PTAMommy Posted January 24, 2008 #1 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Hi there! When I post, I usually do so on the RCI board but, since this question pertained specifically to my 10 year old daughter, I figured this forum was the better place to ask for advice. My family will be taking our first ever cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas in about 3 weeks. I have a 13 year old daughter and a 10 year old daughter. The 13 year old plans to hang out with her 13 year old friend who will also be on the ship and milk the teenaged thing for all it's worth. The 10 year old, despite being told that it is not a daycare and that she will know at least one other person in her age group has told us "no way, no how" on Adventure Ocean activities. Nothing can convince her that it would be fun for her. She just looks at it as "daycare" so mom and dad don't have to hang out with their kids. Can anyone, who has experience with Adventure Ocean, give me some specific activities that they do? Something to let her know that she's shutting herself off to alot of fun if she poo-poo's it out of hand. Please? Help me convince her! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted January 24, 2008 #2 Share Posted January 24, 2008 In my signature there is a link to the kid's activites for some of the cruiselines. Just click on the link, then click on RCCL Adventure Ocean on the left hand side. You can see the copies of the schedules. My oldest still writes to the friends that she met at AO in April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianTwosome Posted January 24, 2008 #3 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Regardless of the line, the kids' programs are fantastic. Explain to her that it's not a 'daycare', it's just a different set of activities that are geared towards passengers her age instead of yours. Adults don't tend to have as much fun at a 'backwards day' as kids. :) As I was saying in another thread, our nine year old didn't want to go to the first evening's program on our recent cruise, because last year she didn't spend any time there. I convinced her and she ended up spending time there every day, and on the last morning she cried because she was going to miss everyone. Assure her that you are happy to spend your time with her and that you would never make her go to the program if she wasn't interested. We took a highlighter and marked off the activities that our daughter was interested in - turned out to be at least one a day - and the rest of the time we hung out. Some of the activities she did: Birthday Bash!! Cake eating contest, pass the parcel and more High School Musical karaoke (parents and siblings ended up participating in this one as well) Family Pizza Making Marvelous Masquerade - drama games, improvisation and masks Pirates Attack!! Arrrr maps, parade, face painting and more Backwards Morning - dress backwards for backwards jeopardy and games This was on NCL, not RCCL, but it's an indication of the types of activities that are made available to the 'younger' crowd. It had nothing to do with 'daycare' or 'babysitting', just offering some fun activities as an alternative to what was on the regular schedule. If she just goes on the first evening, when there usually isn't much else going on anyway, she will be able to pick up a schedule for reference, and meet the other kids her age and see if she wants to hang out with them. Tell her it's like trying new food; she'll never know if she likes it unless she gives it a try... and if she doesn't, there's boring old mom and dad to hang out with. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karysa Posted January 25, 2008 #4 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Have you tried the roll call board. You just mind someone there that has a child around her age. It is worth a shot. The other idea I had was to be a little sneaky and plan on visiting the pools, arcade, mini-golf etc where she just might meet someone "on her own;);)". Karysa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxter Posted January 25, 2008 #5 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My stepson was 9 when we took him on a cruise. He was not a fan of the kid's club. Didn't matter what activity they offered...he just wasn't into it. It's not for everyone, and it's their vacation too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ispooks Posted January 25, 2008 #6 Share Posted January 25, 2008 this is being written by my 10 yr old son, who was on his first rccl last august... "the kids club had a lot of space, a lot of games, and the counselors gave you free time, as well as having a lot of activities that were fun and not babyish!" "we played gagaball, pizza ball, water fights with mini turkey basters ( that u got to keep), scavenger hunt, decorated a pillowcase and bandana that u got to keep, and much more that i can't remember, but it was a LOT of FUN! the counselors were really nice, too! It is not anything like a daycare! If you think that when the cruise is over, then you are crazy....rofl...(rolling on floor laughing) I stayed till at least midnite every nite! hope this helps, alec :D :) :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onessa Posted January 25, 2008 #7 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My 12YO DD said "hey it's her loss! It sounds like she just WANTS to be a pain, but her when her mom and dad do adult stuff she'll be stuck with them." Give her the option to just stay home with a sitter (hey I bet she can clean her room while the rest of the family is gone!). :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merela Posted January 25, 2008 #8 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Sometimes, that works for some kids. If nothing else, she maybe able to meet new friends. Truth be told, if the 10YO wants to hang out with the adults, let her. She can go to the movies or do whatever the adults do. Believe me, in a couple of days, she'll find the grownups boring. But let her look at the schedule of activities first. My daughter doesn't go to all the activities offered. She only goes to the ones that interest her. I mean your daughter has the option to leave the kids' club if she finds the activities boring. She's not stuck there all the time, she is free to come and go as she pleases. My daughter and I watched a lot of movies in our cabin. It's not something we have time to do while we are home. So it's not the end of the world if your child doesn't go to the kids club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianTwosome Posted January 25, 2008 #9 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My stepson was 9 when we took him on a cruise. He was not a fan of the kid's club. Didn't matter what activity they offered...he just wasn't into it. It's not for everyone, and it's their vacation too... I agree with you completely. It IS their vacation too!! That's exactly why I think it's important to have them at least try it and get the schedule of events. As I said, on my daughter's first cruise, she wasn't particularly into it either, but she had a completely different experience on the one we just took. The counsellors were better, the kids were different (and there were more of them), and the club itself was much bigger and better. She didn't do everything, and still spent plenty of time with us. It's nice to be able to do that when at home there are always things like work, school, clubs, lessons, and other commitments that take up our time. The most important thing the kid's clubs offer is choice - sure, kids might not want to go, but at least if they know what's there they can make an informed decision. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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