Did Your Tween Like Edge?

[Mason3]

We are cruising in June. My 12 yr old DD loved the activities in the Club and Lab on the Magic, but I am worried about whether or not she will like the Edge. I would really like to read some parent perspectives of whether or not their tweens enjoyed the activities in the Edge.

 

[bdink921]

My DS12 really liked Edge. The first night on board he went and stayed until the end of activities -- around 1 am. Other nights he was tired and done with activites he liked and came back to the cabin around 11p. They get to pick some of their own activities by majority vote which DS thought was cool. If he didn't like the activites, he left. They did gender wars, ghost voyagers (he loved this one), karioke, stuff like that. They also did stuff on Castaway Cay but DS didn't participate -- he hung out with us. We saw them heading out one night to a game show. There was a large group and they all looked happy to me. The couselors were supposed to make up navigators with the activites the kids picked out and deliver them to the cabins but never did so DS had to go up every day and see what was posted. I think he would have done more if he knew what was going on.

 

[firsttimemom]

Our 13 yr old DD and 11 yr old DS just spent 4 days there. They liked some activities and were lukewarm on others. but they spent more time there than I thought they would. No 'navigators' here either- I liked that they had to go up to see the schedule bcs they were more likely to stay up there for a bit.

 

[Revan]

We just got back with a 13,12,11,10. Both the 13 and 12 are going on 18, and couldn't escape The Edge fast enough - they desperately wanted to go into the teen club and didn't like it at all. The 11 and 10 (really 10 1/2 who was allowed in with her cousins) enjoyed it, but didn't spend much time there.

 

[HFC1969]

Loves it... & DCL

 

[3MinnieMom]

I think the Edge experience is unique for each cruise...very dependent on the group of kids cruising with you on the ship. Unlike the Lab and Club (which have very organized activities and the counselors are very much in charge), the Edge is "organized" by the kids and the activity schedule is chosen by them early in the cruise. The counselors are great and very involved (our DD's group had Matt and Joelee), but the activities are tween-driven.

Our 12yo DD (7th grader) LOVED the Edge. She has two older teenage sisters (11th and 12th grade), so she is also a "12 yo going on 16". However, her experience with the Edge was very positive. Our DD went to the Edge and met the counselors when we first boarded the ship. She went there the very first night...when the activities are chosen. She had a great group of kids that were her age...but she did say that the group broke down into the "older" tweeners (her age group-mainly 7th graders) and the "younger" tweeners (6th graders and younger). Our DD is quite confident, so I think she helped to lead the older group. She attended activities with the Edge every night and often during the afternoon. She did hang out with her Edge friends for much of our time on CC...but a brief afternoon storm did bring her back to me for a few hours of mommy-daughter time on CC! There were several activities when the Edge joins the Vibe (the teen Club), like glow-in-the-dark dodgeball. It helped that her sisters were very active with the Vibe group.

Have your child go to the Edge the very first night, when activities are chosen. Get to know the counselors...go meet them yourself. It's OK to "peek-in" on the Edge group from time to time...my DH and I did! Your child will let you know if the group is right for him/her. Good luck!

Side note: My DH and I think the two groups (Edge and Vibe) should be divided up by grade in school...not by age. The Edge should be a "Jr High" group (6th thru 8th graders) and the Vibe should be a "High School" group (9th thru 12th grade). What do others think of this??

 

[smb6]

Side note: My DH and I think the two groups (Edge and Vibe) should be divided up by grade in school...not by age. The Edge should be a "Jr High" group (6th thru 8th graders) and the Vibe should be a "High School" group (9th thru 12th grade). What do others think of this??

I have said the same thing before; and I agree with you. My guess is the reason they have not done this (or atleast part of the reason) is parents/kids would lie about their age in order to go to their desired group. My using their age (which more/less falls with in the jr high/high category) there is no lying because their ages are documented.....

 

[Revan]

I think the Edge experience is unique for each cruise...very dependent on the group of kids cruising with you on the ship.

Absolutely agree with this

Have your child go to the Edge the very first night, when activities are chosen. Get to know the counselors...go meet them yourself.

I was speaking with another family who had teens and this is super important advice. Their teens didn't go to the club on the first day and when they went over, the group had already formed up which made them feel left out

Side note: My DH and I think the two groups (Edge and Vibe) should be divided up by grade in school...not by age. The Edge should be a "Jr High" group (6th thru 8th graders) and the Vibe should be a "High School" group (9th thru 12th grade). What do others think of this??

This would be a great idea, we are considering another cruise, but are looking at the Allure because our two oldest still wouldn't be teen eligible and RC drops the age to 13 to get into the teen clubs.

