Teens

[jrm11697]

Will teens enjoy a Disney cruise. are they going to think that its just for kids? I dont want to take mine on DCL pay all that money and for them to have that mentality. What do they do in the clubs? How is it different/alike to Carnival and/or Royal Caribbean (the other line im looking at)?

Feedback from teens would be great since they experience it first hand but parents would be ok too

 

[kcashner]

I think it depends on the teen. Mine loves DCL and told me that she had no desire to cruise on another line. Obviously, choices for activities change as they get older. The teen program is a lot of fun...at least the first couple of times they do it! (couple of cruises, I mean). There is a teen only excursion (The Wild Side) on Castaway Cay.

They have become very strict about not allowing an 18 year old or older to be in the programming...just in case you have an older teen.

Much of the time, the kids make some friends in the programming and hang out with them for much of the time.

The teen program (14-17) is the Vibe. The Oceaneer's Club is for younger kids (I do realize that you used the term "club" as a generic). They do all kinds of things--Make your own Movie (or commercial) was a favorite, smoothie party, different themed activity each night, video scavenger hunt happens in the tweens and teens. There is teen time in the fitness center, but only with the teen group and after it is closed to adults. They spend time on the sports deck. There are video games, listening stations, etc. They have an info session on the first night where the CMs tell them what activities are available and the group supposedly decides what they want to place on the schedule--my DD says this is all for show and the same activities are scheduled each time. However, DO NOT miss the first night activities as that's when they meet each other and start the whole process.

 

[hgon76]

My DS was 14 last time & loved the clubs & made lots of friends. He's 16 this time & is looking forward to going there again. And he generally is rather shy around people he doesn't know.

 

[Dizzyworld]

I agree with what the PP said. Our teens have loved DCL. There has been a lot for them to do. Mostly it has been the friends they have made on the ships to hang out with that has made the cruises more fun. I agree to have your teen go the first night of the cruise. This seems very important since the groups start evolving at that point.

Sadly our DS is 18 and has decided that there isn't enough for him to do that interest him, so he won't be joining us this summer and has made non-Disney vacation plans. Our DD will turn 18 next year and also expressed that she might not be interested in cruising with DCL anymore either until she has a family. We are heartbroken but understand. Maybe we'll go to another cruise line?

 

[jrm11697]

OK, I may tell them that we are considering Disney. I will let them look at it and see if they like it.

Also, can they have their own stateroom so we all aren't crammed into 1 stateroom?

 

[maria-fan-22]

OK, I may tell them that we are considering Disney. I will let them look at it and see if they like it.

Also, can they have their own stateroom so we all aren't crammed into 1 stateroom?

Yes, however someone over the age of 21 must be booked in a cabin with a person under 18. But you can sleep anywhere you want.

So:
CABIN 1
MoM
Child 1

CABIN 2
Dad
Child 3

For example...

 

[jrm11697]

Oh ok, so on DCL website i book a room with me and son in a room and mom and other teen in the other but we can separate so mom and dad have own room?

 

[maria-fan-22]

Oh ok, so on DCL website i book a room with me and son in a room and mom and other teen in the other but we can separate so mom and dad have own room?

Yes, thats is only for booking. when you board you can have an extra key made for each room and sleep in either you want. Or get connecting cabins and then it doesn't really matter.

 

[TinaRN]

I agree with what the PP said. Our teens have loved DCL. There has been a lot for them to do. Mostly it has been the friends they have made on the ships to hang out with that has made the cruises more fun. I agree to have your teen go the first night of the cruise. This seems very important since the groups start evolving at that point.

Sadly our DS is 18 and has decided that there isn't enough for him to do that interest him, so he won't be joining us this summer and has made non-Disney vacation plans. Our DD will turn 18 next year and also expressed that she might not be interested in cruising with DCL anymore either until she has a family. We are heartbroken but understand. Maybe we'll go to another cruise line?

Our DS is 18 and we're "making" him go! His 15yo sister is bringing a friend, so he'll probably hang out with us (DH & myself) most of the time. I still think he'll have a good time but not as much fun as he did in 2004 when he was 10!

 

[cindy18]

Our DDs are now 16 and 14 and won't consider cruising on another cruise line. They have been in pretty much all the clubs, and they really like the experience on Disney at any age. They are still in touch with friends they made on our earlier cruises. I agree that in the teem club (Vibe), it's more that they find a few friends and hang out with those friends around the ship rather than truly hanging out in the club, but the club does help. In terms of turning 18, we have friends who didn't start cruising with Disney until their daughters were in college. They went to Alaska last year on the Wonder, and the daughters joined the "college club" for 18-21 year olds and had an amazing time. Just saying...

 

[cyclenut]

Will teens enjoy a Disney cruise. are they going to think that its just for kids? I dont want to take mine on DCL pay all that money and for them to have that mentality. What do they do in the clubs? How is it different/alike to Carnival and/or Royal Caribbean (the other line im looking at)?

