Teenagers on Destiny and other advice

[loowho]

My family of four is going on our first cruise on June 25 on Destiny to the Southern Caribbean. We need advice on all levels! The kids are teenagers 14 and nearly 17. Can the 14 year old get into the Club O2 program they advertise for 15-17 year olds? They want to stick together at least at first. Good excursion ideas? Also we have an aft balcony room on Upper Deck...good or bad idea?

 

Hey cruisers any advice will work, we're real novices!

 

Anyone else going with teenagers on this cruise?

[pholter]

Aft Balconies are WONDERFUL!!! :) :) congrats on booking your cruise; it's a fantastic itinerary.. Please see my review and picture links below in my signature for some ideas and things we did. I cannot help you with the boys unfortunately, since I don't have any kids or know any that participated in Club 02.

 

St. Thomas- Godfrey Tours is wonderful and only $25 (shopping, island tour, and beach time) godfrey@godfreytourssvi.com

Dominica- Reyno Tours $30 maybe a little more now due to gas prices. Great island tour, emerald pool, the falls, the fruit stand, the gardens. reynotours@hotmail.com

Barbados- The Best of Barbados tour with Glory Tours was awesome! You get to see the best of the island highlights as well as snorkeling, swimming with the turtles, and a glass bottom boat ride. www.glorytours.org

Aruba- we just rented a jeep and explored the island on our own. www.arubaroyal.com

 

Best of luck to you and please feel free to ask any questions here on the boards. Everyone is happy to help :)

[loowho]

Thanks so much for the advice...we really want this to be a special time together since the oldest will be in college in one year!

[Lurkyloo]

Unfortunately, unless the 14 year old is due to turn 15 within a month of your cruise, it is not likely they will let them into the older club - however... when we were on the Pride, my 14 year old attended the first orientation meeting and the dance following. That gave him a chance to meet some of the kids on board. After that, they would go to the dance for about an hour every night to meet up, but didn't really do any of the other activities anyway. Mostly they would go to the Lido deck and hang out, or go to Karaoke, play in the arcade, play ping pong or basketball. And some of the kids he hung out with were 15 and 16 but since they weren't really doing ship activities it didn't really matter. Have them both go to the orientation and dance for their age group on the first night and they will probably just take it from there on their own. They will have a ball!

 

We made it very clear to Ryan that he was not to participate in anything that would be disruptive to other guests (i.e. ding dong ditch 'em, elevator button pushing, running around or being loud and obnoxious to others) or he would lose his priviledges. He also had to check in with us regularly, and we did some discreet checking up on him also (you know - just a casual stroll on the Lido deck ;) ) and he was always just hanging out and behaving himself. There was a very nice group of kids on the Pride that week because we never saw any problems with any of the kids!

[loowho]

Thanks I'll prepare Peter that he'll have to make friends on his own! Like the advice about being good too!

[crazidude1400]

Unfortunately, unless the 14 year old is due to turn 15 within a month of your cruise, it is not likely they will let them into the older club - however... when we were on the Pride, my 14 year old attended the first orientation meeting and the dance following. That gave him a chance to meet some of the kids on board. After that, they would go to the dance for about an hour every night to meet up, but didn't really do any of the other activities anyway. Mostly they would go to the Lido deck and hang out, or go to Karaoke, play in the arcade, play ping pong or basketball. And some of the kids he hung out with were 15 and 16 but since they weren't really doing ship activities it didn't really matter. Have them both go to the orientation and dance for their age group on the first night and they will probably just take it from there on their own. They will have a ball!

 

We made it very clear to Ryan that he was not to participate in anything that would be disruptive to other guests (i.e. ding dong ditch 'em, elevator button pushing, running around or being loud and obnoxious to others) or he would lose his priviledges. He also had to check in with us regularly, and we did some discreet checking up on him also (you know - just a casual stroll on the Lido deck ;) ) and he was always just hanging out and behaving himself. There was a very nice group of kids on the Pride that week because we never saw any problems with any of the kids!

 

If the 14 year old has a high school ID with him/her, then they can join. They need to show it to the advisor.

[zaytah23]

I'll be on the Destiny on July 2nd with my girls - 16 and 18 years old. The 16 year old isn't too interested in the idea of Club O2 besides just making a few friends there. The 18 year old is old enough to do most things on the ship but she'll be with her sister quite a bit as she is shy and not very adept at making new friends quickly.

 

I'm a cruising novice here as well so it's nice to hear some of the responses. =)

[serene56]

the only thing your 18 year old cant do is drink.

 

FOr teens- its VERY important that they make it to the first teen meeting the first night. No matter how lame or uncool they think it is. THis is where they will meet all the kids sailing with them that particular week.

 

Its also a good idea to take the early seating. Most kids activities are happening between 8 and 10 and the club is closed from 5pm til 7pm most nights. So if you take a later seating the kids will have a lot of down time.

 

Destiny is a port intensive cruise. With a port the next day after sailing. Only 2 sea days later in the week. Bet those kids will be tired come Saturday.

[loowho]

Thanks for the tip on the first teen meeting. My crew probably will need a push to go!

[serene56]

Thanks for the tip on the first teen meeting. My crew probably will need a push to go!

 

if need be --tell them its mandatory- (like the muster drill) they will secretly thank you later in the week.

