Cruising for the first time (make a wish)

[ariesprincess1995]

Hello everyone,
This will be our first time cruising ever! We are going it through make a wish and wanted to know (if anyone knows) some answers to our list of questions.
I will be going with three of my girls ages 12, 15, and 17. The 12 year old is our make a wish child. For those of you that don't know what make a wish is it is a foundation and gives kids with a type of sickness (in this case cancer) a wish.

I know they have preteen stuff but is it easy to make friends? My youngest will be "different" due to the cancer but is really a normal girl that thinks she is five years older (have three old sisters doesn't help) and not excited about the space for kids her age. She seems to think she won't spend much time there thus making friends hard to make. P.S. 12 year old might be 13 if we have to use our second date picked. Meaning new hangout area, but she will have been a teen for three days (no joke) will she still feel out of it?

Another question. How much freedom do you give your kids? Also how much money to spend? I don't want to spoil them but also understand that yes they will "need" to buy somethings. Also will we have meals as families? I don't want to be the uncool mom or the mom that looses her kids.

My two older girls (really have another even older girl but she has college!) plan on spending every second together. I feel that this makes youngest dd out on her own and will also miss the joke on family dinners. I have seen this happening lately as she gets her chemo.

So yes I have a kid with cancer, but at the time of our cruise treatment will have been over for six (or even eight if later cruise) months and she should be fine. Her hair will be growing back and everything but I still feel as though that lables her cancer girl. Not who you really want to be friends with.

This is a question for anyone that has been a make a wish cruise or has become friends with one. Any "perks" in your trip (besides it being free) like a gift when you come into our stateroom, or anything like that? I really hate to ask but don't want to plan something and have a suprise planned too. Don't worry it will be a suprise for the girls

Also dinner wear... I have teens they don't really love the whole dressing up thing but I also really hate being under dresses or over dressed!!! And pirate night how dressed up should you get? Just an eye patch or the whole suit? And formal night a dress? My 12 year old loves dressing up though and also hates being over dressed. Thanks!

Thanks if you have any other tips let us know! We have already ordered our PassPorter.

 

[MagicMe]

ariesprincess1995 - My children are all grown but I've been on two 4-nighter's with my extended family and the last one included four teenagers. Actually, three were teenagers and one was 12 but she was allowed to upgrade to the teen club since she really wanted to hang out with her cousins. She was actually only about one month from her 13th birthday and they just wanted my DB to know that there would be older teens there too.

That being said, we barely saw the teens!!! They had a great time and plenty of activities planned for them.

You didn't mention if you were going on a 7-day on the Magic or a shorter trip on the Wonder. The Wonder has a "dress up" night and some people dress and others just put on something a little spiffier.

I'm sure others can tell you more about formal nights on the 7-night cruises but after reading many TR's it looks like some wear total formal (tuxedo, etc) and others just get fancier.

You're going to love your cruise! I hope you enjoy it!!!!!

 

[livvysmom]

I don't have any answers to your questions, but I hope that you and your family have a magical vacation. I hope your daughter is doing better.

 

[ariesprincess1995]

You didn't mention if you were going on a 7-day on the Magic or a shorter trip on the Wonder. The Wonder has a "dress up" night and some people dress and others just put on something a little spiffier.

I'm sure others can tell you more about formal nights on the 7-night cruises but after reading many TR's it looks like some wear total formal (tuxedo, etc) and others just get fancier.

Oh sorry I should have put that! We will be going on the seven night eastern cruise!

 

[discruiselovers97]

Same deal with my daughter. Although she doesn't have cancer but was in the same age deal as your daughter. If she likes running around more than I suggest that she goes to Ocean Quest. This was my daughters favorite place because she made so many friends there. She really disliked The Stack (teen hangout) partly because all they did was sit around. Also they seemed to have a large amount of older teens on our cruise last year, so she just didn't fit in. The thing is-if your daughter is outgoing then making friends will be a cinch to her. If not give the castmembers a heads up and they will help get her into a group of other fun girls who probally are into the same things.

