days and starting around 11:00ish on seadays. The club is usually open for them to hang out in, but unstaffed, during the day time hours when in port. There has also been a 1:00 a.m. curfew for teens (meaning that they have to go back to cabins by 1:00--or only be out with an adult).

 

My own two kids find that the mix of kids and the particular staff member assigned to the teen club on that cruise make a HUGE difference in how much they enjoy it. There are cruises when they are up there every night and stay until closing or near that, cruises when they head up every night to meet up with the gang and then leave the club to go do something as a group but away from indifferent staff (or away from a cliquey group who did not mingle well, as happened on one cruise) and times when they go the first night, meet friends and then just meet up outside the club each day to do their own thing.

[swinny123]

I am not sure what type of information you are looking for.

 

 

 

The program is for 12 for 17 year olds. If there are a lot of kids, they might be broken into two groups: 12-14 and 15-17 (I would say in August this is fairly likely, we have never had the teens broken up in our 8 RCI cruises with our teens on board, but we sail more off season, and all in Europe).

 

 

 

Teens can come and go from the program at will--no one signs them in and out (ie, it is not babysitting).

 

 

 

On the ships we have been on, the programming runs in the later afternoon and evenings (until midnight or 1:00) on port days and starting around 11:00ish on seadays. The club is usually open for them to hang out in, but unstaffed, during the day time hours when in port. There has also been a 1:00 a.m. curfew for teens (meaning that they have to go back to cabins by 1:00--or only be out with an adult).

 

 

 

My own two kids find that the mix of kids and the particular staff member assigned to the teen club on that cruise make a HUGE difference in how much they enjoy it. There are cruises when they are up there every night and stay until closing or near that, cruises when they head up every night to meet up with the gang and then leave the club to go do something as a group but away from indifferent staff (or away from a cliquey group who did not mingle well, as happened on one cruise) and times when they go the first night, meet friends and then just meet up outside the club each day to do their own thing.

 

 

 

 

 

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[swinny123]

Thanks for the reply...just the sort of info I'm after :-)))

 

 

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[xxHadleyxx]

Thanks for the reply...just the sort of info I'm after :-)))

 

 

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You're very welcome. If there is anything else, just ask and I will try to answer (and aks my teens if needed).

[swinny123]

You're very welcome. If there is anything else, just ask and I will try to answer (and aks my teens if needed).

 

 

Also wondered how strict they are with age.....my daughter is 18, just too old.....would she be able to go with her brother?? I'm assuming not.

Thanks :-))

 

 

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[xxHadleyxx]

Also wondered how strict they are with age.....my daughter is 18, just too old.....would she be able to go with her brother?? I'm assuming not.

Thanks :-))

 

 

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In our experience, they are very strict and do not let 18 year olds in. I am sure it is a liability for them if they do. That said, on 3 or 4 cruises my kids have ended up meeting a group and someone older (in the 18 to young 20s range) has joined in with them hanging out outside of the club.

 

Actually, a 19 year old who met my DD17 on our cruise two weeks ago is coming out to visit us for the weekend next week. The girls met at trivia initially, and spent several nights playing cards in Latte-tudes until late, etc.

 

On our last cruise before that one, my kids hung with a group that played a lot of chess )this was on the Serenade with the permanent chess boards set up near the pool table) and there was a young man (I think he was 23) who asked to play the winner once and after that ended up spending a lot of time with their little group of mostly teens (playing chess and pool, and going to show as a group, etc).

 

So, if your 18 year old is willing to jump in and introduce herself, which shouldn't be too hard if her brother is in the group, she might find herself a nice group to spend time with, even if she cannot actually go to the official club events.

Edited May 17, 2014 by NHDisneylover