Older Teen (16) on the Magic

[dallastxcpa]

So for those of you with older teens 15 - 17. Did they enjoy the cruise? Get bored? What were there favorite things?

 

[Homefixitguru]

Our daughter was 14 last cruise in Jan 2012 and she had a great time. In fact she is extremely afraid of the ocean as we found out, she had a melt down into tears as we walked the gangway to the ship out of LA. Needless to say she thought that she was going to hate the cruise and be bored.
What she found out is that the clubs have so much to do and give somany opportunities to hang out with other teens.
We let her make her own decisions of what she wanted to do but we also has lots of family time. She has already said that she would love to do another Disney cruise.....so we booked one for Feb out of Galveston.

Don't worry there is so much to do for all ages.

 

[CamColt]

We did an 8 night cruise this past summer when my DSs were 12 and 15 and back to backs (4 & 3 nights) the summer before. The kids love the cruises and prefer those over going to the parks now. Part of it I think is the freedom they have and that they can get food any time they want. They enjoy just hanging out with the other kids, playing basketball, doing the scavenger hunts, etc... If I didnt require them to go to dinner with us and see most of the shows, we would never see them.

 

[Minnie321]

Our daughter was 14 last cruise in Jan 2012 and she had a great time. In fact she is extremely afraid of the ocean as we found out, she had a melt down into tears as we walked the gangway to the ship out of LA. Needless to say she thought that she was going to hate the cruise and be bored.
What she found out is that the clubs have so much to do and give somany opportunities to hang out with other teens.
We let her make her own decisions of what she wanted to do but we also has lots of family time. She has already said that she would love to do another Disney cruise.....so we booked one for Feb out of Galveston.

Don't worry there is so much to do for all ages.

Which cruise are you on in February? We are on the February 9th cruise and I can tell you that out of the small group on our cruise meet there are a lot of teens on our cruise. I have a DS15. and he is super excited about the cruise!

 

[rhinodadz]

Ours (now 16 and 20) have always had a blast! If yours are anything like ours you won't see them much other than dinner and port excursions. We're on the Fantasy 11/17 and our 16yo has already announced she'll be hanging at Vibe most of her waking moments

 

[dallastxcpa]

We did an 8 night cruise this past summer when my DSs were 12 and 15 and back to backs (4 & 3 nights) the summer before. The kids love the cruises and prefer those over going to the parks now. Part of it I think is the freedom they have and that they can get food any time they want. They enjoy just hanging out with the other kids, playing basketball, doing the scavenger hunts, etc... If I didnt require them to go to dinner with us and see most of the shows, we would never see them.

Boy isn't that true about teens and food.

my daughter has always had a lot of freedom at WDW because we always travel with family and she has older cousins. I just worried about her being there with just me and my DH as none of our other kids are going.

 

[kimwhitt93]

I have a DS that just turned 18 and is a Senior in high school. When I booked my trip over 1 1/2 years ago I was told he could still go to the teen club but since then I was informed that the rules have changed and that he wouldn't be able too. I hate that but I do understand, since he is an adult in Disneys eyes, but he isn't in my eyes. He is excited that he gets to go too the night clubs but I hope there are others his age.

 

[Homefixitguru]

We are actually on the Feb 23, 6 night western but Vibe will have plenty of teens to run around the ship.

And I have to agree the teens also love the fact that they can eat what they want when they want.

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

We sailed in June with three 15 year olds. Granted it's different if they arrive onboard in a "group" but nevertheless, they LOVED it! We made sure that they went to the opening gathering at the Vibe, so that they'd meet other teens and see what activities were available. Here's some of the things that the 15 year olds loved doing:

*EATING. Food 24 hours a day.
*Going to gym at night with the Vibe group
*Going to movies at the Buena Vista Theater - sometimes even alone.
*Taking photographs all over the ship.
*Playing "Gotcha" with the Vibe group.
*Playing basketball and ping pong.
*Hanging out in the family hot tub.
*Watching movies in the stateroom with a plate of FOOD.
*Playing "The Wheel", a "wheel of fortune" game in one of the lounges.
*Shopping.
*Pin trading.
*Yes, waiting on line for photos with the characters!
*Going to meals in the main dining rooms - and ordering two entrees!

I recently asked them what their ideal vacation is: a trip to Europe, WDW or a DCL cruise, and they ALL chose a cruise! Guess they'd better find good jobs!