Feedback from teens would be great since they experience it first hand but parents would be ok too

Age matters, especially for teens. I also think gender matters. For some reason the "sons" tend to be more wary about it than the "daughters". My DDs 15 and 18 were all into the DCL experience from the very beginning. They wanted a Disney cruise to just about anywhere ... it just had to be Disney. My DS19 wasn't so thrilled. He was "willing" to go but was afraid a Disney cruise would be for kids and he wasn't a kid anymore. DD21 was a former CM with the WDW college program and CM at BABW in DTD before that. She was looking forward to the Disney cruise experience.

At the end of the day, DD18 can't wait to go back. She is planning on how to save enough money to go on her own if she can. DS19 enjoyed it more than he thought but is more than willing to try a different cruise line. DD20 wasn't sold on DCL. As a CM she expected more from other CMs in terms of service and attitude. DD15 had a rough time of things at the outset but settled in and is happy to give DCL another try.

DW and I made the decision and told DS he really didn't have a choice so he might as well just relax and enjoy it. He really didn't want to go ... at all. He is really glad he did. That is the approach I recommend. Make the decision and then go with it. They will have a blast.

 

[jrm11697]

They said that they looked at Disney. They said they liked it. We then decided, as a treat for their work at school, that we will let them chose what cruise/cruise line. They said they like Disney and Carnival.

 

[jrm11697]

Yes, thats is only for booking. when you board you can have an extra key made for each room and sleep in either you want. Or get connecting cabins and then it doesn't really matter.

How do you book connecting cabins? I looked but couldn't figure out how to do that. Is it true that you can close a veranda divider so its one big veranda?

On Disney, we like the Wonder and the Fantasy. We have also considered Carnival

 

[gallaj0]

My family has been on 3 Disney cruises and one Norwegian (Boston to Bermuda) DD(15) and DS (13) loved the Disney cruise 100 times bettter then the Norwegian. They don't spend much time in the clubs but are looking forward to the teen club for our next year cruise. DD had some trouble on the Norwegian cruise with older men also. She looks older than she is, and the crowd on board was VERY frat party/spring break. Lots of underage drinking to excess, guys looking to "hook up" etc. Didn't think it was for families at all.

 

[Disney Freak 5]

Hi I'm 17 and I've been doing Disney Cruise every year since I was 9 and there is no other Cruise Line that treats Teens better than Disney. Ever since my Mexican Riviera Cruise on the Magic in 2008 I have been a regular in the Teen programs. I love Aloft (Wonder)/ The Stack (Magic) and will most likely love Vibe on the Fantasy in April. The counselors are really great people and really do help make the cruise a very enjoyable experience. The normal reason why Teens think Disney Cruises will be not for them is because "it's for kids." However they do not realize that Disney does it big for everyone, especially the Teens. I've met plenty of great friends of these cruises, some I still am in contact with today. I've met teens who at the beginning of the cruise think they won't have any fun, but they end up having the time of their life. In the clubs there are many fun activities that I'm sure any Teen will love. Even if they don't want to participate they can go off in to other parts of the club and play games or watch TV. At night is when the best activities take place such as Midnight Dodgeball and Movie Nights. Trust me your Teen will be taken care of on a Disney Cruise and they may have the most fun ever.

 

[Maltese5]

I am sure your teen will LOVE DCL. My son (16) has been cruising since he was 10. Loves DCL. We tried RCL one year and even traveled with another family with 2 boys. They did not spend 1 minute in their "teen" program. When we cruise on DCL we hardly see our son. He has sooooo much fun with the others and in the Vibe. He has met tons of friends on the cruises and they usually continue to talk via Facebook etc after the cruises.

 

[ALSBC91]

My son is a high school Junior and has chosen a DC as his graduation gift next year. He's only been on a cruise once before, in 2010 we did our first one on the Wonder. We will be cruising on the Fantasy in April for his second cruise. He won't even consider any other cruise line for his graduation cruise.

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

jrm11697,

WDWJonasGirl has a thread running about "What did your teens like on DCL?"

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2793939

HTH's!

Ex Techie

 

[jrm11697]

We talked about it more today. The said that they even talked to some of their friends who have take a DC. They said that its more fun than it looks. Disney doesn't mean 7 year olds chasing the whole ship to be with Mickey. Friends said that their favorite was a picture scavenger hunt and dodge ball.

We told them if we do go on Disney they dont have to do EVERYTHING. We won't force them to do one thing. We want to give them some freedom. We trust them. Dont think they will get into too much trouble. We are ok as long as they don't disturb or disrespect others.

Also... will teens like the Wonder or Fantasy better. Fantasy hasn't sailed but im sure the Dream will be very similar.

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

Also... will teens like the Wonder or Fantasy better. Fantasy hasn't sailed but im sure the Dream will be very similar.

What do your kid's like?

Solo activities, group activities and games? Will the itinerary matter to them?
People are different and knowing more about their personalities will help!

The Fantasy has the more up-to-date gadget's and tech, the Wonder not so much.

Ex Techie