Feedback on the Edge for 11 year old?

[sabrecmc]

This will be my daughter's first time in the Edge, though our 15th cruise, so she is pretty familiar with the ship itself and cruising in general. However, this will be her first time at the Edge and first time with self check privileges. She will have her cell phone with her for onboard chatting to let me know where she is and we will set up rules and check-in times, but I'd love to hear any tips/tricks/suggestions/warnings from other parents who have had kids in the Edge. I'm sure she will go to the Lab at times as well, since she loves it there, too.

Our cruise is the 5 night double dip, so two days at CC. I know there is a "teen hideout" there and some Edge-based activities on the island...any feedback on how all of that works? Does she just go show up at the appointed time? When the Navigator says "Pelican Plunge" time in the Edge entry, does she just head out to PP? I'm so used to Scuttles, lol. I found an older thread on here that was helpful, but any recent experiences?

 

[FigmentSpark]

Our guy was teased about the Lab band in the Edge. I know of another boy who had the same problem. Be watchful and keep that communication open with your DD. Now, we were on a spring break cruise that was filled with kids and teens, so you may have no problems at all. But if you do, I think you can just take the band off and put it on (with Lab staff locking it) when she wants to go there. Make sure the CMs are aware, if there is any bullying so they can put a stop to it.

 

[GoofyLovingFamily]

My daughters love Edge. The games like Gender Wars are their favorite. Also go the first night when they make friends.

 

[MrsSmalls]

Our DD is 11 and went to the Edge the first night. They have a "Getting to know you" activity. I think this is the one that the pp was referring to. She has a great time hanging out with the kids there and also going to the sports deck with them. One day for lunch a few of the kids went to Cabanas in a group, they LOVED having lunch at a restaurant like adults. I found the kids in the Edge to be well behaved and very inclusive.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

My opinion of seeing my DD in Edge 3 times is that it is very similar to Middle School.

On CC, there will be 2 CM's in the yellow with the Edge group at all times. She can head over to PP 5 minutes early, or meet with the group at the hideout or In Da Shade earlier, depending on what she wants to do. We were just on the Fantasy a few weeks ago and my DD left us for the hideaway, then lunch with the Edge group, then to PP and In da Shade. Also, the Edge CM can take them back on to the ship without their parents, so long as she has previously been "checked in " to the Edge and received the sticker on her KTTW. My DD went back with the group because the Edge was doing a VIBE invasion on the ship at 3:00, so she wanted to do that too.

For the Edge on the ship, there is not an official check-in, they can come and go. Some activities like the scavenger hunt means that they can go all over the ship without a CM accompanying them. We have always said she cannot go into another stateroom, and needs to check in with us every hour. We would end up seeing her at the ice cream place or getting a drink every so often anyhow. Never had a problem and she loves making friends and hanging out with them.

 

[dcassetta]

Does she want to go to Edge? As a young 11 year old, my niece did not care for Edge and preferred the more structured activities in the Lab. A year later, as an almost 12, she preferred Edge. I agree with previous posters that going to the open house that first evening is important. Also, maybe check with your cruise meet group to see if there are other kids her age so she could make some connections before the cruise.

 

[hkriw]

we went on the Fantasy in late Jan and it was DD first Edge experience (12 in March). It was our 3rd cruise and she had loved the lab/club in the past. We checked it out together on the first day- like while waiting for our rooms to open.
She loved it- went the first night- had to come looking for her at 1130p when she was not back yet! Our table mates had a daughter the same age so they had a ball together there and elsewhere on the ship.
She did go to the lab/club a couple of times- mainly to look for her brother.

 

[fairfax]

My daughter is now 14 and has aged out of the Edge but for her it was a mixed bag. Several times she enjoyed it and had a great time, but the last two times she only went the first day and didn't want to go back. She said the other girls her age there were clique-y and wouldn't include her. There's nothing you can do about that really.

 

[NewYorkcruiser]

Our guy was teased about the Lab band in the Edge. I know of another boy who had the same problem. Be watchful and keep that communication open with your DD. Now, we were on a spring break cruise that was filled with kids and teens, so you may have no problems at all. But if you do, I think you can just take the band off and put it on (with Lab staff locking it) when she wants to go there. Make sure the CMs are aware, if there is any bullying so they can put a stop to it.

That makes me sad to hear he was teased about the band. We're doing our first DCL in December and my son will be 11. I had planned on having him registered for the lab, but letting him go to the edge. He's very sensitive and I'm afraid he won't want to go back to either if he feels excluded. I'm keeping my fingers crossed he hits it off with a couple kids.

 

[MrsSmalls]

That's so upsetting that kids feel the need to bully and not include other kids.

We must have been lucky. My son hung out with the Edge kids and no one gave him a hard time about the Oceaneers band. My daughter was in the Edge the whole time and said that all the kids just hung together. There are 4 that she got especially close to (2 boys, 2 girls) and they are still in touch.

 

[FigmentSpark]

You can get bullies anywhere and I think a cruise packed full of spring break kids is ripe for this sort of thing. I did hear from another mom about her 10 year old not wanting his band on, as well, so it wasn't just my son. It only takes one bored kid to rally a couple others and that's that. But the CMs did kick them out of Edge when they noticed what was going on. Unfortunately, they just hung out at the stairs instead. I think, after I complained, that the parents were notified, though and my son just waited for the one elevator that went to the 13th floor to get to the Edge. He was fine after that.

