Should We Try Windstar w/a Teen?

Hi all,

I'm debating trying Windstar over spring break but am hesitating since we always travel with our son who is 13. He is used to traveling and well-behaved. This past year we did 3 cruises with NCL in the Haven. He enjoys relaxing with a book, touring and being active. I'm not worried about him being bored since it will be port intensive. I'm more worried about other passengers being rude and making us feel unwelcome. Thoughts?

Thanks!

I personally would not recommend it. I have been on 3 Windstar cruises and there has always been one kid on board each time. They just never have seemed to be having a very good time. Part of it is there are no kids for them to interact with. As for the other passengers, they will definitely not make you feel bad for having your child with you. In fact, it has been quite the opposite. People I have seen try to engage with the kid...Maybe out of pity. The windstar clientele are very nice in my experience. I doubt that part of your question would be any issue at all. If you do choose to take your son, relax and enjoy. Windstar is a great way to go!!

We took our college aged sons to the Panama Canal over Christmas and New Years in 2014 aboard the Wind Star. There were a couple of other older teens on board due to the holiday season. My boys didn't spend anytime with them because we were always busy as a family with the ports, etc. After dinner my husband and I would gather at the bar or listen to music while our sons went back to their cabin and played video games, read, watched DVD's etc.

I would think that you might have a few teens on board during spring break. I would say bring him! He will be welcomed and I'm sure the crew will make him feel at ease. If he's like a lot of other teenagers he will find something to amuse himself with after dinner. We had a wonderful time with our sons and did do several ports with activities chosen by them. Enjoy!

There is a huge difference between being a 13 year old on a large, mass market ship, regardless of class of service, and on a small intimate ship where I believe most passengers have the expectation of not having children on board.

There is also a big difference between college aged (technically adults) and 13. While I doubt anyone would be rude, they could be cool and quite possibly not want to socialize with your family, including having meals with you.

I think you would be fine if you plan on dining at your own table as a family rather than a large table with others who might prefer to not be seated with a child. Thirteen is still a child regardless of their temperament or level of maturity.

As long as you go with the intention of not expecting others to want to socialize with your son and as an extension, you, and be pleasantly surprised if it does happen, you'll enjoy yourself.

We've been on many WS cruises and there were some children of varying ages on all. They all seemed to be having a good time and even though we're "older" would welcome you and your teenager at our table at any time. We have run from some adults we have met onboard who are whiners and complainers. Never ran from any of the kids who were always filled with the joy and wonder of the experience. If you and your child enjoy one another's company then by all means, bring him along and have a great sail.

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I personally see no problem. All the younger clientele we saw on board were well behaved ( 1 or 2 per cruise) and respectful. We wish we could have brought our two sons with us a few years ago to experience the small ship difference. As long has you and them understand that the activity are limited and not "geared" to the younger crowd you will have a great time.

I wouldn't do it, although I can't imagine that anyone would be rude. I just don't think your son would have as a good of a time as he would on a larger ship. When our son was that age, through high school, we went on big ship cruises with other families with kids of the same age, or once with a 3 generation family group. Celebrity was our favorite bigger cruise line.

I've been on several Windstar cruises that had kids, but most were college age, over 18. They usually had a friend or sibling with them. A few exceoptions: On our 1st Windstar use there was a sweet 15 Yr old who played drums with the band one night. Everyone felt sorry for him that he was on a cruise wth no other kids his age. Our last cruise had 2 sisters who might have been 13 and 15, but they had each other to hang out with.

Would you consider bringing a friend for him? That might work, but I do think he would have more fun with the options on a bigger ship.

As long as the teen isn't running around screaming and making a commotion I wouldn't worry a bit about the other pax being rude to him. I do agree on the boredom, and it depends on how independent he is. If you go out on some excursion at each port he may well be ready to hit the pool and then crash in the room with a book or DVD before dinner. Dinner can be a bit tedious, but needed be a long drawn out affair and I see no reason to not let him either have a couple courses and leave or just get room service if he's sick of it. Room service does need to be delivered to your room, but from there there's no reason to not take it out onto deck to eat. Maybe all of you could order room service one night and make a picnic out of it.

Not windstar but we met a young man of about the same age on HAL who had crossed the Atlantic several times in a 4 person sailboat and loved it. So I think it depends on the child.

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Our daughter celebrated her 5th birthday on QE2, cruised the Med at age 7 on the French cruise ship Mermose, cruised the Med again at age 14 on the Royal Viking Sea and through her early teens cruised on several other ships that included the Seaborne Pride three or four times. Because all the cruises were port intensive her days were kept busy seeing things away from the ship. Seldom were there other youngsters on those cruises. Today she holds dear the memories of all the wonderful places her Mom and Dad had the good fortune to share with her. My vote? He'll only be 13 once - bring him.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

Magnum, I just did the med with him, which he loved. Our days were quite full with touring. Typically, when we returned to the ship, he would go for a jog while I headed to the spa. We'd then get ready for dinner, enjoy a nice leisurely meal and then pass out from exhaustion.

Perhaps it's because he is an only child, but he enjoys traveling with just his parents.

Thanks, again!

Some kids enjoy solitude and quietly reading. If so, Windstar is the ticket. However, if interacting with other teens is desired, it may be a tough cruise. Just off an 11 day cruise in Europe and have also done 7 night Caribbean cruises. Not many kids. Not many people under 50. On most recent cruise there was a family traveling with teens. They spent a lot of time watching videos and ordering popcorn from room service. They were very nice and never complained. However, when I travel with my family multi-generational we stick to mass market with lots of entertainment.

I can't really image passengers being rude just because there was a 13 year old on board! If they were, I would avoid them like the plague. How ridiculous!

On the same cruise to Panama we took our sons on, there was a family with 3 children, one being about 8 years old who was delightful. We had the youngest captain in the fleet at that time and he went over and beyond his duties as captain to make that child feel welcomed. He had them at his table for dinner one evening, was always willing to give the child his time during the day or evening.

There is a tendency these days to place the blame on the children when they are loud, rude or ill mannered. Perhaps the blame is misguided?

Kids (and an ever increasing number of adults) haven't quite figured out that they don't need to be entertained every moment of the day. Kids certainly enjoy being with other kids and doing 'kid things' but they also enjoy speaking and sharing in activities with their parents as well as other adults. I'll bet that youngster being featured at Captains Table will never forget being friends with the Captain of his 'giant' cruise ship! Kids like to participate. When kids become unruly it's usually because they're reaching out for someone to notice them. The lucky ones learn that an electronic gadget isn't a parent and that an amusement park environment [which certainly can be fun] is not required for them to enjoy a vacation or their family. Those youngsters are the ones that easily fit into what we call a 'mature' environment.