Teen club - can someone who JUST turned 18 join?

[P27159]

We have two kids, and our oldest daughter will have just turned 18 two weeks before the sailing.  Normally the teen clubs only go up through age 17, and was wondering if anybody knows if they are a little lenient I will make exceptions for someone that might be just barely out of the age range.  Our youngest is 16, and it would be nice if they can go to some of the activities together, because our 18-year-old probably wouldn’t be too comfortable among the kids a couple years older than her, and would probably feel left out of a lot of activities and meeting people. Thanks

[KeepCalmBearOn]

I can't imagine it being an issue.

[steamboats]

Usually they are pretty strict about the ages. So I´d say no.

 

steamboats

[RandomUser123]

Probably not. I imagine there are liability issues involved. 

[Cruzinforpeace***]

My son is 17 and we cruised the Meraviglia in February.  He was not required to register for the teen program neither was he ever asked his age.  He said there were 19 year olds up there.  Probably not very safe for the younger teens in that age group but they were supervised for all the activities and in the teen area during the club hours.  We’re going again in July, God willing, and he’ll probably try to hang out again in the teen area as he will be 18 and a bit too young to enjoy the adult crowd and activities.  

[P27159]

2 hours ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

My son is 17 and we cruised the Meraviglia in February.  He was not required to register for the teen program neither was he ever asked his age.  He said there were 19 year olds up there.  Probably not very safe for the younger teens in that age group but they were supervised for all the activities and in the teen area during the club hours.  We’re going again in July, God willing, and he’ll probably try to hang out again in the teen area as he will be 18 and a bit too young to enjoy the adult crowd and activities.  

Thanks for this.  Think you just gave us the best strategy, which is to not register the kids and have them just show up at the first event, and then see what happens.  Our experience with the team club on previous cruises is that our kids meet people at the first event, and then end up hanging out with those friends they made for the rest of the cruise, and don’t even go to any specific team club organized event..

[P27159]

Thanks to everyone who submitted replies to my question!

[Cruzinforpeace***]

49 minutes ago, P27159 said:

Thanks for this.  Think you just gave us the best strategy, which is to not register the kids and have them just show up at the first event, and then see what happens.  Our experience with the team club on previous cruises is that our kids meet people at the first event, and then end up hanging out with those friends they made for the rest of the cruise, and don’t even go to any specific team club organized event..

Exactly.  That’s pretty much what my son did.  Some days he did the activities but usually he would see the kids he met at the club the first day up at the buffet and then they would hang out during the day.  We hardly saw him on this last cruise. He didn’t care much for MSC compared to the other cruise lines he’s been on but he did seem to enjoy seeing the other teens and “chilling” as they say nowadays. I think it’s his age now.  It’s an in between age where he’s not into the kids club games but not mature enough to enjoy the adult activities. I also think it was the time we cruised too.  February and not during a school break; not as many teens on board. This summer will feel different I’m sure.