 

[fcrouch]

I wasn't impressed on the first day - as there weren't any planned activities - but then learned that the kids in the Edge got to plan and pick activities themsevles. Our duaghter (age 11) loved it - she did the scavenger hunts - and would call me on the Wave phone for assistance! She made some friends and it was a good experience for her (as she was also "coming and going" by herself for the first time on a cruise). She spent less time in the Edge than she did in the Lab/Club - but she also wanted to see the new dining rooms on the Dream and is not one to live on chicken fingers and fries - i.e., would rather get a steak or some scallops and the Edge doesn't take the kids to dinner - or bring down dinner as they do in Club/Lab). I was pleased with her experience. She isn't the most outgoing but makes friends pretty easily and I think she would certainly say she had a good time. (And she is already toalking about going when she is old enough to be in Vibe - I think the kids from Edge got to take a peak at the teen area once). ANd I was glad she enjoyed the Edge as especialyl on sea day - the family pool area was very crowded and she wouldn't have enjoyed that (whereas there was plenty of room at the adult pool and the deck above).

 

[emum]

I think the Edge experience is unique for each cruise...very dependent on the group of kids cruising with you on the ship.


Side note: My DH and I think the two groups (Edge and Vibe) should be divided up by grade in school...not by age. The Edge should be a "Jr High" group (6th thru 8th graders) and the Vibe should be a "High School" group (9th thru 12th grade). What do others think of this??

I agree with both these statements. We were on the PC cruise in January, so very few children on the entire ship (less than 300 spread across all age groups up to 18). As such, eldest DD, who although is only 13, but is in Grade 9, was less than impressed with having to hang out with kids a couple of months older than her 10yo brother (they had let a few 10yos into the Edge).

She would have done much better in the Vibe. Instead, she ended up doing a lot of things with Dh and I, and a few things by herself. She was dragged to the Edge twice.

DS, who will be 11 on our next cruise will love the Edge, though.

Cheers,
Sally

 

[Purdue Mouse]

We are cruising in June. My 12 yr old DD loved the activities in the Club and Lab on the Magic, but I am worried about whether or not she will like the Edge. I would really like to read some parent perspectives of whether or not their tweens enjoyed the activities in the Edge.

I think it depends on the kid. Make sure your DD checks the Navigator for the ice breaker meet session. My DD-12 loved it, but didn't want to hang out unless her new friends could be there too. Consequently it was hard to coordinate at times, but they learned how to text on the wave phones pretty quickly.

 

[alamere1496]

My 7th grader loved the Edge!! He met a few good kids and they hung out most of the cruise!! He enjoyed most of the activities, and when he didn't, he just came back to the room. It was his favorite vacation that we have ever gone on!! It really is what each kid makes of it!!

 

[HashHoney]

Our DS12 LOVED Edge. He still emails some of the kids he met there. We really only saw him at breakfast and dinner. He kept in contact with us through the wave phones, and that really made me feel better about him being off on his own. Most nights he didn't get back to the room until around 12 or 1. On Castaway Cay day, he was with us for a little while in the morning, then he was off with the kids and counselors from Edge. He hopes we do another cruise while he's still in that age bracket. lol

 

[pixarmom]

I'm not OP, but I really appreciate the posts. Thanks so much to everyone for the reviews! We're cruising for the first time in August on the Dream, and our two tween boys are looking forward to the Edge.

The concept of choosing your own activities really appeals to them. Sounds like time in the teen club is one of the choices - did they just tour Vibe or have the chance to hang out there?

 

[ame]

DS11 loved it. He made the most of it and spent many hours there.

DS12 (going on 18) went the first night and rarely after that. He went to a couple of activities we picked out that interested him specifically. I think for him it was about his brother rather than the edge as when he went he did enjoy it.

 

[A Litle Pixie Dust]

DD did go to both but preferred the ship's activites to the teen activities.

 

[LeslieG]

I agree with both these statements. We were on the PC cruise in January, so very few children on the entire ship (less than 300 spread across all age groups up to 18). As such, eldest DD, who although is only 13, but is in Grade 9, was less than impressed with having to hang out with kids a couple of months older than her 10yo brother (they had let a few 10yos into the Edge).

She would have done much better in the Vibe. Instead, she ended up doing a lot of things with Dh and I, and a few things by herself. She was dragged to the Edge twice.

DS, who will be 11 on our next cruise will love the Edge, though.

Cheers,
Sally

I'm curious about the 10 yr. olds in Edge. My son is 10, going on 20 of course, and I'm sure he would prefer the Edge. I've heard mixed reports whether they let 10 yr. olds in. Maybe it depends on the sailing?

Funny too, because his brother is 12 and probably would prefer the Lab. Maturity levels are different, not always strictly in line with age.