Dream and teen programs--please help

[GINNY L]

First off my kids are willing to give up all christmass presents so they can go on another cruise.

 

Has anybody gone on the dream with teens and preteens? I would like to get as much info before I book. I have a daughter who will be 16 and a son who is 11. We went on the Costa Medittreanean, my kids first cruise, and even though it was alot larger ship then the Dream, they really did not have all that much for kids. They ended up just hanging out and just talking. They only had the disco place for one hour, which is not that long for them. So any input about the dream, would be great. I am trying to make this cruise not too expensive since we will be going on the Conquest in July.

[Velvet Teddy Bear]

HI GINNY....

There are no teens in our group....however, last year we had several friends with teenagers along...The kids seemed to have a great time, there is a very active teen club thing for them..as well, as long as they are with grownups, they are allowed in the disco until 11;00 pm....there is also a teen talent show..just like the adult one...and of course they are allowed in the pools, etc....your kids should have a great time on the Dream, and if its during the holidays, then I am sure they will meet a lot of other kids their own age.....We were in Oct last year and there must have been about 30 teenagers on-board as well as a lot of younger ones....

 

we are sailing the sat after Thanksgiving this year....

 

till we all sail again,,,jus' me..jim...the velvet teddy bear :cool:

[diamondf467]

well being a teen myself (16). I have a lot of fun on cruises. I make a lot of friends at the teen disco (there is a special area only for teens most ships have it I am not sure about the dream. There are a lot of activities and the counselors are fun. Me, personally, every time I went we mostly did not go to teen activities. I went the first night and made a whole bunch of friends and we only did teen activities when we felt like it (ex. murder mystery dinner, karaoke, dancing, etc..) or we just (went to card room to play games, walked around the lobby, midnight snacks at 24hour resturaunts). One time in port The friends I made and I went out together and hung out around the town (parents calling cell phones every 5 minutes of course to check on us.). Oh qand if you go during christmas week its even more fun. There is a definite guarantee of teens. Also Santa comes and you can wait online and get presents and a picture with him. (On the Dawn in 03 we (teens) got disc mans with headphones (this was cool because the whole IPOD fad wasn't in yet). Hope this helps

[karen2cruz]

We were on the same cruise with jim and we brought our 14 year old son. Our friends brought their 3 teens too. They had a great time. There isnt a fancy teen room like the big ships, but the counselors kept them very busy. My son enjoyed this over RCCL voyager class and Disney where they do alot of just "hanging out".

 

They did games like "bigger or better". My son's freind talked one of the shop clerks into exhanging a water bottle for a very nice expensive trinket. The clerk didnt understand english very well. Well, he won the game but the counselor asked how he got it and they took it back to the clerk! - kind of funny, kid was very resourceful. He'd make a good salesman. They did a "where's Waldo" -and go all over the ship. "Waldo" moved around - person that spotted him the most won. (Remember this is a small ship-easy to get around.) They played jeopardy. All sorts of ways to use their minds and energy.

 

The teen group got very close and the counselor took them all out to dinner as a group to one of the main restaurants on the last night.

 

There is a video arcade one deck up from where the kids meet, just up a flight of stairs.

[diamondf467]

We were on the same cruise with jim and we brought our 14 year old son. Our friends brought their 3 teens too. They had a great time. There isnt a fancy teen room like the big ships, but the counselors kept them very busy. My son enjoyed this over RCCL voyager class and Disney where they do alot of just "hanging out".

 

They did games like "bigger or better". My son's freind talked one of the shop clerks into exhanging a water bottle for a very nice expensive trinket. The clerk didnt understand english very well. Well, he won the game but the counselor asked how he got it and they took it back to the clerk! - kind of funny, kid was very resourceful. He'd make a good salesman. They did a "where's Waldo" -and go all over the ship. "Waldo" moved around - person that spotted him the most won. (Remember this is a small ship-easy to get around.) They played jeopardy. All sorts of ways to use their minds and energy.

 

The teen group got very close and the counselor took them all out to dinner as a group to one of the main restaurants on the last night.

 

There is a video arcade one deck up from where the kids meet, just up a flight of stairs.

 

OH haha I played a game like that. They gave us a paper clip. I eventually ended up with a sample bottle of givenchy perfume.

[GINNY L]

Thank you all for your input. My daughter really wants me to pick the RCL Splendour for their teen, but that is alot more money. (Just remember I am trying to save $ for the conquest in July of 2007) So if I get alot of positive info on the Dream, then maybe she will not think it is such a bad idea. Thanks again.