1st cruise- NCL Wind in June - need advice

[breeding]

My husband and I and our two daughters (12 & 14) are going on the 10 day cruise to Hawaii. We are going with my husbands parents and they are the ones who picked the cruise and are getting all the information. It is driving me crazy not to know everthing first hand and I'm sure they have not asked as many questions as I would. I would like to know about the age divisons on the wind in the teen group and kids group? Also what kind of things they will be doing and the shows they offer. How many kids will probably be on board? I have been reading about stuff they do on all the other cruise lines but have seen very little about kids and this ship. I don'tneed opinions, we are already booked and I just need to know what to expect. Also what is tender? I have read about how dangerous it is getting off "tender" on Maui? We dock at 8:00am and leave at 9:00pm when we go to Maui and I really wanted to get off and check out the Island. I have not ever even looked into cruising so I am very dumb about the whole thing. Any information would be greatly appreciated?

[cjtempesta@hotmail.com]

Our family went on the wind last year. Took my three sons 14, 17, 20. They found lots to do. It was so much fun we are going back this year. I never saw them, only at dinner and when we docked, they went with us. They found so many friends.This was our first cruise.

[cruisinqt]

I haven't sailed on that particular ship, but I have sailed on NCL with my kids. Each sailing includes a "mom and dad's night out" evening where, for no extra charge, the NCL kids program will take your kids to dinner while the two of you have a romantic dinner. Group babysitting is available after 10p.m. for $5 per hour for the first child and $3 per hour for each additional child. There is a soda pass card for kids which allows them to have as much soda as they want for only $16 for an entire week. Sodas and alcohol are not free on most cruises. I would highly recommend the NCL "kids crew" backpack for $39.50. :) In the backpack is a sodapass card, a souvenir cup, an NCL t-shirt, an NCL base ball cap, and NCL sunglasses. Our kids loved their backpacks. The kids program is open from 9a.m. until 10p.m. every day and is only closed briefly for lunch and dinner. The kids are put into groups according to their age. The 2-5 year olds, the 6-8 year olds, the 9-12 year olds, and the 13-17 year olds. The kids that are 9 years old and up are allowed to check themselves in and out of the kids programs. The younger ones need their parents to drop them off and pick them up. The kids program is free all day, but you have to pay if you want to use them any time after 10 p.m. Most kids programs have playstation2's and computers for the kids to use.

 

How many kids will be on board will vary from ship to ship according to what time of year it is and where you are going. If you tell us when you are sailing and where you are going we can probably tell you if there will be many kids on board or not. Though, even when we've sailed during times when school is in session, there have always been a few kids on board due to year round school's and varied school schedules.

 

A tender is when there is no safe place for a large ship to dock so the ship usually uses smaller vessels to transport passengers to and from the port. It is perfectly safe, my mother who has had both hips replaced had no problem using the ships tenders on her last cruise. I wouldn't be worried about using the ships tenders, it's very safe.:)

[breeding]

How strict are they on the wind between the kids club and teen club. I have a 12 1/2 year old who would much rather have the teen package and stick with her 14 year old sister. I'm not sure I will let her go to any late night teen things but I'm a little leary of sending the 14 year old also. My almost 13 year old does not look 13 she looks more like she is 10. She is very tiny so if they are strict she will definately not be able to slide by without getting asked her age. If they really don't care then I will get her the teen package. Any suggestions?

 

Are there any kids or teens going June 1st that my girls could e-mail back and forth between now and then???

[cruisinqt]

They are very strict about age on all cruise lines.:( My younger daughter could not join her older sister in the next age group even though her birthday was quite close and she was almost old enough to be in that age category. But they did allow the older child to step down to a younger age group, so my girls got to be together after all which was all that they wanted in the first place.:)

 

I seriously doubt she will be able to slide by regardless of how she looks. Since the cruise line requires the kids birth certificates in order for them to board, they know exactly how old she is. The counselors in the kids program could easily look her up in the ships computer and see all of her info. including how old she is.:(

 

Most teenagers don't stay in the kids programs anyway. They usually hang out in the arcade or the pool area. Younger kids love the kids programs, but the teenagers tend to dislike it and go off and do their own thing. My kids aren't teenagers yet, but I've read tons of posts about people's teenagers not really liking the kids program. It's that phase you go thru when you hit puberty and I remember it well. You think you're an adult ( even though you're not) and you don't need anyone to supervise you or tell you what to do. Teens tend to like to be away from the adults and want to just "do their own thing". I don't think they object to the activities in the kids program, they just don't like the adults supervising it and telling them what to do.:cool:

 

You could do a search here at CC and see if there's any past posts about the teen program on your ship and how the teens liked it. As far as finding other teens for your kids to e-mail, you might just post a new thread on that subject and see if you get any replies. You could post it in this section as well as in the NCL section here on the boards.

 

Don't worry about your kids getting bored. There's lots to do including an arcade, swimming pools, lots of shows, and lots of food. All ships have at least one family friendly lounge where young ones are welcome where you can dance to live music.:)

[NCmom]

Thanks so much for the info. I had asked for some of the same on the NCL board and got no replies. we'll be on the 6/22 Wind with my 12 1/2 year old DD--wish it were the 6/1 so our DDs could e-mail.

[breeding]

Thanks so much for the info. I had asked for some of the same on the NCL board and got no replies. we'll be on the 6/22 Wind with my 12 1/2 year old DD--wish it were the 6/1 so our DDs could e-mail.

Yes that would have been wonderful. I know mine would be really excited and not so nervous if she sort of knows someone before she goes.