Will 12yr DS enjoy this cruise?

[Jennifer Coghlan]

Hi all! I just finished reading the post about RCCL. The mom on this post felt the RCCL offered more for her 12 yr old. How did your DS's enjoy the cruise. What did they enjoy the most?

Thank you yet again for you help and wisdom

 

[Lynda Silk]

My DS will be 12 on our cruise so I'm interested in hearing what other 12 year olds have enjoyed on the cruise too.

Lynda

 

[tvguy]

Well, my son was 16, and my daughter 12 on our Eastern on the Magic. They both loved it. It was their second cruise. The first being the year before on HAL to Alaska.
Both times they "looked" at the kids activities but always ended up staying with us for family activities.
Both cruises gave us a chance to be their friends, not mom and dad. Only "ditched" them for an hour the whole trip, and that was to go the the wine tasting. And we didn't have to stress about Spa or Palo reservations since we didn't go.

 

[musicgirl]

My ds-13 just finished his 3rd DCL cruise and would love to go back.

Our first 2 cruises were on the Wonder, he was 11 and 12 on those. He was in the lab both of those trips and had a great time.

This year as a teen, he made friends at the Stack and did activities (I'm not sure exactly what!) there.

With all of the trips, he couldn't wait to leave his family (dh and myself) to get back to his new friends.

Obviously, every kid is different. My son is an only child (raised with many other "kids"-we're teachers and have alot of interaction afterschool). He is very social and he thrives on "scheduled activities".

He was happy to go to the lab just to build with kinex or use the computers, even if he wasn't interacting with other kids.

Make sure your child tries the club/lab/stack more than once. Sometimes, there might not be an activity that he/she might not like when first introduced. Most kids are quickly turned off to the whole idea. They aren't always very open to giving things a second try.

This happened with my neice and my nephew. Their first visit was not successful because only a movie was being shown on the very first evening. Since it didn't "float their boat" immediately, they never went back.

Make sure the kids know this ahead of time. Tell them they need to give it a few tries. If they are prepared before the trip, they will more likely be willing to do this.


Lorie

 

[ADisneygirl]

On our first cruise my DS was 12 and my DD was 17. DS took a look at the OC when we toured the ship that first day and decided he didn't want to go there at all. He was actually a little surprised we considered it! He had a wonderful time hanging around with his Mom, Dad, and sister. It was a magical trip, filled with laughter and fun. We especially loved CC and snorkeling together. Kids thought it was very funny to watch Mom attempt to enter the ocean in those fins!

Last summer DS was 13, DD19, and again, it was time spent together as a family. We stayed together most of time. DS enjoyed his family time onboard, and even though while at home he is often off with friends, I know that come vacation time he will expect to spend it with us.

Family vacations for us have always been just that: with the family.

That said, the clubs did look awesome. Many children seemed to love being in them. I am sure, as with everything, to each his own.

 

[jeanie]

On our first cruise, our kids were 8 and 10. They loved going to the lab and spent most of their time there. The scond cruise they were 10 and 12. Both did not want to go to the lab this time... so we all hung out together.... They both loved the cruise, just not the kids clubs... There is still plenty to do for families...

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

My DS's have been anywhere from 8 through 14 on various cruises. My DS now 11 only likes to go to the lab during free time, he does not want the structured activities. DS 14 went to Common Ground (the Stack) twice last year. He likes the activities and events they have for the 13 and 14 year old group. They do things like scavenger hunts and he liked the counselors a great deal. He also went on the catamaran cruises.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Our DS was 11 on our cruise in Feb. He went to the club alot. We looked over the activities that there were and highlighted the ones that interested him. Then we looked at our excursions and other things that we wanted to do together and picked out times he would be able to go to the clubs.

He spent time with us and time doing things he enjoyed in the clubs. He really liked some of the late night activities--like getting the pool to themselves and the pizza, using the basketball court without the bigger teens around. He made several friends and they could sign out and go up to arcade, to deck 9, walk around (he had to let the counselors know where they were going).

For him the clubs were a good thing, especially on the days at sea. He is not a "sit still" kind of guy, so liked being busy and having options of things to do.

Every kid is different. Look over the kids navigator and see what there might be that interests him. Also important is parents' attitude about the clubs. If parents have a positive attitude, then kids probably will too!

We also enjoyed our time together at the ports. Key West did not interest him very much, so he was glad to get back on the boat. He really liked GC and Cozumel and of course, Castaway Cay can't be beat--we would have liked more time there! He ate with us most nights (we had late seating) and our servers were really great with him! We went to the shows and other predinner entertainment, had our pictures taken, went to the character breakfast, and took part in the activities on deck 9--sailing parties etc. He and his dad played table tennis and shot baskets; he and I always did our nightly walk around deck 4.

We have to laugh that sometimes he would get in later than we would from the nights' activities in the lab.

So, I think that your son will enjoy it.

 

[decolady]

We were on the Magic in March, and my DS12 LOVED IT!! He cannot wait until we can go back.

He was allowed total freedom to sign himself in and out of the club. He hung out with his new friends in the arcade and the movie theater. His biggest thrill was all of the independence we gave him. There is nowhere else in the world we would have given him so much freedom. Even on other cruise lines we would not have been as comfortable letting him come and go as he pleased. What a weird experience it was for us to go to bed and hear him come in at 1:00AM after a movie!!

Go for it, you will love it!

 

[hsteacher]

We were also on the cruise in March and my DS 12 loved being in the clubs as he had the past three cruises. On the third day of the cruise I told my 19 yo DD to find her brother so I could introduce myself to him as we only saw him as he was coming into the stateroom to fall into bed to sleep around midnight or later every night. He also had total freedom to sign in/out and a few times he went back to the stateroom, ordered room service, and returned back to the club when he wanted. We had post it notes that we left on the TV to communicate so he knew where to find us and he left notes and told us where he was. He didn't eat dinner with us any night, including AP!!! He also stayed in the clubs at CC for most of the day and stayed on the ship while my daughter and I went into Nassau for about 2 hours. We are planning on cruising again this spring break (last week in March, 2005 -- got a great quote from DU) and he says that even though he'll be "too old" for the kids clubs, he'll see how the teen club is but says he loves the cruise not matter what and can always find something to do Hope that helps

 

[kcashner]

We have cruised on the Magic 10 times. The first time DD was 7 (maiden voyage). The most recent, she turned 13 on the ship. We have 2 more cruises booked.

That should be enough to tell you that she loves it. Seriously, Disney is the only vacation she wants. If she has to choose between the Magic and the parks, it is the ship. Ideally, she'd like a few days in the parks then the cruise. She's been in every kid venue (club, lab, and stack) and liked them all at the appropriate ages. Her only comment was that the lab became "lame" after several cruises as the activities really don't change much.

So....I think your 12 year old would love it provided that he is willing to believe in magic! If he doesn't like the kid programs, there are first run movies as well as classic films, the stage and variety shows, the arcade (we don't do this!), the sports area, etc.

 

[Jennifer Coghlan]

Thanks for all your awesome feedback I am sure my DS will find many things to his liking. I am also looking to great family time too.

Thanks again, I am very thankful for your quick responses!

Happy cruisin

 

[hayesktrm]

My DS was 11 when we went on our cruise in March. He loved it. He met several boys from this forum (very good idea) and had emailed them. We then met at the arcade and they already felt like they knew each other. They loved the lab and would check themselves out to go to the arcarde or get ice cream. We had walkie talkies which really helped, too.