Oasis for Preteens

[Lawlsagna]

Hello everyone! My family and I are planning on taking a cruise on Oasis of the Seas this May and I'm wondering what kind of activities are available for 12 year olds. The information I've found on the RCI website/cruise critic/RCBlog is conflicting and says 12 year olds will be grouped with Adventure Ocean as well as the Teen Club, and we're a little confused as to which one my son should be participating in. As an example, Adventure Ocean is listed for kids from 6-12 years old, but the cruise compasses I've checked from the past few months group the 12 year olds with the teens(Teen Basketball ages 12-17).  My son is in middle school and is resistant to being grouped up with 6 year olds. Does anyone have any insight on what we should expect? 

[karenemily]

It's been a few years since we had a young teen, but I did find this press release (https://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/press-kit/2/youth-and-teen-program/) that places a 12 year old with the teens and not Adventure Ocean. My son seems to think that he moved to the teen lounge on the thanksgiving cruise we took right before his 12 birthday.  I remember being worried that my son wasn't old enough to have free range of his days. We liked that we could put limits on what he could do by setting him to Adventure Ocean. However he followed what we asked and loved his new "freedom".  Maybe others with 12 year old kiddos can comment. 

[Lawlsagna]

Thank you so much! That's exactly what I was looking for! 

[NanciRDH]

Lots of experience with all the kids activity groups here...12 is the youngest in the teen group, but they generally combine the ages if attendance is low.  And it's very casual, no sign in or out.  On night 1 there's an icebreaker kind of party, and my kids say most friendships start that night, so they try not to miss it.  

[cruiserlori]

Our daughter was 12 last year when we sailed Oasis. Previously, she absolutely loved AO, and spent every possible minute with them. On Oasis, at age 12 she was officially part of the teen program. We walked her to the teen area the first night and we all were shocked at what we saw. First of all, know that we are not "lightweights" who offend easily. We are more "suck it up and get in there" parents, and she is very much the joiner. What we saw, though, were older kids in the 16-18 year old range acting dangerously crazy. Kids were standing and jumping on top of the ping pong tables, running full out face-planting into the glass surrounding the teen area, things like that.  Kids are kids, let them have fun, I say, but the thought of my small 12 year old daughter being in there with 18 year-olds who are much physically bigger and stronger than her, and acting in that manner, gave me pause. She saw that and wanted nothing to do with it. She did not go to AO all week, and has refused to go on any cruise since, even though we told her that experience was most likely an anomaly. So, to answer your question, your child will be grouped with teens. This aging system is a flaw, in my opinion, but I will tell you, if AO isn't full, you can request that he be placed with the younger group if he chooses too. You can age them down a group, but not up. Each cruise offers a different experience, so hopefully he will have a good group of fellow sailors, and have a great time!

[mjkacmom]

46 minutes ago, cruiserlori said:

Our daughter was 12 last year when we sailed Oasis. Previously, she absolutely loved AO, and spent every possible minute with them. On Oasis, at age 12 she was officially part of the teen program. We walked her to the teen area the first night and we all were shocked at what we saw. First of all, know that we are not "lightweights" who offend easily. We are more "suck it up and get in there" parents, and she is very much the joiner. What we saw, though, were older kids in the 16-18 year old range acting dangerously crazy. Kids were standing and jumping on top of the ping pong tables, running full out face-planting into the glass surrounding the teen area, things like that.  Kids are kids, let them have fun, I say, but the thought of my small 12 year old daughter being in there with 18 year-olds who are much physically bigger and stronger than her, and acting in that manner, gave me pause. She saw that and wanted nothing to do with it. She did not go to AO all week, and has refused to go on any cruise since, even though we told her that experience was most likely an anomaly. So, to answer your question, your child will be grouped with teens. This aging system is a flaw, in my opinion, but I will tell you, if AO isn't full, you can request that he be placed with the younger group if he chooses too. You can age them down a group, but not up. Each cruise offers a different experience, so hopefully he will have a good group of fellow sailors, and have a great time!

I would say your experience was unusual, just like any experience can be soured by a few bad apples. 18 year olds are adults and not allowed in the teen club. It’s been my experience that kids make friends the first night with kids their own ages, and they come and go from the club, with younger kids using it more.

[NanciRDH]

43 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

I would say your experience was unusual, just like any experience can be soured by a few bad apples. 18 year olds are adults and not allowed in the teen club. It’s been my experience that kids make friends the first night with kids their own ages, and they come and go from the club, with younger kids using it more.

 

I'd have to agree with this.  18yo are not allowed at all, and many in the 15-17 age group are more likely to wander on their own.  My middle DD didn't want to "age out" when she turned 18, but on the last cruise she was 17 and still able to join, she decided not to because the age range for that particular week was heavy on 12-13 yo kids, and she felt too grown up for them.  She was always one of those  kids who would choose AO over any other onboard activities, even swimming lol.  

[arsenic74]

Check this link out that has pics and a video walkthrough of the new kids areas since the refurbishment last year. It definitely seems like that press release on the RCI website is outdated, since the pics and walkthrough video clearly have the age groups broken down as 3-5 and 6-12 in the "hangout" area. This link also has a lot of great pics of all the amplification changes...

 

https://www.*****.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17447-amped-oasis-of-the-seas-adventure-oceanteens-club-questions/

[arsenic74]

Not sure why the link url was starred out, but replace that with "*****" and it should work. Apologies if I'm breaking a forum code or something here...

[arsenic74]

Aarrrghhh it's still doing it. Sorry folks 🙂

[NanciRDH]

32 minutes ago, arsenic74 said:

Aarrrghhh it's still doing it. Sorry folks 🙂

 

Troublemaker 😂😂😂  Sometimes links aren't allowed if they're for a competing site, or affiliated with a travel agency.  

[arsenic74]

7 minutes ago, NanciRDH said:

 

Troublemaker 😂😂😂  Sometimes links aren't allowed if they're for a competing site, or affiliated with a travel agency.  

 

Copy that. Thanks, Nanci 🙂

 

[Lawlsagna]

1 hour ago, arsenic74 said:

Aarrrghhh it's still doing it. Sorry folks 🙂

 

Haha it's okay, I just pasted the last part in google and found the thread. Thanks!!