 

[tajz90]

Ours (now 16 and 20) have always had a blast! If yours are anything like ours you won't see them much other than dinner and port excursions. We're on the Fantasy 11/17 and our 16yo has already announced she'll be hanging at Vibe most of her waking moments

My boys are 20 and 14 and they both still love Disney. They have made friends with other kids that we still meet up with on different trips. We have to force them to have dinner with us in the evening otherwise we wouldn't see them.

 

[DesertSky612]

How strict are the age limits in the clubs? We will be traveling in March with 4 girls - 2 will be 18 and 2 will be 17. Where will they be able to hang out together?

Thanks!

 

[Donna M]

My 17 yo son had a great time on the Wonder. He met a couple of kids and they just hung out together the whole time. We bumped into them once. He had to join us for dinner each night!

It was funny in that he wanted to sleep in the top bunk, and he was the only child with us!

 

[westjones]

How strict are the age limits in the clubs? We will be traveling in March with 4 girls - 2 will be 18 and 2 will be 17. Where will they be able to hang out together?

Thanks!

The 18 year olds won't be allowed in the teen club and the 17 year olds won't be allowed into the adult areas.

That said....this past March we took our 18 year old twin DDs and a friend who was also 18 on the Dream. They were all still in high school and were very disappointed they couldn't go to the teen club. But since they had been on the cruise 11 times already (once before on the Dream) they knew their way around, and were able to make friends with the other high school kids who were in the teen club and still could hang out with them outside of the club.

They did not have luck in the college group. The first night the three of them were the only ones who showed up. They went to the adult club that night and were very uncomfortable with this game show that asked questions about very personal things between married couples (which they thought was gross).

So they had a nice time because they were able to still make friends with other high schoolers and they all just met up and did things (the other high schoolers weren't enjoying the teen club all that much). But they both said that after going to the college group (or the 18-21 club I think they now call it), they don't think that is for them. But I have read others say their college kids have had some really good groups. So I think we had a bad week.

But your situation will be bad if all 4 girls want to hang out. They will have to go to the 'family areas' where everyone of all ages can go.

 

[kcashner]

How strict are the age limits in the clubs? We will be traveling in March with 4 girls - 2 will be 18 and 2 will be 17. Where will they be able to hang out together?

Thanks!

They can hang out together, but not in the teen area or the adult areas! Following an incident, DCL became very strict about the 18th birthday (legal adult) thing. They are welcome to participate together in any family activities (some of these are a hoot, and not just for little kids), and can hang by the family pool, etc. The 17s will be welcome in the Vibe, and what used to be the "college club" has now become the "18-21 club" with varying results.

My one hint would be that they go to their age appropriate activities on the first night to meet the group and plan activities. After that, let them decide whether they want to hang together or go to their own groups.

 

[dallastxcpa]

Such great information. Thank you everyone.

Since this is DD first cruise I am hoping she will love DCL. I am sure she will but as a parent we always worry that after investing so much in a vacation that our kid will come away and go "Mehhh it was okay".

My plan is to book a cruise for summer 2014 while on board if she likes it. Of course I will have to book one for before July as she turns 18 that year.

 

[hbg4]

My DD just turned 16. She's been going on DCL cruises since she was 5y. I asked her for her opinion. She likes Vibe the teen club, because she has the freedom to do what she wants to do, it's fun, it gives her something to do and somewhere to be, there's games, she loves meeting new people her own age. Outside the club, she enjoys the movies, the craft sessions, the food especially trying out new foods in the restaurants or just having regular fries and burgers.Summer 2014 will be her last DCL cruise in the clubs, so we're definately going before she turns 18.

 

[PammyK]

The reality is that every teen is different and every cruise is different. Some are going to love everything, others with think everything is a waste of time. Sometimes your teen will find others that she gets on with, other times all the other kids are just weird, rude, cliquish, etc.

As usually is recommended on this type of thread, try checking to see who else is sailing when your family will be sailing and whether there are any other kids her age so she can maybe start building a friendship prior to the cruise.

 

[westjones]

For those of you booking before your kids turn 18, try not to book the week of their birthday. One of the girls on our cruise this past March was turning 18 in the middle of the cruise so she thought she could at least go to the teen club for the first couple nights. But they told her since her birthday was that week and she would be turning 18 she wasn't allowed to go in the teen club. They did allow her in the college group but after the first time she just didn't bother.

So they have to be under 18 the whole cruise to be allowed in the teen club.

 

[MillauFr]

These teens look like they had a blast ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBnkn2tQdt0