Mostly teens tend to hang out together as the program is rather dull and juvinile for some. Thats why its important for the first teen meeting.

Its harder to get into the mix later in the week.

[Fun~N~Sun]

I am kind of worried about him being bored or finding a place to fit in. He is too old for the teen fun and too young for the adult bars and drinking. Any suggestions?

[serene56]

My son was 20 once on a cruise not too long ago. he can go to the lounges for the shows.. just not be served.

he can do the casinos. there will be a single meeting each night (late)

there are piano bars.. karokee.

[loowho]

Is the first teen meeting the first day when you board? I believe we leave at 10:00 that night from San Juan...is it that night or the first night after you set sail? Can you tell how green I am? No clue!

[Mom1977]

I am kind of worried about him being bored or finding a place to fit in. He is too old for the teen fun and too young for the adult bars and drinking. Any suggestions?

 

I believe most of the bars are open to him, just not ordering the alcohol. So he can do everything a non drinking adult would do...shows, casino, video arcade, pools, bars (but stick to soft drinks.)

[serene56]

Is the first teen meeting the first day when you board? I believe we leave at 10:00 that night from San Juan...is it that night or the first night after you set sail? Can you tell how green I am? No clue!

 

when you board you will check your capers to when the meeting is.

[loowho]

Anyone heard of Beno as a tour guide for Dominica? He is a bit more expensive than Reyno. Should I go with Reyno?

 

Thanks!

[serene56]

Anyone heard of Beno as a tour guide for Dominica? He is a bit more expensive than Reyno. Should I go with Reyno?

 

Thanks!

 

How much mor because when I was searchingI came up with the same price. We are booked with Reyno for Sept.

[Lurkyloo]

Is the first teen meeting the first day when you board? I believe we leave at 10:00 that night from San Juan...is it that night or the first night after you set sail? Can you tell how green I am? No clue!

 

I agree with Serene 56 - Try to talk them both into attending their age group's orientation meeting and dance the first night - that is so important and will set them up with other kids for the rest of the cruise! Not sure when your teen orientation will be, but check out your Capers for information when you get to your cabin. The Pride sailed off at 4:00 and the teen orientation was at 8:30 followed by a dance (1 hour). After that, the kids headed up to the Lido deck and danced and hung out together. During the day, they would meet at the basketball courts, arcade, pool, wherever - but every night they would go to the dance and then afterwards just hang out. As I said, Ryan hung out with kids in his age group, but several kids in the older group would hang out with them too, so your two will probably find that the two groups kind of merge outside of the scheduled activities. Ryan still e-mails with several of the kids he met on the cruise - they had a blast! :D

[loowho]

Reyno is charging me $30 pp and Beno $35 pp. I guess I'll stick with Reyno.

Thanks for all the advice folks!:)

[serene56]

Reyno is charging me $30 pp and Beno $35 pp. I guess I'll stick with Reyno.

Thanks for all the advice folks!:)

 

Both come highly recommended on all cruise boards plus the reviews on trip advisors are all favorable for both. 5 bucks is not a lot. I was quoted 35.00 from both places. They seem to do the same things

[jenjens1023]

Hope your orientation is better than our was. The kids showed up and were handed a list of activities for the week. That was it. And many activities were cancelled due to lack of interest--and it was during spring break with 900 kids on board! Fortunately my DD met a few kids anyway, but it wasn't the situation she had hoped for, or that she had experienced in tha past.

 

By the way, she was 14 and no one ever asked her age.

[serene56]

Hope your orientation is better than our was. The kids showed up and were handed a list of activities for the week. That was it. And many activities were cancelled due to lack of interest--and it was during spring break with 900 kids on board! Fortunately my DD met a few kids anyway, but it wasn't the situation she had hoped for, or that she had experienced in tha past.

 

By the way, she was 14 and no one ever asked her age.

 

The counselors already have her age. Its in their copy of the manifest.

Kids this age rarely do the group activities and mostly just hang out-- 12-14 group.

How old was she last time?

[jenjens1023]

Serene,

DD was 13 the last time. And on an RCL ship. By the way, this was one of my very few complaints about the cruise, and I think it bothered me more than her!

[nimbex1970]

As Serene said, make the first night club meet a mandatory for your group, don't give the option.

 

Also for Aruba, consider renting a jeep and doing a self tour, the roads are labled poorly, but it's tough to get lost. Well worth the cost compared to the tours, see the lighthouse, the "old" natural bridge, the natural park forest, all cacti, then stop at a beach divi, palm or any. I hear the natural pool is nice as well, about 15 min. more out of your way.

 

there is a rental company through the gates to your right, if you're first few in line you don't need reservations (we had 'em and they were good for nothing). just know that you DO need a 4x4 jeep, and please check the spare to be sure it's inflated, long story in a minivan rental.

 

barbados, consider the boatyard.com, plenty to do with good facilities... dominica... I have no advice but hiring a guide. forgot the other island.

 

they'll have a wonderful time and the itineray is wonderful and will exhaust them by nighttime.

[serene56]

Serene,

DD was 13 the last time. And on an RCL ship. By the way, this was one of my very few complaints about the cruise, and I think it bothered me more than her!

 

It will always bother us more then the kids.. :) until they become the parent.. Kids are resilent to all that stuff and can make the best out of any situation.