 

[disneydance]

Your dd would probally enjoy the stack but even more ocean quest my dd friends have cancer and she being tested on monday but they never got a wish but you are prone to have a good time and thats all i know

 

[snelsonbrown]

Hello everyone,
This will be our first time cruising ever! We are going it through make a wish and wanted to know (if anyone knows) some answers to our list of questions.
I will be going with three of my girls ages 12, 15, and 17. The 12 year old is our make a wish child. For those of you that don't know what make a wish is it is a foundation and gives kids with a type of sickness (in this case cancer) a wish.
Thanks if you have any other tips let us know!

Good morning,
Can you please drop me a note at snelsonbrown@aol.com?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Always
Shirley

 

[cdndizzylizzy]

Once you know which date you are sailing, I would find and/or start a Kids "Meet" Thread here on the DIS. Perhaps that way, your daughter can make some friends online before you sail. It might create an opportunity for her to address her illness in advance, and then it won't be such a big deal when you get on board. I also agree with the other posters that you can enlist the assistance of the CMs. Hope you have a super time!

 

[ibouncetoo]

I've sent a PM to my friend Michelle, who I met while they were on their Make A Wish cruise in 05. Hopefully she will post and can give you more information. I know they had a MAW coordinator and some special things were done. I do know the CMs were fantastic with her daughter!

 

[CM_Mom]

Shirley from The Perfect Gift is a treasure and a fantastic resource. I know she works with MAW families and can probably answer a lot of your questions. Besides, she's just fun to talk to. Have a Magical time.

 

[ariesprincess1995]

Thank you for the great tips! I also have gotten a wonderful message full of info! I still have yet to get all my make a wish details but I liked knowing that tons of disabled people are abroad (still a sad thought).
I liked the idea of having a family dinner every night and we will mostly have breakfast together but somedays that will be different.
I think I have talked her into believing that there are going to be girls her age hanging in ocean quest. I showed her some of the activities and I think she loves the idea of improve. She is our little actress and won't stand in the shadow for that!
As for the stack I think she would like it to meet people more than Ocean Quest but once with the right people will have a better time in Ocean Quest. I am going to post the "Meet" thread so she can get to know some kids.
Thanks again and keep the tips coming. I am trying to do my homework but can't find any MAW info.

 

[Azptcruiser]

ariesprincess1995,

Congrats on the Make a Wish (MAW) trip. This is a wonderful experience that you will never forget. My youngest daughter also got a MAW Trip several years ago (2002). It was a 7 day Western Caribbean cruise. It was me, my wife and my oldest daughter. Since then we have taken the Eastern cruise and then the West Coast cruise the last time the Magic was there.

To answer some of your questions:

Money...MAW paid for everything. And I mean everything. We were able to take advantage of many of the excursions that were available at each stop.

Freedom...Both girls did not have any limitations on anything that they wanted to do on the ship. They regularly came back to the stateroom late, late, late.

Perks...There were plenty of perks by both MAW and by Disney. We had the opportunity to visit the bridge, which at that time was unusual. There were also a several room treats that were left several times during the week.

Other things... Our MAW team were great. They picked us up on the morning of our flight in a limo and saw us off at the airport. They then were there on our return.Everything was arrainged for our motel stay...we flew from Arizona to Florida. They had everything prepared for us.

Overall, we did not have to provide for anything. We did not have to pay for anything.

Have a great trip. Let me know if there are other questions that you might need to have answered.

 

[ariesprincess1995]

Thank you thank you thank!!! Azptcruiser I bow down to you! If you could tell me the ages of your DD that would be great. We are taking the Eastern Cruise but I am still waiting for the ok. It should come later this week! If you there was an excursion you loved during that trip, I am open!

 

[Azptcruiser]

At the time of the cruise my youngest, the MAW recipient, was 15 and my oldest was 17. My youngest did not have any troubles making friends as she is the "social" one of the two girls. My oldest daughter met people, but was more content with reading and writing. They both loved the cruise. We went on several excursions that were very memorable

And despite my youngest being a junior in college and my oldest finishing up her first year of grad school, they both keep asking when are we going to go on another cruise. With my youngest, now 20, dealing with the recurring health issues, it may have to wait until she graduates from college in 2 years.