Cruising Alone with Teen

[connielou]

I am a first time cruiser...and a little worried

I am cruising alone with my teenager (16). Anyone have any advice as too cruising alone!

In the past people have been rude to me. (at resorts) because I am travelling without a hubby. I have learned over time to ignore them...and not let it ruin my vacation. But I do feel out of place..

Does anyone have any experience about cruising alone without hubby. When kids go to do activites ...is there things I can do on my own and won't feel out of place.

By the way I do have one ....he just doesn't like to travel (lol)..

[iluvcruzin]

Hi Connielou! I've cruised with just my daughter (or both of them) before and have had no problem. Actually, depending on the time of year you cruise you will find even married women traveling with only their kids. It's very common on cruises. This is different in that the environment is set up with lots of activities where you can meet other adults. I find Triva a good way to meet people. I never feel odd traveling without another adult. Now my daughter is one so our next cruise will be nice as we will have more common interests (I hope) and do things together. I think you made a good choice on going on a cruise versus the resort route. You and your daughter will love it!

[anankae]

I have gone on 2 cruises with my teenager and about to go on a third with her in August (she's 17 now). Have had absolutely no trouble at all with people being odd about it on a cruise.

 

Are there activities to do on a cruise? Um, yeah. :) :) :) :)

[Merion_Mom]

connielou, I have ONLY cruised with just my teens. It is a fabulous vacation for mom and teens. Everyone can pick and choose activities to suit him or herself. You spend time together, you spend time apart. It's ideal.

 

Relax, this is going to be great!

[connielou]

Thanks for the advice, I can relax and start to get excited now!

[JulieMcCoy]

Ask to be at a large table at dinner, so you and your teen have other people to talk to.

[kelbell]

:) I have never sailed alone, always the 4 of us. But you would think I was alone, we all like different things, so we where rarely together, except for excursions. I met wonderful people in the hot tub just chit chatting. (my husband hates the sun). In the early mornings I enjoy having a cup of tea looking out the window of the buffet breakfast and other women ask to sit, they also just wish to say hello. You will have a great time.

[Mildred]

I am sailing with my 16 yr old son during Spring Break in March. We have both been on the Monarch before and are looking forward to it.

 

When I sail with my hubby all he does is sleep.... in the cabin... on the balcony...at the pool...in the solarium....during the shows.....during the trivia contests.....

 

Now I just go and do the activities myself. I see the shows, go to the casino, listen to the music, play the games.... all while my hubby is sleeping somewhere. So it is very much like traveling without a husband. I always have a great time and meet interesting people from all over the world.

[gerif]

DH and I don't do too many things together either (he hates the sun, bingo, etc.), so I know I would not have a problem at all cruising by myself. There are plenty of friendly folks to chat with. DH enjoys sitting outside the pub on the Promenade people watching while I'm in the casino at night - he always finds someone nice to strike up a conversation with, too.

[cruz1234]

It's funnyhow many people either travel alone or while they are on the ship do things apart from their partner. I travelled last spring w/ just my teen, you wouldn't believe how many others were doing the same thing. DD met kids at the teen club who then saw us around ship and I met their moms who were travelling solo w/ kids also, so it became a big group. You see lots of people all around the ship who are doing the things they like by themselves. It's nice to have a large table at dinner so you can meet others too, we even had some sign up for same shore excursions so teens and adults all had people to hang out with. It will be great.

[wrp96]

I've sailed by myself on a cruise and had the best time. My last cruise I was at a table with a mom and her two kids (one teenage, one just turned 21) and we all had a great time together. Cruising seems to be the one place where people can have a great time no matter who they are with.

[Willbcruisin]

Hi, I cruised with my 12 yr old. I also brought her best friend with us. I signed up for the M&M and met many wonderful people. Never did I feel out of place. I brought walkie/talkies so I could keep in touch and we arranged meeting places for dinner and other things. There was way to much to choose from to keep busy! We did things together and apart. Always busy but also time to relax! It was our first cruise and we booked again before we departed the ship! We had the best time and are counting down again! You will have a wonderful time! Even just bumping into to people in the elevators!

