Considering cruise March 2009--spring break! (sorry, long)

[basketkim88]

Hi all!

I have a good friend who pointed me towards this site, and I've been looking around. We're interested in booking a cruise for our family of 4 for spring break in March, which is the 3rd week in March. We have our daughter, who will be 19 and a college student then (she's leaving in 3 1/2 weeks :( ) and our son who will be 15 and in 8th grade. Are there cruise lines/ships that have better teen programs than others? Also, my son has high functioning autism--I'm not sure if that's a factor or not. We're thinking of doing the Carribean, but aren't hung into it, but we are on a fairly strict timetable, due to school schedules. My husband and I took a Carnival cruise for our honeymoon, but that was over 20 years ago, and something tells me things have changed a bit since then. We'll also want to book 2 separate rooms, they don't necessarily HAVE to be connecting for us. Any information, ideas you smart people can pass on would be wonderful! Thanks so much in advance!

[crusinmama06]

Royal Caribbean Freedom class has more for Teens to do than most ships. The ships are Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

 

Carnival also has ships named that as well...lol...yes its confusing. ;)

 

Those Royal Caribbean ships have rock climbing walls, ice skating, flow rider (surfing), waterpark, teen areas called the Living Room and Fuel.

 

And while they have all of the kid areas - they also have the ADULT areas. :D There is an adult pool called the "Solarium". Your teen would also be old enough to use that area since she is 19.

[CurtS]

Hi BasketKim. We are also considering a spring break cruise (3/29/09). We had originally opted for CCL since we got a really great rate on two verandah rooms but we're considering RCL because of its diverse programs (rock climbing, ice skating, miniature golf, etc.) That said, we've also heard that CCL has a good kids program but not as much for teens.

As far as your other question: my 11 yo son also has autism (Aspergers) and we took him on a Disney cruise about two years ago. He did not seem to enjoy the cruise all that much--as you well know about the flat affect. We had a few issues with trouble in the kids clubs because they kept trying to socialize him and he did not want to, but overall it did not adversely affect the cruise. I would recommend taking him but advise the kids clubs of his autism and the things that they should try to avoid (like socializing when they don't want to do so). That way they can contact you in the event of any problems--the staff is good but they are not always trained in special needs.

 

CurtS