red rider Posted October 31, 2005 #1 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Want to take the kids - young adults, on thier first cruise. The boy is 18 and the girl is 17. Need them to NOT be tempted, but want them to have fun. Looking to go in June/July 2006. Would like to share the experience with the kids as well as give them thier space. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkmedic Posted October 31, 2005 #2 Share Posted October 31, 2005 We've cruised with our kids when they were 16 & 17, a year ago. There are plenty of things on board for them to do. Our rules were: We always have dinner together and no one goes in to another's cabin for any reason/vice versa. The kids followed the activities schedule but at 17 or 18 they are likely to catch up with Mom and Dad instead of older teen activities. Older teens are likely to play volleyball, basketball or just "hang out with other teens". The chance of getting access to ship-poured alcohol is about zero. Carnival and Royal Caribbean are the best fits for them. Other members of my family have cruised with teens on Princess and NCL, and found it "boring". Our kids would go on a cruise in a heartbeat, again. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montgomeryfamily Posted November 1, 2005 #3 Share Posted November 1, 2005 We've been on Princess, RCI and Carnival with teens who had a great time. I don't know why teens would think that Princess was boring unless they were on an Alaska or extended itinerary that doesn't have a lot of kids onboard. I also would dispute that teens have zero chance of getting ship-poured alcohol on RCI and Carnival. I have seen many teens on Carnival and several on RCI to get ship-poured alcohol and be drunk. You can read discussions of this on the Carnival and RCI boards. Princess doesn't allow 18 year olds to buy alcohol, as some of the other cruise lines do. On the Grand class ships, there are teen centers for the teens, with their own disco and activities. Or they can partipate in many of the other shipboard activities. If your dates are flexible, consider joining our August 19, 2006 Caribbean Princess Cruise Critic group cruise. You'll get great group pricing and group amenities including shipboard credit and a photo voucher. There will be a sailaway party and a meet and mingle. However, you can do as much or as little with the group as you want--there is not group dining, you dine on your own. But it does give your kids a chance to meet other kids even before they sail and also to find other kids to hang out with on the ship--if you want to allow them. This is an Eastern Caribbean intinerary--St. Thomas, St. Martin, and Princess Cay, the Princess private island. There are tons of things for teens to do. Click on this link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=288 and go to the thread entitled "Teenagers will have a blast..." So if your plans are flexible, we'd love to have you all come aboard and join us!! Click on the links below in the banner for pricing/info or email me at kacruiser@ev1.net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cali-croozer Posted November 1, 2005 #4 Share Posted November 1, 2005 We sailed on the Carnival Conquest with our teen boys (15 and 17) and they (and us) had a great time! The 17 year old made many 18 year old friends (mostly at the basketball court). They hung out at the teen club a little, but, also enjoyed the comedy shows. Sometimes, the 18 year olds would go to the disco (you have to be 18 and they do card, so my son didn't go with them). About the alcohol, my son's group of friends weren't into it, but other older teens did smuggle alcohol on the ship from Cozumel and the teen club had to shut down early on the last night because of them.:( As far as rules, they always ate dinner with us and came ashore with us (not a problem; they actually enjoy family time ;) ). Also, 1am curfew and no going into other cabins (or bringing people to their cabin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkmedic Posted November 1, 2005 #5 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Good advice. We did the 1 am curfew and kept together while on shore, too. After further review, the "boring" comment by kids on the Princess was probably due to the travel date (November). There just aren't as many kids travel during the school year vs. the school breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamandamn14 Posted February 6, 2006 #6 Share Posted February 6, 2006 If kids want alchol they get older kids to get it for them its not hard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montgomeryfamily Posted February 10, 2006 #7 Share Posted February 10, 2006 While that is true, I think it is less likely that younger kids can get 21 year olds to buy them alcohol than 18 year olds. So cruise lines that don't allow those under age 21 to purchase alcohol make it harder for the younger kids to get the alcohol. Also, on Princess there are teen security patrols, further putting a damper on kids getting together and drinking--at least in public places. Parents need to make sure you know what is going on in the cabins, especially if the kids have a separate cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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