Happy cruising!

[zuscruiserz]

Glad to hear so many positive responses in this thread! Cruise #6 will be with my 16 year-old DD in late Feb (on her birthday!), but will be my first time cruising w/o DH. Am happy that so many have cruised alone and have had great experiences doing so. I am mainly concerned with excursions by ourselves in Ensenada, but have basically decided to do one thru RCI (so I won't worry about missing the ship, etc.). Now I can really get excited about going!!!

[Leslie K]

Make it what you want to be yourself. Much will depend upon your own style/personality. If you like to be active, there's lots to do that doesn't require a partner. If you are open to talking to new people, easily engage in conversation, you will find lots of new people to talk to any place you go onboard and will have fun. Within a few days, you'll be meeting some of your new friends at different activities. If you are more quiet and reserved, it may be harder but at least let people approach you. I also bring a good book/ipod so that I can enjoy just some quiet/down time myself.

 

I rarely saw my daughter on board. Typical teen, she slept late while I wanted to get out and do things on board. I ate some breakfasts in Windjammer myself othertimes I shared a table. During sea days, she did her thing and I did mine. We passed a few times a day and always had dinner together in the dining room. OUr first trip, she was 14, and they put us at a table with 2 couples. We all had a great time because they were just very interesting and humorous people. My daughter didn't want to miss those meals. Last year we were with two other families, both with teens the same age, so again, we all had a good time.

[berd0625]

I've cruised alone with my DD 3 times, and am looking forward to our 4th. We spend our days in port together, and evenings she goes to the teen club and I go to the casino:o . We both have a GREAT time! We check in periodically, and leave notes with destinations, etc.

Go and have a wonderful time, no one will treat you poorly.

[MurfAtHome]

I am sailing with my 16 yr old son during Spring Break in March. We have both been on the Monarch before and are looking forward to it.

 

When I sail with my hubby all he does is sleep.... in the cabin... on the balcony...at the pool...in the solarium....during the shows.....during the trivia contests.....

 

Now I just go and do the activities myself. I see the shows, go to the casino, listen to the music, play the games.... all while my hubby is sleeping somewhere. So it is very much like traveling without a husband. I always have a great time and meet interesting people from all over the world.

Was your husband the one in the Disney commercial who they showed sleeping in places all over the ship?? LOL:D

[shellie100]

I am a first time cruiser...and a little worried

I am cruising alone with my teenager (16). Anyone have any advice as too cruising alone!

In the past people have been rude to me. (at resorts) because I am travelling without a hubby. I have learned over time to ignore them...and not let it ruin my vacation. But I do feel out of place..

Does anyone have any experience about cruising alone without hubby. When kids go to do activites ...is there things I can do on my own and won't feel out of place.

By the way I do have one ....he just doesn't like to travel (lol)..

 

You will have a great time! I actually cruised recently with my toddler without my husband (other family members were there, too, but about four and a half decks away). No one even gave me so much as a negative look for traveling without a man, and my son was treated like a prince. Seriously, if your son is well behaved (and I assume he is), you will almost certainly be treated very well. And there are so many activities, you will have a blast. There is really something for everyone. Although alot of couples and friends show up for activities together, it isn't unusual for someone to show up alone, so I don't think you'll feel out of place. I never felt out of place (well, whenever I could talk my dad into taking my son for a couple of hours so that I could do something alone ;) ).

 

Shellie

[Candleonwater]

As a single parent I travel a lot with my daughter (she just turned 9)

 

I've never found that I've been treated any differently. Dinner can be a strain as I've had some HORRIBLE tablemates, and when we have a table for just us 2, I find I need adults to talk to! LOL

 

My most restful cruise was the year where she wanted to spend all her time in AO... I stayed in the Solarium and napped a LOT!