Mom going alone with a teenage DD?

[DisneyLisa]

I'm debating taking my DD on a DC. She really wants to go on a 7 night but I'm inclined to book just a 3 night after 5 nights in WDW (for several reasons).

First - I get sea sick (or at least I did as a teen) & am worried about that (but I've already asked a question about that though on another thread) and second - my DD is really excited about the teen programs and I'm wondering if I'll find it a little too lonely all by myself (DH has no desire to do a DC so this would be a 16th Birthday trip for just DD & me (DD will turn 16 the day we leave - Oct 18th (what a way to celebrate a 16th!).

Are shore excursions, like shopping, tours, etc., done in groups or are you completely on your own? I wouldn't mind a few days alone on a beach (which is what I'd do on the 3 nigt) but would hesitate to do shore excursions on a longer cruise all by myself. DD says she'll keep me company (& I'm sure she will...sometimes) but I want her to be able to participate in the teen events and not feel obligated to spend every minute with me.

I know I've rambled on a bit but just thought I'd throw this out & see if anyone can give me an idea of what it's like so I can make a more informed decision. TIA

 

[disneygal58]

Hello,
I am the single mom to two teenaged daughters. We have sailed DCL four times (including 2-3 nights/1 - 4 night/ 1-7 night) with our 5th scheduled the end of May. Obviously, we have loved all of our experiences. My girls divided their time between their own activities and hanging out with Mom. There is plenty for you to do on the 7 night without her - the Spa, lectures, games, pool time etc... Go and enjoy yourself. You will meet people at dinner and the excursions (we all did individual excursions) are comprised of a variety of people.

Dawn Hope

 

[Samsma]

Oh to be in your shoes. Peace and quiet, time alone to relax and enjoy a cruise!!! Go for it! Go to the spa, read, relax on deck, sleep in. Have your nails and hair done. Win big money at bingo, heck DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!!! And spend some quality time with DD before she decides she doesn't want to have anything to do with Disney. If you think 7 days of relaxing is too much do the 4 or 3 night thing. Sounds great to me. Get the new patch or sea bands to help with the sickness. Just try out whatever you choose at home first so you know the effects. Find some other Dis'ers who will be on board, and make some new friends!

 

[tezb]

A couple years ago our tablemates were a single(widowed) mom and her teen dtr. They seemed to do fine although her daughter did go off w/ teens ( a little on the wild side) and left her mom to do things alone. However, the mom ended up meeting a gentleman also toward the end of the cruise!

 

[Samsma]

DisneyLisa - let your DH read that last post, and maybe he'll develop a sudden interest in cruising, problem solved! LOL

 

[tezb]

Also, it's too bad your DH has no desire to go...I really think that if you go w/out him, you will end up wishing he were there. Just my opinion, but having gone twice, I can't imagine going w/out my husband. Especially since our teens are off on their own (most of the time) it's nice to have your spouse to yourself, again!

 

[DisneyLisa]

Thanks everyone but it's not really the ship time I worried about, it's the time off the ship. Do I tour alone or spend all my time on a beach (is there even a beach for use at each port)? I'm sure I can find lots to keep me busy while cruising (or relaxing if I choose). That's why I was wondering how the shore excursions are set up.

tezb: DH & I do hope to take a cruise together sometime (we've done lots of Caribbean holidays, ie. Cancun, Dominican Republic, etc) but this just isn't the cruise or vacation for him (he can't get away from work at that time anyway so it's a non issue). This is definitely a Mother/Daughter trip - it's something we really want to do and I want to do it on & for her 16th birthday. As Samsma said, soon she probably won't want to do Disney (or much else) with me.

So my choices are: 9 nights at WDW or 5 nights at WDW & a 3 night cruise or 2 nights in WDW & a 7 day cruise. That's what I'm trying to decide....which would be best for me/us. Thanks.

 

[house_of_princesses]

I may consider inviting another mother/daughter team to join in the fun! Does she have a friend to invite, along with her mother that you know and would enjoy spending time with? Doesn't have to be for the whole trip, just the cruise portion. I'd love to be able to spend time with a friend like that! And still get the time with DD, too!

 

[DisneyLisa]

Thanks for the suggestion but everyone I know thinks I'm nuts to spend the money I do on Disney (except my next door neighbour...but her family loves Disney so they do it together every couple of years...if she could afford it I'm sure she & her DD would join us). So that option is out.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Hi DisneyLisa!

I believe you answered your own question when first posting:

I'm debating taking my DD on a DC. She really wants to go on a 7 night

And then you noted in your second post:

it's not really the ship time I worried about, it's the time off the ship. Do I tour alone or spend all my time on a beach (is there even a beach for use at each port)?

If you read some of the cruise reports, you'll see the multitude of shore excursions available! Beaches are plentiful in the Caribbean. Yet perhaps you'd like to try new experiences? A horseback ride ON the beach in Grand Cayman and/or swim and snorkle with the stingrays. A Mayan ruins tour in Cozumel combined, of course, with a round of mini-golf at Sally's! Or, in Cozumel have DD join you on a terrific ATV adventure with Wild Tours (a personal favorite). In Key West, take a leisurely sightseeing tour OR reserve a catamaran race with DD. The choices are varied enough to please an entire cruise ship...

Wishing you and your DD a most fantastic cruise.

 

[jds]

And don't forget that you don't HAVE to get off the ship when it's in port!

My absolute favorite part of the 7-day cruise we took last summer was the morning we were in St. Maarten and almost everyone else left the ship: DH and I had the entire adult pool and sunning area to ourselves! What a relaxing morning that was... (Our teenaged DD enjoyed a special teen spa treatment that morning and then went on an excursion with her aunt, uncle, and cousins...)

While I enjoyed having my DH (and 12 other family members!) along on that trip, I think DD (a teenager) and I would have had a great time on our own, so I urge you to GO FOR IT!

 

[disneydeb]

our very 1st dc we took was for my dd 16th birthdady, DO IT!!! the memories will last forever, she had a ball iwith the other teens and still keeps in contact with many of them she met and that was almost 4 years ago, every morning they would call the stateroom to see if she was coming out, the first time i got a little freaked out with the phone ringing , thinking who the heck knows were here, she spent most of the cruise with her friends, which was alright, but the last nite i told her she had to have dinner with me, ii made her have dinner with me so we could talk about days events, i saw the shows and movies and played bingo and met other people if we could go back to the 1st cruise, i would do the spa we had done the 4day/3nite cruise, when she turned 18 we didi the same thing except she was allowed in the adult area so i saw her for the whole cruise, that ttime, we did the spa together, and went to the clubs at nite, neither one of us drink , and we had a blast, dcl keeps ya hopping, the second time , we didnt get off the ship in nassau, and we did ladies nite at the spa, we had dinner at palos one nite, and we just had a wonderful time , like i said the memories will last forever!!