 

[Ravenne]

My daughter is now 14 and has aged out of the Edge but for her it was a mixed bag. Several times she enjoyed it and had a great time, but the last two times she only went the first day and didn't want to go back. She said the other girls her age there were clique-y and wouldn't include her. There's nothing you can do about that really.

That was my kid's experience as well. She went to the ice breaker as well, but still had a hard time making friends. Her only complain was that she didn't know any body. It wasn't a deal breaker though. She just looked at the schedule and went when there were activities she was interested in, and sometimes even rolling back into our cabin at 1am so she didn't exactly have a bad time, it's just she couldn't befriend anyone, kids weren't social outside of their cliques. Again, not a deal breaker, but it would've enhanced the experience and made it more fun and welcoming.

Our guy was teased about the Lab band in the Edge. I know of another boy who had the same problem. Be watchful and keep that communication open with your DD. Now, we were on a spring break cruise that was filled with kids and teens, so you may have no problems at all. But if you do, I think you can just take the band off and put it on (with Lab staff locking it) when she wants to go there. Make sure the CMs are aware, if there is any bullying so they can put a stop to it.

Ugh, I'm so sorry your kid got teased about something so trivial. Heck, many often happily pay the $13 for that band as a souvenir ugh. Mine had the Lab band on as well, but no one said anything about it...that I know of anyway. In retrospect, apparently it is somewhat of a Scarlet A to them I guess because mine told me that kids were teaching each other how to take it off in Edge.

 

[iambrink]

My son turned 11 late last august and he went on his fifth disney cruise in December. Now i know every child is different, but he was asking to drop into the edge every spare moment. On our previous cruises he would go to some (very few) activities in the other club, but i found a big difference in his desire to go to the kids club on this cruise. We did register him for the other ones and got him the band not knowing which one he would prefer. He just took it off and left it in the cabin. We are headed out again in 2 weeks and he can't wait to head to the club. We won't register him for Oceanear's lab this time

 

[darnheather]

I'm so worried that the Edge is going to induce tears in my 11 year old but she is determined to try it. Mostly she wants in because they sometimes go up to the Vibe or do games with them and she wants to be with her big sister. However, she is still very "young".

 

[PurplePencil]

I'm so worried that the Edge is going to induce tears in my 11 year old but she is determined to try it. Mostly she wants in because they sometimes go up to the Vibe or do games with them and she wants to be with her big sister. However, she is still very "young".

I would suggest if your going on another cruise before she turns 15 that she "try out" Edge but does not rely on Edge 100 percent. As other people have said, it is highly suggested she goes the first night

 

[darnheather]

I would suggest if your going on another cruise before she turns 15 that she "try out" Edge but does not rely on Edge 100 percent. As other people have said, it is highly suggested she goes the first night

We're scheduled to go this October. She'll be 11.5 so I'll send her the first night for sure. I just don't want to end up having her with me 24/7. I homeschool so the cruise is my vacation too.

 

[elvispursley]

We're scheduled to go this October. She'll be 11.5 so I'll send her the first night for sure. I just don't want to end up having her with me 24/7. I homeschool so the cruise is my vacation too.

I feel your pain! My oldest DS in now 13 and last year I signed him an his younger brother (who was almost 11--they were fine with him coming to Edge) up. My youngest really wanted to go to Edge but would only go if his older brother went. Well, my oldest wanted NOTHING to do with it (I think he keeps thinking it'll be like the younger club, which he detested). He kept saying, "I just want to hang out with the family!" UGH--buddy, you're killing me! I just want a couple hours of adult, alone time by the pool but definitely couldn't after he says that and the guilt sets in! So here's hoping he'll change his mind and decide to hang out this next cruise!

 

[FigmentSpark]

My older son wanted nothing to do with his club for two days. I got fed up, because I knew he'd love it if he went. I got him to take a walk with me, then took him to the door. I told him I wasn't allowed in and he had to go in and let me know what it was like. He came out 2 minutes later (literally!) and said he'd made a friend and wanted to stay. I smiled and patted myself on the back for that one.

 

[elvispursley]

That would work with my less introverted younger son. Not sure what the deal is with my oldest--other than he has always had quite a bit of anxiety (which is why I can't understand it as he's usually completely fine if his brother goes with him) *sigh* We even tried to pay him saying his brother really wanted to go and would he please go and "watch" him for us.

 

[bbel]

I'm so worried that the Edge is going to induce tears in my 11 year old but she is determined to try it. Mostly she wants in because they sometimes go up to the Vibe or do games with them and she wants to be with her big sister. However, she is still very "young".

Even if it's just to make you feel a little better, just go and talk to the Counselors in there on the first day during open house (you don't need to take your kids if you don't want them to know you're a little worried), or just have a quick chat if you all go together to get their sticker.
They'll be able to reassure you, and it might mean they look out for your youngest a little more. They can also give you some good advice about when the invade vibe stuff happens.
If for some reason it doesn't work out, remember your girls can still hange together in the Open House times in both Edge and vibe, and between those two spaces, there's pretty extensive OH times every day.
Whatever happens, just look at it as a learning curve for all of you

Enjoy you're cruise!