15 year old cruise activities

[findingnemofan]

I have a question --we are going to book the 7 day eastern--leaving june12-2004....our party will include me, DH, MIL, DS5, DS8, and DS15......i know the little guys will have plenty of activities---as will we adults-----but what do the teens do all day?
i know they have their own pool--and internet cafe--but is that it?
my son is really looking forward to going--and meeting new people--so i guess my question is the concerned mommy in me--wanting to know how supervised the teens are in their teen-only areas? I assume there are internet filters---so no porn can be seen---am i right?

 

[tezb]

As far as remember, the teens do NOT have their own pool. The adults 18 or over have their own pool though.

My teens usually just hang out w/ friends, can play video games, go to organized parties, pool party, dances, karaoke, etc. Most of the ones just mentioned happen at night so during the day my teens usually just do whatever with the friends they have met. They also stay up do late in the evening that they sleep in til noon! They can also hang out in common grounds, go to a movie, play basketball, etc. The navigator for teens will give you a schedule for each day so you know exactly what is going on. The nice thing about it is, no pressure, just sign up if you are interested, if not, that's fine too. I'm sure he will have a great time....most teens just love it!

 

[noseybuddy]

What about the pre-teens. What is there for them to do. I am sailing on the NYE cruise and my daughter is 12 won't be 13 till April. She is going into 7th grade. The last thing she wants to do is go to the kids club. I told her they probably won't let her into common grounds. Her brother is 15 so he has no problem getting in there. Afraid she is going to be bored.

 

[CruiserDew73]

NoseyBuddy:

I went on DCL last January, when i was twelve, and i was concerned about the SAME EXACT THING. I went to check it out, and I had a blast! We're going on another one in November, and now my bro. will be twelve, and, OF COURSE, now he's worried about the same thing ! She should check it out. Chances are, there will be many other 12 yo there, and she'll have fun

--Andrew--

 

[noseybuddy]

Thanks for the info Andrew.

You are probably right. I'm sure she would have fun if she would give it a try. Hopefully I can convince her of that.

 

[tezb]

My youngest is a preteen also. He has 2 older brothers so is a little mature for his age and doesn't care for the clubs. He starts out there and then meets a few kids his age and they go off together to do other things on and around the ship. He still has a good time just thinks the lab is a little young for him. Maybe DCL needs to cater more to this "odd" age group...too old for the younger kids and too young for the teens.

 

[noseybuddy]

Just about everywhere I go 12 and over is considered an adult, amusement parks etc. Have to pay the adult fee. I am positive that my daughter will not go in the kids club. I just can't see someone who is in seventh grade now hanging in that club. You are right, it is an odd age. Sure wish disney would do something for the pre-teens.

 

[TootyJane]

Originally posted by findingnemofan
I have a question --we are going to book the 7 day eastern--leaving june12-2004....our party will include me, DH, MIL, DS5, DS8, and DS15......i know the little guys will have plenty of activities---as will we adults-----but what do the teens do all day?
i know they have their own pool--and internet cafe--but is that it?
my son is really looking forward to going--and meeting new people--so i guess my question is the concerned mommy in me--wanting to know how supervised the teens are in their teen-only areas? I assume there are internet filters---so no porn can be seen---am i right?

Last year my oldest ds was 14. He said the key to making friends is going to the "meet and greet" on the first night. Teens do not have their own pool. As far as the internet cafe it's there I think the standard rates apply but he did not use internet. They were supervised in Common Ground and for various activities but for the most part I think they'd gather in groups and go to the pool, go to a movie or just hang out -- in these instances there is obviously no supervision. We hardly saw him. The only requirement for him was to eat dinner with us and go on any shore excursions that we had booked. He did have a curfew of 1am and I know that many of the other kids got to stay up longer. He came in one morning at 2:30am so he had to be back by 11pm that night. He was alway back by 1am after that. I think he slept for a week after we got home. LOL. Anyway, he did say that this was the best vacation ever and he couldn't wait until we go back.

FYI, my other ds's (11 and 7) at the time did not participate in the clubs. They thought they were boring but they found other things to do. I have to agree with my youngest ds -- when I went to sign him out it seemed to me that the activities were geared toward children younger than him.

HTH

 

[vgaskin]

My 14 year old daughter went with us on the Wonder and at first rolled her eyes when we mentioned a Disney Cruise. We never saw her! She loved Common Grounds and hanging with the other teens in there and around the ship. Sometimes she stayed out until past midnight. If I needed her back, I just called down to Common Grounds and they sent her up. They have some time the first day when parents can check it out and ask questions. The counselors were great and kept them safe without pushing them away.

On the 12 year old question. When we were checking out Common Grounds before it became teen only. There was a family there that had a 11 or 12 year old and an actual teen. They told the counselors that guest services had said the younger sister could hang in common grounds with the older one. The counselor was pretty ticked and said that normally that wasn't allowed becuase if alot of that age was hanging out there, they wouldn't be able to attract the older teens. But he said that since Disney told them she could, he had to allow it but urged the younger one to check out some of the kids clubs and hang there if she liked it but would allow her at CG if she insisted. I don't know what happened after that. I want to say that she was 12 but I don't think he would have caused that much racket if it was just a few months, so I want to say she might have been 11 and the other one 13 but I am not positive. It doesn't hurt to ask, especially if it is close to 13, they may allow it.

Tiffany

 

[findingnemofan]

thanks so much for your input---i have since learned so much from these boards--it is incredible!!!! My son--who will be 15 by the time we cruise---is extremely excited about going!!! i am glad to hear that you have to pay for internet time---and that the teen hangout is a coffee cafe.....we are thinking of doing the submarine excursion and the dolphin excursion---we are able to use our dvc points for the entire cruise--so we have no large cash outlays--which my DH likes!!!! thanks again !!!
amy

 

[CruzNMom]

A couple of other comments - for the teens - there are some semi-organized daytime activities. Last year my two teens (14, 17) played "gotcha" for one or two days. There was also some kind of skit or movie that they made over a couple of days. If you teen is a boy (maybe a girl, too) and enjoys sports there is always ESPN zone.

 

[DisneyGirl421]

Hey! I'm 15 and i just got back from the july 5 magic... and let me tell u.. ur son will not have any problems finding something to do. 15-16 year old i think wsa the biggest age group of people on my cruise. and it was pretty much a 50/50 split of girls and guys...Common Grounds is always open (noon-2am most of the time) and every night there are dances and parties till 1 or 2am. during the day there are plenty of activities like Gotcha which is a murder mystery game that is extremely fun. also on Castaway Cay there is a Teen Beach where he can hang out. My parents really only saw me during dinner, the shows, and in the morning. all the other times i was with the teens.
and as for the supervision, there are at least 5 counselors, plus there managers and coordinators that supervise common grounds. the internet question i coulnt answer since my parents didnt let me go online since it was too expensive
but dont worry-- he'll have a ton of fun!

 

[Dancind]

The latest news is that Common Grounds will be no more after the dry-dock this fall. They are opening a new teen club in the current ESPN club with a different name. It will have some elements of the current Common Grounds, I think, but will also be part disco. The good thing about this is that the teens won't have to wait until family activities are over in Studio Sea (usually midnight) to start their dance parties. My DD can't wait!